Midrash su Salmi 26:78

These are the accounts of the tabernacle (Exod. 38:21). Scripture states elsewhere: Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).

R. Jacob the son of Issi asked: Why does it say; I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth? Because the Tabernacle is equal to the creation of the world itself. How is that so? Concerning the first day, it is written: In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth (Gen. 1:1), and it is written elsewhere: Who stretched out the heavens like a curtain (Ps. 104:2), and concerning the Tabernacle it is written: And thou shalt make curtains of goats’ hair (Exod. 26:7). About the second day of creation it states: Let there be a firmament and divide between them, and let it divide the waters from the waters (Gen. 1:6). About the Tabernacle it is written: And the veil shall divide between you (Exod. 26:33). With regard to the third day it states: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered (Gen. 1:9). With reference to the Tabernacle it is written: Thou shalt also make a laver of brass … and thou shalt put water therein (Exod. 30:18). On the fourth day he created light, as is stated: Let there be lights in the firmament of heaven (Gen. 1:14), and concerning the Tabernacle it is said: And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold (Exod. 25:31). On the fifth day He created birds, as it is said: Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly above the earth (Gen. 1:20), and with reference to the Tabernacle. He directed them to offer sacrifices of lambs and birds, and it says as well: And the cherubim shall spread out their wings on high (Exod. 25:20). On the sixth day he created man, as it is said: And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him (Gen. 1:27), and about the Tabernacle it is written: A man who is a high priest who has been anointed to serve and to minister before God.³You write that this is not a direct quote from the Bible. On the seventh day The heaven and the earth were finished (Gen. 2:1), and with regard to the Tabernacle it is written: Thus was completed all the work of the Tabernacle (Exod. 39:32). Concerning the creation of the world it is written: And God blessed (Num. 2:3), and of the Tabernacle it is said: And Moses blessed them (Exod. 39:43); with regard to the creation it is said: And God finished (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle it is written: On that day Moses made an end (Num. 7:1); of creation it says: And hallowed it (Gen. 2:2), and of the Tabernacle: And had anointed it and sanctified it (Num. 7:1). Why is the Tabernacle equal to heaven and earth? Because even as heaven and earth bear witness concerning Israel, as it is written: I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day (Deut. 30:19), so the Tabernacle bears witness in behalf of Israel, as is said: These are the accounts of the Tabernacle, even the Tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). Hence it is said: Lord, I love the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth (Ps. 26:8).

(Ib. b) Ulla said: "Whoever reads the Sh'm'a without wearing Tephilin, is like one who testifies falsely against himself." R. Chiya b. Abba in the name of R. Jochanan says: "It is as if he had offered a burnt offering without the meal offering, or a sacrifice without the accompanying wine offering." R. Jochanan said: "He who desires to take upon himself the yoke of the Heavenly Kingdom perfectly (Fol. 15a) must first ease himself, wash his hands, lay Tephilin, read the Sh'm'a and pray [the Eighteen Benedictions]: this is the perfect acknowledgment of the Heavenly Kingdom." R. Chiya b. Abba said: "Whoever eases himself, washes his hands, lays Tephilin, reads the Sh'm'a and prays [the Eighteen Benedictions], is considered as having built an altar and offered a sacrifice upon it, for it is said (Ps. 26. 6.) I will wash in purity mine hands, and I will compass thy altar. O Lord." Raba said unto him (R. Chiya b. Abba): "Does not the master consider the washing of the hands just as if he bathed? For it is written I will wash in purify [which indicates for the whole body], and it is not written I wash my hands."

