Midrash su Proverbi 22:30

“The Song of Songs that is Solomon’s” (Song of Songs 1:1).
Prologue of the Sages. “The Song of Songs,” that is what [the verse] written by Solomon states: “Have you seen a man diligent in his labor? He will stand before kings, he will not stand before dark ones” (Proverbs 22:29). “Have you seen a man diligent in his labor” – This is Joseph, in whose regard it is written: “He came into the house to perform his labor [and none of the men of the house were there, in the house]” (Genesis 39:11). Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: It was a day of disgrace and manure,¹The midrash is referring here to Egyptian ritual worship, and uses these words to describe it in order to demean such idolatry. and a day of theater. Rabbi Neḥemya says it was a day of theater in honor of the Nile. Everyone went to see, and he entered to perform his labor to calculate the accounts of his master.
Rabbi Pinḥas says in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Abba: Anyone who serves his master properly is set free. From where do we derive this? From Joseph. Because he served his master properly, he was set free. Therefore, “he will stand before kings,” this is Pharaoh, as it is stated: “Pharaoh sent and summoned Joseph, and they rushed him from the dungeon” (Genesis 41:14). “He will not stand before dark ones,” this is Potiphar, as the Holy One blessed be He blinded his eyes and castrated him.

“The words of Kohelet, son of David, king in Jerusalem” (Ecclesiastes 1:1).
“The words of Kohelet, son of David, king in Jerusalem.” This is what the verse said, inspired by the Divine Spirit, [written] by Solomon, king of Israel: “Have you seen a man diligent in his labor? He will stand before kings” (Proverbs 22:29). There was an incident involving Rabbi Ḥanina ben Dosa, who saw the residents of his city taking up vow offerings and gift offerings to Jerusalem. He said: Everyone is taking up vow offerings and gift offerings to Jerusalem; will I not take anything up? What did he do? He went out to the wilderness [outside] of his city and noticed a certain stone there. He broke it, he chiseled it, and he polished it. He said: I take it upon myself to bring it up to Jerusalem. He sought to hire laborers, and five people came before him. He said to them: ‘Will you take up this stone to Jerusalem for me?’ They said to him: ‘Give us five sela and we will take it up to Jerusalem.’ He sought to give it to them, but he did not have anything in his possession at that time. They left him and went on their way.
The Holy One blessed be He arranged for five angels [to appear] to him in the guise of men. He said to them: ‘Will you take up this stone [to Jerusalem] for me?’ They said to him: ‘Give us five sela and we will take your stone up to Jerusalem for you, provided that you join us [in carrying the stone] with your hand and finger.’ He joined them with his hand and finger, and they found themselves standing in Jerusalem. He sought to give them their payment but he did not find them. He entered the Chamber of the Hewn Stone¹The seat of the Sanhedrin. and asked after them. They said to him: ‘It appears that ministering angels took your stone up to Jerusalem,’ and they read this verse in his regard: “Have you seen a man diligent in his labor? He will stand before kings [melakhim].” Read, in his regard: “He will stand before angels [malakhim].”
Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta: This is analogous to an adviser who achieved prominence in the royal palace. The king said to him: ‘Ask for whatever [you want and] I will give it to you.’ That adviser said: If I request silver, gold, or fine gems, he will give it to me; garments, he will give me. But I will request his daughter, and everything will be given to me along with his daughter. So, “In Givon, God appeared to Solomon in a nocturnal dream. God said: Ask, what shall I give you?” (I Kings 3:5). Solomon said: If I request silver, gold, and gems, He will give them to me. But I will request wisdom, and everything will be included. That is what is written: “Grant your servant an understanding heart” (I Kings 3:9). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You requested wisdom and did not request wealth, glory, or the lives of your enemies; therefore, wisdom and knowledge are given to you, and thereby, I will grant you wealth, property, and glory as well.’ Immediately, “Solomon awoke and behold, a dream” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The dream was upheld:²The phrase “and behold, a dream” is interpreted to mean that when Solomon awoke he understood that the dream was real and was being fulfilled. A bird would tweet and he would know what it was tweeting about, a donkey would bray, and he would know what it was braying about. Immediately, “he came to Jerusalem and he stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord, and he sacrificed burnt offerings and he prepared peace offerings and he made a feast for all his servants” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: From here [it is derived] that one makes a feast when completing the Torah.³The Torah includes all wisdom. Immediately, the Divine Spirit rested upon him and he composed these three books: Proverbs, Song of Songs, and Ecclesiastes; that is what is written: “The words of Kohelet, son of David.”

(Deut. 33:1:) “And this is the blessing.” This text is related (to Prov. 31:29), “Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all.” This is the blessing of Moses,¹PRK 31:11. in respect to which you should note that in the case of the earlier generations each and every one blessed his generation, but there was none was like the blessing of Moses. Noah blessed his children, but it contained a divergence, as he blessed one and cursed another, as stated (Gen. 9:27,) “May God enlarge (ypt) Japheth (ypt) [...]; and let Canaan be a slave to them.” Isaac blessed Jacob, but there was strife in it. It is so stated (in Gen. 28:4), “May He give you the blessing of Abraham, but he said to Esau (in Gen. 27:35), “Your brother came with deceit”; and it is stated (in vs. 41), “Then Esau hated Jacob […, and Esau said in his heart, ‘Let the days of mourning for my father come, and I will kill my brother Jacob’].” Jacob blessed the tribes, but there was strife among them, in that he rebuked Reuben, as stated (in Gen. 49:4), “Unstable as water”; and similarly (in vs. 5), “Simeon and Levi [are brothers; weapons of violence are their swords].” And from where did each and every one of the patriarchs learn to bless his generation? [They learned it] from the Holy One, blessed be He. When he created Adam, He blessed him, as stated (in Gen. 1:27-28), “male and female. Then [God] blessed them.” And the world was maintained by that blessing, until the generation of the flood came, and they cancelled it out, as stated (in Gen. 6:7), “And the Lord said, “I will blot out the humanity which I created.” When Noah left the ark, the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that this blessing had passed from them. He blessed Noah and his children anew, as stated (in Gen. 9:1), “Then God blessed Noah and his children.” The world was maintained by this blessing, until Abraham came into the world, and He added blessing, as stated (in Gen. 12:2), “For I will make you into a great nation.” Once Abraham came, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “It is not honorable for Me, that I should be obliged to bless My creatures. Rather take note! I am handing over the blessings to Abraham and to his seed, so that for all who they issue a blessing, I am placing my seal upon [those blessings], as stated (in vs. 2, cont.), ‘[I will bless you and magnify your name] and so become a blessing.’” (Vs. 3:) “I will bless those who bless you….” What is the meaning of “I will bless?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Take note. I am handing over the blessings to all whom you bless, and I am sealing [them] through you.” But if from then on the blessings were [handed over] to Abraham, why did he not bless Isaac? It was because Abraham saw that Esau would issue from him. He said, “If I bless Isaac, then Esau will be blessed, and Isaac will be found lacking.” A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the head of a household that had a vineyard,²See Gen. R. 61:6; Numb. R. 11:2; M. Pss. 1:5. [and] gave it to a tenant. And in that vineyard was a tree of life, but it had overgrown a tree having a deadly poison. Now he did not know what to do. He said, “If I cultivate that vineyard, then the tree having a deadly poison will flourish; but if I do not cultivate that vineyard, then the tree of life will die. So what shall I do? I will bear with that vineyard until the owner of the vineyard comes. Then he may do what he wants with his vineyard.” And so also did Abraham say, “If I bless Isaac, Esau will end up being blessed and Jacob will lose out. Rather look here. I will leave him alone until the Holy One, blessed be He, comes, when He will deal with what belongs to Him.” Jacob came and received five blessings: two from his father, one from Abraham, one from the angel, and one from the Holy One, blessed be He.³Cf. Gen. R. 94:5. From his father, as stated (in Gen. 27:33), “Then Isaac trembled (when he realized he had blessed Jacob instead of Esau). Why “trembled?” R. Eliezer ben Pedat said, “[He did so] because he saw Gehinnom open in front of him. He wanted to say, ‘Cursed will be [Jacob.’ Instead,] he went back [on it], and added blessing [to it], when he said (ibid., end), ‘he also shall be blessed.’” Here is one [blessing]. A second (is in Gen. 28:1), “So Isaac called Jacob and blessed him.” The blessing of the Holy One, blessed be He, (is in Gen. 35:9), “Now God appeared unto Jacob [… and blessed him].” The blessing of Abraham (is in Gen. 28:4), “And may He grant you the blessing of Abraham.” And the blessing of an angel is (in Gen. 32:30), “and he (the angel) blessed him there.” When Jacob came to bless the tribes, he blessed them with the five blessings that he had in hand and added one blessing to them, as stated (in Gen. 49:28), “All these are the tribes of Israel, [twelve in number, and this is what their father spoke to them when he blessed them, each one with his own blessing is how he blessed them].”⁴The midrash notes that the words, HE BLESSED THEM, occur twice and interprets the verse to mean that one blessing, the fivefold blessing he had received, was for the tribes as a group while the other blessing was a specific blessing for each tribe. When Moses came to bless Israel, he added a seventh blessing to them. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing.” [According to another interpretation, Moses made] an addition to the blessings with which Balaam had blessed Israel,⁵Cf. PRK 31(suppl. 1):4. since it was fitting for him to bless them with seven blessings corresponding to the seven altars [he had built];⁶On these altars, see Numb. 23:1, 14, 29. but [Balaam] only blessed them with three, as stated (in Numb. 24:10), “but here you have even blessed them these three times.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “O wicked one, your eye is too jaundiced for you to bless them. Moreover, I am not putting the power in your hand to finish your blessing over Israel. Moses will come, whose eye is fair; then he will bless Israel.” And it is about him that Solomon has said (in Prov. 22:9), “He that has a benevolent eye shall be blessed (ybrk).” Do not read “ybrk [with vowels meaning] shall be blessed,” but [with vowels meaning] “shall bless.” This refers to Moses our master whose eyes were fair when he blessed Israel, such that he blessed them with [the other] four blessings: The first is (in Exod. 39:43), “When Moses saw all the work […] he blessed them.” The second is (in Lev. 9:23), “Then Moses and Aaron came unto the tent of meeting; and when they came out, they blessed the people….” The third is (in Deut. 1:11), “May the Lord God of your ancestors add [to your numbers a thousand times more than you are and bless you].” The fourth is (here in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing.” It is therefore stated (in Prov. 31:29), “Many daughters have done valiantly, but you surpass them all.”(Deut. 33:1:) And this is the blessing.” It was fitting for Moses to bless Israel because he had constantly risked his life for them.⁷PRK 31(suppl. 1):12. For this reason, it is stated (in Deut. 33:1), “And this is the blessing [that Moses blessed... the Children of Israel].” (Deut. 33:1:) “The man of God (the Power).” If it says, “man,” why does it say, “God,” and if it says, “God,” why does it say, “man?” It is simply that at the time he fled from in front of Pharaoh, he was a man, but at the time he trounced [the Egyptians], he was a power. Another interpretation: At the time that he went up to the firmament, he was a man; in front of the angels that were all fire, he was a man. But at the time he came down, he was a power. Before he went up to the firmament, he was a man, as he would eat and drink. But all the time that he was there, he was a power, as stated (in Exod. 34:20), “and they were afraid to approach him.”

(Deut. 33:1:) AND THIS IS THE BLESSING. This text is related (to Prov. 31:29): MANY DAUGHTERS HAVE DONE VALIANTLY, BUT YOU SURPASS THEM ALL. This is the blessing of Moses,¹Tanh., Deut. 11:1; PRK 31:11. in respect to which you should note that in the case of the earlier generations each and every one blessed his generation, but compared to all of them none was like the blessing of Moses. Noah blessed his children, but it contained a divergence. He blessed one and cursed another. (Gen. 9:27:) MAY GOD ENLARGE (YPT) JAPHETH (YPT); but he said (vs. 25:) CURSED BE CANAAN. Isaac blessed Jacob. There was strife in it, in that he said to Esau (in Gen. 27:35): YOUR BROTHER CAME WITH DECEIT; and it is stated (in vs. 41): THEN ESAU HATED JACOB <…, AND ESAU SAID IN HIS HEART: LET THE DAYS OF MORNING FOR MY FATHER COME, AND I WILL KILL MY BROTHER JACOB>. Jacob blessed the tribes, but there was strife among them, in that he said to Reuben (in Gen. 49:4): UNSTABLE AS WATER; and similarly (in vs. 5): SIMEON AND LEVI <ARE BROTHERS; WEAPONS OF VIOLENCE ARE THEIR SWORDS>. And from where did each and every one of the patriarchs learn to bless his generation? [They learned] from the Holy One. When he created Adam, he blessed him, as stated (in Gen. 1:28): THEN GOD BLESSED THEM; [and²The other part of this bracket is several lines below. the world was maintained by that blessing, until the generation of the flood came, and they cancelled it out, as stated (in Gen. 6:7): AND THE LORD SAID: I WILL BLOT OUT THE HUMANITY WHICH I CREATED. When Noah left the ark, the Holy One saw that this blessing had passed from them. He blessed Noah and his children anew, as stated (in Gen. 9:1): THEN GOD BLESSED NOAH AND HIS CHILDREN. The world was maintained by this blessing, until Abraham came into the world. Then the Holy One added one blessing for him, as stated (in Gen. 12:2): FOR I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A GREAT NATION…. When Abraham came, the Holy One said: It is not a practice worthy of me, that I should be obliged to bless my creatures. Rather take note! I am handing over the blessings to Abraham and to his seed, so that for all who issue a blessing through him, I am placing my seal upon <those blessings>, as stated (in vs. 2, cont.): <I WILL BLESS YOU AND MAGNIFY YOUR NAME> AND SO BECOME A BLESSING. (vs. 3:) I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU…. What is the meaning of I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU. The Holy One said: Take note. I am handing over the blessings to ALL WHOM YOU BLESS, and I am sealing <them> through you. But if from then on the blessings were {spoken} [handed over] to Abraham, why did he not bless Isaac? It was because Abraham saw that Esau would issue from him. He said: If I bless Isaac, then Esau will be blessed, and Isaac will be found lacking. A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To the head of a household that had a vineyard.³See Gen. R. 61:6; Numb. R. 11:2; M. Pss. 1:5; also Matthew 13:24–30.: He gave it to a tenant. And in that vineyard was a tree of life, but it had overgrown a tree having a deadly poison. Now he did not know what to do. He said: If I cultivate that vineyard, then the tree having a deadly poison will flourish; but if I do not cultivate that vineyard, then the tree of life will die. So what shall I do? I will bear with that vineyard until the owner of the vineyard comes. Then he may do what he wants with his vineyard.⁴Cf. Matthew 13:24–30. And so also did Abraham say: If I bless Isaac, Esau will end up being blessed and Jacob will lose out. Look here. It is simply that he is leaving him alone until the Holy One comes, when he will deal with what belongs to him.] Jacob came and received five blessing: two from his father, one from Abraham, one from the angel, and one from the Holy One.⁵Cf. Gen. R. 94:5.: Two from his father, according to what is stated (in Gen. 27:33): THEN ISAAC TREMBLED (when he realized he had blessed Jacob instead of Esau). Why TREMBLED? R. Eleazar ben Padat said: <He did so> because he saw Gehinnom open for Esau. He wanted to say: Cursed. He repented and added a blessing when he said (ibid., end): HE ALSO SHALL BE BLESSED. Here is one blessing. A second (is in Gen. 28:1): SO ISAAC CALLED JACOB AND BLESSED HIM. [The blessing of Abraham (is in Gen. 28:4): AND MAY HE GRANT YOU THE BLESSING OF ABRAHAM…; the blessing of an angel is (in Gen. 32:30 [29]): AND HE (the angel) BLESSED HIM THERE; and the blessings of the Holy One (in Gen. 35:9): NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN…, AND BLESSED HIM.] When Jacob came to bless the tribes, he blessed them with the five blessing that he had in hand and added one blessing to them, as stated (in Gen. 49:28): ALL THESE ARE THE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, <TWELVE IN NUMBER, AND THIS IS WHAT THEIR FATHER SPOKE TO THEM> WHEN HE BLESSED THEM, EACH ONE WITH HIS OWN BLESSING IS HOW HE BLESSED THEM.⁶The midrash notes that the words, HE BLESSED THEM, occur twice and interprets the verse to mean that one blessing, the fivefold blessing he had received, was for the tribes as a group while the other blessing was a specific blessing for each tribe. When Moses came to bless Israel, he added a seventh blessing to them. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 33:1): AND THIS IS THE BLESSING. < According to another interpretation, Moses made> an addition to the blessings with which Balaam had blessed Israel,⁷Cf. PRK 31(suppl. 1):4 since it was fitting for him to bless with seven blessings corresponding to the seven altars <he had built>;⁸On these altars, see Numb. 23:1, 14, 29. but <Balaam> only blessed them with three, as stated (in Numb. 24:10): BUT HERE YOU HAVE EVEN BLESSED THEM THESE THREE [TIMES]. The Holy One said to him: You are wicked. Your eye is too jaundiced for you to bless them. Moreover, I am not putting the power in your hand to finish your blessing over Israel. Moses will come, whose eye is fair. Then he will bless Israel, and it is about him that Solomon has said (in Prov. 22:9): HE THAT HAS A BENEVOLENT EYE SHALL BE BLESSED (YBRK). Do not read YBRK <with vowels meaning> SHALL BE BLESSED, but <with vowels meaning> SHALL BLESS. This refers to Moses our Master whose eyes were fair when he blessed Israel. He also blessed them with <the other> four blessings:

You know this is so from the fact that Bezalel was granted the privilege of building the Tabernacle because he had earned a good name, as it is written: A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold (Prov. 22:1). Whence do we know this? From the name by which he called him: See, the Lord hath called by name Bezalel.³The name Bezalel can be read as betzal el “in the shadow of God.”

