Midrash su Salmi 147:71

(Lev. 26:3:) “If [you walk] in My statutes (huqqim).” This text is related (to Job 14:5), “If his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have set limits (huqqim) that he shall not pass.” What is the meaning of “If his days are determined?” When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the world, He determined the days of each and every one, as stated (in Gen. 1:14), “and let them be for signs, seasons, days, and years.” Now to whom did He give them? To Israel, as stated (in Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes (huqqim) and His ordinances to Israel.” (Job 14:5, cont.:) “The number of his months is with You; You have set his limits (huqqim) that he shall not pass.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel. “If you have carried out My statutes (huqqim), the adversary (Satan) shall not touch you, as stated, ‘that he shall not pass.’ But if you do not carry out My statutes, behold that the adversary will touch you, as stated (of death in Is. 28:19), ‘As often as he passes, he shall seize you.’¹In other words, Israel is safe from the death-dealing Adversary as long as the statutory limits (huqqim) remain intact through Israel’s observance of them. I said so to Solomon, when he asked for wisdom. And what did I say to him? (I Kings 3:13:) ‘I have also granted you what you did not ask, both riches and honor.’ So if you fulfill the Torah, the angel of death shall not touch you, as stated to him (in I Kings 3:14), ‘If you go in My ways to fulfill My statutes and My commandments as David your father did, [then I will lengthen your days].’” Ergo, (in Job 14:5) “You have set limits (huqqim) that he shall not pass….” If the first Adam had observed the Torah and the commandments that I gave him, he would not have died. Therefore, it is written (in Lev. 26:3) “If you walk in My statutes (huqqim)….”

(Deut. 16:18:) “[You shall appoint] judges and law officers.” This text is related (to Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.” “His words” are the words of Torah; “His statutes” are the expositions (midrsahot); “and His ordinances” are the judgments [to Israel]. The Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah and the judgments to no one but to Israel alone. And where is it shown? You learn that when Israel and a star-worshiping gentile have a dispute with each other, it is forbidden for Israel to say to the gentile, “Go with me to your courts,”¹Arka’ot; cf. Gk.: archai (“authorities”) or [archeia (“town offices”). because he would be transgressing a prohibition, since it is stated (in Ps. 147:20), “He has not done so for any nation (goy); and, as for His ordinances, they have not known them.” But were not the peoples of the world commanded concerning litigations, since that is one of the seven commandments of the Children of Noah? So what is the significance of (ibid.), “and, as for His ordinances, they have not known them?” These are the fine points of the law (din). As so have we taught (in Sanh. 5:2), “There was once a case that Ben Zakkay cross-examined [witnesses] about fig stems.”²The gemara (Sanh. 41a) explains that a capital offense was involved. Now the Children of Noah are put to death on the evidence of a single witness, with a single judge, and without a warning. [Whereas that is] something which does not exist in Israel, since there are three judges in property cases, and there are twenty-three judges in capital cases.³Sanh. 4:1. Moreover, it is written (in Deut. 19:15), “A single witness shall not be valid against a person….” So there must be an investigation and an inquiry. How do they examine the witnesses? They bring them in and solemnly forewarn them. Then they would examine them again with seven inquiries:⁴Sanh. 5:1. 1. In what week?⁵I.e., week of years, Sabbatical year of the Jubilee cycle. 2. In what year? 3. In what month? 4. On what [day] of the month? 5. In what hour? 6. In what place? 7. Did you forewarn him?⁶This last query is one of various supplemental questions listed in Sanh. 5:1. This is as we say in Tractate Sanhedrin. And so you find among the leaders⁷Parnas. Cf. Gk.: pronoi (“prudent ones”, “those who take forethought”). of Israel that they were praised only for their judging.⁸I.e., in various summary statements about Israel’s leaders, e.g., Judges 4:4; 10:2, 3; 12:7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14; 15:20; 16:31; I Sam. 4:18; 7:6, 15–17; 8:1, 5–6, 20; I Kings 3:9, it is the fact that they judged Israel that is specifically mentioned. This fact may not always be obvious in modern translations, because they do not always render Shpt as “judge” but by other English verbs, such as “govern” or “rule.” It is written concerning Samuel (in I Sam. 7:6), “And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, [Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places].” And David also was praised only for his judging, as stated (in I Chron. 18:14 // II Sam. 8:15), “And David reigned over all of Israel and he administered judgment and righteousness to all his people.” And in the case of Jehoshaphat also, when he was installed in the kingship, he did not occupy himself with the business of kingship nor with honor but with the business of judging.⁹Note that Jehoshaphat’s name means, “The LORD has judged.” It is so stated (in II Chron. 17:1), “Then [his son] Jehoshaphat reigned [in his stead,] and he strengthened himself over Israel.” What is the meaning of “and he strengthened himself (rt.: hzq)?” That he strengthened himself, when he appointed judges. It also says (in II Chron. 17:6), “His heart was exalted in the ways of the Lord, and in addition he removed the high places and asherim from Judah.” Was there a haughty spirit within him, in that it says, “his heart was exalted?” It is simply that he had appointed judges over them who knew how to walk in the ways of the Lord, as stated (in Gen. 18:19), “and to keep the way of the Lord, to do what is just and right.” (II Chron. 19:6:) “Then he said unto the judges,” (in Deut. 1:17), “As justice belongs to God.” Now if Moses our master, who was not commanded concerning judges,—rather Jethro told him (in Exod. 18:21), “And you shall seek out [able men] from among all the people…,” — [if he] convened a Sanhedrin;¹⁰Gk.: synedrion. how much more [important is a Sanhedrin] in our case, when it has been commanded here in the Torah (in Deut. 16:18), “You shall appoint judges and law officers for yourselves.” Where is it shown that Moses convened a Sanhedrin? Where it is stated (in Exod. 18:25), “So Moses chose able men from all Israel [and appointed them as heads over the people].” And Jerusalem also was praised only because of the justice system, as stated (in Ezek. 16:14), “And your name shall be spread among the gentiles because of your beauty, [as you were crowned with adornment (rt.: hdr)].” And what adornment (rt.: hdr) is that? This is the justice system, since it is stated (in Exod. 23:3), “Nor shall you favor (rt.: hdr) someone poor in his lawsuit.” And Jerusalem was destroyed only over perversion of justice, since it is stated (in Ezek. 22:5), “you with a besmirched name; you who are full of commotion,” the name for justice that you had at first is besmirched. It is also written (in Is. 1:21), “she (i.e., Jerusalem) was full of justice, there righteousness dwelt; but now murderers.” Because “she was full of justice, there righteousness dwelt.” For this reason, Jeremiah said to them (in Lam. 4:12-13), “The kings of the earth did not believe, [… that foe or enemy would come through the gates of Jerusalem]. It was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests [who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst].” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, swore that He Himself would exact retribution from the judges, as stated (in Is. 1:24), “Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the Most Mighty of Israel, [‘Ah, I will exact vengeance from my foes]….’” Now “therefore” can only be a term [related to] an oath, since it is stated (in I Sam. 3:14), “And I therefore swear to the house of Eli.” Moreover, mighty can only be a term for the av bet din (head of the court), since it is stated (in I Sam. 21:8), “the most mighty of the shepherds [that belong to Saul].” [This is] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, became an av bet din in order to exact vengeance from them. And where is it shown that the text is speaking about judges? See what is written after it (in Is. 1:26), “And I will restore your judges as in the beginning.” Therefore David has said (in Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob, [His statutes and His ordinances to Israel].”

(Lev. 26:3:) IF YOU WALK IN MY STATUTES (huqqim)…. This text is related (to Job 14:5): IF HIS DAYS ARE DETERMINED, [THE NUMBER OF HIS MONTHS IS WITH YOU; YOU HAVE SET LIMITS (huqqim) THAT HE SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS]. What is the meaning of IF HIS DAYS ARE DETERMINED?¹Tanh., Lev. 10:1. When the Holy One created the world, he determined the days of each and every one, as stated (in Gen. 1:14): AND LET THEM BE FOR SIGNS, SEASONS, [DAYS, AND YEARS]. Now to whom did he give them? To Israel, as stated (in Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, [HIS STATUTES (huqqim) AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL]. (Job 14:5, cont.:) THE NUMBER OF HIS MONTHS IS WITH YOU; YOU HAVE SET HIS LIMITS (huqqim). The Holy One said to Israel: If you have carried out {his} [my] statutes (huqqim), the Adversary (Satan) shall not touch you, although it is stated (of Death in Is. 28:19): AS OFTEN AS HE TRANSGRESSES, HE SHALL SEIZE YOU.²Buber has noted the amplified, more understandable parallel in Tanh., Lev. 10:1: The Holy One said to Israel: “If you have carried out my statutes (huqqim), the Adversary shall not touch you, as stated (in Job 14:5): THAT HE SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS. But if you do not carry out my statutes (huqqim), then the Adversary shall touch you, as stated (in Is. 28:19): AS OFTEN AS HE TRANSGRESSES, HE SHALL SEIZE YOU.” In other words, Israel is safe from the death-dealing Adversary as long as the statutory limits (huqqim) remain intact through Israel’s observance of them. (Job 14:5, cont.:) YOU HAVE SET HIS LIMITS (huqqim) THAT HE SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS. I said so to Solomon, when he asked for wisdom. And what did I say to him? (I Kings 3:13:) I HAVE ALSO GRANTED YOU WHAT YOU DID NOT ASK, BOTH RICHES AND HONOR. So if you fulfill the Torah, the angel of death shall not touch you, as stated to him (in I Kings 3:14): THEN I WILL LENGTHEN YOUR DAYS. (Job 14:5:) YOU HAVE SET LIMITS (huqqim) THAT HE SHALL NOT TRANSGRESS…. If the first Adam had observed the Torah, the ordinances that I gave him, he would not have died. Therefore, it is written (in Lev. 26:3:) IF YOU WALK IN MY STATUTES (huqqim)….

(Deut. 16:18:) <YOU SHALL APPOINT> JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS <FOR YOURSELVES IN ALL YOUR GATES¹In biblical times court was generally held at the town gate, perhaps in one of the rooms like those built into either side of Solomonic gates at Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU FOR YOUR TRIBES, SO THAT THEY MAY JUDGE THE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT>. This text is related (to Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, HIS STATUTES AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL. HIS WORDS are the words of Torah,²Tanh., Deut. 5:1. HIS STATUTES are the expositions (midrsahot), AND HIS ORDINANCES are the judgments [TO ISRAEL]. The Holy One gave the Torah and the judgments to no one but TO ISRAEL alone. And where is it shown? You learn that when Israel and a star-worshiping gentile have a dispute with each other, it is forbidden for Israel to say to the gentile (goy): Go with me to your courts,³Arka’ot; cf. Gk.: archai (“authorities”) or [archeia (“town offices”). because he would be transgressing a prohibition, since it is stated (in Ps. 147:20): HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION (goy); AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM. But were not the peoples of the world commanded concerning litigations, since that is one of the seven commandments of the children of Noah?⁴Cf. I Corinthians 6:1–6. So what is the significance of (Ibid.): AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM? These are the fine points of the law (din). So this is what we teach (in Sanh. 5:2): ONCE UPON A TIME BEN ZAKKAY CROSS-EXAMINED <WITNESSES> ON FIG STEMS.⁵The gemara (Sanh. 41a) explains that a capital offense was involved. Now the children of Noah are put to death on the evidence of a single witness, with a single judge, and without a warning. <That is> something which does not exist in Israel, since there are three judges in property cases, and there are twenty-three judges in capital cases.⁶Sanh. 4:1. Moreover, it is written (in Deut. 19:15): A SINGLE WITNESS SHALL NOT BE VALID AGAINST A PERSON…. <ONLY> ON THE EVIDENCE OF TWO <OR THREE> WITNESSES <SHALL A CASE BE VALID>. So there must be an investigation and an inquiry. How do they examine the witnesses? They bring them in and solemnly forewarn them. Then they would examine them again with seven inquiries:⁷Sanh. 5:1. 1. In what week,⁸I.e., week of years, Sabbatical year of the Jubilee cycle. 2. In what year? 3. in what month? 4. On what <day> of the month? 5. On what day (of the week)?⁹Cf. Sanh. 5:1 and Tanh., Deut. 5:1, both of which add here: In what hour? 6. In what place? 7. Have you forewarned him?¹⁰This last query is one of various supplemental questions listed in Sanh. 5:1 and Tanh., Deut. 5:1. And so you find among the leaders¹¹Parnas. Cf. Gk.: pronoi (“prudent ones”, “those who take forethought”). of Israel that they were praised only for their judging.¹²I.e., in various summary statements about Israel’s leaders, e.g., Judges 4:4; 10:2, 3; 12:7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14; 15:20; 16:31; I Sam. 4:18; 7:6, 15–17; 8:1, 5–6, 20; I Kings 3:9, it is the fact that they judged Israel that is specifically mentioned. This fact may not always be obvious in modern translations, because they do not always render ShPT as “judge” but by other English verbs, such as “govern” or “rule.” It is written concerning Samuel (in I Sam. 7:6): AND HE WENT ON A CIRCUIT YEAR BY YEAR <TO BETHEL, <GILGAL, AND MIZPAH;> AND HE JUDGED ISRAEL <IN ALL THOSE PLACES>. And David also was praised only for his judging, as stated (in I Chron. 18:14 // II Sam. 8:15): AND {DAVID}¹³The only difference between the versions of Chronicles and Samuel is that the name DAVID, which Buber chooses to bracket, appears only in the Samuel version. ADMINISTERED JUDGMENT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS TO ALL HIS PEOPLE.

