Midrash su Geremia 23:78

(Fol. 13) R. Juda said in the name of Samuel: "Whoever is not well versed in the legal statute of divorce and betrothal documents shall not occupy himself with it." R. Assi said in the name of R. Jochanan: "And such that occupy themselves, [although not well posted in it], are as hard (injurious) upon the world, even more so than the generation which perished in the flood, as it is said (Hos. 4, 2) Swearing and lying, and killing and stealing, and committing adultery! They break all bounds, and blood toucheth blood." What does this passage prove? This is as R. Joseph translated it [by quoting Jonathan b. Uziel]: "They begot children from strange wives, thereby increasing crime upon crime;" and immediately after this it is written, Therefore shall the land mourn, and everybody that dwelleth therein shall languish, with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the heaven; yea also the fishes of the sea shall perish, while concerning the flood a decree against fishes was not issued, as it is said (Gen. 7, 22) Of all that were on the dry land died, but not the fishes in the sea, here even the fishes in the sea are included. But how do you know that the passage above refers to single crimes? Perhaps it refers to all the crimes when committed together. It is impossible to think this, since the passage says (Jer. 23, 10) For because of swearing the land mourneth. Perhaps false swearing is a crime great in itself, but the rest of the crimes mentioned in the passage above are subject to punishment only when they go together? (Ib. b) Is it then written Uparatzu in a coordinate construction? [which would mean that all the elements mentioned in the passage are united]. The construction of the passage is in an ordinate form Paratzu, [hence everything is counted separately].

(Exodus 12:1) "saying": Go and say it to them immediately. These are the words of R. Yishmael. As it is written (Exodus 34:34) "And he went out and spoke to the children of Israel what he had been commanded." R. Eliezer says: (The intent is) Go out and say it to them and return word to Me, viz. (Ibid. 19:8) "and Moses returned the words of the people to the L rd," and (Ezekiel 9:11) "And, behold, the man clothed in linen on whose loins was the scribe's slate returned word saying I have done according to all that You have commanded me," and (Iyyov 38:35) "Did you dispatch lightning bolts, so that they should go forth and say to you 'Here we are'"? The messengers of the Holy One Blessed be He are not as those of flesh and blood. The messengers of flesh and blood must return to their sender. Not so Your messengers, but "Did You dispatch lightning bolts so that they should go forth?" It is not written "and they shall return and say." Wherever they go they are before You and they say we have fulfilled Your embassy, in fulfillment of (Jeremiah 23:24) "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?" R. Oshiyah said: When the Holy One Blessed be He decrees good and bad decrees for Israel, a report is returned to Him for the good, but not for the bad, viz. (Ezekiel 9:2-11) "And, behold, six men were coming, etc." — whereupon they fulfilled their embassy. Of those who were commanded to carry out the evil decree (i.e., to destroy), we do not learn that they returned report. Of him who was commanded over the good (i.e., the man clothed in linen), we learn that he returned report (viz. 9:11) "Ben Azzai says: "In the voice that you hear (what is taught), in that voice you teach." (i.e., "Affirmation begets affirmation."). R. Akiva says (Exodus 12:1) "saying": Go and say to them that it is in their merit that He speaks to me (Moses). And thus do we find, that in all the thirty-eight years that He was angry with Israel (i.e., from the episode of the spies and on), He did not speak with him, viz. (Devarim 2:16-17) And it was, when all the men of war (those from the age of twenty) had finished dying from the midst of the people, that the L rd spoke to me, saying." R. Shimon b. Azzai said: I do not come to detract from my master's words, but to add to them, viz.: Not to Moses alone did He speak in the merit of Israel, but to all of the prophets, viz. (Ezekiel 3:15) "And I sat there seven days, mute (i.e., without prophecy) among them," (Ibid. 16-17) "And it was at the end of seven days (of being among them) that the word of the L rd (i.e., prophecy) came to me, saying." (Likewise, after the people had asked for Divine guidance), (Jeremiah 42:7) "And the word of the L rd came to Jeremiah, etc." And thus do you find with Baruch the soon of Neriah, who complained before the L rd, (Ibid. 45:3) "You (Baruch) say: Woe unto me, the L rd has added grief to my pain!" (You say:) Why am I different from all the disciples of the prophets? Joshua served Moses and the spirit of the L rd reposed upon him. Elisha served Eliyahu and the spirit of the L rd reposed upon him. Why am I different? (Ibid.) "I wearied myself with groanings but I did not find rest," "rest" being prophecy, as in (Numbers 11:21) "And the spirit rested upon them … and they prophesied in the camp," (II Kings 2:15) "And the spirit of Eliyahu has rested on Elisha," (Isaiah 11:2) "And the spirit of the L rd will rest upon him." Come and see how the L rd answered him (Jeremiah 45:4-5) "Thus said the L rd. What I have built I am going to destroy, and what I have planted I am going to uproot, and you are seeking 'great things' for yourself?", "great things" being prophecy, as in (II Kings 8:4) "Tell me, now, of all the 'great things' that Elisha (the prophet) has wrought," and (Jeremiah 33:3) "Call Me and I will tell you (Jeremiah the prophet) 'great things' and in forms that you have not known," (G d) saying to Baruch the son of Neriah, as it were: If there is no vineyard, there is no (need of a) fence; if there is no flock, there is no shepherd. Why? (Jeremiah 45:5) "For I am going to bring evil upon all flesh. And shall I render your soul (i.e., your prophetic soul) as spoil unto you wherever you go?" — whence we see that the prophets prophesy only in the merit of Israel.

Raba said again: "A young scholar is like a seed lying under a hard clod which, when it has once sprouted, grows fat." Raba also said: "If a young scholar gets angry, it is the [zeal for the] Torah that excites him, for it is said (Jer. 23, 29) Is not thus my word like the fire saith the Lord?" R. Ashi said: "A scholar who is not as firm as iron cannot be considered a scholar; for the end of that passage reads: And like a hammer that shivereth the rock. What you derive from that passage." remarked R. Abba unto R. Ashi, "we infer from the passage here: It is written (Deut. 8, 9) A land whose stones are iron. Do not read it, Ab'neha (its stones), but read it, Boneha (its builders)." "Even so," remarked Rabina, "a man should train himself to speak calmly without anger, as it is said (Ecc. 15, 10) And remove anger from thy heart."

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?

“The elite of Persia and Media:” It is taught in the name of Rabbi Natan about these ten measures: There are ten portions of licentiousness in the world, nine in Alexandria and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of wealth in the world, nine in Rome and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of poverty in the world, nine in Lydia²⁰‘Lydia’ refers to the district in Asia Minor. Alternatively, this could be Lod, the town in Judea. and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of sorcery in the world, nine in Egypt and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of foolishness in the world, nine among the Ishmaelites and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of vigor in the world, nine among the Ishmaelites and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of lice in the world, nine among the Persians and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of attractiveness in the world, nine in Media and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of ugliness in the world, nine in the East and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of power in the world, nine among the Chaldeans and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of courage in the world, nine in Judah and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of beauty in the world, nine in Jerusalem and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of wisdom in the world, nine in the Land of Israel and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of Torah in the world, nine in the Land of Israel and one in the rest of the world. There are ten portions of hypocrisy in the world, nine in Jerusalem and one in the rest of the world; that is what is written: “…for from the prophets of Jerusalem hypocrisy has gone out to all the land” (Jeremiah 23:15).

R. Chama b. Chanina said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Pr. 27, 17) Iron is sharpened by iron? It means just as iron sharpens another iron, so also when two scholars study together, one sharpens [the intellect of] the other." Rabba b. b. Chana said: "Why are the words of the Torah compared to fire? As it is written (Jer. 23, 29) Is not this my word like the fire? saith the Lord. They are to teach that just as fire cannot burn of itself [without having hold of an object], so the words of the Torah can also not remain with one who is alone." And this is also meant by R. Jose b. Chanina; for R. Jose b. Chanina said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Jer. 50, 36) The sword is against the lying soothsayers and they should become foolish. It means that the sword is against the learned who sit alone and study the Torah in privacy. Moreover, they become foolish; as it is said (No'alu) and they shall become foolish; nay, more, they will commit sins; for it is written here (V'noalu) and they shall become foolish, and it is written there (Num. 12, 11) Wherein we have acted foolishly (No'alnu), and wherein we have sinned; and if you wish I would conclude here from (Is. 19, 13) that The princess of Tzo'an are becoming fools (No'alu)."

There was an incident involving Doeg ben Yosef who died and left a young son to his mother. She would measure him in handbreadths and donate his weight in gold to the Temple¹⁸²Literally, to Heaven. each and every year. When the siege encircled Jerusalem, his mother slaughterd him with her own hands and ate him: Jeremiah was lamenting before the Omnipresent and saying: “Shall women eat their fruit, the infants of their nurturing?” (Lamentations 2:20). The Divine Spirit responded to him: “Shall the priest and the prophet be slain in the Temple of the Lord?” (Lamentations 2:20). This is Zekharya ben Yehoyada.¹⁸³See Eikha Rabba, Prologue, 23.
Another matter, “for these I weep,” Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: For the departure of intelligence and for the departure of the Divine Presence. Is it possible that Zedekiah saw others plucking out his eyes and he did not have the intelligence to smash his head against the wall until his soul departed, but he rather caused his sons to be slaughtered before his eyes?¹⁸⁴Nebuchadnezzar had Zedekiah’s sons slaughtered before his eyes, and then had Zedekiah’s eyes blinded (II Kings 25:7). According to the Sages, they first inserted iron rods into his eyes but had not yet blinded him; they finished blinding him only after he saw his sons slaughtered (Tanḥuma, Vaetḥanan 1). The midrash here asks why Zedekiah did not kill himself to spare himself this torture. Rather, regarding that moment it is stated: “The heart of the king and the heart of the princes will fail…” (Jeremiah 4:9). Rabbi Neḥemya said: For the departure of priesthood and kingship. That is what is written: “These are the two anointed men who attend the Lord of all the land” (Zechariah 4:14); these are Aaron and David. Aaron is demanding his priesthood and David is demanding his kingdom.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: For dereliction in the study of Torah.¹⁸⁵This opinions interprets the verse “for these I weep” to mean due to these sins, namely the dereliction in the study of Torah. That is what is written: “These are the statutes and the ordinances” (Deuteronomy 12:1).¹⁸⁶This verse is stated regarding the Torah. The word “these” in Lamentations is thus connected to the words of Torah, referred to as “these” in Deuteronomy. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: For idol worship. That is what is written: “These are your gods, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). Zavdi ben Levi said: For the abrogation of the offerings. That is what is written: “These you shall perform to the Lord on your appointed days” (Numbers 29:39). The Rabbis said: For the abrogation of the [non-priestly] watches.¹⁸⁷The reference is to the groups of Israelites, corresponding to the twenty-four priestly watches, who would spend the week in prayer and Torah study so that the Temple service would be pleasing to God; see Taanit 26a. What benefit does the world have from the watches? On Monday they would fast on behalf of the seafarers. On Tuesday they would fast on behalf of the wayfarers. On Wednesday they would fast on behalf of the children, so that diphtheria would not afflict their mouths and cause them to die. On Thursday they would fast on behalf of the pregnant women, that they would not miscarry, and on behalf of the nursing women, that their children should not die. But is it not so that one may not fast on behalf of two matters simultaneously, as it is written: “We fasted and we requested from our God about this”? (Ezra 8:23). And a verse in Daniel says: “For them to request mercy from before the God of heaven regarding this secret” (Daniel 2:18), and not regarding two.¹⁸⁸Both verses mention requesting from God regarding “this,” in singular. Rather, it is like that which Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: For drought and exile one fasts for both of them simultaneously.¹⁸⁹They are related, because due to famine people wander from their homes in search of food. Similarly, miscarriage and the death of infants are closely enough related that one can pray regarding both simultaneously. However, one does not fast on the day before Shabbat or on the day following Shabbat, in deference to Shabbat.
“My eye, my eye sheds water.” Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a doctor who had pain in one eye. He said: ‘Let my eye weep for my eye.’ So too, Israel is called the eye of the Holy One blessed be He. That is what is written: “For the eye of man and all the tribes of Israel is toward the Lord” (Zechariah 9:1). As it were, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let My eye weep for My eye.’
“For a comforter, restorer of my soul, has grown distant from me.” What is the name of the messianic king? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: The Lord is his name, as it is stated: “This is his name that they will call him: The Lord is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6). As Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is good for a province when its name is like that of its king, and the name of its king is like that of its God. It is good for a province when its name is like that of its king, as it is written: “The name of the city from that day shall be: The Lord is there” (Ezekiel 48:35). The name of its king like the name of its God, as it is stated: “This is his name that they will call him: The Lord is our righteousness” (Jeremiah 23:6).
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: His name is Tzemaḥ, as it is stated: “Behold a man, Tzemaḥ is his name, and he will sprout [yitzmaḥ]” (Zechariah 6:12). Rabbi Yudan said: Menaḥem is his name, as it is stated: “For a comforter [menaḥem]…has grown distant from me.” Rabbi Ḥanina said: And they do not disagree; the numerical value of this equals the numerical value of that, Menaḥem equals Tzemaḥ.¹⁹⁰Menaḥem: mem – 40, nun – 50, ḥet – 8, mem – 40 = 138. Tzemaḥ: tzadi – 90, mem – 40, ḥet – 8 = 138. The following supports that [statement] of Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Aivu: There was an incident involving a certain person who was plowing. One of his oxen lowed. A certain Arab passed near him and said to him: ‘What are you?’ He said to him: ‘I am a Jew.’ He said to him: ‘Unharness your ox, untie your plow.’ He said to him: ‘Why?’ He said to him: ‘The Temple of the Jews is destroyed.’¹⁹¹Therefore, you should mourn rather than work your field. He said to him: ‘How do you know?’ He said to him: ‘I know it from the lowing of your ox.’ While he was still conversing with him, it lowed again. He said to him: ‘Harness your ox, tie your plow, as the redeemer of the Jews was born.’ He said to him: ‘What is his name?’ He said to him: ‘His name is Menaḥem.’ ‘What is his father’s name?’ He said to him: ‘Hezekiah.’ He said to him: ‘Where do they live?’ He said to him: ‘In Birat Arva, that is in Bethlehem of Judah.’ That man sold his oxen, sold his plow, and became a seller of felt garments for children. He would enter a city and leave a city, enter a province and leave a province, until he arrived there.
All of the women of the village came to purchase from him, but the mother of a certain child did not purchase from him. He said to her: ‘Why are you not purchasing children’s garments of felt?’ She said to him: ‘Because my child has a harsh fate.’ He said to her: ‘Why?’ She said to him: ‘Because upon his arrival, the Temple was destroyed.’¹⁹²The Temple was destroyed on the day he was born. He said to her: ‘We rely on the Master of the universe that upon his arrival it was destroyed and upon his arrival it will be rebuilt.’ He said to her: ‘Take one of these felt garments for your child, I will come some time later to your house and collect your payment.’ She took it and she went. Some time later that man said: ‘I will go and see how that child is doing.’ He came to her, he said to her: ‘How is the child doing?’ She said to him: ‘Did I not say to you that he has a harsh fate? Even upon his arrival there was a foreboding omen. Since that time, winds and storms carried him away.’ He said to her: ‘Did I not tell you that upon his arrival it was destroyed and upon his arrival it will be rebuilt?’¹⁹³He was carried away by the wind because he is destined to serve a purpose in a supernatural manner, and bring about the building of the Temple.
Rabbi Avun said: Why must I learn this from Arabs, is it not an explicit verse? As it is written: “The Lebanon will fall by a mighty one” (Isaiah 10:34), and it is written immediately thereafter: “A branch will emerge from the trunk of Yishai and a shoot will sprout from his roots” (Isaiah 11:1).
The school of Rabbi Sheila said: Shilo is the name of Messiah, as it is stated: “Until Shilo will come” (Genesis 49:10); Sheila is written.¹⁹⁴The word Shilo in the verse is spelled with a heh at the end rather than a vav, such that it can also be read Sheila. This was stated by Rabbi Sheila’s students, who felt that if their generation was worthy, their mentor would be the messiah (Etz Yosef). The school of Rabbi Ḥanina said: Ḥanina is his name, as it is stated: “As I will not grant you clemency [ḥanina]” (Jeremiah 16:13). The school of Rabbi Yanai said: Yinon is his name, as it is written: “May his name be praised [yinon] as long as the sun shines” (Psalms 72:17). Rabbi Beivai of Sanegurya said: His name is Nehira, as it is stated: “Light [nehora] rests with Him” (Daniel 2:22), nehira is written. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel ben Rabbi Yitzḥak: If the messianic king is from the living, his name is David, and if he is from the dead, his name is David. Rabbi Tanḥuma said: I will say his source: “He increases deliverance to His king, shows kindness to His anointed, [to David and to his descendants, eternally]” (Psalms 18:51). “And to David” is not written here, but rather “to David and his descendants.”¹⁹⁵The verse says: To His anointed [meshiḥo], to David, identifying David as the messiah.
“My children have become desolate, because the enemy has prevailed.” Rabbi Aivu said: Like that shell of the gourd; the more [the shell] grows, the smaller [the fruit] is.¹⁹⁶The greater the percentage of the total fruit is shell, the smaller the edible fruit is (Arukh). The point is that the greater the success of the enemy, the greater the desolation of Israel. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Like this pig; the more that its offspring grow, the smaller it gets.¹⁹⁷Its energy is sapped by nursing its young (Matnot Kehuna).

It was taught that Ben Zoma said to the sages: "Is it truly so that the Exodus from Egypt will be mentioned [as a miraculous incident] after Messiah will come? Has not the prophet long ago said (Jer. 23, 7.) Therefore, behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, when they shall no more say, as the Lord liveth, who hath brought up the children of Israel out of the Land of Egypt; But as the Lord liveth, who hath brought up, and who hath led forth the seed of the house of Israel out of the north country, and out of all countries whither I had driven them." "This," said the sages, "is intended to mean, not that the memory of the redemption of Egypt will be removed from its place (entirely extinct), but that the latter redemption will be the principal consideration and the redemption of Egypt the secondary. Just as it is said (Gen. 35, 10.) Thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name. (Fol. 13a.) It means not that the name Jacob will entirely fall into disuse, but that Israel shall be the principal name and Jacob the secondary. And this is meant by the passage (Is. 43, 18.) Remember not the former things, and ancient events regard no more. Remember not former things, alludes to the present subjugation, and ancient events regard no more, refers to the redemption of Egypt." Behold, I will do a new thing; now shall it spring forth (Ib. ib. 10). R. Joseph recited a Baraitha that this alludes to the war of Gog and Magog. It is likened to a man who while walking on the road met a wolf from whom he escaped, and as he was exulting over the miracle of the wolf, he met a lion and also escaped him. He exulted over his escape from the lion, forgetting the miracle of the escape from the wolf. He then met a serpent and also escaped. He forgot all the former escapes and exulted over the miracle of the serpent. Thus it is with Israel; the later troubles make them forget the earlier ones.