R. Acha, the Galilean, said to R. Nachman b. Isaac: "There is no smiling by the Holy One, praised be He! since the Temple was destroyed, as it reads (Ib. 42, 14) I have long time held My peace, I have been still and refrained Myself. But what does He do in the last three hours? He teaches the Torah to the school-children. As it reads (Ib. 28, 9) Whom shall one teach knowledge? And whom shall one make to understand the message. Them that are weaned from the milk, them that are drawn from the breasts. And what does He do in the night-time? If you wish, it may be said that He does the same as in the day-time. And if you wish, it may be said that He rides upon His light cloud and moves in all directions upon eighteen thousand worlds. As it is said (Ps. 68, 8) The chariots of God are two myriads; thousands of angels (follow Him). And if you wish, it may be said that He sits and listens to the song of the angels, as (Ib. 42, 9) And in the night his song shall be with Me. R. Juda said in the name of Samuel: "What is the meaning of the passage (Hab. 1, 14) And makest men as the fish of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them? Why are men compared to fish of the sea? To teach you that just as fish die as soon as they are taken on land, so do men die, when they separate themselves from the law and the commandments." Another explanation may be given to it: Just as fish die as soon as the heat of the sun penetrates to them, so also do men. If you wish it may be referred to this world, and this would be in accordance with R. Chanina, who said: "Everything is decreed by heaven, except cold, for the passage says (Pr. 22, 5), Thorns and snares are in the way of the forward; he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them." And if you wish it may be referred to the world to come, and this is in accordance with Resh Lakish, who said: "There is no Gehenna in the future world, but the Holy One, praised be He! will bring forth the sun from its sheath with which the wicked will be punished and the upright cured." The wicked will be punished (Fol. 4), as it is written (Mal. 3, 19) For, behold, the day cometh, it burneth as a furnace; and all the proud and all that work wickedness, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall set them ablaze, saith the Lord of Hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. And the righteous will be cured thereby, as it is said, But unto you that fear My name shall the sun of righteousness arise with healing in its wings. Furthermore, the latter will have pleasure and become fat from it, as the passage says (Ib.) And ye shall go forth, and gambol as calves of the stall. There is another explanation [why men are likened unto fish]: Just as the larger fish in the sea, swallow the smaller, so also is it with man; if not for the fear of government the stronger would have swallowed the weaker. And this is meant by what we are taught in a Mishna that R. Chanina, the Vice-High-Priest, said: "Pray for the welfare of the government, since but for the fear thereof, men would swallow each other alive."

R. Chisda lauded the greatness of R. Hamnuna before R. Huna. R. Huna said unto R. Chisda: "When you get hold of him, bring him to me." When R. Hamnuna visited him, R. Huna noticed that he did not, wear a marriage cloak. "Why do you not wear the marriage cloak?" asked R. Huna of him. "Because I am not married yet," came the reply. Whereupon R. Huna turned his face away, saying to him: "Thou shalt not see my face until thou shalt marry." R. Huna adheres to his own opinion, for he says: "If one is twenty years old and does not marry, all his days will he spent in sins." How is it possible to think that he will spend his days in sins? Say, therefore, that he will spend his days in thinking of committing sins. Said Raba: And so also are we taught in the school of R. Ishmael: "Until the age of twenty, the Holy One, praised be He, sits and waits for a man to become married; as soon as one reaches the age of twenty and does not marry. He says: 'The man who does not marry, may his bones decay.' " R. Chisda said": "The reason that 1 am smarter than my associates is because I have married at the age of sixteen, and had I married at the age of fourteen (Fol. 30) I would have said unto Satan, 'I defy thee.' " Raba said unto R. Nathan b. Ami: "While your hand is capable to take hold of the neck of thy son (while he listens to you), from sixteen to twenty-two years, and according to others from eighteen to twenty-four, try to marry him off." The Tannaim of the following Baraitha differ in the above: (Prov. 22, 6) Train up a child in the way he should go. R. Juda and R. Nechemia differ in the explanation of this passage; one says that it refers to the years of sixteen to twenty-two, while the other says it refers to the years of eighteen to twenty-four.

Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair began: “If you seek it like silver…” (Proverbs 2:4). If you seek matters of Torah like these hidden treasures, the Holy One blessed be He will not withhold your reward. This is analogous to a person, if he loses a sela or a kilarin²²This was a valuable ornament of gold inlaid with a jewel. in his house, he will kindle several lamps, several wicks, until he finds them. The matter can be inferred a fortiori; if for these, that [enhance] the temporal life of this world, a person kindles several lamps and several wicks until he discovers them and finds them, matters of Torah, that [are essential for] life in this world and in the World to Come, do you not need to search for them like these hidden treasures? That is: “If you seek it like silver….” Rabbi Elazar said: In all my days, no one preceded me to the study hall and I did not leave a person there and exit. One time I awoke early and I found the collectors of manure and collectors of straw,²³These individuals would arise very early to collect straw and manure from public thoroughfares in order to sell them as fertilizer. They had begun their work before Rabbi Elazar had gone to the study hall. and I said: “If you seek it like silver and search for it like for hidden treasures, then you will understand fear of the Lord” (Proverbs 2:4–5). We are not even like the collectors of manure and collectors of straw. Thus we have learned that Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair used to say: Alacrity leads to cleanliness. Cleanliness leads to purity. Purity leads to sanctity. Sanctity leads to humility. Humility leads to fear of sin. Fear of sin leads to piety. Piety leads to the Divine Spirit. The Divine Spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection of the dead leads to Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory.
Alacrity leads to cleanliness, as it is stated: “He shall complete atoning²⁴The term kapara means atonement as well as cleanliness. This verse, which is about the service of the High Priest in the Temple on Yom Kippur, indicates that it is the completion of a service, which is accomplished through alacrity, that leads to atonement, or cleanliness. for the Sanctuary” (Leviticus 16:20). Cleanliness leads to purity, as it is stated: “The priest shall atone for her and she will be purified” (Leviticus 12:8). Purity leads to sanctity, as it is stated: “He shall purify it and he shall sanctify it” (Leviticus 16:19). Sanctity leads to humility, as it is stated: “For so said the Exalted and Most High, who abides forever and whose name is holy: Exalted and holy I will dwell and I will be with the downtrodden and lowly” (Isaiah 57:15). Humility leads to fear of sin, as it is stated: “In the wake of humility is fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 22:4). Fear of sin leads to piety, as it is stated: “Then you spoke in a vision to your pious ones” (Psalms 89:20).²⁵Some suggest that the text here should read: “The mercy [ḥesed] of the Lord is forever and ever upon those who fear Him” (Psalms 103:17), in accordance with the parallel text of the Jerusalem Talmud (Shekalim 3:3). The term ḥesed, translated in the verse as mercy, is related to the term ḥasidut, piety (see Etz Yosef). Piety leads to the Divine Spirit, as it is stated: “Then you spoke in a vision to your pious ones” (Psalms 89:20). The Divine Spirit leads to the resurrection of the dead, as it is stated: “I will place My spirit in you, and you will live” (Ezekiel 37:14). The resurrection of the dead leads to Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory, as it is stated: “Behold, I am sending Elijah the prophet to you [before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord]” (Malachi 3:23).²⁶“The great and terrible day of the Lord” is understood as a reference to the resurrection of the dead. Elijah will come before the resurrection of the dead, but it is the need to perform the resurrection of the dead that leads to his coming (Etz Yosef).
Rabbi Matna said: What wisdom made as a crown on its head, humility made as a sandal on its heel. What wisdom made a crown on its head [roshah], as it is stated: “The beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord” (Psalms 111:10), humility made a sandal on its heel [akevah], as it is stated: “In the wake of [ekev] humility is fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 22:4).
The resurrection of the dead is by means of Elijah the prophet, of blessed memory. That is what is written: “Then you will understand fear of the Lord, and you will find knowledge of ” (Proverbs 2:5), this is the Divine Spirit.²⁷Commentaries struggle to understand this line, which does not prove that resurrection of the dead is by means of Elijah. Some suggest that it be deleted (Etz Yosef). Others suggest that this is a proof that alacrity eventually leads to understanding via the Divine Spirit, as indicated above. This is because the verse that precedes the one cited here relates to alacrity (Midrash HaMevoar).
Rabbi Simon [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥalafta: [This is analogous] to a royal adviser who grew prominent in the king’s palace. The king said to him: ‘Make a request; what shall I give you?’ The adviser said: If I request silver and gold, he will give them to me; gems and pearls, he will give them to me. He said: I will request the king’s daughter, and everything will be included. So too, “In Givon, the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream at night; God said: Request; what shall I give you?” (I Kings 3:5). Solomon said: If I request silver, gold, gems and pearls, he will give them to me. But I will request wisdom and everything will be included. That is what is written: “Give Your servant an attentive heart” (I Kings 3:9). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Solomon, you requested wisdom and you did not request wealth and property and the lives of your enemies. By your life, wisdom is granted you, and thereby, I will give you wealth and property.’ Immediately, “Solomon awakened and behold, a dream” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The dream was fulfilled; a donkey brayed and he knew what it was braying, a bird tweeted and he knew what it was tweeting. Immediately, “he came to Jerusalem and stood before the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord. He sacrificed burnt offerings, he performed peace offerings, and he made a feast for all his servants” (I Kings 3:15). Rabbi Elazar said: From here it is derived that one makes a feast upon completion of the Torah. Rabbi Yudan said: It is to teach you that anyone who teaches Torah in public is privileged to have the Divine Spirit rest upon him, as so Solomon did. He taught and the Divine Spirit rested upon him and he composed three books: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs.

R. Samuel h. Nachmeni in the name of R. Jonathan said: "A judge that decides the law in accordance with the equity of truth causes the Shechina to dwell in Israel, as it is said (Ps. 82, 1) God standeth in the congregation of God; in the midst of judges doth He judge. And the judge who decides the law not in accordance with the equity of truth causes the Shechinah to depart from Israel, as it is said (Ib. 12, 6) Because of the oppression of the poor, because of the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said also in the name of R. Jonathan: "A judge who causes [through his decisions] the transfer of money from one hand to another, contrary to the law, the Holy One, praised be He! will collect from his own soul, as it is said (Prov. 22, 23) Rob not the poor because he is poor, neither crush the afflicted in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause, and despoil the life of those who despoil them." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said also in the name of R. Jonathan: "A judge should always imagine that a sword lies between his thighs, that Gehenna is open under him: (Ib. b) as it is said (Songs 3, 7, 8) Behold it is the bed tchich is Solomon's; sixty valiant men are around about it, of the valiant ones of Israel. All of them are girded with the sword, are expert in war; every one hath his word upon his thigh, because of the terror in the night — i.e., because of the terror of Gehenna, which is equal to the night." R. Yashiya (according to others, R. Nachman b. Isaac) lectured: "What is the meaning of the passage (Jer. 21, 12) O house of David, thus hath said the Lord: Exercise justice on [every] morning, and deliver him that is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Is it then customary to judge only in the morning, and not during the entire day? It means, if the thing which you decide is clear to you as the morning, then do decide, but if not, do not." R. Chiya b. Abba in the name of R. Jonathan said: "We infer it from the following (Prov. 7, 4) Say unto wisdom. Thou art my sister, which means, if the thing is as certain to you as it is the law that prohibits you from marrying your sister, then you may say it, but not otherwise." R. Joshua b. Levi said: "If ten judges sit in court discussing one case, the responsibility rests upon every one of them." But is that not self-evident? It means even a disciple who is sitting before his teacher [although he merely discusses without any result].

Moses, our teacher, merited receiving the Torah, for the sole of the Torah is humility and its crown is fear. The sole of the Torah is humility, as it is said: The base of humility is the fear of the Lord (Prov. 22:4), and its crown is fear, as it is said: The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Ps. 110:10).

(Lev. 25:25,35:) “And when your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property […]. And when your relative becomes poor, and his strength fails.” This text is related (to Prov. 22:22-23), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished […]. For the Lord shall plead their cause.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “’Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished,’ for I have made him impoverished. [Hence] whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his Maker. [It is] as if he is mocking at Me, as stated (in Prov. 17:5), ‘One who mocks a poor person reproaches his Maker […].’” What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished?” Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he does not have anything?¹¹Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹²PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, and you have reconsidered and said, “How long shall I provide for him,” and you [then] hold back from giving to him; if you do this, know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished”; but rather maintain him, because he has no other place [to turn]. (Ibid., cont.:) “And do not oppress the poor in the gate,” lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for the heavens also have a gate, as stated (in Gen. 28:17), “and this is the gate of the heavens.” (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” I am pleading [their cause] with you, because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting his charm¹³Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2), “Rich and poor meet; the Lord made them all.” Why? (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” Why so much? Because you are reducing his spirit (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.), “and he will despoil the ones who despoil them of life (nefesh).”

These words: This is what the verse stated, "Have I not written you thirds with counsels (moatsot) and knowledge" (Proverbs 22:20). The numerical equivalent of counsels is six hundred and six. [That,] and the seven commandments that the Sons of Noach were commanded, is six hundred and thirteen. And so [too,] does it state (Isaiah 5:1), "my beloved had a vineyard in a fertile corner": "A vineyard" - that is Israel, as it is stated (Isaiah 27:2), "a vineyard of wine, sing to it." "And he separated it" (Isaiah 5:2) - with Avraham, that he cast away the residue from him, such as Yishmael. "And he cleared it of stones" - with Yitschak, that he took Esav away from him. "And he planted it with choice vines" - that is Yaakov, as all of the plantings that came out from him were good and desirable, like this choice vine which is completely good. And this is [the meaning of] "all of it was true seed" (Jeremiah 2:21). Choice vine (sorek) has a numerical equivalent of six hundred and six, [together with] the seven commandments of the Children of Noach - behold, that is six hundred and thirteen. It is written (Proverbs 3:19), "The Lord established the earth with wisdom" - and there is no wisdom besides Torah. And what is its name? Confidant (Amon), as it is written (Proverbs 8:30), "And I was a confidant with Him." And it was not called Torah until it was given at Sinai. The numerical equivalent of Torah comes to six hundred and eleven. And the two that are subtracted from six hundred and thirteen are the two that were given by the mouth of the Almighty. And this is what is stated by the verse, "God spoke one, I heard two" (Psalms 62:12). This is [the meaning of] "Moshe commanded us the Torah" (Deuteronomy 33:4) - Moshe commanded us [commandments] according to the numerical equivalent of Torah. And the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded us the [remaining] two, as I explained in Parshat Vayishma Yitro. And it is an inheritance for Yaakov, and not for the [other] nations of the world, as it is stated (Psalms 147:19), "He tells His words to Yaakov, His statutes and His judgments to Israel, He did not do this with any nation." And it is written about it, "each day," as it is stated (Proverbs 8:30), "And I was a confidant with Him and I was His delight each day." And a day is not less than a thousand years, as it is stated (Psalms 90:4), "As a thousand years in Your eyes is like the day, yesterday." Upon what was it written before it was given? If upon silver and gold, gold and silver had not been created. Rather it was written on the forearm of the Holy One, blessed be He. And so every man [should] understand and fathom with his mind and his intelligence to contemplate the Torah day and night - as it is written (Joshua 1:8), "and you shall contemplate about it day and night" - and good deeds. And it is as the Sages said: The world is half guilty and half meritorious - if one comes and commit sins such that the sins outweigh the merits, it comes out that the world becomes guilty through him; but if the transgressions are of equal weight to the merits and one comes and performs one commandment, the merits will outweigh the transgressions. Happy is he who brings merit to the world! And if he has not learned as is fitting him, let him do his actions with faithfulness. Elihayu, may his memory be blessed, said, "I was once walking on the way and I found a man, and he was mocking me and taunting me. I said to him, 'What [can] you answer on the day of judgement, since you have not studied Torah.' He said, 'I have what to answer - it is [because of] the understanding and intelligence and heart that were not given to me from the Heavens.' I said to him, 'What is your craft?' He said to me, 'I am a trapper of birds and fish.' I said to him, 'Who gave you knowledge and heart to take flax and spin it and weave it to make traps, and to catch fish and birds with them and to sell them?' He said to me, 'It is the understanding and the knowledge that were given to me from the Heavens.' I said to him, 'To take flax and to weave and spin and catch fish and birds you were given understanding and intelligence; but to acquire the Torah, they were not given to you? Behold, it is written (Deuteronomy 30:14), "But the thing is very close to you, in your mouth and in your heart to do it."' [So] he immediately thought in his heart and raised his voice in crying. I said to him, 'My son, Let it not be bad to you, as all those that come to the world are rebuked once they come and are pulled away from Torah, as it is stated (Isaiah 19:9), "And embarrassed will be the workers of flax, the combers and weavers of holes."' And it is about him and those similar to him, and those that do like his deeds. And the last word is the fear of the Lord; and those that do it with faithfulness - his craft will be counted and he is fitting for life in the world to come.'"