(Ezek. 11, 16) Yet will I be to them as a minor sanctuary. R. Samuel b. Isaac said: "This refers to the houses of study that are in Babylon." R. Elazar said: "This refers to the house of our master who is in Babylon; i.e., Rab]." Raba lectured: What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 90, 1) Lord, a place of refuge hast thou been unto us. That refers to the prayer- and learning-houses." Abayi said: "Formerly I used to learn at home, and pray at the house of Prayer; but since I heard what David said (Ps. 16, 6) Lord, I love the site of thy house, I began to study in the prayer-house also." In a Baraitha it was taught, R. Elazar ha-Kapar said: "The prayer - and learning - houses outside of the land of Israel will in the future be established in the land of Israel, as it is said (Jer. 46, 18) As Thabor is among the mountains, and as Carmel is by the sea, so shall He come, etc. Can this not be inferred through a fortiori conclusion? If Thabor and Carmel, at which only occasionally the Law was studied, are deemed within the land of Israel, how much more so will the prayer-houses and schools, at which the Law is studied, be established in the land of Israel?" Bar Kapara lectured: "What does this passage mean (Ps. 68, 17) Why watch ye enviously, ye many-peaked mountains? This means: A heavenly voice went forth and said to the mountains: 'Why should ye be jealous of Mount Sinai? Ye, all great mountains, are blemished in comparison with Sinai; for it is written Gabnunim in connection with mountains, and the same analogy of expression is used (Lev. 21, 20) A Giben (crook-backed) ." .From this," said Abaye, "we may infer that a man who is haughty is to be considered as blemished." (Fol. 31) R. Jochanan said: "Whenever you find in the Scripture a description of the greatness of the Holy One, praised be He! you find also a description of His modesty. This is written in the Pentateuch, repeated in the Prophets, and mentioned a third time in the Hagiographa. In the Pentateuch it is written (Deut. 10, 17) For the Lord your God is the God of gods, and the Lord of Lords; and immediately follows. Who executeth justice for the fatherless and the widow. It is repeated in the Prophets (Is. 57, 15) Thus hath said the High and Lofty One, who inhabiteth Eternity, whose name it Holy; and after this it is written: Yet also with the contrite and humble in spirit. The third time in Hagiographa (Ps. 68, 5) Extol him who rideth upon the heavens. The Everlasting is His name; and after this it is written: A father of the fatherless and the judge of the widows."

Satan preceded him on the way, saying (Job 4, 2-6) If we essay to address a few words to thee, wilt thou be wearied… . Behold, thou hast (ere this) corrected many, and weak hands thou wast wont to strengthen. Him that stumbled, thy words used to uphold, and to sinking knees thou gavest vigor. Yet now, when it cometh to thee, thou art wearied; it toucheth even thee, and thou art terrified. And Abraham answered him (Ps. 26, 11) But as for me, I will walk in my integrity. And Satan said again (Job. 4) Is not then thy fear of God a stupidity? And Abraham answered: (Ib.) Remember, who ever perished being innocent. When Satan saw that Abraham did not listen to him, he said to him: (Ib. 12) But to me a word came by stealth. "I have heard from behind the [heavenly] curtain that a ram will be for a burnt-offering, but not Isaac a burnt offering." Abraham remarked: "This is the punishment of liars, that even when they tell the truth, nobody believes them." R. Levi, however, said: ["The above-cited verse, after these things, means] after the exchange of words between Ismael and Isaac. Ismael said to Isaac: 'I am greater than thee in performing the commandments of the Lord, as I was circumcised when I was thirteen years of age, and thou when thou wert only eight days.' To which Isaac answered: 'Thou art proud against me because thou hast offered only one member of thy body; if the Holy One, praised be He! should command me to sacrifice my whole body to Him I would do it immediately,' hence, and God tempted Abraham."