And so you find that Israel did everything that he had said to them in the days of the judges, as stated (in Jud. 10:6): <AGAIN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL DID WHAT WAS EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD> AND SERVED THE BAALS AND THE ASTARTES. So also Jeroboam, as stated (in I Kings 12:28–29): SO THE KING TOOK COUNSEL AND MADE TWO CALVES OF GOLD <….> THEN HE SET ONE IN BETHEL AND THE OTHER HE {SET} [PUT] IN DAN. Moreover, he did not allow Israel to go up to Jerusalem. Instead he said: These are your Gods, O Israel. So also Ahab sinned and made Israel sin more than all he wicked ones who came before him. (I Kings 16:30:) AND AHAB [BEN OMRI] DID MORE EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD THAN ALL WHO <HAD COME> BEFORE HIM. You yourself know that he sold himself to idolatrous worship, as stated (in I Kings 21:25): <INDEED THERE WAS NO ONE> LIKE AHAB WHO SOLD HIMSELF TO DO EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD. He also made them forget the name of the Holy One. How? He blotted out the references <to the Divine Name> and wrote in their place, <e.g.,> "And Baal spoke," "In the beginning Baal," "And Baal said." And for all the whole Torah he did likewise. That is what the prophet says (in Jer. 23:27): THE ONES WHO INTEND TO MAKE MY PEOPLE FORGET MY NAME. But Menasseh did more than all of them, 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>…. (II Chron. 33:6 // II KINGS 21:6): AND HE HAD HIS SONS PASS THROUGH FIRE {FOR MOLECH} IN THE VALLEY OF BEN-HINNOM. HE ALSO PRACTICED SOOTHSAYING, AUGURY, [SORCERY,] NECROMANCY, AND WIZARDRY. [HE DID MUCH EVIL IN THE EYES OF THE LORD TO PROVOKE HIM TO ANGER.] And how <did he do it>? Molech was in the valley of Ben-hinnom.⁶Cf. Lam. R. 1:9 (36). It took place outside of Jerusalem and in a remote place. There was also an image <there> with the face of a calf and with its hands extended like a human [whose hands are open to receive] something from one's friend. Then they heated it until its hands became like fire. It also had seven latticed gates,⁷Qanqalim. Probably from the Gk.: kingklis, or the Lat.: cancelli, but Buber, n. 5, suggests the word comes from coenacula, which means “upper rooms.” with <the image> behind the innermost of them. Each and every one would enter in accordance with his offering. Whoever offered a bird entered the first lattice gate. With a goat he entered the second lattice gate; with a lamb, the third; with a calf, the fourth; with a bullock, the fifth; with a bull, the sixth. To whoever was offering his child the idol priests would say that there is none higher than that. He entered within the seventh lattice gate. Then he went and kissed it, as stated (in Hos. 13:2): THOSE WHO SACRIFICE A HUMAN BEING KISS CALVES. Then the idol priests would take his child from him and put the young child⁸Tinoq. “Young child” rather than “infant” here, because a parallel description in Lam. R. suggests that the offering might be an offspring somewhat older than an infant. upon the hands of Molech, while they took the drums and beat on them, so that the father would not hear the voice of his child. Then they pressed the young child's entrails upon it, while the young child screamed until <its spirit> left its body in the hands of <the idol>. R Judah the Levite said: That is what is written (in Jer. 7:31): AND THEY HAVE BUILT THE HIGH PLACES OF TOPHETH, WHICH ARE IN THE VALLEY OF BEN-HINNOM <TO BURN THEIR SONS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS IN THE FIRE>. What is the meaning of TOPHETH? That they beat on their drums (tuppim, sing.: toph). What is the meaning of HINNOM? That the idol priests said to Molech, when the young child screamed (rt.: NHM): May it be pleasing to you! May it be appealing to you! Look at how fervent they were for idolatry! The Holy One said: It is on account of the evil drive (yetser hara) that you have sinned and gone into exile; but in the age to come I am rooting it (i.e., the evil drive) out of you,⁹Cf. Deut. R. 2:30. as stated (in Ezek. 36:26): I WILL REMOVE THE HEART OF STONE FROM YOUR FLESH AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH.

"he is Mine": What is the intent of this? It is written (Devarim 15:19) "the male shall you sanctify to the L rd your G d." (How am I to understand this?) As sanctify it so that you receive reward, or if you sanctify it, it is sanctified, and, if not, it is not sanctified? It is, therefore, written "he is Mine" — in any event. What is the intent, then, of "the male shall you sanctify"? Sanctify it (i.e., dedicate it to the L rd) for the sake of receiving reward. Similarly, (Leviticus 6:5) "And the Cohein shall burn wood upon it every morning, etc." What is the intent of this? Is it not written (Isaiah 40:16) "and (the whole forest of Levanon is not sufficient to burn, etc."? What, then, is the intent of "And the Cohein shall burn wood upon it"? For the sake of receiving reward. Similarly, (Numbers 28:4) "the one lamb shall you offer, etc." What is the intent of this? Is it not written (Isaiah, Ibid.) "nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering"? What, then, is the intent of "The one lamb, etc."? For the sake of receiving reward. Similarly, (Exodus 25:8) "and they shall make for Me a sanctuary, etc." What is the intent of this? Is it not written (Jeremiah 23:24) "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" What, then, is the intent of "And they shall make for Me a sanctuary"? For the sake of receiving reward for making it. Once, the disciples spent a Sabbath in Yavneh, R. Yehoshua not among them. When they returned to him he asked them: "What novelty did you hear in Yavneh?" They answered: "After you, our master" (i.e., there is no one to do so after you). R. Yehoshua: "Who spent the Sabbath there?" They: "R. Elazar b. Azaryah." R. Yehoshua: "Is it possible that R. Elazar b. Azaryah spent the Sabbath there without telling you something novel?" They: He expounded this principle (Devarim 31:12) "Gather the people — the men, the women, and the children." Now do little children know the difference between good and evil? But (He did so) in order to bestow reward upon their bringers, to increase the reward of the doers of His will, as it is written (Isaiah 42:21) "The L rd desires for the sake of His righteousness to magnify Torah and to exalt it." At this, he said to them: "What can be more novel than this? I am seventy years old, and I never merited hearing such a thing until this day! Happy are you, father Abraham, from whose loins Elazar b. Azaryah emerged! The generation is not an orphan in whose midst R. Elazar b. Azaryah resides!" They: Our master, he also expounded this principle: (Jeremiah 23:7) "Therefore, behold, days are coming, says the L rd, when it will no more be said: 'As the L rd lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, etc.'" To what may this be compared? A man desired children and had a daughter — whereupon (when he made a vow) he vowed upon her life. Thereafter, he had a son, and (in vowing) he left off (vowing by) his daughter and vowed upon the life of his son. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: To what may this be compared? A man was journeying and was accosted by a wolf, from which he was rescued — whereupon he would (always) talk about his encounter with the wolf. He was later accosted by a lion, from which he was rescued — whereupon he left off talking about his encounter with the wolf and spoke about his encounter with the lion. Similarly, (Genesis 29:19) "And he called the name of the place Beth-El." The first name was superseded by the second. Similarly, (Ibid. 17:5) "And your name will no longer be called Avram." The first name was superseded by the second. Similarly, (Ibid. 15) "Sarai, your wife, etc." The first name was superseded by the second. (Ibid. 32:28) "Your name will no longer be called Yaakov but Yisrael." The first name remained and the second was superadded. The name of Yitzchak was not changed, for he was thus (originally) called by the Holy One Blessed be He. There are three who were named by the Holy One Blessed be He — Yitzchak, Shlomoh, and Yoshiyahu. Yitzchak — (Ibid. 17:19) "But Sarah your wife will bear a son for you and you shall call his name Yitzchak." Shlomoh (I Chronicles 22:9) "for Shlomoh will be his name." Yoshiyahu (I Kings 13:2) "A son will be born to the house of David. Yoshiyahu will be his name." Others say: Also Yishmael among the gentiles. We find the names of righteous ones and their deeds to be revealed to the L rd before their creation, viz. (Jeremiah 1:5) "Before I created you in the womb, I knew you." Where do we find (the same for) the names of wicked ones? It is written (Psalms 58:4) "The wicked are estranged from the womb, etc."

"he is Mine": What is the intent of this? It is written (Devarim 15:19) "the male shall you sanctify to the L rd your G d." (How am I to understand this?) As sanctify it so that you receive reward, or if you sanctify it, it is sanctified, and, if not, it is not sanctified? It is, therefore, written "he is Mine" — in any event. What is the intent, then, of "the male shall you sanctify"? Sanctify it (i.e., dedicate it to the L rd) for the sake of receiving reward. Similarly, (Leviticus 6:5) "And the Cohein shall burn wood upon it every morning, etc." What is the intent of this? Is it not written (Isaiah 40:16) "and (the whole forest of Levanon is not sufficient to burn, etc."? What, then, is the intent of "And the Cohein shall burn wood upon it"? For the sake of receiving reward. Similarly, (Numbers 28:4) "the one lamb shall you offer, etc." What is the intent of this? Is it not written (Isaiah, Ibid.) "nor the beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt-offering"? What, then, is the intent of "The one lamb, etc."? For the sake of receiving reward. Similarly, (Exodus 25:8) "and they shall make for Me a sanctuary, etc." What is the intent of this? Is it not written (Jeremiah 23:24) "Do I not fill heaven and earth?" What, then, is the intent of "And they shall make for Me a sanctuary"? For the sake of receiving reward for making it. Once, the disciples spent a Sabbath in Yavneh, R. Yehoshua not among them. When they returned to him he asked them: "What novelty did you hear in Yavneh?" They answered: "After you, our master" (i.e., there is no one to do so after you). R. Yehoshua: "Who spent the Sabbath there?" They: "R. Elazar b. Azaryah." R. Yehoshua: "Is it possible that R. Elazar b. Azaryah spent the Sabbath there without telling you something novel?" They: He expounded this principle (Devarim 31:12) "Gather the people — the men, the women, and the children." Now do little children know the difference between good and evil? But (He did so) in order to bestow reward upon their bringers, to increase the reward of the doers of His will, as it is written (Isaiah 42:21) "The L rd desires for the sake of His righteousness to magnify Torah and to exalt it." At this, he said to them: "What can be more novel than this? I am seventy years old, and I never merited hearing such a thing until this day! Happy are you, father Abraham, from whose loins Elazar b. Azaryah emerged! The generation is not an orphan in whose midst R. Elazar b. Azaryah resides!" They: Our master, he also expounded this principle: (Jeremiah 23:7) "Therefore, behold, days are coming, says the L rd, when it will no more be said: 'As the L rd lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, etc.'" To what may this be compared? A man desired children and had a daughter — whereupon (when he made a vow) he vowed upon her life. Thereafter, he had a son, and (in vowing) he left off (vowing by) his daughter and vowed upon the life of his son. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: To what may this be compared? A man was journeying and was accosted by a wolf, from which he was rescued — whereupon he would (always) talk about his encounter with the wolf. He was later accosted by a lion, from which he was rescued — whereupon he left off talking about his encounter with the wolf and spoke about his encounter with the lion. Similarly, (Genesis 29:19) "And he called the name of the place Beth-El." The first name was superseded by the second. Similarly, (Ibid. 17:5) "And your name will no longer be called Avram." The first name was superseded by the second. Similarly, (Ibid. 15) "Sarai, your wife, etc." The first name was superseded by the second. (Ibid. 32:28) "Your name will no longer be called Yaakov but Yisrael." The first name remained and the second was superadded. The name of Yitzchak was not changed, for he was thus (originally) called by the Holy One Blessed be He. There are three who were named by the Holy One Blessed be He — Yitzchak, Shlomoh, and Yoshiyahu. Yitzchak — (Ibid. 17:19) "But Sarah your wife will bear a son for you and you shall call his name Yitzchak." Shlomoh (I Chronicles 22:9) "for Shlomoh will be his name." Yoshiyahu (I Kings 13:2) "A son will be born to the house of David. Yoshiyahu will be his name." Others say: Also Yishmael among the gentiles. We find the names of righteous ones and their deeds to be revealed to the L rd before their creation, viz. (Jeremiah 1:5) "Before I created you in the womb, I knew you." Where do we find (the same for) the names of wicked ones? It is written (Psalms 58:4) "The wicked are estranged from the womb, etc."

“Your prophets envisioned futility and impropriety for you and did not reveal your iniquity to bring about your rehabilitation. They envisioned for you prophecies of futility and deviance” (Lamentations 2:14).
“Your prophets envisioned futility and impropriety for you,” Rabbi Elazar said: Impropriety is stated regarding the prophets of Samaria, as it is stated: “Among the prophets of Samaria I have seen impropriety” (Jeremiah 23:13). Impropriety is stated regarding the prophets of Jerusalem. That is what is written: “Futility and impropriety.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Scandal is stated regarding the prophets of Jerusalem, as it is stated: “Among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen scandal” (Jeremiah 23:14). Scandal is stated regarding the house of Israel, as it is written: “The virgin of Israel has often performed scandal” (Jeremiah 18:13). “And did not reveal your iniquity to bring about your rehabilitation,” they would cure your wounds superficially. “They envisioned for you prophecies of futility and deviance [umaduḥim], it is written madiḥam.¹¹⁶The word maduḥim is written without a yod, such that it can be read madiḥam, meaning those who have pushed them into exile.

“Your prophets envisioned futility and impropriety for you and did not reveal your iniquity to bring about your rehabilitation. They envisioned for you prophecies of futility and deviance” (Lamentations 2:14).
“Your prophets envisioned futility and impropriety for you,” Rabbi Elazar said: Impropriety is stated regarding the prophets of Samaria, as it is stated: “Among the prophets of Samaria I have seen impropriety” (Jeremiah 23:13). Impropriety is stated regarding the prophets of Jerusalem. That is what is written: “Futility and impropriety.” Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Scandal is stated regarding the prophets of Jerusalem, as it is stated: “Among the prophets of Jerusalem I have seen scandal” (Jeremiah 23:14). Scandal is stated regarding the house of Israel, as it is written: “The virgin of Israel has often performed scandal” (Jeremiah 18:13). “And did not reveal your iniquity to bring about your rehabilitation,” they would cure your wounds superficially. “They envisioned for you prophecies of futility and deviance [umaduḥim], it is written madiḥam.¹¹⁶The word maduḥim is written without a yod, such that it can be read madiḥam, meaning those who have pushed them into exile.

(Fol. 27) R. Abahu said in the name of R. Eliezer: "The fire of Gehenna has no power over the scholars. For this is shown by a fortiori argument drawn from the Salamander, which is only a creature of fire, and still fire has no power over him, that besmears himself with its blood; how much more then have the flames no power over the scholars, whose whole body is fire, as it is written (Jer. 23, 29) Is not thus My word like fire? saith the Lord."

(Exodus, Ibid. 3) "The L rd is a man of war; the L rd is His name." R. Yehudah says: This is a verse rich from (what is written) in many places. We are hereby apprised that He revealed Himself to them in the implements of war. He revealed Himself to them as a warrior girded with a sword, viz. (Psalms 45:4) "Gird Your sword upon Your thigh, O Hero. He revealed Himself to them as a rider, viz. (Ibid. 18:11) "And He mounted a cherub and flew, etc." He revealed Himself to them in mail and helmet, viz. (Isaiah 59:17) "He donned righteousness as mail, and a helmet of salvation on His head." He revealed Himself to them with a spear, viz. (Habakkuk 3:11) "by the light of the flash of Your spear," and (Psalms 35:3) "and draw spear and (don) buckler, etc." He revealed Himself to them with bow and arrows, viz. (Habakkuk 3:9) "The nakedness of Your bow will be revealed," and (II Samuel 22:15) "And He sent forth arrows, etc." He revealed Himself to them with shield and buckler, viz. (Psalms 91:4) "Shield and bucker is His Your truth, and (Ibid. 35:2) "Take up buckler and shield." I might think that He (actually) required one of all these appurtenances. It is, therefore, written "The L rd is a man of war; the L rd is His name. It is with His name that He wars, and not with any of these appurtenances. Why, then, need each of them be singled out? For if Israel requires it, He makes war for them. And woe to the nations what they hear with their ears, that He who spoke and brought the world into being is destined to make war with them! "the L rd is a man of war': What is the intent of this? Because He revealed Himself at the sea as a hero waging war — "The L rd is a man of war" — and He revealed Himself at Sinai as an elder full of mercy, viz. (Exodus 24:10) "And they saw the G d of Israel … and under His feet as the work of a sapphire brick and as the appearance of the heavens in brightness" [[ see Rashi], and (Daniel 7:9) "I watched as thrones were set up, and the Ancient of Days sat … (10) A stream of fire was flowing forth from before Him, etc." — So as not to give a pretext to the peoples of the world to say that there are two (i.e., numerous) deities, (it is written) "The L rd is a man of war — the L rd is His name. It was He upon the sea, He in Egypt, He in the past, He in the future, He in time to come, He in this world, He in the world to come. As it is written (Devarim 32:39) "See, now, that it is I, I, and there is no god with Me, etc.", and (Isaiah 41:4) "Who wrought and did? The Caller of the generations (into being) from the beginning. I, the L rd, was the first (to perform wonders and to help,) and it is I (who will be) with (you,) the later (generations." There is a warrior in a province, accoutered in all the weapons of war, but lacking power, strength, stratagem, and war (wisdom). Not so, the Holy One Blessed be He. He possesses all of these. As it is written (I Samuel 17:42) "For unto the L rd is the war, and He will deliver you into our hands." And it is written (Psalms 144:1) ("A psalm) of David: Blessed is the L rd, my Rock, who trains my hands for battle, my fingers for war." There is a warrior, at the height of his power, forty years old, who is not like a sixty-year-old, nor a sixty-year-old like a seventy-year-old, but the older he grows the more his power wanes. Not so, He who spoke and brought the world into being — (Malachi 3:6) "I am the L rd. I have not changed! There is a warrior in a province, who may be so swayed by wrath and power s to vent his fury even upon his father and mother and close of kin. Not so, the Holy One Blessed be He. "The L rd is a man of war — the L rd ("yod-keh-vav-keh," signifying mercy) is His name. "The L rd is a man of war" — who fought against the Egyptians. "The L rd is His name — He compassionates His creations, viz. (Exodus 24:6) "The L rd, the L rd, the G d (Kel) who is merciful and gracious, etc." There is a warrior in a province. As soon as the arrow leaves his hand he cannot retrieve it. Not so, the Holy One Blessed be He. When Israel do not do His will, a decree goes forth from Him, viz. (Devarim 32:41) "When I whet the flash of My sword, etc." But if they repent, immediately he withdraws it, viz. (Ibid.) "My hand shall take hold of justice." I might think that He withdraws it in vain (i.e., unbloodied); it is, therefore, written (Ibid.) "I shall return (with that sword) vengeance to My adversaries." Against whom does He return it? The nations of the world, viz. (Ibid.) "and (with it) My haters shall I repay!" A king of flesh and blood goes out to war and (emissaries of) neighboring lands come and request sustenance form him. He tells them angrily that he is going to war. When he returns victorious, they come and request sustenance form him. "The L rd is a man of war" — He wars against Egypt. "the L rd is His name" — (At the same time) He hears the outcries of all who enter the world. As it is written (Psalms 65:3) "Heeder of prayer — to You does all flesh come. A king of flesh and blood, whilst at war, cannot supply all of his soldiers. Not so, the Holy One Blessed be He. "The L rd is a man of war" — He wars against Egypt. "The L rd is His name" — He sustains all who enter the world. As it is written (Psalms 136:13) "He divides the sea into strips" (twelve strips for twelve tribes) — (Ibid. 25) "He gives bread to all flesh." (Ibid. 147:10) He gives the beast its food, the raven's young, what they call for." "The L rd is a man of war": Is it possible to say this (i.e., to refer to Him as "a man")? Is it not written (of His transcendent majesty) (Jeremiah 23:24) "Do I not fill heaven and earth, sys the L rd"? And (Isaiah 6:3) "And one (seraph) would call to another and say: Holy, Holy, Holy, etc." And (II Chronicles 6:14) "O L rd, G d of Israel, there is none like You, etc." And (Ezekiel 43:2) "And, behold, the glory of the G d of Israel, etc." What, then, is the intent of "a man of war"? Because of your love (i.e., the love He has for you) and because of your holiness, I shall sanctify My name through you. For it is written (Hoshea 11:9) "For I am G d, and not a man, etc." "the L rd is His name": It is with His name that He wars, and He has no need of any of these (military) appurtenances. And thus did David say (I Samuel 17:95) "You come to me with sword, and spear, and javelin; but I come to you with the name of the L rd of hosts, etc." And (Psalms 20:8) "These with chariots and these with horse, but we with the name of the L rd our G d, etc." And thus did Assa say, viz. (II Chronicles 14:10) "And Assa called out to the L rd his G d and said: O L rd, there is none besides You, etc." (Exodus 15:4) "the chariots of Pharaoh and his host": "As one measures, so is it meted out to him." They (the Egyptians [i.e., Pharaoh]) said (Ibid. 5:2) "Who is the L rd that I should hearken to his voice?" And You meted it out to him accordingly, viz. "The chariots of Pharaoh, etc." One verse (here) states "yarah" (He cast into the sea"), and, another (Ibid. 1) "ramah" ("He lifted into the sea"). How are these two verses to be reconciled? "Yarah" — they descended to the depths; "ramah" — they rose to the heights. Variantly: "The chariots of Pharaoh, etc." They (the Egyptians [i.e., Pharaoh') said (Ibid. 1:22) "Every son that is born into the Nile shall you thrown him, You, likewise, meted it out to him accordingly, viz.: "The chariots of Pharaoh, etc." They (Ibid. 14:7): "And he took six hundred chosen chariots." You, likewise (Ibid. 15:4): "and the élite of his officers were mired in the sea. They placed (Ibid. 14:7) "officers upon all of them"; You, likewise, (Ibid. 17:5) [He mired them there] "so that the waters should [return and] cover them." They (Ibid. 1:14) "embittered their lives with hard toil, with mortar"; You, likewise, made the water like slime for them, and they sank in it. Thus (15:4) "They were mired in the Red Sea," "mired" connoting slime, as in (Psalms 69:3) "I am sunk in the slime of the depths," and (Jeremiah 38:6) "and Jeremiah sank in the slime." Thus, "they were mired in the sea."

