Midrash su Geremia 50:33

(Deut. 22:6-7), “You come across a bird nest, [….] You must surely let the mother go.” This text is related (to Prov. 4:23), “More than any observance preserve your heart, for out of it comes life.” R. Abba said, “There are two hundred and forty-eight positive commandments in the Torah corresponding to the organs that are in a human being; for each and every day they cry out at the person, ‘Perform a commandment with me so that we may live through its merit and you may lengthen your life.’ There are also three hundred and sixty-five negative commandments like the number of the solar days. So on each and every day while the sun rises until it sets, it speaks and cries out at a person, ‘Decree me upon yourself by the One who has brought your days up to this day. Do not commit this transgression against me, and do not tilt yourself and the whole world toward the scale of guilt.’” Here are six hundred and thirteen commandments. Moreover, for each and every commandment there is a recorded reward. For example honoring father and mother (in Exod. 20:12 // Deut. 5:16) and leaving a nest alone (in Deut. 22:7) about which it is written, a lengthening of life. There are also commandments with children as the reward; as, for example, Sarah, who hosted guests (in Gen. 18:6-14), and the Shunammite woman, who received Elisha (II Kings. 4:8-17). There is [also] a transgression, [which may] require stoning, burning, slaying (with the sword),⁸Hereg. See Sanh. 7:3, for the interpretation of hereg as beheading with a sword. or strangulation.⁹For details on all four types of execution, see ibid., 6:4; 7:1–3. Of all the commandments, none is as easy as leaving a nest alone. And what it its remuneration (according to Deut. 22:7)? “In order that it may be well with you and you may lengthen your life.” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who brought laborers into his field to plant it but did not reveal to them the remuneration for their planting. At evening he gave one gold coin to whoever planted a tree. They all began to be amazed and say, “Now if the one who has only planted a light and small tree [has received] one gold coin, how much the more will there be for us who have planted many [of them].”¹⁰Cf. Deut. R. 6:2. So if the remuneration for leaving a nest alone has a lengthening of life as its remuneration, how much more will be the remuneration for a commandment in which there is material loss, hardship, and [the need to] preserve one's life? For this reason the Holy One, blessed be He, did not explain the remuneration for the commandments which are in the Torah, so that Israel of its own accord would fulfill them and thereby increase the remuneration. Thus we have learned (in Avot 1:3), “Do not be like servants who serve the master for the sake of receiving a reward […].” It is therefore written (in Prov. 4:23), “More than any observance preserve your heart, [for out of it comes life].” There is a story about someone who went up to the top of a tree to fulfill the commandment of leaving a nest alone, and he fell and died. [This is] because it is stated (Deut. 22:7), “When you come across a bird nest on the way,” and not that you see it at the top of the trees and go up after it. The verse (Ps. 94:12) states, “Happy is the man whom You discipline, O Lord, the man You instruct in Your Torah.” Rabbi Elazar ben Yaakov said, “A man must remember gratitude to the Holy One, blessed be He, at a time when afflictions come upon him. Why? Because afflictions draw a man to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is stated (Prov. 3:12), ‘For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes, as a father the son whom he favors.’” R. Shimon bar Yochai said, “If a man’s son dies, he should not voice a complaint, as the son causes him to be acceptable to the Holy One, blessed be He.” There is a parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who became angry with the son of his daughter, and someone else came and made this son of his acceptable in front of the king. That son of the daughter says, “Do [I] not need to remember gratitude to the one that made [me] acceptable?” So [too] if a man’s son dies, he should remember gratitude to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the son made the father acceptable to