(Exod. 10:21:) STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND TOWARD THE HEAVENS <THAT THERE MAY BE DARKNESS OVER THE LAND OF EGYPT>…. Where did the darkness come from? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree.³Tanh., Exod. 3:2; Exod. R. 14:2. R. Judah says: From the darkness above, as stated (in Ps. 18:12 [11]): HE MADE DARKNESS HIS HIDING PLACE. R. Nehemiah says: From the darkness of Gehinnom, as stated (in Job 10:22): A LAND OF UTTER DARKNESS, LIKE THE DARKNESS OF <THE SHADOW OF DEATH, WITHOUT ORDER>.⁴Cf. M. Pss. 18:16. R. Joshua ben Levi said: In three places we hear that a person makes known his teaching near to his death. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:20–21): <DID I NOT WRITE DOWN FOR YOU A THREE-FOLD⁵Heb.: shalishom. These cosonants(with different vowels) normally indicate an adverb meaning “three days ago” or simply “formerly.” The translation in the biblical context is uncertain but certainly contains the concept of three. The translation of the word here is that of the new JPS version. LORE…> TO MAKE KNOWN TO YOU FAITHFUL AND TRUE WORDS, IN ORDER FOR YOU TO ANSWER TRUE WORDS TO THOSE WHO SENT YOU? So also Solomon said (in Eccl. 12:13): <HERE IS> THE END OF THE MATTER WHEN EVERYTHING HAS BEEN HEARD: <FEAR GOD, KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, FOR THIS COMPRISES THE WHOLE PERSON. > What (in Job 10:22) is the meaning of THE SHADOW OF DEATH < WITHOUT ORDER>? When someone is in the shadow of death, he puts his teaching in order. R. Tanhuma bar Abba [said]: When one comes to pass away, his ministering angels say (Ps. 68:35 [34]) to him: ASCRIBE POWER TO GOD…. So also it says (in Ezek. 31:15): THUS SAYS THE LORD [GOD]: IN THE DAY THAT HE WENT DOWN TO SHEOL, <I CAUSED HIM TO MOURN; I COVERED HIM WITH THE DEEP>. Ergo (in Job 10:22): A LAND OF UTTER DARKNESS, LIKE THE DARKNESS OF <THE SHADOW OF DEATH, WITHOUT ORDER>. R. Judah says: With what are the wicked covered when they go down to Sheol?⁶Below, Numb. 1:1. With darkness. Hezekiah said: In the case of a vat, with what does one cover it? With a lid of earthenware, <i.e.,> of the same material.⁷Tanh., Exod. 3:2, and Exod. R. 14:2 identify Hezekiah as Hezekiah b. Rabbi. Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:8; Tanh., Lev. 8:5; Gen. R. 33:1; Lev. R. 27:1; and PRK 9:1 which attribute the parable to various authorities, all of whom bear the name Judah. Just as <the vat> is of earthenware, so one covers it with nothing but earthenware. So <also> it is with the wicked. What is written about them (in Is. 29:15): AND THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS…. And therefore the Holy One brings them down to Sheol, which is darkness, and covers them with the deep, for it <also> is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2): WITH DARKNESS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP. Here is the same darkness which came upon Egypt. It came from the midst of Gehinnom. And how thick was this darkness?⁸Exod. R. 14:1. Our masters have said: As thick as a denarius⁹A standard coin of gold or silver. Originally a Roman silver coin of 3.8 grams first minted in 268 BCE, its value varied from place to place and from age to age. In general a gold dinarius was worth twenty-four times that of a silver dinarius. of Gordianus {i.e., the name of a place}, EVEN (according to Exod. 10:21) A DARKNESS THAT CAN BE FELT.

(Exod. 10:21:) STRETCH OUT YOUR HAND TOWARD THE HEAVENS <THAT THERE MAY BE DARKNESS OVER THE LAND OF EGYPT>…. Where did the darkness come from? R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree.³Tanh., Exod. 3:2; Exod. R. 14:2. R. Judah says: From the darkness above, as stated (in Ps. 18:12 [11]): HE MADE DARKNESS HIS HIDING PLACE. R. Nehemiah says: From the darkness of Gehinnom, as stated (in Job 10:22): A LAND OF UTTER DARKNESS, LIKE THE DARKNESS OF <THE SHADOW OF DEATH, WITHOUT ORDER>.⁴Cf. M. Pss. 18:16. R. Joshua ben Levi said: In three places we hear that a person makes known his teaching near to his death. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:20–21): <DID I NOT WRITE DOWN FOR YOU A THREE-FOLD⁵Heb.: shalishom. These cosonants(with different vowels) normally indicate an adverb meaning “three days ago” or simply “formerly.” The translation in the biblical context is uncertain but certainly contains the concept of three. The translation of the word here is that of the new JPS version. LORE…> TO MAKE KNOWN TO YOU FAITHFUL AND TRUE WORDS, IN ORDER FOR YOU TO ANSWER TRUE WORDS TO THOSE WHO SENT YOU? So also Solomon said (in Eccl. 12:13): <HERE IS> THE END OF THE MATTER WHEN EVERYTHING HAS BEEN HEARD: <FEAR GOD, KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS, FOR THIS COMPRISES THE WHOLE PERSON. > What (in Job 10:22) is the meaning of THE SHADOW OF DEATH < WITHOUT ORDER>? When someone is in the shadow of death, he puts his teaching in order. R. Tanhuma bar Abba [said]: When one comes to pass away, his ministering angels say (Ps. 68:35 [34]) to him: ASCRIBE POWER TO GOD…. So also it says (in Ezek. 31:15): THUS SAYS THE LORD [GOD]: IN THE DAY THAT HE WENT DOWN TO SHEOL, <I CAUSED HIM TO MOURN; I COVERED HIM WITH THE DEEP>. Ergo (in Job 10:22): A LAND OF UTTER DARKNESS, LIKE THE DARKNESS OF <THE SHADOW OF DEATH, WITHOUT ORDER>. R. Judah says: With what are the wicked covered when they go down to Sheol?⁶Below, Numb. 1:1. With darkness. Hezekiah said: In the case of a vat, with what does one cover it? With a lid of earthenware, <i.e.,> of the same material.⁷Tanh., Exod. 3:2, and Exod. R. 14:2 identify Hezekiah as Hezekiah b. Rabbi. Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:8; Tanh., Lev. 8:5; Gen. R. 33:1; Lev. R. 27:1; and PRK 9:1 which attribute the parable to various authorities, all of whom bear the name Judah. Just as <the vat> is of earthenware, so one covers it with nothing but earthenware. So <also> it is with the wicked. What is written about them (in Is. 29:15): AND THEIR WORKS ARE IN DARKNESS…. And therefore the Holy One brings them down to Sheol, which is darkness, and covers them with the deep, for it <also> is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2): WITH DARKNESS UPON THE FACE OF THE DEEP. Here is the same darkness which came upon Egypt. It came from the midst of Gehinnom. And how thick was this darkness?⁸Exod. R. 14:1. Our masters have said: As thick as a denarius⁹A standard coin of gold or silver. Originally a Roman silver coin of 3.8 grams first minted in 268 BCE, its value varied from place to place and from age to age. In general a gold dinarius was worth twenty-four times that of a silver dinarius. of Gordianus {i.e., the name of a place}, EVEN (according to Exod. 10:21) A DARKNESS THAT CAN BE FELT.

(Lev. 25:25,35:) “And when your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property […]. And when your relative becomes poor, and his strength fails.” This text is related (to Prov. 22:22-23), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished […]. For the Lord shall plead their cause.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “’Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished,’ for I have made him impoverished. [Hence] whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his Maker. [It is] as if he is mocking at Me, as stated (in Prov. 17:5), ‘One who mocks a poor person reproaches his Maker […].’” What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished?” Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he does not have anything?¹¹Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹²PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, and you have reconsidered and said, “How long shall I provide for him,” and you [then] hold back from giving to him; if you do this, know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished”; but rather maintain him, because he has no other place [to turn]. (Ibid., cont.:) “And do not oppress the poor in the gate,” lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for the heavens also have a gate, as stated (in Gen. 28:17), “and this is the gate of the heavens.” (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” I am pleading [their cause] with you, because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting his charm¹³Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2), “Rich and poor meet; the Lord made them all.” Why? (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” Why so much? Because you are reducing his spirit (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.), “and he will despoil the ones who despoil them of life (nefesh).”

(Lev. 25:25,35:) “And when your relative becomes poor and sells some of his property […]. And when your relative becomes poor, and his strength fails.” This text is related (to Prov. 22:22-23), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished […]. For the Lord shall plead their cause.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “’Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished,’ for I have made him impoverished. [Hence] whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his Maker. [It is] as if he is mocking at Me, as stated (in Prov. 17:5), ‘One who mocks a poor person reproaches his Maker […].’” What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished?” Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he does not have anything?¹¹Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹²PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, and you have reconsidered and said, “How long shall I provide for him,” and you [then] hold back from giving to him; if you do this, know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished”; but rather maintain him, because he has no other place [to turn]. (Ibid., cont.:) “And do not oppress the poor in the gate,” lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for the heavens also have a gate, as stated (in Gen. 28:17), “and this is the gate of the heavens.” (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” I am pleading [their cause] with you, because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting his charm¹³Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2), “Rich and poor meet; the Lord made them all.” Why? (Prov. 22:23:) “For the Lord shall plead their cause.” Why so much? Because you are reducing his spirit (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.), “and he will despoil the ones who despoil them of life (nefesh).”

R. Joshua the son of Levi declared: We are informed by three verses that man should cause his learning to be heard (by others) at the time of his death. Where do we learn this? It is written: That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of death, that thou mightest bring back words of truth to them that send thee (Prov. 22:21). Similarly, Solomon declared: The end of the matter, all having been heard, fear God (Eccles. 12:13). And by the verse Shadow of death and without order (Job 10:22). When a man is about to enter the shadow of death, he must systematize his studies, for it is said: The shadow of death, without any order²That is, he should arrange his teachings so that others can learn from him. R. Tanhuma the son of Abba held: When a man is about to die, the ministering angels proclaim: “Give glory unto the Lord.” Hence, a land of thick darkness, as darkness itself (Job 10:22).

R. Jochanan (and according to others, R. Elazar), said: "The wife of a man does not die [frequently] unless he is requested to pay [his donation] and has not to pay, as it is said (Prov. 22, 27) If thou have nothing to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee?" R. Jochanan said again: "To him whose first wife dies, it is as if the Temple had been destroyed in his days, as it is said (Ezek. 24, 10) I will take away from thee the desire of thy eyes, etc., and (Ib.) And when I had spoken unto the people in the morning, my wife died at evening; and (Ib. 21) I will profane my sanctuary, the pride of your strength, the desire of your eyes." R. Alexandrai said: "To him whose wife dies, the world around him is dark, as it is said (Job 18, 6) The light becometh dark in his tent, and his lamp will be quenched above him." R. Jose b. Chanina said: Also his steps become shortened, as immediately it reads: The steps of his strength shall be narrowed. And R. Abahu said: "Also his advice is no more of use; as the end of the verse cited reads: And his own counsel shall cast him down." Rabba b. b. Chana said in the name of R. Jochanan: "Joining couples is as difficult as the dividing of the Red Sea, as it is said (Ps. 68, 7) God places those who are solitary in the midst of their families: He bringeth out those who are bound unto happiness. Do not read Motzi Assirim (bringeth out those who are bound), but read it K' motzi Assirim (like bringing out those who are bound). Do not read Bakosharoth (into happiness), but read B'chi V'shiruth (weeping and singing); i.e., at the Red Sea they wept first and then sang." Is this so? Has not R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "Forty days before the embryo is formed, a heavenly voice goes forth and says: 'This and that daughter to this and that son.'" This is not difficult to explain. The latter deals with the first marriage, and the former with the second marriage. R. Samuel b. Nachman said: "For everything there may be an exchange, but not for the wife of one's youth, as it is said (Is. 54, 6) And as a wife of one's youth that was rejected." R. Juda taught to his son, R. Isaac: "One can find pleasure only in his first wife, as it is said (Prov. 5, 18) Thy fountain will be blessed; and rejoice with the wife (Ib. b) of thy youth." "Whom do you mean?" his son asked, and he answered: "Your mother." Is that so? Did not R. Juda teach to R. Isaac his son (Ecc. 7, 26) And I find as more bitter than death the woman whose heart is snares and nets, etc? And the latter asked him: "Who, for an example?" He answered: "Like your mother." True, she was irascible, but was easily appeased with a word. R. Samuel b. Unya said in the name of Rab: "A woman [unmarried] is an unfinished vessel, and she makes a covenant with [cares for] none but him who made her a vessel; as it is said (Is. 54, 5) For thy husband is thy master," etc. There is a Baraitha; No one feels the death of a man more than his wife, and no one feels the death of a woman more than her hushaud. No one feels the death of a man more than his wife, as it is said (Ruth 1, 3) Thereupon died Elimelcch, Naomi's husband; and no one feels the death of a woman more than her husband, as it is said (Gen. 48, 7) And as for me, when I came from Padan, Rachel died by me.

(Ib. b) We are taught that R. Nathan says: "As a punishment for not fulfilling vows, the wife of the man dies, as it is said (Pr. 22, 27.) If thou have nothing to pay, why should He take away thy bed from under thee?" Rabbi says: "For the sins of [unfulfilled] vows children die when still young, as it is said (Ecc. 5, 5.) Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy body to sin, etc. Why should God be angry because of thy voice, and destroy the work of thy hand? We must say that this refers to the sons and the daughters of man." There is a difference of opinion between R. Chiya b. Abba and R. Jose; one said: "The sin of not having Mezuzoth is the cause of children's death," and the other said: "The sin of being remiss in the study of the Torah is the cause of children's death." The one who laid the affliction to the sin of Mezuzoth, holds that a passage can be connected with another one preceding it and thus explained, but not with a passage that comes before the preceding one; and the one that laid the affliction to the sin of being remiss in the study of the Torah, holds that passage can be connected even with one that comes before a preceding passage, and thus explained. There is also a difference of opinion between R. Meier and R. Juda. One said: "It (the death of children) is due to the sin of Mezuzoth," while the other said: "It is due to the sin of Tzitzith." It is right according to him who said it is due to the sin of Mezuzoth, for it is written (Deu. 11, 20.) And thou shalt write them upon the doorposts of thy house, and immediately following is written In order that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied; but according to the one who said it is due to the sin of Tzitzith, what is his reason? R. Cahana, and according to others, Shila Mari, said: "Because it is written (Jer. 2, 34.) Also on the end of thy skirts is found the blood of the souls of the innocent needy ones." R. Nachman b. Isaac said: "The one who says it was due to the sin of Mezuzoth, derives his opinion from this (Ib.) Not while breaking in (thy house) didst thou find them, i.e., making the doors like a breaking in (without a Mezuzah)."

As a punishment for the sin of lascivious talk, many oppressions and severe decrees are renewed, and the youth of Israel die, and orphans and widows cry and receive no answer as it is said (Is. 9, 16.) Therefore will the Lord have no joy in their young men, and on their fatherless children, and on their widows will he have no mercy; for every one is an hypocrite and an evil-doer, and every mouth speaketh scandalous words. For all this anger is not turned away, but His hand still remaineth stretched out. What is meant by And his hand still remaineth stretched out? R. Chanan b. Raba said: "Everybody knows why a bride enters the nuptial chamber, yet he who speaks about it with profane language, even if a divine decree granting seventy years of happiness were sealed for him. such decree would be changed to evil against him." Raba b. Shila in the name of R. Chisda said: "Whosoever defiles his mouth (by lascivious talk) has Gehenna made deeper for him; for it is said (Pr. 22, 14.) A deep pit for the mouth of strange words (immoral talk)." R. Nachman b. Isaac said: "Even he who but listens to such talk and remains silent will have the same punishment inflicted upon him; for it is said (Ib.) And he that is abhorred of the Lord shall fall therein." R. Oshia said: "He who makes himself free [from all other thoughts] devoting himself entirely to sin, shall have bruises and wounds spread upon him, as it is said (Ib. 20, 30.) The bruises of a wound are a means of cleansing for the evil. Moreover he will be punished with dropsy, for immediately following is said And stripes (will reach) the inner chamber of the body. R. Nachman b. Isaac said: "The sign of an evil act is dropsy."