The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Genesis 50:24,] "pakod yifkod (He will surely remember you)" [is a hint to] Yosef, [that] He will remember you in this world, and He will remember you in the world to come. The doubling of tzadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, ou'metachtav yitsmach (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDaveed tsemach tsadeek (and I will raise up a true branch of David)." ["The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3)] ("Sixty were the queens" [Song of Songs 6:8]). Twenty-four books (of the Bible), and add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold ["The leader of fifty"] ("Sixty were the queens"). "[Sixty were the queens] and eighty were the concubines" (Song of Songs 6:8). Sixty tractates and eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates. "And maidens without number" (Song of Songs 6:8). The study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This] corresponds to the [number of] letters of [the priestly blessing,) "May the Lord bless you and keep you, etc." (Numbers 6:24-26). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of the count of the days of the solar year, as he rules over all the year to slander, except for Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami bar Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before he] fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered, and he was called Avraham [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." [Regarding] Sarai, two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod [with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her] was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehshoua came and had a yod added, as it is stated (Numbers 13:16), "and Moshe called Hoshea [...], Yehoshua." And it saved him from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod [with a numerical count of ten] corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi [with a numerical count of ninety, as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet [with a numerical count of eight, as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof [with a numerical count of one hundred, as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards, Levi. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, and Levi was the tenth. And he gave him as a tithe to the Omnipresent to fulfill [what he said] (Genesis 28:22), "all that You give to me, I will surely tithe it to You." [The letter] ayin [with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt], "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received], "And may He give you [etc.]" (Genesis 27:28). Take away the name [of God] from there, and one hundred [letters] remain. [The letter] bet [with a numerical count of two] corresponds to two angels [that he saw on the ladder in his dream] rising. Yehudah was called according to [the significance of the numerical count of the letters of] his [own] name: Thirty, corresponding to the thirty virtues of the monarchy. There were six hundred and thirteen letters on the tablets - from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you [besides to fear Him]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; along with Torah and circumcision, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) is six hundred. [Add] eight strings and five knots, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al)] has a numerical value of one hundred, corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. "And now Israel, what (mah) does the Lord, your God, ask of you" - read it as one hundred (meah), these are the hundred blessings. Once he ordained it, the pestilence ceased. "This is the law of the burnt-offering (olah), it is the burnt-offering" (Leviticus 6:2), [meaning] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of repentance. "Two anointed ones" (Zechariah 4:14). These are David and Aharon who were anointed with the anointing oil, such that their anointing was for [all] the generations. With Aharon, it is written (Numbers 25:13), "It shall be for him and his descendants after him, a pact of priesthood for all time." With David it is written (Ezekiel 37:25), "and My servant David as their prince for all time." "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov)" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen [blessings]. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "'Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov).' The numerical value of tov in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet) is [the same as] soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'Behold the fat from us, from our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of the [number of the] days of the nine months of birthing (two hundred and seventy one). The name of the angel that is appointed for conception is night, as stated (Job 3:3), "and the night [that it was] said, 'A man was conceived." The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah corresponding to the [forty mentions] of well, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. And a seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] hallah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value of le'at is forty. Behold the measure of a seah is a tefach by a tefach with the height of [sixteen] tefach [and a fifth]. And one who separates the measure of the hallah [tithe] must separate [one part in forty three] and a fifth [from Torah writ like the numerical value of hallah]. Forty lashes (which are actually thirty-nine) is from Torah writ, as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one (thirty-nine). "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses received by the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground, and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." A Sanhedrin is twenty-three, so [that it is possible for] those advocating innocence to have one more (than twenty), and those advocating guilt to have two more. It is best for the two to come and push off one. The numerical value of anathmea (cherem) is two hundred and forty-eight. And Shmuel said, when it takes force it takes force on [all] two hundred and forty-eight organs, and when it leaves, it leaves from two hundred and forty-eight limbs, as it is written (Habakuk 3:2), "in anger, remember to have mercy (rachem, which is made up of the same letters as cherem)." It is written,"tirash," but we read it [as] tirosh. [If] he merits, he becomes a rosh (leader); [if] he does not merit, he becomes a rash (poor person). Our rabbis, may their memory be blessed said, "A man is recognized by three things: by his purse, by his glass and by his anger. Tavel is Ramaliah. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value of in at-bash. The numerical value of Gog and Magog is seventy, as they are the seventy nations [of the world].