(Deut. 16:18:) <YOU SHALL APPOINT> JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS <FOR YOURSELVES IN ALL YOUR GATES¹In biblical times court was generally held at the town gate, perhaps in one of the rooms like those built into either side of Solomonic gates at Hazor, Megiddo, and Gezer. WHICH THE LORD YOUR GOD IS GIVING YOU FOR YOUR TRIBES, SO THAT THEY MAY JUDGE THE PEOPLE WITH RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT>. This text is related (to Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, HIS STATUTES AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL. HIS WORDS are the words of Torah,²Tanh., Deut. 5:1. HIS STATUTES are the expositions (midrsahot), AND HIS ORDINANCES are the judgments [TO ISRAEL]. The Holy One gave the Torah and the judgments to no one but TO ISRAEL alone. And where is it shown? You learn that when Israel and a star-worshiping gentile have a dispute with each other, it is forbidden for Israel to say to the gentile (goy): Go with me to your courts,³Arka’ot; cf. Gk.: archai (“authorities”) or [archeia (“town offices”). because he would be transgressing a prohibition, since it is stated (in Ps. 147:20): HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION (goy); AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM. But were not the peoples of the world commanded concerning litigations, since that is one of the seven commandments of the children of Noah?⁴Cf. I Corinthians 6:1–6. So what is the significance of (Ibid.): AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM? These are the fine points of the law (din). So this is what we teach (in Sanh. 5:2): ONCE UPON A TIME BEN ZAKKAY CROSS-EXAMINED <WITNESSES> ON FIG STEMS.⁵The gemara (Sanh. 41a) explains that a capital offense was involved. Now the children of Noah are put to death on the evidence of a single witness, with a single judge, and without a warning. <That is> something which does not exist in Israel, since there are three judges in property cases, and there are twenty-three judges in capital cases.⁶Sanh. 4:1. Moreover, it is written (in Deut. 19:15): A SINGLE WITNESS SHALL NOT BE VALID AGAINST A PERSON…. <ONLY> ON THE EVIDENCE OF TWO <OR THREE> WITNESSES <SHALL A CASE BE VALID>. So there must be an investigation and an inquiry. How do they examine the witnesses? They bring them in and solemnly forewarn them. Then they would examine them again with seven inquiries:⁷Sanh. 5:1. 1. In what week,⁸I.e., week of years, Sabbatical year of the Jubilee cycle. 2. In what year? 3. in what month? 4. On what <day> of the month? 5. On what day (of the week)?⁹Cf. Sanh. 5:1 and Tanh., Deut. 5:1, both of which add here: In what hour? 6. In what place? 7. Have you forewarned him?¹⁰This last query is one of various supplemental questions listed in Sanh. 5:1 and Tanh., Deut. 5:1. And so you find among the leaders¹¹Parnas. Cf. Gk.: pronoi (“prudent ones”, “those who take forethought”). of Israel that they were praised only for their judging.¹²I.e., in various summary statements about Israel’s leaders, e.g., Judges 4:4; 10:2, 3; 12:7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14; 15:20; 16:31; I Sam. 4:18; 7:6, 15–17; 8:1, 5–6, 20; I Kings 3:9, it is the fact that they judged Israel that is specifically mentioned. This fact may not always be obvious in modern translations, because they do not always render ShPT as “judge” but by other English verbs, such as “govern” or “rule.” It is written concerning Samuel (in I Sam. 7:6): AND HE WENT ON A CIRCUIT YEAR BY YEAR <TO BETHEL, <GILGAL, AND MIZPAH;> AND HE JUDGED ISRAEL <IN ALL THOSE PLACES>. And David also was praised only for his judging, as stated (in I Chron. 18:14 // II Sam. 8:15): AND {DAVID}¹³The only difference between the versions of Chronicles and Samuel is that the name DAVID, which Buber chooses to bracket, appears only in the Samuel version. ADMINISTERED JUDGMENT AND RIGHTEOUSNESS TO ALL HIS PEOPLE.

(Deut. 16:18:) “[You shall appoint] judges and law officers.” This text is related (to Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob, His statutes and His ordinances to Israel.” “His words” are the words of Torah; “His statutes” are the expositions (midrsahot); “and His ordinances” are the judgments [to Israel]. The Holy One, blessed be He, gave the Torah and the judgments to no one but to Israel alone. And where is it shown? You learn that when Israel and a star-worshiping gentile have a dispute with each other, it is forbidden for Israel to say to the gentile, “Go with me to your courts,”¹Arka’ot; cf. Gk.: archai (“authorities”) or [archeia (“town offices”). because he would be transgressing a prohibition, since it is stated (in Ps. 147:20), “He has not done so for any nation (goy); and, as for His ordinances, they have not known them.” But were not the peoples of the world commanded concerning litigations, since that is one of the seven commandments of the Children of Noah? So what is the significance of (ibid.), “and, as for His ordinances, they have not known them?” These are the fine points of the law (din). As so have we taught (in Sanh. 5:2), “There was once a case that Ben Zakkay cross-examined [witnesses] about fig stems.”²The gemara (Sanh. 41a) explains that a capital offense was involved. Now the Children of Noah are put to death on the evidence of a single witness, with a single judge, and without a warning. [Whereas that is] something which does not exist in Israel, since there are three judges in property cases, and there are twenty-three judges in capital cases.³Sanh. 4:1. Moreover, it is written (in Deut. 19:15), “A single witness shall not be valid against a person….” So there must be an investigation and an inquiry. How do they examine the witnesses? They bring them in and solemnly forewarn them. Then they would examine them again with seven inquiries:⁴Sanh. 5:1. 1. In what week?⁵I.e., week of years, Sabbatical year of the Jubilee cycle. 2. In what year? 3. In what month? 4. On what [day] of the month? 5. In what hour? 6. In what place? 7. Did you forewarn him?⁶This last query is one of various supplemental questions listed in Sanh. 5:1. This is as we say in Tractate Sanhedrin. And so you find among the leaders⁷Parnas. Cf. Gk.: pronoi (“prudent ones”, “those who take forethought”). of Israel that they were praised only for their judging.⁸I.e., in various summary statements about Israel’s leaders, e.g., Judges 4:4; 10:2, 3; 12:7, 8, 9, 11, 13, 14; 15:20; 16:31; I Sam. 4:18; 7:6, 15–17; 8:1, 5–6, 20; I Kings 3:9, it is the fact that they judged Israel that is specifically mentioned. This fact may not always be obvious in modern translations, because they do not always render Shpt as “judge” but by other English verbs, such as “govern” or “rule.” It is written concerning Samuel (in I Sam. 7:6), “And he went on a circuit year by year to Bethel, [Gilgal, and Mizpah; and he judged Israel in all those places].” And David also was praised only for his judging, as stated (in I Chron. 18:14 // II Sam. 8:15), “And David reigned over all of Israel and he administered judgment and righteousness to all his people.” And in the case of Jehoshaphat also, when he was installed in the kingship, he did not occupy himself with the business of kingship nor with honor but with the business of judging.⁹Note that Jehoshaphat’s name means, “The LORD has judged.” It is so stated (in II Chron. 17:1), “Then [his son] Jehoshaphat reigned [in his stead,] and he strengthened himself over Israel.” What is the meaning of “and he strengthened himself (rt.: hzq)?” That he strengthened himself, when he appointed judges. It also says (in II Chron. 17:6), “His heart was exalted in the ways of the Lord, and in addition he removed the high places and asherim from Judah.” Was there a haughty spirit within him, in that it says, “his heart was exalted?” It is simply that he had appointed judges over them who knew how to walk in the ways of the Lord, as stated (in Gen. 18:19), “and to keep the way of the Lord, to do what is just and right.” (II Chron. 19:6:) “Then he said unto the judges,” (in Deut. 1:17), “As justice belongs to God.” Now if Moses our master, who was not commanded concerning judges,—rather Jethro told him (in Exod. 18:21), “And you shall seek out [able men] from among all the people…,” — [if he] convened a Sanhedrin;¹⁰Gk.: synedrion. how much more [important is a Sanhedrin] in our case, when it has been commanded here in the Torah (in Deut. 16:18), “You shall appoint judges and law officers for yourselves.” Where is it shown that Moses convened a Sanhedrin? Where it is stated (in Exod. 18:25), “So Moses chose able men from all Israel [and appointed them as heads over the people].” And Jerusalem also was praised only because of the justice system, as stated (in Ezek. 16:14), “And your name shall be spread among the gentiles because of your beauty, [as you were crowned with adornment (rt.: hdr)].” And what adornment (rt.: hdr) is that? This is the justice system, since it is stated (in Exod. 23:3), “Nor shall you favor (rt.: hdr) someone poor in his lawsuit.” And Jerusalem was destroyed only over perversion of justice, since it is stated (in Ezek. 22:5), “you with a besmirched name; you who are full of commotion,” the name for justice that you had at first is besmirched. It is also written (in Is. 1:21), “she (i.e., Jerusalem) was full of justice, there righteousness dwelt; but now murderers.” Because “she was full of justice, there righteousness dwelt.” For this reason, Jeremiah said to them (in Lam. 4:12-13), “The kings of the earth did not believe, [… that foe or enemy would come through the gates of Jerusalem]. It was for the sins of her prophets and the iniquities of her priests [who shed the blood of the righteous in her midst].” At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, swore that He Himself would exact retribution from the judges, as stated (in Is. 1:24), “Therefore thus says the Lord, the Lord of hosts, the Most Mighty of Israel, [‘Ah, I will exact vengeance from my foes]….’” Now “therefore” can only be a term [related to] an oath, since it is stated (in I Sam. 3:14), “And I therefore swear to the house of Eli.” Moreover, mighty can only be a term for the av bet din (head of the court), since it is stated (in I Sam. 21:8), “the most mighty of the shepherds [that belong to Saul].” [This is] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, became an av bet din in order to exact vengeance from them. And where is it shown that the text is speaking about judges? See what is written after it (in Is. 1:26), “And I will restore your judges as in the beginning.” Therefore David has said (in Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob, [His statutes and His ordinances to Israel].”

And these are the names of the Children of Israel who came to Egypt, Jacob and his sons, each man and his household came - Israel is comparable to the multitude of the heavens, here it is said names, and it is said of stars names, as it is said (Psalms 147:4): "He counteth the number of the stars; He giveth them all their names," even the Holy One Blessed is He, when Israel descended to Egypt, counted how many they were, and because they are compared to the stars, He gave them all names, as it is written: "And these are the names of the Children of Israel, etc."

R. Chanina b. Papa propounded the following contradiction: "It is written (Job 37, 23) The Almighty, whom we cannot find out, is excellent in power. And again there is a passage (Ex. 15, 6) Thy right hand, O Lord, glorious in power. And again there is a passage (Ps. 147, 5) Great is our Lord, and mighty in power. This presents no difficulty: One deals with the time of judgment. [He then does not use His might]; but the other deals with the time of war [when He does use it]."

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

(Deut. 16:18:) “[You shall appoint] judges and law officers,” “judges” are magistrates, and “law officers” are administrators that supervise the people.¹¹Cf. Sifre to Deut. 16:18 (144). R. Eleazar said, “If there is no law officer, there is no judge. How so? When someone is found by a court to have a legal obligation to his companion, if there is no law officer who will collect from him when he withdraws from the court, there is no power in the hands of the judge to do anything to him. If, however, [a law officer is present], he delivers him into the hand of the law officer, and the law officer extracts compliance from him.” R. Eleazar ben Pedat said, “If it had not been for the law-enforcing office¹²Siteno, which is being read as sitero, as suggested by Jastrow, s.v. of Joab, David could not have enforced justice.” And so it says (in I Chron. 18:14-15 // II Sam. 8:15-16), “So David administered judgment and righteousness to all his people. And Joab ben Zeruiah was over the army.” Were David and Joab judges together? It is simply that whenever someone did not heed the judge, they delivered him into the hands of Joab, and he extracted [compliance] from him against his will. And so Job said (in Job 29:16-17), “I was a father to the poor […]. I broke the jaws [of the evildoer].”