But how did R. Mair study the Law from the mouth of Acher? Said Resh Lakish: "R. Mair based his action upon the following passage (Prov. 22, 17) Incline thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thy heart unto my knowledge. Said R. Chanina, from the following passage (Ps. 45, 11) Hearken, O daughter, and look and incline thy ear, and forget thine own people, and thy father's houses, etc. But do these passages not contradict each other? Nay, the latter refers to a young person, and the former to an adult who cannot distinguish between good and evil. When R. Dimi came, he said: "In the West (Land of Israel) they explained it thus: "R. Mair found a fig (in Acher), he ate the fig, and threw away the peel" (i.e., he picked out the good and threw away the bad teachings). Rabba b. Shila met Elijah and said to him: "What is the Holy One, praised be He! doing?" The latter answered him: "He has uttered doctrine in the name of all other Rabbis, but in the name of R. Mair He has not uttered." "Why so?" "Because he learned doctrine from the mouth of Acher." "Why?" asked R. Shila. "R. Mair found a pomegranate, ate its inside and cast away its husk." He answered him: "He (the Holy One) is at this moment saying: 'Mair, my son says thus: "At the time when men suffer, what does Shechina say? 'I am lighter than my head. I am lighter than my arm'" (i.e., I feel my head heavy — a euphemistic expression). If the Holy One, praised be He! is thus grieved when the blood of wicked men is shed, how much more when the blood of the righteous man is shed!"

2) "and the peret of your vineyard": (The taking of) peret obtains only with harvesting — whence they ruled: If he were harvesting, and in cutting the clusters, they became entangled in the leaves and fell to the ground and became peret (single grapes), these belong to the owner. If one left a basket under the vine while harvesting (so that any single grapes fall into it), he is robbing the poor (of their due). Of this it is written (Mishlei 22:28) "Do not remove the bound of yore."

“I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His fury” (Lamentations 3:1).
“I am the man” – Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina began: “Jeremiah took another scroll and gave it to Barukh son of Neriyahu, the scribe, and he wrote on it from the mouth of Jeremiah all the words of the book that Yehoyakim, king of Judah, had burned in the fire, and many more similar matters were also added to them” (Jeremiah 36:32). The verse need not have stated “similar.” Why does the verse state “similar”? Rav Kahana said: “Many more similar matters were also added to them”: “Matters” – “how does [the greatly crowded city] sit” (Lamentations 1:1), “how [the Lord] has clouded” (Lamentations 2:1), “how has [gold] tarnished” (Lamentations 4:1).¹Rav Kahana interprets “matters” to allude to chapters 1, 2, and 4 of Lamentations. “Many” – “remember, Lord” (Lamentations 5:1).²The word “many” alludes to chapter 5 of Lamentations. “Similar” – “I am the man,” which is three verses each.³In the third chapter of Lamentations there are three verses for each letter of the alphabet. That is what is written: “Did I not write it for you three times [shalishim]” (Proverbs 22:20) – words [organized] in a threefold manner. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: What is shalishim? It is mighty men, just as it says: “And shalishim over them all” (Exodus 14:7), and we translate it: “And mighty men were appointed over them all.”⁴The midrash is referencing Onkelos, an ancient Aramaic translation of the Torah. Alternatively: Shalishim – “I am the man” – as it is three verses each.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “I am the man” – it is I who is well versed in suffering, what is pleasing to You is pleasing for me.⁵This statement is an acceptance of God’s judgment despite being unable to understand the need for such intense suffering (Matnot Kehuna). Others explain differently such that this statement introduces the upcoming analogy, and interpret this line to mean: I have received benefit by having benefited You by accepting Your Torah. Accordingly, this line is bitter and sarcastic, as the speaker complains that the great suffering is due only to Israel’s acceptance of the Torah, which brought them a higher level of accountability than other nations (Etz Yosef). This is analogous to a king who became angry at the queen and shoved her and expelled her from the palace. She went and concealed her face behind a pillar.⁶She hoped to catch a glimpse of the king as he passed. The king was passing and saw her. He said to her: ‘You have been impudent.’ She said to him: ‘My lord the king, is this [treatment] appropriate for me, is this becoming for me, is this befitting of me? No woman accepted you other than me.’ He said to her: ‘It was I who disqualified all the women in favor of you.’ She said to him: ‘If so, why did you enter such and such alleyway, such and such courtyard, and such and such place? Was it not for such and such a woman, and she did not accept you?’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘You have been impudent.’ They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, is this appropriate for me, is this becoming for me, is this befitting of me? No other nation accepted Your Torah other than me.’ He said to them: ‘It is I who disqualified all the nations in favor of you.’ They said to Him: ‘If so, why did You offer the Torah to all the nations but they did not accept it?’ As it is taught: Initially, He revealed himself to the children of Esau; that is what is written: “He said: The Lord came from Sinai, and shone from Seir for them” (Deuteronomy 33:2),⁷Seir is the land of Esau; see Genesis 36:8. but they did not accept it. He offered it to the children of Ishmael, but they did not accept it; that is what is written: “He appeared from Mount Paran” (Deuteronomy 33:2).⁸Ishmael dwelled in Paran; see Genesis 21:21. Ultimately, He offered it to Israel and they accepted it, as it is written: “And He came from the holy myriads, from His right, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2), and it is written: “Everything that the Lord has spoken we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).
Another matter: “I am the man [hagever]” – Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It is I who is the man. I am Job, as it is stated: “Who is a man [gever] like Job, who drinks scoffing like water” (Job 34:7).
“Who has seen affliction [ani]” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: The congregation of Israel said: Since He saw me impoverished of mitzvot, impoverished of good deeds, He brought “the rod of His fury” upon me. Rabbi Berekhya said: He fortified me to withstand them all. What do you find written after the ninety-eight rebukes in the book of Deuteronomy?⁹See Deuteronomy 28:15–69. “You are standing today, all of you” (Deuteronomy 29:9), and we translate it: “You exist this day, all of you,” mighty to withstand them all.
“He conducted and led me in darkness and not light. Indeed, against me He will again turn His hand all day” (Lamentations 3:2–3).
“He conducted [and led] me” in this world, which is called “darkness and not light.” “Indeed, against me He will again turn His hand all day” – Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: This teaches that the Holy One blessed be He despairs of the righteous in this world, but then has mercy on them. That is what is written: “Indeed, against me He will again [turn His hand].”

(Fol. 30) Abaye said: "The word Asson (accident) is used in connection with human accidents (Ex. 21, 22), and also in connection with Heavenly accidents (Gen. 44, 20); i.e., just as the word Asson used in connection with human accidents stands for the acquittal of pecuniary compensations, so also does the word Asson, used in connection with Heavenly accidents stand for acquittal of pecuniary compensations." R. Adda b. Ahaha raised the following objection: "Whence do you know that Jacob warned his sons concerning cold and heat, which are the consequences of Heavenly accidents" [Hence infer your theory,] perhaps his (Jacob's) warning was against lions and thieves, which are the consequence of human accidents? [Hence you have no inference.] Did then Jacob confine his warning against this and not against that? Jacob surely warned them against everything. [Hence the inference is understood.] And is then cold and heat the consequence of Heavenly acts? Behold, we are taught that everything is in the power of Heaven (comes through no human fault) except [sickness due to] cold and heat, as it is said (Pr. 22, 5) Thorns and snares are in the way of the froward; he that keepeth his soul holdeth himself far from them. And again a lion and thieves are then the consequence of human acts? Behold R. Joseph said, and so was also R. Chiya taught: "Since the Temple was destroyed, although the court of the Sanhedrin has ceased, nevertheless the punishment of four kinds of death described in the Scriptures did did not cease." How can you say that it has not ceased when we see that they are indeed abolished? We must therefore say that it refers to the Divine Judgment taking the place of the form of capital punishment has not ceased; for he who is liable to be stoned finds his death by falling down from a roof or by being trodden down by a wild beast, which equals stoning; he who is liable to be burned finds likewise his death by fire or by the bite of a snake; he who is liable to be slain by the sword falls either into the hand of the government, [where he is slain,] or [he meets his death] by murderers; and he who ought to be hung finds his death either by drowning in the river, or by diphtheria. [Hence a murderer is not liable to the bite of a snake?] We must therefore reverse the above; namely, the accidents of lions or thieves are the result of Heaven, while cold and heat are the results due to human neglect.

(Numb. 34:1–2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Command the Children of Israel [and say unto them], “When you come into the Land of Canaan, [this is the land]....”’” [“This is the land”]⁶These words occur also in Deut. 34:4 (cited below). The midrash, therefore, interprets the two passages together. What follows in Numb. 34:3ff. describes what Israel is about to receive, while Deut. 34:4 (cited below) speaks of the promise to Israel’s future seed and adds that Moses shall see it. teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed Moses all that had been and all that was going to be.⁷Numb. R. 23:5. He showed him Samson arising from Dan, and Barak [arising] from Naphtali. So also it was for every generation with its expounders, every generation with its leaders,⁸Gk.: pronoos. every generation with its sages, every generation with its wicked, every generation with its righteous, as stated (in Deut. 34:4,) “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob....” [This] teaches that He showed him gehinnom. Moshe said in front of Him, “Master of the world, who is sentenced to it?” He said to him, “The wicked and those that rebel against Me, as stated (in Is. 66:24), “And they went out and saw the corpses of the people....” Moshe began to fear. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (as in Deut. 34:4), “I have shown it to your eyes, but you will not pass there.” And what is the meaning of “This is the land which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying?” [The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses,] “The oath that I swore to them I have fulfilled for their children.” It is therefore stated (in Deut. 34:4), “saying.”⁹The Hebrew here can imply the giving of one’s solemn word. (Numbers 34:2:) “This is the land that shall fall to you as your portion.” And does the land fall? But is it not written (in Eccl. 1:4), “but the land stands forever?” It is simply that when the spies came and put out slander on the land and said (in Numb. 13:33), “And we saw the Nephilim there,” and they said (in Numb. 12:31), “it is stronger than us,” Moshe got angry. [Then] all of Israel said, “Moses, our teacher, if these spies were two [or] three, it would be correct for us to trust [them], as stated (Deut. 17:6), ‘By the testimony of two witnesses....’ And behold, they are ten, (as in Deut. 1:28), ‘To where shall we go up?’” As it were, [they were complaining that] the Master of the house is not able to remove his vessels (the inhabitants) from there. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He took the ministering angel of the land and bound him and put him down in front of them, as stated (Deut. 1:21), “See the Lord, your God, has placed in front of you....” And was [the land] in front of them? It is simply that He put down its ministering angel. And He said to them (in Deut. 1:21, cont.), “Go up and possess..., do not fear and do not tremble,” not from the Nephilim and not from the people that [you say] are bigger and more numerous than us. (Ezek. 45:1:) “When you allot the land as an inheritance....” This text is related (to Psalms 16:6), “Portions of land fell to me in pleasantness, even a beautiful inheritance for me.” “Portions of land fell to me.” These are the twelve tribes, since the land was divided to the twelve tribes, as stated (in Ezek. 47:13), “Thus said the Lord God, ‘These shall be the boundaries of the land that you shall allot to the twelve tribes of Israel.’” “In pleasantness,” in the merit of the Torah, about which it is stated (in Prov. 22:18), “As it is pleasant that you should store them in your belly....” “Even a beautiful inheritance for me.” There is a man who is handsome but his clothing is ugly, and one is ugly but his clothing handsome. But Israel is not like this. They are handsome and their clothing is handsome. They adorn the land and the Land of Israel adorns them. Hence it is stated (in Ps. 16:6), “Even a beautiful inheritance for me.” And so too is it stated (in Job 29:14), “I clothed myself in righteousness and it clothed me.”

“The king said to the wise men, those knowledgeable about the times, for so was the practice of the king before those learned in custom and law” (Esther 1:13).
Who were they? Rabbi Simon said: This is the tribe of Issachar; that is what is written: “From the children of Issachar, possessors of understanding of the times, to know what Israel should do; [their leaders were two hundred, and all their brethren were at their command]” (I Chronicles 12:33). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: For the [times of] festivals. Rabbi Yosei bar Kotzrat said: For intercalations.¹Determining whether to add a month to the Hebrew calendar in order to keep it synchronized with the solar year. “To know what Israel should do” – that they knew how to cure kiros [lesions]. “Their leaders were two hundred” – these are the two hundred heads of the Sanhedrin that the tribe of Issachar produced. “And all their brethren were at their command” – and everyone agreed that the halakha was in accordance with their opinion as though it were a halakha transmitted to Moses from Sinai.
That wicked one [Aḥashverosh] said to them [his wise men]: ‘Since I decreed that Vashti should enter [the banquet] naked and she did not enter, what is her sentence?’ They said to him: ‘Our master the king, when we were in our homeland, we would consult with the Urim veTumim. Now, we are itinerant,’ and they read this verse before him: “Moav has been tranquil from its youth, and he is settled on his sediments, and was not emptied from vessel to vessel, and into exile he did not go; therefore, his taste has remained in him, and his scent has not dissipated” (Jeremiah 48:11).
“Those close to him [i.e. the relatives for him] were Karshena, Shetar, Admata, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memukhan, the seven princes of Persia and Media who viewed the face of the king, who were seated first in the kingdom” (Esther 1:14).
He [Aḥashverosh] said to them [the wise men for Issachar]: ‘Are there any of them [the Moabites mentioned in the verse above] here?’ They said to him: ‘Their relatives, that is what is stated: “Those close to him [i.e. the relatives for him] were Karshena, Shetar, Admata, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memukhan, the seven princes of Persia and…”’ (Esther 1:14).²The midrash does not read verse 13 as the direct continuation of verse 13. Rather, in verse 13, the king turns to the wise men, who are members of the tribe of Issachar according to the midrash. He asks them about people from Moav, and they tell him that the seven wise men listed in verse 14 are all related, and descendants of Moav.
“A righteous person is delivered from trouble, and a wicked one comes in his stead.” (Proverbs 11:8) “A righteous person is delivered from trouble” – that is the tribe of Issachar. “And a wicked one comes in his stead” – these are the seven princes of Persia and Media.
Alternatively: “Those close to him” – it is written: “The mouth of a hypocrite destroys his neighbor, but with knowledge, the just will be delivered” (Proverbs 11:9). “The mouth of a hypocrite destroys his neighbor” – these are the seven princes of Persia and Media; “but with knowledge, the just will be delivered” – that is the role of Issachar.
Alternatively: “Those close to him” – it is written: “A wise man fears and turns away from evil, but the fool becomes enraged and confident” (Proverbs 14:16). “A wise man fears and turns away from evil” – that is the tribe of Issachar; “but the fool becomes enraged and confident” – these are the seven princes of Persia and Media.
Alternatively, “those close to him” – it is written: “The clever one sees evil and hides, but the naive pass and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3). “The clever one sees evil and hides” – that is the tribe of Issachar; “but the naive pass and are punished” – these are the seven princes of Persia and Media.

(Fol. 38.) R. Chama b. Chanina said: "Moses became rich of nothing else than from the chips of the tablets, as it is said (Ex. 34, 1) Hew thee out; i.e., their chips be thine." R. Josa b. Chanina said: "In the very beginning the Torah was given to no one except to Moses and his children, as it is said (Ib. 27) Write thee down and hew thee down; i.e., just us the chips be thine so also shall the writing (the Torah) be yours. Moses, however, was liberal with the Law and gave it to Israel. Concerning him the passage reads (Pr. 22, 9) A man of a benevolent eye will indeed be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor." Raba raised the following objection (Deut. 4, 14) And me did the Lord command at that time to teach you, statutes and ordinances. Hence it shows that the Torah was given unto Israel. This means, He commanded me, and I gave it to you. But again it is written (Ib. 5) See I have taught you statutes and ordinances, just as the Lord my God commanded me. This also means as the Lord commanded me and I taught to you. But again it is written (Ib. 31, 19) Now therefore write ye for yourselves this song, (hence it was given unto Israel). This refers merely to the song he gave. But again it is written in the same passage. In order that the song may become a witness against Me for the children of Israel, hence it was given to the children of Israel? We must therefore say R. Chisda's tradition refers merely to the argumentive deductions.