(Numb. 11:16:) “Gather Me seventy men from the elders of Israel.” But where were those former ones?⁵⁴Numb. R. 15:21. This text is related (to Job 34:24), “He shatters mighty ones without inquiry and raises up others in their stead.” When Israel was in Egypt, they had seventy elders as stated (in Exod. 3:16), “Go and gather the elders of Israel”; and with them they went out of Egypt. [Moreover] when Moses went up [on Sinai] to receive the Torah, they were [still] with him, as stated (in Exod. 24:9), “Then there went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel,” [and then] (in Exod. 24:14) “But unto the elders he had said, ‘Wait [for us] here […].’” When Moses had gone up, he had agreed with Israel to come down at the end of forty days. When he delayed coming down, all Israel came together to the elders. [He delayed,] even as it is stated (in Exod. 32:1), “When the people saw that Moses delayed (boshesh).”⁵⁵Cf. Shab. 89a. Now boshesh can only mean a delay since it is stated (in Judg. 5:28), “Why is his chariot late (boshesh) in coming; why are the hoof-beats of his chariots delaying?” They said to them, Moses agreed with us that he would come down in forty days. Now here it is forty days and he has not come down. And in addition, six hours more [have passed];⁵⁶Cf. Exod. R. 41:7, which derives boshesh from ba’u shesh, which means: “Six hours have come.” See Gen. R. 18:6. yet we do not know what has happened to him. So (in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) ‘Arise and make a god for us.’” When they heard that, they said to them, “Why are you angering Him, you for whom He performed all the miracles and wonders?” [But] they did not heed them and killed them. Then because Hur had stood ('md) up to them with harsh words, they (rt.: 'md) rose up against him and killed him [as well]. Then all of Israel gathered around Aaron with great pomp, as stated (ibid.), “and the people gathered unto Aaron...,” [saying,] “Why are you sitting?” R. Isaac said, “The holy spirit cried out (as in Psalms 26:5), ‘I detest the company of evil men, and do not consort with the wicked.’” [They said to him] (again in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) “’Arise and make a god for us’; and if not, ‘as (like) this,’ we will do like this to you. In the same way that we rose up against Hur and killed him, so will we do to you, if you prevent us [from our demand].” Once Aaron saw what they did to the elders and to Hur, he was very afraid, as stated (Exodus 32:5), “And Aaron saw and he built an altar (vayiven mizbeach) in front of it,” [meaning that] he built from the killing (vayiven mizvoach). Where is it shown that they killed the elders and Hur?⁵⁷On the killing of Hur, see also Tanh. Exod. 8:10; Exod. R. 42:1; 48:3; 51:8; Lev. R. 10:2; Numb. R. 9:45; PRE 45. Where Jeremiah rebuked Israel, as stated (in Jer. 2:34), “On your skirts there is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor; you did not find them breaking in; yet for of all these.” What is the significance of “for all these (elleh)?” [It is] because of (the statement in Exod. 32:4), “These (elleh) are your gods O Israel.” What [punishment] did he repay them? (As stated in Exod. 32:35), “Then the Lord sent a plague upon the people.” After a time, when the Holy One, blessed be He, had forgiven them, He said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men, in place of those who were killed for the sanctification of My name.” That is what is written (in Job 34:24), “He shatters mighty ones without inquiry [and raises up others in their stead].”