his Creator. Why? (As in Prov. 3:12), “For whom the Lord loves, He rebukes, [as a father the son whom he favors].” Therefore David said in (Ps. 94:12), “Happy is the man whom You discipline, O Lord.” If afflictions come to a person, he should stand firm and accept them. Why? As there is no end to its remuneration. And from where (in Scripture) do you learn [this]? From the tooth and the eye [that is injured], through which a gentile slave goes out to freedom. Is it not [then] fitting that afflictions that scour the entire body of man atone? R. Chiya bar Abba said, “Since it is stated about the one that fulfills the commandment of leaving the nest alone, ‘in order that it may be well with you,’ all the more so will the death of a man’s child atone for him.” (Deut. 22:7:) “And the young (literally, children) take for yourself.” If you do not have children, I will give you children as the reward for this commandment. Another interpretation of (Deut. 22:7), “You must surely let [the mother] go.” If you let them go, (as in Is. 59:18) “According to their deeds, so shall He repay.” [See] what is written (in Jer. 50:33-34), “The children of Israel are oppressed […] they refuse to let them go. Their redeemer is mighty, [His name is] the Lord of hosts; He shall surely fight their fight.” [It also says (in Is. 16:2),] “For it shall be that the daughters of Moab at the fords of the Arnon shall be like a migrating bird, an abandoned nest.” This text is related (to Jer. 17:11), “As a partridge hatches without laying, so is one who makes money apart from justice….” What is written after that (in vs. 12)? “A glorious throne exalted from the beginning, our sacred shrine.” What is the connection between the two [verses]? Whoever says a partridge hatches is [really] saying a glorious throne. [This is] to teach you that a partridge brings eggs from other birds and sits on them until [the young] emerge from their shells and become fledglings. Then they rise up over it and pluck its wings. When it goes out to fly, it is unable [to do so] because its wings are plucked. So a wild beast or reptile finds it and eats it. And what caused its [destruction]? [It happened] because it had raised eggs that were not its own. So it shall be with the peoples of the world and the Moabites and the Ammonites that stretched their hands against (according to Jer. 17:12) His glorious throne, destroyed His sacred shrine, burned His Temple, and carried Israel into exile. The Holy One, blessed be He, shall destroy their memory, as the matter is stated (in Zeph. 2:9), “Therefore, as I live, says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, surely Moab shall become like Sodom, [and the children of Ammon like Gomorrah].”

(Lev. 25:25:) ”When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, then his redeemer shall come.” Who is his redeemer? I am He, as stated (in Jer. 50:33-34), “The Children of Israel […] are oppressed […]. Their Redeemer is mighty, His name is the Lord of hosts […].” Seven names are given to the poor.¹⁴Cf. Lev. R. 34:6, which lists eight names. And they are the following: crushed (dakh), poor ('ani), lowly (makh), dispossessed (rash), oppressed (tekhakhim),¹⁵Cf. Lev. R. 34:6, followed by Yalqut Shim‘oni, Lev. 665, which reads dal (“impoverished”) here. wretched (misken), and pauper (evyon). [(Lev. 25:25:) “When your relative becomes poor.”] This text is related (to Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them, but they rebelled; so they became poor through their iniquity.” You find that in the days that the Judges judged, Israel served idols; so they were enslaved in the hands of the peoples of the world, as stated (in Jud. 3:7-8), “Then the Children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord…. So the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of Cushan.” What did they do (according to vs. 9)? “The Children of Israel cried unto the Lord, and the Lord raised up a savior for the Children of Israel [to save them, i.e.,] Othniel ben Kenaz.” They immediately repented and were redeemed. So [it happened] another time, as stated (in Jud. 3:12), “Then the Children of Israel again did evil….” They immediately repented; so the Lord raised up a redeemer for them, Ehud ben Gera the Binyaminite; and they were redeemed at his hands. Then they served