(Lev. 25:25:) WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY < …. > This text is related (to Prov. 22:22–23): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED…; FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE…. The Holy One said to Israel: Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished, for I have made him impoverished, and whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his maker.¹²Tanh., Lev. 9:2. < It is > as if he is mocking at me. It is so stated (in Prov. 17:5): ONE WHO MOCKS A POOR PERSON REPROACHES HIS MAKER. What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED? Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he is impoverished?¹³Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹⁴PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, < if > you have reconsidered and said: How long do I supply him? and < if > you are holding back from giving to him; know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED < BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED >; but maintain him, because there is no other place for him. (Ibid., cont.:) AND DO NOT OPPRESS THE POOR IN THE GATE, lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for they (i.e., the heavens) are also called a gate, where it is stated (in Gen. 28:17): < THIS IS NOTHING BUT THE ABODE OF GOD, > AND THIS ISA GATE, THE HEAVENS.¹⁵Such is the interpretation of the midrash. Cf. the more traditional 1985 JPS translation: AND THAT (i.e., Jacob’s ladder) IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN. (Prov. 22:23): FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. I am pleading < their cause > with you,¹⁶This expansion comes from the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 2. because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting my charm¹⁷Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2): RICH AND POOR MEET; THE LORD MADE THEM ALL. Why? (Prov. 22:23:) FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. Why? Because you are reducing his livelihood (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.): AND HE WILL ROB THE ONES WHO ROB THEM OF LIFE (nefesh).

(Lev. 25:25:) WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY < …. > This text is related (to Prov. 22:22–23): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED…; FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE…. The Holy One said to Israel: Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished, for I have made him impoverished, and whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his maker.¹²Tanh., Lev. 9:2. < It is > as if he is mocking at me. It is so stated (in Prov. 17:5): ONE WHO MOCKS A POOR PERSON REPROACHES HIS MAKER. What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED? Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he is impoverished?¹³Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹⁴PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, < if > you have reconsidered and said: How long do I supply him? and < if > you are holding back from giving to him; know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED < BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED >; but maintain him, because there is no other place for him. (Ibid., cont.:) AND DO NOT OPPRESS THE POOR IN THE GATE, lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for they (i.e., the heavens) are also called a gate, where it is stated (in Gen. 28:17): < THIS IS NOTHING BUT THE ABODE OF GOD, > AND THIS ISA GATE, THE HEAVENS.¹⁵Such is the interpretation of the midrash. Cf. the more traditional 1985 JPS translation: AND THAT (i.e., Jacob’s ladder) IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN. (Prov. 22:23): FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. I am pleading < their cause > with you,¹⁶This expansion comes from the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 2. because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting my charm¹⁷Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2): RICH AND POOR MEET; THE LORD MADE THEM ALL. Why? (Prov. 22:23:) FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. Why? Because you are reducing his livelihood (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.): AND HE WILL ROB THE ONES WHO ROB THEM OF LIFE (nefesh).

(Lev. 25:25:) WHEN YOUR RELATIVE BECOMES POOR AND SELLS SOME OF HIS PROPERTY < …. > This text is related (to Prov. 22:22–23): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED…; FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE…. The Holy One said to Israel: Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished, for I have made him impoverished, and whoever robs him or mocks at him reproaches his maker.¹²Tanh., Lev. 9:2. < It is > as if he is mocking at me. It is so stated (in Prov. 17:5): ONE WHO MOCKS A POOR PERSON REPROACHES HIS MAKER. What is the meaning of (Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED? Is there someone robbing the impoverished? Of what does he rob him, when he is impoverished?¹³Cf. Numb. R. 5:2. It is simply that, if you are accustomed to maintaining¹⁴PRNS. Cf. the Gk.: pronoein (“to plan ahead”). him, < if > you have reconsidered and said: How long do I supply him? and < if > you are holding back from giving to him; know that you are robbing him. Ergo (in Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED < BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED >; but maintain him, because there is no other place for him. (Ibid., cont.:) AND DO NOT OPPRESS THE POOR IN THE GATE, lest I stop up the heavens because of you; for they (i.e., the heavens) are also called a gate, where it is stated (in Gen. 28:17): < THIS IS NOTHING BUT THE ABODE OF GOD, > AND THIS ISA GATE, THE HEAVENS.¹⁵Such is the interpretation of the midrash. Cf. the more traditional 1985 JPS translation: AND THAT (i.e., Jacob’s ladder) IS THE GATEWAY TO HEAVEN. (Prov. 22:23): FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. I am pleading < their cause > with you,¹⁶This expansion comes from the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 2. because I made him poor and you rich. I am inverting my charm¹⁷Gk.: magganon. and will make him rich and you poor. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 22:2): RICH AND POOR MEET; THE LORD MADE THEM ALL. Why? (Prov. 22:23:) FOR THE LORD SHALL PLEAD THEIR CAUSE. Why? Because you are reducing his livelihood (nefesh), if you do not maintain him. Therefore (ibid., cont.): AND HE WILL ROB THE ONES WHO ROB THEM OF LIFE (nefesh).

Come and learn that the glory of the Holy One, blessed be He, extends from earth to heaven. When a man erects a reception hall, his height is equal to half its length and half its breadth, but the height of heaven is only half God’s height and half God’s breadth. Indeed, He is the height of the entire firmament, as it is said: Is not God in the height of the heaven? And behold the topmost stars, how high they are (Job 22:12).

... Another explanation. “And all the work that king Solomon had wrought in the house of the Lord was finished.” (Melachim I 7:51) What does ‘all the work’ mean? It was built by itself, rising and floating up – thus it does not say when the house was built, but rather “And the house, when it was in building…” (Melachim I 6:7) “…was built of stone finished at the quarry (masa)…” (ibid.) What does ‘finished at the quarry’ (masa nivne) mean? R’ Brechia said: the stone picked itself up (nosah atzma), rose up and was built by itself. This is what Shlomo said in his song “I have surely built You a house to dwell in…” (Melachim I 8:13) He says ‘I have surely built’, meaning ‘I built a building and the stones rose up and flew into place themselves’. If you are shocked that the Holy One would do such a thing for a single righteous person, “And a stone was brought and placed on the mouth of the pit…” (Daniel 6:18) And where did they get a rock in Bavel? Our Rabbis said that it rolled all the way from the land of Israel and came in an instant. So if the Holy One did such a thing for flesh and blood, are you surprised that He would do so for the building of a house to the Holy One?

R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: R. Jonathan declared: Every judge who renders a just verdict causes the Shekhinah to hover over Israel, as it is said: God standeth in the congregation of God. But every judge who renders an unjust verdict causes the Shekhinah to depart, as it is said: For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, now will I arise, saith the Lord (Ps. 12:6). R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said: From every judge who takes money from one and gives it to another unjustly, the Holy One, blessed be He, takes the soul away, as it is said: Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause (Prov. 22:22).

R. Chama b. Chanina said: "As soon as a man is married his sins stop accusing him, for it is said (Pr. 18, 22) Whoso has found a wife has found happiness, and has obtained favor from the Lord." In the land of Israel, when a man married he was called Matza (found), or Motzay (find); i.e., matza, as it is written (Pr. 18, 22) Whoso hath found (matza) a wife hath found happiness; motzay, as it is written (Ecc. 7, 26) And I find (Motzay) the woman more bitter than death. Raba said: "It is meritorious to divorce a bad wife, as it is written (Pr. 22, 10) Drive away the scorner, and strife will go off; and then will cease contention and dishonor." Raba said further: "Tzara (rival woman) at her side [is a good remedy] for a bad wife with a large endowment; for people say: 'By her rival she (the bad wife) is more effectively corrected than by thorns.' " Raba said further: "A bad wife is as distasteful as a rainy day, as the passage reads (Ib. 27, 15) A continual dropping on a very rainy day and a contentious woman are alike." Raba said further: "Come and see how beneficial a good wife is and how evil a bad wife is! How beneficial a good wife is, as it is written (Pr. 18, 22) Whoso hath found a wife hath found happiness. If we take this literally then we can say, How beneficial is a good wife that the passage praises her; and if the above passage refers to the Torah, [then we can say,] How beneficial is a good wife that the Torah is likened unto her! How evil is a bad wife, as it is written (Ecc. 7, 26) And I find the woman more bitter than death. If we take the passage literally then we can say, How evil is a bad wife that the passage rephehends her; and if the passage refers to Gehenna, then [we can say,] O how evil is a bad wife that Gehenna is likened to her!" (Jer. 11, 11) Behold, I will bring an evil upon them, from which they shall not be able to rid themselves. Rabba b. Abahu said: "This refers to a bad wife who has a large Kethuba." (Lam. 1, 14) The Lord hath given me up into the hands of those against whom I am not able to rise up. Mar Ukha b. Chiya said: "This refers to a bad wife with a large Kethuba." In the land of Israel it was explained that it refers to one whose livelihood depends on his money, [one who has to depend upon food speculators.]

(Exod. 19:1:) ON THE THIRD (ShLYShY) NEW MOON.²²PRK 12:12. This text is related (to Prov. 22:20): DID I NOT WRITE DOWN FOR YOU A THREEFOLD LORE (ShLYShY)²³Although the meaning of this word in the biblical context is uncertain, in the context of this midrash the word alludes to the threefold division of Scripture. ON COUNSELS < AND KNOWLEDGE>? If you want to get counsel, get it from the Torah. David said: When I wanted to get counsel, I got it from the Torah, as stated (in Ps. 119:15): I WILL MEDITATE ON YOUR STATUTES…. Ben Zoma says: What is written (in Exod. 19:1)? ON THE THIRD NEW MOON <AFTER THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL HAD LEFT THE LAND OF EGYPT, ON THIS DAY THEY CAME TO THE DESERT OF SINAI. > "On that day" [is not written here, but ON THIS DAY,] as though ON THIS DAY (i.e., today) THEY CAME TO THE DESERT OF SINAI, < namely, > on every day that you are busy at Torah. Ergo, < Scripture > speaks as though on this day I received it from Sinai. Thus it says (in Deut. 26:16): THIS DAY THE LORD YOUR GOD IS COMMANDING YOU TO PERFORM THESE STATUTES….

R. Joshua b. Levi said also: "A cup of blessing should not be given except to one who has a gracious eye, as it is said (Pr. 22, 9) A man of benevolent eye will indeed be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor. Do not read Yevoroch (be blessed), but read it Yevaroch (should recite the blessing)." R. Joshua b. Levi said also: "Whence do we know that even the fowls of heaven recognize one of an ungracious eye [and refuse to partake of his food?] It is said (Ib. 1, 17) For in vain is the net spread out before the eyes of every winged bird." R. Joshua b. Levi said further: "Whoever enjoys things of one of a malevolent eye, transgresses a negative commandment, of the following passage (Ib. 23, 6) Eat not the bread of a man with an evil eye… . for as though there were a division in his soul, so doth he act, etc." R. Nachman b. Isaac said: "Such a man transgresses two negative commandments, for it is said, Do not eat, and do not desire." R. Joshua b. Levi said further: "The breaking of the neck of a heifer [mentioned Deut. 21, 4] is for none else than for a malignant eye, as it is said [Ib., ib. 7) And they [the elders of the court] shall commance and say, 'Our hands have not shed this blood and our eyes have not seen it.' Is it possible to think that the elders of the court are murderers? We must therefore say that they mean by it that he did not come to us, and we sent him away, nor did we see him and we left him; i.e., he did not come to us and we sent him away without provision, nor did we see him and left him without an escort."

7) "shall you leave": before them. Leave grain in its stalk; fenugrec, in its spike; dates in their "broom." I might think (that the stalks are peah) even if the wind dispersed them; it is, therefore, written "them" (and not their dispersed stalks). If he set them aside (as peah, in their stalks), and then the wind dispersed them, then just as they (the poor) have acquired them, they have acquired their stalks. Whence is it derived that a possibility (safek) that something might be leket is leket, and that safek shikchah is shikchah, and safek peah is peah? From "to the poor man and to the stranger shall you leave them" (even a "possibility" of them). "I am the L–rd your G d" (elokeichem) ("elokim is a judge). I exact of you "souls" in payment, as it is written (Mishlei 22:22 and Mishlei 22:23) "Do not rob the needy one because he is needy, nor oppress the poor man in the gate. For the L–rd will take up their quarrel and He will rob their robbers of (their) soul."

7) "shall you leave": before them. Leave grain in its stalk; fenugrec, in its spike; dates in their "broom." I might think (that the stalks are peah) even if the wind dispersed them; it is, therefore, written "them" (and not their dispersed stalks). If he set them aside (as peah, in their stalks), and then the wind dispersed them, then just as they (the poor) have acquired them, they have acquired their stalks. Whence is it derived that a possibility (safek) that something might be leket is leket, and that safek shikchah is shikchah, and safek peah is peah? From "to the poor man and to the stranger shall you leave them" (even a "possibility" of them). "I am the L–rd your G d" (elokeichem) ("elokim is a judge). I exact of you "souls" in payment, as it is written (Mishlei 22:22 and Mishlei 22:23) "Do not rob the needy one because he is needy, nor oppress the poor man in the gate. For the L–rd will take up their quarrel and He will rob their robbers of (their) soul."

The opinion that Satan denounces any man who dwells in a dilapidated house, and that his account book is opened when he does so, is derived from the Mishnah.⁸Y. Nedarim 1:36d, Y. Shabbat 11:5b. How do we know about the man who vows and does not pay? It is written in Scripture: When thou shall vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it (Deut. 23:22), and it is written elsewhere: It is a snare to a man rashly to say: “Holy,” and after vows to make inquiry (Prov. 20:25). The words after vows to make inquiry signify that a man’s account book is opened and that angels testify against him by enumerating his sins. R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: Everyone who borrows and fails to repay brings about the death of his wife, as it is said: If thou hast not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? (ibid. 22:27). Moses warned Israel about this, as is written: When thou shalt vow a vow unto the Lord thy God, thou shalt not be slack to pay it; for the Lord thy God will surely require it of thee (Deut. 23:22). Why is the word require repeated in this verse (i.e., written in the intensive form, darash yidreshenu)? It teaches us that He will require (i.e. inquire) of him with regard to what he has borrowed, and He will (also) require concerning his other sins, as it says: And after vows to make inquiry (Prov. 20:25).

R. Yannai asserted: The account book of the man who makes a vow which he fails to fulfill is examined in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He. He asks: Where is that person who made a vow on a certain day? Observe that it is written concerning the time that Jacob went to Aram-naharaim: And Jacob vowed a vow, saying: “If God be with me” (Gen. 28:20). At first He granted his every request. He went there and became wealthy, but when he returned without fulfilling his vow, He turned Esau against him, and Esau sought to kill him. And though Esau took the two hundred she-goats from him, Jacob did not trouble to perform his vow. Whereupon He turned the angel against him and they wrestled together, but still he did not take note, as it is said: And Jacob was left alone; and there wrestled a man with him (ibid. 32:26). It was Samael, Esau’s guardian angel, who wanted to kill him, as is said: When he saw that he prevailed not against him, he touched the hollow of his thigh (ibid., v. 27). When he still was not persuaded to fulfill his vow, the anguish occasioned by Dinah’s experience befell him, as is said: And Dinah went out. When he continued to refrain from carrying out his vow, the tragedy of Rachel’s death occurred, as it is said And Rachel died and was buried (ibid. 35:19). This confirms the opinion of R. Samuel the son of Nahman that one who vows and fails to fulfill his vow brings about the death of his wife, as it is said: If thou hast not wherewith to pay, why should he take away thy bed from under thee? (Prov. 22:27).

Another explanation: "This commandment etc... is not in heaven." Moses said to them, "Do not say that another Moses stood and brought to us a different Torah from the Heavens, I already informed you all that it is not in Heaven, nothing of it remains in the Heavens." Another explanation: Rabbi Chanina said, It (the Torah) and all the vessels of belief in It were given; "its' humility, its' justice, its' integrity, and the gift of its' reward. Another possibility: What does, "It is not in Heaven" mean? Shmuel said, The Torah was not commanded in astrological signs since belief in them is in the heavens. They said to Shmuel, but hey, aren't you an astrologer and also great in Torah? He said to them, I only look at the astrological signs when I am free from the Torah. When is that? When I enter the bathhouse. Another possibility, "It is not in Heaven." They said to Moses our Teacher, but hey, you said to us, "It's not in Heaven, it's not on the other side of the sea, but where is it? he said to them, in the place that is close, in your mouths, and in your hearts to do it, it is not from from you, it is close to you all. Another possibility, "In your mouths and in your hearts to do it." The Rabbis said, Shlomo said seven things about the lazy person, but what Moses said was greater than all of them. What did they say to the lazy person? Your rabbi in the city goes and learns Torah from us? But he argued with them and responded. I am afraid from the lion on the way. From where is this learned? (Proverbs 26:13) A lazy man says, “There’s a cub on the road" They said to him, "But hey, your rabbi in the country stands and goes with him." He replied to them, "I'm afraid that there will not be a lion in the street, for it says,"a lion in the street"(proverbs 26:13) They said to him, "But hey, the lazy one lives with/in your house. He said to them, "And the lion is outside. They said to him, "Inside the house, he replied to them and said, (what happens) if I am walking and find the door locked, I return and come? They said to him, it is open, and from where do you know that

And thus did Solomon say (I Kings 3:9) "And give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people… for who can judge this 'heavy' people of Yours!" Is it possible that Solomon could not judge Israel, Solomon of whom it is written (Ibid. 5;10-11) "And the wisdom of Solomon was greater than that of all the people of the east and all the wisdom of Egypt. And he was wiser than all men, than Ethan the Ezrachite, and Heiman and Chalkol and Darda, the sons of Machol. And his fame spread to all the people around him" — and he could not judge them! — This is what he said to them. I am not like all the other judges. A Canaanite judge sits on his platform, sentencing one to the sword, strangulation, burning, or stoning, as if nothing had happened. And if he imposes a fine of a sela, he (himself) takes two; two — he takes three; a dinar — he takes a maneh. It is not so with me. If I have (wrongfully) imposed a money fine, He claims "lives"! And thus is it written (Proverbs 22:22) "Rob not the poor man because he is poor, and afflict not the pauper in the gate (of judgment). For the L-rd will fight their battle, and He will rob the soul of their robbers!"

