Midrash su Salmi 141:2

(Deut. 26:16:) “This day the Lord your God is commanding you to perform.” This text is related (to Ps. 95:6), “Come, let us bow down and bend, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker!” But is not bending included in bowing down; and bowing down in bowing? So what does the instruction mean by “let us bow down and bend and kneel down?” Moses simply foresaw that the Temple was going to be destroyed and that the firstfruits were going to cease. He arose and arranged for Israel to pray three times on every day, because prayer is more pleasing to the Holy One, blessed be He, than all of the good works and all of the sacrifices. It is so written (Ps. 141:2), “Take my prayer as an offering of incense, my upraised hands as an evening sacrifice.” And when it was decreed for Moses not to enter the land in spite of all of his good works, he began to pray, and he said (in Deut. 3:25), “Please let me cross over and see [the good land].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in vss. 26-27), “Enough from you; do not ever speak unto Me on this matter again. Go up to the top of Pisgah.” It is therefore stated (in 26:16), “[This day] the Lord your God is commanding you to perform….”¹I.e., to obey the command to go up to the top of Pisgah. Although the midrash understands the performance in reference to this one command, the simple understanding of the biblical text is that it is speaking about performing statutes and ordinances. What is written above the matter (in vs. 15)? “Look down from Your holy dwelling, [from the heavens and bless Your people].” R. Abbahu said in the name of R. Jose bar Hanina, “How spoiled and how great a pretext are given to those who perform the commandments [for doing so]: If someone has business with the empire, there are times when he gives some money, until they have him reach the king. When he does reach the king, he has doubts whether he will fulfill his request or not. The Holy One, blessed be He, however, is not like that. Rather when one goes down into his field [and] sees a [grape] cluster that has ripened early, a fig that has ripened early, a pomegranate that has ripened early, he puts it in a basket, goes to Jerusalem and enters and stands in the [Temple] courtyard; he [then] asks mercy for himself, for Israel, and for the land of Israel. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 26:15), ‘Look down from your holy dwelling, [from the heavens and bless your people].’ And not only that, but he would say, “I am not moving from here until You perform my requirements this day,’ as it is written next to it (in vs. 16), ‘This day the Lord your God is commanding you to perform.’” Resh Laqish said, “A heavenly voice (bat qol) comes forth and says, ‘You shall do it again on this day in the coming year.’ [He is] like one who gives fresh fruit to his friend, and [the friend] says to him, ‘Would that you would do this again, and give me some next year.’” R. Hiya bar Abba said, “How spoiled are those who perform the commandments in front of the Holy One, blessed be He. As the Holy One blessed be He, enacts a decree and the righteous ones annul it. As it is stated (Eccl. 8:4), ‘Inasmuch as a king’s command is authoritative, and who can say to him, “What are you doing.”’ Who is it [that can say it]? (Eccl. 8:5:) ‘One who obeys commandments will not know a bad thing,’ he can object to the Holy One, blessed be He.” And so with David, he said (II Sam. 23:3), “The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke about me, ‘He that rules over men must be righteous, ruling in the fear of God.”