idols again and were sold into the hands of Sisera, as stated (in Jud. 4:3), “and he oppressed the Children of Israel with might twenty years.” What is the meaning of “with might?” With blasphemies and with curses, just as you say (in Mal. 3:13), “Your words have been mighty against me.” When they repented, He raised up Barak and Deborah as redeemers for them; and they were redeemed at their hands. Ergo (in Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them…; so they became poor through their iniquity.” What is the meaning of “so they became poor through their iniquity?” That they became impoverished in the midst of the nations, as stated (in Jud. 6:6), “And Israel became very impoverished….” What is the meaning of “and Israel became impoverished?” R. Isaac and R. Levi differed. One said, “They were impoverished (rt.: dll) from good works”; and the other said, “They did not have [enough] to bring even a poor person's (rt.: dll) offering, as stated (in Lev. 14:21), ‘If, however, he is poor (rt.: dll) and does not have the means.’” Ergo (in Ps. 106:43), “so they became poor through their iniquity,” as they had become impoverished (rt.: dll). Another interpretation (of Ps. 106:43), “Many times He delivered them”: [These words] speak about people. When trouble comes to one [of them] and he repents, the Holy One, blessed be He, delivers him. So it is the first time and the second. [If he repents, that is preferable; but if not, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings trouble upon him. And you yourself know that the Holy One, blessed be He, tests Israel to know if they will repent. First, He brings punishments against the [other] nations, as stated (Zeph. 3:6-7) “I wiped out nations: Their corner towers are desolate… I thought that she would fear Me, would learn a lesson.” [If] they repented, that is preferable; but if not, He destroys their money, as stated (Hos 7:9), “Strangers have consumed his strength….” [If they] repented, that is preferable; but if not, the Holy One blessed be He, brings evil upon one of the cities of Israel, as stated (Is. 42:25), “it blazed upon them all about… it burned among them.” [If] they repented, that is preferable; but if not, what is written (in Numbers 14:35)? “In this desert they will end, and there will they die.” And a person should not say, “The evil is not coming on my account.” He should know that he [too] will die, as stated (Amos 9:10), “All the sinners of My people shall perish [by the sword], who boast, ‘Never shall the evil overtake us or come near us.’” Come and see how difficult it is for the Holy One, blessed be He, to raise His hand against a human being. So what does He do to him? When he sins, He begins by raising His hand against his assets. From whom have you learned it? From Naomi, her sons, and Elimelech her husband, who was the head of [his] generation. When famine came, what did he do? He left the Land of Israel and went to the Land of Moab. Now the Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with him because he was prince (nasi) of [his] generation. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “These have abandoned My children and left the Land of Israel a wilderness.” What is written there (in Ruth 1:3)? “Then Naomi's husband Elimelech died,” but his sons were unable to learn from their father to return to the Land of Israel. And what did they do? (According to vs. 4) They also “took Moabite wives for themselves,” whom they neither immersed nor converted.¹⁶Ruth R. 2:9. (Ibid., cont.:) “The name of the one was Orpah ('rph) and the name of the second was Ruth”: Orpah ('rph), because she turned her back ('rp) on her mother-in-law; Ruth, because she esteemed (r'th) the words of her mother-in-law. (ibid., cont.:) “And they lived there about ten years.” All those ten years (in Moab) the Holy One, blessed be He, had been warning them, that they might repent and return to the Land of Israel. When He saw that they did not repent, he began to raise His hand against their camels and against their cattle.