(Exodus 13:3) "And Moses said to the people: Remember this day when you went out of Egypt, etc." I know only that the exodus from Egypt is mentioned in the daytime. Whence do I derive (the same for) the evenings? From (Devarim 16:3) "… so that you remember the day of your going out of Egypt all the days of your life": "the days of your life" — the days; "all the days of your life" — (to include) the nights, as per Ben Zoma. The sages say: "the days of your life" — in this world; "all the days of your life" — to include the days of the Messiah. Ben Zoma said to them: Israel is destined not to mention the exodus from Egypt in time to come, it being written (Jeremiah 23:7-8) "Therefore, behold, days are coming, says the L rd, when it will no more be said: 'As the L rd lives, who brought up the children of Israel from the land of Egypt, but as the L rd lives, who brought up and who brought the seed of the house of Israel from the land of the north.'" R. Nathan says: "who brought up and who brought": The exodus from Egypt is mentioned in time to come. And whence is it derived that we say "Blessed are You, O L rd our G d, and the G d of our fathers, the G d of Abraham, the G d of Isaac, and the G d of Jacob"? From (Exodus 3:15) "and G d said further to Moses: Thus shall you say to the children of Israel: The L rd, the G d of your fathers, the G d of Abraham, the G d of Isaac, and the G d of Jacob, sent me to you." And whence is grace over meals derived? From (Devarim 8:10) "and you shall eat and you shall be sated" — this is the first blessing. "for the land" — this is the second blessing. "the good" — this is "who builds Jerusalem," viz. (Ibid. 3:25) "the good land … and the Levanon." "that he gave you" — who gave all good to us (this is the blessing of "hatov vehametiv"). R. Chiyya b. Nachmani said in the name of R. Yishmael: It is already written (Ibid. 8:10) "and you shall eat and you shall be sated, etc." What would be lacking if it were not written "that He gave to you"? (It is written to signify that you must thank Him) both for His measure of good and for His measure of punishment. This tells me that a blessing is required after eating. Whence do I derive that it is required (also) before eating? R. Yishmael says: It follows a fortiori, viz.: If one who has eaten to satiety requires a blessing, how much more so, one who is hungry! R. Nathan says: It is written (I Samuel 9:13) "As soon as you enter the town, you will find him before he ascends the mount to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, for he will first bless the offering, etc." R. Yitzchak says: It is written (Exodus 23:25) "And you shall serve the L rd your G d, and He will bless your bread and your water." When is it "your bread"? Before you have eaten it. This tells me only of food as requiring a blessing before it and after it. Whence do I derive (the same for) Torah? R. Yishmael says: It follows a fortiori, viz.: If food, which is only temporal, requires a blessing before and after it, how much more so Torah, which is eternal! R. Yehudah b. Betheira says: It is written (Devarim 8:10) "and you shall eat and you shall be sated and you shall bless … for the good land." What is lacking that "good" supplies? This ("good") is Torah, as it is written (Mishlei 4:2) "for a taking of 'good' have I given to you." R. Chanina, the son of the brother of R. Yehoshua says: It is written (Devarim 32:3) "When I call upon the name of the L rd" — the blesser; "give grandeur to our G d" — the answerers. And what do they answer? "Blessed is the L rd who is blessed forever." And when he mentions His name, they respond "Blessed is the name of the glory of His kingdom forever." And thus did David say (Psalms 34:4) "Exalt the L rd with me, and let us extol His name forever." Rebbi says (Mishlei 10:7) "the remembrance of the Tzaddik is for blessing": When he mentions the Tzaddik, "the Life of the worlds" — (Psalms 145:17) "the L rd is a tzaddik in all of His ways — let it be for blessing "Amen!"

...A royal lady once approached Rebbi Yosi. She said, “My god is great than yours!” He retorted, “And why?” When your God appeared to Moshe at the burning bush, Moshe had to cover his face,” She explains. “But when he first saw my god, the snake, he immediately ran away”. Rebbi Yosi replied, “May your bones disintegrate! When God revealed himself by the burning bush, he had nowhere to go—where would he run off to? The heavens? Sea? Dry land? Does God not fill the heavens and the earth! (Yermiah 23:24). A snake—a snake which is your god, as soon as one takes three or four steps away, he is saved!”

(Numb. 5:17), “Then the priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel and some of the dust.” And, why does he take water and dust and test her? Because he was created from the dust, and she was formed from the water.²¹Cf. Gen. R. 14:7. Therefore she was tested by water and by dust as to whether she was as pure as when she was created or not. Another interpretation: Why is she tested with water and with dust? Because they are her witnesses. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 30:19), “I have called the heavens and the earth to witness against you today.” Another interpretation: Why is she tested with water [and with dust]? Because a person who sows some seeds in the dust does not know what they are, until the water comes down upon them and makes known whether they belong to the owner of the field, or [whether they are] what others have sown. [(Numb. 5:12), “If anyone has his wife go astray.”] This text is related (to Job 24:15), “The eye of an adulterer watches for twilight, saying, ‘No eye shall see me.’” And so the adulterer says, “No human being knows about me”; but the Holy One, blessed be He, has His eyes ranging over all the earth.²²Numb. R. 9:1. So it says (in Jer. 23:24), “’If someone hides in secret places, shall I not see him; do I not fill heaven and earth,’ says the Lord.” Such is the way of those who commit transgression. They wait for a time of darkness, so that no one will see them. It is therefore stated (in Job 24:15), “The eye of the adulterer watches for twilight.” So also thieves watch for an hour of darkness, as stated (in vs. 16), “He breaks into houses in the dark.” And so it says (in Is. 29:15), “Woe to those who delve deeply to hide a plan from the Lord, for their works are in darkness; [so they say, ‘Who sees us and who knows about us?’]” The thief and the adulterer are obdurate, because they remove the Divine Presence. The Holy One, blessed be He, as it were, fills the realms above and the realms below, as stated (in Jer. 23:24), “’do I not fill heaven and earth,’ says the Lord.” Also in regard to the place where the adulterer comes to commit adultery, the Holy One, blessed be He, is there in His glory. It is so stated (in Is. 6:3), “the whole earth is full of His glory.” Now the adulterer says to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Remove Yourself, and give way to me for a while.” The matter is exceedingly difficult, as it were. Since He is slow to anger, He gives way to him; for (according to Job 11:11) “He knows those who are worthless; so when He sees iniquity, [does He not discern it?]” It also says (in Job 24:15, cont.), “He (i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He) turns a secret into a face.”²³This rendering fits the context of what follows in the midrash. A more traditional rendering, which fits the context of Job, would read, “AND HE (i.e., the adulterer) PUTS A VEIL ON HIS FACE. Ergo (in Job 24:15), “When the eye of an adulterer watches for twilight, saying, ‘No eye shall see me.’” So what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He turns a secret into a face. He puts the face of [the] adulterer on that fetus.²⁴Lev. R. 23:12. While the adulterer and the adulteress do not want her to become pregnant but only to satisfy their sexual desire, the Holy One, blessed be He, proclaims²⁵Gk.: parresiazesthai. them to the world. Ergo, “He turns a secret into a face,” so that the people may know [about him] and say, “Surely this one's face resembles the face of [the] adulterer”; for [the Holy One, blessed be He,] has formed the image of the fetus in the likeness of the adulterer. Ergo (ibid.), “He turns a secret into a face.” It is therefore called whoredom (zimmah); for they both deny and say, “We do not know what this is (zeh mah).”²⁶Literally: “This is what?” The Hebrew uses the unusual word order to make the parallel with “whoredom” (zimmah). R. Isaac said, “The power of the adulterer is strong, because it weakens the power of the Divine Presence. How? When the fetus is conceived from the husband, the Holy One, blessed be He, forms its image in forty days. For thus have our masters taught, ‘In forty days the image of the fetus is recognizable.’ After forty days, when the adulterer comes into her, the Holy One, blessed be He, stands wondering and says, ‘After whom shall I form [the fetus]? The image (rt.: tswr) of the husband or the image of the adulterer?’ (According to Deut. 32:18,) As it were, ‘You were unmindful of (tshy) the Rock (tswr) that bore you.’²⁷I.e., the adulterer forgot that the Holy One would expose him. The yod (= y) is [here written] small. [Thus, you] weaken (tsh, without the yod) the hands (yad in the dual) of the Creator (tsayyar).” R. Abbahu said, “To what is the matter comparable? To a sculptor (tsayyar, rt.: tsyr), who was fashioning (rt.: tsyr) an image²⁸Gk.: eikonion. of a king. When he came to finish the face,²⁹Gk.: prosopon. they said to him, “The king is dead, and another king has arisen.” When the sculptor heard that, his hands failed. He began to say, “What shall I do with these colors³⁰In the ancient world statues were painted. which I have? Shall I fashion [them] in the form of the former king or in the form of the second king?” He began to be bewildered. Now similarly, when the husband has marital relations with his wife, the Holy One, blessed be He, forms the fetus in the likeness of its father. [Then] in turn the adulterer comes into her. Ergo, the colors are mingled. Thus it is stated (in Hos. 4:2), “Swearing, lying, murdering, stealing, committing adultery break out; bloodshed follows bloodshed.” What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He returns, as it were, and changes the face into the likeness of the adulterer. Ergo (in Job 24:15) “He turns a secret into a face.”

(Fol. 69) We are taught in a Baraitha (Deut. 17, 8) Then shall thou arise and get thee up into the place which the Lord thy God will choose. From this it may be inferred that the Temple stood on a higher level than the rest of the land of Israel and that the land of Israel is situated on a higher plain than all the rest of the world. It is readily understood that the Temple is situated on a higher level than all the land of Israel for in the above passage it is written, even matters of controversy within thy gates; then shalt thou arise and get thee up; but, as to the assertion that the land of Israel is situated on a higher plain than all the rest of the world, whence do we know this? From the following passage (Jer. 23, 7): Therefore, behold, days are coming, saith the Lord, that they shall no more say: 'As the Lord liveth' … but: that brought up and that led,' etc.

(Fol. 34) (Ps. 62) Once hath God spoken, yet twice have I heard it; i.e., one biblical expression may be used for many arguments, but one and the same argument must not be deduced from different biblical expressions. It was taught in the academy of R. Ishmael (Jer. 23, 29) Like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces; i.e., just as the hammer strikes the stone into multitudes of pieces, so also may a biblical passage be interpreted for many arguments.

A certain Samaritan asked Rabbi Meir and said to him "Is it possible that the upper waters are suspended on a word?" And he replied to him "yes". And Rabbi Meir said "bring me a clepsydra (a water clock)" and the Samaritan brought a clepsydra and he placed upon it a gold plate, but the water did not stand still [under the plate]. He placed a silver plate on it, but the water did not stand still [under the plate]. But when he placed his finger on [the plate], the water stood still [and the plate did not bob]. The Samaritan said to him "you are putting your finger on it!" And Rabbi Meir responded "See how if my finger stills the water, and I am flesh and blood, how much more does the finger of the Holy One, blessed be He [control the water]. Therefore, the water is hung on a word." The Samaritan said to him "Is it possible that he himself, concerning whom it is written "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth (Jeremiah 23:24)" was speaking with Moses from between the poles of the ark?" Rabbi Meir responded: "bring to me large mirrors" and he continued "look at yourself in what is brought; your reflection in large!" Meir said to him "bring me small mirrors" and he brought small mirrors. Rabbi Meir said "look at yourself in what is brought, your reflection is small!" Rabbi Meir said to him "See how if you can change yourself whenever you want, and you are flesh and blood, how much more he who spoke and the universe came into existence, blessed is He! And so when he wishes to be "Do I not fill the heavens and the earth (Jeremiah 23:24)" he is and when he wishes he spoke with Moses from between the poles of the ark. Rabbi Chanina the son of Isei said: "sometimes the universe and its fullness is not strong enough for the glory of His divinity, and at other times He speaks with man from between the hairs of his head. This is written: "Then Hashem answered Job out of the whirlwind (se'arah) (Job 38:1)" [but read instead] from between the hairs (sha'arot) of his head. And still further the Samaritan asked Rabbi Meir "Is it possible that "the river of God is full of water (Psalm 65:10)" from the six days of creation and has not all diminished? How strange!" And Rabbi Meir said to him: "Go in and wash yourself and weigh yourself when you have not gone in and then after you have gone in." As soon as the Samaritan left he weighed himself and his body weight was not at all diminished. Rabbi Meir said "now all that sweat that comes out of you, did it not come out of you?" And the Samaritan said "yes". Rabbi Meir responded "See how if you lost no fluid from your body's spring of fluids, and you are flesh and blood, how much more is it [true regarding] the spring of the Holy One, blessed be He, [that] "the river of God is full of water (Psalm 65:10)" and from the six days of creation has not all diminished?" Rabbi Yochanan said: "The Holy One, blessed be He, raised up all the waters of creation and set half of them in the firmament and half in the Ocean; it is surprising! It is thus written "the river (peleg) of God is full of water (Psalm 65:10)" [the word "river" (peleg) must be understood as the Aramaic word] half (palg'a).

“Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and he said to the reapers: May the Lord be with you. They said to him: May the Lord bless you” (Ruth 2:4).
“Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem” – Rabbi Tanḥuma said in the name of the Rabbis: There are three matters that the earthly court decreed and the supernal court agreed with them, and these are: To greet another with the name of God, the Scroll of Esther, and tithes. Greeting others, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “That think to cause My people to forget My name” (Jeremiah 23:27). When did they think to do so? It was during the days of Atalyahu. The Rabbis say: It was during the days of Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. Rabbi Ḥananya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: It was during the days of Mordekhai and Esther. But Boaz and his court had arisen and instituted to greet another with the name of God, as it is stated: “Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and he said to the reapers: May the Lord be with you.” Likewise, the angel said to Gideon: “The Lord is with you, mighty man of valor” (Judges 6:12).
The Scroll of Esther, from where is it derived? Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak: What did Mordekhai and Esther do? They wrote letters and sent them to all the residents of the Diaspora: Do you accept upon yourselves “to observe these two days” (Esther 9:27)? [The residents of the Diaspora] sent and said [in response]: Are our problems with Haman not enough, that you impose upon us to observe these two days?¹⁵⁴They were afraid that their celebration would arouse the ill will of the gentiles. They said to them: If you are afraid of this matter, it is written among the volumes, as it is stated: “[All the acts of his power and his might, and the full account of the greatness of Mordekhai, how the king advanced him,] are they not written in the book of chronicles [of the kings of Media and Persia]?” (Esther 10:2). What did they do? They wrote a second letter and sent it to them, “this second letter of Purim” (Esther 9:29).
Rabbi Ḥelbo said in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: There were eighty-five elders, among them thirty-plus prophets who were distressed over this verse: “These are the commandments that the Lord commanded Moses” (Leviticus 27:34) – “these” [indicates that] one may not add and one may not subtract, and a prophet is not permitted to introduce anything new from now on; and Mordekhai and Esther are asking us to take upon ourselves something new? [They were distressed] until the Holy One blessed be He enlightened them and they found it written in the Torah, in the Prophets, and in the Writings:¹⁵⁵They found an allusion to the writing of the book of Esther, and therefore were no longer concerned that the observance of Purim was considered a forbidden addition to the Torah. In the Torah, as it is written: “Write this as a memorial in the book” (Exodus 17:14). In the Prophets, as it is written: “They who feared the Lord spoke one with another; and the Lord heeded, and heard, and it was written in the book [of remembrance]” (Malachi 3:16). In the Writings, as it is written: “Are they not written in the book of chronicles” (Esther 10:2). Rav, Rabbi Ḥanina, Rabbi Yonatan, bar Kappara, and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: This scroll was not stated by the court,¹⁵⁶It was not the court in the time of Mordekhai and Esther that first introduced the book of Esther. but rather was stated at Sinai, but there is no chronological order to the Torah.¹⁵⁷Therefore, it does not appear in writing until the book of Esther. From where is it derived that the Holy One blessed be He agreed with them? Rav said: “The Jews fulfilled and received [vekibbelu]” (Esther 9:27), vekibbelu (pl.) is not written, vekibbel (sing.) is written; the master of the Jews received it.¹⁵⁸The word vekibbelu is written without the concluding vav, such that it can be read in the singular. This is an allusion to the fact that Moses received it at Sinai.
Tithes, from where are they derived? It is as Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Keritzeppa: Due to the sin of [failing to separate] teruma and tithes, they were exiled. Shimon bar Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: When they were exiled they were exempted, and they obligated themselves. What did the members of the Great Assembly do? They wrote a scroll¹⁵⁹Stating that they were obligating themselves to separate teruma and tithes even though they were exempt by Torah law. and unfurled it in the Temple courtyard, and in the morning they found it signed; that is what is written: “For all this we make a covenant, and write it, and it is signed” (Nehemiah 10:1). One verse says: “It is signed [al heḥatum (sing.)]” (Nehemiah 10:1), and one verse says: “It is signed [al haḥatumim (pl.)]” (Nehemiah 10:2). How so? Rather, al heḥatum is the supernal court, and al haḥatumim is the earthly court. Some say, the proscription of Jericho as well:¹⁶⁰Following the capture of Jericho, Joshua declared all its spoils proscribed. So said the Holy One blessed be He to Joshua: “Israel has sinned [and they have even transgressed My covenant; they have also taken from the proscribed spoils]” (Joshua 7:11). Was it not Joshua who issued the decree? This teaches that the Holy One blessed be He, too, agreed with him.¹⁶¹When one of the Israelites took from the spoils, God said that they had “transgressed My covenant.”

