Midrash su Salmi 149:5

(Fol. 5a) R. Levi b. Chama, in the name of Simon b. Lakish said: "At all times let man stir up his good inclination against the evil inclination), for it is said (Ps. 4:5) Tremble, and sin not. If he conquers it (the evil inclination) it is well, but if he does not, then he should study the Torah ; for we read, (Ib.) Commune with your heart. If it goes away, then it is well, but if not he should then read the Sh'm'a; for it is said (Ib.) Upon your bed. If he conquers it, then it is well, but if not, he should then remind himself of the day of death, for it is written. And be still Selah (to the end)." R. Isaac said : "Whoever reads the Sh'm'a when on his bed is considered [protected] as if he were holding a two-edged sword in his hand, for it is written (Ps. 149:6) The exalted praises (of God) are in their mouths and the two-edged sword in their hands." How does he infer this? Mar Zutra and according to others, R. Ashi, said : "From the beginning of that passage (Ib. ib. 5.) Let the pious be joyful in glory; let them, sing aloud upon their beds; and it is written after this The exalted praise of God is in their mouths and a two-edged sword in their hands." Furthermore, said R. Isaac: Whoever reads the Sh'm'a on his bed [before sleep], will cause the departure of all evil spirits; for it is said (Job 5:7) And the sons of fire take up their flight. By Uf (flight) is meant nothing else but the Torah, as it is said (Pr. 23, 5.) When thou letteth merely thine eyes fly over it (i. e., if thou learneth the Torah superficially), it is no more. And reshef (fire) means nothing else but evil spirits; as it is said (Deu. 32:24) Devoured with burning heat and with bitter deadly disease."

... Teach us, our master, from when does the mitzvah of the Channukah lamp begin? Our rabbis taught – from when the sun sets until the majority of people are gone from the marketplace. And where are they to be lit? If one lives on an upper floor with a window facing the public domain, light there. If it is a time of danger, light within your house [and it is forbidden to do work by its light. R’ Asi said] it is forbidden to see by its light. Why do we light Channukah lamps? When the Hasmonean High Priest defeated the Greeks, as it says “For I bend Judah for Me like a bow; I filled [the hand of] Ephraim, and I will arouse your children, O Zion, upon your children, O Javan; and I will make you as the sword of a mighty man,” (Zechariah 9:13) they entered the Holy Temple. They found there eight iron stakes, fixed them in the ground and lit lamps upon them. Why do we read the Hallel psalms of praise? Because it is written “The Lord is God, and He gave us light.” (Tehillim 118:27) Why don’t we read it on Purim? It is written “…to destroy, to slay, and to cause to perish the entire host of every people and province that oppress them…” (Esther 8:11) and we don’t read it except to mark the fall of a kingdom and the kingdom of Ahasuerus still stood. But when the Holy One destroyed the kingdom of Greece they began to sing hymns and praises and to say that in the past we were servants to Pharoah, servants to Greece and now we are servants to the Holy One “Praise, you servants of the Lord…” (Tehillim 113:1) How many channukot (dedications) were there? There were seven. The dedication of heaven and earth, as it says “Now the heavens and the earth were completed…” (Bereshit 2:1) What dedication was there then? “And God placed them in the expanse of the heavens to shed light upon the earth.” (Bereshit 1:17) The dedication of the wall, as it says “And in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem…” (Nechemiah 12:27) The dedication of those who came up from the exile, as it says “And they offered up for the dedication of this House of God…” (Ezra 6:17) The dedication of the priests, which we light for. The dedication of the world to come, as it says “And it shall come to pass on that day, that I will search Jerusalem with candles…” (Tzephaniah 1:12) The dedication of the princes “This was the dedication offering of the altar…” (Bamidbar 7:84) The dedication of the Sanctuary, which this is speaking of “A psalm; a song of dedication of the House, of David.” (Tehillim 30:1) Another explanation. There are seven channukot. The dedication of the creation of the world, as it is written “Now the heavens and the earth were completed…” (Bereshit 2:1) Completion is the language of dedication, as is written “All the work of the Mishkan of the Tent of Meeting was completed…” (Shemot 39:32) The dedication of Moshe, as it is written “And it was that on the day that Moses finished erecting the Mishkan…” (Bamidbar 7:1) The dedication of the House, as it is written “A psalm; a song of dedication of the House, of David.” (Tehillim 30:1) The dedication of the Second Temple [as it says “And they offered up for the dedication of this House of God…” (Ezra 6:17) and the dedication of the wall] as it says “And in the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem…” (Nechemiah 12:27) The current one of the House of Hasmonean. The dedication of the world to come, because even that has lights, as it is written “And the light of the moon shall be like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold as the light of the seven days…” (Isaiah 30:26)

