Midrash su Giudici 17:78

(Jos. 10, 13) And the sun stood still .........written in the book of Yashar. What is the book of Yashar? Said R. Chiya b. Aba in the name of R. Jochanan: "This refers to (Genesis) the book in which the birth of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who are named Jesharim (the upright), as it is said (Num. 23, 10) Let me die the death of the righteous Jesharim, etc. And where is it hinted [that such a miracle will occur with Joshua]? From (Gen. 48, 19) And his seed shall become a multitude of nations, i.e., when shall his seed become a multitude of nations? At the time when Joshua stopped the sun. (Jos. 10, 13) And the sun stood still in the midst of the heavens, and hastened not to go down about a whole day. How many hours? Said R. Joshua b. Levi: "Twenty-four hours; it went six [hours] and stopped six, went six, and stopped six, the entire episode lasting a whole day." R. Elazar said: "Thirty-six hours, it went six [hours] and stopped twelve, it went six, and stopped twelve; its stopping time was equal to a whole day [24 hours]." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "Forty-eight, it went six and stopped twelve, went six and stopped twenty-four, for it is said, And it hastened not to go down about a whole day." According to the above, they differ in the additional hours of that day.We are taught in a Baraitha: Just as the sun stopped for Joshua, so also did it stop for Moses. An objection was raised from (Ib. ib. 14) And there was no day like that before it or after it. If you wish, in the time of Moses it stopped for fewer hours, or if you wish, it may be said that in Moses' time there were no hailstones mentioned, as the passage says (Ib. ib. 11) And it came to pass, as they fled from before Israel, etc., that the Lord cast down great stones, and said: To teach the sons of Judah the bow, Behold it is written in the book of Yashar. What does Yashar mean? Said R. Chiya b. Aba in the name of R. Jochanan: "This refers to Genesis [as said above]. And where is it hinted [that Judah will be fighters]? It is written (Gen. 49, 8) Thy hand shall be on the neck of thy enemies. Which is the weapon that needs the hand against the neck? It is the how," R. Elazar, however, maintains that the book of Yashar refers to Deuteronomy. And why is it named Yashar? Because there is a passage (6, 18) And thou shalt do that which is right (Yashar) and good in the eyes of the Lord. And where is the intimation of this? (33, 7) Let the power of his hands. And which is the weapon for which both hands are needed? It is the bow." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said: "It refers to the book of Judges. And why is it called Yashar? Because therein is written (17, 6) Every man did what seemed right (Yashar) in his eyes. And where is it intimated [in the Biblical text]? (3, 2) To teach them war. And what is the weapon for which teaching is necessary? This is the bow. And whence do we know that this refers to Judah? The passage reads (Ib. 1, 1) Who shall go up for us first against them? And the Lord said: 'Judah shall go up.' "

(Ib. b) It was said concerning R. Simon b. Chalafta that he used to make experiments, etc. Why was he called an experimenter? Said R. M'sharshia: "Concerning the passage (Pr. 6, 6) Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways, and be wise; which having no chief, overseer, or ruler, provideth her bread in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. He said, 'I will go and see if this is true that they have no king.' He visited them during the summer solstice and spread a cloak upon the ant-nest and when one ant came out he made a mark on it [to recognize her]. On her return to the nest, she reported that a shadow was covering the nest. When the rest went out to observe it, they found the sun was shining, as R. Simon had by that time removed the cloak from it. They fell upon the ant and killed her [for giving a false report] . R. Simon then said: 'They must not have a king, for should they have one then they would not have convicted her without the permission of their king.' " R. Acha, the son of Raba, then said to R. Ashi: "Perhaps the king himself was in that company which came out to observe the shadow [hence permission was not necessary]. And again perhaps they had with them the permission of their king? And again perhaps it was after the death of a king and before they had elected a new one, as the passage says (Jud. 17, 6) In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes." We must therefore merely depend upon the faithful reputation of Solomon."

Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (ya'arok) TO THE LORD? R. Abbin Berabbi the Levite said: Who like you enlightens the eyes of those in the dark, as it is stated (in Lev. 24:4): HE SHALL SET (ya'arok) UP < THE LAMPS > UPON THE UNALLOYED LAMPSTAND…?²⁵Above, 8:20. Ergo (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (ya'arok) TO THE LORD? R. Abbin said: Who like you clothes the naked, as stated (in Jud. 17:10): A SUIT (rt.: 'RK) OF CLOTHES AND YOUR MAINTENANCE? Ergo (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD?

(Fol. 109 b) But is not the name of the mother's side also mentioned [in the record]? Behold! it is written (Jud. 17, 7) And there was a young man out of Bethlehem-Judah of the family of Judah, but he was a Levite, and sojourned there. Now, does not this passage contradict itself? It says of the family of Judah, from which it is to be inferred that they came from the tribe of Juda; and then it says he is a Levite, which means that he was of the tribe of Levi. We must conclude that his father was from Levi and his mother from Juda, and nevertheless it is said of the family of Juda, Raba b. Chanan said: "The passage reads, and he is Levi, which does not mean that he was a Levite, but that his name was Levi." If so, how is the following to be understood (Ib. 17) I have obtained a Levite for a priest. There it is understood that he happened to get a man by the name of Levi? Was not his name Jonathan, as it is written (Ib. 18, 30) And Jonathan the son of Gershom… . were priests, etc. And according to your theory, was he then the son of Menashe? Behold, he was the son of Moses, as it is written (I Chron. 23, 15) The sons of Moses were Gershom and Eliczer. But you will have to explain this that it is written Menashe, because he acted (idolatrous) like Menashe, therefore he is called Menashe. In this instance you could explain likewise that the phrase of Juda is employed because Menashe came from Juda. R. Jochanan, in the name of R. Simon b. Jochai, said: "From this it is to be inferred that every corruption is fastened to the corrupt (who originally started it)." You may infer the same from the following (I Kings 1, 6) And his mother had borne him after Abshalom the son of Maacha? We must say that because he acted like Abshalom, who also rebelled against the kingdom, the verse conjoined him with Abshalom.

(Lev. 22:27), “And from the eighth day on [it shall be acceptable for an offering by fire to the Lord].” So that your [evil] drive not lead you astray by saying that there is eating and drinking in front of Him. Who sacrificed to Him before Israel arose? David said (in Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (ya'arokh) to the Lord?” [This is to mean], who offered sacrifices to Him? R. Abbin the Levite said, “[This verse means,] who is like unto the Holy One, blessed be He, in sustaining orphans and feeding the hungry? After all, this word (ya'arokh) can only be a word concerning sustenance, since it is stated (in Lev. 24:8), ‘On [every] Sabbath day he shall [regularly] arrange (ya'arokh) it (i.e., the bread).’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (ya'arokh) to the Lord”: Who is like unto the Holy One, blessed be He, in bringing light to the eyes of those in the dark?⁷⁵Below, 10:6. After all, this word (ya'arokh) can only be a word denoting light, since it is stated (Lev. 24:4), “He shall set up (ya'arokh) the lamps upon the unalloyed lampstand.” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (rt.: 'rk) to the Lord”: Who is like unto the Holy One, blessed be He, in clothing the naked? After all, this word (rt.: 'rk) can only be a word denoting a garment, since it is stated (in Jud. 17:10), “a suit (rt.: 'rk) of clothes and [your] maintenance.” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies [is comparable (ya'arokh) to the Lord]”: Who is like unto the Holy One, blessed be He, in waging war for Israel? After all, the word, ya'arokh, can only be a word denoting war, since it is stated (in Gen. 14:8), “and they marshalled (ya'arokh in the plural) for battle with them.” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “If your [evil] drive comes and says to you, ‘Who sacrificed to (fed) the Holy One, blessed be He, before the world was created,’⁷⁶See PR 48:3. say to him, ‘Consider that Moses ascended to the sky and spent a hundred and twenty days there. Let him tell you whether they were sacrificing to the Holy One, blessed be He. And in addition he was accustomed to eat; but when he ascended to Me, he saw that there is no eating and drinking in front of Me, and so he also did not eat, as stated (in Exod. 34:28), “And he was there with the Lord [forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water].”’” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, “If your [evil] drive comes to say to you, ‘If there were no eating and drinking before Him, He would not have told me to sacrifice and offer libations to Him’; [then ponder] what is written (in Numb. 28:6), ‘The continual burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai’: Did they offer sacrifices on Mount Sinai? [No.] Rather observe that it was Moses who went up onto Mount Sinai. Let him tell you whether there were food and drink before Me. And so why did I trouble you and tell you to bring a daily sacrifice? In order to benefit you.” R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “When a mighty man who is walking on the road is thirsty and goes to drink water, how much does he drink with his hands? Ten handfuls? Six handfuls? Four handfuls? Less than two he does not drink. Now all the water that is in the world would be a filling for the hollow of the Holy One, blessed be He's, hand, as stated (in Is. 40:12), ‘Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?’ [It is so written] in order to make known that for Him there is no eating or drinking. [Then] why did He tell me to offer a sacrifice? In order to benefit you.” Ergo (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat [is born… and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable for an offering by fire to the Lord].” (Lev. 22:27), “And from the eighth day.” This text is related (to Eccl. 3:19), “As for the fate of humans and the fate of beasts, [they have the same fate; as the one dies, so does the other die. They all have the same lifebreath, but the superiority of the human over the beast is nil ('yn)].”⁷⁷This is the translation required by the latter part of this section. A more traditional translation would be AND THE HUMAN IS NO BETTER THAN THE BEAST. It is written concerning the human (in Deut. 22:11), “You shall not wear interwoven stuff, wool and flax together.” It is also written concerning the beast (ibid., vs. 10), “You shall not plough with an ox and an ass together.” (Eccl. 3:19:) “[They] all have the same fate.” Just as the human contracts uncleanness, the beast also contracts uncleanness. It is written concerning the human (in Numb. 19:11), “One who touches the corpse of any human being shall be unclean.” Also concerning the beast (in Lev. 11:39), “whoever touches its carcass shall be unclean [...].” (Eccl. 3:19:) “As the one dies, so does the other die.” Concerning the human (in Lev. 20:16), “you shall kill the woman”; and concerning the beast (in vs. 15), “and you shall kill the beast.” (Eccl. 3:21:) “Who knows the lifebreath of a human that rises upward and the lifebreath of a beast that goes down into the earth?”⁷⁸This translation is required by the midrash. A more traditional translation in the biblical context would be this: WHO KNOWS WHETHER IT IS THE LIFEBREATH OF A HUMAN THAT RISES UPWARD, WHILE IT IS THE LIFEBREATH OF A BEAST THAT GOES DOWN INTO THE EARTH? Because the lifebreath of the human is given from above, concerning it, a rising up is written. And because the beast is given from below, concerning it, a going down is written. (Eccl. 3:19, cont.:) “But the superiority of the human over the beast is 'yn (i.e., nil).” What is the meaning of 'yn?⁷⁹Eccl. R. 3:19(1). That [the human] speaks, but [the beast] does not ('yn) speak. And moreover, while there is knowledge in the human, in the beast there is no ('yn) knowledge. And moreover, while the human knows the difference between good and evil, the beast does not ('yn) know the difference between good and evil. And moreover, the human gets a reward for his works, but the beast does not ('yn) get a reward for its work. And moreover, when the human dies they care for him and he is buried, while the beast is not ('yn) buried. Ergo (in Eccl. 3:19), “but the superiority of the human over the beast is 'yn.” What is written concerning the human (in Lev. 12:2-3)? “When a woman emits her seed…. And on the eighth day [the flesh of his foreskin] shall be circumcised.” But about the beasts it is written (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat… and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable [for an offering by fire to the Lord].”

