Midrash su Giudici 14:3
וַיֹּ֨אמֶר ל֜וֹ אָבִ֣יו וְאִמּ֗וֹ הַאֵין֩ בִּבְנ֨וֹת אַחֶ֤יךָ וּבְכָל־עַמִּי֙ אִשָּׁ֔ה כִּֽי־אַתָּ֤ה הוֹלֵךְ֙ לָקַ֣חַת אִשָּׁ֔ה מִפְּלִשְׁתִּ֖ים הָעֲרֵלִ֑ים וַיֹּ֨אמֶר שִׁמְשׁ֤וֹן אֶל־אָבִיו֙ אוֹתָ֣הּ קַֽח־לִ֔י כִּֽי־הִ֖יא יָשְׁרָ֥ה בְעֵינָֽי׃
Quindi suo padre e sua madre gli dissero: 'Non c'è mai una donna tra le figlie dei tuoi fratelli, o tra tutto il mio popolo, che tu vada a prendere una moglie dei Filistei incirconcisi?' E Sansone disse a suo padre: 'Prendila per me; perché lei mi soddisfa bene.'
Ruth Rabbah
Rabbi asked Rabbi Betzalel: What is that which is written: “For their mother has committed harlotry” (Hosea 2:7)? Is it possible that Sarah our matriarch was a harlot? He said to him: ‘Heaven forbid; rather, when are matters of Torah rendered contemptible before the common people? It is when their owners debase them.’ Rabbi Yaakov bar Avdimi came and rendered it a [midrashic] dictum: When do matters of Torah become like harlots before the common people? When their owners debase them. Rabbi Yoḥanan derives it from here: “The poor man’s [misken] wisdom is contemptible” (Ecclesiastes 9:16). Was the wisdom of Rabbi Akiva, who was poor, contemptible? Rather, what is a misken? It is one who is contemptible in his words, like an elder who sits and teaches: “You shall not pervert justice” (Deuteronomy 16:19), and he perverts justice; “you shall not show partiality” (Deuteronomy 16:19), and he shows partiality; “you shall not afflict any widow or orphan” (Exodus 22:21) and he afflicts them. Samson followed his eyes, as it is stated: “Take her for me, as she is fitting in my eyes” (Judges 14:3). Gideon worshipped idols, as it is stated: “Gideon made it into an ephod” (Judges 8:27). Woe to a judge who shows partiality in judgment.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment” (Leviticus 19:15) – this teaches that a judge who corrupts judgment is called by five names: unjust, hated, detestable, proscribed, abomination. The Holy One blessed be He calls him five: wicked, blasphemer, violator of the covenant, one who infuriates, and defiant. He causes five results in the world; he defiles the land, desecrates the Name, expels the Divine Presence, causes Israel to fall by the sword, and exiles them from their land. Woe to the generation that is corrupted in this way.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment [in measure, in weight, or in volume]” (Leviticus 19:35) – in a judicial ruling. If it is about judicial rulings, it is already stated about judicial rulings!35In the verse cited above, Leviticus 19:15: “You shall not do injustice in judgment.” If so, why is it stated, “…in judgment in measure [in weight, or in volume]”? It teaches that one who measures is called a judge, and if he falsifies, he is called five names and he causes five results. Woe is the generation whose measures are false, as Rabbi Benaya said in the name of Rabbi Huna: If you see a generation whose measures are false, a kingdom comes and besets that generation. What is the reason? “Scales of deceit are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 11:1), and it is written: “Pride comes, shame comes” (Proverbs 11:2).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba: It is written: “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness, [or with a pouch of deceitful weights?]” (Micah 6:11). Is it possible that a generation whose measures are false will find merit? Rather, “in a pouch of deceitful weights.”36They will be left with a purse filled with counterfeit coins. The midrash is reading the second half of the verse, “or with a pouch of deceitful weights” not as the continuation of the rhetorical question, but as the answer to “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness?” Rabbi Levi said: Moses indeed alluded this to Israel in the Torah: “You shall not have in your purse [alternate weights]” (Deuteronomy 25:13); “you shall not have in your house alternate measures” (Deuteronomy 25:13), and if he did so, ultimately, a kingdom will come and beset them, as it is written: “As it is an abomination to the Lord anyone who does [oseh] so, anyone who does [oseh] injustice” (Deuteronomy 25:16), and it is written: “Remember what Amalek did [asah] to you, on the way, as you were leaving Egypt” (Deuteronomy 25:17).