(Deut. 31:14:) “Behold (hn) the days are drawing near for you [to die].” Moses said to the Holy One, blessed be He, “Master of the world, with the word that I [used to] praise²⁸Cf. Gk.: kalos. You when I said (in Deut. 10:14), ‘Behold (hn) the heavens [and the heavens of the heavens, the earth and all that is in it] belong to the Lord your God’; by that [very word] (i.e., hn) you have condemned me to death?”²⁹Above, Deut. 2:6. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I am bringing you peace of mind, (as in Deut. 31:16), ‘Behold (hn-) you (-k) are [soon] to sleep with your ancestors….’” R. Abbahu said, “The words, behold you (hnk), can only mean peace of mind, since it is stated (in Job 3:17), ‘there (in death) the weary are at rest (yanuhu, understood to have the root hnk).’”³⁰Cf. Gen. R. 9:5. (Deut. 31:14, literally:) “Behold your days are drawing near [to die].” R. Joshua ben Levi said, “A drawing near is uttered with reference to the forefathers, and a drawing near is uttered with reference to the kings (in I Kings 2:1), ‘Then when the days for David to die drew near.’ With reference to the prophets (there is Moses, whom the Holy One, blessed be He, addresses in the second person in Deut. 31:14), ‘Behold your days are drawing near [to die].’” R. Samuel bar Nahmani said, “Do days die? These words are simply a reference to the righteous. When they die, their days pass away from the world, but they themselves remain alive, as stated (in Job 12:10), ‘In whose hand is every living soul.’ If the living are delivered into His hand, are the dead not delivered into His hand? It is simply that these are the righteous, who even in their death are called living.³¹Ber. 18ab. Thus it is stated (in II Sam. 23:20), ‘And Benaiah ben Jehoiada, the son of a valiant warrior (literally, of a living person) from Kazbeel, [who had performed great deeds…].’ And is not everyone [eventually] dead? However, the wicked during their lifetime and in their death are called dead, as stated (in Ezek. 21:30), ‘And you, O slain wicked [prince of Israel, whose day has come…].’” And so it says (in Deut. 17:6), “On the evidence of two or three witnesses shall the dead be put to death.” Does someone dead deserve another death? It is simply that the wicked during life are regarded as dead. Because on seeing the rising sun, such a one does not say the blessing, "blessed be the One who forms light."³²The opening blessing before the morning Shema‘. When it sets, he does not say the blessing, "who brings on evenings."³³The opening blessing before the evening Shema‘. Nor does he say a blessing when eating or drinking. However, the righteous do say a blessing for each and every thing that they eat and drink, and see and hear. Moreover, [these blessings] are uttered not only while they are alive, but even when they are dead. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 149:5-6), “Let the saints rejoice in glory; let them sing for joy upon their beds. With paeans to God in their throats and two-edged swords in their hands.”

