Midrash su Giobbe 38:7

(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy.” R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest said that R. Reuben said, “What is the meaning of that which is written (in Ezek. 3:12), ‘and I heard after me?’¹⁴This translation follows the interpretation of the midrash. A more traditional translation would be BEHIND ME. I heard a great roaring sound. What is the meaning of ‘after me ('hry)?’¹⁵Tanh., Exod. 4:13. After ('hry) I and my friends praised Him, I heard the ministering angels, as they praised Him and said (ibid., cont.), ‘Blessed be the glory of the Lord from His place.’” You should know that at the time that Moses went up above, he heard the voice of the angels praising like this. He [then] came down and taught Israel that they should say like this in a whisper, “Blessed be the name of His glorious majesty forever and ever.” R. Shmuel bar R. Nahmani said, “See what is written there (Ezekiel 1:25), ‘when they stood, their wings would droop.’ One who hears, ‘when they stood,’ would think there is sitting above. But [in fact] it is all in standing, as stated (Is. 6:2), ‘Seraphs standing above Him.’ And so does it state (Dan. 7:16), ‘I approached one of those standing.’ And so too (I Kings 22:19), ‘I saw the Lord sitting on His throne and all the host of the heavens were standing over Him.’ And what is the meaning of ‘in their standing, their wings drooped?’ From when Israel praised [God], the wings of the ministering angels drooped, [meaning] they stopped (stood) from saying praise, as they say praise with their wings.” It also says (in Job 38:7), “When the morning stars (i.e., the seed of Jacob)¹⁶This interpretation of THE MORNING STARS is explicit in the parallel passage of Gen. R. 65:21, which explains that Jacob’s offspring are likened to stars in Dan. 12:3. sang together, all the children of God (i.e., all the angels) shouted for joy.” R. Mani said, “Let not the recitation of the Shema be trivial in your eyes, because there are two hundred forty-eight words in it¹⁷The number includes the response after the first line of the Shema (cited below) plus the three preliminary words with which one precedes the Shema when praying in private, i.e., El melekh ne’eman (“God is a faithful King”). corresponding to [the number of] parts that are in a human being; and out of them [comes], ‘Blessed be the name of His glorious majesty forever and ever.’”¹⁸This blessing is the liturgical response to the first line of the Shema. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “If you have kept what is Mine in reciting it properly, I will also keep what is yours.” Therefore, David offered praise¹⁹Rt.: QLS; cf. Gk.: kalos (“beautifully”). (in Ps. 17:8), “Keep me as the pupil of an eye.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Prov. 4:4), “Keep My commandments and live.” R. Simeon ben Halafta said, “To what is the matter comparable?²⁰Deut. R. 4:4. To someone who [lives] in the Galilee and has a vineyard in Judea, while someone in Judea has a vineyard in the Galilee. The one who [lives] in the Galilee goes to Judea to cultivate his vineyard. The one in Judea goes to the Galilee to cultivate his vineyard. [One day] they meet with each another, and one said to the other, ‘Instead of you coming to my place, keep watch over what is mine in your area; and I will keep watch over what is yours in my area.’” So did David say (in Ps. 17:4), “Keep me as the pupil of an eye.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Prov. 4:4), “keep My commandments and live.” Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Keep the commandment to recite the Shema morning and evening, and I will keep you.” So is it stated (in Ps. 121:7), “The Lord shall keep you from all evil; He shall keep your soul.”

