Midrash su Salmi 8:78

Befitting is (the ascription of) "greatness" to the Lord. And thus did David say (I Chronicles 29:11) "To you, O Lord, is [befitting the ascription of] greatness, might, splendor, triumph, and majesty." A king of flesh and blood enters a province, and all praise him as "strong" — when he is weak; as "rich" — when he is poor; as "wise" — when he is foolish; as "merciful" — when he is cruel; as "trusty" — when he is not. He is lacking in all of these (fine) attributes — All men are flattering him. But it is not so with Him who spoke and brought the world into being. He is more than He is praised for being. I shall sing to the Lord, who is might, as it is written — (Devarim 10:17) "the God who is great and mighty and awesome," (Psalms 24:8) "the Lord, mighty and strong, the Lord, strong in war," (Isaiah 42;13) "The Lord as a mighty one shall go forth. As a man of war, He will stir up wrath. He will shout; He will scream. He will overpower His foes," (Jeremiah 10:14) "There is none like You, O Lord. Great are You and great is Your name in strength." I shall sing to the Lord, who is rich, as it is written — (Devarim 10:19) "To the Lord your God belong the heavens, etc.", (Psalms 24:1) "To the Lord belongs the earth and its fullness, etc.", (Ibid. 95:5) "His is the sea and He has made it," (Chaggai 2:8) "Mine is the silver and Mine is the gold," (Ezekiel 18:4) "All of the souls are Mine. The soul of the father and the soul of the son alike are Mine." I shall sing to the Lord, who is wise, as it is written — (Mishlei 2:6) "For the Lord shall give wisdom. From His mouth are knowledge and understanding", (Daniel 2:21) "He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to the knowers of understanding". (Jeremiah 10:7) "Who will not fear You, King of the nations? For among all the sages of the nations and in all of their kingdoms, there is none like You." I shall sing to the Lord, for He is merciful, as it is written — (Exodus 34:6) "Hashem, Hashem, the G d who is merciful and gracious", (Devarim 4:31) "For a merciful G d is the L rd your G d", (Psalms 25:6) "Remember Your mercies, Hashem, etc.", (Ibid. 145:8) "Good is the Lord to all, and His mercies are on all his works", (Daniel 9:9) "To the Lord our God is mercy and forgiveness." I shall sing to the Lord, who is a Judge, as it is written — (Devarim 1:17) "… for the judgment is God's", (Psalms 82:1) "G d stands in the assembly of the almighty. In the midst of the judges shall He judge," (Devarim 32:4) "The Rock, perfect is His work, for all of His ways are just." I shall sing to the Lord, who is trusty, as it is written — (Ibid. 7:9) "the trusty G d, etc." (Ibid. 32:4) "… a G d of trust, without wrong, etc." I shall sing to the Lord, who is comely, who is glorious, who is exalted, whose like does not exist — (Psalms 89:7) "For who in the heavens can be compared to the Lord, can be likened to the Lord among the sons of the mighty"? (Ibid. 8) "God greatly dreaded in the great council of the holy, held in awe by all around Him"

When the Holy One, blessed be He, was about to give the Torah to Israel, He asked: “Will ye accept My Torah?” “Indeed,” they replied. “Then give me a surety that you will fulfill it,” He said. “Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will be our surety,” they answered. Whereupon He responded: “Your patriarchs required guarantors for themselves, since Abraham said: Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit it? (Gen. 15:8); while Isaac loved the one I hated, as it is written: But Esau, I hate (Mal. 1:3); and Jacob declared: My way is hid from the Lord (Isa. 40:27).” “Then our children shall be our guarantors,” they exclaimed. The Holy One, blessed be He, immediately accepted them as sureties and gave the Torah to Israel, as it is said: Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou found strength (Ps. 8:3). Therefore, whenever Israel neglects the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts punishment from the sureties, as is said: Thou hast forgotten the law; I will also forget thy children (Hos. 4:6).

(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” This text is related (to Prov. 29:23), “One's pride will bring him low, but the low in spirit will obtain honor.” Whenever anyone pursues [a position of] authority, authority flees from him, but whenever anyone flees from [a position of] authority, authority will pursue him. Saul fled from authority when he came to reign, as stated (in I Sam. 10:22), “So they inquired of the Lord again, ‘Has anyone else come [here]?’ And the Lord said, ‘Here he is hiding among the baggage.’” What does it (the word “baggage”) mean? When they came and brought him word of his kingship, he told them, “I am not worthy of kingship. Rather inquire by means of urim and thummim whether I am worthy; and if not, leave me alone.” Immediately (ibid.), “So they inquired of the Lord again (i.e., this second time),” [and] immediately he hid himself until they had inquired of urim and thummim. (Ibid. cont.:) “And the Lord said, ‘here he is hiding among the baggage (literally: instruments).’” Thus have our masters taught: These instruments were urim and thummim. This man fled from authority, and it pursued him, as stated (in I Sam. 10:24), “Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all of this people?” But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal pursued authority, and it fled from him, as stated (in Jud. 9:1), “But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brothers…,” and killed them all upon one stone and ruled over the masters of Shechem. But in the end (according to Jud. 9:23), “Then [God] sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem,” and a woman killed him. Moses also fled from authority when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Exod. 3:10), “Come, I will send you unto Pharaoh, (Exod. 14:13) “But he said, ‘Pray Lord, please make someone else Your agent.” R. Levi said, “For seven days did the Holy One, blessed be He, prevail upon Moses in the thornbush in order to send him,¹³Lev. R. 11:6; Numb. R. 21:15; M. Pss. 18:22; cf. Exod. R. 3:14; also PR 7:2. and he was answering him, ‘Please make someone else Your agent.’” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 4:10), “Then Moses said unto the Lord, ‘Pray, Lord, I have never been a man of words, either in the past or now that You have spoken unto Your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “By your life, in the end you shall go.” When he did go [and] said, (in Exod. 5:1), “Thus says the Lord, the God of (the Hebrews) [Israel], ‘Let My people go and they shall serve Me,’” [and] that wicked man said (in vs. 2), “Who is the Lord,”¹⁴Cf. Numb. R. 13:3. Moses began to say, “I have already fulfilled my mission.” [So] he went and sat down. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Are you sitting down? (Exod. 6:11:) ‘Go and speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt.’” And so too for each and every oracle (as in Exod. 7:15), “Go unto pharaoh”; (and Exod. 8:16) “Rise up early in the morning.” [These verses are] to teach you that he fled from authority. In the end he led them forth, divided the sea for them, brought them into the desert, brought down the manna for them, brought up the well for them, brought over the quails for them, and made the tabernacle. Then he said, “From now on what is there for me to do?” He got ready and sat down. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, now you have a greater work than any that you have done, [i.e.,] to teach My children clean and unclean, to enlighten them on how to offer sacrifices to Me,” as stated (in Lev. 1:1–2), “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses […], ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel […], “When one of you presents an offering.”’” Moshe fled from authority and it pursued him, in fulfillment of what is stated (in Prov. 29:23), “One's pride will bring him low, but the low in spirit will obtain honor.” This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 8:6), “For You have made him a little less than divine, and crowned him with glory and majesty.” (Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” This text is related (to Ps. 89:20), “Then you spoke to Your saints in a vision and said, ‘I have conferred help upon one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.’” Although the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with the first Adam and commanded him concerning the tree of knowledge, he was alone in the world. So also in the case of Noah; although He spoke with him, he [alone] “was upright in his generations.” And so it was in the case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were unique in the world. But in the case of Moses, how many righteous ones [were in the world]? Seventy elders, Bezalel, Uri, Aaron and his sons, and the [tribal] princes. Yet of them all, He called only Moses. Ergo, it says (in Ps. 89:20), “I have exalted one chosen from the people.” This is Moses, as stated (in Ps. 106:23), “had not Moses His chosen one […].”

When Moses ascended on high, a cloud came up against him, and Moses our teacher did not know if one rides it or holds it. Immediately, the cloud opened its mouth and Moses entered it, and he walked into the firmament like a man walking on land, as it is written in the Torah: "And Moses entered within the cloud" [Exodus 24:18].He encountered Kemu'el, the guardian angel in charge of the twelve thousand angels of destruction who were standing at the gates of the firmament. He rebuked Moses, saying to him: "What do you have, son of Amram, that you should come into the place of the Fiery Angels?" Moses said to him: "I did not come merely by myself, but only with the permission of the Holy One, Blessed be He, to receive the Torah and bring it down to Israel. Since he would not let him pass, Moses hit him with one hit, and he made him lost from the world. And Moses continued walking in the firmament until he confronted the angel Hadraniel. They said about the angel Hadraniel that he is taller than his kinsman -- six-hundred thousand parasangs [tall] -- and with each and every word that comes out of his mouth, twelve thousand bolts of fire come out of his mouth (all at once). And when he saw Moses he rebuked him, saying, "What do you have, son of Amram, in the place of the highest holiness?" When Moses heard his voice, Moses became afraid before him. And his eyes were dripping tears and he wanted to be let down from the cloud. Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He's mercy was aroused, and He said to Hadraniel, "From the day I created you (all), you (all) have been an opponent of theirs [the humans]. In the beginning, when I wanted to created Adam the First, you (all) made their prosecution before me, and you (all) said to me, 'What is man that You are mindful of him?' [Psalms 8:5] And I was upset with you (all), and I burnt from you (all) many bunches with my little finger. And now you (all) are quarreling with my loyal servant, whom I brought up here to receive the Torah and to bring down to my chosen child? If it were not for the Torah that Israel is receiving, you (all) would not have a living space in the firmament!" When Hadraniel heard this, immediately he hastened himself before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and said before him, "Master of the Universe, it is revealed and known before you, but I did not know that he [Moses] came with your permission. Now I shall be his emissary and go before him as a student before his teacher." At once, Hadraniel ran and lowered himself before Moses as a student before his teacher, until they arrived at Sandalphon's fire. Hadraniel said to Moses, "You must return, for I am not able to protect myself before Sandalphon's fire that it should not burn me." When Moses saw Sandalphon, he was immediately startled and hastened to go down from the cloud, and his eyes were dripping tears, and he asked for mercy before the Holy One, Blessed be He. And He answered him. Out of his great fondness for Israel, the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself descended from His Throne of Glory and stood before Moses until he passed from Sandalphon's fire. About that time it was written in the Torah: "And YHWH passed before him" [Exodus 34:6]. They said about Sandalphon that he was taller than his kinsman, the distance of five-hundred years, and about him it is written: "One of the Ophanim on the ground, next to the Chayot" [Ezekiel 1:15] -- this is Sandalphon, who stands behind the Chariot and ties crowns for its owner.Does it cross your mind that the ministering angels know where the Holy One, Blessed be He, dwells, for is it not written, "Blessed is YHWH's glory from His place [mimkomo]" [Ezekiel 3:12]? However, it does not say "in His place" [bimkomo] but rather "from His place" [mekomo], which teaches that the place of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is not known. But Sandalphon completes the crown that crowns the place of the Holy One, Blessed be He, with sanctity. And the crown rises from its own accord and sits on the head of its master. Immediately, all the legions on high are afraid and trembling, and the chayot are silent, and the holy seraphim roar like lions, and the seraphim call out, "Holy, holy, holy, YHWH of legions, the whole earth is filled with His glory" [Isaiah 6:3]. And this is its interpretation: holy in the upper [world]; holy in the lower [world]; holy, the eternal YHWH, who is sanctified in the foundations of the legions of Israel. And at the time when the crown reaches the Throne of Glory, immediately the wheels of the chariot start rolling, and the Lord shakes his footstool and all the heavens are shaken. And at the time when the crown passes over the Throne of Glory to sit in its place, all the legions on high open their mouths and they say, "Blessed is YHWH's glory from His place" [Ezekiel 3:12]. Come and see the praise of the Holy One, Blessed be He: that when the crown arrives at His head, YHWH holds His head to receive the crown from His servants. And all the chayot and seraphim and the wheels of the chariot and the Throne of Glory and the legions of the heavens and the chashmalim and the cherubim, elevate themselves and unite and give majesty and splendor, and they proclaim, and they say in one voice: "YHWH is king, YHWH was king, YHWH will be king forever and ever." And this is its interpretation: YHWH, the King before the creation of the world; YHWH, the King from the creation of the world; YHWH will reign forever and until the world to come. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, Blessed be His name, consents, and says: "YHWH shall reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations, hallelujah" [Psalm 146:10]. And when Moses passed by Sandalphon, he encountered Regyon, which is the river of fire. And in its burnings the ministering angels are immersing and renewing themselves every morning, as it says: "They are renewed every morning—great is Your faithfulness" [Lamentations 3:23], and so it is interpreted through Daniel [7:10]: "A river of fire streamed forth before Him; a thousand thousands served Him; myriads upon myriads attended Him; the court sat and the books were opened." And this is its interpretation: "river of fire" -- this is called Regyon, which flows with burning embers, and it goes out before the the Throne of Glory of the Holy One, Blessed be He. And it is made with the sweat of the four chayot beneath the Throne of Glory. And they sweat fire in awe of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and from the fiery sweat, that river is made. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits on the Throne of Judgement and judges even the ministering angels, as it says: "If He cannot trust His own servants, and casts reproach on His angels" [Job 4:18]. And it is written: "He puts no trust in His holy ones; the heavens are not guiltless in His sight" [Job 15:15]. And when the ministering angels are brought to judgment, they renew themselves in that river of fire. Therefore, if the ministering angels were immersing in the river of fire, would not humans also be doing so? Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, sent it [the river of fire] away, and he [Moses] came upon Galizur, called Raziel, about whom it is said, "Is it not at the word of the Most High, that evil and good emanate?" [Lamentations 3:39] And why is his name Galizur? Because he reveals [gala] the taste of rock [tzur]. And why is his name Raziel? Because he is one who hears behind the curtain [ragod] what is decreed [gazer] to be, and he proclaims it in the world. And Elijah, who should be recalled for good, stands on Mount Horeb, and he hears the voice of the proclamation from His mouth, and he makes heard the voice in the world. As it is written: "For a bird of the air may carry the utterance" [Ecclesiastes 10:20] -- this is Raziel; "and a winged creature may report the word" [Ecclesiastes 10:20] -- this is Elijah.It is said about Galizur [Raziel] that he stands in front of the throne with his wings spread to receive the noxious breath from the mouth of the chayot, otherwise, all the ministering angels would be burned from the noxious breath of the chayot. And another vocation is said about Galizur: that he takes like an iron pan, which is made of fire, burning embers in the river Regyon, and he stands opposite the kings and ministers, leaders of the world, so that there luster should prevail and their awe befall the world. When Moses saw him, he trembled. Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, took him and removed him from there. He [Moses] encountered a regiment of Angels of Terror, who surround the Throne of Glory, those who are mighty of all the angels. And they wanted to burn him with the noxious breath of their mouths. Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, spread the luster of his glory and said to Moses: "Give them an answer." Moses our teacher said to them: "It is written in the Torah, 'I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage' [Exodus 20:2]; perhaps you were enslaved in Egypt and went forth as free people, that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'You shall have no other Gods' [Exodus 20:3]; perhaps there is idol worship amongst you and you are in need the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not swear' [Exodus 20:7]; perhaps there are dealings amongst you that you are in need of the Torah regarding oaths? It is written: 'Remember the Sabbath day and sanctify it' [Exodus 20:8]; perhaps there is activity amongst you that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'Honor your father and mother' [Exodus 20:12]; perhaps you have a father and mother that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not murder' [Exodus 20:13]; perhaps there is bloodshed amongst you that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not commit adultery' [Exodus 20:13]; perhaps there are women amongst you that you need the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not steal' [Exodus 20:13]; perhaps there are finances in the firmament that you are in need of the Torah? It is written, "You shall not bear [false witness]' [Exodus 20:13]; perhaps there are false testimonies amongst you that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not covet' [Exodus 20:14]; perhaps there are houses and fields and vineyards amongst you that you are in need of the Torah?" Immediately, all the ministering angels retracted [their desire to burn Moses] and they admitted to his words to the Holy One, Blessed be He. And they said: "YHWH, our Master, 'How majestic is Your name throughout the earth, you who have covered the heavens with Your splendor!'" [Psalm 8:2] And He, the Holy One, Blessed be He, taught him [Moses] the whole Torah in forty days. And when he [Moses] came to descend [from the firmament] and saw the awesomeness of the angels, and the legions of awesome angels -- trembling [zia] angels, and shuddering [chalchala] angels, and quaking [ratat] angels --  immediately, shuddering [chalchala] took hold of him and he forgot it [the Torah] all at one moment. Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, called to Yefefiah, Minister of Torah, who gave over to him [Moses] the Torah, fully prepared and preserved. And all the ministering angels became his [Moses's] admirer. And each one of them gave him something of healing and the hidden meaning of names that comes out of each and every section of Torah [parsha] and all their uses, as it says, "You went up to the heights, having taken captives, having received tribute of men" [Psalm 68:19]. And even the Angel of Death gave him something, as it is written: "He places the incense and made expiation for the people" [Numbers 17:12]. And this is the honorable use of that which was taught to him by Yefefiah, the Minister of Torah, and by Metatron, Minister of the Faces. And Moses gave it over to Elazar, and Elazar to his son Pinchas, who is Elijah the great and precious priest, he should be remembered for good. Amen.