And what did David see in his soul to be praising to the Holy One, blessed be He? But [David] said: this soul fills the body, as the Holy One, blessed be He fills His world. As it is written: (Jeremiah 23:24): "Do I not fill both heaven and earth —declares the LORD." Come, the soul that fills the body, and praise the Holy One, blessed be He, who fills the whole world. This soul supports the body, as the Holy One, blessed be He, supports His world. As it is written: (Isaiah 46:4): "I was the Maker, and I will be the Bearer; And I will support [you]." Come, the soul that supports the body, and praise the Holy One, blessed be He, who supports His world.

… it is written there “Behold the heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You…” (Melachim I 8:27) and here it is written “…the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle.” (Shemot 40:35) R’ Yehoshua of Sachnin said in the name of R’ Levi ‘to what is this likened? To an open cave at the edge of the sea. When the sea storms the cave is filled, but the sea is not reduced. So too, even though it is written that ‘the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle’ the upper and lower worlds did not lose anything of the brilliance of the glory of the Holy One, just as it is written “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth? says the Lord.” (Yirmiyahu 23:24) Therefore it is written here ‘And it was’. Just as the Divine Presence was here below at the beginning of the creation of the world but withdrew to above, now it returned to be below as it had been “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (Bamidbar 7:1) ... [Another explanation. “And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan…” (Numbers 7:1)] R’ Simon said: at the time when the Holy One told Israel to erect the Tabernacle, He hinted that when the Tabernacle below is erected, the Tabernacle above is erected, as it says “And it was that on the day that Moses finished…” (ibid.) It does not say ‘erecting the Tabernacle’ but rather ‘erecting this (et) the Tabernacle.’ This refers to the Tabernacle above. The Holy One said: in this world, when the Tabernacle was erected, I commanded Aharon and his sons that they bless you. In the time to come I, in my glory, will bless you. So it is written “May the Lord bless you from Zion, He Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 134:3)

And the Lord went before them by day (Exod. 13:21). Has it not already been said: Do not I fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:25), and also: The earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3)? Why, then, does Scripture say: And the Lord went before them? In order to reveal to the nations of the world the extent of His love for Israel, so that they would pay homage to them. However, not only did they not pay homage to them, but they slaughtered them most cruelly. Because of that it says: I will gather all the nations, and will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they scattered among the nations (Joel 4:2). It does not say “Because they committed idolatry” or “committed sexual crimes” or (were guilty) “of shedding blood,” but rather: For My people and for My heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations. And it says also: Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness (ibid., v. 19), while at that very time Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. And I will hold as innocent their blood that I have not held as innocent (ibid., v. 20). When will that be? When the Lord dwelleth in Zion (ibid.).

(Numb. 5:12:) “If anyone has his wife go astray (tisteh).” Our masters have taught, “The adulterers do not commit adultery, until a spirit of madness (shetut)³¹In the unpointed Hebrew text, shetut and tisteh appear to have the same root. enters them. Thus it is stated (ibid.), ‘If anyone has his wife go astray.’” [Here] we have learned about the woman. Where is it shown about the man? Where it is stated (in Prov. 6:32), “The one who commits adultery with a woman is has no sense (literally, is lacking heart).”³²Cf. Numb. 9:6. Another interpretation (of Numb. 5:12), “If anyone has his wife go astray.” This text is related (to Jer. 23:24), “If someone hides in secret places, [shall I not see him?]” See, is it not already written (Psalms 16:3), “The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, observing the bad and the good.”³³Numb. R. 9:9. And so too is it written (in Zech. 4:10; cf. II Chron. 16:9), “the eyes of the Lord; they roam around all the earth.” [So] what do we learn to say (in Jer. 23:24), “Shall I not see Him (ar'ennu)?” [Interpret these words³⁴In the Hebrew text this question and the one which follows each consists of the one word, ar’ennu. as follows:] Shall I not show him (ar'ennu) to the people and publish his works? (Jer. 23:24, cont.), “’Do I not fill the heavens and the earth,’ says the Lord.” I fill the realms above and the realms below, as stated (Is. 66:1), “The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool.” Another interpretation of (Jer. 23:24), “[If someone hides in secret places], shall I not see him? It is comparable to an architect³⁵Gk.: architekton; cf. Lat.: architectus. The parable appears in Numb. R. 9:1; Gen. R. 24:1. [who] went out as a katarikos (tax official) over a certain province. The inhabitants of the province began hiding their silver and gold within the very caves [that he had built]. The architect said to them, ‘I built the province, and I made the hidden treasuries. Will you hide [anything] from me?” Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, has said to adulterers, “Will you hide yourselves from me?” [It is as in (Jer. 23:24),] “If someone hides in secret places, I have created you and made your every cavity (mehilim mehilim).” [It is so stated (in Deut. 32:18),] “but you forgot the God who generated you (meholelekha).” Nothing will be useful to you, wherever you hide yourselves, because (according to Jer. 17:10:) “I the Lord search the heart, probe the kidneys, to render to each according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.” I am the one who brings (rt.: qrb) you to judgment, as stated (in Mal. 3:5), “Then I will draw near (rt.: qrb) unto you in judgment; and I will be a swift witness against sorcerers, against adulterers […].” Therefore, you shall not go astray after the evil drive, so that none of you have his wife go astray, according to what is stated (in Numb. 5:12), “If anyone has his wife go astray.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 5:12), “If anyone (literally, if a man a man) [has his wife go astray].” [These words are] to teach you that she is going astray and being false with two, with the “Man of war” (as in Exod 15:3) above and with her man (husband) below.³⁶Numb. R. 9:2. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to her, “You lie to your husband, can you perhaps lie to Me? A parable: To what is the matter comparable?³⁷Numb. R. 9:9. To someone who was imprisoned within two houses, one inside the other. Now two guards were there, one on the inside and one on the outside. [The prisoner] opened [the door of] the inner [house] and left, and the guard did not notice him. When he came to leave the outer one, [the guard] did notice him. He seized him and said to him, “At that [guard] on the inside you laughed, but at me you cannot laugh.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, has said to the adulterous woman, “At your husband you laugh, but at me you cannot laugh. Rather I sit and laugh at My creatures.” It is so stated (in Ps. 2:4), “The One sitting in the heavens shall laugh […].

And the Lord went before them by day (Exod. 13:21). Has it not already been said: Do not I fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:25), and also: The earth is full of His glory (Isa. 6:3)? Why, then, does Scripture say: And the Lord went before them? In order to reveal to the nations of the world the extent of His love for Israel, so that they would pay homage to them. However, not only did they not pay homage to them, but they slaughtered them most cruelly. Because of that it says: I will gather all the nations, and will bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat; and I will enter into judgment with them there for My people and for My heritage Israel, whom they scattered among the nations (Joel 4:2). It does not say “Because they committed idolatry” or “committed sexual crimes” or (were guilty) “of shedding blood,” but rather: For My people and for My heritage Israel whom they have scattered among the nations. And it says also: Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness (ibid., v. 19), while at that very time Judah shall be inhabited forever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation. And I will hold as innocent their blood that I have not held as innocent (ibid., v. 20). When will that be? When the Lord dwelleth in Zion (ibid.).

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.

A mortal king may sit on a lofty throne and his feet may fail to reach the footstool beneath him, but the throne of the Holy One, blessed be He, is high in the heavens and the earth is His footstool. A mortal king may recline on a couch and men are able to sit at his right and left, but the Holy One, blessed be He, sits like a king on his throne and fills it, and all the world is contained beneath His feet, as it is said: Do not I fill the heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24).

R. Chama b. Chanina said: "Ten Chupas were made by the Holy One, praised be He! for Adam the first in paradise, as it is said (Ezek. 28, 13) In Eden the garden of God didst thou abide; every precious stone was thy covering, the sardius, the topaz, and the diamond, the chrysolite, the onyx, and the jasper, the sapphire, the emerald, and the carbuncle, and gold." Mar Zutra said: "Eleven," — as he counts all the precious stones. R. Jochanan said: "The gold was less in value than all, for it is placed last." What do the workmanship of thy settings and of thy sockets, mean? R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Thus said the Holy One, praised be He! to Hiram, the King of Tyre: When I created the world, I looked at the land and observed that thou wouldst rebel, deeming thyself a god. I therefore created holes and apertures in men." And according to others. He said thus: "I saw that thou wouldst rebel (Ib. b) and I have therefore decreed death over Adam the first." What do the words (Is. 4, 5) Upon her places of assembly, mean? Rabba, in the name of R. Jochanan, said: "Jerusalem in the future world will not be like Jerusalem in this world. In the latter every one who likes to enter does so, but in that of the future world only those who shall be invited will enter." Rabba said again in the name of R. Jochanan: "In the future world, the righteous will be named with the names of the Holy One, praised be He! as it is said (Ib. 43, 77) Every one that is called by My name, and whom I have created for My glory, whom I have formed; yea, whom I have made." Samuel b. Nachmeni said in the name of R. Jonathan: "The following three will be named with the name of the Holy One, praised be He — the righteous, Messiah and Jerusalem. The righteous, as said above; the Messiah, as it is written (Jer. 23) And this is his name whereby he shall be called — the Lord our Righteousness; and Jerusalem, as it is written (Ezek. 48, 35) And the name of the city from that day, 'The Lord is there.' Do not read shamah there, but shmah (her name)." R. Elazar said: "In the future, 'holy' will be said before the righteous as now it is said before the Holy One, praised be He! as it is said (Is. 4, 3) And it shall come to pass that whoever is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem, shall he called holy — every one that is written down unto life in Jerusalem." Rabba said again in the name of R. Jochanan: "The Holy One, praised be He! will elevate Jerusalem three parsas, as it is said (Zech. 14, 10) And she herself shall be elevated, and be inhabited on her former site." What does former site mean? It means that it will be increased to its former size. And whence do you know that the size of the former Jerusalem was three parsas? Rabba said: "There was a certain old man who told me that he had seen the first Jerusalem, and the size thereof was three parsas." And lest one say that it would be difficult to ascend, therefore the passage reads (Is. 60, 8) Who are these that are like a cloud, etc. R. Papa said: "Infer from this that the clouds are at a height of three parsas from the ground."

(Ibid. 6) "And he said to Moses: I, your father-in-law, Yithro, am coming to you; and your wife and her two sons with her": R. Yehoshua says: He wrote this to him in a letter. R. Elazar Hamodai says: He sent it by messenger, writing therein: Do it for me; and if not for me, then come out for your wife. And if not, do it for her sons. R. Eliezer says: The Holy One Blessed be He said to Moses: I am the one who spoke and brought the world into being. I am the one who draws near and not the one who distances, viz. (Jeremiah 23:23) "Am I only a G d from near, says the L rd, and not a G d from far?" I am the one who drew Yithro near and did not distance him. You, too, when a man comes to you to be converted, he does so only for the sake of Heaven. You, too, draw him near and do not distance him. From here we learn that a man should distance with the left hand and draw near with the right, and not do as Elisha did to Gechazi, rejecting him with both hands.

Another interpretation (of Numb. 5:12): IF [ANY]ONE HAS HIS WIFE GO ASTRAY. This text is related (to Job 24:15): ALSO THE EYE OF AN ADULTERER WATCHES FOR TWILIGHT, SAYING: NO EYE SHALL SEE ME. And so the adulterer says: No human being knows about me; but the Holy One has his eyes ranging over all the earth.²⁶Tanh., Numb. 2:4, cont.; Numb. R. 9:1. So it says (in Jer. 23:24): IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, SHALL I NOT SEE HIM? Such is the way of those who commit transgression. They wait for a time of darkness, so that no one will see them. It is therefore stated (in Job 24:15): THE EYE OF THE ADULTERER WATCHES FOR TWILIGHT. So also thieves watch for an hour of darkness, as stated (in vs. 16): HE BREAKS INTO HOUSES IN THE DARK. And so it says (in Is. 29:15): WOE TO THOSE WHO DELVE DEEPLY TO HIDE A PLAN FROM THE LORD, FOR THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS. [SO THEY SAY: WHO SEES US? AND WHO KNOWS ABOUT US?] The thief and the adulterer are obdurate, because they dismiss the Divine Presence. The Holy One fills, as it were, the realms above and the realms below, as stated (in Jer. 23:24): DO I NOT FILL HEAVEN AND EARTH, SAYS THE LORD? Also in regard to the place where adulterer comes to commit adultery, is not the Holy One there in his glory? It is so stated (in Is. 6:3): THE WHOLE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS GLORY. Now the adulterer says to the Holy One: Remove yourself, and give way to me for a while. The matter is exceedingly difficult, as it were. Since he is full of mercy, slow to anger, he gives way to him; FOR (according to Job 11:11) HE KNOWS THOSE WHO ARE WORTHLESS; [SO WHEN HE SEES INIQUITY, DOES HE NOT DISCERN IT?] It also says (in Job 24:15, cont.): HE (i.e., the Holy One) TURNS A SECRET INTO A FACE.²⁷This rendering fits the context of what follows in the midrash. A more traditional rendering, which fits the context of Job, would read, “AND HE (i.e., the adulterer) PUTS A VEIL ON HIS FACE. Ergo (in Job 24:15): WHEN THE EYE OF AN ADULTERER WATCHES <FOR TWILIGHT, SAYING: NO EYE SHALL SEE ME>, what does the Holy One do? HE TURNS A SECRET INTO A FACE. He puts the face of <the> adulterer on that fetus.²⁸Lev. R. 23:12. While the adulterer and the adulteress do not want her to become pregnant but only satisfy their sexual desire, the Holy One proclaims²⁹Gk.: parresiazesthai. them to the world. Ergo: HE TURNS A SECRET INTO A FACE, so that the people may know <about him> and say: Surely this one's face resembles the face of <the> adulterer; for <the Holy One> has formed formed the image of the fetus in the likeness of the adulterer. Ergo (ibid.): HE TURNS A SECRET INTO A FACE. It is therefore called whoredom (zimmah); for when they both deny and say: We do not know what you are saying, the people say: If so, what is this (zeh mah)?³⁰Literally: “This is what?” The Hebrew uses the unusual word order to make the parallel with “whoredom” (zimmah). R. Isaac said: The power of the adulterer is strong, because it weakens the power of the Divine Presence. How? When the fetus is conceived from the husband, the Holy One forms its image in forty days, for thus have our masters taught: In forty days the image of the fetus is recognizable. After forty days, when the adulterer comes into her, the Holy One stands dumfounded and says: After whom shall I form <the fetus>? The image (rt.: TsWR) of the husband or the image [of the adulterer]? (According to Deut. 32:18): YOU, as it were, WERE UNMINDFUL OF (TShY) THE ROCK (TsWR) THAT BORE YOU.³¹I.e., the adulterer forgot that the Holy One would expose him. The yod (= Y) is tiny (the smallest letter in the Hebrew alphabet). <Thus, you> weaken (TSh, without the yod) the hands (yad in the dual) of the Creator (tsayyar). R. Abbahu said: To what is the matter comparable? To an sculptor (tsayyar, rt.: TsYR), who was fashioning (rt.: TsYR) an image³²Gk.: eikonion. of a king. When he came to finish the face,³³Gk.: prosopon. they said to him: The king is dead, and another king has arisen. When the sculptor heard that, shrugged his shoulders.³⁴Literally: “his hands dropped.” He began to say: What shall I do with these colors³⁵In the ancient world statues were painted. which I have on hand? Shall I fashion <them> in the form of the former king or in the form of the second king? He began to be bewildered. Now similarly, when the husband performs his marital duty with his wife, the Holy One forms the fetus in the likeness of its father. <Then> in turn the adulterer comes into her. Ergo, the colors are mingled. Thus it is stated (in Hos. 4:2): SWEARING, LYING, MURDERING, STEALING, COMMITTING ADULTERY BREAK OUT; BLOODSHED FOLLOWS BLOODSHED. What does the Holy One do? He returns, as it were, and changes the face into the likeness of the adulterer. Ergo (in Job 24:15) HE TURNS A SECRET INTO A FACE.

(Fol. 38b) Our Rabbis were taught: Also an oath taken by one before the court must be uttered in a language he understands, and the court must say to him the following introduction to the oath: Be aware (Fol. 39) that the entire world trembled when the Holy One, praised be He! spake on the Mount Sinai: (Ex. 20, 7) Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; likewise concerning all transgressions in the Torah it reads: Venakkei (He will forgive), and concerning a false oath, it reads further, Lo Yenakke (He will not forgive); again, for all other transgressions, only the sinner himself is punished, while here (in the case of an oath) the punishment extends also to his family, as it is said (Ecc. 5, 5) Suffer not thy mouth to bring thy flesh into guilt; and by the expression flesh one's family is meant, as it is said (Is. 58, 7) From thy own flesh. Furthermore, for all other transgressions the sinner himself is alone punished, while in this case the whole world is punished, as it is written (Hos. 4, 2-3) There is false swearing, etc… . therefore shall the land mourn. But perhaps it means that only when the sinner committed all the transgressions mentioned here in Hosea? This cannot be meant, for it is written (Jer. 23, 10) For because of false swearing mourneth the land. Again, the punishment for all other transgressions is, through the merits of the sinner's forefathers, postponed for some two or three generations, but in this case he is punished immediately, as it is said (Zech. 5, 4) I cause it to go forth, saith the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter into the house of the thief, and into the house of him that sweareth falsely in My name; and it shall abide in the midst of his house, and shall consume it with the timber thereof and the stones thereof. I bring it forth, means immediately; it shall enter into the house of the thief, refers to one who steals the mind of the people, e. g., he who has no money with his neighbor, maintains that he has and makes the latter swear; into the house of him who sweareth falsely, is to be taken literally; it shall remain in the midst of his house, etc., from this it may be learned that things indestructible by fire or water are destroyed by false swearing. If after having listened to all this introduction, he says: I will not take the oath, the court sends him away immediately [that he might not reconsider his last decision]; but if he says: I will nevertheless swear, the people present say (Num. 16, 16) Depart, I pray you, from the tents of these wicked. Again, when he is ready to take the oath, the court once more says to him: "Be aware that the oath which you take is not according to your own mind, but to the mind of the Holy One, praised be He! and that of the court," as we find in the case of Moses, our teacher, who, when he made the Israelites swear, said: "You shall be aware that your oath is not of your own mind, but by that of the Holy One, is it is said (Deut. 29, 13-14) And not with you alone, etc… . but with him that is standing here, etc. [It is not meant, those who were only at the Mount Sinai, but all future generations]. Whence do we know that even all proselytes who will embrace Judaism in the future? It is said (Ib.) And also with him that is not here with us. From this we infer only regarding the commandments given in that Mount, but whence do we know regarding all commandments that will be established in the future, such as the reading of the Book of Esther? It is said (Est. 9, 27) The Jews confirmed it as a duty, etc. This means they confirmed a duty imposed upon them in the past. The master said: "The whole world trembled, when the Holy One … "But why? Was it because it was ordained on Sinai? Then, all the ten commandments were given there; and if because it is more rigorous, is it indeed so? Is there not a Mishna: The following are classified as lenient positives and negatives, except Thou shalt not bear the holy name, etc.; rigorous are those under the category of capital punishment and Karath, and the commandment Thou shalt not bear, etc., belongs to these [hence, there are many like swearing]. We must therefore say that concerning all other transgressions the Torah says Venakkei, while concerning thou shalt not bear, Lo Yenakke is applied. But do we not find the same Lo Yenakke in connection with all laws? Behold it is written (Ib. 34) Venakkei lo Yenakke? This is explained by R. Elazar, who said: "It is impossible to say Venakkei (he will forgive) since it is followed by Lo Yenakke (he will not forgive), nor is it possible to say he will not forgive after it reads he will forgive, therefore it must mean, he will forgive the repenters, but not those who do not repent."