¹See Moed Katan 16b, where this verse is explained as saying that the righteous one rules over God. [(Deut. 26:16:) “This day the Lord your God is commanding you to perform…].” What is the meaning of this day? Had the Holy One, blessed be He, not given a command to Israel until now? And was not this the fortieth year (since they left Egypt), as stated (in Deut. 1:3), “And it came to pass in the fortieth year….” Then what is the meaning of the words, “this day?” Simply that Moses spoke to Israel as follows, “On each and every day, let the Torah be dear to you, as if you had received it this day from Mount Sinai.” Moreover, it is written in another place (i.e., in Deut. 4:9), “make them known to your children….” Then it is written (in vs. 10), “The day that you stood before the Lord [your God at Horeb].” (Deut. 26:16, cont.:) “These statutes,” these are the midrashic commentaries; “and these ordinances,” these are the court decisions. Another interpretation (of Deut. 26:16), “these statutes and these ordinances: [They are meant] to include light and heavy [commandments], inferences from analogy, and fine points of scribal exegesis. (Deut. 26:16, cont.:) “So you are to be diligent in doing them.” R. Johanan said, “When anyone performs a single commandment truthfully, Scripture ascribes it to him as if it had been given [to him] from Mount Sinai, as stated (Deut. 26:16), ‘So you are to be diligent in doing.’” Then what is the meaning of (in Lev. 25:18), “and you shall do (which can also be read as, make) them?” Rather, anyone that observes the Torah and does it truthfully, it as if he arranged it and gave it from Mount Sinai. And R. Johanan also said, “Anyone who does [what is written in] the Torah truthfully, Scripture ascribes it to him as if he had made himself; as stated (in Deut. 4:14), ‘At that time the Lord commanded me to impart [to you laws and rules to make you do].’ It does not say, ‘to do them,’ but “to make you, do them.’ From here [we learn] that Scripture ascribes it to him as if he made and created himself.” (Deut. 26:16, cont.:) “With all your heart.” Behold Scripture warns Israel and says to them, “When you pray to the Holy One, blessed be He, you shall not have two hearts, one in the presence of the Holy One, blessed be He, and one for something else.”²See Ben Sira 1:28 (25).

R. Chelbo in the name of R. Huna said further: "A man shall always be strict in the observance of the Mincha service, for Elijah, the Prophet, was answered only at the Mincha service, as it is said (I Kin. 18, 36-37.) And it came to pass at (the time of) the offering of the perpetual evening sacrifice (Mincha) that Elijah the Prophet came near, and said: Answer me, O Lord, answer me, i. e., answer my prayer that a fire descend from Heaven, and answer me that they shall not say it was an act of magic." R. Jochanan said: "In the evening service also [shall a man pay heed], for it is said (Ps. 141, 2.) May my prayers be valued as incense before Thee; lifting up of my hands as the evening offering." R. Nachman b. Isaac said: "To the morning service also [shall a man pay heed,] for it is said (Ps. 5, 4.) O Lord, in the morning do Thou hear my voice."

(Lev. 17:1, 3:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, ‘Speak to Aaron saying, “…. If any single person from the House of Israel slaughters.”’” The holy spirit proclaims (in Mal. 1:11), “From the rising of the sun to its setting, My name shall be great among the gentiles.” From the time that the sun rises until it sets, the praise⁶¹Qillus. Cf. the Greek, kalos (“beautiful”). of the Holy One, blessed be He, never ceases from its mouth, as stated (in Ps. 113:3), “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is praised.” And you find it so when Joshua waged war with Gibeon. What is written there (in Josh. 10:12)? “Then Joshua spoke to the Lord…, ‘O sun, be quiet (dom)⁶²Although dom can mean “stand still”, it commonly means, “be quiet” in the sense of “be silent.” It is this latter sense which the midrash is stressing here. at Gibeon.’” [When] Joshua wanted to silence the sun, he did not say to it, "O sun, stand still ('amod) at Gibeon," but “Be quiet (dom).” Why did he say, “Be quiet?” Because every hour that it is traveling, it is praising the Holy One, blessed be He; and as long as it praises [the Holy One, blessed be He], it has the power to travel [its course]. Joshua therefore told it to be silent, as stated (ibid.), “O sun, be quiet at Gibeon.” The sun said to Joshua, “May someone younger be saying, ‘Be quiet,’ to someone older? I was created on the fourth [day], while human beings were created on the sixth; and are you saying, ‘Be quiet,’ to me?” Joshua said to [the sun], “When a young free person has an elderly slave, does he not say to him, ‘Be silent?’ In the case of our father Abraham, the Holy One, blessed be He, delivered (rt.: pnh) heaven and earth to him, as stated (in Gen. 14:19), ‘Then he blessed him, and said, “Blessed be Abram of God most high, acquirer (rt.: pnh)⁶³Apart from the context in the midrash, a traditional biblical translation would read: CREATOR. of heaven and earth.”’ And not only that, but you bowed down to Joseph, as stated (in Gen. 37:9), ‘here were the sun, the moon, [and eleven stars bowing down to me.’ So would you speak against me?]” Ergo (in Josh. 10:12), “O sun, be quiet at Gibeon.” The sun said to Joshua, “And so are you decreeing over me that I am to be quiet?” He said to it, “Yes.” It said to him, “Then who will speak the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He?“ He said to him, “You be quiet, and I will speak the praise of the Holy One, blessed be He,” as stated (in Josh. 10:12), “Then (az) Joshua spoke to the Lord.” Now az can only be a hymn, since it is stated (in Exod. 15:1), “Moses sang then (az).”⁶⁴THEN is understood as the object of the verb SANG. See Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:32; Exod. 4:12. (Mal. 1:11:) “And in every place incense is offered to My name, even a pure oblation.” R. Ammi asked R. Samuel bar Nahman, “Is it correct that ‘In every place incense is offered to My name, even a pure oblation?’⁶⁵See Numb. R. 13:4. The Torah warns (in Deut. 12:13-14), ‘Take heed that you do not offer up your burnt offerings in any place that you see. But only in the place that [the Lord] will choose….’ So also it says (in Lev. 17:3-4) ‘If any single person from the House of Israel slaughters an ox, a lamb, or a goat in the camp…. And does not bring it unto the entrance of the tent of meeting…, [bloodguilt shall be imputed to that person.’ So how can you] say (in Mal. 1:11), ‘and in every place incense (muqtar) is offered to My name, [even a pure oblation]?’” R. Samuel bar Nahman said to him (i.e., to R. Ammi), “What is a pure oblation (minhah) which is burned (muqtar) in every place and offered to the name of the Holy One, blessed be He?⁶⁶The Hebrew wording of this question reproduces almost exactly the wording in Mal. 1:11. This is the prayer of the afternoon service (minhah). Incense (muqtar) can only be the prayer of the afternoon service (minhah), since it is stated (in Ps. 141:2), ‘Let my prayer be set forth as the incense before you….’ [It also says] (in I Kings 18:36), ‘And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the oblation (minhah), Elijah drew near.’”

(Lev. 17:1 & 3:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING…. IF ANY SINGLE PERSON FROM THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL SLAUGHTERS AN OX, A LAMB, OR A GOAT IN THE CAMP. The Holy Spirit proclaims (in Mal. 1:11): FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN TO ITS SETTING [MY NAME SHALL BE GREAT AMONG THE GENTILES AND IN EVERY PLACE INCENSE IS OFFERED TO MY NAME, EVEN A PURE OBLATION].