When Moses ascended on high, a cloud came up against him, and Moses our teacher did not know if one rides it or holds it. Immediately, the cloud opened its mouth and Moses entered it, and he walked into the firmament like a man walking on land, as it is written in the Torah: "And Moses entered within the cloud" [Exodus 24:18].He encountered Kemu'el, the guardian angel in charge of the twelve thousand angels of destruction who were standing at the gates of the firmament. He rebuked Moses, saying to him: "What do you have, son of Amram, that you should come into the place of the Fiery Angels?" Moses said to him: "I did not come merely by myself, but only with the permission of the Holy One, Blessed be He, to receive the Torah and bring it down to Israel. Since he would not let him pass, Moses hit him with one hit, and he made him lost from the world. And Moses continued walking in the firmament until he confronted the angel Hadraniel. They said about the angel Hadraniel that he is taller than his kinsman -- six-hundred thousand parasangs [tall] -- and with each and every word that comes out of his mouth, twelve thousand bolts of fire come out of his mouth (all at once). And when he saw Moses he rebuked him, saying, "What do you have, son of Amram, in the place of the highest holiness?" When Moses heard his voice, Moses became afraid before him. And his eyes were dripping tears and he wanted to be let down from the cloud. Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He's mercy was aroused, and He said to Hadraniel, "From the day I created you (all), you (all) have been an opponent of theirs [the humans]. In the beginning, when I wanted to created Adam the First, you (all) made their prosecution before me, and you (all) said to me, 'What is man that You are mindful of him?' [Psalms 8:5] And I was upset with you (all), and I burnt from you (all) many bunches with my little finger. And now you (all) are quarreling with my loyal servant, whom I brought up here to receive the Torah and to bring down to my chosen child? If it were not for the Torah that Israel is receiving, you (all) would not have a living space in the firmament!" When Hadraniel heard this, immediately he hastened himself before the Holy One, Blessed be He, and said before him, "Master of the Universe, it is revealed and known before you, but I did not know that he [Moses] came with your permission. Now I shall be his emissary and go before him as a student before his teacher." At once, Hadraniel ran and lowered himself before Moses as a student before his teacher, until they arrived at Sandalphon's fire. Hadraniel said to Moses, "You must return, for I am not able to protect myself before Sandalphon's fire that it should not burn me." When Moses saw Sandalphon, he was immediately startled and hastened to go down from the cloud, and his eyes were dripping tears, and he asked for mercy before the Holy One, Blessed be He. And He answered him. Out of his great fondness for Israel, the Holy One, Blessed be He, Himself descended from His Throne of Glory and stood before Moses until he passed from Sandalphon's fire. About that time it was written in the Torah: "And YHWH passed before him" [Exodus 34:6]. They said about Sandalphon that he was taller than his kinsman, the distance of five-hundred years, and about him it is written: "One of the Ophanim on the ground, next to the Chayot" [Ezekiel 1:15] -- this is Sandalphon, who stands behind the Chariot and ties crowns for its owner.Does it cross your mind that the ministering angels know where the Holy One, Blessed be He, dwells, for is it not written, "Blessed is YHWH's glory from His place [mimkomo]" [Ezekiel 3:12]? However, it does not say "in His place" [bimkomo] but rather "from His place" [mekomo], which teaches that the place of the Holy One, Blessed be He, is not known. But Sandalphon completes the crown that crowns the place of the Holy One, Blessed be He, with sanctity. And the crown rises from its own accord and sits on the head of its master. Immediately, all the legions on high are afraid and trembling, and the chayot are silent, and the holy seraphim roar like lions, and the seraphim call out, "Holy, holy, holy, YHWH of legions, the whole earth is filled with His glory" [Isaiah 6:3]. And this is its interpretation: holy in the upper [world]; holy in the lower [world]; holy, the eternal YHWH, who is sanctified in the foundations of the legions of Israel. And at the time when the crown reaches the Throne of Glory, immediately the wheels of the chariot start rolling, and the Lord shakes his footstool and all the heavens are shaken. And at the time when the crown passes over the Throne of Glory to sit in its place, all the legions on high open their mouths and they say, "Blessed is YHWH's glory from His place" [Ezekiel 3:12]. Come and see the praise of the Holy One, Blessed be He: that when the crown arrives at His head, YHWH holds His head to receive the crown from His servants. And all the chayot and seraphim and the wheels of the chariot and the Throne of Glory and the legions of the heavens and the chashmalim and the cherubim, elevate themselves and unite and give majesty and splendor, and they proclaim, and they say in one voice: "YHWH is king, YHWH was king, YHWH will be king forever and ever." And this is its interpretation: YHWH, the King before the creation of the world; YHWH, the King from the creation of the world; YHWH will reign forever and until the world to come. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, Blessed be His name, consents, and says: "YHWH shall reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations, hallelujah" [Psalm 146:10]. And when Moses passed by Sandalphon, he encountered Regyon, which is the river of fire. And in its burnings the ministering angels are immersing and renewing themselves every morning, as it says: "They are renewed every morning—great is Your faithfulness" [Lamentations 3:23], and so it is interpreted through Daniel [7:10]: "A river of fire streamed forth before Him; a thousand thousands served Him; myriads upon myriads attended Him; the court sat and the books were opened." And this is its interpretation: "river of fire" -- this is called Regyon, which flows with burning embers, and it goes out before the the Throne of Glory of the Holy One, Blessed be He. And it is made with the sweat of the four chayot beneath the Throne of Glory. And they sweat fire in awe of the Holy One, Blessed be He, and from the fiery sweat, that river is made. And the Holy One, Blessed be He, sits on the Throne of Judgement and judges even the ministering angels, as it says: "If He cannot trust His own servants, and casts reproach on His angels" [Job 4:18]. And it is written: "He puts no trust in His holy ones; the heavens are not guiltless in His sight" [Job 15:15]. And when the ministering angels are brought to judgment, they renew themselves in that river of fire. Therefore, if the ministering angels were immersing in the river of fire, would not humans also be doing so? Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, sent it [the river of fire] away, and he [Moses] came upon Galizur, called Raziel, about whom it is said, "Is it not at the word of the Most High, that evil and good emanate?" [Lamentations 3:39] And why is his name Galizur? Because he reveals [gala] the taste of rock [tzur]. And why is his name Raziel? Because he is one who hears behind the curtain [ragod] what is decreed [gazer] to be, and he proclaims it in the world. And Elijah, who should be recalled for good, stands on Mount Horeb, and he hears the voice of the proclamation from His mouth, and he makes heard the voice in the world. As it is written: "For a bird of the air may carry the utterance" [Ecclesiastes 10:20] -- this is Raziel; "and a winged creature may report the word" [Ecclesiastes 10:20] -- this is Elijah.It is said about Galizur [Raziel] that he stands in front of the throne with his wings spread to receive the noxious breath from the mouth of the chayot, otherwise, all the ministering angels would be burned from the noxious breath of the chayot. And another vocation is said about Galizur: that he takes like an iron pan, which is made of fire, burning embers in the river Regyon, and he stands opposite the kings and ministers, leaders of the world, so that there luster should prevail and their awe befall the world. When Moses saw him, he trembled. Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, took him and removed him from there. He [Moses] encountered a regiment of Angels of Terror, who surround the Throne of Glory, those who are mighty of all the angels. And they wanted to burn him with the noxious breath of their mouths. Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, spread the luster of his glory and said to Moses: "Give them an answer." Moses our teacher said to them: "It is written in the Torah, 'I am the Lord your God Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, the house of bondage' [Exodus 20:2]; perhaps you were enslaved in Egypt and went forth as free people, that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'You shall have no other Gods' [Exodus 20:3]; perhaps there is idol worship amongst you and you are in need the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not swear' [Exodus 20:7]; perhaps there are dealings amongst you that you are in need of the Torah regarding oaths? It is written: 'Remember the Sabbath day and sanctify it' [Exodus 20:8]; perhaps there is activity amongst you that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'Honor your father and mother' [Exodus 20:12]; perhaps you have a father and mother that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not murder' [Exodus 20:13]; perhaps there is bloodshed amongst you that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not commit adultery' [Exodus 20:13]; perhaps there are women amongst you that you need the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not steal' [Exodus 20:13]; perhaps there are finances in the firmament that you are in need of the Torah? It is written, "You shall not bear [false witness]' [Exodus 20:13]; perhaps there are false testimonies amongst you that you are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'You shall not covet' [Exodus 20:14]; perhaps there are houses and fields and vineyards amongst you that you are in need of the Torah?" Immediately, all the ministering angels retracted [their desire to burn Moses] and they admitted to his words to the Holy One, Blessed be He. And they said: "YHWH, our Master, 'How majestic is Your name throughout the earth, you who have covered the heavens with Your splendor!'" [Psalm 8:2] And He, the Holy One, Blessed be He, taught him [Moses] the whole Torah in forty days. And when he [Moses] came to descend [from the firmament] and saw the awesomeness of the angels, and the legions of awesome angels -- trembling [zia] angels, and shuddering [chalchala] angels, and quaking [ratat] angels --  immediately, shuddering [chalchala] took hold of him and he forgot it [the Torah] all at one moment. Immediately, the Holy One, Blessed be He, called to Yefefiah, Minister of Torah, who gave over to him [Moses] the Torah, fully prepared and preserved. And all the ministering angels became his [Moses's] admirer. And each one of them gave him something of healing and the hidden meaning of names that comes out of each and every section of Torah [parsha] and all their uses, as it says, "You went up to the heights, having taken captives, having received tribute of men" [Psalm 68:19]. And even the Angel of Death gave him something, as it is written: "He places the incense and made expiation for the people" [Numbers 17:12]. And this is the honorable use of that which was taught to him by Yefefiah, the Minister of Torah, and by Metatron, Minister of the Faces. And Moses gave it over to Elazar, and Elazar to his son Pinchas, who is Elijah the great and precious priest, he should be remembered for good. Amen.