21 (Numb. 11:16) “Gather Me seventy men from the elders of Israel”: But where were those former ones? This text is related (to Job 34:24), “He shatters mighty ones without inquiry and raises up others in their stead.” When Israel was in Egypt, they had seventy elders as stated (in Exod. 3:16), “Go and gather the elders of Israel”; and with them they went out of Egypt. [Moreover] when Moses went up [on Sinai] to receive the Torah, they were [still] with him, as stated (in Exod. 24:9), “Then there went up Moses and Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and the seventy elders of Israel,” [and then] (in Exod. 24:14) “But unto the elders he had said, ‘Wait [for us] here […].’” When Moses had gone up, he had agreed with Israel to come down at the end of forty days. When he delayed coming down, all Israel came together to the elders. [He delayed,] even as it is stated (in Exod. 32:1), “When the people saw that Moses delayed (boshesh).”⁴⁵Cf. Shab. 89a. Now boshesh can only mean a delay since it is stated (in Judg. 5:28), “Why is his chariot late (boshesh) in coming; why are the hoof-beats of his chariots delaying?” They said to them, Moses agreed with us that he would come down in forty days. Now here it is forty days and he has not come down. And in addition, six hours more [have passed];⁴⁶Cf. Exod. R. 41:7, which derives boshesh from ba’u shesh, which means: “Six hours have come.” See Gen. R. 18:6. yet we do not know what has happened to him. So (in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) ‘Arise and make a god for us […].’” When they heard that, they said to them, “Why are you angering Him, you for whom He performed all the miracles and wonders?” [But] they did not heed them and killed them. Then because Hur had stood ('md) up to them with harsh words, they (rt.: 'md) rose up against him and killed him [as well]. Then all of Israel gathered around Aaron with great pomp, as stated (ibid.), “and the people gathered unto Aaron...,” [saying,] “Get up! Why are you sitting? Get up!” R. Isaac said, “The holy spirit cried out (as in Psalms 26:5), ‘I detest the company of evil men.’” [They said to him] (again in the words of Exod. 32:1 cont.) “’Arise and make a god for us’; and if not, ‘as (like) this,’ we will do like this to you. In the same way that we rose up against Hur and killed him, so will we do to you, [if you prevent us from our demand].” Once Aaron saw what they did to the elders and to Hur, he was very afraid, as stated (Exodus 32:5), “And Aaron saw and he built an altar (vayiven mizbeach) in front of it,” [meaning that] he understood from the one killed before him (vayiven me’mi she’zavuach lefaniv). Where is it shown that they killed the elders and Hur?⁴⁷On the killing of Hur, see also Tanh. Exod. 8:10; Exod. R. 42:1; 48:3; 51:8; Lev. R. 10:2; Numb. R. 9:45; PRE 45. Where Jeremiah rebuked Israel, as stated (in Jer. 2:34), “On your skirts there is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor; you did not find them breaking in; yet for of all these.” What is the significance of “for all these (elleh)?” [It is] because of (the statement in Exod. 32:4), “These (elleh) are your gods O Israel.” What [punishment] did He repay them? (As stated in Exod. 32:35), “Then the Lord sent a plague upon the people.” After a time, when the Holy One, blessed be He, had forgiven them, He said to Moses (in Numb. 11:16), “Gather Me seventy men, in place of those who were killed for the sanctification of My name.” That is what is written (in Job 34:24), “He shatters mighty ones without inquiry and raises up others in their stead.”