(Lev. 19:2:) YOU SHALL BE HOLY. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest said: R. Reuben said: What is the meaning of that which is written (in Ezek. 3:12): AND AFTER ME¹⁹This translation follows the interpretation of the midrash. A more traditional translation would be BEHIND ME. I HEARD A GREAT ROARING SOUND. What is the meaning of AFTER ME ('HRY)?²⁰Tanh., Lev. 7:6; also above, Exod. 4:13. After ('HRY) I and my friends praised him, I heard the ministering angels, as they praised him and said (ibid., cont.): BLESSED BE THE GLORY OF THE LORD FROM HIS PLACE. It also says (in Job 38:7): WHEN THE MORNING STARS (i.e., the seed of Jacob)²¹This interpretation of THE MORNING STARS is explicit in the parallel passage of Gen. R. 65:21, which explains that Jacob’s offspring are likened to stars in Dan. 12:3. See also the much fuller parallel in Tanh., Lev. 7:6. SANG TOGETHER, then (ibid., cont.:) ALL THE CHILDREN OF GOD (i.e., all the angels) SHOUTED FOR JOY. R. Mani said: Let not the recitation of the Shema be trivial in your eyes because there are two hundred forty-eight words in it,²²The number includes the response after the first line of the Shema (cited below) plus the three preliminary words with which one precedes the Shema when praying in private, i.e., El melekh ne’eman (“God is a faithful king”). corresponding to < the number of > parts that are in a human being; and out of them < comes > BLESSED BE THE NAME OF HIS GLORIOUS MAJESTY FOREVER AND EVER.²³This blessing is the liturgical response to the first line of the Shema. The Holy One said: If you have kept what is mine in reciting it properly, I will also keep what is yours. Therefore, David offered praise²⁴Rt.: QLS; cf. Gk.: kalos (“beautifully”). (in Ps. 17:8): KEEP ME AS THE PUPIL OF AN EYE. The Holy One said to him (in Prov. 4:4): KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS AND LIVE. R. Simeon ben Halafta said: To what is the matter comparable?²⁵Deut. R. 4:4. To someone who < lives > in Galilee and has a vineyard in Judea, while someone in Judea has a vineyard in Galilee. The one who < lives > in Galilee goes to Judea to cultivate his vineyard. The one in Judea goes to Galilee to cultivate his vineyard. < One day > they meet with each another, and one said to the other: Instead of you coming to my place, keep watch over what is mine in your neighborhood; and I will keep watch over what is yours in my neighborhood. So did David say (in Ps. 17:4): KEEP ME AS THE PUPIL OF AN EYE? The Holy One said to him (in Prov. 4:4): KEEP MY COMMANDMENTS AND LIVE. Similarly the Holy One said to Israel: Keep my commandment, the commandment to recite the Shema morning and evening, and I will keep you, as stated (in Ps. 121:7): THE LORD SHALL KEEP YOU FROM ALL EVIL; HE SHALL KEEP YOUR SOUL.

The great cycle of the moon is 21 years; it has 7 small cycles each containing 8 years. The total of the days of the lunar month is 29½ days, 40 minutes, and 73 parts. Each constellation serves the days of the lunar month for 2 days and 8 hours; three constellations serve for 7 days. The chief which begins on the new moon (of the lunar month) is the same which concludes at the end of the lunar month. The moon becomes new at every Molad, once at night and the next time by day, || and this is their sign: "And it was evening and it was morning" (Gen. 1:5). Between one Molad and (the corresponding) Molad in the ensuing year (there elapse) 4 days, 8 hours, and 876 parts.

R. Akiba said: "I once asked Rabban Gamaliel and R. Joshua while we were at the meat-market of Imum, when they went to buy meat for the feast of the son of Rabban Gamaliel, it is written (Gen. 32, 32) And the sun rose unto him as he passed by Penuel; did then the sun only rise to him? Behold it rose to the whole world? R. Isaac said that the sun which was set for his sake rose now for him, for it is written (Ib. 28, 10) And Jacob went out from BeerSheba and went towards Charan, and further it says, And he lighted (Vayifga) upon a certain place and tarried there all night, because the sun was set. When he reached Charan, he said: "Is it right of me not to have prayed when I passed the place my parents passed?" He resolved to return, and soon after his resolution, the earth jumped and he met Bethel. He wanted to return after he prayed, but the Holy One, praised be He! however, said: "This upright came to my inn and he should go away without staying over night." Immediately thereupon the sun was set. It is written (Ib. 28, 2) And he took from the stones of the place, and again it is written (Ib. ib. 18) And he took the stone (singular). Said R. Isaac: "From this it may be inferred that all these stones gathered themselves together into one place, as if each were eager that the saint should lay his hand upon it." We are taught that all the stones were swallowed up by one another, and thus merged into one stone.(Ib.) And he said: 'Let me go, for the day breaketh.' Jacob then said to the angel: "Art thou then a thief or a murderer that thou fearest daybreak?" "I am an angel," came the reply, "and since I have been created I never had a chance to recite a song of praise but now." This will support R. Chananel, who said in the name of Rab, that three classes of ministering angels recite a song of praise every day. One class says, Holy! The second responds, Holy! And the third continues, Holy is the Lord of Hosts! The following contradictions were introduced from a Baraitha: Israel is beloved before the Holy One, praised be He! even more so than the ministering angels; for Israel reiterates the song every hour, while the ministering angels repeat it only once a day, according to some once a week, others again say, once a month, still according to others, only once a year. There are others who say once in seven years, and according to still others, once in a jubilee, and other authorities say, only once in eternity. Again, Israel mentions the Tetragrammaton after two words, as the passage says (Deut. 6, 4) Hear, Israel Yehova, but the ministering angels do not mention the Tetragrammaton till after three words, as it is written (Is. 6, 3) Holy, Holy, Holy! Yehova Tzebaoth. Moreover, the ministering angels do not start the song above till Israel has started it below; for it is said (Job 38, 7) When the morning stars sang together, and afterwards it says, Then all the sons of God shouted for joy. [Hence how can Rab state that the angels say Holy Tzebaoth and mention the Tetragrammaton after one word?] We must therefore explain that Rab meant thus: One class says, Holy! The second, Holy! Holy! and the third says, Holy! Holy! Holy! Yehova Tzebaoth. But there is also the praise Baruch [where the Tetragrammaton is mentioned after two words]? (Fol. 92) The praise Baruch, belongs to the angels Ofan [that are part of the Divine throne]. You may also explain that after the Tetragrammaton it is mentioned that the angels themselves have the privilege of repeating it at their own option.