(Deut. 31:14, literally:) BEHOLD YOUR DAYS ARE DRAWING NEAR <TO DIE>. R. Joshua ben Levi said: A drawing near is uttered with reference to the ancestors, and a drawing near is uttered with reference to the kings (in I Kings 2:1): THEN WHEN THE DAYS FOR DAVID TO DIE DREW NEAR. With reference to the prophets (there is Moses, whom the Holy One addresses in the second person in Deut. 31:14): BEHOLD YOUR DAYS ARE DRAWING NEAR <TO DIE>. Rabbi Samuel bar Nahmani said: Do days die? These words are simply a reference to the righteous. When they die, their days pass away from the world, but they themselves remain alive, as stated (in Job 12:10): IN WHOSE HAND IS EVERY LIVING SOUL. If the living are delivered into his hand, are the dead not delivered into his hand? It is simply that these are the righteous, who even in their death are called living.³³Ber. 18ab. Thus it is stated (in II Sam. 23:20): AND BENAIAH BEN JEHOIADA, THE SON OF A VALIANT WARRIOR (literally: OF A LIVING PERSON) FROM KAZBEEL, WHO HAD PERFORMED GREAT DEEDS…. However, the wicked during their lifetime and in their death are called dead, as stated (in Ezek. 21:30 [25]): AND YOU, O SLAIN WICKED < PRINCE OF ISRAEL, WHOSE DAY HAS COME>…. And so it says (in Deut. 17:6): ON THE EVIDENCE OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES SHALL THE DEAD BE PUT TO DEATH. Does someone dead deserve another death? It is simply that the wicked during life are regarded as dead. For what reason? On seeing the rising sun, such a one does not say the blessing, "Blessed Be the One Who Forms the Luminaries."³⁴The words, “Blessed are you, O Lord, who forms the luminaries (Barukh yotser ha-me’orot),” come at the end of the first blessing before the morning Shema‘, Yotser Or (“Who Forms Light”). For its use as a separate blessing with the title given here, see Ber. 12a. Note that the parallel in Tanh., Deut. 11:7, has the ore traditional Yotser Or here. When it sets, he does not say the blessing, "Who Brings on Evenings."³⁵The opening blessing before the evening Shema‘.: Nor does he say a blessing when eating or drinking. However, the righteous do say a blessing for each and every <one of these> things. Moreover, they are uttered, not <only> while they are alive, but even when they are dead. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 149:5): LET THE SAINTS REJOICE IN GLORY; LET THEM SING FOR JOY UPON THEIR BEDS….

What is meant by On behalf of the living unto the dead? We leave the living to the life of the world, and we inquire of the dead through the dead. Another explanation of On behalf of the living unto the dead. He said to them: Normally we ask about the needs of the dead from the living, perhaps we should consult the dead about the needs of the living. Another comment on this verse. He said: Our dead are not truly dead, for it is said: Let the saints exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their beds (Ps. 149:5). You find that after they had erected the calf, Moses arose and recited a prayer in which he recalled the departed, as it is said: Remember Abraham, Isaac, etc. There were many righteous men with him among the living in the camp, yet he mentioned only the departed. If he had done otherwise, they would have perished.³³See above note 28. Thus Solomon exclaimed: Therefore I praised the dead (Eccles. 4:2).

Rabbi Zechariah said: The sleep at night is like this world, and the awakening of the morning is like the world to come. And just as || in the sleep of the night a man lies down and sleeps, and his spirit wanders over all the earth, and tells him in a dream whatever happens, as it is said, "In a dream, in a vision of the night… then he openeth the ears of men" (Job 33:15, 16), likewise (with) the dead, their spirit wanders over all the earth, and tells them all things that happen in the world, but they are silent and (yet) they give song and praise to God, who will quicken them in the future, as it is said, "Let the saints exult in glory" (Ps. 149:5). The awakening in the morning is like the future world. A parable—unto what is the matter to be likened? To a man who awakens out of his sleep, in like manner will the dead awaken in the future world, as it is said, "O satisfy us in the morning with thy loving-kindness" (Ps. 90:14).