R. Eliezer maintained that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Moses, I am He who commanded the world to come into existence, and I am He who draws (people) near and does not keep (them away), as it is said: Am I a God near at hand, saith the Lord, and not a God afar off (Jer. 23:23); I am He who brought Jethro near and did not keep him far off, and so when a man comes to you to be converted, bring him near, do not keep him far off. Thereupon Moses went out to meet his father-in-law (Exod. 18:7). Our sages say that Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and all the elders of Israel accompanied him. Hence it is said: The wise shall inherit honor.

Has it not already been stated: Do I not fill heaven and the earth (Jer. 23:24)? R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: This may be compared to a cave situated at the edge of the sea. Though the sea rushes forth and fills the cave, the sea lacks nothing. Similarly with the Holy One, blessed be He, may His name be blessed, for though it is written: And the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle (Exod. 40:34), nevertheless His glory is above the heaven and the earth (Ps. 148:13). You should not say that the Holy One, blessed be He, compressed His Shekhinah only into the Tabernacle. He likewise compressed His Shekhinah into the ark that Bezalel had made, as it is written: Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth (Josh. 3:11). This indicates that the Holy One, blessed be He, was within it. Who other than Bezalel could have made it, since it says: And Bezalel made the ark?

Another interpretation (of Exod. 7:1) SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. The Holy One said: Because he made himself into a god, they informed him that he was nothing in the world. See, I have made you a god over him.⁴⁹Tanh., Exod. 2:9. And where is it shown that Pharaoh made himself into a god? Where it is stated (of Pharaoh in Ezek. 29:3): {BECAUSE HE} [WHO] SAID {THE} [MY] NILE IS MY OWN, AND I MADE MYSELF.⁵⁰A more traditional rendering would be, AND I MADE IT FOR MYSELF. I am the one who created myself. Now this is one of four sons of Adam who made themselves into gods and had sexual relations like women.⁵¹See Enoch Zundel’s commentary, ‘Ets Yosef, on Tanh., Exod. 2:9, which explains that, because the four promoted themselves to divinity, they would have had to bestow largess like a god, who always bestows it to the world as the male bestows it in the female. He gives and she receives. Therefore, “they had sexual relations like women” to show that they were bestowed upon and did not do the bestowing. Three were from the nations of the world, and one was from Israel. They were the following: Hiram, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Joash. Where is it shown of Hiram? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 28:2): SAY TO THE PRINCE OF TYRE: THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: BECAUSE YOUR HEART IS PROUD, YOU HAVE SAID: I AM A GOD. Because he had made himself into a god, he had sexual relations like women, as stated (in vs. 17): YOU HAVE DEBASED YOUR WISDOM…; <I HAVE CAST YOU UPON THE GROUND; I HAVE GIVEN YOU OVER BEFORE KINGS > TO STARE AT YOU. What is the meaning of TO STARE (R'WH) AT YOU? <That> they would work their "friendship" (as if from R'WT) on you. Where is it shown of Nebuchadnezzar? Where it is stated <of the king of Babylon that he said> (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD; I WILL BECOME LIKE THE MOST HIGH. The Holy One said to him: By your life, (in vs. 15) YOU SHALL ALSO BE BROUGHT DOWN UNTO SHEOL, UNTO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE PIT. What did the Holy one do? He banished him while he was in his kingship and had him eat grass like the cattle. It is so stated (in Dan. 4:22 [25]): AND THEY SHALL FEED YOU GRASS LIKE OXEN…. So, when the cattle and the wild beasts saw him in the likeness of a <female> animal, they had sexual relations with him, as stated (in Hab. 2:17): AND THE VIOLENCE OF THE BEASTS WILL TERRIFY THOSE FEMALES. What is the meaning of TERRIFY THOSE FEMALES (rt.: HTT+N)? <Its meaning > is like what is stated (in Deut. 7:3): YOU SHALL NOT INTERMARRY (rt.: HTN) WITH THEM. So he became a bridegroom (HTN) to all cattle and wild beasts. Where is it shown of Joash? Where it is stated (in II Chron. 24:17): NOW AFTER THE DEATH OF JEHOIADA, THE PRINCES OF JUDAH CAME AND BOWED LOW TO THE KING. What is the meaning of BOWED LOW TO THE KING? That they made him < their > god. Moreover, since he was in agreement, as stated (ibid., cont.): THEN THE KING HEARKENED TO THEM, he had sexual relations like a woman. Thus it is stated (vs. 24): <FOR THE ARMY OF ARAM CAME WITH A FEW MEN….> SO THEY INFLICTED JUDGMENTS ON JOASH. It is just as it says (in Lev. 20:13): IF A MAN LIES WITH A MALE AS ONE LIES WITH A WOMAN, BOTH OF THEM HAVE COMMITTED AN ABOMINATION.⁵²The midrash is arguing that the JUDGMENT inflicted on Joash is this ABOMINATION. Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, ‘Amaleq 1, which would revowel JUDGMENTS (shefatim) to read “sports” (shipputim). For a similar solution, see Exod. R. 8:2. Pharaoh also made himself into a god and had sexual relations like a woman. It is so stated (in Jer. 44:30): BEHOLD, I AM GIVING PHARAOH HOPHRA, KING OF EGYPT, <INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES>. What is the meaning of HOPHRA (rt.: PR')?⁵³Although the Masoretic Text spells HOPHRA with a gutturalized initial H (het), the midrash text spells the name with a simple H (he), which need not be part of the root. That they uncovered (PR') his posterior. He was a pharaoh who had been a male and became a female. Another interpretation of HOPHRA. <Its meaning is> like that used (in the context of Numb. 5:18): AND HE (the priest) SHALL UNCOVER (PR') THE WOMAN'S HEAD. And to which father's house did he belong? (Is. 19:16:) IN THAT DAY {THE LAND OF EGYPT SHALL BE A FESTIVAL….} [EGYPT SHALL BE LIKE WOMEN.] And what was the cause? <It was> because he made himself into a god. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 29:3): {BECAUSE HE} [WHO] SAID {THE} [MY] NILE IS MY OWN, AND I MADE MYSELF. For that reason the Holy One said to Moses: Because he has made himself into a god, go and become a god over him. It is so stated (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. Why? (Eccl. 5:7 [8]:) FOR ONE EXALTED PERSON WATCHES ANOTHER FROM ABOVE, AND THERE ARE MORE EXALTED ONES OVER THEM. Ergo, you are a god over him; so make him an arrogant abomination (ShHTs) in the world because he became exalted by himself. And this is what is written (in Job 41:26 [34]): HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED, {AND} HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). Does the Holy One not see the lowly? It is also written (in Zech. 4:10): <THESE SEVEN ARE> THE EYES OF THE LORD. THEY ROAM AROUND ALL THE EARTH. And (in Job 41:26 [34]) what is the meaning of HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED? R. Berekhyah said: These are the proud, whose spirit becomes <too> haughty for them, so that they exalt themselves and make themselves into gods. What does the Holy One do to them? He exhibits them to mortals and makes them arrogant abominations (ShHTs) in the world, as stated (in Job 41:26 [34]): HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). <There is> Nebuchadnezzar, for example, in that he made him an arrogant abomination (ShHTs), as stated (in Dan. 5:21): HE WAS DRIVEN AWAY FROM HUMANS…. So also was Sennacherib made an arrogant abomination (ShHTs), as stated (II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21): SO IT CAME TO PASS IN THAT NIGHT THAT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE <ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. Thus the Holy One shows the abominable arrogance (ShHTs) of the proud to every creature. The Holy One has said (in Jer. 23:24): IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, SHALL I NOT SEE (rt.: R'H) HIM? SAYS THE LORD. R. Benjamin bar Levi said: If someone goes to handle the Torah and sits by himself, I will exhibit (rt.: R'H) his deed in the world. And so, if someone conceals himself to commit a transgression, I will exhibit (rt.: R'H)his deed to the world. It is so stated (in Jer. 23:24): SHALL I NOT SEE (rt.: R'H) HIM? SAYS THE LORD. DO I NOT FILL THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH? SAYS THE LORD. What is the meaning of I FILL? R. Hama b. R. Hanina said: The Holy One said: From him (i.e., from his evil works) I will fill the upper and lower worlds. Then I will exhibit (rt.: R'H) him to humankind as an arrogant abomination (ShHTs). Why? Because they (sic) are proud and make themselves into gods. (Job 41:26 [34]:) HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED, {AND} HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). Thus he reigns over all those who are proud and makes them arrogant abominations (ShHTs). For that reason, the Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. Go and exact punishment from him.⁵⁴Exod. R. 8:3. Go and bring the ten plagues (of Exod. 7:14–12:29) upon him. He said to him: How shall I bring the plagues upon him? The Holy One said to him (in Exod. 4:17): AND YOU SHALL TAKE IN YOUR HAND THIS ROD, < WITH WHICH YOU SHALL PERFORM THE SIGNS>. R. Judah bar Ammi said: The rod which he had weighed forty seahs⁵⁵I.e., weighed forty seahs of wheat. and was <made> of sapphire.⁵⁶Gk.: sappheirinon. Moreover ten plagues were inscribed upon it through an acronym,⁵⁷Gk.: notarikon. <i.e.,> DeTsaKh 'aDaSh Be'aHaBh.⁵⁸The acronym stands for the following: Dam (blood), Tsefarde‘im (frogs), Kinnam (gnats), ‘arov (flies), Dever (pestilence), Shehin (boils), Barad (hail), ‘arbeh (locusts), Hoshekh (darkness), and Bekhor (first-born). The Holy One said to him: this rod will bring the plagues upon him. (Exod. 7:1:) SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH.

(Numb. 5:12:) IF ANYONE HAS HIS WIFE GO ASTRAY. This text is related (to Jer. 23:24): IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, SHALL I NOT SEE HIM?…. [R. Benjamin b. R. Levi said:] The Holy One said: If someone performs a deed, do I not see him?³⁹Tanh., Numb. 2:5, (cont.); Numb. R. 9:9. Here it is written (in Zech. 4:10; cf. II Chron. 16:9): <THESE SEVEN ARE> THE EYES OF THE LORD. THEY ROAM AROUND ALL THE EARTH. What is written (in Jer. 23:24)? SHALL I NOT SEE HIM (ar'ennu)? <Interpret these words⁴⁰In the Hebrew text this question and the one which follows each consists of the one word, ar’ennu. as follows:> SHALL I NOT SHOW HIM (ar'ennu) to the people and publish his works? What is the meaning of (Jer. 23:24, cont.): DO I NOT FILL THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH? SAYS THE LORD? The Holy One said: I fill the realms above and the realms below; therefore it is stated (in Jer. 23:24): IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, <SHALL I NOT SEE HIM>?

(Ibid. 20:8) "Remember the Sabbath day to sanctify it": "Remember" and "Keep" (the Sabbath day to sanctify it [Devarim 5:12]) were both stated in one pronouncement. (Exodus 31:14) "Its profaners shall be put to death" and (Numbers 28:9) "And on the Sabbath day, (sacrifice) two yearling lambs" were both stated in one pronouncement (Leviticus 18:16) "the nakedness of your brother's wife" and (Devarim 25:5) "Her yavam (levir, i.e., her brother-in-law) shall come upon her" were both stated in the same pronouncement. (Ibid. 22:11) "You shall not wear sha'atnez, wool and linen together" and (Ibid. 12) "Fringes (involving sha'atnez) shall you make for yourself" were both stated in the same pronouncement — something beyond the powers of a human being to say. As it is written (Psalms 62:12) "One thing has G d spoken, these two have I heard." (Jeremiah 23:29) "Is My word not like fire, says the L rd (and like a hammer shattering rock!")

Another interpretation of (Jer. 23:24): <IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES>, SHALL I NOT SEE HIM? It is comparable to an architect⁴¹Gk.: architekton; cf. Lat.: architectus. The parable appears in Tanh., Numb. 2:5, cont.; Numb. R. 9:1; Gen. R. 24:1. <who> went out as a {katarikon} [<katadikon>] {i.e., as "one who imposes fines" in the Greek language}⁴²Katadikon is probably a Greek participle of katadikan, an otherwise unknown verb related to the noun, katadike (“damages” or “fine”), and the verb, katadikazein (“to pass judgment against”). over a certain provincial capital. The inhabitants of the capital began hiding their silver and gold within the very hidden treasuries <that he had built>. The architect said to them: I built the capital, and I made the hidden treasuries. Will you hide <anything> from me? Similarly, the Holy One has said to adulterers: Will you hide yourselves from me? (Jer. 23:24:) IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, I have created you and made your every cavity (mehilim mehilim). [It is so stated] (in Deut. 32:18): BUT YOU FORGOT THE GOD WHO GENERATED YOU (meholelekha). Nothing will be useful to you, wherever you hide yourselves, because (according to Jer. 17:10:) I THE LORD SEARCH THE HEART, PROBE THE KIDNEYS, TO RENDER TO EACH ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS, ACCORDING TO THE FRUIT OF HIS DEEDS. I am the one who brings (rt.: QRB) you to judgment, as stated (in Mal. 3:5): THEN I WILL DRAW NEAR (rt.: QRB) {WITH} [UNTO] YOU IN JUDGMENT; <AND I WILL BE A SWIFT WITNESS AGAINST SORCERERS, AGAINST ADULTERERS…. > Therefore, you shall not go astray after the evil drive, so that none of you have his wife go astray, according to what is stated (in Numb. 5:12): IF ANYONE HAS HIS WIFE GO ASTRAY.

After killing Abel, he said to himself: “I must flee from my mother and father, for they will ask me where he is, since there are only the two of us.” The Holy One, blessed be He, appeared before him immediately, saying: “You can flee from your parents but not from Me, as it is said: Can any man hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24).” The Holy One asked: Where is Abel, your brother? (Gen. 4:9), and then He continued: “Woe unto him who was merciful to you and refrained from killing you when you were beneath him. When he permitted you to rise, you killed him!”

R. Chisda said: "Every dream is good except that of fasting." Further said R. Chisda: "Of a bad dream the worry is sufficient [to dissipate it], and of a good one the joy is sufficient [to dissipate it]." R. Joseph said: "Even to me [though blind] the humor of a good dream causes it to dissipate." Further said R. Chisda: "A bad dream is much better than a good one [because it may result in repentance]." Further said R. Chisda: "Neither a good dream nor a bad one is fully fulfilled." Again said R. Chisda: "A dream not interrupted is like a letter not read." Further said R. Chisda: "A bad dream is more severe than being lashed, for it is said (Ecc. 3, 14.) And God hath so made it that men should be afraid of Him, and Rabba b. b. Chana said in the name of R. Jochanan: 'This refers to a bad dream.' " The prophet that hath had a dream, let him relate his dream; and he that hath received my word, let him speak my word of truth. What hath the straw to do with the corn? Saith the Lord (Jer. 23, 28). What relation has corn and straw to a dream? R. Jochanan in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai said: "Just as it is impossible for corn to be without straw, so it is impossible for a dream to be without absurdities."

Similarly, Sennacherib exalted himself and became an abomination throughout the world, as it is said: And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrian a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses (II Kings 19:35). Hence, it is written: He looketh at all high things (Job 41:26), for the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals to all mankind the abominations of the arrogant. Thus it is written: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? (Jer. 23:24).

What is the meaning of the verse Do not I fill heaven and earth? (ibid.) R. Hama the son of Hanina declared: I will fill the upper regions (with those who do good) and the lower regions (with those who do evil), and I will reveal their behavior to mankind. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Why? For one higher than the high watcheth, and there are higher than they (Eccles. 5:7). He said to him: See, I have set thee in God’s stead to Pharaoh. Go take vengeance and bring the ten plagues upon him. He asked: How shall I bring the plagues upon him? Take this staff in your hand was the reply.¹⁰The article ha (“the”) in the word “the staff” in the biblical text makes this explanation possible. R. Judah stated that the staff weighted forty seah and was made of sapphires. The ten plagues were engraved upon it in abbreviated form: DeTZaK ‘aDaSH Be’aHaB.¹¹The Haggadah for Passover tells us that it was R. Judah who formulated the abbreviation. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: In this order you shall inflict the plagues upon him.

R. Jochanan said: "What is meant by the passage (Ps. 68, 12.) The Lord gave (happy) tidings; they were published by the messengers, a numerous host? This is to mean that every single utterance which went forth from the mouth of the Almighty was heralded into seventy languages." It was taught, in the academy of R. Ishmael: "Like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces (Jer. 23, 29), i.e., just as the hammer strikes the stone into multitudes of pieces, so was every utterance which proceeded from the mouth of the Holy One, praised be He! heralded into seventy languages." R. Chananel b. Papa said: "What is meant by the passage (Pr. 8, 6.) Hear! For of noble things will I speak. Why are the words of the Torah compared unto a nobleman? Just as a nobleman has it in his power to dispose of one's death or life, so also have the words of the Torah that power." That is also meant by Raba, who said: "To those who study the Torah in the right way, it will prove to be an elixir of life, but to those who study it in the left (wrong) way it will prove to be a deadly poison." The word Negidim (nobleman) may also be explained in another way, that every single utterance which came forth from the mouth of the Holy One, praised be He! was provided with two crownlets." R. Joshua b. Levi said: "What is meant by the passage (Songs 1, 13.) My uncle is as a bundle of myrrh that resteth on my bosom, unto me, i.e., the Congregation of Israel said before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the universe, although my uncle (God) distresseth and embittereth me, still He resteth on my bosom. A kopher-cluster is my uncle unto me in the (Keremyards) of En-gedi, i.e., He, who possesseth everything in the world, will forgive me for the sin of the kid (golden calf) which I piled (stored up) for me (for future punishment)." What evidence is there that the word Kerem means piling? Mar Zutra, the son of R. Nachman, said: "For we are taught (in a Mishnah), 'The big board upon which the laundryman piles (Shekormin) all the clothes (to press them).'"R. Joshua b. Levi said further: "What is meant by the passage (Ib. 5, 13.) His cheeks are as a bed of spices, i.e., every utterance that came forth from the mouth of the Holy One, praised be He! filled the entire globe with an aromatic odor of spices. Since the world was filled with aromatic odor of spices arising from the first utterance, where could the aromatic odor of spices arising from the second utterance go? The Holy One, praised be He! sent forth the wind of His store-houses which wafted away the aromatic odors, one by one, as it is written (Ib. ib. ib.) His lips like lilies, dropping with fluid myrrh. Do not read Shoshanim (lilies) but read it Sheshonim (who were teaching)." R. Joshua b. Levi further said: "Every single utterance that came forth from the mouth of the Holy One, praised be He! caused the failing of the soul (death) of Israel, as it is said (Ib. ib. 6.) My soul failed me when He was speaking. And since their souls failed them on the first utterance, how then could they hear the second utterance? The Lord sent down the dew, with which He is destined to revive the dead in the future, and revived them, as it is written (Ps. 68, 10.) Rain of beneficence didst Thou pour down, O God, whereby Thou didst truly strengthen thine inheritance when it was weary." R. Joshua b. Levi said also: "At every single utterance which came forth from the mouth of the Holy One, praised be He! Israel receded twelve miles, but they were gently conducted back by the ministering angels; for it is said, The angels of hosts kept gently moving. Do not read Yidodun (they moved) but Yedadun (were kept moving)."