And in the case of Jehoshaphat also, when he was installed in the kingship, he did not occupy himself with the business of kingship nor with honor but with the business of judging.¹⁴Note that Jehoshaphat’s name means, “The LORD has Judged.” It is so stated (in II Chron. 17:1): [THEN <HIS SON> JEHOSHAPHAT REIGNED] <IN HIS STEAD,> AND HE STRENGTHENED HIMSELF OVER ISRAEL. What is the meaning of [AND HE STRENGTHENED HIMSELF (rt.: HZQ)]? That HE STRENGTHENED HIMSELF, when he appointed judges. It also says (in II Chron. 17:6): HIS HEART WAS EXALTED IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD, AND IN ADDITION HE REMOVED THE HIGH PLACES AND ASHERIM FROM JUDAH. Was there a haughty spirit within him, in that it says: HIS HEART WAS EXALTED? It is simply that he had appointed judges over them who knew how to walk IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD¹⁵The fact that the divine name (LORD) is used here, indicates a biblical citation. The expression is found in various places, but the midrash probably adopts the wording from the verse just cited (II Chron. 17:6), which begins: HIS (i.e., Jehoshaphat’s) HEART WAS EXALTED IN THE WAYS OF THE LORD. AND TO KEEP THE WAY OF THE LORD.¹⁶The mention of keeping the WAY OF THE LORD, is found in various places, but this exact Hebrew citation only occurs in Gen. 18:19 with reference to Abraham’s posterity, a citation given more fully in the parallel from Tanh., Deut. 5:1. (II Chron. 19:6–7:) THEN HE SAID UNTO THE JUDGES: CONSIDER WHAT YOU ARE DOING, SINCE YOU JUDGE NOT FOR HUMANS BUT FOR THE LORD. SO NOW LET THE FEAR OF THE LORD BE UPON YOU. TAKE CARE WHEN YOU ACT, FOR WITH THE LORD OUR GOD THERE IS NO INJUSTICE, PARTIALITY, OR TAKING A BRIBE. Now if Moses our Master, who was not commanded concerning Judges,—rather Jethro told him (in Exod. 18:21): YOU SHALL SEEK OUT <ABLE MEN> FROM AMONG ALL THE PEOPLE…, —<if he> convened a sanhedrin¹⁷Gk.: synedrion. for Israel, how much more <important is a sanhedrin> in our case, when it has been commanded here in the Torah (in Deut. 16:18): YOU SHALL APPOINT JUDGES AND LAW OFFICERS FOR YOURSELVES. Where is it shown that Moses convened a sanhedrin? Where it is stated (in Exod. 18:25): SO MOSES CHOSE ABLE MEN FROM ALL ISRAEL <AND APPOINTED THEM AS HEADS OVER THE PEOPLE>…. And Jerusalem also was praised only because of the justice system, as stated (in Ezek. 16:14): AND YOUR NAME SHALL BE SPREAD AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOUR BEAUTY. And what adornment (rt.: HDR) is that? This is the justice system, since it is stated (in Exod. 23:3): NOR SHALL YOU FAVOR (rt.: HDR) SOMEONE POOR IN HIS LAWSUIT. And Jerusalem was destroyed only over perversion of justice, since it is stated (in Ezek. 22:5): YOU WITH A BESMIRCHED NAME; YOU WHO ARE FULL OF COMMOTION. A name for justice that you had at first is besmirched. It is also written (in Is. 1:21): SHE (i.e., Jerusalem) WAS FULL OF JUSTICE; but Jeremiah said this to them (in Lam. 4:12–13): THE KINGS OF THE EARTH DID NOT BELIEVE, [ … ] <THAT FOE OR ENEMY WOULD COME THROUGH THE GATES OF JERUSALEM>. IT WAS FOR THE SINS OF HER PROPHETS AND THE INIQUITIES OF HER PRIESTS <WHO SHED THE BLOOD OF THE RIGHTEOUS IN HER MIDST>. At that time the Holy One swore that he himself would exact retribution from them and from their judges, as stated (in Is. 1:24): THEREFORE THUS SAYS THE LORD, THE LORD OF HOSTS, THE MOST MIGHTY OF ISRAEL: <AH, I WILL EXACT VENGEANCE FROM MY FOES>…. Now THEREFORE can only be a term <related to> an oath, since it is stated (in I Sam. 3:14): AND I THEREFORE SWEAR TO THE HOUSE OF ELI. Moreover, MIGHTY can only be a term for the Av bet Din, since it is stated (in I Sam. 21:8 [7]): THE MOST MIGHTY OF THE SHEPHERDS THAT BELONG TO SAUL. <This is> to teach you that the Holy One became an Av bet Din in order to exact vengeance from them. And where is it shown? Where the text speaks about judges. See what is written after it (in Is. 1:26): AND I WILL RESTORE YOUR JUDGES AS IN THE BEGINNING. Therefore David has said (in Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, <HIS STATUTES AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL>.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 1:1): NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL. This text is related (to Ps. 147:3–4): WHO HEALS THE BROKEN HEARTED…. HE RECKONS THE NUMBER OF THE STARS; HE GIVES THEM ALL NAMES. When Jacob died, what is written (in Gen. 50:15)? WHEN JOSEPH'S BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD. What did they see? They saw that, as long as Jacob was alive, Joseph dined with them, and they would eat at his table. Then, when Jacob was dead, they did not eat at his table. Thus it is stated: WHEN JOSEPH'S BROTHERS SAW THAT THEIR FATHER WAS DEAD, they said: There is evil hidden in Joseph's heart; (ibid., end:) AND HE WILL SURELY REPAY US FOR ALL THE EVIL WHICH WE RENDERED HIM.⁸Cf. Gen. R. 100:8. (Vs. 16:) SO THEY SENT A MESSAGE UNTO JOSEPH, SAYING. To whom did they entrust the message? To Bilhah.⁹Cf. Rashi, on Gen. 50:16, according to whom Bilhah’s children were the messengers. Thus it is stated (in vs. 17): SO SHALL YOU SAY TO JOSEPH: PLEASE FORGIVE, PRAY (anna), <THE TRANSGRESSION AND GUILT OF YOUR BROTHERS>…. R. Abbin said: The Holy One said: You used this word anna. A high priest is going to enter the Holy of Holies and utter a synegoria¹⁰The Greek word denotes a verbal defense. for your children with this expression: Anna haShem (Pray, O Eternal One).¹¹On the Day of Atonement the high priest used these words to begin his confession over his own bullock (Yoma 3:8; 4:2). (Ibid., cont.:) AND NOW, PLEASE FORGIVE THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. "The transgression of your servants" is not written here but THE TRANSGRESSION OF THE SERVANTS OF THE GOD OF YOUR FATHER. Although your father is dead, know that his God is alive. (Ibid., cont.:) AND JOSEPH WEPT AS THEY SPOKE TO HIM. Joseph said: Thus have my brothers distrusted me. (Gen. 50:21:) SO HE COMFORTED THEM AND SPOKE TO THEM KINDLY ('al lev) of things which depend upon the heart ('al lev). He said to them: Before you came down to Egypt, the people were opposed to me, saying: He is a slave.¹²Gen. R. 100:8; PRK 16:5. Now you have been brought down and have made it known that I am the child of free < parents >. So should I kill you? They would say: Is there a person who would kill his brothers? Ergo (in Gen. 50:21): SO HE COMFORTED THEM.

(Deut. 7:12:) “And it shall come to pass if you heed [these statutes].” This text is related (to Prov. 5:6), “She does not steer a straight path of life; her ways wander, and she does not know it.” R. Abba bar Kahana said, “That you should not practice give and take among the commandments of Torah to see which reward of Torah and commandment is greatest and perform that one.²M. Ps. 9:3; see Deut. R. 6:2. Why? (Ibid.:) ‘Her ways wander, and she does not know it.’ The paths of [rewards of] the Torah have been moved.” R. Hiyya said, “A parable: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had an orchard and introduced workers into it, but the king did not disclose the reward (i.e., the payment) for his seedlings to them; because if he revealed the reward for his [various] seedlings, one would see which seedling increased [their] reward, and plant that one. The work in the orchard would end up with some of it suspended and some of it carried out. Similarly the Holy One, blessed be He, did not reveal the reward for each and every commandment in the Torah; for if he had revealed it, the commandments would have been found with some of them carried out and some of them suspended.” And R. Aha said in the name of R. Abba bar Kahana, “The Holy One, blessed be He, has made the reward for fulfilling a commandment moved around in this world, so that Israel would totally fulfill them.”³yPe’ah 1:1 (15d); yQid. 1:7 (61b); PR 23/24:2. R. Simeon ben Johay taught, “For two commandments did the Holy One, blessed be He, reveal their reward. These are the lightest of the light and the weightiest of the weighty ones. The lightest of the light ones is sending away [the mother from] the nest; and there it is written (in Deut. 22:7), ‘and you will prolong your days.’ The most weighty is honoring parents, about which it is [also] written (in Deut. 5:16 // Exod. 20:12), ‘so that you will lengthen your days.’⁴So also M. Sam. Note that they are equal with regard to reward [in] this world.” R. Abba bar Kahana said, “If in regard to paying a debt, length of days is written,⁵Enoch Zundel, in his commentary, ‘Ets Yosef, on Tanh., Deut. 3:2, suggests the debt here is the debt to parents for bearing, rearing, and education. how much the more so when it is a case of damage to purse and loss of life.” R. Levi said, “They said something greater than that: A case of paying a debt is more important than a case of damage to purse and loss of life.” R. Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rabbi, “Just as the giving of their reward is great, so [too] are their punishments great.” That is what is written (in Prov. 30:17), “The eye that mocks a father and scorns obeying a mother will have the wadi ravens pluck it out and the young eagles devour it.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “A raven, which is cruel to its young, will come and pluck it out without profiting from it; an eagle, which is merciful to its young, will come and will profit from it.” And where is it shown that a raven is cruel to its young? Where it is stated (in Job 38:41), “Who provides prey for the raven, when its young cry unto God and wander about without food.” It also says (in Ps. 147:9), “to young ravens when they cry out.” When the raven reproduces, it reproduces white [young].⁶PRE 21. Then the male says to the female that another bird has begotten it. So they reject and forsake them. What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He brings forth gnats from their dung.⁷See Lev. R. 19:1. Then [the gnats] fly, and [the young] eat them.⁸Cf. Yalqut Shim’oni, Deut. 846: “Then they fly over them, eat, and become black.” This is what is written (in Job 38:41), “Who provides prey for the raven.” But the eagle is merciful, as it is written (in Deut. 32:11), “As an eagle stirs up its nest and hovers over its young]; it spreads its wings, takes them up, and bears them aloft on its pinions.” As it is not confident about them because of other birds who pursue them. What does it do? It places them on its wings and says, “Better that the arrow should go through me and not through my children.”

(Is. 40:26:) WHO CREATED THESE? [THE ONE WHO SENDS FORTH THEIR HOST BY NUMBER. HE CALLS THEM ALL BY <A SINGLE> NAME.] It is written (ibid.): HE CALLS THEM ALL BY <A SINGLE > NAME. But one scriptural verse says, NAMES (i.e., Ps. 147:4): [HE GIVES NAMES TO THEM ALL]. If <Ps. 147:4 says> NAMES, why <does Is. 40:26 say> BY <A SINGLE> NAME? If <Is. 40:26 says> BY <A SINGLE> NAME, why <does Ps. 147:4 say> NAMES? It is simply that, when the Holy One wishes, he calls them all as a single <unit>; but when he wishes <otherwise>, he calls each and every one by his own name, <e.g.> Michael and Gabriel. Ergo (in Is. 40:26): HE CALLS THEM ALL BY <A SINGLE> NAME.