(Exodus 12:35) "And the children of Israel did as Moses had bid them": Now what had Moses bid them do in Egypt? (Exodus 11:2) "Speak I pray you in the ears of the people that you ask of them, etc." And this is what they did. "and they asked of Egypt vessels of silver and vessels of gold and raiment": Let raiment not be mentioned (i.e., it goes without saying). (It is mentioned) to indicate that raiment was more precious to them than silver and gold. (Ibid. 36) "And the L rd placed the favor of the people in the eyes of Egypt and they lent them>" as the verse implies. R. Yossi Haglili says: They trusted them, saying: If they did not do (i.e., if they did not steal from us) in the three days of darkness when they could easily have taken advantage of our blindness) should they be suspect now? R. Eliezer b. Yaakov says: The Holy Spirit reposed upon them and he (a Jew) would say: Lend me your vessel which is found in this and this place, and he (the Egyptian) would find it there and give it to him. "chen" ("favor") is the Holy Spirit, as it is written (Zechariah 12:10) "And I will pour out on the house of David and on the dwellers on Jerusalem a spirit of chen, etc." R. Nathan says: This is not needed (to comprehend the verse). "Vayashilum" connotes that they gave them (even) what they did not ask for. If the Jew said Give me this and this thing, the Egyptian would say: Take it and anything like it. "and they emptied out Egypt": We are hereby apprised that their idols melted and returned to their former state, (so that they were now permitted to take them.) And whence is it derived that the spoils of the (Red) Sea were (even) greater than these? From (Ezekiel 16:7) "… and you increased and grew great and attained to adi adayim" "adi" connotes (the spoils of) Egypt; "adayim" connotes the spoils of the (Red) Sea. And it is written (Psalms 68:14) "the wings of a dove sheathed in silver" — the spoils of Egypt. (Ibid.) "its pinions in fine gold" — the spoils of the (Red) Sea. And it is written (Song of Songs 1:11) "Wreaths of gold will we make for you" — the spoils of the (Red Sea); "with your spangles of silver" — the spoils of Egypt. (Exodus 12:37) "And the children of Israel journeyed from Ramses to Succoth": From Ramses to Succoth was a distance of forty parasangs, and the voice of Moses traveled (the distance of) a forty day journey. And let this not be a cause of wonder to you. For it is written (Ibid. 9:8-9) "And the L rd said to Moses and to Aaron: Take for yourselves your full handfuls of furnace soot … And it shall be dust over all the land of Egypt, etc." Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If dust, whose nature it is not to travel, traveled a distance of forty days, how much more so a voice, whose nature it is to travel! In an instant, Israel traveled from Ramses to Succoth, as per (Ibid. 19:4) "And I bore you on eagles' wings, etc." "to succoth": "succoth," ("booths") literally, as in (Genesis 33:17) "And Jacob traveled to Succoth, and for his cattle he made succoth (booths), for which reason the place was named Succoth." These are the words of R. Eliezer. R. Akiva says: "succoth" refers to the clouds of glory, as in (Isaiah 4:5) "And the L rd will create on the entire base of Mount Zion and on all of its branchings a cloud by day and smoke with a glow of flaming fire by night, on all the glory, a canopy." This tells me only of the past. Whence do I derive (the same for) the time to come? From (Ibid. 6) "And it shall be a succah to shade the day", (Ibid. 35:10) "And the redeemed of the L rd will return, etc." And the sages say: Succoth is a place, as in (Exodus 13:20) "And they journeyed from Succoth and they encamped in Etham." Just as Etham is a place, so, Succoth. R. Nechemiah says: "Succothah": The (conventional) "lamed" ("to") in the beginning is replaced by a "heh" at the end. (Exodus 12:37) "six hundred thousand men": sixty ten thousands, as in (Song of Songs 3:7) "Behold, the couch of Shlomoh, (acronymically, 'He who spoke and brought the world into being') sixty (ten thousands) of the warriors of Israel" (who left Egypt.) (Ibid. 8) "all of them holding the sword, taught in war," viz. (Numbers 21:14) "whereof it is written in the book of the wars of the L rd, etc." And it is written (Psalms 149:5-7) "Let the saintly exult in glory, let them sing upon their couches, the glory of G d in their throats," and (8) "to bind their kings with shackles," and (9) "to execute upon them the written judgment — glory to all of His saints, Hallelukah!" (Exodus, Ibid.) "aside from the children": aside from the women and children, (another six hundred thousand). These are the words of R. Yishmael. R. Akiva says: Aside from women, children, and the elderly, (each of the four groups consisting of 600,000). (Exodus 12:38) "and also a great multitude": a hundred and twenty ten thousands. These are the words of R. Yishmael. R. Akiva says: Two hundred and forty ten thousands. R. Nathan says: Three hundred and sixty ten thousands. "And flocks and herds, a great crush of cattle": Of this the Holy One Blessed be He had said to Abraham (Genesis 15:14) "And after this, they will go out with great wealth." At the exodus, I will fill them with silver and gold. (Exodus 12:39) "And they baked the dough": See above (Exodus 12:34) (Exodus , Ibid.) "ugoth matzoth": "ugoth" are wafers as in (Ezekiel 4:12) "As barley wafers (ugoth) shall you eat it," and (I Kings 17:13) "Make me from them a small uggah." A great miracle was performed for them through the wafers. They ate from them for thirty days until the manna descended. "for they were driven out of Egypt": I might think (that they left) of their own volition. It is, therefore, written ("for they were driven out of Egypt) and they could not tarry." "and provisions, too, they could not make for themselves": to apprise us of the eminence of Israel. They did not say to Moses: How can we venture into the desert with no provisions for the road, but they believed and went after Moses. Of them it is stated in the Tradition (Jeremiah 2:2) "Go and call out in the ears of Jerusalem, etc." What reward did they receive for this? (Ibid. 3) "Holy is Israel to the L rd, etc."