26 (Numb. 14:27) “How long […]”: A legal teaching: When a baby has a stone in his hand on the Sabbath, is it permissible to pick him up [on the Sabbath]? Thus have our masters taught (in Shab. 21:1): A person may pick up one's child, even with a stone in his hand, or a basket (of fruit) with a stone inside it. You have learned from the generation of the wilderness that the Holy One, as it were, carried them up in the wilderness, (as in Deut. 1:31) “as one carries his child,” yet there was an object of idolatry in their hand.⁵⁰Corresponding to the stone in the hand of the child. Thus it is stated (in Neh. 9:18), “as they had made themselves a molten calf.” And so you find that, when they crossed in the sea, Micah's image (of Jud. 17:3–4) crossed with them, as stated (in Zech. 10:11), “And a rival wife⁵¹Tsarah. The Midrash understands the word in this sense, although most translations follow the other meaning of tsarah, i.e., “affliction,” “distress,” or the like. So also below, Deut. 4:14. shall cross in the sea.”⁵²Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Pisha 14 on Exod. 12:41; Sanh. 103b; M. Pss. 101:2; Exod. R. 41:1; also Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Wayassa‘ 1 on Exod. 15:22; ySuk. 4:3 (54c); see ARN, A, 34. Still with all this, the Holy One did not forsake them. He said to Moses, “I have done a lot of good things with them; yet they are provoking Me a lot. I parted the sea for them; they provoked Me,” as stated (in Pss. 78:40), “How often did they defy Him.” Here also they brought a bad name upon the land. I am not able to endure. How long shall I endure them? [Ergo] (in Numb. 14:27), “How long shall this evil congregation?”

Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD? Who is like unto the Holy One in clothing the naked? After all, this word (rt.: 'RK) can only be a word denoting a garment, since it is stated (in Jud. 17:10): A SUIT (rt.: 'RK) OF CLOTHES AND {THEIR} [YOUR] MAINTENANCE.

(One verse (Exodus 12:40) states "And the habitation of the children of Israel in the land of Egypt was four hundred and thirty years," and another, (Genesis 15:13) "and they shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Thirty years before the birth of Isaac, the covenant between the pieces (at which the above was said) was made, (and after his birth until the exodus four hundred years elapsed.) Rebbi says: One verse states: "and they shall serve them and they shall afflict them four hundred years," and another, (Ibid. 16) "and the fourth generation will return here." How are these two verses to be reconciled? If they repent, I will redeem them by generations (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes). If not, I will redeem them by years. "And the habitation of the children of Israel in Egypt and in other lands was four hundred and thirty years." This is one of the verses that they (the seventy-two elders changed) in transcribing (the Torah) for King Ptolemy, viz. (Megillah 9a): Once King Ptolemy assembled seventy-two elders and placed each in a separate house (without telling them why he was doing so), and he said to each of them: "Transcribe for me [into Greek] the Torah of Moses your teacher." The Holy One Blessed be He placed goodly counsel in the heart of each, and they all wrote as one (Genesis 1:1): "G d created in the beginning" [so that Ptolemy could not structure the words as: "In the beginning, god was created."] [They wrote] (Ibid. 1:26): "I will make a man in image and form" [and not, literally: "Let us make a man, etc.", so that he would not be able to argue for a plurality of gods]. [They wrote] (Ibid. 2:2): "And He finished on the sixth day, and He rested on the seventh day" [and not, literally: "And G d finished His work on the seventh day," so that he could not argue that G d worked on the seventh day]. [They wrote] (Ibid. 5:2): "Male and female He created him" [and not, literally: "Male and female He created them" (which Ptolemy could use as an argument for the creation of two separate bodies)]. [They wrote] (Ibid. 11:7): "Let Me go down and confound their tongue" [and not, literally: "Let us go down", so that he would not find support for his polytheistic views]. [They wrote] (Ibid. 18:12): "And Sarah laughed bikrovehah" ["among her neighbors", and not, literally: "bekirbah" ("within her"), so that Ptolemy would not question why Sarah should be punished for laughing, and not Abraham, if they both laughed inwardly]. [They wrote] (Ibid. 49:7): "For in their wrath they killed an ox" [instead of: "a man" (so as not to give Ptolemy a pretext to call Jews murderers)], "and in their willfulness they razed a manger" [instead