¹⁷Lev. R. 17:4; Ruth R. 2:10; PRK 7:10; PR 17:6. When He saw that they did not repent (literally, return in repentance), immediately (in vs. 5), “Both of them, Mahlon and Chilion, also died.” Thus [you may infer] that it is difficult for the Holy One, blessed be He, to raise His hand against [a human being]. So what does He do to them? He deprives them of their assets, and they sell them. When someone sins, what does the Holy One, blessed be He, do to him first? He brings poverty upon him, so that he sells his field. If he repents, then fine; but if not he sells his house. If he repents, then fine; but if not he sells himself. How is this shown? So is it written (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor.” If he repents, then fine; but if not, see what is written in the second section; (in Lev. 25:29), “And when someone sells a dwelling house.” If he repents, then fine; but if not, (in Lev. 25:39), “When your relative becomes poor and he is sold to you.” Why all this? Because they became poor through [their] iniquities. (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come.” R. Simeon ben Johay said, “Elimelech, Salmon, So-and-So,¹⁸Peloni Almoni. According to Ruth 4:1, this was the “name” of Ruth’s most closely related redeemer. and Naomi's father were all descendants of Nahshon ben Amminadab;¹⁹BB 91a. See Ruth 4:20–21; also Exod. 6:23, according to which Nahshon ben Amminadab was Aaron’s brother-in-law. and Elimelech, Mahlon, and Chilion were leaders²⁰Rt.: PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoos (“prudent”). of the generation.” So for what reason were they punished? Because they went abroad from the Land of Israel. Thus it is stated (in Ruth 1:19), “the whole city was excited over them, [and the women said, ‘Is this Naomi?’]” What is the meaning of, “Is this (Hazot) Naomi?” You saw (hazitem) Naomi when she went abroad from the Land of Israel. What has happened to her? (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related (qarov).” This is Boaz. When? When Naomi sold the field, as stated (in Ruth 4:3), “the parcel of land which belonged to our relative, [Elimelech].” (Lev. 25:25:) “Then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him.” This is Boaz, since it is stated (in Ruth 2:20), “The man is our relative (qarov), [he is one of our redeeming kin (go'el)].” At that time Ruth went to Boaz. Her mother-in-law said to her (in Ruth 3:2), “see, he is winnowing barley on the threshing floor tonight.” [If] he was a prince (nasi), would he have been winnowing on a threshing floor? It is simply because his generation was dissolute in matters of theft, and [so] he went out to guard his threshing floor. She said to her (in vs. 3), “You are to wash and anoint yourself.” Then after that (ibid), “and go down to the threshing floor.” "And I shall go down" is the actual written text (ketiv)]. What is the meaning of "and I shall go down?" She said to her, “My merit will go down with you.” Hence it is written, "And I shall go down."²¹Ruth R. 5:12. But she did not do as her mother-in-law had told her. What did Ruth do? [Only] after she went down to the threshing floor, she did what she was told, as stated (in vs. 6), “She went down to the threshing floor and did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.”²²In other words, since she only obeyed Naomi after she had arrived at the threshing floor, she must have neglected to wash and anoint herself before then. Why? It is simply that she said, “The generation was dissolute in sexual matters. What if they see me made up and say, ‘Perhaps she is a harlot?’” Therefore, “She went down to the threshing floor and” afterwards “she did just as her mother-in-law had commanded her.” (Vs. 7:) Then, when Boaz had eaten and drunk, and his heart was merry.” What is the meaning of “and his heart was merry?” That he was occupied with words of the Torah.²³Ruth R. 5:15. Thus it is stated (Prov. 4:2), “As a good teaching…,” and it is [also] written (about wisdom in Prov. 9:5), “Come and eat of my bread.” (Ruth 3:7, cont.:) “And when he came to lie down beside the grain pile, then she came in secret.” What is the meaning of, “in secret (lt; rt.: lwt)?” [It is] just as you say (in I Sam. 21:10), “here it is wrapped (rt.: lwt) in a mantle.” (Ruth 3:8:) “Now it came to pass in the middle of the night that the man was startled. So he turned aside, [and here was a woman lying at his feet].” What is the meaning of, “turned aside (rt.: lpt)?” [It is] just as you say (in Jud. 16:29), “And Samson embraced (rt.: lpt) the two middle pillars.” That righteous man began to yell. [Fear] embraced him. (Ruth 3:9:) Then he said, “Who are you?” And she said, “I am your handmaid Ruth.” He said to her, “What have you come here to do?” She said to him, “To fulfill the Torah (in Lev. 25:25), ‘When your relative becomes poor [… then his redeemer shall come].’ Arise and fulfill the Torah.” He said to her, “Since you have come to fulfill the Torah, (Ruth 3:13:) ‘Spend the night; then it shall come to pass in the morning that, if he will redeem you, good (tov)’”; for he had a relative older than he, whose name was Tov. R. Hanina said, “She said to him, ‘And are you dismissing me with words?’” He said to her (ibid., cont.), “’As the Lord lives,’ I am not dismissing you with words.” (Ruth 4:1:) “Then Boaz went up to the gate and sat down there, and behold, the redeemer of whom Boaz had spoken was passing by.” He said to him, “Sit down, and we shall look into the Torah; what is written there? Is it not written (in Lev. 25:25), ‘When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, [then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…]’” Boaz said to Tov (in Ruth 4:3–4), “’Naomi is selling the parcel of land which belonged to our relative Elimelech […]. And I thought I should disclose it to you, saying, ‘Buy it,’” since you are a senior redeemer than I [and have the right] to redeem it. [Hence] (as in vs. 4, cont.,) “If you will redeem it, redeem it.” (Vs. 6:) “Then the redeemer said, ‘Acquire it for yourself.’” At that time Boaz redeemed what Naomi had sold. Now from where did Boaz learn [what to do]? From this section (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor and sells [some of his property, then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…].” And who else was [like] this? Jeremiah was [like] this. At the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Jeremiah 32:7), “Behold Hanamel the son of Shalum your uncle is coming to you…,” [Jeremiah said] (in Jeremiah 32:8), “And just as the Lord had said, my cousin Hanamel came to me in the prison compound.” Immediately, Jeremiah fulfilled this section [of the Torah], as stated (in Jeremiah 32:9), “And I bought the field.” Now from where did he learn [what to do]? From this section (in Lev. 25:25), “When your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property, [then his redeemer shall come, the one most closely related to him, and redeem…].”

(Deut. 22:7): YOU MUST SURELY LET <THE MOTHER> GO. If you let it¹⁴The parallel in Tanh., Deut. 6:2 reads “them.” go, (Is. 59:18:) ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS, SO SHALL HE REPAY. See what is written (in Jer. 50:33): THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL ARE OPPRESSED…. THEY REFUSE TO LET THEM GO. It also says (in vs. 34): THEIR REDEEMER IS MIGHTY, <HIS NAME IS> THE LORD OF HOSTS. It also says (in Is. 16:2): FOR IT SHALL BE THAT THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB AT THE FORDS OF THE ARNON SHALL BE LIKE A MIGRATING BIRD, AN ABANDONED NEST. This text is related (to Jer. 17:11): AS A PARTRIDGE HATCHES WITHOUT LAYING, SO IS ONE WHO MAKES MONEY APART FROM JUSTICE…. What is written after that (in vs. 12): A GLORIOUS THRONE EXALTED FROM THE BEGINNING, OUR SACRED SHRINE. What is the connection between the two <verses>? Whoever says A PARTRIDGE HATCHES is <really> saying A GLORIOUS THRONE. <This is> to teach you that a partridge brings eggs from other birds and sits on them until <the young> emerge from their shells and become fledglings. Then they rise up over it and pluck its wings. When it goes out to fly, it is unable <to do so> because its wings are plucked. So a wild beast or reptile finds it and eats it. And what caused his <destruction>? <It happened> because it had raised eggs that were not its own. So it shall be with the peoples of the world, when they stretch their hands against (according to Jer. 17:12) A GLORIOUS THRONE EXALTED FROM THE BEGINNING, OUR SACRED SHRINE. They destroyed it, burned its temple, and carried Israel into exile. But as for Moab and Ammon, the Holy One shall destroy their memory, as stated (in Zeph. 2:9): THEREFORE, AS I LIVE, SAYS THE LORD OF HOSTS, [THE GOD OF ISRAEL,] SURELY MOAB SHALL BECOME LIKE SODOM, AND THE CHILDREN OF AMMON LIKE GOMORRAH, …, AND DESOLATION EVERMORE. A REMNANT OF MY PEOPLE SHALL PLUNDER THEM….