… the prophets of Jerusalem were the first to sin, as it says “…for from the prophets of Jerusalem has falseness emanated to the whole land.” (Jeremiah 23:15) So too they were punished first and the rest did not escape, as it says “And a curse shall be taken from them…” (Jeremiah 29:22)

(Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” Let our master instruct us: How many things preceded the act of creation? Thus have our masters taught: Seven things preceded the world. These are the following: The throne of glory, the Torah, the Temple,⁷⁰See Sifre, Deut. 7:12 (37). the ancestors of the world, Israel, the name of messiah, and repentance. And some say also the Garden of Eden and gehinnom. In the case of the throne of God, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 93:2), “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting,” [meaning] from before the world was created. And in the case of the Torah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Prov. 8:22), “The Lord acquired me (i.e., wisdom) as the beginning of His way the first of His works of old.” In the case of the Temple, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Jer. 17:12), “O glorious throne, on high from the beginning, the place of our sanctuary.” In the case of the ancestors (forefathers), where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Hos. 9:10), “I saw your ancestors like the first fruit on a fig tree in its first season.” In the case of Israel, where is it shown? “Where it is stated of them] (in Ps. 74:2), “Remember Your congregation which You acquired of old […].” In the case of the name of the messiah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 72:17), “Before the sun, his name is Yinon (a name of the messiah).”⁷¹This translation of Ps. 72:17 is a literal rendering, which the midrash understands to mean that this name existed before the sun was created. A more traditional rendering would be MAY HIS NAME ENDURE AS LONG AS THE SUN. In the case of repentance, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 90:2-3), “Before the mountains were brought forth […]. You return humanity to contrition and say, ‘Repent you mortals.’” In the case of the Garden of Eden [that] some say, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 2:8), “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, from of old.”⁷²This is the interpretation of miqqedem by the midrash. A more traditional rendering would be IN THE EAST. In the case of gehinnom, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Is. 30:33), “For Topheth has been prepared from of old.” Come and see. When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to tell Israel to make a Tabernacle for Him, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Moses, Behold, My sanctuary is [already] built above.” It is so stated (in Jer. 17:12), “O glorious throne, on high from the beginning.” And a chamber is there, as stated (in Hab. 2:20), “But the Lord is in His holy chamber […].”⁷³Cf. Ps. 11:4. So also has Isaiah said (in Is. 6:1), “[I saw the Lord] seated upon a throne, high and lifted up […].” Out of love for you I left my Temple on high, which had been prepared before the world was created, to come down and dwell among you. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8), “[And make me a sanctuary] that I may dwell among them.” R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Johanan, “This is one of the three commands which Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty and which took him aback:⁷⁴Numb. R. 12:3; PRK 6:4; PR 16:7; M. Pss. 91:1. When He said to him (in Exod. 30:12), ‘each shall give a ransom for his life.’⁷⁵Here is the second command that shook Moses. Moses said, ‘Who can give a ransom for his life? It is written (in Job 2:4), “Skin for skin; all that one has [he will give for his life],”⁷⁶Cf. above, Exod. 9:6. and still it is not enough. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 49:8), “Surely no one will redeem a brother nor give a ransom for him to God.”’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘I am not asking [a ransom] in accordance with My means but in accordance with their means.’ [Hence,] (Exod. 30:13) ‘This shall they give.’” R. Meir said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, took something like a kind of coin of fire from under the throne of glory and showed it to Moses and He said to Him,⁷⁷See above, Lev. 9:7, and the note there. ‘This shall they give.’” Again, when He said (in Numb. 28:2), “My offering, My bread for My fire offering,” Moses said, “Who can supply enough offerings for You.⁷⁸Numb. 28:2 is the third of the three commands that shook Moses. If we sacrificed all the beasts of the forest and all the trees of Lebanon, they would not be enough, as stated (in Is. 40:16), ‘For Lebanon is not fuel enough, nor its beasts enough for sacrifice.’” He said to him, “I am not asking [offerings] in accordance with My means but in accordance with their means.” Thus it is stated (in Numb. 28:3), “Now you shall say to them, ‘This is the burnt offering [which you shall offer to the Lord: two yearling lambs without blemish…].’” And not both of them at once, but (according to vs. 4), “The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the second lamb you shall offer at twilight.” And when He said to him (in Exod. 25:8), “And make me a sanctuary [that I may dwell among them],”⁷⁹With this repetition of Exod. 25:8, the midrash returns to the first command that shook Moses. Moses said [to the Holy One, blessed be He,] (in I Kings 8:27), “Even the heavens and the heavens above the heavens cannot contain you!” It also says (in Jer.. 23:24), “’Do I not fill the heavens and the earth,’ says the Lord.” And it says (in Is. 66:1), “The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool.” So can we make Him a sanctuary? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I am not asking [a sanctuary] [in accordance with My means] but in accordance with their means.” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 26:1), “Now as for the Tabernacle, you shall make it with ten curtains.”’ When Israel heard this, they arose and donated gladly. So they made the Tabernacle. Moreover, when they had made the Tabernacle, it was filled with His glory, as stated (in Exod. 40:35), “Now Moses could not enter the tent of meeting, [because … the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle].” The princes said, “Now is the time for us to offer sacrifices with joy, because the Divine Presence is dwelling among us.” Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.”

(Exodus 15:11) "Who is like You among the mighty": Once Israel saw that Pharaoh and his hosts were lost in the Red Sea, and the rule of Egypt had been abolished and idolatry had been castigated, they all opened their mouths and said "Who is like You among the mighty." And not only did Israel alone break out in song. But all the peoples — When they heard that Pharaoh and his hosts had been lost in the sea and their rule had been abolished, and their idolatry had been castigated — all of them rejected their idolatry and opened their mouths and said "Who is like you among the mighty, etc." And thus do you find to be the lot of idolatry — that the peoples of the world are destined to reject it, viz. (Jeremiah 16:19) "The L rd is my strength and my stronghold and my refuge on the day of affliction … (20) Can a man make gods for himself, etc.", (Isaiah 2:20) "On that day a man will throw away his false gods … (21) to enter the clefts of rocks (in fear of retribution), etc.", (Ibid. 18) "and the false gods will perish completely." Variantly: "Who is like You among the mighty, O L rd": Who is like You in the miracles and wonders that You wrought for us upon the sea, viz. (Psalms 106:22) "… awesome deeds upon the Red Sea" — (Ibid. 9) "He roared at the Red Sea and it dried up." Variantly: "Who is like You bailmim" ("among the mute"). You hear the defamation of Your children and You remain silent, viz. (Isaiah 42:14) "I have ever been silent; I have been still; I have restrained Myself. (But now) I will scream as a woman giving birth. I will throb and lust (to destroy all My foes) together." In the past I was silent and restrained. From now on I will scream. (Ibid. 15-16) "I will lay waste the mountains and the hills, and I will dry up all their grass, and I will render the rivers islands, and I will dry up the pools. And I shall lead the blind in a way they did not know. In roads they did not know shall I lead them. I shall make the darkness into light before them, and the crooked paths into straight paths." Variantly: "Who is like You among the mighty": Who is like You among those who minister before You on high, viz. (Psalms 89:7) "Who in the heavens can be likened to the L rd?" (Ibid. 8) "a G d who is dreaded in the great council of the holy ones (the angels) … (9) O L rd, G d of hosts, who is like You? Mighty is the L rd." Variantly: Who is like You ("ba'eilim") among those who call themselves gods? Pharaoh called himself a god, viz. (Ezekiel 29:3) "Mine is my river (the Nile), and I have made it." And thus, Sancherev, viz. (II Kings 18:35) "Who among all the gods of the lands (saved their land from my hand, etc.")? And thus Nevuchadnezzar, viz. (Isaiah 14:14) "I shall mount the heights of a cloud; I shall liken myself to the Most High!" And thus, Negid Tzor, viz. (Ezekiel 28:2-3) "Say to Negid Tzor: Because your heart has grown proud and you have said: I am a god, etc." Variantly: Who is like You among those whom others call "gods" and who are without substance, those of whom it is written (Psalms 115:5) "hey have a mouth but cannot speak, etc." But the Holy One Blessed be He says two things in one pronouncement, something that a man cannot do, viz. (Ibid. 62:12) "One (pronouncement) has G d spoken; these two (things) have I heard." (Jeremiah 23:29) "Is My word not like fire, says the L rd, and like a hammer shattering rock?" And it is written (Iyyov 37:2) "And a word shall come forth from His mouth, etc."

“There is no memory of the former ones; and also of the latter ones, who will be, there will be no memory of them, among those who will be last” (Ecclesiastes 1:11).
“There is no memory of the former ones.” Rabbi Aḥa said: “There is no memory of the former ones” – this is the generation of the flood, “and also of the latter ones” – these are the Sodomites. Of whom is it said: “Among those who will be last”? These are Israel, as it is stated: “Last they will travel by their banners” (Numbers 2:31). Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon Shekafa: “There is no memory of the former ones” – these are the Egyptians, “and also of the latter ones” – these are the Amalekites. About whom is it stated that they should expunge the memory of Amalek? Israel, as it is stated: “Expunge the memory of Amalek” (Deuteronomy 25:19).
Numerous miracles were performed on Israel’s behalf when they departed from Egypt, and before Israel departed from Egypt. In their regard it says: “There is no memory of the former ones; and also of the latter ones, who will be.” To what do I provide commemoration? To the miracles of the World to Come, as it is written: “They will no longer say: As the Lord lives, who took the children of Israel up from the land of Egypt” (Jeremiah 23:7), but, “rather, as the Lord lives, who took up and who brought the descendants of the house of Israel…from all the lands…” (Jeremiah 23:8).
Numerous prophets arose in Israel and their names were not mentioned. But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will come and bring them with Him. That is what is written: “The Lord my God will come, all the holy ones with You” (Zechariah 14:5). Rabbi Zeira said: Numerous pious men and Torah personalities were worthy of being mentioned, like Yehuda bar Rabbi Ḥizkiya. In their regard it is stated: “And also of the latter ones.” But in the future, the Holy One blessed be He is destined to appoint for Him a group of righteous people of His own, and He will seat them near Him in a great assembly, as it is stated: “The moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, [for the Lord of hosts has reigned on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem], and before his elders, glory” (Isaiah 24:23). Before his angels, before his legions, or before his priests is not stated, but rather: “Before his elders, glory.” Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to sit as though inside a circle, with the righteous sitting before Him, as that which is written regarding Yehoshafat, as it is stated: “The king of Israel and Yehoshafat king of Judah…were sitting on a threshing floor” (II Chronicles 18:9). Were they sitting on a threshing floor? Rather, as it is taught: The Sanhedrin was arranged in half of a round threshing floor so each of them could see the other (Sanhedrin 36b). Solomon said: ‘I saw Him sitting among them.’ That is what is written: “Her husband is known in the gates, as he sits among the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:23).⁹³The husband in this image is God and He makes Himself known to them with them sitting in a semi-circle before Him, so each of them can see Him.
Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, Ula Beira’a, Rabbi Beivai, and Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina say: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to make Himself the head of the dance of the righteous in the future, as it is stated: “Pay attention to its ramparts [leḥeila]” (Psalms 48:14). Laḥula is written, as they will be dancing [ḥalin] before Him like young women and pointing at Him with a finger, and saying: “For this is God, our God for ever and ever, He will guide us beyond death [al mut]” (Psalms 48:15). Almut, with quickness, almut, like those young women, as it is stated: “Young women [alamot] playing timbrels” (Psalms 68:26). Almut,⁹⁴A reference to the words al mut at the end of Psalms 48:15. Aquila interpreted: A world without death. [Alternatively,] He will guide us in two worlds [olamot], in this world and in the World to Come.

Similarly, though Scripture states: And the priests shall kindle wood upon it every morning (Lev. 6:5), it is written: And Lebanon is not sufficient fuel (Isa. 40:16). This was stated so that one might receive a reward for doing so. Similarly, it says: The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning (Num. 28:4), though it has already been said: Nor the beasts thereof sufficient for burnt-offerings (Isa. 40:16). This indicates that you may receive a reward (for its observance). Let them make Me a Sanctuary that I may dwell among them (Exod. 25:8) may be explained in a like manner. Has it not been written already Do not I fill heaven and earth (Jer. 23:24)? This commandment was imposed upon you so that you would receive a reward (for building a Sanctuary). And Moses said unto the people: Remember this day (Exod. 13:3). Scripture states elsewhere: That thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life (Deut. 16:3). Does this mean that they were to remember it only during the day and not at night? Ben Zoma interpreted the verse That thou mayest remember the day when thou came forth … all the days of your life to mean that the days of your life refers to the daytime, while all the days of your life alludes to night time.

R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated that R. Jonathan discussed the meaning of the words The voice of the Lord is powerful (Ps. 29:4). Is it reasonable to make this statement? No creature is able to endure the sound of the voice of even a single angel, as it is said: His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude (Dan. 10:6). How much more, then, is this so of the voice of the Holy One, blessed be He, concerning whom it is written: Do I not fill heaven and earth? (Jer. 23:24). Was it necessary for Him to speak in a powerful voice? (No.) Only in a voice that Moses was able to tolerate.

R. Zera said: "Although R. Juda b. B'therah of N'zibin sent a message: 'Be careful with a scholar, who, on account of an accident, forgot his learning; be careful to follow R. Juda's decision regarding the Vridin; be careful with the children of a common man, as [very often] wisdom emanates from them,' the following may be nevertheless proclaimed: (Ib. 12, 1-3) Righteous art thou, O Lord [even though] I should plead with Thee; yet must I speak of [the principles of] justice with Thee: Wherefore is the way of the wicked happy? Do all those prosper that deal treacherously? Thou hast planted them; they have also taken root; they grow; they also bring forth fruit; and he was answered (Ib., ib. 5) If thou hast run with the footmen, and they have wearied thee, how then canst thou contend with the horses? And if in the land of peace, [wherein] thou trusted, [they wearied thee], how then wilt thou do in the swelling of the Jordan? This might be likened to one who proclaims that he is able to run three parsas between the dykes in advance of horses. A runner met him, and he ran before him three miles and became tired. The runner then said to him: "If you became tired by running in advance of me, how much more so in advance of horses? If you became tired by running three miles only, how much more so by running three parsas? If you became tired on dry land, how much more would you become tired between the dykes!" Similar to this was it said to Jeremiah: Thou art wondering that I have rewarded that wicked one for the four steps he was running for the sake of my glory; how much more will you wonder when I will come to pay the reward of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who used to run for me like horses! And to this refers the passage (Ib. 23, 9) To the prophets - Broken is my heart within me; all my bones shake; I am like a drunken man, because of the Lord, and because of his holy words. What are they, the four steps? As it is written (Isa. 39, 1) At that time sent Merodash-baladon, the son of Baladon, the king of Babylon, letters and presents to Hezekiah, for he had heard that he had been sick, and was becoming strong again. Is it reasonable to assume that the passage means because Hezekiah became well he sent him letters and presents? Yea, as we find (II Chron. 32, 31) … Who sent unto him to inquire concerning the wonder that had happened in the land; for R. Jochanan said that the day on which Achaz died contained only two hours. And when Hezekiah became sick and thereafter recovered, the Holy One, praised be He! returned the ten hours to the day, as it is written (Isa. 38, 8) Behold, I will cause the shadow of the degrees, which is gone down on the dial of Achaz by the sun, to return backward ten degrees. So the sun returned ten degrees, by the degrees which he was gone down. Merodach-baladon then questioned why that day is so long. And he was told, because Hezekiah was sick and recovered. He then said: "If there is such a man, must he not be greeted? Write him a letter of greeting." And they wrote, "Peace to the king Hezekiah, peace to the city of Jerusalem, and peace to the great God." At that time Nebuchadnezzar was Merodach's secretary. But this letter was written in his absence. When he returned and heard of it he asked them what they had written. And they told him accordingly. And he exclaimed: "Ye named him the great God, and yet greet Him at the conclusion! It ought to have been written, "Peace to the great God, peace to the city of Jerusalem, and peace to Hezekiah'." And they said: "Let him who dictates the letter be the carrier (i.e., let him execute his own plan)." He commenced to run after the messenger and make him return. But after he had run four steps, Gabriel came and stopped him. And R. Jochanan said: "Had not Gabriel stopped him, there would have been no remedy for the people of Israel."

The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Genesis 50:24,] "pakod yifkod (He will surely remember you)" [is a hint to] Yosef, [that] He will remember you in this world, and He will remember you in the world to come. The doubling of tzadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, ou'metachtav yitsmach (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDaveed tsemach tsadeek (and I will raise up a true branch of David)." ["The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3)] ("Sixty were the queens" [Song of Songs 6:8]). Twenty-four books (of the Bible), and add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold ["The leader of fifty"] ("Sixty were the queens"). "[Sixty were the queens] and eighty were the concubines" (Song of Songs 6:8). Sixty tractates and eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates. "And maidens without number" (Song of Songs 6:8). The study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This] corresponds to the [number of] letters of [the priestly blessing,) "May the Lord bless you and keep you, etc." (Numbers 6:24-26). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of the count of the days of the solar year, as he rules over all the year to slander, except for Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami bar Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before he] fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered, and he was called Avraham [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." [Regarding] Sarai, two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod [with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her] was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehshoua came and had a yod added, as it is stated (Numbers 13:16), "and Moshe called Hoshea [...], Yehoshua." And it saved him from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod [with a numerical count of ten] corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi [with a numerical count of ninety, as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet [with a numerical count of eight, as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof [with a numerical count of one hundred, as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards, Levi. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, and Levi was the tenth. And he gave him as a tithe to the Omnipresent to fulfill [what he said] (Genesis 28:22), "all that You give to me, I will surely tithe it to You." [The letter] ayin [with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt], "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received], "And may He give you [etc.]" (Genesis 27:28). Take away the name [of God] from there, and one hundred [letters] remain. [The letter] bet [with a numerical count of two] corresponds to two angels [that he saw on the ladder in his dream] rising. Yehudah was called according to [the significance of the numerical count of the letters of] his [own] name: Thirty, corresponding to the thirty virtues of the monarchy. There were six hundred and thirteen letters on the tablets - from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you [besides to fear Him]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; along with Torah and circumcision, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) is six hundred. [Add] eight strings and five knots, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al)] has a numerical value of one hundred, corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. "And now Israel, what (mah) does the Lord, your God, ask of you" - read it as one hundred (meah), these are the hundred blessings. Once he ordained it, the pestilence ceased. "This is the law of the burnt-offering (olah), it is the burnt-offering" (Leviticus 6:2), [meaning] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of repentance. "Two anointed ones" (Zechariah 4:14). These are David and Aharon who were anointed with the anointing oil, such that their anointing was for [all] the generations. With Aharon, it is written (Numbers 25:13), "It shall be for him and his descendants after him, a pact of priesthood for all time." With David it is written (Ezekiel 37:25), "and My servant David as their prince for all time." "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov)" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen [blessings]. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "'Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov).' The numerical value of tov in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet) is [the same as] soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'Behold the fat from us, from our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of the [number of the] days of the nine months of birthing (two hundred and seventy one). The name of the angel that is appointed for conception is night, as stated (Job 3:3), "and the night [that it was] said, 'A man was conceived." The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah corresponding to the [forty mentions] of well, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. And a seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] hallah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value of le'at is forty. Behold the measure of a seah is a tefach by a tefach with the height of [sixteen] tefach [and a fifth]. And one who separates the measure of the hallah [tithe] must separate [one part in forty three] and a fifth [from Torah writ like the numerical value of hallah]. Forty lashes (which are actually thirty-nine) is from Torah writ, as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one (thirty-nine). "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses received by the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground, and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." A Sanhedrin is twenty-three, so [that it is possible for] those advocating innocence to have one more (than twenty), and those advocating guilt to have two more. It is best for the two to come and push off one. The numerical value of anathmea (cherem) is two hundred and forty-eight. And Shmuel said, when it takes force it takes force on [all] two hundred and forty-eight organs, and when it leaves, it leaves from two hundred and forty-eight limbs, as it is written (Habakuk 3:2), "in anger, remember to have mercy (rachem, which is made up of the same letters as cherem)." It is written,"tirash," but we read it [as] tirosh. [If] he merits, he becomes a rosh (leader); [if] he does not merit, he becomes a rash (poor person). Our rabbis, may their memory be blessed said, "A man is recognized by three things: by his purse, by his glass and by his anger. Tavel is Ramaliah. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value of in at-bash. The numerical value of Gog and Magog is seventy, as they are the seventy nations [of the world].