⁷²Tanh., Lev. 6:9. From the time that the sun rises until it sets, the praise⁷³Qillus. Cf. the Greek, kalos (“beautiful”). of the Holy One never ceases from its mouth, as stated (in Ps. 113:3): FROM THE RISING OF THE SUN TO ITS SETTING, THE NAME OF THE LORD IS PRAISED. And you find it so when Joshua waged war with Gibeon. What is written there (in Josh. 10:12)? THEN JOSHUA SPOKE TO THE LORD…: O SUN, BE QUIET (dom)⁷⁴Although dom can mean “stand still”, it commonly means, “be quiet” in the sense of “be silent.” It is this latter sense which the midrash is stressing here. AT GIBEON. < When > Joshua wanted to silence the sun, he did not say to it: "O Sun, stand still ('amod) at Gibeon," but BE QUIET (dom). Why did he say; BE QUIET? Because every hour that it is traveling, it is praising the Holy One; and as long as it praises < the Holy One >, it has the power to travel < its course >. Joshua therefore told it to be silent, as stated (ibid.): O SUN, BE QUIET AT GIBEON. The sun said to Joshua: Is someone younger saying, BE QUIET, to someone older? I was created on the fourth < day >, while human beings were created on the sixth; so are you saying, BE QUIET, to me? Joshua said to < the sun >: When a young free person has an elderly slave, does he not say to him: Be silent? In the case of our father Abraham, the Holy One delivered (rt.: PNH) heaven and earth to him, as stated (in Gen. 14:19): THEN HE BLESSED HIM, AND SAID: BLESSED BE ABRAM OF GOD MOST HIGH, ACQUIRER (rt.: PNH)⁷⁵Apart from the context in the midrash, a traditional biblical translation would read: CREATOR. OF HEAVEN AND EARTH. And not only that, but you bowed down to Joseph, as stated (in Gen. 37:9): HERE WERE THE SUN, THE MOON, AND ELEVEN STARS BOWING DOWN TO ME. [So would you speak against me?] Ergo (in Josh. 10:12): O SUN, BE QUIET AT GIBEON. The sun said to Joshua: And so are you decreeing over me that I am to be quiet? He said to it: Yes. It said to him: Then who will speak the praise of the Holy One? You be quiet, and I will speak the praise of the Holy One, as stated (in Josh. 10:12): THEN (az) JOSHUA SPOKE TO THE LORD. Now az can only be a hymn, since it is stated (in Exod. 15:1): MOSES SANG THEN (az).⁷⁶THEN is understood as the object of the verb SANG. See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:32; Exod. 4:12. (Mal. 1:11): AND IN EVERY PLACE INCENSE IS OFFERED TO MY NAME, < EVEN A PURE OBLATION >. R. Ammi asked R. Samuel bar Nahman: Is it correct that IN EVERY PLACE INCENSE IS OFFERED TO MY NAME?⁷⁷See Numb. R. 13:4. The Torah warns (in Deut. 12:13–14): TAKE HEED THAT YOU DO NOT OFFER UP YOUR BURNT OFFERINGS IN ANY PLACE THAT YOU SEE, BUT ONLY IN THE PLACE THAT < THE LORD > WILL CHOOSE…. So also it says (in Lev. 17:3–4): IF ANY SINGLE PERSON FROM THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL SLAUGHTERS AN OX, A LAMB, OR A GOAT IN THE CAMP…, AND DOES NOT BRING IT UNTO THE ENTRANCE OF THE TENT OF MEETING…, < BLOODGUILT SHALL BE IMPUTED TO THAT PERSON >. But < there seems to be a contradiction when > the prophet says (in Mal. 1:11): AND IN EVERY PLACE INCENSE (muqtar) IS OFFERED TO MY NAME, < EVEN A PURE OBLATION >. R. Samuel bar Nahman said to him (i.e., to R. Ammi): What is A PURE OBLATION (minhah) which is burned (muqtar) IN EVERY PLACE and offered to the name of the Holy One?⁷⁸The Hebrew wording of this question reproduces almost exactly the wording in Mal. 1:11. This is the prayer of the afternoon service (minhah). INCENSE (muqtar) can only be the prayer of the afternoon service (minhah), since it is stated (in Ps. 141:2): LET MY PRAYER BE SET FORTH AS THE INCENSE BEFORE YOU…. [It also says] (in I Kings 18:36): AND IT CAME TO PASS AT THE TIME OF THE OFFERING OF THE OBLATION (minhah), < THE PROPHET > ELIJAH DREW NEAR < AND SAID >….⁷⁹Since Elijah carried out this minhah on mount Carmel, it could not have been a temple sacrifice. Thus here also minhah must refer to the afternoon service.

Similarly, David said (Psalms 141:2) "Let my prayer stand as incense before You; the lifting of my hands, as an evening offering."

"Whose name was Mordecai" (Esth. 2:5), because his prayer || ascended before the Holy One, blessed be He, like the scent of pure myrrh (טר לכי). "The son of Jair" (ibid.), because he enlightened (Mair) the faces (of the scholars) in Halakhah. "The son of Shimei" (ibid.), who went forth to curse David. "The son of Kish" (ibid.), of the seed of those who could use both the right hand and the left, as it is said, "The children of Ephraim, being armed and carrying bows" (Ps. 78:9).