(Deut. 7, 15) And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness. Rab said: "This refers to an evil eye." And Rab believed this theory, as it happened once that he was at the cemetery, and after doing some research work he said: "I see that ninetynine of the dead were killed by an evil eye, and only one died a natural death." But Samuel said: "All sickness is from the air,"' for Samuel believes in the theory that every sickness and death is caused by the air. But are there not some that were killed by the government? If not for the air, a medicine could be prepared that would restore those also." R. Rose b. Chanina said: "This refers to sanitary conditions, for the master said that it is healthy if the filth of the nose and the filth of the ears are discharged in small quantity; but, in large quantity it is unhealthy." Raba, however, said that that passage refers to a cold; for Raba said everything is in the power of Heaven (comes through no human fault) except sickness from cold, draft and heat, as it is said (Pr. 22, 5) Thorns and snares are on the way of a perverse man; He that, etc. R. Eliezer said it refers to the gall; and so also have we been taught in a Baraitha: The word Machla refers to the gall. And why is it called Machla? Because it makes the whole body of man sick. According to others it is called Machla, because there are eightythree kinds of sicknesses of which the cause is only the gall, and all these sicknesses can be avoided by consuming bread with salt and a pitcher of water early in the morning.

In the third month (Exod. 19:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Have I not written unto thee excellent things (shilshom) of counsels and knowledge (Prov. 22:20). R. Joshua the son of R. Nehemiah said: This verse refers to the Torah, the letters of which are in groups of three (shaloshim): alef, bet, gimel, etc. In fact, everything is in groups of three. The Scripture is made up of three sections: Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings); the Talmud is in three parts: Mishnah, Halakhah, and Aggadah, (God’s) agents were three: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses; prayers are recited three times; evening, morning, and noon; the sanctification is three-fold; “holy, holy, holy”; Israel is composed of three groups, the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites; the letters of Moses’ name are three, and the letters in the name of the tribe of Levi are three; the progenitors of Israel were three; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the months are arranged in groups of three, Nisan, Iyar, and Sivan, etc.; the letters in the word Sinai are three, as it is said: And were come to the wilderness of Sinai (Exod. 19:2); and in three days they made themselves holy, as it is said: And be ready against the third day (ibid., v. 11).

In the third month (Exod. 19:1). Scripture says elsewhere in allusion to this verse: Have I not written unto thee excellent things (shilshom) of counsels and knowledge (Prov. 22:20). R. Joshua the son of R. Nehemiah said: This verse refers to the Torah, the letters of which are in groups of three (shaloshim): alef, bet, gimel, etc. In fact, everything is in groups of three. The Scripture is made up of three sections: Torah, Nevi’im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings); the Talmud is in three parts: Mishnah, Halakhah, and Aggadah, (God’s) agents were three: Miriam, Aaron, and Moses; prayers are recited three times; evening, morning, and noon; the sanctification is three-fold; “holy, holy, holy”; Israel is composed of three groups, the priests, the Levites, and the Israelites; the letters of Moses’ name are three, and the letters in the name of the tribe of Levi are three; the progenitors of Israel were three; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; the months are arranged in groups of three, Nisan, Iyar, and Sivan, etc.; the letters in the word Sinai are three, as it is said: And were come to the wilderness of Sinai (Exod. 19:2); and in three days they made themselves holy, as it is said: And be ready against the third day (ibid., v. 11).

And God appeared unto Jacob again, when he came from Padan-aram (Gen. 35:9). May it please our master to teach us: What is the punishment meted out to one who does not permit the poor to glean from his field? Thus do our masters teach us: One who does not allow the poor to glean from his field, or permits one and not another, or assists one of them at the time of reaping or harvesting, is considered guilty of robbing the poor. Concerning this it is said: Remove not the landmark of old ('olam) (Prov. 22:28). This should be read as “landmark of the poor” (olim).

R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "They wanted to count one king more; and the appearance of his father's face came and spread itself before them, but they did not care. And then a fire from heaven came and charred the benches on which they were sitting, still they did not care. Then a heavenly voice said to them (Prov. 22, 29) 'Seest thou a man that is diligent in His work. He shall stand before kings, but He shall not stand before mean men. He built My house first and then his house; but not only this, he has built My house during seven years and his house during thirteen years. Should he have such [bad] luck?' And still they did not care. Then came another heavenly voice (Job 34, 33) Shall His recompense be as thou wilt? For thou loathest it; so that thou must choose, and not I." However, those who interpret the Torah metaphorically, say that all of them have a share in the world to come, as it is said (Ps. 60, 9) Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the defence of my head, Judah is my sceptre, Moab is my washpot; upon Edom do I cast my shoe; i.e., Gilead is mine, refers to Achab, who fell in Ramoth Gilead. Manasseh — literally, Ephraim the stronghold of my head, refers to Jeroboam, who was a descendant of the tribe of Ephraim; Juda are my chiefs, refers to Achitophel (Fol. 105) who was of the tribe of Juda. Moab my washpot, refers to Gechazi, who was beaten because of the business of washing. Upon Edom do I cast my shoe, refers to Doeg, the Edomite. Philistia, cry aloud because of me. The ministering angels said before the Holy One, praised be He!: "Sovereign of the Universe, if David, who has killed the Philistines, would come before Thee and would complain about that which Doeg and Achitophel shared in the world to come, what wilst Thou say to him?" And he answered: "It is for Me to make them friends."

What is written about one who takes interest? He that hath given forth upon interest, and hath taken increase; shall he then live? He shall not live (Exod. 18:13). This may be compared to a king who makes his treasures available to a certain individual who later begins to oppress the poor, kill the widows, embarrass the needy, despoil the naked, do violence and theft, indulge in falsehood, and squander the king’s treasures. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, opens His treasure to the wealthy, with all that He possesses in it, as it is said: Mine is the silver, and Mine the gold (Hag. 2:8). Then the rich man begins to loan money on interest. And he starts to taunt the widows and oppress them with interest, to embarrass the poor, and to humiliate the naked who seek charity from him, even though the Holy One, blessed be He, had declared: Whoso mocketh the poor blasphemeth his Maker (Prov. 17:5). If a man’s neighbor is in debt to him for a hundred zuzim, he beats him, strips him, does violence to him, steals from him, and destroys the pledges he entrusted to him. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, says: Woe to thee that spoilest, and thou was not spoiled; and dealest treacherously, and they dealt not treacherously with thee! When thou hast ceased to spoil, thou shalt be spoiled (Isa. 33:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, gave him wealth from His treasure house, which was a treasure house of truth, and he made it into a treasure house of falsehood, as it is said: Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies, for thou didst trust (Hos. 10:13). Hence, when the whirlwind passeth, the wicked is not more (Prov. 10:25). And that is why Solomon proclaimed: Rob not the weak, because he is weak, neither crush the poor in the gate; for the Lord will plead their cause (ibid. 22:22).

... “Moab is my washbasin…” (Tehillim 60:10) When Israel entered into their land in order to inherit it, the Holy One forbid them to conquer these three nations, as it says “Do not distress the Moabites…” (Devarim 2:9) So too regarding Edom it is written “You shall not provoke them…” (Devarim 2:5) From where do we learn that they were not to conquer the land of the Pelishtim? Because it is written “God did not lead them [by] way of the land of the Philistines for it was near…” (Shemot 12:17) The oath which Avraham swore to Avimelech was still near in time, “And now, swear to me here by God, that you will not lie to me or to my son or to my grandson…” (Bereshit 21:23) His grandson was still alive. In the future the Holy One will permit Israel to conquer all three, as it says “And they shall fly of one accord against the Philistines in the west, together they shall plunder the children of the East; upon Edom and Moab shall they stretch forth their hand, and the children of Ammon shall obey them.” (Yeshayahu 11:14) And it is translated as ‘they will join shoulder to shoulder as one to wipe out the Phillistines.’ Therefore it says “…Philistia, join me…” (Tehillim 60:10), Edom and Moav are their occupation as it says “Moab is my washbasin; on Edom I will throw my lock…” (ibid.)

(Gen. 19:1:) IN THE EVENING. What is the meaning of IN THE EVENING? That the Sodomites were dark like the night.⁵⁷See below, 4:21. Another interpretation: IN THE EVENING (ba'erev). The evening of Sodom had arrived.⁵⁸The midrash understands ba‘erev (“in the evening”) as two words, ‘erev (“evening”) and ba (“has come”). See Gen. R. 50:3. (Ibid., cont.:) AND LOT WAS SITTING AT THE GATE OF SODOM, as he had learned from the practice of Abraham. What is written here (in Gen. 18:2) about Abraham? WHEN HE SAW THEM HE RAN < FROM > THE DOOR OF HIS TENT TO MEET THEM < AND BOWED DOWN TO THE EARTH >. Solomon has said in (Prov. 22:6): TRAIN A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO. Because Lot had grown up in Abraham's house, he had acquired < Abraham's > moral standards. < Thus > (in Gen. 19:1, cont.): AND HE BOWED DOWN WITH HIS FACE TO THE GROUND. Just as Abraham had done, he brought them into his house. What is written (in vss. 4-5)? BEFORE THEY LAY DOWN … AND THEY CALLED UNTO LOT … < BRING THEM OUT UNTO US THAT WE MAY KNOW THEM >. The angels began to be astonished, saying: The matter has reached us! Now < there is > much on the subject < that is being passed over > merely in order not to bother you. What did they finally do? One of them rescued Lot, and one of them destroyed Sodom.⁵⁹See Gen. R. 50:2. Now perhaps you will say: He destroyed it with one of his hands. No, < it was > merely with one finger, which is one of five on the hand. Thus it is stated (in Job 28:9): HE PUT OUT HIS HAND BAHALLAMISH.⁶⁰The midrash has interpreted bahallamish (“against the hard rock”) as bahamishi (“with the fifth”). In the world to come the Holy One will heal it (i.e., Sodom);⁶¹So below, 4:22; Exod R. 15:21. and Israel will divide it up, as stated (in Ps. 60:8ff. [6ff.]): I WILL DISTRIBUTE SHECHEM < AND MEASURE OUT THE VALLEY OF SUCCOTH>….⁶²So below, 4:22. Cf. PRK 29(suppl. 2):3. According to Gen. R. 42:5, the valley of Succoth is identified with the valley of Siddim at the Dead Sea (Gen. 14:3).

23 (Numb. 11:16) “Gather Me seventy man (sic)⁴⁹The midrash is ignoring the fact that Hebrew uses singular nouns with large numbers in order to build an interpretation on this singular usage. from the elders of Israel”: This text is related (to Prov. 22:11), “The one who loves purity of heart has grace on his lips, has a king as his friend.” Why did He not say to him (in Numb. 11:16), “seventy men" (with "men" in the plural), instead of “seventy man.” It is simply that He said to him, “seventy man (ish) [with the singular ish indicating] singular individuals,⁵⁰I.e. singular individuals like the one described in Prov. 22:11. because they were to be like Me and you, as stated (Exod. 15:3:) “The Lord is a Man (ish) of war,” and [it is likewise stated about] Moses (Numb. 12:3), “Now the man (ish) Moses was very humble.”

(Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me seventy man (sic)⁶³The midrash is ignoring the fact that Hebrew uses singular nouns with large numbers in order to build an interpretation on this singular usage. from the elders of Israel.”⁶⁴Numb. R. 5:23. This text is related (to Prov. 22:11), “The one who loves purity of heart has grace on his lips, has a king as his friend.” Why did He not say to him (in Numb. 11:16), “seventy men" (with "men" in the plural), instead of “seventy man.” It is simply that He said to him, “seventy man (ish) [with the singular ish indicating] singular individuals,⁶⁵I.e. singular individuals like the one described in Prov. 22:11. because they were to be like Me and you, as stated (Exod. 15:3:) “The Lord is a Man (ish) of war,” [and it is likewise] stated (Numb. 12:3), “Now the man (ish) Moses was very humble.” (Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me [seventy men from the elders of Israel].” But did you not have elders before?⁶⁶Numb. R. 15:24. Here now it is written concerning Mount Sinai (in Exod. 24:9), “Then there went up Moses […] and the seventy elders of Israel”; and this parashah (with Numb. 11:16) comes after that. So where were the[se earlier] elders? It is simply that, when Israel did those things which are stated (in Numb. 11:1), “Now the people were as murmurers […] then the fire of the Lord burned against them,” they were all destroyed by fire at that time. It is simply that their burning was like the burning of Nadab and Abihu, for they also had acted with disrespect on ascending Sinai, when they saw the Divine Presence. It is so stated (in Exod. 24:11), “they beheld God, and they ate and drank.” Was there eating and drinking there? To what is the matter comparable? To a servant who attended his master while [holding] a slice of bread in his hand and taking bites from it. Similarly had they acted with disrespect as though eating and drinking. So the elders along with Nadab and Abihu deserved to be destroyed by fire on that day; but because the giving of Torah was dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, He therefore did not want to harm them and bring calamity to them on that day. This is what is written (ibid.), “But He (the Holy One, blessed be He,) did not raise His hand against the nobles of the Children of Israel.” From this you may infer that they deserved to have a hand raised [against them]. After a time, however, they were destroyed by fire. Nadab and Abihu were destroyed by fire as they entered the tent of meeting, while the elders were destroyed by fire when they were filled with lusting, as stated (in Numb. 11:4), “Then the rabble (ha'safsuf) which was in their midst became filled with lust.” Who were the rabble (ha'safsuf)? R. Simeon ben Menasya and R. Simeon bar Abba [differed on the matter]. One said, “These were the proselytes who came up with them from Egypt and who were gathered (ne'esafim) together with them as stated (in Exod. 12:38), ‘And a mixed multitude went up with them.’” But the other said, “Rabble can only be a Sanhedrin, since it is stated (in Numb. 11:16), ‘Gather (esfah) Me seventy men.’” What [else] is written there (in Numb. 11:1)? “Then the fire of the Lord burned against them and consumed them in the outskirts (qetseh) of the camp,” [i.e.,] among the selected (muqetsim) in the camp. And where is it shown that those elders who went up onto the mountain were destroyed by fire? Where it is stated (in Ps. 106:18), “And fire broke out in their company ('edah),” since company ('edah) can only be a Sanhedrin as stated (in Numb. 15:24), “And it shall come to pass that if it was done [by mistake] away from the eyes of the congregation ('edah).”⁶⁷I.e. the leaders of the congregation. So Rashi on Numb. 15:24. It is also written (in Lev. 4:13), “And if the whole congregation ('edah) of Israel⁶⁸This expression was often interpreted as denoting the Sanhedrin. So Sifra to Lev. 4:13 (42: Wayyiqra parashah 4); R. Meir in Hor. 5a; Rashi on Lev. 4:13. should err.” And so did David say (in Ps. 78:31), “When God’s anger flared up at them, He slew their sturdiest,” these were the Sanhedrin; “struck down the chosen of Israel,” these were the chosen ones that were called elders, about whom it is written (in II Sam. 6:1), “And David still added to the chosen among Israel.” Then they wept again and demanded meat. Now you might say, “What they wanted was flesh? Did it not come about that the manna became whatever they wanted inside of their mouths, as stated (in Ps. 106:15), ‘So He gave them what they asked for...’?” And in case you should say that they did not have oxen and cattle in the desert, has it not already stated (in Exod. 12:38), “And a mixed multitude went up with them and flocks and herds.” And in case you should say they ate them in the desert, is it not written (in Numb. 32:1), “Now the children of Reuben and the children of Gad had much livestock?” From here R. Simeon said, “It was not meat for which they lusted, since it says so (in Ps. 78:27), ‘And He rained down flesh (she'er) upon them like dust.’ Now she'er must denote illicit intercourse since it is stated (in Lev. 18:6), ‘None of you shall approach any close (she'er) relation to him.’ Ergo, it [really] says that they desired to permit illicit intercourse for themselves; and so it says (in Numb. 11:10), ‘Now Moses heard the people weeping for their families.’”⁶⁹See Yoma 75a according to which they were weeping here because of the family relations with whom they were forbidden to have intercourse. Thus when they desired such [relations] (ibid. cont.), “the Lord was very angry and it was bad in the eyes of Moses.” At that time Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, (in vs. 11), “’Why have you mistreated Your servant […]?’ In the past there was one with me who would bear the burden of Israel, but now I am alone.” Thus it is written (in vs. 14-15), “I am not able to bear [all] this people alone…. So if You are dealing like this with me, please truly kill me.” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Appoint other elders instead of those elders.” It is so stated] (in vs. 16), “Gather Me seventy men.” (Numb. 11:17:) “Then I will come down and speak with you there.” [This verse is] to inform you that the day for appointing elders was as dear to the Holy One, blessed be He, as the day for the giving of Torah.⁷⁰Numb. R. 15:25. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 19:11), “for on the third day the Lord will come down”; and also (in Numb. 11:17) with reference to appointing the elders, “I will come down,” is written. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had an orchard and hired a guard for it. Then he gave him the payment of a guard for him to guard the orchard. After a time the guard said to him, “I cannot guard all of it myself. Rather give me others to guard it with me.” The king said to him, “I have given the entire orchard into your keeping, and I have given you all the payment for guarding it; but now you would say to me, ‘Go and bring others to guard it with me.’ See I am bringing others to guard with you, but observe that I am not giving them their payment from what belongs to me. Rather it is from your payment which I have given you that they are receiving their payment.” Similarly did the Holy One, blessed be He, speak to Moses. When [Moses] said to Him, “I cannot [do everything] alone,” the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I have given you understanding and knowledge to sustain⁷¹PRNS. Cf. Gk.: pronoos (“prudent”). My children. Moreover, I did not want others, simply so that you would have strength and knowledge and so that you would stand alone in that greatness. But now you are the one who wants others. Be aware that they will receive [payment], not from what is Mine, but from what is yours.” It is so stated (in Numb. 11:17.), “and I will set aside some of the spirit which is upon you and put it on them [...].” Nevertheless Moses did not lack anything. You should know that after forty years He said to Moses (in Numb. 27:18, 20), “Take Joshua ben Nun …. And put some of your glory upon him.” Then what is written about Joshua (in Deut. 34:9)? “Now Joshua ben Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom.” Why? (Ibid. cont.:) “Because Moses had laid his hands upon him.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “In this world [only] individuals have prophesied, but in the world to come all Israel shall become prophets.” It is so stated (in Joel 3:1), “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh so that your sons and your daughters shall prophesy.”⁷²See also above Gen. 10:4; cf. Deut. R. 6:14. So did R. Tanchuma bar Abba expound.