Rabbi Joshua said: || The Israelites are called "Sons of God," as it is said, "Ye are the sons of the Lord your God" (Deut. 14:1). The angels are called "Sons of God," as it is said, "When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy" (Job 38:7); and whilst they were still in their holy place in heaven, these were called "Sons of God," as it is said, "And also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them; the same became the mighty men, which were of old, men of renown" (Gen. 6:4).

Variantly: "When I call out the name of the L-rd": R. Yossi says: Whence is it derived that when those standing in the synagogue hear (from the prayer leader) "Bless the blessed Yod-keh-vav-keh" that they respond "Blessed is the blessed yod-keh-vav-keh forever"? From "When I call out the name of yod-keh-vav-keh, ascribe greatness to our G-d." Greater is he who answers "Amen" (to a blessing) than the blesser (himself). R. Nehorai said to him: This is the natural order of things: The common soldiers wage the war, and the heroes triumph! And whence is it derived that grace is recited with three? From "When I (1) call out the name of the L-rd, you (2) ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that when the grace leader says "Let us bless," that they respond after him "Blessed is He of whose we have eaten, etc." From "When I call out the name of the L-rd, ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that when one says (in the kaddish) "Let the great name be blessed," the response is "for ever and ever"? From "ascribe greatness to our G-d." And whence is it derived that our fathers went down to Egypt only so that the Holy One Blessed be He do wonders to sanctify His great name in the world? From (Shemoth 2:23-24) "And it was in the course of those many days … and G-d heard their outcry," and "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And whence is it derived that the L-rd brought the ten plagues upon Pharaoh and Egypt only because they had not sanctified His great name in the world? For in the beginning it is written (Ibid. 5:2) "Who is the L-rd that I should hearken to His voice?" and in the end, (Ibid. 9:27) "The L-rd is the righteous one, and I and my people are the wicked ones." And whence is it derived that the L-rd performed wonders for our fathers at the Red Sea and the Jordan and the streams of Arnon only to sanctify His name in the world? viz. (Joshua 1:5) "And it was, when all the kings of the Emori on the western side of the Jordan, etc." and Rachav said to the messengers of Joshua (Ibid. 2:10) "For we have heard that the L-rd dried up the waters of the Red Sea before you, etc." From "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And whence is it derived that Daniel descended into the lions' den only so that the L-rd do wonders with him to sanctify His name in the world? From "When I call out the name of the L-rd." And it is written (Daniel 6:27) "An order is hereby issued by me that in all the dominion of my kingdom men shall tremble and fear before the G-d of Daniel." And whence is it derived that Chananiah, Mishael and Azaryah descended into the fiery furnace only so that the L-rd do wonders with them to sanctify His great name in the world? From (Ibid. 3:32-33) "It behooves me (Nevuchadnezzar) to relate the signs and wonders that the great G-d has performed for me. How great are His signs and how mighty are His wonders!" And whence is it derived that the ministering angels do not mention His exalted name until Israel mention His name below — "Hear, O Israel, the L-rd our G-d, the L-rd is one"? From (Iyyov 38:7) "when there sang together the stars of morning," followed by "and all the sons of G-d shouted." "the stars of morning" — Israel, who are compared to stars, viz. (Bereshith 22:17) "and I shall multiply your seed like the stars of the heaven." "the sons of G-d" — the ministering angels, viz. (Iyyov 1:6) "and the sons of G-d came, etc."