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment” (Leviticus 19:15) – this teaches that a judge who corrupts judgment is called by five names: unjust, hated, detestable, proscribed, abomination. The Holy One blessed be He calls him five: wicked, blasphemer, violator of the covenant, one who infuriates, and defiant. He causes five results in the world; he defiles the land, desecrates the Name, expels the Divine Presence, causes Israel to fall by the sword, and exiles them from their land. Woe to the generation that is corrupted in this way.
Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “You shall not do injustice in judgment [in measure, in weight, or in volume]” (Leviticus 19:35) – in a judicial ruling. If it is about judicial rulings, it is already stated about judicial rulings!35In the verse cited above, Leviticus 19:15: “You shall not do injustice in judgment.” If so, why is it stated, “…in judgment in measure [in weight, or in volume]”? It teaches that one who measures is called a judge, and if he falsifies, he is called five names and he causes five results. Woe is the generation whose measures are false, as Rabbi Benaya said in the name of Rabbi Huna: If you see a generation whose measures are false, a kingdom comes and besets that generation. What is the reason? “Scales of deceit are an abomination to the Lord” (Proverbs 11:1), and it is written: “Pride comes, shame comes” (Proverbs 11:2).
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Abba: It is written: “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness, [or with a pouch of deceitful weights?]” (Micah 6:11). Is it possible that a generation whose measures are false will find merit? Rather, “in a pouch of deceitful weights.”36They will be left with a purse filled with counterfeit coins. The midrash is reading the second half of the verse, “or with a pouch of deceitful weights” not as the continuation of the rhetorical question, but as the answer to “Will I find merit with scales of wickedness?” Rabbi Levi said: Moses indeed alluded this to Israel in the Torah: “You shall not have in your purse [alternate weights]” (Deuteronomy 25:13); “you shall not have in your house alternate measures” (Deuteronomy 25:13), and if he did so, ultimately, a kingdom will come and beset them, as it is written: “As it is an abomination to the Lord anyone who does [oseh] so, anyone who does [oseh] injustice” (Deuteronomy 25:16), and it is written: “Remember what Amalek did [asah] to you, on the way, as you were leaving Egypt” (Deuteronomy 25:17).
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Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
Our Rabbis were taught Samson rebelled against God through his eyes; as it is said (Judges 14, 3) And Samson said unto his father, 'This one take for me; for she pleaseth me well, therefore the Philistines blinded him, as it is said (Ib. 17, 21) And the Philistines seized him and put his eyes out. Did Samson then do a wrong thing? Behold, it is written (Ib. 14, 4) But his father and mother knew not that it was from the Lord, that he sought but an occasion against the Philistines. However, he himself went there only because of pleasure. We are taught that Rabbi says: Samson started his corruptive actions in Gazzah therefore was he punished in Gazzah. He started his corruptive actions in Gazzah, as it is written (Ib. 16, 1) Then went Samson to Gazzah and saw there a harlot, therefore was he punished in Gazzah, as it is written (Ib., ib. 21) And the Philistines seized him, and put out his eyes and brought him down to Gazzah." But it is also written (Ib. 14, 1) And Samson went doyn to Thimnethah and saw a woman in Thimnethah, nevertheless his first sin was committed in Gazzah.
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Midrash Tanchuma
Sisera similarly was punished by the very thing of which he boasted. Sisera gathered together all his chariots, even nine hundred chariots of iron (Judg. 4:13). For that reason they fought against him from heaven: The stars in their courses fought against Sisera (ibid. 5:20). And Samson, too, was punished by the Holy One, blessed be He, through the very thing in which he prided himself, as it is said: And Samson said unto his father: “Get her for me, for she pleaseth me well” (Judg. 14:3). Hence, the Philistines laid hold on him and put out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza (ibid. 16:21).9Samson lusted after Delilah and was trapped by her.
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