Another interpretation [(of Numb. 10:2): MAKE TWO SILVER TRUMPETS]. This text is related (to Prov. 24:21): FEAR THE LORD, MY CHILD, AND THE KING. R. Isaac bar Eleazar of Caesarea said: What wisdom made was a crown for her head.⁴⁴yShab. 1:3 (or 5) (3c). Her humility made {slippers} a slipper]⁴⁵Lat.: solea. for her foot.⁴⁶The foot with such a covering need fear no thorns. See Gen. R. 44:12. It is written elsewhere (in Ps. 111:10): THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM IS THE FEAR OF THE LORD and it is written (in Prov. 22:4): THE HEEL⁴⁷‘QB. The Masoretic text vocalizes the word as ‘eqev which means “effect” but the word may also be vocalized as ‘aqev to mean “heel.” See Tanh. Gen. 1:1. OF HUMILITY IS THE FEAR OF THE LORD. Solomon therefore said (in Prov. 24:21): FEAR THE LORD, MY CHILD, AND THE KING. But what is the meaning of AND THE KING? Simply <this>: Make him (i.e., the Holy One) king over you.⁴⁸Tanh. Numb. 3:9 cont.; Numb. R. 15:14 cont. Another interpretation (of Prov. 24:21): AND THE KING. Be king over the evil drive, which is called a king where it is stated (in Eccl. 9:14): <THERE WAS A LITTLE CITY WITH FEW PEOPLE IN IT,> AND A GREAT KING CAME AGAINST IT….⁴⁹Cf. see above Gen. R. 11:1; 23:2; also Eccl. R. 4:13:1; 9:14:6, 9. Another interpretation (of Prov. 24:21): AND THE KING. "<More> than the king," lest it be supposed that, if the king says to you: Worship an idol you should heed him.⁵⁰See above Gen. 2:15. The text reads (in Prov. 24:21): FEAR THE LORD, MY CHILD. Thus <when> Nebuchadnezzar told Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah to worship an idol, they did not heed him. Instead they said to him (in Dan. 3:18): WE WILL NOT SERVE YOUR GODS, NOR WILL WE PAY HOMAGE TO THE IMAGE OF GOLD WHICH YOU HAVE SET UP. (Dan. 3:14:) IS IT TRUE, SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO? [Yesterday you were actually⁵¹Gk.: ontos. saying: Whoever wanted to take an idol for himself came to Jerusalem, as stated (in Is. 10:10): AND THEIR GRAVEN IMAGES WERE FROM JERUSALEM AND FROM SAMARIA.⁵²It is in this literal sense that the midrash understands the passage. English renderings usually translate in the following sense: AND THEIR GRAVEN IMAGES EXCEEDED THOSE OF JERUSALEM AND SAMARIA. But now you have come to destroy my idol worship. (Dan. 3:14:) IS IT TRUE, SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO? Did not the Holy One say this to you that you should obey royalty in whatever it tells you, where it is stated (in Eccl. 8:2): I <SAY>: KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND? They said to him: You are king over us for taxes and crop levies;⁵³Lat.: annona. but in regard to the service of idols, Nebuchadnezzar and a dog <have> equal <authority>. (Dan. 3:16–17:) SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO ANSWERED [AND SAID TO THE KING: O NEBUCHADNEZZAR], WE DO NOT {CARE} [NEED] <TO ANSWER YOU> IN THIS <MATTER>. IF OUR GOD <WHOM WE SERVE IS ABLE TO SAVE US, HE SHALL SAVE US FROM THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE AND FROM YOUR HAND O KING>. They said: Whether he delivers us or whether he does not deliver us (in vs. 18): BE IT KNOWN TO YOU, <O KING, THAT WE WILL NOT SERVE YOUR GODS NOR PAY HOMAGE TO THE IMAGE OF GOLD WHICH YOU HAVE SET UP>. Ergo (in Prov. 24:21): FEAR THE LORD, MY CHILD, AND THE KING; AND DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH THOSE WHO WOULD DIFFER, <i.e.,> DO NOT ASSOCIATE WITH those who say that there are two gods in the world, for the end of <such people> is to perish from the world. It is so stated (in Zech. 13:8): AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND, SAYS THE LORD, THAT TWO-THIRDS [IN IT] SHALL BE CUT OFF [AND DIE], BUT ONE-THIRD SHALL REMAIN IN IT. And who is the one-third? This is Israel as stated (in Is. 19:24): AND ISRAEL SHALL BE A THIRD <PARTNER WITH EGYPT AND ASSYRIA, A BLESSING IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH>. Ergo (in Prov. 24:21): FEAR THE LORD MY CHILD AND THE KING.

(Exod. 9:13:) GO EARLY IN THE MORNING. This text is related (to Prov. 22:29): DO YOU SEE SOMEONE DILIGENT AT HIS WORK?…⁹³Exod. R. 11:1; PR 6:2. Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: It is speaking about Joseph. When he was sold into Egypt, he was diligent in his work (according to Gen. 39:11): AND HE CAME INTO THE HOUSE (of Potiphar) TO DO HIS WORK. (Prov. 22:29, cont.:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS. This is Joseph. What is written about him (in Gen. 41:46)? Now Joseph was thirty years old [when he stood before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt]. (Prov. 22:29, cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE. This refers to Potiphar's wife.⁹⁴Cf. Cant. R. 1:1:1, according to which the obscure (literally: darkened) one is Potiphar, whose eyes the Holy One darkened by making him a eunuch. See Gen. 37:36, part of which can be translated, POTIPHAR, A EUNUCH OF PHARAOH.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 22:29): DO YOU SEE SOMEONE DILIGENT AT HIS WORK? It speaks about Moses. What is written (in Exod. 2:11)? AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THOSE {MANY} DAYS, WHEN MOSES HAD GROWN UP, <THAT HE WENT OUT TO HIS KINSFOLK AND LOOKED UPON THEIR BURDENS >…. R. Judah says: Do not all children grow up, just as it says (here of Moses): WHEN <MOSES> HAD GROWN UP?⁹⁵Exod. R. 1:27. It is simply that, when he was five years old, he was found to be like a child of eleven.⁹⁶Cf. Exod. R. 5:2, according to which R. Hama said that Moses was twelve years old when he left home. What in written (above in Exod. 2:10)? [WHEN THE BOY HAD GROWN UP.] (Likewise in vs. 11:) WHEN MOSES HAD GROWN UP. <That he HAD GROWN UP is stated> two times. Above (in vs. 10) in reference to stature; below (in vs. 11) in reference to greatness. What was his greatness (in vs. 11)? THAT HE WENT OUT UNTO HIS KINSFOLK?

(Exod. 2:13:) WHEN HE WENT OUT ON THE SECOND DAY, HERE THERE WERE TWO HEBREW MEN FIGHTING (NTsYM). R. Abbahu said that they were emitting sparks (NYTsWTsYN) from their heels.⁹⁷Thus R. Abbahu understands the verse to read: HERE THERE WERE TWO HEBREW MEN SPARKING. (Ibid., cont.:) SO HE SAID TO THE WICKED ONE: WHY ARE YOU STRIKING YOUR NEIGHBOR? R. Isaac said: You learn from here that whoever raises his hand against his comrade is called wicked, since it is stated (ibid.): SO HE SAID TO THE WICKED ONE.⁹⁸Cf. Sanh. 58b. He said to him (in Exod. 2:14): WHO APPOINTED YOU <A PRINCE AND A JUDGE OVER US>? R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said: Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, why is this people enslaved? There are seventy nations in the world and none of them are enslaved except this nation alone. Surely this sin is known, even as written (in Exod. 2:14, cont.): SURELY THE MATTER IS KNOWN, since you were not were enslaved for nothing. What did Moses do (in Exod. 2:15)? BUT MOSES FLED FROM BEFORE PHARAOH and went into Midian <to be> with Jethro. (Prov. 22:29:) SOMEONE DILIGENT AT HIS WORK. This is Moses. (Ibid., cont.:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS. This refers to Pharaoh. (Ibid., cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE. This refers to Jethro. Thus the Holy One said to him (i.e., Moses, in Exod. 4:19): <THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES IN MIDIAN: > GO BACK TO EGYPT. Then he said to him (in Exod. 9:13): GO EARLY IN THE MORNING <TO PRESENT YOURSELF BEFORE PHARAOH>. R. Nehemiah said: See, you have made the holy profane and the profane holy. (Prov. 22:29:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS, <i.e.,> before the Holy One; (ibid., cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE (rt.: HShK). This refers to Pharaoh, as stated (in Ezek. 30:18): IN TEHAPHNEHES⁹⁹Heb.: THPNHS. Cf. Jer. 43:9, according to which Pharaoh’s house was located at THPNHS. THE DAY SHALL BE DARKENED (rt.: HShK) < WHEN I BREAK THERE THE YOKES OF EGYPT>.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 22:29:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS. This refers to the Holy One, of whom it is written (in Deut. 5:28 [31]): BUT AS FOR YOU, STAND HERE WITH ME. (Prov. 22:29, cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE. This is Pharaoh, [since it is written <of Moses>] (in Exod. 9:13): GO EARLY IN THE MORNING <TO PRESENT YOURSELF BEFORE PHARAOH>. All the wicked ones become corrupt during their lifetimes. You find in the case of Zedekiah, king of Judah, that all the kings were subjugated to Nebuchadnezzar. What is written about him (in Jer. 27:6)? {ALL} [AND EVEN] THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD HAVE I GIVEN HIM TO SERVE HIM. Zedekiah went up to offer a gift.¹⁰⁰Gk.: doron. Nebuchadnezzar said: Dine with me at noon. So he made a dinner. Now a Babylonian dinner is not like a dinner in the land of Israel. He brought him meat which he had roasted. He saw Nebuchadnezzar eating with his spittle running down onto his beard. Zedekiah looked at him in astonishment and said: Is it to this one that the whole world is subjugated? He ate with him. What did he do? After he had dined, he took Zedekiah and made him take an oath. He said to him: <Swear> that you shall not go to your land and leave me. He got free and came to the land of Israel. He began to scorn (rt.: BZH) him, and he revoked that oath <which he had taken >. So Ezekiel cried out concerning him (in Ezek. 17:16): {BECAUSE HE SCORNED (BZH) AN OATH} [WHOSE OATH HE SCORNED (BZH)]. The kings who were reclining with him heard him. They sent and said to him (to Nebuchadnezzar): Zedekiah is sitting <here> laughing at you. Where is it shown that they sent to him and said < this > to him? R. Samuel said: It is written (in Is. 16:1): SEND A LAMB (KR) TO THE RULER OF THE LAND. What is the meaning of KR? It is like someone who says to his comrade: Find out (HKR) for whom he is ruling the land. Where is it shown that he had sworn an oath to him? Where it is stated (in II Chron. 36:13): AND HE ALSO REBELLED AGAINST KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR WHO HAD MADE HIM TAKE AN OATH BY GOD. What did he do? He immediately sent and had him come. Then he fed him barley, stood him up, and scorned (rt.: BZH) him shamefully. The Holy One said (to Nebuchadnezzar): So you have shamed (rt.: BZH) him. By your life, you shall not depart from this world until all creatures laugh at you. Thus it is stated (in Dan. 4:29 [32]): YOU SHALL BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM HUMANKIND. Moreover, just as you have shamed (rt.: BZH) him, so you shall be shamed (rt.: BZH) before all creatures. What is written (in Hab. 2:17)? AND THE VIOLENCE OF THE BEASTS WILL TERRIFY THOSE FEMALES (rt.: HTT+N)….¹⁰¹This translation of Hab. 2:17 fits the context of the midrash. In the biblical translations shod is usually rendered DESTRUCTION rather than VIOLENCE. Moreover, since the midrash is concerned with sexual acts, it is necessary to translate the femimine verbal suffix meaning “them” as THOSE FEMALES. R. Abba bar Kahana said that he became a bridegroom (HTN) to all cattle and wild beasts. And what caused him this shame (rt.: BZH)? It was simply because he had shamed (BZH) Zedekiah.

(Gen. 19:1:) AND LOT WAS SITTING AT THE GATE OF SODOM.⁸²Gen. R. 50:3. The written text has SAT (with a vowel letter missing from the Hebrew). There were five judges in Sodom. Now Lot was inferior to all of them, but they had him sit among them, for such is the written text: AND LOT SAT AT THE GATE OF SODOM.⁸³In other words, the written text refers, not to Lot’s continuing to sit at the gate, but to his taking his seat as judge there. (Prov. 22:6:) TRAIN A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO. Since < Lot > had grown up in Abraham's house and had seen him receive travelers, he had learned from him. He therefore brought the angels home with him. What is written there (in Gen. 19:4)? BEFORE THEY HAD LAIN DOWN, < THE MEN OF THE CITY, THE MEN OF SODOM, HAD SURROUNDED THE HOUSE >…. The angels began to be astonished, saying: This matter has reached even us! Lot said to the angels: What have you come here to do? They said to him (in Gen. 19:13): FOR WE ARE DESTROYING < THIS PLACE >.⁸⁴Gen. R. 19:9; 68:2. They revealed their mysterion⁸⁵The word is Greek. {i.e., secret} to him. For that reason they were banished one hundred and thirty-eight years from their precincts. R. Tanhuma said one hundred and thirty years according to the number of the sacred ladder < as reckoned > by gematria.⁸⁶Gk.: geometria or grammateis. The sacred ladder, seen in Jacob’s dream, bridged heaven and earth. The Hebrew word for “ladder” is SLM. By gematria S = 60, L = 30, and M = 40, for a total of 130.