“Draw me; we will run after you . The king has brought me to his chambers; let us exult and rejoice in you. We will recount your love through wine; sincerely do they love you” (Song of Songs 1:4).
“Draw me; we will run after you.” Rabbi Meir said: When the Israelites stood before Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, the Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘Am I giving you the Torah without assurance? Rather, bring Me good guarantors that you will observe it, and I will give it to you.’¹⁵⁶The midrash is expounding on the term “draw me [moshkheni],” which is related to the term collateral [mashkon], or “take collateral from me [mashkeni].” They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, our ancestors will be guarantors for us.’ He said to them: ‘Your ancestors need guarantors.’ To what is this matter analogous? It is to one who went to borrow from the king. [The king] said to him: ‘Bring me a guarantor and I will lend to you.’ He went and brought him a guarantor. [The king] said to him: ‘Your guarantor needs a guarantor.’ He went and brought him a second guarantor. [The king] said to him: ‘Your guarantor requires a guarantor.’ Once he brought him a third guarantor, he said: ‘Know that because of this, I am lending to you.’ So, too, when the Israelites stood to receive the Torah, He said to them: ‘Bring Me good guarantors that you will observe it, and I will give it to you.’ They said before him: ‘Master of the universe, our ancestors are guaranteeing for us.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I have [claims against] your ancestors. Abraham, I have [a claim] against him, as he said: “How will I know” (Genesis 15:8).¹⁵⁷When God promised to give the Land to Abraham, Abaraham asked: “How will I know that I will inherit it?” instead of just trusting God’s promise. Isaac, I have [a claim] against him, as he loved Esau, and I hated him, as it is stated: “And Esau I hated” (Malachi 1:3); Jacob, who said: “My way is hidden from the Lord” (Isaiah 40:27). Rather, bring me effective guarantors and I will give it to you.’
They said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, our prophets will be guarantors for us.’ He said to them: ‘I have [claims] against them, as it is stated: “And the shepherds were disloyal to me [and the prophets prophesied to the Baal]” (Jeremiah 2:8). And it is written: “Like foxes among the ruins, so are your prophets, Israel” (Ezekiel 13:4). Rather, bring me effective guarantors and I will give it to you.’ They said: ‘Our children are guaranteeing for us.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘They are certainly good guarantors, I will give it to you on their account.’ That is what is written: “From the mouths of infants and sucklings You founded strength” (Psalms 8:3), and strength means only Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord will give strength to His people (Psalms 29:11). When payment is demanded from the borrower, but he lacks resources to pay, who is apprehended? It is the guarantor. That is what is stated: “You forgot the Torah of your God; I, too, will forget your children” (Hosea 4:6). Rabbi Aḥa said: “I, too,” [means that] as it were, I, too, am subject to forgetfulness. Who will say at the [reading of the] Torah before Me: Bless the blessed Lord? Is it not the sucklings? That is, due to the laxity of the Torah in you, your children were apprehended, as it is stated: “I struck your children in vain” (Jeremiah 2:30). As it were, I, too, am subject to forgetfulness. Who will say before Me: Bless the blessed Lord? Therefore, a person must introduce his son to Torah and train him in study, so that he will prolong his days in the world, as it is stated: “For with me your days will increase” (Proverbs 9:11).

(Lev. 27:1-2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel [and say unto them], “When anyone explicitly vows to the Lord [the value (rt.: 'rk) of human beings (npshwt)].”’” This text is related (to Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (rt.: 'rk) to the Lord?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Whoever performs deeds like Mine shall be [considered] like Me.” R. Levi said, “[The matter] is comparable to a king who built a city and lit two lanterns¹³Gk.: phanoi, also panoi. within it, and [so] all of those multitudes [in the city] called him, Augustus.¹⁴Agustah, from the Lat.: Augusta. The king said, ‘When anyone builds a city like this and lights two lanterns in it, call him Augustus and I will not be jealous of him.’ Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, created the heavens and set in them [two lanterns, to give light to the world], the sun and the moon, as stated (in Gen. 1:17), ‘And God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light upon the earth.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Whoever makes [lights] like these shall be equal to Me.’ Thus it is stated (in Ps. 89:7), ‘For who in the skies is comparable (rt.: 'rk) to the Lord?’ These words can only be words [referring to] light, since it is stated (in Lev. 24:4), ‘He shall set (rt.: 'rk) up [the lamps] upon the unalloyed lampstand.’ Ergo (in Ps. 89:7), ‘For who in the skies is comparable (rt.: 'rk) to the Lord?’” That is what is written (in Is. 40:25), “’Then unto whom will you liken Me that I should be equal,’ says the Holy [One].” Do not read it as “says [the Holy],” but as “holy, will be said” (meaning, the term holy is applied to him just as holy is applied to Me); in the same way that it is written (Isaiah 17:7), “to the holy.” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (ya'arok) to the Lord”; R. Eebon the Levite said, “Who like You enlightens the eyes of those in the dark, as it is stated (in Lev. 24:4), ‘He shall set (ya'arok) up [the lamps] upon the unalloyed lampstand…?’”¹⁵Above, 8:20. Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (ya'arok) to the Lord”: R. Eebon the Levite said, “Who like You clothes the naked”…. Another interpretation: “Who like you feeds the hungry?” “Is comparable (rt.: 'rk)” can only refer to the hungry, since it is stated (in Lev. 24:8-9), “[He shall arrange (rt.: 'rk) it (i.e., the shewbread) before the Lord regularly] on every Sabbath day […] And it shall belong to Aaron and his children, who shall eat it.” Ergo (in Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord” (in feeding the hungry)? Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord”: When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world and wanted to create Adam, the ministering angels said to Him, (in Ps. 8:5), “’What is a human that You are mindful of him, and a person that You should think of him?’ What do You want from this human?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “Who is to fulfill my Torah and My commandments?” They said to Him, “We will fulfill Your Torah.” He said to them, “It is written in [the Torah] (in Numb. 19:14), ‘This is the Torah: When a person dies in a tent,’ but there are none among you who die. It is written in [the Torah] (in Lev. 12:2), ‘When a woman emits her seed and bears a male,’ but there are none among you who bear [children]. It is written in [the Torah] (in Lev. 11:21), ‘these you may eat,’ (and in Lev 11:4) ‘these you may not eat,’ but in your case there is no eating among you. Ergo, the Torah is not going forth to you,” as stated (in Job 28:13), “nor is it found in the land of the living.” [Rather] when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel that they should make a tabernacle and an altar of burnt offering, they began to sacrifice within it. [Then] the Holy One, blessed be He, began to give them several commandments. These commands concerned every single thing, and they carried them out. The Holy One, blessed be He, began to say to the ministering angels, “’Who among you would prepare (rt.: 'rk)’ [everything] for Me just as Israel prepares (rt.: 'rk) for Me, that you were saying to Me (in Ps. 8:5), ‘What is a human that You are mindful of him…?’ They prepare (rt.: 'rk) sacrifices for Me, just as stated (in Lev. 1:12), ‘and the priest shall arrange (rt.: 'rk) them,’ (in Lev. 4:10), ‘upon the altar of burnt offering.’ They set (rt.: 'rk) tables for Me, just as stated (in Lev. 24:8), ‘He shall arrange (rt.: 'rk) it (i.e., the shewbread) before the Lord regularly on every Sabbath day.’ Or is there anyone among you that evaluates the value of human beings, as stated (in Lev. 27:2), ‘When anyone explicitly vows to the Lord the value (rt.: 'rk) of human beings (npshwt).’” Ergo (in Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies?”

Another interpretation (of Gen. 18:1): THEN < THE LORD > APPEARED UNTO HIM…. R. Isaac the Smith began (with Exod. 20:21 [24]): AN ALTAR OF EARTH YOU SHALL MAKE FOR ME.¹⁴Gen. R. 48:4. The Holy One said: Whoever slaughters an ox or a lamb and sheds a little blood, such a one I am coming to bless. Thus it is stated: AN ALTAR OF EARTH < YOU SHALL MAKE FOR ME, AND YOU SHALL SACRIFICE UPON IT YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS AND YOUR PEACE OFFERINGS, YOUR SHEEP AND YOUR OXEN >. Then it is written (ibid.): I WILL COME UNTO YOU AND BLESS YOU. How much the more must I bless Abraham, since a river of blood was pouring forth from his house because of the circumcision! It is therefore stated (in Gen. 18:1): THEN < THE LORD > APPEARED UNTO HIM. So also Moses said (in Lev. 9:6): THIS IS THE THING WHICH THE LORD HAS COMMANDED < YOU TO DO > THAT < THE GLORY OF THE LORD > MAY APPEAR UNTO YOU. What did the LORD say (in vs. 7)? THEN MOSES SAID UNTO AARON: DRAW NEAR < UNTO THE ALTAR AND PERFORM YOUR SIN OFFERING AND YOUR BURNT OFFERING TO ATONE FOR YOURSELF … AS THE LORD HAS COMMANDED >. R. Aha said: Come and see the power which the Holy One set in Abraham, who in one day circumcised himself, the slaves born in his house, and his son Ishmael. So the blood was dripping.¹⁵Cf. Cant. R. 4:6:1. Look at how many of his home-born slaves there were! According to what is written (in Gen. 14:14), HE MUSTERED HIS THREE HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN HOME-BORN SLAVES. Now, if his home-born slaves numbered so many, how many more were those which his money had purchased! And he circumcised them all in a single day, as stated (in Gen. 17:26f.): ON THAT VERY DAY ABRAHAM AND HIS SON ISHMAEL WERE CIRCUMCISED; AND ALL THE MEN OF HIS HOUSE, < HOME-BORN SLAVES AND ONES PURCHASED WITH MONEY FROM A FOREIGNER >, WERE CIRCUMCISED ALONG WITH HIM. Then Abraham took all the foreskins which he had circumcised and made a mound of them in the midst of his house, with the result that a river of blood flowed forth from the midst of his house. So the Holy One called the angels and said to them: Come, let us visit the sick one. They said to him: Sovereign of the World, (Ps. 8:5): WHAT IS A HUMAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM AND A CHILD OF ADAM THAT YOU SHOULD VISIT HIM! Also, are you going into a place of defilement, into a place of blood and of uncleanness? He said to them: So you have said. By your life, the odor of this blood is sweeter to me than myrrh and frankincense. If you are not going, then I am going by myself. And so has Solomon said (in Cant. 4:6): UNTIL THE DAY BECOMES COOL… < I WILL GO UNTO THE MOUNTAIN OF MYRRH AND UNTO THE MOUND OF FRANKINCENSE >. (Josh. 5:3:) UNTO THE MOUND OF FORESKINS.¹⁶Buber suggests reading (with Cant. 4:6): UNTO THE MOUND OF FRANKINCENSE. This < refers to > Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 18:1): THEN THE LORD APPEARED UNTO HIM … IN THE HEAT OF THE DAY, since the Holy One had made that day hot.¹⁷According to Cant. R. 4:6:1, it was heat from the sun that caused the foreskins to emit the aroma of frankincense.

Moses also fled from authority when the Holy One said to him (in Exod. 3:10): {ARISE} [COME], I WILL SEND YOU UNTO PHARAOH…. (Exod. 14:13): BUT HE SAID: PRAY LORD, PLEASE MAKE SOMEONE ELSE YOUR AGENT. R. Levi said: For seven days the Holy One prevailed upon Moses in the thornbush in order to send him,¹⁶Lev. R. 11:6; Numb. R. 21:15; M. Pss. 18:22; cf. Exod. R. 3:14; also PR 7:2. and he was answering him: PLEASE MAKE SOMEONE ELSE YOUR AGENT. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 4:10): THEN MOSES SAID UNTO THE LORD: <PRAY, LORD,> I HAVE NEVER BEEN A MAN OF WORDS, EITHER IN THE PAST OR NOW THAT YOU HAVE SPOKEN UNTO YOUR SERVANT, FOR I AM SLOW OF SPEECH AND SLOW OF TONGUE. The Holy One said to Moses: By your life, in the end you shall go. When he did go, he said: (in Exod. 5:1): THUS SAYS THE LORD, THE GOD OF {THE HEBREWS} [ISRAEL]: <LET MY PEOPLE GO>…. That wicked man said (in vs. 2): WHO IS THE LORD, THAT I SHOULD HEED HIS VOICE?¹⁷Cf. Numb. R. 13:3. Moses began to say: I have already fulfilled my mission. He went and sat down. The Holy One said to him: Are you sitting down? (Exod. 6:11:) GO AND SPEAK UNTO PHARAOH KING OF EGYPT. For each and every oracle (as in Exod. 7:15), GO UNTO PHARAOH. (Exod. 8:16 [20]:) RISE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING. <These verses are> to teach you that he fled from authority. In the end he led them forth, divided the sea for them, brought them into the desert, brought down the manna for them, brought up the well for them, brought over the quails for them, and made the Tabernacle. Then he said: From now on what is there for me to do? He got ready and sat down. The Holy One said to him: By your life, now you have a greater work than any that you have done, <i.e.,> to teach my children clean and unclean, to enlighten them on how to offer sacrifice to me, as stated (in Lev. 1:1–2): THEN <THE LORD> CALLED UNTO MOSES <…> [SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL <…>: WHEN ONE OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING.] Abimelech pursued authority and it fled from him, in fulfillment of what is stated (in Prov. 29:23): ONE'S PRIDE WILL BRING HIM LOW. (Ibid., cont.: BUT THE LOW IN SPIRIT WILL OBTAIN HONOR. This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 8:6 [5]): FOR YOU HAVE MADE HIM A LITTLE LESS THAN DIVINE, AND CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND MAJESTY.

R. Jochanan said: "The Holy One, praised be He! does not permit the Shechina to rest on any one unless he is strong, rich, wise and humble. All these we infer from Moses. That Moses was strong we infer from the following passage (Ex. 40, 19) And he spread the tent over the tabernacle, upon which Rab said that Moses our teacher spread it (the tent), and it is written again (Ib. 26, 16) Ten cubits shall be the length of one board, etc. [Hence it required a strong man to put it up]." But perhaps it was long and very thin? We must therefore infer from the following passage (Deut. 9, 17) And I took hold of the two tables, and cast them out of my hands, and I broke them before your eyes; and we are taught in a Baraitha that the length of the tables were six spans, their width six, and their thickness three. That Moses was rich we infer from the following passage (Ex. 34, 1) Hew thyself, i.e., the chips shall be yours; that he was wise, is explained by Rab and Samuel, both of whom say that fifty gates of wisdom were created in the world and all with the exception of one were given to Moses, as it is written (Ps. 8, 6) For yet Thou hast made him but a little less than angels; that he was humble, we learn from the following passage (Num. 12, 3) But the man Moses was very meek"

“Let us exult and rejoice in you.” Ten expressions of joy are employed in Israel’s regard: Gila, sisa, simḥa, rina, pitzḥa, tzahala, alatza, elza, ḥedva, terua. Gila, “rejoice [gili] greatly, daughter of Zion” (Zechariah 9:9); sisa, “I will be gladdened [sos asis] in the Lord” (Isaiah 61:10); simḥa, “rejoice [simḥu] with Jerusalem” (Isaiah 66:10); rina, “sing [roni] and rejoice, daughter of Zion” (Zechariah 2:14); pitzḥa, “burst [pitzḥi] into song and rejoice” (Isaiah 54:1); tzahala, “shout [tzahali] and sing” (Isaiah 12:6); alatza, “my heart rejoices [alatz] in the Lord” (I Samuel 2:1); elza, “my heart exults [vaya’aloz], and with my song I give thanks to Him” (Psalms 28:7); ḥedva, “the children of Israel…performed [the dedication of this House of God with joy [beḥedva]]” (Ezra 6:16); terua, “shout with joy [hariu] to the Lord, all the earth” (Psalms 98:4), “shout [hariu] to God with a joyous voice” (Psalms 47:2). There are some who remove terua and insert ditza, just as you say: “Anguish rejoices [tadutz] before it” (Job 41:14); it dances like that mudfish.