Another interpretation: David said (in Ps. 147:3): WHO HEALS THE BROKEN HEARTED…. These are the tribes since they had a broken heart, saying <that> Joseph might kill them. (Ps. 147:4:) HE RECKONS (rt.: MNH) THE NUMBER OF THE STARS.¹⁴Exod. R. 1:3. These are the tribes. Just as these stars only go forth by < their > names, as stated (ibid., cont.): HE GIVES THEM ALL NAMES; and likewise, when they come in, they come in with a reckoning (minyan, rt.: MNH), as stated (in Ps. 147:4): HE RECKONS (rt.: MNH) THE NUMBER OF THE STARS; so <also> in the case of the tribes, when they entered Egypt, it is written (in Deut. 10:22): WITH SEVENTY SOULS DID YOUR ANCESTORS GO DOWN TO EGYPT. Also, when they left, (according to Exod. 12:37): ABOUT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN ON FOOT. And before¹⁵The translation follows an emendation in Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol: n.d.), vol. 1, appendix, p. 89, n. 7. the tribes went down to Egypt, their names were specified (in Gen. 46). Also, when they entered Egypt, their names were specified, as stated (in Exod. 1:1): NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

Another interpretation: David said (in Ps. 147:3): WHO HEALS THE BROKEN HEARTED…. These are the tribes since they had a broken heart, saying <that> Joseph might kill them. (Ps. 147:4:) HE RECKONS (rt.: MNH) THE NUMBER OF THE STARS.¹⁴Exod. R. 1:3. These are the tribes. Just as these stars only go forth by < their > names, as stated (ibid., cont.): HE GIVES THEM ALL NAMES; and likewise, when they come in, they come in with a reckoning (minyan, rt.: MNH), as stated (in Ps. 147:4): HE RECKONS (rt.: MNH) THE NUMBER OF THE STARS; so <also> in the case of the tribes, when they entered Egypt, it is written (in Deut. 10:22): WITH SEVENTY SOULS DID YOUR ANCESTORS GO DOWN TO EGYPT. Also, when they left, (according to Exod. 12:37): ABOUT SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND MEN ON FOOT. And before¹⁵The translation follows an emendation in Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol: n.d.), vol. 1, appendix, p. 89, n. 7. the tribes went down to Egypt, their names were specified (in Gen. 46). Also, when they entered Egypt, their names were specified, as stated (in Exod. 1:1): NOW THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL.

When Reuben descended to the pit during the night to rescue his brother, and found that Joseph was no longer there, he tore his clothing and wept. He returned to his brothers and told them: The child is not; and as for me, whither shall I go? (ibid., v. 30). They related to him what had transpired and told him about the pact they had entered into. And he remained silent. Though it is written about the Holy One, blessed be He: He declareth His word to Jacob (Ps. 147:19), He did not disclose this matter to him because of the pact of excommunication. That is why Jacob said: Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces (Gen. 37:33). R. Mana maintained: The tribes were punished because they sold Joseph, and their sin was not forgiven until they died. Hence Scripture says of them: Surely, this iniquity shall not be expiated by you until you die (Isa. 22:17).

(Exod. 21:1:) AND THESE ARE THE ORDINANCES…. This text is related (to Ps. 147:19–20): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, <HIS STATUTES AND ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL>. HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION; <AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM>.¹¹Tanh., Exod. 6:5. Aquila the son of Hadrian's sister wanted to convert to Judaism, but he was afraid of his uncle Hadrian.¹²See Exod. R. 30:12. He said to him: I want to engage in a business. He said to him: Do you perhaps lack silver or gold? Here, you have the treasury¹³Gk.: thesauros. before you. He said to him: I want to engage in a business in order to gain knowledge of humanity, and I want to consult you on how to do it. He said to him: Go and engage in any business¹⁴Gk.: pragmateia. that you see established on earth, since in the end it will increase (hit'allah) <in value >. Now he intended to convert to Judaism. He came to the land of Israel and studied the Torah. When R. Eliezer and R. Joshua came to him after some time, they found him and saw his face transformed. They said to each other: Aquila has been studying the Torah. When they came to him, he began to ask them questions, and they would answer him. He went up to Hadrian. He said to him: Why is your face transformed? Has your business failed, or is someone troubling you? He told him: No. Then why has your face been transformed? He said to him: Because I have been studying Torah. And not only that, but I have been circumcised. He said to him: And who told you <to do so>? He said to him: I consulted with you. He said to him: When? He said to him: When I told you I wanted to engage in a business, you told me: Engage in any business that you see established on earth, since in the end it will increase (hit'allah) <in value>. So I went back over all the peoples and did not find <any> people established on earth like Israel. Now in the end they will be exalted (hit'allah), just as Isaiah has said (in Is. 49:7): THUS SAYS THE LORD, THE REDEEMER OF ISRAEL, HIS HOLY ONE, TO {ONE WHO DESPISES ONE's} [A DESPICABLE] SOUL, TO AN ABHORRENT NATION, TO A SLAVE OF RULERS: < KINGS SHALL SEE, AND NOBLES SHALL RISE UP. AND THEY SHALL PROSTRATE THEMSELVES ON ACCOUNT OF THE LORD, WHO IS FAITHFUL, EVEN THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL, BECAUSE HE HAS CHOSEN YOU.> His associate regent¹⁵Gk.: sygkathedros. said to him: Are these whom you have been annihilating going to be those before whom kings will stand, as stated (in Is. 49:7): KINGS SHALL SEE AND RISE UP; NOBLES ALSO SHALL PROSTRATE THEMSELVES? Hadrian hit him on the jaw. He said to him: One only puts a bandage on a wound. Would [someone] put it on sound flesh? Would he not put it on a wound? Now if one sees some common soldier,¹⁶Lat.: galearius (“solder’s servant,” “batman”). he does not stand in his presence.¹⁷The exact intent of the passage is doubtful. Enoch Zundel in his commentary, ‘Anaf Yosef, on the parallel in Tanh., Lev. 4:5, suggests that, as a bandage on a wound restores the flesh to normal without improving on it, so Israel may be restored to normal but not beyond to a position outranking kings. Similarly, the lowliest soldier may win promotion but will never outrank the emperor. Therefore, Hadrian need never fear the Jews. What did his associate regent do? He went up on the roof, fell down, and died. Thus the Holy Spirit cries out (in Jud. 5:31): SO SHALL ALL YOUR ENEMIES PERISH, O LORD. Hadrian said to Aquila: Why did you do this? He said to him: Because I wanted to learn Torah. He said to him: You could have learned it without becoming circumcised. He said to him: Without circumcising, one could not learn it, as stated (in Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, [HIS STATUTES AND ORDINANCES (mishpatim) TO ISRAEL. TO JACOB:] To whoever from Jacob practices circumcision. HIS STATUTES: This means Torah. AND ORDINANCES: These are the laws. [Thus it is stated] (in Exod. 15:25): THERE HE ESTABLISHED FOR THEM [A STATUTE AND AN ORDINANCE (mishpat)]. The Holy One said to Moses: I have given them the Torah; you give them the ordinances (mishpatim). The Holy One said to them: If you desire to survive in this world, observe the ordinances (mishpatim), for {one} [a world] cannot survive without justice (mishpat). The generation of the flood would not have perished from the world, had they not transgressed against justice (mishpat). R. Eleazar ben Pedat said: What is written about them (in Job 4:20)? FROM MORNING TO EVENING THEY ARE SHATTERED; THEY PERISH FOREVER WITHOUT ANYONE NOTICING (rt.: SYM). Ergo (in Exod. 21:1): AND THESE ARE THE ORDINANCES (mishpatim) <THAT YOU SHALL SET (rt.: SYM) BEFORE THEM>.¹⁸See Gen. R. 26:6; 31:5; Exod. R. 30:13.

R. Simeon ben Johay taught: For two commandments the Holy One did reveal their reward. These are the simplest of the simple and the most weighty of the weighty ones. The simplest of the simple ones is (Deut. 22:7): YOU SHALL SURELY LET THE MOTHER <BIRD> GO AND TAKE <ONLY> THE YOUNG FOR YOUR SELF, SO THAT IT WILL GO WELL WITH YOU, AND YOU WILL PROLONG YOUR DAYS. The most weighty is (in Deut. 5:16 // Exod. 20:12): HONOR YOUR FATHER AND YOUR MOTHER …, SO THAT HE WILL LENGTHEN YOUR DAYS…..⁷So also M. Sam. 7; cf. Mark 7:10–11 // Matthew 15:4–5. Note that they are equal this world with regard to reward. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: If in regard to paying a debt, about <which> length of days is written,⁸Enoch Zundel, in his commentary, ‘Ets Yosef, on the parallel in Tanh., Deut. 3:2, suggests the debt here is the debt to parents for bearing, rearing, and education. how much the more so when it is a case of damage to purse and loss of life. R. Levi said: They said something more significant than that. A case of paying a debt is more important than a case of damage to purse and loss of life. R. Simeon ben Johay said: Just as their reward is great, so are their punishments great. That is what is written (in Prov. 30:17):THE EYE THAT MOCKS A FATHER AND SCORNS OBEYING A MOTHER WILL HAVE THE WADI RAVENS PLUCK IT OUT AND THE YOUNG EAGLES DEVOUR IT. Why will ravens pluck it out and eagles devour it? The Holy One said: A raven, which is cruel to its young, will come and pluck it out without profiting from it; an eagle, which is merciful to its young, will come and will profit from it. And where is it shown that a raven is cruel to its young? Where it is stated (in Job 38:41): WHO PROVIDES PREY FOR THE RAVEN, [WHEN ITS YOUNG CRY UNTO GOD AND WANDER ABOUT WITHOUT FOOD]. It also says (in Ps. 147:9): TO YOUNG RAVENS WHEN THEY CRY OUT. When the raven reproduces, it reproduces white <young>.⁹PRE 21. Then the male says to the female that another bird has begotten it. So they reject and forsake them. What does the Holy One do? He brings forth gnats from their dung.¹⁰See Lev. R. 19:1. Then <the young> fly, and eat, and from that become black.¹¹Similarly Yalqut Shim’oni, Deut. 846: “Then they fly over them, eat, and become black”; but cf. the parallel in Tanh., Deut. 3:2, which omits any reference to the ravens becoming black. This is what is written (in Job 38:41): WHO PROVIDES PREY FOR THE RAVEN. But where is it shown for the eagle, that it is merciful? Where it is written (in Deut. 32:11): AS AN EAGLE STIRS UP ITS NEST <AND HOVERS OVER ITS YOUNG>. However, no one trusts them because of other birds who pursue them. What does it do? (Ibid., cont.:) IT SPREADS ITS WINGS, TAKES THEM UP, <AND BEARS THEM ALOFT ON ITS PINIONS>. Ergo (in Prov. 30:17): THE WADI RAVENS PLUCK IT OUT, AND THE YOUNG EAGLES DEVOUR IT.

Whence was the earth created? He took of the snow (or ice) which was beneath His Throne of Glory and threw it upon the waters, and the waters became congealed so that the dust of the earth was formed, as it is said, "He saith to the snow, Be thou earth" (Job 37:6).

(Fol. 49b) When such cases [of a parent unwilling to support his minors] properly would come before R. Juda he used to say to them: "The bird Yarod gives birth and casts [her young] upon the people of the town (i.e., a parent must support his minor children)." When such cases came before R. Chisda he would give an order to turn over a pestle and place the parent [upon its deck] where he was forced to pronounce [on himself.] "The raven needs children, but this man needs none." Does then a raven care for its children? Behold it is written (Ps. 147, 9) To the young ravens which cry. This is not difficult to explain; the latter refers to a white -spotted raven [which when still young is not liked by its parents,] but the former refers to a black raven [already grown, which is liked by its parents.]

One verse tells us; He gave them all their names (Ps. 14:7), while another says: He called them all by their names (Isa. 40:26). How can these verses by reconciled? If He gave them all their names, why does it say: He called them all by their names? If the Holy One, blessed be He, so desires, He calls all of them by one name and they stand before Him as one, but when he so desires, He calls each one by his own name: Gabriel, Michael, and Raphael. Hence, He gave them all their names.

R. Juda said: "One should always be careful to have grain in his house; for quarrel comes often in a house about the lack of grain, as it is said (Ps. 147) He maketh thy borders peace; He giveth thee in plenty the fat of wheat." Said R. Papa: "This is what people say. When the barley is gone from the pitcher, strife knocks and enters the house." And R. Chanina b. Papa also said: "One should always be careful to have grain in his house, for Israel was called poor only because of grain, as it is said (Jud. 6, 3-6) And it was when Israel had sown, etc… . and another verse. And they encamped against them .... and again it is written. And Israel was greatly impoverished." R. Chelbu said: "One should always be careful to honor his wife, for the blessing in the house usually comes for the sake of the wife, as it is said (Gen. 12, 16) And he did well to Abram for her sake. And this is what Raba used to say to the inhabitants of his town, Machuza: 'Revere your wives, for the purpose of becoming rich.'"