16 Another interpretation of (Numb. 27:16) “Let the Lord, appoint”: A parable: A king saw an orphan woman [and] sought to take her for him as a wife. He sent to seek her. She said, “I am not worthy to marry the king.” He sent to seek her seven times, but she did not allow it. In the end she married him. After a time, the king was angry with her and sought to divorce her. She said, “I did not seek to be married to you; you sought me. Since this is so and you have decreed to divorce me and to take another, do not do to that one like what you did to me.” So is it with the Holy One, blessed be He: R. Samuel the son of Nahmani said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, tried for seven days to persuade Moses from the midst of the burning bush, but Moses replied, (in Exod. 4:13), ‘Send please, whomever you will send’; (ibid. 4:10) ‘I am not a man of words, neither yesterday nor the day before.’ This indicates seven days. After time, the Holy One, blessed be He persuaded him; and he went as His agent; and He did all of those miracles through him. In the end, He said to him (in Numb. 20:12), ‘You shall not bring.’ Moses said, ‘Master of the world, (as in Deut. 3:24), “You who let Your servant see the first works of Your greatness, etc.” Since this is so [and] You have decreed against me, do not do like what You did to me to the one that will go in. Rather (as in Numb. 27:17), ‘Who shall go out before them and come in before them.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, (in Numb. 27:18) “Take Joshua bin Nun.” And Moses did [it] with a generous eye, as stated (Prov. 22:9), “The generous man is blessed.” A parable: A king said to one of his household, “Give so and so a seah of wheat.” He went and agave him two seah. He said to him, “One seah is from the king and one seah is from me.” So did the Holy One, blessed be He say to Moses (in Numb. 27:18), “And lay your hand upon him” – one hand. What did he do? (In Numb 27:23) “He laid his hands upon him and commissioned him,” to fulfill that which is stated (Prov. 22:9), “The generous man is blessed.” Therefore (as in Prov. 27:18), “He who tends a fig tree will enjoy its fruit.” And why is the Torah compared to a fig tree? Since [the fruit of] most trees – the olive tree, the grapevine, the date palm – is gathered [all] at once, but the fig tree is gathered a little [at a time]. And so too is the Torah. Today he studies a little and tomorrow he studies much; as it is not taught in a year, nor in two. (Numb. 27:18) “A man with the spirit of God with him”: Since you said (in Numb. 27:16), “’The God of the spirits of all flesh,’ since You know each and every one, one should be appointed who knows how to proceed with each and every one of them according to his temperament”; [so then (in Numb. 27:18, cont.),] “and lay your hand upon him,” like one who lights a candle from a candle. (Numb 27:20) “Invest him with your majesty,” like one who pours from one vessel to another vessel. Concerning that which I said to you (in Numb. 36:9), “So the inheritance will not move around from one tribe to another,” this glory will not move from the house of your father, as even Joshua who will arise in your place (according to Numb. 27:19), “shall stand in front of Elazar the priest” (nephew of Moses).

(Numb. 4:17-18:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron, saying, ‘Do not cut off the tribe of the Kohathite families [from the Levites].’” This text is related (to Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.” R. Tanhuma bar Abba said that R. Levi said, “’Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’ This refers to the lupine¹¹⁴Gk.: thermos (“hot”). which arrives with the dessert. One should not say, ‘There are nuts and dates before me. I will say the blessing over them and leave the lupine alone.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said (ibid.), ‘Do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’” R. Hezekiah said that R. Jeremiah bar Abba said in the name of R. Johanan, “It is with reference to everyone who does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text says (ibid.), ‘do not rob the impoverished because he is impoverished.’¹¹⁵See Avot 6:3. So when a person hears something, it is necessary to cite it in the name of the one who [originally] said it, even though [doing so takes up] more than a third of a law (halakhah).” Thus our masters have taught (in Pe'ah 2:6): R. Nahum the Scribe¹¹⁶Livlar. Cf. Lat.: libellaris (“documentary”); libellarius (“relating to a written rental contract”); librarius (“scribe,” “copyist”). said, “I have received from R. May'asha, who received […] from the elders, a law (halakhah) of Moses from Sinai. So it is with reference to whoever does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text (of Prov. 22:22) says, ‘do not rob the impoverished.’ But everyone who does say something in the name of the one who said it brings redemption into the world.¹¹⁷Meg. 15a. From whom have you learned it? From Esther when she heard of the matter from Mordecai. For that reason she was worthy of having Israel be redeemed at her hands.” Ergo, if you hear something, cite it in the name of the one who said it. Another interpretation (of Prov. 22:22), “Do not rob the impoverished.” It speaks about the tribe of Levi, and it is calling the tribe of Levi poor.¹¹⁸See Numb. R. 5:2. Were [the Levites] poor? R. Judah bar Simon and our masters [differ about the matter]. One of them says, “Why were they called poor? Because they were poor from [lack of] inheritance, as stated (in Josh. 13:33), ‘But Moses gave no inheritance to the tribe of Levi….’ Therefore, do not rob them of the donations, which I have told you [to give].” But the other (i.e., our masters) says, “It is because they were poor in number. Why so? Because the ark was destroying them. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded Moses and said (in Numb. 4:18), ‘Do not cut off the tribe of the Kohathite families [from the Levites].’”

6 (Numb. 34:2) “This is the land that shall fall to you as your portion”: And does the land fall? But is it not written (in Eccl. 1:4), “but the land stands forever?” It is simply that when the spies came and put out slander on the land, Moses got angry. [Then] all of Israel said, “Moses, our teacher, if these spies were two [or] three, it would be correct for us to trust [them], as stated (Deut. 17:6), ‘By the testimony of two or three witnesses.’ And behold, they are ten, (as in Deut. 1:28), ‘To where shall we go up; our kinsmen have taken the heart out of us, saying, “We saw there a people stronger and taller than we.”’” As it were, [they were complaining that] the Master of the house is not able to remove his vessels (the inhabitants) from there. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He took the ministering angel of the land and bound him and put him down in front of them, as stated (Deut. 1:21), “See the Lord, your God, has placed in front of you....” And was [the land] in front of them? It is simply that He put down its ministering angel. And He said to them (in Deut. 1:21, cont.), “Go up and possess..., do not fear and do not tremble,” not from the Nephilim and not from the numerous people. (Ezek. 45:1) “When you allot the land as an inheritance....”: This text is related (to Ps. 16:6), “Portions of land fell to me in pleasantness, even a beautiful inheritance for me.” “Portions of land fell to me”: These are the twelve tribes, since the land was divided to the twelve tribes, as stated (in Ezek. 47:13), “Thus said the Lord God, ‘These shall be the boundaries of the land that you shall allot to the twelve tribes of Israel.’” “In pleasantness,” in the merit of the Torah, about which it is stated (in Prov. 22:18), “As it is pleasant that you should store them in your belly [...].” There is a man who is handsome but his clothing is ugly, and one who is ugly but his clothing handsome. But [regarding] Israel, they adorn the land and the Land adorns them. Hence it is stated (in Ps. 16:6), “Even a beautiful inheritance for me.” And so too is it stated (in Job 29:14), “I clothed myself in righteousness and it clothed me.” It is written (in Josh. 7:19), “Then Joshua said unto Achan, ‘My son, please give glory to the Lord God of Israel [and make a confession to Him; please tell me what you have done, do not hide it from me.]’” Achan said to him, “Am I to die because of this thing that you are saying?” When Achan saw [the situation], he said in his heart, “Now I shall be entrapped by the lot. Then I shall be found untrue (rt.: 'mn) and deemed a liar before Joshua.” At that moment Achan said to Joshua, “Why are you casting lots between me and my house? Let me cast lots between you and Phinehas! If the lot does not come up for both of you, I also shall believe (rt.: 'mn) [in it].” At that moment (according to Josh. 7:19) Joshua said to Achan, “My son, please give glory to the Lord God of Israel and make a confession to Him. Please tell me what you have done.” Achan said to him, “You also tell me what you have done.” Immediately discord broke out in Israel, so that [Achan's] tribe of Judah arose in strife and killed one group in Israel after another. When Achan saw this, he said in his heart, “If anyone saves a single life in Israel, it is as though he had saved the entire world; yet in my case, it has been through me that several people in Israel have been killed. I am a sinner and one who causes [others] to sin. It is better [for me] to confess my transgression before the Holy One, blessed be He, and before Joshua, so that no calamity come about through me.” What did Achan do? He arose and made his voice heard, so that the whole congregation turned to him. He said to Joshua (in vs. 20), “’(Truly) I am the one who sinned before the Lord God of Israel; thus and so (literally, like this and like this) is what I have done.’ So it was not this alone, but I have already misappropriated other [things].”⁶See Gen. R. 85:14, according to which Achan had acted dishonestly in the person of his great grandfather, Zerah, the son of Judah by Tamar. Joshua said to him, “Indeed I also knew that you were responsible for the situation; (Josh. 7:19,) ‘please tell me what you have done. Do not hide it from me.’” (Vs. 21) “I saw among the spoils”: [He said,] “I have seen what is written in the Torah (in Deut. 20:14), ‘you may eat the spoils of your enemies.’” (Josh. 7:21, cont.) “A fine shinar mantle”: [He continued,] “Now do not say that I am poor and in need, for there is no one in the tribe [of Judah] wealthier than I. Immediately (there follows vs. 22), “Then Joshua sent messengers, and they ran to the tent and behold buried in his tent was the silver […].” For what reason did Joshua send them? So that the tribe of Judah would not steal them (i.e., the stolen articles) and continue in the discord. Joshua therefore sent quickly, and (according to vs. 23) “they brought them unto Joshua and unto all the Children of Israel; and they spread them out before the Lord.” What is the significance of “and they spread them out?” Joshua said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, is it because of these that You have been angry with Your children? Here they are set before you.” Immediately [we read] (in vs. 24), “Then Joshua took Achan ben Zerah, the silver, the mantle, and the wedge of gold, together with his sons and his daughters,” [the latter] in order to teach them a lesson; “his ox, his ass, […] and his tent,” for burning. (Vs. 24, cont.) “And all Israel [Joshua took] with him,” to see his punishment so that they would not become accustomed to acting in this way. (Vs. 24, cont.) “And they brought them up to the Valley of Achor (akhor; rt.: 'kr).” (Vs. 25) “Then Joshua said, ‘Just as you have afflicted (rt.: 'kr) us, [may the Lord afflict (rt.: 'kr) you] this day:’”⁷Without the bracketed words, the verse would read: HOW YOU HAVE AFFLICTED US THIS DAY! This day [only] is he to be afflicted ('akhur; rt.: 'kr), but he will have a share in the world to come. (Vs. 25, cont.) “Then all Israel pelted him with stones,” him alone; “and they burned them with fire”: The text is speaking of his wealth, for so it had been told [Joshua] by the Almighty (in vs. 15), “And it shall come to pass that the one who has been seized with what has been proscribed shall be burned with fire....” If so, what do we learn from the verse (vs. 15, cont.), “him, and all that he has?” [This passage] is only to teach you that Achan had confessed that he had stolen them on the Sabbath, when he took them out of Jericho and buried them in the midst of his tent. Thus he was stoned for profaning the Sabbath and burned because he had transgressed the ban. And where is it shown? You find that the Holy One, blessed be He, said so to Joshua (in Josh. 6:2–4), “See, I have given Jericho into your hands, along with its king and the mighty warriors. So you shall go around the city with all the men of war to encompass the city one time, thus shall you do for six days. [… but on the seventh day you shall go around the city seven times].” [This passage serves] to teach you that Jericho was conquered on the Sabbath. Now Joshua did this thing on his own, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gave his consent. Joshua said (to himself), “The Sabbath is holy, as stated (in Exod. 31:14), ‘You shall keep the Sabbath, because it is holy for you.’ And whatever we conquer shall be holy.” It is so stated (in Josh. 6:19), “But all the silver and gold, and the vessels of bronze and iron, are holy to the Lord.” And where is it shown that he received consent? Where it is stated (in Josh. 6:17), “The city and everything in it are to be proscribed for the Lord.” At that time (according to Josh. 7:26) “the Lord turned from His burning anger.” Concerning [this matter], it is stated (in Prov. 16:14), “The king's anger is like messengers of death, and whoever is wise will appease it.” This refers to Joshua, who caused the burning anger of the Lord to turn away from Israel.

(Numb. 11:16:) GATHER ME <SEVENTY PERSON (sic)⁹⁸The midrash is ignoring the fact that Hebrew uses singular nouns with large numbers in order to build an interpretation on this singular usage. FROM THE ELDERS OF ISRAEL>.⁹⁹Tanh. Numb. 3:16; Numb. R. 5:23. [This text is related (to Prov. 22:11): THE ONE WHO LOVES PURITY OF HEART HAS GRACE ON HIS LIPS, HAS A KING AS HIS FRIEND.] Why did he not say to him (in Numb. 11:16): "Seventy people" (with "people" in the plural) instead of SEVENTY PERSON. It is simply that he said to him: SEVENTY PERSON (ish) <with the singular ish indicating> singular individuals],¹⁰⁰I.e. singular individuals like the one described in Prov. 22:11. because they were to be like me and you. (Cf. Exod. 15:3:) THE LORD IS A MAN (ish) OF WAR. (Cf. also Numb. 12:3): NOW THE MAN (ish) MOSES.

(Numb. 4:17-48:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON, SAYING: DO NOT CUT OFF THE TRIBE OF THE KOHATHITE FAMILIES <FROM THE LEVITES>. This text is related (to Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED. R. Tanhuma bar Abba said:¹³⁶Tanh., Numb. 1:22. R. Levi said: DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED. This refers to the lupine¹³⁷Gk.: thermos (“hot”). which arrives with the dessert. One should not say: There are nuts and dates before me. I will say <the blessing> over them and leave the lupine alone. The Holy One said (ibid.): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED. R. Hezekiah and R. Jeremiah bar Abba said in the name of R. Johanan: It is with reference to everyone who does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text says (ibid.): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED BECAUSE HE IS IMPOVERISHED.¹³⁸See Avot 6:3. So when a person hears something, it is necessary to cite it in the name of the one who <originally> said it, even though <doing so takes up> more than a third of a law (halakhah). Thus our masters have taught (in Pe'ah 2:6): R. NAHUM THE SCRIBE¹³⁹Livlar. Cf. Lat.: libellaris (“documentary”); libellarius (“relating to a written rental contract”); librarius (“scribe,” “copyist”). SAID: I HAVE RECEIVED FROM R. MAY'ASHA, WHO RECEIVED [FROM ABBA, WHO RECEIVED FROM THE PAIRS (zugot),¹⁴⁰Gk.: zuga (“yokes”); cf. Lat.: juga. WHO RECEIVED] FROM THE ELDERS, A LAW (halakhah) OF MOSES FROM SINAI. So it is with reference to whoever does not say something in the name of the one who said it that the text (of Prov. 22:22) says: DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED. But everyone who does say something in the name of the one who said it brings redemption into the world.¹⁴¹Meg. 15a. From whom have you learned it? From Esther. When she heard of the matter from Mordecai, she said to Ahasuerus according to what is stated (in Esth. 2:22): AND ESTHER SPOKE TO THE KING IN THE NAME OF MORDECAI. For that reason she was worthy of having Israel be redeemed at her hands. Ergo: If you hear something, cite it in the name of the one who said it.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 22:22): DO NOT ROB THE IMPOVERISHED. It speaks about the tribe of Levi, and it is calling the tribe of Levi poor.¹⁴²See Numb. R. 5:2. Were <the Levites> poor? R. Judah bar Simon and our masters differ. One of them says: Why were they called poor? Because they were poor from <lack of> inheritance, as stated (in Josh. 13:33): BUT MOSES GAVE NO INHERITANCE TO THE TRIBE OF LEVI. Therefore, do not rob them of the donations, which I have told you <to give>. But the other (i.e., our masters) said that they were poor in number. Why so? Because the ark was destroying them. Therefore the Holy One commanded Moses and said (in Numb. 4:18): DO NOT CUT OFF THE TRIBE OF THE KOHATHITE FAMILIES <FROM THE LEVITES >.

T

"there is no truth": Words of Torah are not being spoken, viz.: (Proverbs 22:23) "Buy truth and do not sell it."

Whence is it derived that if one removes the bounds of the tribes he transgresses a negative commandment? From (Proverbs 22:28) "Do not remove the long-standing boundary marker (which your forefathers have established.") Whence is it derived that if one confuses the words of R. Eliezer with those of R. Yehoshua, and vice versa, pronouncing clean, unclean, or unclean, clean — that he transgresses a negative commandment? From "You shall not move back the boundary marker of your neighbor." Whence is it derived that one who sells the burial plot of his fathers transgresses a negative commandment? From "You shall not move back the boundary marker of your neighbor." I might think that this were so even if no one were ever buried there; it is, therefore, written "in your inheritance that you shall inherit"

lo tefa'er": You shall not "lord it" over the poor man — whence they ruled: One who does not allow the poor to pick (the gleanings) or allows one but not another, or helps one of them (to pick) is robbing from the poor. And concerning such as this it is written (Proverbs 22:28) "Do not remove the bounds of yore."