R. Juda said in the name of Rab: "At the time the Holy One, praised be He! was about to create man. He created a division of ministering angels, and said to them: 'Would ye advise Me to create man?' And they said to Him: 'Sovereign of the Universe! what will be his functions?' And He related before them such and such. They then said before Him: (quoting Ps. 7, 5) 'Sovereign of the Universe, what is a mortal, that Thou rememberest him, and the son of man, that Thou thinkest of him?' He then put His little finger among them and they were all burnt. And the same was with the second division. The third one, however, said before Him: 'Sovereign of the Universe! the first angels who protested, what did they accomplish? The whole world is Thine, and all that it pleases Thee Thou mayest do.' Thereafter at the flood and the generation of dispersion whose deeds were criminal, the same ministering angels said before Him: 'Sovereign of the Universe, were not the first angels right in their protest?' And He answered: (quoting Is. 46, 4) 'And even unto old age I am the same, and even unto the time of hoary hairs will I hear.'"

Gemara: (Fol. 30b) Our Rabbis were taught: This is how R. Akiba expounded: "When Israel ascended from the Red Sea they immediately began to look forward to singing a song of praise, and how did they utter the song? Just as one reads the Hallel and the Congregation after the reading at the beginning of each Chapter, so also did Israel do there. Moses said: (Ib., ib., ib.) I will sing unto the Lord and Israel repeated the same passage: Moses then said: For He hath triumphed gloriously, and Israel responded again: I will sing unto the Lord." R. Eliezer, the son of R. Jose, the Galilean, says: "The songs were recited in the manner of a minor who reads the Hallel and the rest of the audience repeats what he says; i.e., Moses said: I will sing unto the Lord, and Israel responded, I will sing unto the Lord; Moses said: For he hath triumphed gloriously, and Israel responded." R. Nechemia says: "It was like the Reader reads the Sh'mah, in the congregation, the reader begins and the rest of the congregation answer after him." What is the basis for the difference of opinion of the above Tanaim? R. Akiba holds that the word lamor (saying), mentioned in that passage refers to the preceding words. R. Eliezer, son of R. Jose the Galilean, believes the word lamor, refers to each and every word separately, while R. Nechemia holds: Wherever it is written they have said we must explain that all of them said together, but wherever the word Lamor is used then it means that Moses began it." Our Rabbis were taught, R. Jose the Galilean, lectured: "At the time when Israel descended the Red Sea they determined to sing praises, and how did they sing praises? An infant that was in the hips of his mother and a suckling that was nursing from his mother's breast, as soon as they saw the Shechina, the infant lifted up its neck and the suckling loosened the breast from its mouth and they said (Ib., ib. 2) He is my God, and I will declare His praise, as it is said (Ps. 8, 3) Out of the mouth of babies and sucklings hast thou founded [Thy] might." We are taught R. Maier used to say: "Whence do we know that even the embryos in the entrails of their mothers recited a song? It is said (Ib. 68, 27) In assemblies bless ye God, praise the Lord, ye sprung from Israel's fountain."

III) Like when [a man] asks of the word (II Samuel 17:23). The word man is removed from within the verse, for a human is removed from God, and thus it says (Psalms 8:6) You have removed him slightly from God , and his word will not come about like the word of God, thus the word man is removed from within the verse and suspended on the verse from the margin. If he had been meritorious in his deeds and done them for the sake of Heaven, his advice would be as the word of God.

R. Isaac began [his discourse] (with Eccl. 7:23), “All this I tested with wisdom; I thought I could fathom it, but it eludes me.” It is written (in I Kings 5:9), “So God gave Solomon wisdom and discernment in great measure, with understanding....” R. Johanan said a parable in the name of R. Simeon ben Yehozedek, “This is comparable to a king who had a friend, and the king loved him exceedingly. The king said to him, ‘Ask me anything you want and I will give it to you.’ And that friend was very wise. He said [to himself], ‘If I ask him to make me a duke, it [alone] will come to me. If I ask him to make me a duke, it [alone] will come to me.” Rather I will ask him for something that is attached to all the advantages.’ Immediately he answered and said to the king, ‘Since you asked that I should ask for something in front of you, I am asking from you that you marry off your daughter to me.’ The king said, ‘By your life, I want this. Behold my daughter is [given] into your house.’ So [too] at the time that the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Solomon (in I Kings 3:5), ‘Ask what I should give to you,’ Solomon said [to himself], ‘What shall I ask; If I ask for silver and gold, it [alone] will come to me. If I ask for the monarchy, it [alone] will come to me. Rather I will ask for something that is attached to all the things.’ Immediately he said in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Master of the World, I only request from you wisdom.’ [Then] the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘You have asked well in asking for wisdom, as all the things are attached to it. Silver and gold are attached to it, as stated (in Prov. 8:19), “My fruit is better than gold, fine gold, and my produce than choice silver.” Monarchy is attached to it, as stated (in Prov. 8:15), “Through me kings reign.” Behold everything is given to you.’” Hence it is written (in I Kings 5:9), “So God gave Solomon wisdom,” as He gave him wisdom as a gift. (I Kings 5:9, cont.:) “As vast as the sand of the sea.” The rabbis say, “[This] teaches that He gave him as much wisdom as all Israel, who are compared to the sand, as stated (in Hos. 2:1), ‘The number of the Children of Israel shall be like that of the sands of the sea.’ How is this? The sages have knowledge, the elders of knowledge and the children have knowledge, but they are different, one from the other. And [so] if all of Israel would be on one side and Solomon on the other side, his wisdom would be greater than theirs.”⁶⁴Numb. R. 19:3; Eccl. R. 7:23:1; PRK 4:3; PR 14:8. R. Levi said, “Just as sand is a wall and a fence for [the sea], that it not go out and flood the world; so that his wisdom stand in front of his [evil] impulse, that he not sin.” The proverb says, “If you lack knowledge, what have you gained? If you have gained knowledge, what do you lack?” Like (in Prov. 25:28) “A city broken into with no walls,” so “is a person who does not restrain his spirit.” (I Kings 5:10:) “Now Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East.” And what was the wisdom of the peoples of the East?⁶⁵Above, Gen. 7:24; PR 14:9. [In that] they knew about astrology and were astute at divination (from birds). Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “I like three things about the people of the East: They do not kiss on the mouth, but only on the hand; When they cut meat, they cut only with a knife and not on the back of the hand; And when they take counsel, they take it only in the field.
It is therefore stated (in Gen. 31:4), ‘So Jacob sent and called Rachel and Leah to the field where his flock was.’” (I Kings 5:10, cont.:) “From all the wisdom of Egypt.” What was the wisdom of Egypt? You find that when Solomon wanted to build the Temple, he sent to Pharaoh Necho and said to him, “Send me craftsmen [to work] for a wage, for I want to build the Temple.” What did Pharaoh do? He gathered all his astrologers⁶⁶Gk.: astrologoi. and said to them, “Foresee which people are going to die this year and send them to him. So that I can come to him with a grievance and say to him, ‘Give me the value of the craftsmen that you killed.’” When they came to Solomon, he foresaw through the holy spirit that they would die during that year. He [therefore] gave them shrouds and sent them [back] to [Pharaoh]. He sent to him, saying, “Do you not have shrouds to bury your dead? Here they are for you with their shrouds. Go and bury your dead.” Hence it is stated, (I Kings 5:10, cont.) “from all the wisdom of Egypt.” (I Kings 5:11:) “And he was wiser than any man, than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, Chalkol, and Darda the sons of Mahol.” “Wiser than any man (literally, than all of Adam),” than the first Adam. And what was his wisdom? You find that, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to create the first Adam, he consulted with the ministering angels. He said to them (in Gen. 1:26), “Let us make humankind (Adam) in Our image.” They said to him (in Ps. 8:5), “What is a human that You are mindful of him?” He said to them, “This Adam that I want to create Adam shall have wisdom greater than yours.” What did He do? He gathered all cattle, wild beasts, and fowl pass before them. He said to them, “What are the names of these [beings]?” They, however, did not know. When He had created Adam, He made them pass before him. He said to him, “What are the names of these [beings]?” He said, “It is fitting to call this one an ox, this one a lion, this one a horse, [...]” and so on for all of them. It is so stated (in Gen. 2:20), “So Adam recited names for all the cattle.”⁶⁷The understanding of the midrash is that the creatures implicitly already possessed names. He said to him, “And you, what is your name?” Adam said to him, “Adam, because I was created out of the ground (adamah).” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I, what is My name?” He said to him, “The Lord, because you are Lord over all creatures,” namely as written (in Is. 42:8), “I am the Lord, that is My name,” which the first Adam gave me.⁶⁸Above, Lev. 3:11. “That is my name,” the one which I have agreed to [for use] between Me and My creatures. (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “[Wiser] than Ethan the Ezrahite.” This is Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 89:1), “A maskil (a psalm of erudition) of Ethan the Ezrahite.”⁶⁹It is assumed, of course that Abraham wrote the Psalm, an assumption based on a comparison of Ps. 89:1 and Is. 41:2: WHO HAS RAISED UP RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THE EAST?. See BB 15a. The Ezrahite (‘ezrahi) of Ps. 89:1 is understood in the sense of “Easterner,” and Ethan (which means “steadfast”) is regarded as equivalent to “righteous.” For another argument identifying Ethan and Abraham, see PR 6:5. (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “And Heman (rt.: 'mn).” This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 12:7 with reference to Moses), “he is trusted (rt.: 'mn) in all My house.” (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “Calcol (klkl).” This is Joseph, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 47:12), “And joseph sustained (rt.: klkl) [his father and his brothers].” The Egyptians said, “Has this slave come to rule over us for any reason but because of his wisdom?” What did they do to him? They brought seventy tablets⁷⁰Gk.: piyyakia; Lat.: pittacia. and wrote on them in seventy tongues. Then when they cast them before him. He read each and every one in its own tongue. And not only that, but he spoke in the holy tongue, which they did not have the ability to understand, as stated (in Ps. 81:6), “He made it a statute upon Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known.” (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “Darda (drd')].” This is the generation (dor) of the desert, which had knowledge (de'ah). (I Kings 5:11, cont.:) “The children of Mahol,” i.e., the Children of Israel whom the Divine Presence forgave (rt.: mhl) for the deed of the calf. (I Kings 5:12:) “Moreover he composed three thousand proverbs.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “We have gone over all of the scriptures and have found that Solomon only uttered prophetically close to eight hundred verses.⁷¹See Cant. R. 1:1:11. Then what is meant by three thousand? [This number] teaches that each and every verse that he spoke contains two [or] three interpretations, just as it says (in Prov. 25:12), ‘Like an earring of gold, a necklace of fine gold, [so is a wise reprover to a listening ear].’”⁷²The midrash understands the WISE REPROVER TO BE Solomon himself, who is likened to both a golden earring and a golden necklace. But the rabbis say, “Every verse has three thousand proverbs, while each and every proverb has a thousand and five interpretations.” [(I Kings 5:12, cont.:) “And his song numbered a thousand and five.”] “Songs” is not written here, but “song,” the song of the proverb. (I Kings 5:13:) “And he spoke with/concerning ('al)⁷³The point of the midrash in this and in the following chapter concerns whether to understand ‘al as “with” or “concerning.” the trees.” Is it possible that a person would speak with the trees? Solomon merely said, “For what reason is a leper cleansed through the tallest among the trees (the cedar) and through the lowest of the low (the hyssop); through (according to Lev. 14:4) cedar wood, [crimson stuff,] and hyssop?’ It is simply because he had exalted himself like the cedar, that he was stricken with leprosy. As soon as he humbled himself like the hyssop, he was therefore cured through hyssop”. (I Kings 5:13, cont.:) “He also spoke with/concerning ('al) the cattle and the fowl.” Is it possible that [a person] would speak with cattle and with fowl? Rather [the passage is concerned with] why the cattle are permitted [as food] with [the cutting of] two organs⁷⁴Gk.: semeia (“signs,” “omens”). (the gullet and the windpipe); but the fowl, with [the cutting of] one organ (i.e., the gullet or the windpipe).⁷⁵See Hul. 2:1; Hul. 27b. Because cattle were created from the dry land, as stated (in Gen. 1:14), “Let the earth bring forth the living creatures after its kind, cattle, creeping things,” they are permitted with two organs. But in regard to fowl, because they were created from the mud, they were permitted with one organ. As one text says [they came] from the dry land, while another text says [they came] from the sea. [The text stating fowls came] from the dry land is what is written (in Gen. 2:19), “So from the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the heavens.” The other text says (in Gen. 1:20), “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures and the fowl fly above the earth.”⁷⁶This unusual translation of Gen. 1:20 is required by the midrash. Bar Qappara said, “They were created from the mud which is in the sea.” R. Abbin said the name of R. Jose the Galilean said, “Nevertheless, the feet of the cock resemble the scaly skin⁷⁷Reading HSPNYT’ with the parallel in Yalqut Shim‘oni, Kings, 178, for Buber’s HRTsPYTYH. of the fish.”⁷⁸A fish of the genus anthias. (I Kings 5:13, cont.:) “And with/concerning ('al) the creeping things.” Is it possible that one would speak with a creeping thing? Solomon simply said, “What is the reason that in the case of the eight swarming creatures which are in the Torah, one is culpable for hunting or injuring them (on the Sabbath)⁷⁹Shab. 14:1.; but in the case of the rest of the swarming creatures, one is exempt?⁸⁰Shab. 14:1. For the reason that they (i.e. the former) have skins.”⁸¹Shab. 107ab, explains that in the case of skin, as distinct from the flesh, a wound does not completely heal but leaves a scar. Thus part of the animal’s life is lost. See yShab. 14:1 (14b); also Hul. 9:2. Cf. Rashi on Shab. 14:1, according to whom cutting the skin causes blood to color it in a form of dying, an act forbidden on the Sabbath. (I Kings 5:13 cont.:) “And with/concerning ('al) the fish.” Is it possible that one would so speak? Solomon merely said, “For what reason do cattle, beasts, and birds require ritual slaughtering, while fish do not require ritual slaughtering?” Jacob the man of Kefar Gibburayya taught in Tyre with respect to fish, that they do require ritual slaughtering. When R. Haggai heard, he sent for him to come. He said to him, “On what basis did you decide this?” He said to him, “From here (in Gen. 1:20), ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly.’ Just as fowl require ritual slaughtering, so do the fish require ritual slaughtering.” He said to them (i.e., those standing by), “Lay him down to receive lashes.” He said to him, “Shall a person who speaks words of Torah be lashed?” He said to him, “You did not decide [the law] well.” He said to him, “On what basis?” He said to him, “From here (in Numb. 11:22), ‘Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them; are there enough fish in the sea to gather for them?’ The former require ritual slaughtering, while the latter [is taken] through gathering.” He said to him, “Give [me] your beating, as it is good for retention.” And again did Jacob the man of Kefar Gibburayya teach in Tyre, [this time] with respect to an Israelite man, who came upon a foreign woman and had her bear him a son, that he should be circumcised on the Sabbath. When R. Haggai heard, he sent for him to come. He said to him, “On what basis do you hold this?” He said to him, “[From this which is written] (in Numb. 1:18) ‘then they registered their lineages according to their families according to the house of their fathers.’” He said to them (i.e., those standing by), “Lay him down to receive lashes.” He said to him, “Shall a person who speaks words of Torah be lashed?” He said to him, “You did not decide [the law] well.” He said to him, “Where is it shown?” He said to him, “Lie down and listen.” He said to him, “If one of the gentiles came to you in order to become a proselyte on condition that you circumcise him on the Sabbath day or on the Day of Atonement, would you profane the Sabbath on account of him or not?” He said to him, “One does not profane the Sabbath or the Day of Atonement for him but only for the son of an Israelite woman.” He said to him, “On what basis do you hold this?” He said to him (in Ezra 10:3), “So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all (foreign) wives and (anyone] born of them […].” He said to him, “Would you lash me on the basis of [a non-Mosaic text]?” He said to him, “It is written (ibid.), ‘let it be done [according to] the Torah.’” He said to him, “From which [piece of] Torah?” He said to him, “From that of R. Johanan, when he said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay, ‘It is written (in Deut. 7:3), “You shall not intermarry with them; do not give your daughters to their sons.” Why? (Deut. 7:4:) “Because they will turn your children away from following me.” Your child that comes from an Israelite woman is called "your child"; but that which comes from a foreign woman is called, not "your child," but "her child,” as stated (in Gen. 21:13), “And I will also make the son of the maidservant into a nation.”’" He said to him, “Give [me] your beating, as it is good for retention.” Solomon said, “About all these things I have knowledge; but in the case of the parashah on the red heifer, I have investigated it, inquired into it, and examined it. Still (at the end of the verse in Eccl. 7:23), ‘I thought I could fathom it, but it eludes me.’” (Eccl. 8:1:) “Who is like the wise person, and who knows the explanation of a saying?” (Eccl. 8:1:) Who is like the wise person? This is the Holy One, blessed be He, since it is stated about Him (in Prov. 3:19), “Through wisdom the Lord founded the earth.”⁸²Numb. R. 19:4; Eccl. R. 8:1:1; PRK 4:4; PR 14:10. (Eccl. 8:1, cont.:) “And who knows the explanation of a saying?” This [also] is the Holy One, blessed be He, who explained the Torah for Moses. (Eccl. 8:1, cont.:) “A person's wisdom lights up his face.” R. Judan said, “Great is the power of the prophets, as they [are able to] compare the Almighty above to the form of a man, as stated (Daniel 8:16), ‘And I heard the voice of a man.’” And R. Judah bar Simon says [the proof] is from here (in Ezekiel 1:26), “and on the image of a chair was an image of a man.” (Eccl. 8:1, cont.:) “And the radiance ('oz) of his face is changed (for the better),” in that he changes the principle of judgment into a principle of mercy with respect to Israel. R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “Over each and every word that the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke to Moses, He spoke to him of its [related] uncleanness and of its purification.⁸³See Numb. R. 19:4. When he made known the Parashah (starting with Lev. 21:1), ‘Speak (Emor) unto the priests,’ [Moses] said to him, ‘Master of the world, if a priest becomes unclean (through touching a human corpse), what means is there for his purification?’ When [the Holy One, blessed be He,] did not answer, at that time the face of Moses turned yellow (with shame). Then when the Holy One, blessed be He, reached the parashah on the [red] heifer, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘Moses, [when I gave you] that saying which I spoke to you (in Lev. 21:1), “Go, speak unto the priests,” then you said to me, “If one becomes unclean, what means will there be for his purification,” I did not answer [you at that time. Now] this is his purification (in Numb. 19:17), “They shall take some ashes from the burning of the sin offering (i.e., the red heifer).”‘”

Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE TO THE LORD? When the Holy One wanted to create Adam, the ministering angels said to the Holy One (in Ps. 8:5 [4]): WHAT IS A HUMAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, AND A CHILD OF ADAM THAT YOU SHOULD THINK OF HIM? What do you want from this human? The Holy One said to them: Who is to fulfill my Torah and my commandments? They said to him: We will fulfill your Torah. He said to them: You are unable. They²⁶Although the Buber text reads “he” here, the context certainly requires the plural, “they.” said to him: Why? He said to them: It is written in < Torah > (in Numb. 19:14): < THIS IS THE TORAH: > WHEN A PERSON DIES IN HIS TENT, but there are none among you who die. It is written in < Torah > (in Lev. 12:2): WHEN A WOMAN EMITS HER SEED AND BEARS A MALE, but there are none among you who bear < children >. It is written in < Torah > (in Lev. 11:21): THESE YOU MAY EAT, but in your case there is no eating among you. Ergo, the Torah is not going forth to you, as stated (in Job 28:13): NOR IS < WISDOM > FOUND IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING. Rather when the Holy One said to Israel that they should make a tabernacle for him and < when > they had made it, they began to build the altar of burnt offering, the altar of incense, and to offer sacrifice within it. < Then > the Holy One began to give them several commandments. These commands concerned every single thing, and they carried them out. The Holy One began to say to the ministering Angels: Who among you would prepare (rt.: 'RK) < everything > for me just as Israel prepares (rt.: 'RK) for me? Now you were saying to me (in Ps. 8:5 [4]): WHAT IS A HUMAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM…? They prepare (rt.: 'RK) sacrifices for me, just as stated (in Lev. 1:12): AND THE PRIEST SHALL ARRANGE (rt.: 'RK) THEM. They set (rt.: 'RK) tables for me, just as stated (in Lev. 24:8): HE SHALL ARRANGE (rt.: 'RK) IT (i.e., the shewbread) BEFORE THE LORD REGULARLY ON EVERY SABBATH DAY. They prepare (rt.: 'RK) human beings for me, just as stated (in Lev. 27:2): WHEN ANYONE EXPLICITLY VOWS TO THE LORD THE VALUE (rt.: 'RK) OF HUMAN BEINGS (NPShWT). Ergo (in Ps. 89:7 [6]): FOR WHO IN THE SKIES IS COMPARABLE (rt.: 'RK) TO THE LORD (i.e., is capable of making preparations for the Lord)?]

(Mal. 1:2:) I HAVE LOVED YOU, SAYS THE LORD. See how he has cherished you. From the earth to the sky is a journey of five hundred years.³²Hag. 13a (bar.); yBer. 1:1 (2c). And likewise from the first sky to the second, from the second to the third, from the third to the fourth, from the fourth to the fifth, from the fifth to the sixth, and from the sixth to the seventh. Now it is unnecessary to calculate from the hoofs of the beasts (in Ezek. 1:5–13),³³For these calculations, see Hag. 13a (bar.) but the throne is above all of them. See how I cherished you! <I loved you so much> that I forsook³⁴The translation here follows the parallel text in Tanh., Exod. 7:9. The Buber text has the passive (hophal), “I was forsaken.” them all and said to you: Make me tent sheets of goats' hair, and I will come to dwell with you. R. Joshua ben Levi said: If the peoples of the world had known how good the Tabernacle was for them,³⁵Lev. R. 1:11; Numb. R. 1:3. they would have surrounded it with encampments and fortifications.³⁶Lat.: castra. Why? Before the Tabernacle was erected, the divine word went forth and entered into the midst of the tents belonging to the peoples of the world. Then they were seized with panic, since it is stated (in Deut. 5:23 [26]): FOR WHO IS THERE OF ALL FLESH THAT HAS HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LIVING GOD FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE, AS WE HAVE, AND LIVED? You heard it and are alive, but the peoples of the world heard it and were seized with panic in the midst of their tents. And you should not only say < this > about the Tabernacle, but even the Temple was good for them. Where is it shown? That is what Solomon ordained in his prayer (in I Kings 8:41, 43 // II Chron. 6:32, 33): AND LIKEWISE, <WHEN> THE FOREIGNER, WHO IS NOT OF YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL, <COMES FROM A FAR COUNTRY FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR NAME>…, MAY YOU HEARKEN UNTO <HIM IN YOUR> HEAVENLY <ABODE>….³⁷Above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 6:14. But when Israel came to worship, what does he say (in vs. 39)? AND GIVE TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO [ALL] HIS WAYS, SINCE YOU KNOW HIS HEART…. Yet in the case of the foreigner, whether they do or do not do <what is right >, give him whatever he asks, (according to vs. 43, cont.) SO THAT ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH [MAY KNOW] <YOUR NAME>…. Therefore, the Temple was good for the peoples of the world. [R. Samuel bar Nahman said: Before the Temple was built, the world rested upon a throne³⁸Gk.: thronos. of two legs; but since the Temple has been built, the world is firmly established³⁹Rt.: BSS; cf. Gk.: basis. and stands in its place. And you should not <only> say: The Temple. Even the Tabernacle was good for the peoples of the world.] Therefore the Holy One said to Moses: Make me a tabernacle (rt.: ShKN), because I desire to dwell (rt.: ShKN) with my children. When the ministering angels heard that, they said to him: Sovereign of the World, why are you leaving heavenly beings and descending to earthly beings? Your glory is that you <dwell> in the heavens, YOU WHO (according to Ps. 8:2 [1]) HAVE SET YOUR MAJESTY OVER THE HEAVENS. The Holy One said to them: By your lives, I am doing just as you said. Habakkuk said (in Hab. 3:3): GOD IS COMING FROM TEMAN. Then afterwards (in the same verse): AND THE EARTH IS FULL OF HIS PRAISE. The Holy One said to them: Now how are you surprised over this? Look at how I cherish the earthly beings, so as to descend and dwell under tent sheets of goats' hair. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 26:7): THEN YOU SHALL MAKE TENT SHEETS OF GOATS' HAIR.

(Lev. 13:2:) “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” This text is related (to Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful [is that one].”²⁷In the biblical context THAT ONE is the nation of the Chaldeans. This verse is speaking about the first Adam, about Pharaoh, about Edom, about Sennacherib and about Nebuchadnezzar.²⁸Cf. Lev. R. 18:2. How does it concern the first Adam? R. Abba bar Kahana said, “When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the first Adam, He created him in His likeness, as stated (in Gen. 1:27), ‘And God created man (Adam) in His own image.’” And when He created him, He created him [to extend] from the one end of the world to the other, as stated (in Deut. 4:32), “So please ask about the former days which came before you, [ever since the day that God created man upon the earth, even from one end of heaven to the other].”²⁹Cf. Gen. R. 8:1. Now he ruled over the whole earth, as stated (in Gen. 1:28), “and rule over the fish of the sea […].” It also says (in Gen. 9:2), “And the dread of you and the fear of you [shall be upon every beast of the earth].” It is therefore stated (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful.” This refers to the first Adam. (Ibid., cont.:) “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.”³⁰The midrash requires such a literal translation. In the biblical context a more normal translation would read with reference to the Chaldeans: THEIR JUSTICE AND THEIR DIGNITY PROCEED FROM THEMSELVES. This refers to Eve who came out of him, as she caused him to die, as stated (in Gen. 3:6), “Then she also gave some to her husband, and he ate.” And where is it shown that she came out of him? Where it is so written (in Gen. 2:23), “bone out of my bone and flesh out of my flesh.” Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful [is that one],” this refers to the first Adam; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to Eve, who came out from him. Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is that one”: This refers to Pharaoh, [when] he was world ruler,³¹Gk.: Kosmokraton. as stated (concerning him in Ps. 105:20), “the ruler of peoples released him (i.e., Joseph).” (Hab. 1:7, cont.:), “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.” This refers to Moses, since he was reared within that one's house, so that he believed that he [actually] was a child of his house, as stated (in Exod. 2:10), “When the boy had grown up, she brought him [to Pharaoh's daughter; and he became her son].” Then he arose and brought ten plagues upon him, as stated (in Exod. 3:10), “So come now, I will send you unto Pharaoh.” R. Judah said, “The rod had a weight of forty seah and was [made] of sapphire;³²Gk.: sappheirinon, an adj. meaning “of sapphire,” or “of lapsis lazuli.” it also had ten plagues (makkot) inscribed upon it with the acronym³³notarikon. dtsk 'dsh b'hb.³⁴D = dam (“blood”), Ts = Tsefardia‘ (“frogs”), K= kinnim (“gnats”), ‘ = ‘arov (“flies”), D = dever (“cattle pestilence”), Sh = shehin (“boils”), B = barad (“hail”), ‘ = ‘arbeh (“locusts”), H = hoshekh (“darkness”), B = bekhorot (“first-born”). Then Moses, when he had looked at the rod and seen the punishment (makkah) which had been appointed to come, brought it upon Pharaoh. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful [is that one],” this refers to Pharaoh; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to Moses. And also the messiah, who in the future will take retribution from Gog and Magog and all of its troops, grew up with them in the city, as stated (Isaiah 27:10), “there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down and consume the branches thereof.” Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful [is that one]”: This refers to Edom, of which it is stated (in Dan. 7:7), “frightful, dreadful, and [exceedingly] strong.” (Hab. 1:7, cont.), “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.” This refers to Obadiah since he was an Edomite proselyte and he also prophesied [against] him (i.e., against Edom, in Obad. 1:1), “The vision of Obadiah; thus says the Lord God to Edom […].”³⁵Cf. Sanh. 39b. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful,” this refers to Edom; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to Obadiah.Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful”: This refers to Sennacherib, since it is stated (in II Kings 19:24), “with the sole of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.” He also said (in II Kings 18:35 = Is. 36:20 // II Chron. 32:14), “Who are there among all the gods of the lands which have saved their land from my hand?” And it also says (in Is. 8:8), “and the radial bones³⁶For this translation of muttah, see Jastrow, s.v. In the context of Scripture, a more normal translation of muttah would be “spread.” of his wings (i.e., the army of Sennacherib) shall fill the breadth of your land, O Immanu-El].”³⁷Cf. M. Pss. 79:1. One sixtieth of the troops³⁸Gk.: ochlos. had been sufficient for the Land of Israel, since it is stated (ibid.), “and the radial bone of his wings.” This radial bone of a cock is one sixtieth of its wings. When he came to enter Jerusalem, he said to his troops, “You sleep, and in the morning we shall throw our rings into its midst and stone them with them.”³⁹In other words, Sennacherib believed that his army was so large and Jerusalem so small that his army could bury the city in their rings. Cf. Sanh. 95a, according to some renderings of which, each soldier would use as much mortar as necessary to seal a letter with a signet ring. So Levi, in his Talmud and Midrash lexicon, s.v., gulmohrag. See also Rashi on this passage, according to whom the army would use stones easily dislodged from the wall of Jerusalem. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he.” (Ibid., cont.:), “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.” These refer to his children. When he went up to destroy Jerusalem, he did not succeed. [It is so stated (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36),] “the angel of the Lord went out and smote [one hundred and eighty-thousand] in the camp of Assyria….” It is also written (in II Chron. 32:21), “so he returned shamefaced to his own land, and when he came into the house of his god, [some of those who came out of his own belly struck him down there with the sword].” Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he,” this refers to Sennacherib; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to his children, who killed him. Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he”: This refers to Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it is stated (in Is. 14:13), “And I will ascend to the heavens; [above the stars of God I will set my throne].” (Hab. 1:7, cont.:) “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.” This refers to Evil-merodach (his son). Our masters have said, “When Nebuchadnezzar was driven away, just as it is written (in Dan. 4:29), ‘You shall be driven away from humankind’; all that time Evil-merodach served in his place.” Then when he returned, he put him in prison. Now whoever was imprisoned by him never emerged from the prison until the day of his death. Thus it is stated (in Is. 14:17), “he never released his prisoners to their homes.” When Nebuchadnezzar died, they wanted to make Evil-merodach king. They approached him, but he did not accept. He said to them, “I listened to you the first time. For that reason I was imprisoned. So now I shall not listen to you. Perhaps he is alive. Then he will rise up against me and kill me.” They stood over Nebuchadnezzar, dragged him from his grave, and brought him out. Then he saw that he was dead, and they made him king. [This act was] to fulfill what is stated (in Is. 14:19), “And you have been cast from your grave like a detestable offshoot.” Ergo (Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he,” this refers to Nebuchadnezzar; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to Evil-merodach. Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he”: This refers to the human race, which rules over all which the Holy One, blessed be He, has created in His world. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 8:7), “You have set him as ruler over the [works] of Your hands [….].” (Hab. 1:7, cont.) “His justice and his dignity proceed from him.” Thus when he sins, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings torments upon him from his [own body]. Why? Because His ways are not like the ways of flesh and blood. When [a person of] flesh and blood wants to punish his slaves, he brings [whips] and fetters to punish them and cause them pain; but the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that. Rather it is from a person's whole body that He punishes and beats him. And from where is it shown? From what is written about the matter (in Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh [a swelling or a sore or a bright spot, and it becomes on the skin of his flesh the plague of leprosy, he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest].” One verse says (in Is. 46:10), “My plan shall come to pass, and I will accomplish all My desire.” But another verse says (in Ezek. 33:11), “As I live, says the Lord, [it is not my delight for the wicked to die].” This is what is written about the matter, (in Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh ….”; and it is [yet also] written (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not abide with You.”