The same Caesar said to Rabban Gamaliel: "I am aware of what your God is doing, and where He seateth now." R. Gamaliel sighed deeply. And to the question: "Why are you sighing?" he said: "I have a son in one of the sea-towns and I am anxious concerning him. Can you inform me of his whereabouts." "Whence shall I know this?" replied he. Whereupon Rabban Gamaliel said: "If you do not know what is in this world, how can you claim to know what is in heaven!" At another time the Caesar said to Rabban Gamaliel: "It is written (Ps. 147, 4) Who counted the number of the stars, etc. What prerogative is this? I also can do this." R. Gamaliel took grain, put it in a sieve, and while straining them told him to count the grain. And he replied: "Let the sieve stand, and I will count it." R. Gamaliel said then to him: "The stars are always moving." According to others, the Caesar asked Rabban Gamaliel to count the stars, and R. Gamaliel answered him: "Can you tell me how many teeth are in your mouth?" He put his hand in his mouth and began to count them. When R. Gamaliel remarked: "If you are not aware of the number of teeth in your mouth, how can you claim to know what there is in heaven!"

Now these are the ordinances (Exod. 21:1). Scripture says elsewhere in reference to this verse: He declareth His word unto Jacob … He hath not dealt so with any nation (Ps. 147:19–20). Aquila the convert, Hadrian’s nephew, desired to be converted to Judaism, but he feared his uncle’s wrath.³Aquila was credited with translating the Bible into Greek (see Gittin 56b). He was said to have been the son of Titus’ sister. Hadrian, who reigned from 117 to 138 C.E., promulgated a decree banning circumcision. He told his uncle: “I want to engage in business.” “If you need to do so,” his uncle replied, “silver or gold is available to you.” Aquila responded: “I want to go into business in other lands in order to become acquainted with other people and need only your advice on how to do so.” He responded: “Whatever merchandise you trade in that you find low in price because it is ignored, deal in it, for it will ultimately rise in price and you will profit from it.” Then he went to Israel and studied the Torah.

(Numb. 1:1-2) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert […,] ‘Take a census of the whole congregation.” This text is related (to Ps. 147:20), “He has not done so for any nation, and they do not know His laws, Hallelujah.” [The situation] is comparable to a king who took [his] first wife and did not write her a marriage contract.²¹Numb. R. 1:5. He divorced her and did not give her a bill of divorce. He did the same for the second and for the third. [In due time] when he saw a certain poor orphan, a woman of noble ancestry, he wanted to marry her. He said to his shoshevin (i.e., to his best man), “I want to marry this one, and I shall not behave with her as with the previous ones. This is a woman of noble ancestry. She is modest in her actions and worthy. Write her a marriage contract [stating] in which week, in which year, in which month, on what day of the month, in which era.” [This is] just as it is written in Esther (2:16), “So Esther was taken unto King Ahasuerus, unto his royal palace in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign.” Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, created the generation of the flood and did not write down when He created them. He removed them from the world and did not write down when He removed them. It is simply [stated] (in Gen. 7:11), “on that day all the springs of the great abyss burst forth and the windows of the heavens were opened.”²²Note that the verse begins, “In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month.” But this dating is apparently not definite enough. And it was similar for the generation of the dispersion (Gen. 10:1-9); similar for the sodomites; and similar for the Egyptians. [However,] when Israel arose, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “I will not behave with these as with those previous ones, as these are descendants from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Therefore it is written in which month, on what day of the month, in which year, in which era, in which province I raised up their horn and gave them a head held high.” It is therefore stated (in Numb. 1:1), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert,” i.e., the province; “in the tent of meeting,” i.e., the metropolis; “on the first day of the month,” i.e., the day; “in the second year,” i.e., the year.²³The citation of this section of the verse differs somewhat in the Masoretic text, which reads, “on the first day of the second month, in the second year. In which month? (Ibid., cont.) “In the second month.” [“After their Exodus from the land of Egypt,”] i.e., the era.²⁴Gk. hupateia (“consulship”). Why (in vs. 2) “Take a census (literally: raise the head) of the whole congregation of the Children of Israel…?” To fulfill what is stated (in Ps. 147:20), “He has not done so for any nation….” What did He do? He raised their heads, as stated (Ps. 148:14), “He has raised up a horn for His people, praise for all His saints, even the Children of Israel, a people near to Him. Hallelujah”.

Another interpretation (of Numb. 1:1-2): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT…. This text is related (to Ps. 147:20): HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION…., and also (to Ps. 148:14): HE HAS RAISED UP A HORN FOR HIS PEOPLE, PRAISE FOR ALL HIS SAINTS. <The situation> is comparable to a king who took <his> first wife and did not write her a marriage contract.³³Tanh., Numb. 1:5; Numb. R. 1:5. He divorced her and did not give her a bill of divorce. He did the same for the second and for the third, in that he did not write them either a marriage contract or a bill of divorce. {He did not act. However,} [In due time] when he saw a certain poor orphan, a woman of noble ancestry, he wanted to marry her. He said to his shoshevin (i.e., to his best man): Do not behave with her as with the previous ones. This is a woman of noble ancestry. She is modest in her actions and worthy. Write her a marriage contract <stating> in which week, in which year, in which month, on what day of the month, in which province,³⁴Gk.: eparchia. just as it is written in Esther (2:16): SO ESTHER WAS TAKEN UNTO KING AHASUERUS, UNTO HIS ROYAL PALACE IN THE TENTH MONTH, WHICH IS THE MONTH OF TEBETH, IN THE SEVENTH YEAR OF HIS REIGN. Thus the Omnipotent created the generation of the flood and did not write down when he created them. He removed them from the world and did not write down when he removed them. It is simply <stated> (in Gen. 7:11): ON THAT DAY ALL THE SPRINGS OF THE GREAT ABYSS BURST FORTH AND THE WINDOWS OF THE HEAVENS WERE OPENED.³⁵Note that the verse begins: IN THE SIX HUNDREDTH YEAR OF NOAH’S LIFE, IN THE SECOND MONTH, ON THE SEVENTEENTH DAY OF THE MONTH; but this dating is apparently not definite enough. Moreover, it was similar for the generation of the dispersion (Gen. 10:1-9); [similar for the Sodomites;] and similar for the Egyptians. For them it is not written either when they were created or when they died. {He did not act. However,} When Israel arose, the Holy One said to Moses: I will not behave with these as with those previous ones. These are people of noble ancestry, descendants from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. It is there written for them in which month, on what day of the month, in which year, in which province, in which metropolis I raised up their horn and gave them a head held high. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 1:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT, i.e., the province, IN THE TENT OF MEETING, i.e., the metropolis. In which year? (Ibid., cont.:) IN THE SECOND YEAR.³⁶The citation of this section of the verse differs somewhat in the Masoretic text, which reads: ON FIRST DAY OF THE SECOND MONTH, IN THE SECOND YEAR. In which month? (Ibid., cont.:) IN THE SECOND MONTH. On what day of the month? (Ibid., cont.:) ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE MONTH. (Ibid., cont.:) [AFTER THEIR EXODUS FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT,] i.e, the era.³⁷Gk. hupateia (“consulship”). Why (in vs. 2) TAKE A CENSUS (literally: RAISE THE HEAD) OF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL…. To fulfill what is stated (in Ps. 147:20): HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION…. What did he do? (Ps. 148:14): HE HAS RAISED UP A HORN FOR HIS PEOPLE, PRAISE FOR ALL HIS SAINTS, EVEN THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, A PEOPLE NEAR TO HIM. HALLELUJAH.

Then Hadrian said to Aquila: “My advisor is dead; now tell me why you did such a thing?” “Because I wanted to study the Torah,” he replied. “Could you not have studied the Torah while uncircumcised?” he inquired. And Aquila answered: “Though you pay a salary to your military governor, he must provide his own provisions, and similarly a man can never fully understand the Torah if he remains uncircumcised, as it is said: He declareth his word to Jacob (Ps. 147:19). That is, to one who like Jacob is circumcised, but not to people who are uncircumcised.”

Then Hadrian said to Aquila: “My advisor is dead; now tell me why you did such a thing?” “Because I wanted to study the Torah,” he replied. “Could you not have studied the Torah while uncircumcised?” he inquired. And Aquila answered: “Though you pay a salary to your military governor, he must provide his own provisions, and similarly a man can never fully understand the Torah if he remains uncircumcised, as it is said: He declareth his word to Jacob (Ps. 147:19). That is, to one who like Jacob is circumcised, but not to people who are uncircumcised.”

Another interpretation (of Lev. 27:2), “When anyone explicitly vows”: The nations say (in Micah 6:6-7), “With what shall I come before the Lord, bow myself before God on high, [….] Does the Lord want thousands of rams […] shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my belly for the sin of my soul?” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, “Do you want to offer your children to Me? Neither your children nor your sacrifices do I want. For my children I have given a Parashah on value equivalents (in Lev. 27:1-8) and a Parashah on sacrifices, as it is their sacrifices that are beloved in front of Me.” And so it says (in Ps. 37:16), “Better is the little of the righteous.” You yourself know what is at the beginning of the book (in Lev. 1:2), “Speak unto the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘When one of you presents an offering to the Lord,’” [i.e.] “of you,” and not "of the nations." Then at the end of the book [one finds (in Lev. 27:2),] “Speak unto the Children of Israel and say unto them, ‘When anyone explicitly [vows].’” It also says (in Ps. 147:19), “He declares His words to Jacob….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel. “If you bring before me your value equivalents, I will ascribe it to you as if you had offered up your lives before Me.” It is therefore stated (in Lev. 27:2), “When anyone explicitly vows [to the Lord the value of human beings].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “By virtue of the value equivalents (rt.: 'rk) I am saving you from the [fiery] preparation (rt.: 'rk) of Geihinnom,²³Cf. Exod. R. 50:5. as stated (in Is. 30:33), “For Topheth has been prepared (rt.: 'rk) from of old.” And I will prepare a table before you, just as David has stated (in Ps. 23:5), “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

The aperture which is in the midst of the firmament is named M'zarim and (the sun) does not go forth or set therein except once in its great cycle; (thereon) it goes through it as on the day when it was created. At night the sun is in the west. At the Teḳuphah of Tishri and at the Teḳuphah of Ṭebeth the sun goes on its course in the south quarter and in the waters of the Ocean (which are) between the ends of the heavens and the ends of the earth where it is submerged. For the night is long and the way is long until (the sun) reaches the aperture which is in the east, (even) the aperture through which it desires to go forth, as it is said, "It goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north" (Eccles. 1:6). It goes to the south at the Teḳuphah of Tishri and at the Teḳuphah of Ṭebeth, and turns to the north at the Teḳuphah of Nisan and at the Teḳuphah of Tammuz. It goes on its course for six months in the south quarter, and for six months in the north quarter, and owing to its circuits the sun returns to the aperture which is in the east. The sun has three letters of (God's) Name written upon his heart, and the angels lead him; such || as lead him by day do not lead him by night, and such as lead him by night do not lead him by day. The sun rides in a chariot and rises, crowned as a bridegroom, as it is said, "Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course" (Ps. 19:5). The sun's rays and face, which are turned downwards (to the earth), are of hail; and were it not for the hail which quenches the flames of fire the world would be consumed by fire, as it is said, "And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof" (Ps. 19:6). In winter (the sun) turns the upper (half of) his face downwards, and were it not for the fire which warms the face of hail the world could not endure because of the ice (cold), as it is said, "Who can stand before his cold?" (Ps. 147:17). These are the ends of the ways of the sun.

[Another interpretation] (of Lev. 27:2:) WHEN ANYONE EXPLICITLY VOWS. The nations say (in Micah 6:6–7): WITH WHAT SHALL I COME BEFORE THE LORD, BOW MYSELF BEFORE GOD ON HIGH? [….] DOES THE LORD WANT THOUSANDS OF RAMS […? SHALL I GIVE MY FIRSTBORN FOR MY TRANSGRESSION, THE FRUIT OF MY BELLY FOR THE SIN OF MY SOUL?] The Holy One said to them: Do you want to offer your children to me? Neither your children nor your sacrifices do I want. For my children I have given a parashah on values (in Lev. 27:1–8) and a parashah on sacrifices, < i.e. > which of your offerings are acceptable to me (in Lev. 1). And so it says (in Ps. 37:16): BETTER IS THE LITTLE THAT THE RIGHTEOUS ONE HAS. You yourself know what is at the beginning of the book (in Lev. 1:2): SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, [AND SAY UNTO THEM]: WHEN ONE OF YOU PRESENTS AN OFFERING, < i.e. > OF YOU, and not "of the nations." Then at the end of the book < one finds > (in Lev. 27:2): SPEAK UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL AND SAY UNTO THEM: WHEN ANYONE EXPLICITLY VOWS…. It also says (in Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB…. The Holy One said to Israel: If you bring before me your value equivalents, I will ascribe it to you as if you had offered up your lives before me. It is therefore stated (in Lev. 27:2): WHEN ANYONE EXPLICITLY VOWS TO THE LORD THE VALUE OF HUMAN BEINGS…. The Holy One said: By virtue of the value equivalents (rt.: 'RK) I am saving you from the < fiery > preparation (rt.: 'RK) of Gehinnom,³⁵Cf. Exod. R. 50:5. as he has written about it (in Is. 30:33): FOR TOPHETH HAS BEEN PREPARED (rt.: 'RK) FROM OF OLD; and I will prepare a table before you, just as David has stated (in Ps. 23:5): YOU PREPARE A TABLE BEFORE ME IN THE PRESENCE OF MY ENEMIES; YOU ANOINT MY HEAD WITH OIL; MY CUP OVERFLOWS.