of: "an ox"]. [They wrote] (Exodus 4:20): "And Moses took his wife and his sons and he rode them on the bearer of men" [instead of "on the ass" (so that he not say that Moses lacked a horse or a camel)]. [They wrote] (Ibid. 12:40): "And the sojourning of the Jews, their dwelling in Egypt and in other lands was four hundred years." [(and not just: "their dwelling in Egypt," as per the verse, which would be open to dispute by Ptolemy's reckoning)]. [They wrote] (Ibid. 24:5): "And he sent the dignitaries of the children of Israel" [lest "youths" be taken demeaningly]; (Ibid. 11): "And to the dignitaries of the children of Israel, He did not stretch forth His hand." [They wrote] (Numbers 16:15): "Not one desirable object of theirs" [(instead of, literally: "Not one ass of theirs")] have I taken" [thus preventing Ptolemy from contending that it was only an ass that Moses had not taken]. [They wrote] (Deuteronomy 4:19): ["all the host of heaven …] which the L rd your G d bequeathed for illumination to all the peoples under the heavens" [and not, as in the verse: "which the L rd your G d bequeathed to all the peoples under the heavens," thus preventing him from construing this verse as a license for idolatry]. [They wrote] (Ibid. 17:3): "and he go and serve other gods … which I did not command to serve" [instead of, as per the verse: "which I did not command", lest he misconstrue it as: "which I did not command to exist" (and which "forced themselves" into creation against My will)]. And instead of (Leviticus 11:6): "And the arneveth (hare) […it is unclean to you"], they wrote: "the slender-legged"; for Ptolemy's wife was called "Arneveth", and Ptolemy would [otherwise] say: "The Jews have poked fun at me and put my wife's name in the Torah!" (Megillah 9a) (Exodus 12:41) "and it was at the end of four hundred and thirty years": We are hereby apprised that when the time arrived, the L rd did not delay them for one moment. On the fifteenth of Nissan the ministering angels came to Abraham to apprise him (that Isaac would be born); (on the fifteenth of Nissan he was born) and on the fifteenth of Nissan the decree went forth (in the covenant) between the pieces, it being written "And it was at the end" — there was one end for all of them. "and it was on this very same day that all the hosts of the L rd went forth": (The Shechinah, too, went forth with them.) And thus do you find, that whenever Israel is in bondage, the Shechinah is with them, viz. (Exodus 24:10) "And they saw the G d of Israel, and under His feet, as the work of a sapphire brick" (the sign of that bondage). And what is written of their redemption? (Ibid.) "and as the appearance of the heavens in brightness." And it is written (Isaiah 63:9) "In all of their sorrows, He sorrowed." This tells me only of communal sorrows. Whence do I derive (the same for) those of the individual? From (Psalms 91:15) "He will call upon Me and I will answer Him; I am with him in sorrow," and (Genesis 39:20-21) "And Joseph's master took him and placed him in the prison house … and the L rd was with Joseph, etc.", and (II Samuel 7:23) "… before Your people whom You have redeemed from Egypt, a nation and its G d." R. Eliezer says: Idolatry passed with Israel in the sea, viz. (Zechariah 10:11) "And a 'rival' passed in the sea, and struck waves in the sea." Which was that? The idol of Michah (viz. Shoftim 17:4). R. Akiva said (on II Samuel 7:23): Were it not explicitly written, it would be impossible to say it, Israel saying before the L rd, as it were, "You redeemed Yourself!" And thus do you find, that wherever they were exiled, the Shechinah was with them. They were exiled to Egypt — the Shechinah was with them, viz. (I Samuel 2:27) "Did I not reveal Myself to your father's house when they were in Egypt? They were exiled to Bavel — the Shechinah was with them, viz. (Isaiah 43:14) "For your sake I was exiled to Bavel." They were exiled to Eilam — the Shechinah was with them, viz. (Jeremiah 49:38) "and I set My throne in Eilam." They were exiled to Edom — the Shechinah was with them, viz. (Isaiah 63:1) "Who is This coming from Edom, His garments crimsoned, from Batzrah?" And when they return in the future, the Shechinah will be with them, viz. (Devarim 30:3) "And veshav the L rd your G d." It is not written "veheshiv" ("He will return" [you]), but "veshav" ("He [Himself] will return.") and it is written (Song of Songs 4:8) "With Me from Levanon (the Temple), My bride (Israel); with Me from Levanon come." Now is she (Israel) coming from Levanon? Is she not ascending to Levanon? (The intent is: You and I were exiled from Levanon) and we will ascend) together) to Levanon.