"The LORD is our Master, how mighty is Your Name in all the earth." Rav said: "We find three places where the angels prosecuted God; the creation of man, the tabernacle, and the giving of the Torah." Where do we find [this phenomenon] regarding man? When God wished to create man he consulted the angels as it says (Genesis 1:26) "Let Us make man." They began to say "What is man that you recall him?!" [God] replied " Tomorrow you'll see how smart he is." When He created man what did God do? He brought all animals before the angels and asked them the names of all the animals and they did not know. God said to them "Do you want to know the wisdom of Man? I will ask him and he will tell me what all their names." What did God do? He brought all the animals and birds before Adam as it says (ibid. 2:19) "And the LORD formed from the earth." Rabbi Acha said, Did it not already say (ibid. 1:25) "And God made the beasts of the land?" What does the word "and He formed" come to teach us? Rather there it says "and He made" i.e. created them and here it says יצר from the root that connotes convergence as in (Deuteronomy 20:19) "when you besiege a city. (Genesis 2:19) "And He came to Adam to see what to call them" Isn't God omniscient? Rather "to see" means "to show the angels Adam's wisdom [by showing what Adam would call them]," and Adam independently came up with the same name as God for each and every animal. Then God asked him, "And you, what is your name?" He replied, "it is appropriate to call me Adam because I was created from the earth (Adamah)." God asked, "And what's My name?" Adam replied "It is appropriate to call you the LORD because you are the Lord of the entire world." That is why He says (Isaiah 42:8) "I am the LORD, this is My name."

Before the Temple was established the world rested on a foundation of two pillars, but after the Temple was erected, the world became firmly established. You should not assert that the Temple alone made the world secure, for the Sanctuary was also vitally important to the nations of the world. Why was that? Prior to the erection of the Temple, the idolatrous nations, upon hearing the voice of the Lord, became panic-stricken within their tents. The Holy One, blessed be He, therefore, said to Moses: Make Me a Sanctuary, that I may speak with thee in it. Furthermore, I am anxious to dwell among My children. When the ministering angels heard that, they began to cry out: Master of the Universe, why do you leave the heavenly spheres in order to descend to the lower spheres? O Lord, our God, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth! Whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens (Ps. 8:2). Such is Your glory that You should remain in heaven. Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, replied: Be assured, I am doing what you told Me. Habakkuk said: God cometh from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covereth the heavens, and the earth is full of His praise (Hab. 3:3).

R. Joshua b. Levi said also: "When Moses ascended to heaven, the ministering angels said unto the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the universe, what has one born of a woman to do among us?' 'He has come to receive the Torah,' was the Divine answer. 'What!' said they unto Him. 'Art Thou about to bestow upon frail man that cherished treasure which has been with Thee for nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the world was created? What is mortal man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of the earth that Thou thus visiteth him? O God, our Lord, is not Thy name already sufficiently exalted in the earth? Confer Thy glory upon the heavens! (Ps. 8, 2-5).' The Holy One, praised be He! then called upon Moses to refute their objection. Whereupon Moses thus pleaded, 'Sovereign of the universe, I fear lest they consume me with the fiery breath of their mouths.' Thereupon God told Moses to take hold of the throne of His Divine Majesty: as it is said (Job 26, 9.) He lays hold of the face of His throne and spreads His cloud over him. Concerning this R. Nachum said: 'This is intended to inform us that the Almighty spread the brightness of the Shechina, and beclouded Moses with encouragement.' Moses then said unto Him: 'Sovereign of the universe, what is written in the Torah which you are about to give me.' 'I am the Lord, thy God, who brought you forth out of Egypt' (Ex. 20, 2), was the reply. Moses then said to the angels: "Did you go to Egypt and serve Pharaoh? Of what use can the Torah be to you? Further, what else is written in it? Thou shalt not have other Gods before me (Ib. ib. 3). Are you living among nations who are worshipping idols [that you need this]? Furthermore, what else is written in it? Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy (Ib. ib. 8). Are you doing any work that you need rest? Again what is written there? Honor thy father and thy mother (Ib. ib. 12). Have you a father and a mother? And again, what is written in it? Thou shalt not murder, thou shall not commit adultery, thou, shalt not steal (Ib. ib. 13). Does jealousy exist among you? Does an evil impulse exist among you?' The angels at once confessed that the Holy One, praised be He! was right, for it is written (Pr. 8, 10.) O Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth, and no longer is written Confer Thy glory upon the heavens. Soon after this, every one of them became so befriended with Moses, that each of them disclosed to him some useful secrets, for it is said (Ib. 68, 19.) Thou hast ascended unto Heaven; thou captured the spoils; thou hast received gifts because they have contemptuously called thee, man, i.e., because they called you man hast thou taken presents as a reward. And even the Angel of Death revealed something to him, for it is written (Num. 17, 13) And he (Aaron) put on the incense and made atonement for the people, and it is said (Ib.) And he stood between the dead and the living. If the Angel of Death did not disclose this secret unto Moses, how did he know [so that he could tell Aaron that such a thing would stop the plague]?"

Another matter: “Vineyard” – this is the Sanhedrin, as we learned there: Rabbi Yishmael testified three matters before the Sages in the vineyard of Yavne.⁴²Mishna Eduyot 2:4. Were they sitting in a vineyard? Rather, this is the Sanhedrin, which was configured in rows like a vineyard. “At Baal Hamon” – hamon baal, for they streamed [hamu] after the Baal. Therefore the hordes [hamonot] beset them, and multitudes of angels followed them. That is what is written: “The kings [malkhei] of hosts flee [yidodun], they flee” (Psalms 68:13). Rabbi Yudan [said] in the name of Rabbi Aivu: It is not written there: “angels [malakhei] of hosts,” but rather “kings [malkhei].” These are the kings of the angels. Even Mikhael and even Gavriel flee again and again. Rabbi Yudan said: “Yidodun” – they were casting [memadedin] letters from among them,⁴³They were petitioning God not to give the Torah to Israel just as you say: “They cast [yadu] lots over My people” (Joel 4:3). Rabbi Yudan ben Rabbi Simon said: They prodded them⁴⁴The term yidodun is interpreted to mean they prodded [yedadun]. while going, they prodded them while returning.⁴⁵They prodded the Israelites to accept the Torah. Rabbi Aḥava son of Rabbi Ze’eira said: He had them racing, just as it says: “Why are you running, my son…” (II Samuel 18:22).⁴⁶The angels raced each other to assist Israel in accepting the Torah, similar to the race described in the verse in Samuel between two individuals who wanted to inform David about the death of Avshalom.
What is, “while the fair one at home divides the spoils” (Psalms 68:13)? The fair one in the home, this is the Torah, and you are giving it to him, and it is going to distribute the spoils?⁴⁷The angels said to God when He was about to give the Torah to Moses: Are you going to give it to him to bring to earth and disseminate among Israel, who will enjoy its heavenly purity?
Another matter: “The fair one at home” (Psalms 68:13) – fair one at home, will you distribute the spoils below? The fair one at home, this is Moses, as it is stated: “In all My house he is loyal” (Numbers 12:7); and you give it to him, and he will distribute it as spoils below?
Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Aḥa [said] in the name of Rabbi Alexandri: It is written: “Lord, our Master, how mighty is Your name throughout the world that You set Your glory in the heavens” (Psalms 8:2). Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: It is not written here, “You set Your glory,” but rather, “that [asher] You set Your glory.” Your glory is in it; Your happiness [ishurakh] is that Your Torah remain in Heaven. He said to them: ‘Its essence will not be achieved in your midst.’⁴⁸The angels argued that it would be fitting for the Torah to remain in Heaven. God responded that the Torah is not meant for the angels. Rabbi Yudan said: [This is analogous] to one who had a son with severed fingers. What did he do? He took him to a master weaver to teach him his craft. He began looking at his fingers. He said: The entire essence of this craft is acquired only by means of the fingers. How can this one learn it? That is, its essence will not be achieved in your midst: So too, when the Holy One blessed be He sought to give the Torah to Israel, the ministering angels were prodding Israel away and they were prodding themselves before the Holy One blessed be He and saying: It is Your happiness, it is Your glory, it is Your honor that Your Torah remain in Heaven. He said to them: Its essence will not be achieved in your midst. It is written in it: “If a woman's blood flows for many days” (Leviticus 15:25). Is there a woman among you? That is, its essence will not be achieved in your midst. Moreover, it is written in it: “A person who dies in a tent” (Numbers 19:14); is there death among you? That is, its essence will not be achieved in your midst. That is why the verse praises [Moses]: “You ascended On High, you took captives. [You received gifts among men]” (Psalms 68:19). Rabbi Aḥa said: These are the halakhot that are practiced among people, e.g., zavim,⁴⁹These are men who discharge impure emissions. zavot,⁵⁰These are women who are impure because they saw an emission of blood not during their period. menstruating women, and birthing mothers. That is, its essence will not be achieved in your midst.
The Rabbis say: [This is analogous] to a king who married off his daughter outside his province. The residents of his province said to him: ‘Our lord the king, it is your praise, and it is proper, that your daughter be with you in the province.’ He said to them: ‘Why do you care?’ They said to him: ‘Perhaps tomorrow you will go to her and live near her [in order to be] with her due to your love for her.’ He said to them: ‘I will marry off my daughter outside the province, but I will live with you.’ So too, when the Holy One blessed be He said to give the Torah to Israel, the ministering angels said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, “that You set Your glory” (Psalms 8:2), it is Your happiness, it is Your glory, it is Your praise that Your Torah remain in Heaven.’ He said to them: ‘Why do you care?’ They said to Him: ‘Perhaps tomorrow you will rest Your Divine Presence on the lower worlds.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘I give My Torah in the lower worlds, but I reside in the upper worlds. I am giving My daughter with her marriage contract in another province, to be honored with her husband with her beauty and her pleasantness, as she is the daughter of a king and they will respect her, but I will reside with you in the upper worlds.’ Who articulated this? Habakkuk, as it is stated: “His glory covered the heavens, and His praise filled the earth” (Habakkuk 3:3). Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: Every place that the Holy One blessed be He rested His Torah, He rested His Divine Presence. Who articulated this? David. That is what is written: “Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted, His glory across earth and heaven” (Psalms 148:13) – first over the earth and thereafter over the heavens.