Our sages contend that after his master heard her accusations against him, he wanted to kill him, for it is said: His wrath was kindled (ibid., v. 19). In this instance it is written: His wrath was kindled, and elsewhere it is stated: My wrath shall wax hot, and I will kill you (Exod. 22:23). However, she told her husband: “Do not waste your money, let him remain in prison unto you are able to sell him and recover your investment.” She suggested this in the hope that he would someday be reconciled to her. Each day she visited Joseph and implored him: “Comply with my request.” And he would respond: “I have taken an oath.” Then she would say: “I will blind thee,” and he would answer” The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind (Ps. 146:8). “You will remain in chains until the day of your death,” she would shout, and he would retort” The Lord looseth the prisoners (ibid.). “Then I will exile thee among people in a distant land,” she exclaimed, and he would reply: The Lord preserveth the strangers (ibid.).

The Lord has sworn by His right hand and by the arm of His strength (Isa. 62:8). By his right hand refers to the Torah, as it is said: His right hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2). And by the strength of His arms alludes to the tefillin (phylacteries), as it is said: The Lord will give strength unto His people (Ps. 29:11). Surely I will no more give thy corn to be food for thine enemies … in the courts of My sanctuary (Isa. 68:8–9) refers to Jerusalem. What oath did He proclaim in reference to Jerusalem? He vowed that He Himself would build it, as it is said: The Lord doth build up Jerusalem; He gathered together the dispersed of Israel (Ps. 147:2).

R. Samuel the son of Nahmani stated: There is an aggadic tradition which states that Jerusalem will not be rebuilt until the dispersed of Israel are gathered together. However, if one should tell you: The exiles are already gathered together and Jerusalem still hath not been rebuilt, believe him not, for it is written: The Lord doth build up Jerusalem, and after that Scripture says: He gathered together the dispersed of Israel (ibid. 147:2).

(Numb. 2:2:) “Each with his standard, under the banners for their fathers' house.” [This text is related] (to Job 36:3), “I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and justify my maker.” It was only necessary to say, "under the banners shall the Children of Israel camp.⁵⁵Numb. R. 2:8. Then what is the significance of saying (in Numb. 2:2), “under the banners [for their fathers' house].” Simply that when our father Jacob departed from this world, he said to them (in Gen. 47:30), “When I sleep with my ancestors, you are to take me up from Egypt and bury me in their grave.” He went around to all his sons, blessed them, and gave them a charge. He said to them, “When you take me, you are to take me with reverence and honor. Let no other person, neither one of the Egyptians nor one of your children, touch my bier, because there are some among them who have taken [wives] from the daughters of Canaan.⁵⁶Cf. Gen. R. 84:21; PRK 39, according to which there was no such intermarriage. And so it says (in Gen. 50:12-13), “So his children did for him just as he had commanded them. And his children brought him up to the land of Canaan.” His children, but not his grandchildren (who were forbidden to touch the bier)! How did he charge them? He said to them, “Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun shall carry my bier on the East; Reuben, Simeon, and Gad, on the South; Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin, on the West; Dan, Asher, and Naphtali, on the North. Joseph is not to carry [at all], because he is a king; and you must impart honor to him. Nor is Levi to carry. Why? Because he will carry the ark (aron), and whoever carries the ark of the One who lives forever is not to carry a coffin (aron) of the dead. If you do this and carry my bier, just as I have charged you, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to have you encamp by the various standards.” When he passed away, they carried him just as he had charged them. It is so stated (in Gen. 50:12), “So his children did for him just as he had commanded them.” What is written next (in vs. 13)? “And his children brought him up to the land of Canaan.” When Israel went forth from Egypt, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Now is the time for them to make standards, just as their father had proclaimed to them that they were going to make standards.” Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Make those standards for my name.” Immediately Moses began to be concerned. He said, “There is going to be dissension among the tribes. If I tell the tribe of Judah to encamp in the East, they will say, ‘It is impossible for us to encamp anywhere but in the South.’ And so each and every tribe [would act] like that one.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “What concern is that to you? They do not need you in this matter. They will recognize their dwellings by themselves. Why? Because their father's will was in their hand on how to encamp by the standards. I am not establishing something new. They already have their father's arrangements⁵⁷Gk.: taxeis. in their hands. Just as they have taken positions around his bier, so let them take positions around the tabernacle.” Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Numb. 2:2), “Each with his standard, under the banners [for their fathers' house].” How were they encamped? The Levites camped around the tabernacle of witness, with Moses, Aaron, and his children on the East.⁵⁸See Numb. R. 2:10. It is so stated (in Numb. 3:38), “Those who camped before the tabernacle, in front before the tent of meeting to the East, were Moses, Aaron, and his children.” And adjacent to them were Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun. Hence they said, “Fortunate is the righteous person and fortunate are his neighbors.”⁵⁹Suk. 56b. See below, Numb. 5:8. This refers to the three tribes (rt.: shbt) which were adjacent to Moses and Aaron.⁶⁰Gen. R. 3:13; Numb. R. 3:12. They became great in the Torah, as stated (in Gen. 49:10), “The scepter (shbt) shall not depart from Judah, nor the inscriber from between his feet.” In the case of Issachar it is written, (in I Chron. 12:33), “And from the Children of Issachar, those who had an understanding of the times,⁶¹The midrash regards UNDERSTANDING as synonymous with Torah. to know what Israel should do; their heads numbered two hundred and all their kindred under their command ('al pihem),” because they harmonize law (halakhah) at their command ('al pihem). [Of Zebulun it is written] (in Jud. 5:14), “and from Zebulun those who wield the scribal pen.” Because they were neighbors [of Torah, embodied by Moses] they all became children of Torah (i.e., Torah scholars). Now on the South were the Children of Kohath (ben Levi), and adjacent to them were Reuben, Simeon, and Gad. Hence they say, “Woe to the wicked person; and woe to his neighbor.”⁶²Suk. 56b; Numb. R. 18:5; ARN, A, 9:1; see Avot 1:7. These are the three tribes which were neighbors of Korah (the grandson of Kohath) and his community in the South. These were destroyed with him in his dissension (as stated in Numb. 16:32), “And the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them, their households, every person that belonged to Korah, and their property.” On the West were the Children of Gershom (i.e., Gershon ben Levi), with Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamin being adjacent to them. And on the North were the Children of Merari (ben Levi), with Dan, Naphtali, and Asher being adjacent to them. Seven clouds of glory were surrounding them, and this was their [method] of travel: There was a sign⁶³Gk.: semeion. for Moses in the cloud when it departed. When it departed, he would say (in Numb. 10:35), “Rise up, O Lord, and may Your enemies be scattered.” Then the cloud would depart. When the cloud departed, they all prepared to travel and put away their implements. Whoever had a domestic beast put them on it; and if [a person] had none, the cloud took the remainder. When they were settled, they blew the trumpets. Then Judah and its standard moved out, first its prince and his tribe after him.⁶⁴CF. Numb. R. 2:7. And as signs for each and every prince there was a flag.⁶⁵Lat. (from the Punic): mappa And from them the empire learned to make a flag. There was also a color for each and every flag, like the color of the precious stones which were on the heart of Aaron. Each and every tribe had its flag dyed like the color of its stone. Then over them were the clouds. Until they were settled, they blew the trumpets. They traveled, and likewise the clouds [traveled over them]. Moreover, something like a kind of beam came out of the cloud, so that they would know in which direction they would be traveling. So was the journey of each and every standard. [When] they finished going to where it wanted them to camp, [since] that cloud which appeared like a kind of beam had, as it were, been traveling independently, they knew that they would camp in that place. [When] clouds of glory stood still for them, they began putting [things] away in their tents where they were to rest. Then the cloud which was over the tabernacle, moved over the camp of the Levites in the middle of the camps. First it stood still. When it stood still, the Children of Kohath and the Children of Levi set up the tabernacle in the presence of all the camps before they came, as stated (in Numb. 10:21), “And they would set up the tabernacle before they came.” When they had set up the tabernacle, each and every one set up [camp] in his [proper] place. Then the clouds of glory stood over them. This was grandeur in the hands of Moses, for the cloud of the glorious Divine Presence did not come down to the tabernacle, until Moses had said (in Numb. 10:36), “Return, O Lord, to the myriad thousands of Israel.” Then the clouds of glory encompassed them. Moreover, the holy spirit says through Solomon (in Cant. 6:4), “You are as beautiful my darling, as (ke) tirzah.” What is the meaning of “ketirzah (ktrtsh, rt.: rtsh)?” That I am pleasing (mtrtsh, rt.: rtsh) to you.⁶⁶Numb. R. 2:5. Another interpretation (of Cant. 6:4), “Ketirzah" (rt.: rtsh) [means] just as you are pleasing (rt.: rtsh) to Me in the sacrifices. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 1:4), “And it shall be pleasing (rt.: rtsh) for Him to atone for him.” (Cant. 6:4, cont.,) “As comely as Jerusalem (yrushlym),” [means] like these ministering angels, in that they feared (rt.: yr') [Me] and were reconciled (rt.: shlm) to Me. (Ibid., cont.,) “Awesome as [hosts] with standards,” like the standards which I gave you. So when David sees [them], he says (in Ps. 147:20), “He has not done so for any nation,” only for it.

Another interpretation (of Cant. 6:4). AS TIRZAH (rt.: RTsH) <means> just as you are pleasing (rt.: RTsH) to me in the sacrifices. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 1:4): AND IT SHALL BE PLEASING (rt.: RTsH) FOR HIM TO ATONE FOR HIM. (Cant. 6:4, cont.:) AS COMELY AS JERUSALEM (YRUShLYM) <means> like these ministering Angels, in that they feared (rt.: YR') <me> and were reconciled (rt.: ShLM) to me. (Ibid., cont.:) AWESOME AS <HOSTS> WITH STANDARDS, like the standards which I gave you. So when David sees <them>, he says (in Ps. 147:20): HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION, only for his people.

“To whom the word of the Lord came… until the end of eleven years of Zedekiah son of Josiah, king of Judah, until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:2-3) R’ Avon said: the lion (ari) came up during the constellation of the lion and destroyed Ariel. ‘The lion came up’ refers to Nebuchadnezzar the wicked, as it is written “A lion has come up from his thicket…” (Jeremiah 4:7) ‘In the constellation of the lion’, “…until the exile of Jerusalem in the fifth month.” (Jeremiah 1:3) ‘And destroyed Ariel’, “Woe, Ariel, Ariel, the city wherein David encamped!” (Isaiah 29:1) This happened in order that the lion would come in the constellation of the lion and rebuild Ariel. ‘The lion would come’ refers to the Holy One, as it is written “A lion has roared; who will not fear?” (Amos 3:8) ‘In the constellation of the lion’, “…and I will turn their mourning into joy…” (Jeremiah 31:12) ‘And rebuild Ariel’, “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2)

...“…directed toward Your habitation, which You made, O Lord…” (Exodus 15:17) This is one of the places which indicate that the throne above is aligned with the throne below, as it says “So says the Lord, The heavens are My throne, and the earth is My footstool…” (Isaiah 66:1) And it says “And He said to me, Son of man, this is the place of My throne and the place of the soles of My feet…” (Ezekiel 43:7) and “The Lord is in His Holy Temple. The Lord-His throne is in Heaven…” (Tehillim 11:4) and “I have surely built You a house to dwell in…” (Kings 8:13) The Holy Temple is beloved before He Who Spoke and Brought the World Into Being. All of the world was created only with the speech of the Holy One, as it says “By the word of the Lord, the heavens were made…” (Tehillim 33:6) but when He built the Holy Temple it was, so to speak, through His action ‘which You made, O Lord.’ Oy to the nations of the world, whose ears heard that the Holy Temple is called an action in relation to the One Who Spoke and Brought the World Into Being and destroyed it. The one who said “…Raze it, raze it, down to its foundation!” (Tehillim 137:7) What does He say? “And you prophesy to them all these words, and you shall say to them: The Lord shall roar from above, and from His Holy Habitation He shall give forth His voice; He shall roar over His habitation… A stirring has come until the end of the earth, for God has a controversy with the nations…” (Jeremiah 25:30-31)