(Job 31:38:) IF MY LAND CRIES OUT AGAINST ME. [The Holy One] said to him: Job, do you have anything more than four cubits of soil at the time of your death?³³Tanh., Deut. 4:15; PRK 10:7. So should you say (ibid.]): IF MY LAND HAS CRIED OUT AGAINST ME? And is this the work of your hand? R. Hiyya the Great and R. Simeon ben Halafta <differed>. R. Hiyya the Great said: It is comparable to one who had a mantle (tallit) for sale in the bazaar.³⁴Itlis. Buber’s note 65 suggests that the Hebrew word has lost an initial quf and comes from the Greek katalusis, which can denote a lodging or resting place. When someone passed by and saw it, he said to him: That is mine. He said to him: Wrap yourself in it. If it fits you, then it is yours; but if it does not, it is not yours. Similarly the Holy One said to Job: (Jer. 23:24:) DO I NOT FILL THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH? Yet you say (in Job 31:38): IF MY LAND CRIES OUT AGAINST ME. Is this the work of your hand? Then R. Simeon ben Halafta said: It is comparable to one who had a bondmaid for sale in the bazaar. When someone passed by and saw her, he said: She is mine. He said to him: Rebuke her. If she heeds you, she is yours; but if not she is not yours. Similarly the Holy One said to Job: It is written of me (in Ps. 104:32): WHO (i.e., the LORD) LOOKS ON THE EARTH AND IT TREMBLES. Yet you say (in Job 31:38): IF MY LAND CRIES OUT AGAINST ME. Is this the work of your hand? At that time Job said: Sovereign of the Universe: I did not mean that. Rather [what I meant by these words, IF MY LAND CRIES OUT AGAINST ME, was] "If I did not take out its tithes properly. "(Ibid., cont.:) AND <IF> ITS FURROWS WEEP TOGETHER <means> "If I planted it <unlawfully> with mixed seeds." (Job 31:39:) IF I HAVE EATEN ITS PRODUCE WITHOUT PAYMENT (literally: WITHOUT MONEY). This refers to the second tithe, as stated (in Deut. 14:25): THEN YOU SHALL CONVERT IT INTO MONEY…. (Job 31:39, cont.:) AND DISAPPOINTED ITS OWNERS. This refers to the tithe for the poor.³⁵The midrash identifies the OWNERS of Job 31:39 with the poor who actually work the land. If I have not done <all> this, (then in vs. 40): MAY THORNS COME UP INSTEAD OF WHEAT…. Rabbi Hosha'ya taught: Torah teaches you proper procedure. A field that grows thorns (when unplanted) is fine to sow wheat in. A field that grows stinkweed is fine to sow barley in. What is the evidence? That which is written (in Job 31:40:) MAY THORNS COME UP INSTEAD OF WHEAT, AND STINKWEED INSTEAD OF BARLEY. (Ibid., cont.:) THE WORDS OF JOB ARE ENDED. [Beyond this point] Job foresees and prophesies any number of prophecies. But <here> you say: THE WORDS OF JOB ARE ENDED. It is simply that Job meant: If I have not fulfilled these <conditions> (of vss. 38–39), may my words be ended, and let me not have a pretext for saying to you (in Deut. 26:13 regarding the second tithe): I HAVE REMOVED THE CONSECRATED PORTION FROM THE HOUSE.³⁶MSh 5:10. For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22): YOU SHALL SURELY TITHE.

(Deut. 14:22:) “You shall surely tithe.” This is related to the verse (in Job 31:38), “If my land cries out against me.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job, “Do you have anything more than four cubits of soil at the time of your death?²⁰PRK 10:7. So should you say (ibid.), ‘If my land has cried out against me?’ And is it your handiwork?” R. Hiyya the Great and R. Simeon ben Halafta [differed about the matter]. R. Hiyya the Great said, “It is comparable to one who had a mantle (tallit) for sale in the bazaar.²¹Itlis. Buber’s note 65 suggests that the Hebrew word has lost an initial quf and comes from the Greek katalusis, which can denote a lodging or resting place. When someone passed by and saw it, he said to him, ‘That is mine.’ He said to him, ‘Wrap yourself in it. If it fits you, then it is yours; but if it does not, it is not yours.’ Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job, (Jer. 23:24), ‘”Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” Yet you say (in Job 31:38), “If my land cries out against me.” Is it your handiwork?’” Then R. Simeon ben Halafta said, “It is comparable to one who had a bondmaid for sale in the bazaar. When someone passed by and saw her, he said, ‘She is mine.’ He said to him, ‘Rebuke her. If she heeds you, she is yours; but if not she is not yours.’ Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job, ‘It is written of Me (in Ps. 104:32), “Who (i.e., the Lord) looks on the earth and it trembles.” Yet you say (in Job 31:38), “If my land cries out against me.” Is it your handiwork?’” At that time Job said, “Master of the universe, I did not say that. Rather [what I meant by the words, ‘If my land cries out against me,’ was] if I did not take out its tithes properly; (ibid., cont.:) ‘and [if] its furrows weep together’ [means] if I planted it [unlawfully] with mixed seeds. (Job 31:39:) ‘If I have eaten its produce without payment (literally, without money),’ this refers to the second tithe, as stated (in Deut. 14:25), ‘Then you shall convert it into money […]’; (Job 31:39, cont.) ‘and disappointed its owners,’ this refers to the tithe for the poor.²²The midrash identifies the OWNERS of Job 31:39 with the poor who actually work the land. If I have not done [all] this, (then in vs. 40), ‘May thorns come up instead of wheat […].’” R. Hosha'ya taught, “The Torah teaches you proper procedure. A field that grows thorns (when unplanted) is fine to sow wheat in. A field that grows stinkweed is fine to sow barley in. [What is the reason (evidence)?] That which is written (in Job 31:40), ‘May thorns come up instead of wheat, and stinkweed instead of barley.’” (Ibid., cont.:) “The words of Job are ended.” Up to here, Job foresees and prophesies any number of prophecies, and [here] you say, “The words of Job are ended?” It is simply that Job was saying, “If I have not fulfilled these [conditions] (of vss. 38-39), may my words be ended, and let me not have a pretext for saying to you (in Deut. 26:13 regarding the second tithe), ‘I have removed the consecrated portion from the house.’”²³MSh 5:10. For that reason Moses warned Israel (in Deut. 14:22), “You shall surely tithe.”

What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He put forth His right hand and stretched forth the heavens, and He put forth His left hand and founded the earth, as it is said, "Yea, mine hand || hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens: when I called unto them, they stood up together" (Isa. 48:13). Both of them were created simultaneously, as it is said, "And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their host" (Gen. 2:1). And, indeed, were the heavens and the earth completed (so as not to require God's providence) for their continued existence and maintenance? Has it not been written concerning them, "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool" (Isa. 66:1)? But they were finished with reference to the original deed (of creation) and with reference to the work (of being created) and being called into existence. Therefore it is said, "And the heavens and the earth were finished" (Gen. 2:1).

21 The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Exodus 3:15, is a hint to] Israel, to Moshe,"pakod pakadeti etchem (I have surely remembered you)." The doubling of tsadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, [ou'metachtav yitsmach] (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the Messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDavid tsemach tsadeek [...] (and I will raise up a true branch of David [...])." "The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3). Twenty-four books (of the Bible); add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold fifty. "Sixty were the queens," (Song of Songs 6:8), sixty tractates; "and eighty were the concubines," eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates.; and maidens without number," the study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This corresponds to] the sixty letters of the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). Three hundred and eighteen [souls mentioned in Genesis 14:14 is the numerical equivalent of] Eliezer. "Inasmuch (ekev) as Avraham obeyed Me and kept My charge: My commandments, My laws, and My teachings" (Genesis 26:5) - he recognized him when he was three (the numerical equivalent of ekev, being three less than that of Avraham). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of three hundred and sixty-four, the count of the days of the solar year that he rules over all of them to slander, excepting Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami beiRabbi Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before] he fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." "A woman of valor is the crown of her husband" (Proverbs 12:4) - that is Sarah. Her name had been Sarai. Two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod (with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her) was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehoshua came and Moshe added to him a yod - the Lord save you from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod (with a numerical count of ten) corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi (with a numerical count of ninety), [as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet (with a numerical count of eight), [as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof (with a numerical count of one hundred), [as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, [and Levi] was the tenth. [The letter] ayin (with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt), "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received minus the name of God, "And may He give you etc." (Genesis 27:28)]. [The letter] bet (with a numerical count of two) remains, corresponding to two angels (that he saw on the ladder in his dream) rising. There were six hundred and thirteen commandments in the tablets - corresponding to the letters from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments - no less and no more. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, [as it is stated] (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you besides to fear Him [...]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; and Torah has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven - and Torah and fear [of God] along with them, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) [is six hundred] - the rabbis taught: [Add] eight [strings] and five [knots], behold that is six hundred and thirteen. The days of Avraham were one hundred and seventy-five years, [of] Yitzchak were one hundred and eighty years [and of] Yaakov were a hundred and forty-seven years. When you put them together, it is found to be five hundred and two years. And so is the distance of the the heavens to the earth, "like the the days of the heavens above the earth" (Deuteronomy 11:21). "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al) has a numerical value of one hundred] corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David came and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. Once he ordained them, the pestilence ceased. High (al) [corresponds to] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of suffering. "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov) that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen blessings. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained after it for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "Take tov [in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet), which is the same] as the numerical value of soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'At the time that the Temple existed, we would incinerate the fats and the innards and be cleansed. But now behold our fat, our blood and our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of two hundred and seventy one (the number of the days of the nine months of birthing). The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah [corresponding to the forty mentions] of well water, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. Each seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] challah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value [of le'at] is forty. And one who separates the measure of the challah [tithe] must separate one part in forty three and a fifth from Torah writ like the [numerical] value of challah. The main categories of work [on Shabbat] are forty minus one (thirty-nine), as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one. "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses that the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground were cursed - and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." Those [judges] advocating innocence are more those advocating guilt. [For] it is best for the two to come and push off one. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value in at-bash. Tavel is Ramlah [according to] its numerical value in al-bam (another numerical scheme). "Thus (bezot) shall Aaron enter the shrine; with a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering" (Leviticus 16:3). Bezot (which has a numerical count of four hundred and ten) is a hint to the first Temple that stood for four hundred and ten years.

(Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED. Let our master instruct us: How many things preceded the act of creation?⁸¹Tanh., 2:11. Thus have our masters taught: Seven things preceded the world. These are the following: The throne of glory, the Torah, the Temple,⁸²See Sifre, Deut. 7:12 (37). the ancestors of the world, [Israel,] the name of Messiah, and repentance. And some would also say the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom. In the case of the throne of God, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 93:2): YOUR THRONE IS ESTABLISHED FROM OF OLD; YOU ARE FROM EVERLASTING. And in the case of the Torah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Prov. 8:22): THE LORD ACQUIRED ME (i.e., wisdom) AS THE BEGINNING OF HIS WAY THE FIRST OF HIS WORKS OF OLD. In the case of the Temple, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Jer. 17:12): O GLORIOUS THRONE, ON HIGH FROM THE BEGINNING, THE PLACE OF OUR SANCTUARY. In the case of the ancestors of the world, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Hos. 9:10): I FOUND [ISRAEL] LIKE GRAPES IN THE DESERT; [I SAW] YOUR ANCESTORS [LIKE THE FIRST FRUIT ON A FIG TREE IN ITS FIRST SEASON]. In the case of Israel, where is it shown? [Where it is stated of them] (in Ps. 74:2): REMEMBER YOUR CONGREGATION WHICH YOU ACQUIRED OF OLD. In the case of the name of the Messiah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 72:17): BEFORE THE SUN HIS NAME IS YENNON (a symbolic name for the Messiah).⁸³This translation of Ps. 72:17 is a literal rendering, which the midrash understands to mean that this name existed before the sun was created. A more traditional rendering would be MAY HIS NAME ENDURE AS LONG AS THE SUN. In the case of repentance, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 90:2): BEFORE THE MOUNTAINS WERE BROUGHT FORTH, since it is written (in vs. 3): YOU RETURN HUMANITY TO CONTRITION, [AND SAY: REPENT YOU CHILDREN OF ADAM]. In the case of the Garden of Eden, where is it shown? where it is stated (in Gen. 2:8): AND THE LORD GOD PLANTED A GARDEN IN EDEN, FROM OF OLD.⁸⁴This is the interpretation of miqqedem by the midrash. A more traditional rendering would be IN THE EAST. In the case of Gehinnom, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Is. 30:33): FOR TOPHETH HAS BEEN PREPARED FROM OF OLD. Come and see. When the Holy One told Moses to tell Israel to make a tabernacle for him, the Holy One said to Moses: Say to those Israelites, as it were: It is not because I have nowhere to dwell that I am telling you to make me a tabernacle. Before the world was created, here was my sanctuary built in heaven above. It is so stated (in Jer. 17:12): O GLORIOUS THRONE, ON HIGH FROM THE BEGINNING…. And a temple was built there for my throne, as stated (in Hab. 2:20): BUT THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE.⁸⁵Cf. Ps. 11:4. So also has Isaiah said (in Is. 6:1): I SAW THE LORD SEATED UPON A THRONE, HIGH AND LIFTED UP. Out of love for you I left my temple on high, which had been prepared before the world was created, to come down and dwell among you. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8): [AND MAKE ME A SANCTUARY] THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM. R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Johanan: This is one of the three commands which Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty and which took him aback.⁸⁶Numb. R. 12:3; PRK 6:4; PR 16:7; M. Pss. 91:1. When he said to him (in Exod. 30:12): EACH SHALL GIVE A RANSOM FOR HIS LIFE.⁸⁷Here is the second command that shook Moses. Moses said: Who can give a ransom for his life? It is written (in Job 2:4): SKIN FOR SKIN! ALL THAT ONE HAS HE WILL GIVE FOR HIS LIFE,⁸⁸Cf. above, Exod. 9:6. and still it is not enough. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 49:8 [7]): SURELY NO ONE WILL REDEEM A BROTHER NOR GIVE A RANSOM FOR HIM TO GOD. The Holy One said to him: I am not asking <a ransom> in accordance with my means but in accordance with their means. (Exod. 30:13:) <EVERYONE … > SHALL GIVE THIS. [R. Meir said: The Holy One took something like a kind of coin of fire from under the throne of glory and showed it to Moses.⁸⁹See above, Lev. 9:7, and the note there. <EVERYONE … > SHALL GIVE THIS; <i.e., EVERYONE … > SHALL GIVE one like THIS.] Again, when he said (in Numb. 28:2): MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE OFFERING, Moses said: Who can supply enough offerings for you.⁹⁰Numb. 28:2 is the third of the three commands that shook Moses. If we sacrificed all the beasts of the forest and all the trees of Lebanon, they would not be enough, as stated (in Is. 40:16): FOR LEBANON IS NOT FUEL ENOUGH, NOR ITS BEASTS ENOUGH FOR SACRIFICE. He said to him: I am not asking <offerings> in accordance with my means but in accordance with their means. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 28:3): NOW YOU SHALL SAY TO THEM: THIS IS THE BURNT OFFERING WHICH YOU SHALL OFFER TO THE LORD: <TWO YEARLING LAMBS WITHOUT BLEMISH… > And not both of them at once, but (according to vs. 4): THE ONE LAMB YOU SHALL OFFER IN THE MORNING AND THE SECOND LAMB YOU SHALL OFFER AT TWILIGHT. And when he said to him (in Exod. 25:8): AND MAKE ME A SANCTUARY <THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM>,⁹¹With this repetition of Exod. 25:8, the midrash returns to the first command that shook Moses. Moses said [to the Holy One] (in I Kings 8:27): EVEN THE HEAVENS AND THE HEAVENS ABOVE THE HEAVENS CANNOT CONTAIN YOU! It also says (in Jer. 23:24): DO I NOT FILL THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH? SAYS THE LORD. And it says (in Is. 66:1): THE HEAVENS ARE MY THRONE AND THE EARTH IS MY FOOTSTOOL.⁹²Cf. Acts 7:47-50. So can we make him a sanctuary? The Holy One said to him: I am not asking <a sanctuary> [in accordance with my means] but in accordance with their means. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 26:1): NOW AS FOR THE TABERNACLE, YOU SHALL MAKE IT WITH TEN CURTAINS. When Israel heard this, they arose and donated gladly. So they made the Tabernacle. Moreover, when they had made the Tabernacle, it was filled with his glory, as stated (in Exod. 40:35): NOW MOSES COULD NOT ENTER THE TENT OF MEETING, <BECAUSE … THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE>. The princes said: Now is the time for us to offer sacrifices with joy, because the Divine Presence is dwelling among us. Where is it shown? {Where it is stated} [From what they read on the matter] (in Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED.