21 The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Exodus 3:15, is a hint to] Israel, to Moshe,"pakod pakadeti etchem (I have surely remembered you)." The doubling of tsadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, [ou'metachtav yitsmach] (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the Messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDavid tsemach tsadeek [...] (and I will raise up a true branch of David [...])." "The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3). Twenty-four books (of the Bible); add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold fifty. "Sixty were the queens," (Song of Songs 6:8), sixty tractates; "and eighty were the concubines," eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates.; and maidens without number," the study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This corresponds to] the sixty letters of the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). Three hundred and eighteen [souls mentioned in Genesis 14:14 is the numerical equivalent of] Eliezer. "Inasmuch (ekev) as Avraham obeyed Me and kept My charge: My commandments, My laws, and My teachings" (Genesis 26:5) - he recognized him when he was three (the numerical equivalent of ekev, being three less than that of Avraham). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of three hundred and sixty-four, the count of the days of the solar year that he rules over all of them to slander, excepting Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami beiRabbi Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before] he fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." "A woman of valor is the crown of her husband" (Proverbs 12:4) - that is Sarah. Her name had been Sarai. Two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod (with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her) was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehoshua came and Moshe added to him a yod - the Lord save you from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod (with a numerical count of ten) corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi (with a numerical count of ninety), [as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet (with a numerical count of eight), [as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof (with a numerical count of one hundred), [as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, [and Levi] was the tenth. [The letter] ayin (with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt), "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received minus the name of God, "And may He give you etc." (Genesis 27:28)]. [The letter] bet (with a numerical count of two) remains, corresponding to two angels (that he saw on the ladder in his dream) rising. There were six hundred and thirteen commandments in the tablets - corresponding to the letters from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments - no less and no more. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, [as it is stated] (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you besides to fear Him [...]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; and Torah has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven - and Torah and fear [of God] along with them, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) [is six hundred] - the rabbis taught: [Add] eight [strings] and five [knots], behold that is six hundred and thirteen. The days of Avraham were one hundred and seventy-five years, [of] Yitzchak were one hundred and eighty years [and of] Yaakov were a hundred and forty-seven years. When you put them together, it is found to be five hundred and two years. And so is the distance of the the heavens to the earth, "like the the days of the heavens above the earth" (Deuteronomy 11:21). "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al) has a numerical value of one hundred] corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David came and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. Once he ordained them, the pestilence ceased. High (al) [corresponds to] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of suffering. "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov) that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen blessings. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained after it for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "Take tov [in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet), which is the same] as the numerical value of soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'At the time that the Temple existed, we would incinerate the fats and the innards and be cleansed. But now behold our fat, our blood and our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of two hundred and seventy one (the number of the days of the nine months of birthing). The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah [corresponding to the forty mentions] of well water, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. Each seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] challah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value [of le'at] is forty. And one who separates the measure of the challah [tithe] must separate one part in forty three and a fifth from Torah writ like the [numerical] value of challah. The main categories of work [on Shabbat] are forty minus one (thirty-nine), as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one. "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses that the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground were cursed - and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." Those [judges] advocating innocence are more those advocating guilt. [For] it is best for the two to come and push off one. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value in at-bash. Tavel is Ramlah [according to] its numerical value in al-bam (another numerical scheme). "Thus (bezot) shall Aaron enter the shrine; with a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering" (Leviticus 16:3). Bezot (which has a numerical count of four hundred and ten) is a hint to the first Temple that stood for four hundred and ten years.

(Gen. 20:1:) THEN ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THERE. This text is related (to Ps. 26:4f.): I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE… I HAVE HATED THE COMMUNITY OF EVILDOERS, < AND WILL NOT DWELL WITH THE WICKED >. I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE. These are the people of the Tower < of Babel >, who were < in fact > false people. They went and said to Abraham: Come and dwell with us, since you are a valiant man, for we see that the Holy One has made his dwelling above and left us below. The Holy Spirit, however, cries out (in Is. 57:20): BUT THE WICKED ARE LIKE THE TROUBLED SEA. You could not dwell in security even for one hour. (Ps. 82:5:) THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN, AND THEY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; THEY WILL WALK ABOUT IN DARKNESS. THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN. This is the generation of Enosh⁹⁶See Gen. 4:26, which rabbinic texts interpret to mean that in the days of Enosh people began practicing idolatry. AND THEY WILL NOT UNDERSTAND. [This is] the generation of the flood. THEY WILL WALK ABOUT IN DARKNESS. This is the generation of the Tower < of Babel >. Abraham said to them: What are you seeking from the Holy One who dwells above? Has he perhaps said to you: Come, labor and provide⁹⁷Gk.: pronoos, i.e., “thinking beforehand.” for me? He creates, and he provides; he makes, and he sustains. What do you want from him? (Gen. 11:4:) {THEY SAID TO HIM} [THEN THEY SAID]: COME, LET US BUILD FOR OURSELVES A CITY AND A TOWER. Then let us place our idols above him and make war with him. It is so stated (ibid., cont.): AND LET US MAKE A NAME (i.e., a god) FOR OURSELVES.⁹⁸See M.Pss. 74:2. Thus it is < also > written (in Exod. 23:13): YOU SHALL NOT MENTION THE NAME OF OTHER GODS. Abraham said to them: What are all these for? They said to him: Lest he do to us something like what he did to earlier generations. He said to them: You have forsaken (what Prov. 18:10 calls) A TOWER OF STRENGTH, THE NAME OF THE LORD; yet you say: AND LET US MAKE A NAME (i.e., a god) FOR OURSELVES! What did the Holy One do? He dispersed them, as stated (in Gen. 11:8): SO THE LORD DISPERSED THEM. Now to what extent had they built and ascended the Tower? The Holy One was deriding them, as stated (in Ps. 2:4): THE ONE WHO DWELLS IN THE HEAVENS WILL LAUGH; < THE LORD WILL DERIDE THEM >. When they had gone up above on the Tower, < there follows > immediately (in vs. 5): THEN HE WILL SPEAK UNTO THEM IN HIS WRATH…. So it (the Tower) fell from on high, as stated (in Ps. 5:11 [10]): CONDEMN THEM, O GOD, LET THEM FALL BY THEIR OWN COUNSELS. Thus Abraham had no dealings with them. Then the Holy One looked down upon them and saw them, as stated (in Ps. 53: 3f. [2f.]): {THE LORD} [GOD] OF HEAVEN LOOKED DOWN UPON THE CHILDREN OF ADAM … ALL OF THEM ARE DROSS…. When they became dross, they made themselves deities. (Ibid., cont.:) THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, NOT EVEN ONE. From here you learn that Abraham was not one of them. The ONE mentioned here is none but Abraham, as stated (in Ezek. 33:24): ABRAHAM WAS ONE AND HE INHERITED THE LAND. Abraham began saying (in Ps. 26:4f.): I HAVE NOT DWELT WITH FALSE PEOPLE; I HAVE HATED THE COMMUNITY OF EVILDOERS. It is therefore stated (in Gen. 20:1): THEN ABRAHAM JOURNEYED FROM THERE.