Another interpretation (Gen. 8:16): [GO FORTH FROM THE ARK]. David said to the Holy One (in Ps. 142:8 [7]): Sovereign of the World, BRING MY SOUL OUT OF PRISON.⁵⁰Tanh., Gen. 2:11; cf. Gen. R. 34:1. When Noah was within the ark, he prayed constantly. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 32:6): THEREFORE, LET EVERY SAINT PRAY TO YOU IN A TIME WHEN YOU MAY BE FOUND, THAT WHEN THE GREAT WATERS OVERFLOW, THEY WILL NOT REACH HIM. And what did he pray? BRING MY SOUL OUT OF PRISON. The Holy One said to him: It is a decree from me that twelve months be fulfilled (in the ark). Unless they are fulfilled, you are not going forth. Even so Isaiah has stated (in Is. 49:8f.): IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I HAVE ANSWERED YOU … SAYING TO THOSE WHO ARE BOUND: GO FORTH. These (who were bound) are Noah and his sons, who were prohibited (literally: bound) from sexual intercourse.⁵¹See Gen. R. 31:12; 34:7. Joseph also acted in this way when he saw the years of famine that were going to come.⁵²Ta‘an. 11a. He engaged in sexual intercourse for being fruitful and multiplying before they came, as stated (in Gen. 41:50): AND UNTO JOSEPH WERE BORN TWO SONS BEFORE THE YEAR OF FAMINE CAME. Likewise Noah and his sons, the cattle, the wild beasts, and the fowl acted in this way.⁵³yTa‘an. 1:6 (64d). They did not engage in sexual intercourse for being fruitful and multiplying when they had entered the ark, for so had the Holy One commanded them when they had entered the ark. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 7:7): AND THERE WENT INTO THE ARK NOAH AND HIS SONS, the males by themselves; ALSO HIS WIFE AND HIS SONS' WIVES, the females by themselves.⁵⁴See Sanh. 108b. Thus all the days that Noah was in the ark, Noah, his sons, and all who were with him were prohibited (literally: bound) from sexual intercourse. The Holy One said to them: How can I be destroying the world in anger while you are building it up! When the flood passes on, however, you will engage in sexual intercourse for being fruitful and multiplying, as stated (in Is. 49:9): SAYING TO THOSE WHO ARE BOUND (i.e., PROHIBITED): GO FORTH. So, when the earth had become dry, the Holy One said to him (in Gen. 8:16): GO FORTH FROM THE ARK, [YOU AND YOUR WIFE] (with male and female mentioned together). Thus he released (i.e., permitted) them to be fruitful and multiply. And he also released the cattle, the wild beasts, and the fowl, as stated (in vs. 17): AND LET THEM ABOUND IN THE EARTH, BE FRUITFUL, AND MULTIPLY. Noah said to him: Sovereign of the World, might you possibly bring < another > flood to the world? He said to him: Thus have I sworn: I am not bringing another flood, as stated (in Gen. 8:21): THEN THE LORD SMELLED THE PLEASING ODOR; SO THE LORD SAID IN HIS HEART: I WILL NOT AGAIN CURSE THE GROUND ANY MORE…. How did he swear to him? Our masters say he swore to him by the covenant of Abraham, which is cited (in Neh. 9:7): AND YOU MADE A COVENANT WITH HIM (Abraham). So also Isaiah said (in Is. 54:9): FOR THIS IS LIKE THE WATERS OF NOAH TO ME: [AS I SWORE THAT THE WATERS OF NOAH WOULD NEVERMORE GO OVER THE EARTH]. You find, nevertheless, that forty days in every year these waters made a mark on the world until Solomon arose and built the Temple. Then those forty days ceased, as stated (in I Kings 6:38): AND IN THE ELEVENTH YEAR IN THE MONTH OF BUL … < THE HOUSE WAS FINISHED >. What is the meaning of IN THE MONTH OF BUL? In the month that the cattle are given mixed fodder (BLYM) from the house.⁵⁵Cf. yRH 1:2 (56d). Another interpretation: IN THE MONTH OF BUL: In the time that the earth turns into clods (bulim bulim). Another interpretation: IN THE MONTH OF BUL: < BUL > is lacking the letter M to correspond with the forty days that were cut off from the world.⁵⁶The letter M (mem) in Hebrew also represents the number forty. When mem is prefixed to bul, the word for flood results. Now, if the Holy One has sworn to Noah by the covenant of our father Abraham and fulfilled < the oath >, he will certainly fulfill the three oaths he has sworn to Zion. These are the three oaths: {He swore by the covenant of our father Abraham, as stated (in Is. 54:9): FOR THIS IS LIKE THE WATERS OF NOAH TO ME.} He swore by his own soul, so to speak, as stated (in Amos 6:8): THE LORD GOD HAS SWORN BY HIS OWN SOUL. He has also sworn by the Sabbath (ShBT), as stated (in Exod. 31:17): < IT > (the Sabbath) IS A SIGN BETWEEN ME AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL FOREVER; FOR IN SIX DAYS THE LORD MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH, AND ON THE SEVENTH DAY HE RESTED (ShBT) AND WAS REFRESHED. {And it is written} [And he has sworn by Torah, as stated] (in Is. 62:8): THE LORD HAS SWORN BY HIS RIGHT HAND. This is Torah, as stated (in Deut. 33:2): AT HIS RIGHT HAND A FIERY LAW (dat) FOR THEM.⁵⁷Ber. 6a. And what did he swear to Jerusalem? That he would build it up. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 147:2): THE LORD BUILDS UP JERUSALEM. R. Samuel bar Nahmani said: It is an aggadic tradition that Jerusalem will not be built up until all the exiles are gathered. If someone says to you that all the exiles have been gathered but Jerusalem is not built up, do not believe < him >, since it is stated: THE LORD BUILDS UP JERUSALEM, and afterwards (ibid., cont.): HE GATHERS THE EXILED ONES OF ISRAEL. Israel said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, has not Jerusalem already been built up and destroyed? He said to them: It was destroyed and you went into exile from it because of your sins. Now, however, I will build it up and never destroy it, as stated (in Ps. 102:17 [16]): FOR THE LORD HAS BUILT UP ZION; HE HAS APPEARED IN HIS GLORY.

R. Berechiah stated in the name of R. Helbo, who had said in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahman: Most assuredly, the Holy One, blessed be He, judges the thoughts and the heart of man. Nebuchadnezzar praised Him in this verse just as David did in the Book of Psalms. Nebuchadnezzar said praise, and David said Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem (Ps. 147:12); Nebuchadnezzar said extol, and David said: I will extol thee, O Lord, for Thou hast raised me up (Ps. 30:2); Nebuchadnezzar said honor, and David declared: Thou art clothed with honor and majesty (ibid. 104:1). After he achieved greatness, however, he became arrogant, as it is said: Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? (Dan. 4:27). Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him: Wretch! Again you are boastful, as it is said: While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven: “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee” (ibid., v. 28). Hence, whenever the wicked are in trouble, they humble themselves, but when their difficulties cease, they revert to their corrupt practices. Pharaoh did likewise. When he saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he continued to sin (Exod. 9:34). The gentiles add to their sins, but in the case of Israel The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will uncover thy sins (Lam. 4:22).

Rabbi Chalafta said, "Blessed is the name of the Holy One, blessed be He; as there is nothing like His miracles and His wonders and there is nothing like His heroic deeds and His actions, as it is stated (Psalms 147:5), 'Great is our master and of abundant power.' The Holy One, blessed be He, is holy and pure and extended His arms against the impure. Why? Because He is great and awesome. And for the sake of Israel, He let His power be known. And why for the sake of Israel? Since He said to Yakov (Genesis 46:4), 'And I will go down with you to Egypt,' and He [fights] the wars of Israel: [Only] one angel overturned Sodom, but here (Isaiah 42:13), 'The Lord will go out like a warrior; like a man of war, He will arouse His jealousy.'"

Cain spake before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of all the worlds ! "My sin is too great to be borne" (Gen. 4:13), for it has no atonement. This utterance was reckoned to him as repentance, as it is said, "And Cain said unto the Lord, My sin is too great to be borne" (ibid.); further, Cain said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Now will a certain righteous one arise on the earth and mention Thy great Name against me and slay me. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He took one letter from the twenty-two letters, and put (it) upon Cain's arm that he should not be killed, as it is said, "And the Lord appointed a sign for Cain" (Gen. 4:15). The dog which was guarding Abel's flock also guarded his corpse from all the beasts of the field and all the fowl of the heavens. Adam and his helpmate were sitting and weeping and mourning for him, and they did not know what to do (with Abel), for they were unaccustomed to burial. A raven (came), one of its fellow birds was dead (at its side). (The raven) said: I will teach this man what to do. It took its fellow and dug in the earth, hid it and buried it before them. Adam said: Like this raven will I act. He took || the corpse of Abel and dug in the earth and buried it. The Holy One, blessed be He, gave a good reward to the ravens in this world. What reward did He give them? When they bear their young and see that they are white they fly from them, thinking that they are the offspring of a serpent, and the Holy One, blessed be He, gives them their sustenance without lack, as it is said, "Who provideth for the raven his food, when his young ones cry unto God, and wander for lack of meat" (Job 38:41). Moreover, that rain should be given upon the earth (for their sakes), and the Holy One, blessed be He, answers them, as it is said, "He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry" (Ps. 147:9).

(Gen. 19:5:) AND THEY CALLED UNTO LOT < AND SAID TO HIM: WHERE ARE THE MEN > … THAT WE MAY KNOW THEM.⁸⁷Cf. Gen. R. 50:5-8. < They did so > because they desired to rape them. R. Hiyya bar Abba said: From here you learn that they were lecherous. He said to them (in vs. 8): LOOK HERE, I HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS WHO HAVE NOT KNOWN ANYONE. < The verse > teaches that he wanted to bring them into the midst of his house, but that his wife would not let him. What did he do? He brought them to his own part of the house.⁸⁸Literally: “To midst of his own rafter.” (Gen. 19:11:) SO THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE DOOR.⁸⁹I.e., the door to the women’s quarters. When < the angels > saw that the < Sodomites > deserved destruction, they also rescued Lot. What is written there (in Gen. 19:23-25)? THE SUN HAD RISEN UPON THE EARTH … THEN THE LORD RAINED DOWN UPON SODOM < … > AND HE DESTROYED THOSE CITIES. Perhaps you will say: He destroyed it with his five fingers.⁹⁰See above, 4:15. R. Ayyevu said: < It was > with one of his fingers < that > he destroyed the cities of Sodom, as stated (in Job 28:9): HE PUT OUT HIS HAND BAHALLAMISH.⁹¹The midrash has interpreted bahallamish (“against the hard rock”) as bahamishi (“with the fifth”). In the world to come, when the Holy One heals Israel, he will heal her, as stated (in Hos. 2:17 [15]): I WILL GIVE < ISRAEL > HER VINEYARDS FROM THERE. HER VINEYARDS: These are the prophets. (Ibid.:) THE VALLEY OF ACHOR (rt.: 'KR) IS WITH A DOOR OF HOPE. < This means >: A valley which I afflicted (rt.: 'KR) with my wrath IS WITH A DOOR OF HOPE. At that time they will voice a song, as stated (in ibid., cont.): AND SHE WILL RESPOND (rt.: 'NH) FROM THERE AS IN THE DAYS OF HER YOUTH; and one does not use RESPOND (rt.: 'NH) except in reference to song. Thus one finds stated (in Ps. 147:7): SING (rt.: 'NH) TO THE LORD WITH THANKSGIVING.

