Bibbia Ebraica
Bibbia Ebraica

Midrash su Giobbe 1:15

וַתִּפֹּ֤ל שְׁבָא֙ וַתִּקָּחֵ֔ם וְאֶת־הַנְּעָרִ֖ים הִכּ֣וּ לְפִי־חָ֑רֶב וָֽאִמָּ֨לְטָ֧ה רַק־אֲנִ֛י לְבַדִּ֖י לְהַגִּ֥יד לָֽךְ׃

e i Sabei fecero un'incursione e li portarono via; sì, hanno ucciso i servi con il bordo della spada; e sono solo fuggito da solo per dirtelo.'

Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)

One of the Rabbis who was sitting before R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "Job never existed; and is mentioned in the Scripture only as a parable." Whereupon R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said to him: "According to your theory then what is the meaning of the passage (Job. 1, 1) There was a man in the land of Utz whose name was Job." But even according to your theory is not the following passage (Sam. 12, 3) But the poor man had nothing, etc., a mere parable? The same may be said concerning Job." "If it were so," responded R. Samuel b. Nachmeni, "why, then, his name and the name of the country he came from?" R. Jochanan and R. Elazar both said that Job was from among the Babylonian exiles; and his college was in Tiberias. The following objection was raised: "Job's age was from the time when Israel came to Egypt until they left it." Read, as many years as the Israelites were in Egypt. (Ib. b)) Another objection was raised. "There were seven prophets who have prophesied to the nations, viz: Balaam and his father. Job, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuchite, Zophar the Na'amathite, and Elihu ben Barahel the Buzite." [Hence he was not from among the Babylonian exiles]. And even according to your theory, was then Elihu [just mentioned] not a Jew? Behold, it is written of the family of Ram, [which refers to Abraham. Surely you will say that the Baraitha means their prophecies were for the nations? The same can be said concerning Job. But have then the Jewish prophets not prophesied, for all nations? The Jewish prophets prophesied to Israel mainly, and to the nations also, but the above-mentioned seven have prophesied exclusively for other nations. Another objection was raised. A pious man was among the nations, and Job was his name; and he came to this world only for the purpose of receiving his reward. The Holy One, praised be He! however, brought chastisements upon him, and he began to blaspheme; the Holy One, praised be He! then doubled his reward in this world, so that he should have no share in the world to come. Hence Job was not a Jew? On this point the Tannaim of the following Baraitha differ. R. Elazar said: "Job lived in the time of the Judges as it is said (Job. 27, 12) … deal in such vanities. Which generation was one entirely of vanities? It was the generation of the Judges." R. Joshua b. Karcha said: "Job lived in the time of Ahasuerus; as it is said (Job 42, 15) And there were not found such handsome women as the daughters of Job, etc. And in which generation were handsome women searched for? This was in the generation of Ahasuerus." But perhaps it was in the time in David, of which the passage says (I Kings 1, 3) So they sought for a fair maiden throughout all the territory of Israel. There they searched only among the daughters of Israel, but in the time of Ahasuerus [it is written] in all the land. R. Nathan said: "Job was in the time of the Queen of Sheba, as it is said (Job 1, 15) When the Sabeans made an incursion." The sages, however, say: "Job lived in the time of the Chaldeans, as it is said (Ib., ib. 17) The Chaldeans posted themselves," etc. Still others say: "Job lived in the time of Jacob and married Dinah, the latter's daughter." And all the sages just mentioned, except the last, hold that Job was an Israelite. How can you assume that they hold Job was a non-Jew, for how is it possible that the Shechina should rest on a non-Jew after the death of Moses? Behold! the master said: "Moses asked that the Shechina might not dwell with nonJews, and his request was granted, as it is said (Ex. 33, 6) So shall we be distinguished I and Thy people."
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Ruth Rabbah

“Both of them died, Maḥlon and Kilyon, and the woman was bereft of her two children and of her husband” (Ruth 1:5).
“Both of them died, Maḥlon and Kilyon.” Rabbi Ḥunya, Rabbi Yehoshua ben Rabbi Avin, and Rabbi Zavda, son-in-law of Rabbi Levi [said]: The all-Merciful [God] never exacts retribution against a person himself initially. From whom do you learn this? From Job, as it is stated: “There came a messenger to Job, and said: ‘The oxen were plowing [and the donkeys grazing beside them; and Sheba fell upon them, and took them; they smote the servants by sword; and only I by myself escaped to tell you]’” (Job 1:14–15).90God did not initially kill Job or even afflict him with bodily pain; He struck Job’s property. Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He showed him a representative taste of the World to Come, “the plowman will meet the reaper” (Amos 9:13).91Donkeys do not typically graze in fields where oxen have just plowed. This was Job’s taste of the World to Come, when produce will be ready to be reaped as the field is still being plowed.
“Sheba fell upon them [and took them and smote the lads by sword].” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: They emerged from the village of Kerinos92In Media. and went on all the rural paths until Migdal Tzabba’im93In the Land of Israel. and they died there.94At first they were attacked and taken captive along with the herd. Only later were they killed. “And only [rak] I by myself [levadi] escaped.” Rabbi Ḥanina said: [The term] Rak is restrictive; he, too, was broken and stricken. Rabbi Yudan said: Levadi.95In the sense of bedding, meaning that the messenger was bedridden. The word leved means felt, which can be used for bedding. “This one was still speaking” (Job 1:16); he, too, once he stated his tidings, he died.
“This one was still speaking and that one came and said: The Chaldeans deployed in three columns…” (Job 1:17). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When Job heard, he began mobilizing his armies for war. He said: ‘How many armies can I enlist, how many troops can I muster? This is the most despicable nation in the world: “Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, this is a people that is not” (Isaiah 23:13). If only it had not been.96If only the Chaldeans had never come into existence. It comes to intimidate me?’ But once [the messenger] said to him: “The fire of God fell from the heavens” (Job 1:16), [Job] said: ‘It is from the heavens; what can I do?’ – “I was silent and I did not go out the door” (Job 31:34).
Immediately, “he took an earthenware shard to scratch himself” (Job 2:8).97This was after he was afflicted with boils. His body was afflicted only after his property was damaged. So it was in Egypt, as well: “He struck their vines and their fig trees” (Psalms 105:33). Then, “He subjected their livestock to the hail” (Psalms 78:48). And then, “He smote every firstborn in Egypt” (Psalms 78:51). Regarding leprosy, too, the same is true: Initially it afflicts his house. If he repents, excellent; if not, they require removal, as it is stated: “The priest shall command and they will remove [the stones]” (Leviticus 14:40). If he repents, excellent; if not, they require demolition. If he repents, excellent; if not, [the signs of leprosy] come upon his garments and they require laundering. If he repents, excellent; if not, they require rending, as it is stated: “He shall rip it from the garment” (Leviticus 13:56). If he repents, excellent; if not they require burning, as it is stated: “He shall burn the garment” (Leviticus 13:52). Then [leprosy] comes upon his body. If he repents, excellent; if not, he goes and comes.98He leaves the camp for seven days and then returns. If he repents, excellent; if not, “he shall dwell in isolation, his dwelling shall be outside the camp” (Leviticus 13:46). Regarding Maḥlon and Kilyon, too, the same is true. Initially, it was their horses, their donkeys, and their camels. Then “Elimelekh died.” Then, “both of them died, Maḥlon and Kilyon.”
“And the woman remained bereft,” Rabbi Ḥanina said: She became the remnants of the remnants [of meal offerings].99When her husband died, she was like the remnant; now that her sons died, she was like the remnant of the remnant.
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