Another interpretation of, "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day" (Leviticus 23:40). This is [the understanding of] that which is written (Psalms 26:6), "I wash my hands in innocence" - with a purchase and not with theft, as we have learned there (Sukkah 29b): A stolen or dry lulav is disqualified, of a tree-god or a condemned city is disqualified. "And walk around Your altar, O Lord" - like that which we learned there (Sukkah 45a): Each day they would circle the altar one time and say, "O Lord, please save us; O Lord, please save us" (Psalms 118:25). Rabbi Yehudah says, "Ani vaho, please save us." And on [the seventh] day, they would circle the altar seven times. "Raising my voice in thanksgiving" - these are the sacrifices. "And telling all Your wonders" - Rabbi Avin said, That is Hallel, as it has of the past within it, and it has of the future within it, and it has these generations within it and it has the days of the Messiah within it, and it has the days of Gog and Magog within it: "In the coming out of Israel from Egypt" (Psalms 114:1) is of the past; "Not to us, O Lord" (Psalms 115:1) is of these generations; "I have loved that You heard, O Lord" (Psalms 116:1) is for the days of the Messiah; "All the nations surrounded me" (Psalms 118:10) is for the days of Gog and Magog; "You are my God and I will praise You, my God and I will exalt You" (Psalms 118:28) is for the future to come.

Another interpretation of, "And you shall take for yourselves on the first day" (Leviticus 23:40). This is [the understanding of] that which is written (Psalms 26:6), "I wash my hands in innocence" - with a purchase and not with theft, as we have learned there (Sukkah 29b): A stolen or dry lulav is disqualified, of a tree-god or a condemned city is disqualified. "And walk around Your altar, O Lord" - like that which we learned there (Sukkah 45a): Each day they would circle the altar one time and say, "O Lord, please save us; O Lord, please save us" (Psalms 118:25). Rabbi Yehudah says, "Ani vaho, please save us." And on [the seventh] day, they would circle the altar seven times. "Raising my voice in thanksgiving" - these are the sacrifices. "And telling all Your wonders" - Rabbi Avin said, That is Hallel, as it has of the past within it, and it has of the future within it, and it has these generations within it and it has the days of the Messiah within it, and it has the days of Gog and Magog within it: "In the coming out of Israel from Egypt" (Psalms 114:1) is of the past; "Not to us, O Lord" (Psalms 115:1) is of these generations; "I have loved that You heard, O Lord" (Psalms 116:1) is for the days of the Messiah; "All the nations surrounded me" (Psalms 118:10) is for the days of Gog and Magog; "You are my God and I will praise You, my God and I will exalt You" (Psalms 118:28) is for the future to come.