[Another interpretation] (of Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL. This refers to the human race, which rules over all which the Holy One has created in his world. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 8:7 [6]): YOU HAVE SET HIM AS RULER OVER THE {WORK} [WORKS] OF YOUR HANDS…. (Hab. 1:7, cont.:) HIS JUSTICE AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIM. Thus when he sins, he brings upon himself torments from his < own > body. Why? Because his ways are not like the ways of flesh and blood. When < a person of > flesh and blood wants to punish his slaves, he brings {kneaders} [whips] and fetters, to punish them and cause them pain; but the Holy One is not like that. Rather it is from a person's whole body that he punishes and beats him. {Thus it is stated (in Hab. 1:7, cont.): HIS JUSTICE AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIM.} [From where is it shown? From what we have read on the matter (in Lev. 13:2): WHEN ANYONE HAS ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH < A SWELLING OR A SORE OR A BRIGHT SPOT, AND IT BECOMES ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY, HE SHALL BE BROUGHT UNTO AARON THE PRIEST >…. ]

R. Yosé the Galilean explained: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou founded strength (Ps. 8:3). Babes are those still in their mother’s wombs, as is said: Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as babes that never saw life (Job 3:16). Sucklings are those who suckle at their mother’s breasts, as is said: Gather the children and those that suck the breasts (Joel 2:16). Rabbi maintained: Babes refers to children out on the street, as it is said: To cut off the children from the street (Jer. 9:20). Likewise it says: The young children ask bread (Lam. 4:4). All opened their mouths and sang the song unto the Lord. R. Meir declared: Even the embryos in their mother’s wombs sang the song, as it is said: Bless ye God in full assemblies, even the Lord, ye that are from the fountain of Israel (Ps. 68:27). Even the angels sang the song, as it is said: O Lord our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth! Whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens (ibid. 8:2).

R. Yosé the Galilean explained: Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings hast Thou founded strength (Ps. 8:3). Babes are those still in their mother’s wombs, as is said: Or as a hidden untimely birth I had not been; as babes that never saw life (Job 3:16). Sucklings are those who suckle at their mother’s breasts, as is said: Gather the children and those that suck the breasts (Joel 2:16). Rabbi maintained: Babes refers to children out on the street, as it is said: To cut off the children from the street (Jer. 9:20). Likewise it says: The young children ask bread (Lam. 4:4). All opened their mouths and sang the song unto the Lord. R. Meir declared: Even the embryos in their mother’s wombs sang the song, as it is said: Bless ye God in full assemblies, even the Lord, ye that are from the fountain of Israel (Ps. 68:27). Even the angels sang the song, as it is said: O Lord our Lord, how glorious is Thy name in all the earth! Whose majesty is rehearsed above the heavens (ibid. 8:2).

"And it was (vayehi) on the day that Moses had finished" (Numbers 7:1), meaning to say, woe (vay) on the day that Moshe finished. There is a [relevant] parable about a king who had a contentious wife. The king said [to her], "Make a royal garment for yourself." She started to occupy herself with it [and] the whole time that she was occupied with it, she did not fight. When she finished the work and brought it to the king and [he] saw it, it was fit in his eyes. [However,] the king immediately said, "Woe, woe!" His wife said to him, "What is this, my master? I have toiled to do your will, and you say, 'Woe, woe?'" He said [back] to her, "The work is very fit in my eyes. However, the whole time that you were occupied with the work, you did not get angry and you did not attack me. Now that you are free, I am afraid, lest you will anger me." So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say, "The whole time that My sons were occupied with the tabernacle, they did not complain. Now they will start [to do so]." Hence it is stated (Numbers 7:1), "And it was (vayehi) on the day that Moses had finished," woe (vay) on the day that Moshe finished. Another interpretation: "And it was (vayehi) on the day that Moses had finished"; woe (vay) was it to the ministering angels on the day that Moshe finished. They said, "Now He will remove His Divine Presence from among us and have His glory dwell below with His children." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "Do not pay [attention] to this, as my Divine Presence will always be with you above, as stated (Psalms 8:2), 'who placed His majesty upon the heavens.'" But, as it were, He consoled them with empty consolations. It is the opposite, His main Presence is below, as stated (Psalms 148:13), "His majesty is upon the earth," and afterwards, upon "the heavens."

(I Kings 5:11 [4:31]:) FOR HE WAS WISER THAN ANYONE (literally: WISER THAN ADAM). What was his wisdom? You find that, when the Holy One wanted to create the first Adam, he consulted with the ministering Angels. He said to them (in Gen. 1:26): LET US MAKE HUMANKIND (Adam) IN OUR IMAGE. They said to him (in Ps. 8:5[4]): WHAT IS A HUMAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, <AND A CHILD OF ADAM THAT YOU SHOULD THINK OF HIM>? He said to them: [Since I want to create Adam in my world,] his wisdom [shall be] greater than yours. Immediately he made all cattle, wild beasts, and fowl pass before them. He said to them: What are the names of these <beings>? They, however, did not know. When he had created the first Adam, he made them pass before him. He said to him: What are the names of these <beings>? He said: It is fitting to call this one an ox, this one a lion, this one a horse, and so on for all of them. It is so stated (in Gen. 2:20): SO ADAM RECITED NAMES FOR ALL THE CATTLE.⁷⁹The understanding of the midrash is that the creatures implicitly already possessed names.… He said to him: You, what is your name? Adam said to him: Adam, because I was created out of the ground (adamah). The Holy One said to him: I, what is my name? He said to him: The LORD, because you are lord over all creatures, namely as written (in Is. 42:8): I AM YHWH (THE LORD) THAT IS MY NAME, which the first Adam gave me.⁸⁰Above, Lev. 3:11. [That is my name, the one which I have agreed to <for use> between me and the nations of the world.]

R. Eliezer says: It speaks of the Red Sea, viz.: "Show me Your face" (lit., "Your sight") — (Exodus 14:13) "Stand and see the salvation of the L rd." "Let me hear Your voice" — (Ibid. 10) "and they were exceedingly afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the L rd." "for your voice is sweet" — (Ibid. 2:23) "and their outcry ascended to G d. "and your face (= sight) is fair" — (Ibid. 4:30-31) "and he performed the signs before the eyes of the people, and the people believed." Variantly: "for your voice is sweet" — at the Red Sea, viz. (Ibid. 15:1) "I shall sing to the L rd, for He is exalted (over all the) exalted." "and Your face is fair" — (Psalms 8:24) "From the mouths of babes and sucklings You have founded strength … When I see Your heavens, etc."

When the Holy One, blessed be He, embarked upon the creation of the world, the ministering angels said to him: What is man, that Thou art mindful of (lit. remember) him? (Ps. 8:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, responded: You have asked me, What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? because you beheld the wickedness of the generation of Enosh, but now I will reveal to you the greatness of Abraham so that you may remember him, as is said: And God remembered Abraham (Gen. 19:29).

3 (Numb. 19:2) “This is the statute of the Torah”: R. Isaac began [his discourse] (with Eccl. 7:23), “All this I tested with wisdom; I thought I could fathom it, but it eludes me.” It is written (in I Kings 5:9), “So God gave Solomon wisdom [...].” What is the meaning of (I Kings 5:9, cont.,) “As vast as the sand of the sea.” The rabbis say, “[This] teaches that He gave him as much wisdom as all Israel, who are compared to the sand, as stated (in Hos. 2:1), ‘The number of the Children of Israel shall be like that of the sands of the sea. R. Levi said, “Just as sand is a wall and a fence for [the sea], that it not go out and flood the world; so was wisdom a fence for Solomon.” The proverb says, “If you lack knowledge, what have you gained? If you have gained knowledge, what do you lack?” Like (in Prov. 25:28) “A city broken into with no walls,” so “is a person who does not restrain his spirit.” (I Kings 5:10) “Now Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East”: And what was the wisdom of the peoples of the East?²⁹Above, Gen. 7:24; PR 14:9. [In that] they were astute at divination (from birds). Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel said, “I like three things, etc.” (I Kings 5:10, cont.) “From all the wisdom of Egypt”: What was the wisdom of Egypt? You find that when Solomon wanted to build the Temple, he sent to Pharaoh Necho and said to him, “Send me craftsmen [to work] for a wage, for I want to build the Temple.” What did Pharaoh do? He gathered all his astrologers³⁰Gk.: astrologoi. and said to them, “Foresee which people are going to die this year and send them to him.” When they came to Solomon, he foresaw through the holy spirit that they would die during that year. He [therefore] gave them shrouds and sent them [back] to [Pharaoh]. He sent to him, saying, “Do you not have shrouds to bury your dead? Here they are for you with their shrouds.” (I Kings 5:11) “And he was wiser than any man (literally, than all of Adam),” than the first Adam. And what was his wisdom? You find that, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to create the first Adam, He consulted with the ministering angels. He said to them (in Gen. 1:26), “Let us make humankind (Adam) in Our image.” They said to him (in Ps. 8:5), “What is a human that You are mindful of him?” He said to them, “This Adam that I want to create Adam shall have wisdom greater than yours.” What did He do? He gathered all cattle, wild beasts, and fowl to pass before them. He said to them, “What are the names of these [beings]?” They, however, did not know. When He had created Adam, He made them pass before him. He said to him, “What are the names of these [beings]?” He said, “It is fitting to call this one an ox, this one a lion, this one a horse, [...]” and so on for all of them. It is so stated (in Gen. 2:20), “So Adam recited names”³¹The understanding of the midrash is that the creatures implicitly already possessed names. He said to him, “And you, what is your name?” Adam said to him, “Adam, because I was created out of the ground (adamah).” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I, what is My name?” He said to him, “The Lord, because you are Lord over all creatures,” namely as written (in Is. 42:8), “I am the Lord, that is My name,” which the first Adam gave me. It is the one which I have agreed to [for use] between Me and Myself; it is the one which I have agreed to [for use] between Me and My creatures. (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “[Wiser] than Ethan the Ezrahite”: This is Abraham, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 89:1), “A maskil (a psalm of erudition) of Ethan the Ezrahite.”³²It is assumed, of course that Abraham wrote the Psalm, an assumption based on a comparison of Ps. 89:1 and Is. 41:2: WHO HAS RAISED UP RIGHTEOUSNESS FROM THE EAST?. See BB 15a. The Ezrahite (‘ezrahi) of Ps. 89:1 is understood in the sense of “Easterner,” and Ethan (which means “steadfast”) is regarded as equivalent to “righteous.” For another argument identifying Ethan and Abraham, see PR 6:5. (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “And Heman (rt.: 'mn)”: This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Numb. 12:7 with reference to Moses), “[… he is trusted (rt.: 'mn) in all My house].” (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “Calcol (klkl)”: This is Joseph, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 47:12), “And joseph sustained (rt.: klkl) [his father and his brothers].” The Egyptians said, “Has this slave come to rule over us for any reason but because of his wisdom?” What did they do to him? They brought seventy tablets³³Gk.: piyyakia; Lat.: pittacia. and wrote on them in seventy tongues. Then when they cast them before him, he read each and every one in its own tongue. And not only that, but he spoke in the holy tongue, which they did not have the ability to understand, as stated (in Ps. 81:6), “He made it a statute upon Joseph, when he went out over the land of Egypt. I hear a language I had not known.” (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “Darda (drd')]:” This is the generation (dor) of the desert, which had knowledge (de'ah). (I Kings 5:11, cont.) “The children of Mahol,” i.e., the Children of Israel whom the Divine Presence forgave (rt.: mhl) for the deed of the calf. (I Kings 5:12) “Moreover he composed three thousand proverbs”: R. Samuel bar Nahmani said, “We have gone over all of the scriptures and have found that Solomon only uttered prophetically close to eight hundred verses.³⁴See Cant. R. 1:1:11. Then what is meant by three thousand? [This number] teaches that each and every verse that he spoke contains two [or] three interpretations, just as it says (in Prov. 25:12), ‘Like an earring of gold, a necklace of fine gold, [so is a wise reprover to a listening ear].’”³⁵The midrash understands the WISE REPROVER TO BE Solomon himself, who is likened to both a golden earring and a golden necklace. But the rabbis say, “Every verse has three thousand proverbs, while each and every proverb has a thousand and five interpretations.” [(I Kings 5:12, cont.) “And his song numbered a thousand and five”:] “His songs” is not written here, but “his song,” the song of the proverb. (I Kings 5:13) “And he spoke with/concerning ('al)³⁶The point of the midrash in this and in the following chapter concerns whether to understand ‘al as “with” or “concerning.” the trees”: Is it possible that a person would speak with the trees? Solomon merely said, “For what reason is a leper cleansed through the tallest among the trees (the cedar) and through the lowest of the low (the hyssop); through (according to Lev. 14:4) cedar wood, [crimson stuff,] and hyssop?’ It is simply because he had exalted himself like the cedar, that he was stricken with leprosy. As soon as he humbled himself like the hyssop, he was therefore cured through hyssop”. (I Kings 5:13, cont.) “He also spoke with/concerning ('al) the cattle and the fowl”: Is it possible that [a person] would speak with cattle and with fowl? Rather [the passage is concerned with] why the cattle are permitted [as food] with [the cutting of] two organs³⁷Gk.: semeia (“signs,” “omens”). (the gullet and the windpipe); but the fowl, with [the cutting of] one organ (i.e., the gullet or the windpipe).³⁸See Hul. 2:1; Hul. 27b. Because cattle were created from the dry land. But in regard to fowl, one text says [they came] from the dry land, while another text says [they came] from the sea. [The text stating fowls came] from the dry land is what is written (in Gen. 2:19), “So from the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every fowl of the heavens.” The other text says (in Gen. 1:20), “Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures and the fowl fly above the earth.”³⁹This unusual translation of Gen. 1:20 is required by the midrash. Bar Qappara said, “They were created from the mud which is in the sea.” R. Abbin said the name of R. Jose the Galilean said, “Nevertheless, the feet of the cock resemble the scaly skin⁴⁰Reading HSPNYT’ with the parallel in Yalqut Shim‘oni, Kings, 178, for Buber’s HRTsPYTYH. of the fish.”⁴¹A fish of the genus anthias. (I Kings 5:13, cont.) “And with/concerning ('al) the creeping things”: Is it possible that one would speak with a creeping thing? Solomon simply said, “What is the reason that in the case of the eight swarming creatures which are in the Torah, one is culpable for hunting or injuring them (on the Sabbath)⁴²Shab. 14:1.; but in the case of the rest of the swarming creatures, one is exempt?⁴³Shab. 14:1. For the reason that they (i.e. the former) have skins.”⁴⁴Shab. 107ab, explains that in the case of skin, as distinct from the flesh, a wound does not completely heal but leaves a scar. Thus part of the animal’s life is lost. See yShab. 14:1 (14b); also Hul. 9:2. Cf. Rashi on Shab. 14:1, according to whom cutting the skin causes blood to color it in a form of dying, an act forbidden on the Sabbath. (I Kings 5:13 cont.) “And with/concerning ('al) the fish”: Is it possible that one would so speak? Solomon merely said, “For what reason do cattle, beasts, and birds require ritual slaughtering, while fish do not require ritual slaughtering?” Rather it is from this verse (in Numb. 11:22), “Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them; [are there enough fish in the sea to gather for them]?” Jacob the man of Kefar Nibburayya taught in Tyre with respect to fish, that they do require ritual slaughtering. When R. Haggai heard, he sent for him to come. He said to him, “On what basis did you decide this?” He said to him, “From here (in Gen. 1:20), ‘Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let the fowl fly.’ Just as fowl require ritual slaughtering, so do the fish require ritual slaughtering.” He said to them (i.e., those standing by), “Lay him down to receive lashes.” He said to him, “Shall a person who speaks words of Torah be lashed?” He said to him, “You did not decide [the law] well.” He said to him, “On what basis?” He said to him, “From here (in Numb. 11:22), ‘Are there enough flocks and herds to slaughter for them; are there enough fish in the sea to gather for them?’ The former require ritual slaughtering, while the latter [is taken] through gathering.” He said to him, “Give [me] your beating, as it is good for retention.” And again did Jacob the man of Kefar Nibburayya teach in Tyre, [this time] with respect to an Israelite man, who came upon a foreign woman and had her bear him a son, that he should be circumcised on the Sabbath. When R. Haggai heard, he sent for him to come. He said to him, “On what basis do you hold this?” He said to him, “[From this which is written] (in Numb. 1:18) ‘then they registered their lineages according to their families according to the house of their fathers.’” He said to them (i.e., those standing by), “Lay him down to receive lashes.” He said to him, “Shall a person who speaks words of Torah be lashed?” He said to him, “You did not decide [the law] well.” He said to him, “From where can you show me?” He said to him, “If one of the gentiles came to you in order to become a proselyte on condition that you circumcise him on the Sabbath day or on the Day of Atonement, would you profane the Sabbath on account of him or not? Is it not true that one does not profane the Sabbath or the Day of Atonement for him but only for the son of an Israelite woman.” He said to him, “On what basis do you hold this?” He said to him (in Ezra 10:3), “So now let us make a covenant with our God to put away all (foreign) wives and (anyone] born of them […].” He said to him, “Would you lash me on the basis of [a non-Mosaic text]?” He said to him, “It is written (ibid.), ‘let it be done [according to] the Torah.’” He said to him, “From which [piece of] Torah?” He said to him, “From that of R. Johanan, when he said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay, ‘It is written (in Deut. 7:3), “You shall not intermarry with them; do not give your daughters to their sons.” Why? (As in Deut. 7:4,) “Because they will turn your children away from following me.” Your child that comes from an Israelite woman is called "your child"; but that which comes from a foreign woman is called, not "your child," but "her child,” as stated (in Gen. 21:13), “And I will also make the son of the maidservant into a nation.”’" He said to him, “Give [me] your beating, as it is good for retention.” Solomon said, “About all these things I have knowledge; but in the case of the parashah on the red heifer, I have investigated it, inquired into it, and examined it. [Still] (at the end of the verse in Eccl. 7:23), ‘I thought I could fathom it, but it eludes me.’”