... R’ Huna said: the Messiah is called by seven names, and they are – magnified, Our Righteousness, Shoot, Consoler, David, Shiloh, and Eliyahu. Magnified from where? As it says, “May his name be forever; before the sun, his name will be magnified…” (Tehillim 72:17) Our Righteousness from where? As it says, “…and this is his name that he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.” (Yirmiyahu 23:6) Shoot from where? As it says, “…Behold a man whose name is the Shoot…” (Zechariah 6:12) Consoler from where? As it says, “For the Lord shall console Zion…” (Yeshayahu 51:3) David from where? As it says, “…and He performs kindness to His anointed; to David and to his seed forever.” (Tehillim 18:51) Shiloh from where? As it says, “…until Shiloh comes, and to him will be a gathering of peoples.” (Bereshit 49:10) Eliyahu from where? As it says, “Lo, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord…” (Malachi 3:23)

(Exodus 13:21) "And the L rd went before them by day": Can this be said? Is it not written (Jeremiah 23:22) "'Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?' says the L rd"? and (Isaiah 6:3) "One (seraph) called to the other 'Holy, Holy, Holy is the L rd of hosts — the earth is full of His glory'"? and (Ezekiel 43:2) "And, behold, the glory of the G d of Israel came from the east, His voice like the voice of many waters, the earth shining in His glory"? How, then, am I to understand "And the L rd went before them by day"? Rebbi said: An analogy: The emperor Antoninus was presiding at the dais when it got dark, his sons remaining there. After he was finished, he took the lantern and lit (the way) for his sons — whereupon the nobles close to him said: Let us take the lantern and light (the way) for your sons. At this, he said: It is not that I have no one to take the lantern and light (the way) for my sons; but I want to impress upon you my love for my sons, that you treat them honorably. And thus did the Holy One Blessed be He impress upon the nations of the world His love of Israel — He Himself walking before them, so that they (learn to) treat them honorably. And let alone that they do not do so, but they kill them with all kinds of sore, strange deaths, one unlike the other. Of this it is written (Joel 4:2) "And I will gather all the nations and I will bring them down to the valley of Yehoshafat, and I will contend with them there over My people and My inheritance, Israel, that they have scattered among the nations, and over My land that they have divided." I might think that He will contend with them) over (their being guilty of) idolatry, illicit relations, and the spilling of blood. It is, therefore, written "over My people and My inheritance, Israel." And (Ibid. 19) "Egypt shall be a wasteland, and Edom, a desolate desert because of the sons of Judah, in whose land they have spilled innocent blood." At that time (Ibid. 10) "Judah will endure forever, and Jerusalem, from generation to generation," and (Ibid. 21) "And absolve them of their blood, I will not absolve them." When? When the L rd dwells in Zion.

"And it was on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1). Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "The Holy One, blessed be He, made conditions with Israel before they left Egypt, that He would not take them out, except on condition that they make a tabernacle and that He would have His Divine Presence dwell upon them, as it is written (Exodus 29:46), 'And they shall know that I am the Lord, your God, who took you out of the Land of Egypt, to have Me dwell among you.'" And once the tabernacle was erected, the Divine Presence descended and dwelt among them. At that time all of those conditions were fulfilled. Hence it is written (Numbers 7:1), "the tabernacle," to [indicate] that the Holy One, blessed be He, did what He stipulated.

... “For, like the earth, which gives forth its plants…” (Isaiah 61:11) R’ Pinchas and R’ Chilkiya in the name of R’ Simon: like someone who says to his friend ‘may the Holy One make you grow, may you win your judgment, “And nations shall see your righteousness…” (Isaiah 62:2) R’ Levi said: since in this world anyone who explicitly pronounces the name of the Holy One is liable for death, as it says “And one who blasphemously pronounces the Name of the Lord, shall be put to death…” (Leviticus 24:16) so too in the time to come anyone who explicitly pronounces the name of Jerusalem is liable for death, as it says “…and you shall be called a new name…” (Isaiah 62:2) R’ Levi said: there are six things which the Holy One will renew in the time to come and they are: heavens and earth, the heart, the spirit, the name of the Messiah and the name of Jerusalem. From where do we learn the heavens and earth? “For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth…” (Isaiah 65:17) From where do we learn the heart and the spirit? “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit will I put within you…” (Ezekiel 36:26) And from where do we learn the name of the Messiah? “May his name be forever; before the sun, his name will be magnified…” (Psalms 72:17) And from where do we learn the name of Jerusalem? “…and you shall be called a new name…” (Isaiah 62:2) R’ Levi said: happy is the city whose name is the same as that of her king and whose king’s name is the same as that of her God. Whose name is the same as her king? “…and the name of the city from that day will be ‘The Lord is There.’” (Ezekiel 48:35) Whose king’s name is the same as that of her God? “…and this is his name that he shall be called, The Lord is our righteousness.” (Jeremiah 23:6)

(Exod. 16:29:) OBSERVE THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE SABBATH. What is the meaning of OBSERVE (re'u)? R. Isaac said: OBSERVE (re'u) how you reply to the peoples of the world. So if they say to you: Why do you keep the Sabbath? What miracles were done for you? OBSERVE THAT THE LORD HAS GIVEN YOU THE SABBATH. Say to them: On every day there came down one portion of manna; but on the day before the Sabbath, two portions. It is so stated (in Exod. 16:5): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS ON THE SIXTH DAY, THAT WHEN THEY PREPARE WHAT THEY BRING, IT WILL BE TWOFOLD…. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF TWOFOLD (MShNH)? If you say two, is it not already so stated (in Exod. 16:22): TWO OMERS APIECE? Hezekiah bar Hiyya said that it was different (MShNH) in its taste, in its aroma, and in its appearance. And not only that, but on every day, whoever had some of it left over from evening until morning caused a stench; yet concerning the Sabbath, it is written (in vs. 24): IT DID NOT HAVE A STENCH. Ergo, they gathered bread TWOFOLD (in the sense that it was different). [(Exod. 16:22:) THEN ALL THE PRINCES OF THE CONGREGATION CAME AND TOLD MOSES.] At that time he remembered that he had forgotten to tell them the section of Torah on the Sabbath, as the Holy One had told him. As soon as they came and spoke to him, Moses said to them (in vs. 23): THIS IS WHAT THE LORD HAS SPOKEN: TOMORROW IS A COMPLETE REST, A SABBATH HOLY TO THE LORD…. Jeremiah said (in Jer. 2:29): WHY DO YOU COMPLAIN AGAINST ME…? Even Moses, when I told him to tell them the section of Torah on the Sabbath, forgot and did not tell them. (Ibid., cont.:) ALL OF YOU HAVE SINNED AGAINST ME. R. Judah says: The Holy One honored the Sabbath in that on every day the manna came down, but on the Sabbath it did not come down. It is so stated (in Exod. 16:27): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT ON THE SEVENTH DAY SOME OF THE PEOPLE WENT OUT TO GATHER < MANNA > AND FOUND NOTHING. Moses said to them: Whoever takes an omer per capita should not take more than that, as stated (in Exod. 16:19–20): LET NO ONE LEAVE ANY OF IT <UNTIL MORNING >. BUT THEY DID NOT HEED MOSES, AND <CERTAIN> PEOPLE LEFT SOME OF IT <UNTIL MORNING >. These were Dathan and Abiram.⁷⁷Below, Exod. 8:7; Exod. R. 1:29; 25:10. R. Joshua [of Sikhnin] said in the name of R. Levi: When they left some manna, worms came out from their tents (i.e., the tents of Dathan and Abiram) and entered the tents of Israel. So the Holy Spirit cries out and says over them: Do you think that you act in secret without it being revealed to me? (Jer. 23:24:) IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, SHALL I NOT SEE HIM? <SAYS THE LORD>…. The Holy One said: In this world you have eaten manna through the merit of your ancestors; but in the world to come I will feed you cattle, <i.e.,> Ziz and Leviathan. You will eat through your own merit. Thus it is stated (concerning Leviathan in Job 40:30 [41:6]): SHALL TRADE ASSOCIATES MAKE A BANQUET OF HIM? SHALL THEY DIVIDE HIM UP AMONG MERCHANTS?

Another explanation: "And God said all of these things, saying" - Rabbi Yitzchak said, What the prophets were to prophesy in the future in each generation, they received from Mount Sinai. As Moshe said to Israel (Deuteronomy 29:14), "But with those here with us standing today and with those not here with us today." It does not say [at the end of the verse], "with us standing today," but rather, "with us today"; these are the souls that will be created in the future, who do not have substance, about whom "standing" is not mentioned. For even though they did not exist at that time, each one received that which was his. And so [too], it states (Malachi 1:1), "The burden that God spoke to Israel by ['in the hand of'] Malachi" - it does not state, "in the days of Malachi," but rather "in the hand of Malachi," as the prophecy was already in his hand from Mount Sinai, but until that time, he was not given permission to prophesy. Likewise Yeshayahu said (Isaiah 48:16), "from the time it was, was I there." Yeshayahu said, "From the time the Torah was given at Sinai, I was there and received this prophecy, except [only] 'now did God send me and His spirit'" - until now, he was not given permission to prophesy. And it was not only of the prophets who receive their prophecy from Sinai, but also the sages who arise in each generation - each of them received what was his from Sinai. And so [too] it states (Deuteronomy 5:19), "These things did the Lord speak to your entire congregation, [...] a great voice and it did not cease": Rabbi Yochanan said, "One voice was split into seven voices and they were divided into seventy languages"; Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said, "From it prophesied all of the prophets who arose." The Sages said that it did not have an echo. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of Rabbi Yochanan, "What is [the meaning of] 'The voice of the Lord is in strength' (Psalms 29:4)? Can one really say this? Isn't it true that, with even one angel, no creature can stand up to his voice, as it states (Daniel 10:6), 'And its body was like beryl (tarshish) [...] and the voice of its words was like the voice of the multitude.' And does the Holy One, blessed be He, about Whom it is written (Jeremiah 23:24), 'do I not fill the heavens and the earth,' need to speak in strength? Rather, 'The voice of the Lord is in strength' - in the strength of all of the voices." And this verse supports the view of Rabbi Yochanan: "The Lord gives the word, the announcers are a great host" (Psalms 68:12).

The soul is like its Creator. Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, sees and is not visible, so the soul sees and is not visible. Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, has no sleep in His presence, so the soul does not sleep. Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, bears His world, so the soul bears all the body. All souls are His, as it is said, "Behold, all souls are mine" (Ezek. 18:4).

One verse states (Ibid. 3) "Is there any number to His angelic hosts?" and another (Daniel 7:10) "A thousand thousands were serving Him, and myriad myriads were standing before Him." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before they were exiled from their land — "Is there any number to His angelic hosts?" After they were exiled from their land — "A thousand thousands were serving Him." As it were, the celestial retinue was diminished. Rebbi says in the name of Abba b. Yossi: One verse states: "Is there any number to His angelic hosts?" and another, "A thousand thousands were serving Him." How are these two verses to be reconciled? "A thousand thousands were serving Him" — this is one host. And how many hosts are there? — "Is there any number to His angelic hosts?" One verse states (Psalms 147:4) "He counts the number of the stars, (which implies that He calls each by name), and another (Isaiah 40:26) "Raise your eyes on high and see who created these. He brings forth their legions by number; he calls to all of them by name," (which implies that He calls all of them as one). (How is this to be understood?) When the Holy One Blessed be He calls, all answer, something impossible for flesh and blood, to call two names at the same time. Similarly, (Shemot 20:1) "And G-d spoke all of these things (in one utterance) saying, etc.", and (Psalms 62:12) "One thing has G-d spoken; these two have I heard," and (Jeremiah 23:29) "Is My word not like fire, says the L-rd, and like a hammer shattering rock?" Rebbi says in the name of Abba Yossi b. Dostai: One verse states "He brings forth their legions by number, etc.", and another "He counts the number of the stars." How are these two verses to be reconciled? We are hereby taught there is no changing of the (essential) name there. The name that it is called by now is not the name that it will be called by later, (but its "name" is simply a function of its embassy.) And thus is it written (Judges 12:18) "And the angel of the L-rd said to him: Why do you ask my name? It is hidden." I do not know what "name" I will be converted to (in the future). One verse states (II Samuel 24:24) "And David bought the threshing floor and the cattle for fifty silver shekels," and another (I Chronicles 21:25) "And David gave Arnon for the place gold shekels weighing six hundred." How are these two verses to be reconciled? For the place of the threshing floor, six hundred; for the place of the altar, fifty. Rebbi says, in the name of Abba Yossi b. Dostai: One verse states "And David bought the threshing floor, etc." and another verse states "And David gave Arnon for the place gold shekels weighing six hundred." How are these two verses to be reconciled? There were twelve tribes, and he took from each fifty shekels, six hundred shekels in all. R. Elazar says "And David bought the threshing floor," as explained elsewhere. Where? "And David gave Arnon for the place, etc." But the cattle for the burnt-offering and the threshing sledges and the cattle gear for the wood for fifty shekalim. One verse states (I Kings 5:6) "And Solomon had forty thousand stables of horses for his chariots," and another, (II Chronicles 9:28) "four thousand stables of horses." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Four thousand stables for forty thousand (horses). One verse states (Ibid. 4:5) "Its capacity was three thousand bath measures," and another (I Kings 7:26) "Its capacity was two thousand bath measures." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Two thousand in wet measure, which are three thousand in dry measure — whence the sages ruled: Forty sa'ah in wet measure is equal to two kor in dry measure.

Rabbi Eliezer said: The five letters of the Torah, which alone of all the letters in the Torah are of double (shape), all appertain to the mystery of the Redemption. With "Khaph" "Khaph" our father Abraham was redeemed from Ur of the Chaldees, as it is said, (Lekh Lekha) "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred… unto the land that I will shew thee" (Gen. 12:1). With "Mem" "Mem" our father Isaac was redeemed from the land of the Philistines, as it is said, "Go from us: for thou art much mightier (Memennu M'ôd) than we" (Gen. 26:16). With "Nun" "Nun" our father Jacob was redeemed from the hand of Esau, as it is said, "Deliver me, I pray thee, (Hazilêne na) from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau" (Gen. 32:11). With "Pê" "Pê" Israel was redeemed from Egypt, as it is said, "I have surely visited you, (Paḳôd Paḳadti) and (seen) that which is done to you in Egypt, and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt" (Ex. 3:16, 17). With "Zaddi" "Zaddi" the Holy One, blessed be He, in the future will redeem Israel from the oppression of the kingdoms, and He will say to them, I have caused a branch to spring forth for you, as it is said, "Behold, the man whose name is (Zemach) the Branch; and he shall grow up (yizmach) || out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord" (Zech. 6:12). These letters were delivered only to our father Abraham. Our father Abraham delivered them to Isaac, and Isaac (delivered them) to Jacob, and Jacob delivered the mystery of the Redemption to Joseph, as it is said, "But God will surely visit (Paḳôd yiphḳôd) you" (Gen. 1. 24). Joseph his son delivered the secret of the Redemption to his brethren. Asher, the son of Jacob, delivered the mystery of the Redemption to Serach his daughter. When Moses and Aaron came to the elders of Israel and performed the signs in their sight, the elders of Israel went to Serach, the daughter of Asher, and they said to her: A certain man has come, and he has performed signs in our sight, thus and thus. She said to them: There is no reality in the signs. They said to her: He said "Paḳôd yiphḳôd"—"God will surely visit you" (ibid.). She said to them: He is the man who will redeem Israel in the future from Egypt, for thus did I hear, ("Paḳôd Paḳadti") "I have surely visited you" (Ex. 3:16). Forthwith the people believed in their God and in His messenger, as it is said, "And the people believed, and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel" (Ex. 4:31).

(Bamidbar, Ibid. 4) "And the L-rd said suddenly": R. Shimon b. Menassia said: Moses was frightened by "suddenly" (viz. [Shemot 3:6]), and (here) G-d spoke "suddenly." "The three of you go out to the tent of meeting!": We are hereby apprised that the three of them were called by a single utterance, something which (within the framework of nature) the mouth is not capable of uttering nor the ear of hearing. And thus is it written (Shemot 20:1) "And the L-rd spoke all of these things, saying" — (Psalms 62:12) "One (thing) has G-d spoken; two (things) have I heard," (Jeremiah 23:29) "Behold, My word is like fire, declares the L-rd, (and like a hammer that shatters rock.") (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "And the L-rd went down in a pillar of cloud": not as the measure of flesh and blood. The measure of flesh and blood: When he goes out to war, he goes out with many men, and when he goes out to peace, he goes out with only few. But the Holy One Blessed be He, when He goes out to war, only He goes out, as it is written (Shemot 18:3) "The L-rd is a man of war"; and when He comes in peace, He comes with thousands and ten thousands, viz. (Psalms 68:18) "G-d's chariots are myriads upon myriads, thousands upon thousands." (And here He comes to make peace, accompanied by "a pillar of cloud.") (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "And He called Aaron and Miriam, and the two of them came forth." Scripture here comes to teach us proper conduct — that when one wishes to speak to someone not in the presence of another, he should not ask the other to leave, but should draw near to him the one he wishes to speak to and talk to him. And why did He not call Moses with them? So that Israel not say that Moses, too, was the object of the L-rd's anger. Variantly: So that Moses not hear the (L-rd's) criticism of Aaron. Variantly: A man (Moses, in this instance) is not to be praised to his face. R. Elazar b. Azaryah says: We find that part of a man's praise is stated to his face. For thus do we find with Noach, (the L-rd saying to him, Bereshit 7:1) "For you have I found to be righteous before Me in this generation," whereas not to his face He says (Ibid. 6:9) "These are the progeny of Noach: Noach was a completely righteous man in his generations." R. Elazar the son of R. Yossi Haglili says: We find that one mentions (only) part of the praise of Him who spoke and brought the world into being "to His face," as it is written (Psalms 66:3) "Say to G-d: How awesome are Your deeds!" How much more so is this true (that only partial praise is thus mentioned) with flesh and blood.

(Bamidbar 15:22) "And if you err and do not do all of these mitzvoth": Idolatry was in the category of all the mitzvoth for (unwitting transgression of) which the congregation (i.e., beth-din) brings a bullock (viz. Vayikra 4:14), and Scripture here removed it from its category (for special mention), that the congregation bring a bullock for a burnt-offering and a he-goat for a sin-offering, for which reason this section was stated. "And if you err and do not do all of these mitzvoth": Scripture here speaks of idolatry. You say idolatry, but perhaps (it speaks of his transgressing) all of the mitzvoth of the Torah. It is, therefore, (to negate this) written (Ibid. 24) "And it shall be, if by the eyes of the congregation it were done in error" — Scripture hereby singles out one mitzvah. And which is that? (the injunction against) idolatry. You say it is idolatry, but perhaps it is (any) one of all the mitzvoth stated in the Torah. It is, therefore, written "And if you err and do not do all of these mitzvoth": This comes to define "the one mitzvah." Just as one who transgresses all of the mitzvoth divests himself of the Yoke, and breaks the covenant, and perverts the Torah, so, he who transgresses one mitzvah does the same, as it is written (Devarim 17:2-3) "to destroy His covenant (— turning to the worship of other gods.") And "the covenant" is nothing other than Torah, as it is written (Ibid. 28:69) "These are the words of the covenant, etc." Rebbi says "all" is written here (Bamidbar 15:22), and "all" is written elsewhere, (Devarim 5:8) "all likenesses." Just as "all" there speaks of idolatry, so, "all" here. (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "which the L-rd spoke to Moses": Whence is it derived that one who acknowledges idolatry denies the ten commandments? It is written (here, in respect to idolatry) "which the L-rd spoke to Moses," and there, (in respect to the ten commandments, Shemot 20:1) "And G-d spoke all these words, saying." (Psalms 62:12) "One thing has G-d spoken; (two things ['I am the L-rd your G-d, etc.' and 'There shall not be unto you other gods, etc.'] have I heard.") (Jeremiah 23:29) "Is My word not like fire, says the L-rd (and like a hammer shattering rock?") Whence do I derive (the same, i.e., that one who acknowledges idolatry denies [not only what we heard from G-d,]) but also what Moses was commanded (and relayed to us)? From (Ibid. 23) "All that the L-rd commanded you by the hand of Moses." And whence do I derive (the same for) what was commanded to the forefathers? From (Ibid.) "from the day that the L-rd commanded." And from when did the L-rd begin to command? From Adam, viz. (Bereshit 2:15) "And the L-rd G-d commanded the man, etc." And whence do I derive (the same for) what was commanded to the prophets? From (Ibid.) "and onwards throughout your generations." We are hereby apprised that one who acknowledges idolatry denies the ten commandments, and what was commanded to Moses, and what was commanded to the forefathers, and what was commanded to the prophets. And one who denies idolatry acknowledges the entire Torah.