Another explanation for zeh hadavar: “Take with you words. . .”(d’varim, Ho 14:3). This is what is meant by what is written: “I wash my palms with cleanliness and circle your altar, Yahh, to voice thanks aloud and to tell of all your miracles.” (Ps 26:6f) One might also offer bulls and rams, but exegesis says to voice thanks aloud. Accordingly, Jews say, “Ribon HaOlam (“master of the universe”), leaders sin and bring and bring a korban (“offering”) and it atones for them. The mashiach sins and brings a korban and it atones for him. We, we have no korban.” He said to them: “And if all the congregation of Yisrael stray–and the matter is hidden from the eyes of the community–and they are guilty of doing one of the negative commandments of Yahh, then, if the sin guilt for which they sinned becomes known, the community shall offer a bull of the herd as a sin offering.”(Lev 4:13f) They say to him, “We are poor and we have not what to bring for korbanot.” He says to them, “Words, I request, as it is said, ‘Take with you words and return to Yahh’ and I annul all your misdeeds.” These words are none other than divrey Torah, as it is said, “These are the d’varim that Moshe spoke to all Yisrael.(Dt 1:1) They said to him, “We do not know.” He said to them, “Weep and pray before me and I accept it. Your ancestors, when they were enslaved in Mitsrayim, it wasn’t for prayer that I redeemed them, as it is said, ‘The B’neiYisrael groaned from the work and cried out.’(Ex 2:23)In the days of Y’hoshua it wasn’t for prayer that I made miracles for them, as it is said, ‘Y’hoshua tore his garment and fell on his face before the ark of Yahh till evening.’(Jos 7:6) So what did I say to him? ‘Hold out the spear which is in your hand towards The Ai, for I give it into your hand.’(Jos 8:18) In the days of the Judges, with weeping I heard their outcry, as it is said, ‘It happened, when the B’neiYisrael cried out to Yahh on account of Midyan.’(Ju 6:7) In the days of Sh’muel it was not in prayer that I heard them, as it is said, ‘Sh’muel cried out to Yahh on behalf of Yisrael and Yahh responded to him.’(Sam 7:9) And similarly the men of Y’rushalayim, even though they had angered me, because they wept before me I had mercy on them, as it is said, ‘For thus said Yahh, “Sing out joy to Ya’akov. . .”(Jer 31:7) Oh, I request from you not sacrifices and not korbanot but words, as it is said, ‘Take with you words. . .’ This is why David said, ‘I wash my hands with cleanliness’ not intending to make an offering but to voice thanks aloud, for I am thankful to you for divrey Torah.

“…on the rock that is higher than I…” (Psalms 61:3) Which is this? This is Jerusalem, as it says “And it became wider and it wound higher…” (Ezekiel 41:7) Therefore ‘on the rock that is higher than I.’ Knesset Yisrael said before the Holy One: Master of the World! I do not want to dwell with the enemy, but rather “I shall dwell in Your tent to eternity…” (Psalms 61:5) And so it says “O Lord, I love the dwelling of Your house and the place of the residence of Your glory.” (Psalms 26:8) So too it says “For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand; I chose to sit on the threshold of the house of My God rather than dwell in tents of wickedness.” (Psalms 84:11)

(Ibid. 13) "Whole shall you be with the L-rd your G-d": When you are whole, your lot will be with the L-rd your G-d." And thus did David say (Psalms 26:11) "And I in My wholeness will go — redeem me and be gracious unto me," and (Ibid. 41:13) "And I, in my wholeness You supported me, and You placed me before You forever."