... In the hour that Shlomo built the Holy Temple, the whole world was filled with the fragrance of spices. In the end he saw that it would be destroyed and he wept, saying ‘this fragrance was all for naught!’ The Holy One said to him ‘do not be distressed, I will build it as an eternal construction “…between my breasts he shall lie.” (Shir HaShirim 1:13)’ Thus it says “His jaws are like a bed of spice…” (Shir HaShirim 5:13)

... In the hour that Shlomo built the Holy Temple, the whole world was filled with the fragrance of spices. In the end he saw that it would be destroyed and he wept, saying ‘this fragrance was all for naught!’ The Holy One said to him ‘do not be distressed, I will build it as an eternal construction “…between my breasts he shall lie.” (Shir HaShirim 1:13)’ Thus it says “His jaws are like a bed of spice…” (Shir HaShirim 5:13)

“All this I attempted with wisdom; I said: I will become wise, but it is far from me” (Ecclesiastes 7:23).
“All this I attempted with wisdom.” It is written: “God granted wisdom to Solomon, [great discernment, and breadth of understanding like the sand on the seashore]” (I Kings 5:9). The Rabbis and Rabbi Levi, the Rabbis say: “Like the sand” – what is “like the sand”? He was granted wisdom corresponding to all of Israel.¹²⁴Israel is compared to the sand on the seashore; see Genesis 22:17. Rabbi Levi said: Just as this sand is a boundary for the sea, so, too, wisdom was a boundary for Solomon.¹²⁵It prevented him from sinning. The parable says: If you lack knowledge, what have you acquired? If you have acquired wisdom, what are you lacking?
It is written: “Solomon's wisdom surpassed the wisdom of all the people of the East and all the wisdom of Egypt” (I Kings 5:10). What was the wisdom of the people of the East? They were well-versed in astronomy, performed sorcery with birds, and were expert in augury. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel said: Regarding three matters I praise the people of the East: They do not kiss on the mouth, but rather on the hand; they do not bite [pieces of food from a larger piece] with their mouth but cut with a knife; and they seek counsel only in a spacious area, as they consult only in the field.¹²⁶This is to ensure that there are no eavesdroppers.
What was the wisdom of the Egyptians? You find that when Solomon sought to build the Temple, he sent to Pharaoh Nekho and said: ‘Send me craftsmen [and I will pay] their wage, as I seek to build the Temple.’ What did he [Pharaoh] do? He assembled all his astrologers, and they envisioned people who were destined to die during that year and he sent them to him. When they came to Solomon, he envisioned with the divine spirit that they were destined to die during that year. He gave them shrouds and sent them [back] to [Pharaoh Nekho], and said to him: ‘If you did not have shrouds for the needs of your dead, here they are with their shrouds; arise and bury them.’
“He was wiser than any man [ha’adam]” (I Kings 5:11) – than Adam the first man. What was the wisdom of Adam the first man? You find that when the Holy One blessed be He sought to create Adam the first man, He consulted with the ministering angels, and He said to them: “Let us make man” (Genesis 1:26). They said to him: ‘Master of the universe, “what is man that You remember him?”’ (Psalms 8:5). He said to them: ‘The man I seek to create, his wisdom is greater than yours.’ What did He do? He gathered all the animals, beasts, and birds, and stood them before them [the angels], and said to them: ‘Give them names.’ They remained [silent] and did not know [what to say]. He went to Adam and said to him: ‘What [should] the names of these [creatures be]?’ [Adam] said: ‘Master of the universe, it is fitting to call this one ox, this one lion, this one horse, this one camel, this one eagle,’ and so forth for all of them. [God] said to him: ‘What is your name?’ He said before Him: ‘Adam, because I was created from the ground [adama].’ [God said:] ‘And I, what is My name?’ He said before Him: ‘You are my Lord [adonai], because You are the Lord [adon] over all Your creations’ – that is what is written: “I am the Lord, it is My name” (Isaiah 42:8), it is My name that I was called by Adam the first man. It is My name that I stipulated between Me and Myself. It is My name that I stipulated between Myself and My creations and My ministering angels.
“[For he was wiser than all men: than Eitan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Kalkol, and Darda, the sons of Maḥol]” (I Kings 5:11). “Than Eitan the Ezrahite,” this is Abraham, as it is written: “A contemplation of Eitan the Ezrahite” (Psalms 89:1).¹²⁷Rabbinic tradition identifies Eitan the Ezrahite of Psalms as Abraham; see Bava Batra 15a. “And Heman,” this is Moses, as it is stated: “In all My house he is trusted [ne’eman]” (Numbers 12:7). “And Kalkol,” this is Joseph, as it is written: “Joseph provided [vaykhalkel]” (Genesis 47:12). The Egyptians said: ‘Is this slave not king over us due only to his wisdom?’ They took seventy notes¹²⁸Each note was written in a different language. and cast them before him and he would read each of them in its language. Moreover, he would speak in the sacred tongue, which they did not know, with which they were not familiar, and which they could not understand. So, it says: “He established it as a precept for Joseph [when he went out over Egypt; I learned a language I had not known]” (Psalms 81:6). “And Darda,” (I Kings 5:11), this is the generation [dor] of the wilderness, which was entirely knowledge [de’a]. “Sons of Maḥol,” (I Kings 5:11), these are the Israelites, whom the Holy One blessed be He forgave [maḥal] for the sin of the [Golden] Calf.

Rabbi Yoḥanan began: “Give honor to the Lord your God before it grows dark…” (Jeremiah 13:16) – when was this verse fulfilled in their regard? It was with the death of Hezekiah. That is what is written: “Hezekiah lay with his fathers, and they buried him in the ascent of the tombs of the descendants of David, and they accorded him honor upon his death” (II Chronicles 32:33). What honor did they accord him? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Ḥanin, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: They built a meeting place of the Sages above Hezekiah’s tomb. When they would go there, they would say to him: ‘Teach us.’ Rabbi Ḥanin said: They placed a Torah scroll above Hezekiah’s tomb and said: The one who is placed in this coffin fulfilled everything that is written in this. The Rabbis said: They arranged rugs for him from the entrance of their houses to the tombs of the descendants of David. Why to that extent? It was so their feet would not be exposed.¹⁰⁴They walked without shoes as a sign of mourning and put out the rugs so that their feet would not be injured by the hard ground or the cold. The fact that the entire populace took upon themselves customs of mourning was an honor for Hezekiah. Nevertheless, their feet were exposed. Jeremiah said to them: If when you arranged rugs from the entrance of your houses to the tombs of the descendants of David your feet were exposed, when “your feet will stumble on the mountains of the night” (Jeremiah 13:16), all the more so.
The Divine Presence traveled ten journeys: From cherub to cherub,¹⁰⁵The Divine Presence had been focused on the cherub on the right side, and moved to the cherub on the left (Maharzu). from cherub to the threshold of the Sanctuary, from the threshold of the Sanctuary [back] to the cherubs, from the cherubs to the eastern gate, from the eastern gate to the courtyard, from the courtyard to the roof, from the roof to the altar, from the altar to the wall,¹⁰⁶This is a reference to the wall surrounding the Temple courtyard. from the wall to the city, and from the city to the Mount of Olives.
From cherub to cherub, as it is written: “The glory of the Lord rose from upon the cherub” (Ezekiel 10:4). From the cherub to the threshold of the Sanctuary, as it is written: “The glory of the God of Israel ascended from upon the cherub upon which it had been to the threshold of the Sanctuary” (Ezekiel 9:3). From the threshold of the Sanctuary to the cherubs, as it is written: “The glory of the Lord emerged from upon the threshold of the House and stood upon the cherubs” (Ezekiel 10:18). “Emerged” – the verse should have said, “entered,” and yet it says, “emerged”? What is “emerged”? Rabbi Aḥa said: [This is analogous] to a king who was emerging from his palace in anger. After he left he returned and caressed and kissed the walls of the palace and the pillars of the palace, and he was weeping and saying: Let there be peace upon my palace, let there be peace upon my royal house, let there be peace upon the house of my honor, let there be peace, from now on let there be peace. So too, when the Divine Presence emerged from the Temple, it returned and caressed and kissed the walls of the Temple and the pillars of the Temple, and it was weeping and saying: Let there be peace upon My Temple, let there be peace upon My royal house, let there be peace upon the house of My honor, let there be peace, from now on let there be peace.
From the cherubs to the eastern gate, as it is written: “The cherubs lifted their wings…[and it stood at the entrance of the east gate of the House of the Lord]” (Ezekiel 10:19). From the eastern gate to the courtyard, as it is written: “The courtyard was filled with the aura of the glory of the Lord” (Ezekiel 10:4). From the courtyard to the roof, as it is written: “Better to live on a corner of a roof” (Proverbs 25:24). From the roof to the altar, as it is written: “I saw the Lord standing upon the altar” (Amos 9:1). From the altar to the wall, as it is written: “Behold, the Lord is standing upon a wall made with a plumb line [anakh]” (Amos 7:7). Another matter: What is anakh? This is the Sanhedrin of seventy-one, the numerical value of anakh.¹⁰⁷Alef – 1, nun – 50, kaf – 20 = 71 “The Lord said: Behold, I am placing a plumb line” (Amos 7:8). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said.¹⁰⁸The midrash here does not include Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon’s statement. See Vayikra Rabba 33:2, where his exposition of this verse is stated. From the wall to the city, as it is written: “The voice of the Lord calls to the city” (Micah 6:9). From the city to the Mount of Olives, as it is written: “The glory of the Lord ascended from above the midst of the city and stood upon the mountain that was east of the city” (Ezekiel 11:23).
Rabbi Yonatan said: For three and a half years the Divine Presence stayed resting on the Mount of Olives, believing that perhaps Israel would repent, but they did not. A Divine Voice was proclaiming and saying: “Return wayward children” (Jeremiah 3:14), “return to Me and I will return to you” (Malachi 3:7). Since they did not repent, it said: “I will go and return to My place” (Hosea 5:15). Regarding that moment, it says: “Give honor to the Lord your God before it grows dark” (Jeremiah 13:16) – before it grows dark for you from matters of Torah, before it grows dark for you from matters of prophecy. “And before your feet will stumble on the mountains of the night, and you will hope for light” (Jeremiah 13:16) – in Babylon; “but He will render it the shadow of death” (Jeremiah 13:16) – in Media; “and will render it a fog” (Jeremiah 13:16) – in Greece. “But if you will not heed it” (Jeremiah 13:17) – in Edom; “My soul will weep in concealed places due to your arrogance” (Jeremiah 13:17) – Why does the verse state: “Due to your arrogance”? These are the idol worshippers, who are arrogant and say: “Where is their God, the Rock in whom they sought refuge?” (Deuteronomy 32:37). Alternatively, “due to your arrogance” – due to the ministering angels, who are arrogant and say: “What is man that You remember him…” (Psalms 8:5). “And my eyes will weep and shed tears because the flock of the Lord was taken captive” (Jeremiah 13:17) – you find that until Israel was exiled, they were divided into flocks, the priestly flock by itself, the Levite flock by itself, the Israelite flock by itself. Once they were exiled, they became one flock; “because the flock of the Lord was taken captive”– it is not written here, “because they were taken captive [nishbu],”¹⁰⁹The term nishbu is plural, whereas the term nishba is singular. but rather, “because the flock of the Lord was taken captive [nishba].”