... Jeremiah said: when I was coming up to Jerusalem, I lifted up my eyes and saw a woman sitting on the mountaintop, her clothes were black and her hair unkempt. She cried: I am seeking who will comfort me! And I cried: I am seeking who will comfort me! I came near and spoke with her, and I said to her: if you are a woman, then speak with me. If you are a spirit, then go away from me. She answered and said to me: Do you not recognize me? I am the one who had seven children. Their father went away to a land across the sea and as I was going up to cry for him, a prophet said to me ‘the house collapsed on your seven children and killed them.’ I do not know for whom I am crying and for whom my hair is unkempt.I answered and said to her: you are no better than my mother Zion, who was made a pasture for the beasts of the field. She answered and said to me: I am your mother Zion, I am she – the mother of seven, so it is written “She who bore seven has been cut off…” (Jeremiah 15:9) Jeremiah said to her: the blows you have received are like those of Job. Job’s sons and daughters were taken from him, your sons and daughters were taken from you. From Job I took his silver and gold, from you I have taken your silver and gold. I cast Job into the trash heap, you I have made into a heap of trash. And just as I came back and consoled Job, so too in the future I will return and console you. I doubled Job’s sons and daughters, and in the future I will double your sons and daughters. I doubled Job’s gold and silver, and in the future I will do so for you. I shook the trash from Job, and of you it is said “Shake yourselves from the dust, arise, sit down, O Jerusalem…” (Isaiah 52:2) Flesh and blood built you and flesh and blood destroyed you. But In the time to come I will build you, because thus it is written “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) Amen! May the Holy One fulfill what is written about us speedily and in our day “And the redeemed of Zion shall return, and they shall come to Zion with song, with joy of days of yore shall be upon their heads; they shall achieve gladness and joy, and sadness and sighing shall flee.” (Isaiah 35:10)

... R’ Yitzchak expounded on, “On willows in its midst we hung our harps.” (Psalms 137:2) Come and see – the dirt of the land of Israel is for repentance. While they were still in the land of Israel, Jeremiah was saying to them ‘repent before the judgement is sealed upon you,’ and they did not accept his words. Once they were exiled, they kept themselves sanctified through the commandments, taking their harps and hanging them on the willows. “For there our captors asked us for words of song…” (Psalms 137:3) At that time the nations of the world said to them: stand up and sing before idols just as you would sing in the Holy Temple. They replied: if we had sung songs in our place, we would not have been exiles. And now how should we sing songs before idols?! R ‘ Yitzchak Tavlai would say: to what is this to be compared? To a king of flesh and blood who married the daughter of kings. He said to her: get up and bring me a cup to drink, and she did not want to serve him. He was angry with her and drove her from his house, and she went and married a man who was afflicted with boils. He said: get up and bring me a cup to drink. She said to him: worthless one! I was a daughter of kings, married to a king, and because he said ‘bring me a drink’ and I did not want to serve him he was angry with me and drove me from his home. In that case if I had served him I would have added to my honor and had honor in my place, and now you say to me get up and serve me?! So Israel says to the nations of the world: if we had sang songs before the Holy One in our place on all the miracles which He did for us, we would have stayed in our place and not been exiled from our land. Now we should sing songs before idols?! Immediately they arose and killed heaps and heaps of them, and even though many of them were killed Israel rejoiced that they did not sing songs before the idols, as it says “…and our tormentors [asked of us] mirth…” (ibid.) At that moment the Holy One swore a whole oath to Israel. He said of Himself, so to speak, if I do not keep my oath, as it says “If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand forget [its skill].” (Psalms 137:5) The Holy One took His hand and placed it behind Him at the moment when Israel was exiled, just as it says “He has withdrawn His right hand from the enemy…” (Lamentations 2:3) The Holy One, so to speak, did not return it to its place. And so too the Holy One said to Israel: I will forget My right hand which I placed behind Me if I do not fulfill my oath to you and not forget you among the nations. “May my tongue cling to my palate, if I do not remember you, if I do not bring up Jerusalem at the beginning of my joy.” (Psalms 137:6) In the future the Holy One will return to Jerusalem all of her joy, as it says “And the redeemed of Zion shall return, and they shall come to Zion with song, with joy of days of yore shall be upon their heads…” (Isaiah 35:10) And anyone who mourns for Jerusalem in this world will rejoice with her in the time to come, as it says “Rejoice with Jerusalem and exult in her all those who love her: rejoice with her a rejoicing, all who mourn over her.” (Isaiah 66:10) They said in the name of Abaye: joy only comes on the ninth of Av, because they mandated mourning then in this time and in the future the Holy One will make it into a holiday, as it says “…and I will turn their mourning into joy and will comfort them and make them rejoice from their sorrow.” (Jeremiah 31:12) ... “No one pitches my tent anymore, or sets up my curtains.” (Jeremiah 10:20) What is this, does it mean that the Holy Temple will not be rebuilt in the future?! No, rather it is saying that no one from among you will pitch my tent anymore nor anyone from among you shall set up my curtains. The First Temple, which was built by flesh and blood, fell at the hands of the enemy. But the final Sanctuary that will be built by the Holy One, as it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel,” (Psalms 147:2) will not be destroyed. Therefore it says “My tent has been spoiled…” (Jeremiah 10:20)

... Another explanation: “O poor tempestuous one, who was not consoled…” (Isaiah 54:11) R’ Levi said any where that it says she does not have, she has. It is written “…that is Zion whom no one seeks out.” (Jeremiah 30:17) She has, as it is written “And a redeemer shall come to Zion…” (Isaiah 59:20) “And Sarai was barren; she had no child,” (Genesis 11:30) and she had, “And Sarah conceived and bore a son to Avraham…” (Genesis 21:2) And so too “…and Peninnah had children, but Hannah had no children,” (Shmuel I 1:2) and she had, “…and she conceived and bore three sons…” (Shmuel I 2:21) And so too, “Sing you barren woman who has not borne; burst out into song and jubilate, you who have not experienced birth pangs…” (Isaiah 54:1) and she had, as it says “And you shall say to yourself, "Who begot these for me…” (Isaiah 49:21)

... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)

ח He said to him, "Why were gnats created? For they only exist in the world for just one day, and then they are destroyed and others are created?" He said to him, "On the merit of one gnat who will in the future get revenge on the evil Titus. And the remainder- to give life to raven chicks when they hatch from the eggs. They go out to their nest and their parents flee and leave them, and they cry out to them, as it says, (Psalms 147:9) 'to the raven's brood what they cry for' and they bring them gnats in their mouth, and they eat it and live off of it for three days. After three days they turn black and their parents return to them, and the Holy Blessed One prepares the cure before the harm."

And Reuben || went down by night to bring up Joseph out of the pit, but he did not find him there. He said to them: Ye have slain Joseph; "and I, whither shall I go?" (Gen. 37:80). And they told him what they had done, and the ban which they had proclaimed; and Reuben heard of the ban, and was silent; the Holy One, blessed be He, because of the ban, did not tell the matter to Jacob, and (though) concerning Him it is written, "He sheweth his word unto Jacob" (Ps. 147:19); but this word He did not shew unto Jacob, therefore Jacob did not know what had been done to Joseph, and he said: "Joseph is without doubt torn in pieces" (Gen. 37:33).

One verse states (Ibid. 3) "Is there any number to His angelic hosts?" and another (Daniel 7:10) "A thousand thousands were serving Him, and myriad myriads were standing before Him." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Before they were exiled from their land — "Is there any number to His angelic hosts?" After they were exiled from their land — "A thousand thousands were serving Him." As it were, the celestial retinue was diminished. Rebbi says in the name of Abba b. Yossi: One verse states: "Is there any number to His angelic hosts?" and another, "A thousand thousands were serving Him." How are these two verses to be reconciled? "A thousand thousands were serving Him" — this is one host. And how many hosts are there? — "Is there any number to His angelic hosts?" One verse states (Psalms 147:4) "He counts the number of the stars, (which implies that He calls each by name), and another (Isaiah 40:26) "Raise your eyes on high and see who created these. He brings forth their legions by number; he calls to all of them by name," (which implies that He calls all of them as one). (How is this to be understood?) When the Holy One Blessed be He calls, all answer, something impossible for flesh and blood, to call two names at the same time. Similarly, (Shemot 20:1) "And G-d spoke all of these things (in one utterance) saying, etc.", and (Psalms 62:12) "One thing has G-d spoken; these two have I heard," and (Jeremiah 23:29) "Is My word not like fire, says the L-rd, and like a hammer shattering rock?" Rebbi says in the name of Abba Yossi b. Dostai: One verse states "He brings forth their legions by number, etc.", and another "He counts the number of the stars." How are these two verses to be reconciled? We are hereby taught there is no changing of the (essential) name there. The name that it is called by now is not the name that it will be called by later, (but its "name" is simply a function of its embassy.) And thus is it written (Judges 12:18) "And the angel of the L-rd said to him: Why do you ask my name? It is hidden." I do not know what "name" I will be converted to (in the future). One verse states (II Samuel 24:24) "And David bought the threshing floor and the cattle for fifty silver shekels," and another (I Chronicles 21:25) "And David gave Arnon for the place gold shekels weighing six hundred." How are these two verses to be reconciled? For the place of the threshing floor, six hundred; for the place of the altar, fifty. Rebbi says, in the name of Abba Yossi b. Dostai: One verse states "And David bought the threshing floor, etc." and another verse states "And David gave Arnon for the place gold shekels weighing six hundred." How are these two verses to be reconciled? There were twelve tribes, and he took from each fifty shekels, six hundred shekels in all. R. Elazar says "And David bought the threshing floor," as explained elsewhere. Where? "And David gave Arnon for the place, etc." But the cattle for the burnt-offering and the threshing sledges and the cattle gear for the wood for fifty shekalim. One verse states (I Kings 5:6) "And Solomon had forty thousand stables of horses for his chariots," and another, (II Chronicles 9:28) "four thousand stables of horses." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Four thousand stables for forty thousand (horses). One verse states (Ibid. 4:5) "Its capacity was three thousand bath measures," and another (I Kings 7:26) "Its capacity was two thousand bath measures." How are these two verses to be reconciled? Two thousand in wet measure, which are three thousand in dry measure — whence the sages ruled: Forty sa'ah in wet measure is equal to two kor in dry measure.

Another interpretation (of 22:11): BUT < THE ANGEL OF THE LORD > CALLED UNTO HIM. Abraham said to him: Who are you? He said to him: I am an angel. Abraham said to him: When the Holy One told me to sacrifice him, he told me so himself. So now I ask that he himself tell me < to stop >. Immediately the Holy One, having opened the firmament and the lower sky, said to him (in Gen. 22:16): I BY MYSELF HAVE SWORN. Abraham said to him: So now you have sworn! But I also have sworn that I am not coming down from this altar until I say everything that I must. He said to him: Say everything that you must. Abraham said to him: Did you not tell me that what you would raise up from me would completely fill up the world, as stated (in Gen. 15:5): AND COUNT THE STARS … SO SHALL YOUR SEED BE? The Holy One said to him: Yes. He said to him: From whom? He said to him: From Isaac. He said to him: And did you not tell me that you would multiply my children like the dust, as stated (in Gen. 28:14): AND YOUR SEED SHALL BE LIKE THE DUST OF THE EARTH? The Holy One said to him: Yes. He said to him: From whom? He said to him: From Isaac. He said to him: Just as I had the right to talk back to you and did not say anything to you, O Sovereign of the World—Yesterday you said (in Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL SEED BE SUMMONED FOR YOU; but now you are saying (in Gen. 22:2): AND OFFER HIM THERE AS A BURNT OFFERING. Yet I suppressed my urge and did not talk back to you. < Just as I have acted in this way >, you also, when Isaac's children sin against you and enter into sorrow, remember on their behalf the binding of their father Isaac. Forgive them, and redeem them from their sorrows. The Holy One said to them: You have had your say; I will also have mine. The Holy One said to him: Your children are going to be sinful in my presence, < and I am going > to judge them on New Year's day. However, if they ask me to forgive them and blow a shofar before me on that day—Abraham said to him: And what is a shofar? The Holy One said to him: Do you not know? He said to him: Turn around and look. Immediately (as we read in Gen. 22:13): THEN ABRAHAM LIFTED HIS EYES [TO LOOK AND THERE WAS A RAM BEHIND HIM CAUGHT IN A THICKET ON HIS HORNS]. It says here nothing but ON HIS HORNS. He said to him: They will blow on a horn before me, and I will forgive their sins. In that hour he gave praise and thanksgiving to the Holy One; and that is how David gave praise¹⁷⁷Gk.: kalos. (in II Sam. 22:3 // Ps. 18:3 [2]): < THE LORD … MY SHIELD > AND MY HORN OF SALVATION. And it says also (in Joel 2:15): BLOW A SHOFAR IN ZION. The beginning (of the verse) concerns New Year's day. Then afterwards (ibid., cont.): SANCTIFY A FAST. This refers to the Day of Atonement, < which comes > after ten days, on which the Holy One forgives their sins. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 16:30): FOR ON THIS DAY ATONEMENT SHALL BE MADE FOR YOU…. Blessed are you, O Israel! How the Holy One has loved you! < He has done for you > what he has not done for any people or tongue, as stated (in Ps. 111:6): HE HAS DECLARED THE POWER OF HIS WORKS TO HIS PEOPLE < IN GIVING THEM THE HERITAGE OF THE NATIONS >. It is also written (in Ps. 147:19): HE DECLARES HIS WORDS TO JACOB, HIS STATUTES AND HIS ORDINANCES TO ISRAEL. And it is written (in vs. 20): HE HAS NOT DONE SO FOR ANY NATION; AND, AS FOR HIS ORDINANCES, THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN THEM. HALLELUJAH.