Talmud su Genesi 24:71

A bride¹Here used in the sense of a betrothed girl. In the Talmudic period betrothal (’erusin) and marriage (ḳiddushin) denoted two stages different from what they are now. ’Erusin took place in the bride’s home and ḳiddushin subsequently in the bridegroom’s home. It is important to note that the ceremony of ’erusin was binding upon the bridal couple and could not be dissolved without a bill of divorce. Later the current custom prevailed whereby the two ceremonies were combined and performed at the same time (cf. P.B., pp. 298f., the benediction on the first of the pages being of ’erusin). is forbidden to her husband without the [marriage] benediction²This consisted of seven benedictions. For the wording cf. K.R. I, 1, below p. 415f.; Keth. 7b-8a (Sonc. ed., pp. 31ff.); P.B., p. 299. in the same manner as a niddah.³In Biblical law the period of menstrual impurity lasted seven days (Lev. 15, 19ff.) but was extended by the Rabbis to eleven days. At the end of the period immersion in a ritual bath was necessary. Just as a niddah⁴Whose period of purification has ended. who has not immersed [in the ritual bath] is forbidden to her husband, so likewise is a bride forbidden to her husband without the [marriage] benediction. Whence is the benediction of bridegrooms derived from the Torah? As it is stated, And they blessed Rebekah.⁵Gen. 24, 60. And whence do we derive that even a widow is so forbidden?⁶On remarriage without the benediction, cf. Keth. 7a (Sonc. ed., p. 26). As it is stated, And he took ten men of the elders of the city … And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman … and let thy house be like the house of Perez.⁷Ruth 4, 2, 11f.

Rebbi Joshua ben Levi¹¹In the parallel in the Babli (26b), the opinion of Rebbi Joshua ben Levi is ascribed to R. Yose bar Ḥanina and the opinion of “the rabbis” in the following paragraph to R. Joshua ben Levi. The detailed derivation in both cases is declared to be a baraita, meaning that the two Amoraïm quoted do not claim originality, they simply adopt pre-existing ideas. said: They¹²The Men of the Great Assembly who instituted formal prayers and benedictions. learned prayers from the patriarchs. Morning prayer from our father Abraham (Gen. 19:27): “Abraham got up early to the place where he had stood there in the presence of the Eternal.” Standing means praying, as it says (Ps. 106:30) “Phineas stood and prayed¹³Usually translated as “judged”..” Minḥah prayers from our father Isaac. (Gen. 24:63) “Isaac went out to speak on the field¹⁴The essential proof is from the part of the verse that is not quoted: “To speak on the field towards evening.” [The Arabic שׁוח, corresponding to Hebrew שׂוח, means “to run, or fly, with outstretched arms”.].” Speaking means praying, as it says (Ps. 102:1) “A prayer of the deprived one when he faints and pours out his speech before the Eternal.” Evening prayer from our father Jacob. (Gen. 28:11) “He entreated at the Place¹⁵Usually translated “came suddenly upon the place.” For the meaning of “Place”, see H. Guggenheimer, The Scholar’s Haggadah, pp. 268–269..” Entreaty means prayer, as it is said (Jer. 27:18) “Please, let them entreat the Eternal of hosts.” And it says (Jer. 7:16): “Do not lift for them (your voice in) a cry and do not entreat me.”

⁶⁴Lev. rabba 36(5). How far did the merit of the forefathers extend? Rebbi Tanḥuma said in the name of the Elder Rebbi Ḥiyya, (Bar) [Rebbi]^G Naḥman said it in the name of Rebbi Berekhiah, Rebbi Ḥelbo in the name of Rebbi Abba bar Zavda, up to Joaḥaz. The Eternal was compassionate about them and had mercy for them etc., up to now⁶⁵2K. 13:23.. Up to that moment, the merit of the forefathers existed. Samuel said, up to Hosea’s [time]. But now, I shall uncover her scandalous behavior before the eyes of her lovers, and no man may save her from My hand⁶⁶Hos. 2:12.. Man can only mean Abraham, as you say, but now return theman’s wife, for he is a prophet⁶⁷Gen. 20:7.. Man can only mean Isaac, as you say, who is this man coming in the field towards us⁶⁸Gen. 24:65.? Man can only mean Jacob, as you say, but Jacob was a simple man⁶⁹Gen. 25:27.. Rebbi Joshua ben Levi said, up to Elijah: It was when the time of the afternoon service came that Elijah the prophet approached and said, O Eternal, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, today it shall be proclaimed that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant⁷⁰1K. 18:36. Since Elijah’s prayer was granted, this gives a terminus post quem. etc. Rebbi Yudan said, up to Hezekias, to increase dominion and peace without end⁷¹Is. 9:6.. ⁷²Sifra Behuqqotai Pereq 7(11), Ex. rabba 44(3). The argument really is not about the patriarchs’ merits but about the validity of the Covenant. Rebbi Aḥa said, the merit of the forefathers extends forever: For the Eternal is a Merciful Power, etc., up to and He shall not forget your forefather’s covenant⁷³Deut. 4:31.. This teaches that the covenant was sealed with the tribes. Rebbi Yudan bar Ḥanan in the name of Rebbi Berekhiah: The Holy One, praise to Him, said to Israel: If you see that the merit of the fathers reels, and the merit of the mothers trembles, go and cling to grace.⁷⁴Is. 54:10.For mountains may reel, and hills tremble; for mountains may reel, this is the fathers’ merit, and hills tremble, this is the mothers’ merit. After that, but My Grace will not leave you and My Covenant of Peace will not reel, says the One Who has mercy on you, the Eternal.

HALAKHAH: It was stated in the name of Rebbi Jehudah: Any place where it was said in any of these expressions: you begin and say, thus, and thus⁴³The first and last expressions were mentioned in the Mishnah. כה “thus” is the introduction to the priests’ blessing, Num. 6:23., it means in the holy language. Rebbi Eleazar said, the defining paradigm for all is: “Moses would speak and God would answer him by voice⁴⁴Ex. 19:19. This is not a reference to the statement of R. Jehudah, but to the argument of the Mishnah. While in that verse, the root ענה does not have the meaning of “to begin to speak” but “to answer”, the mention of קול “voice”, which was in Hebrew, transfers to the recitation of the Levites, who have to speak בְּקוֹל רָם “in the voice of the High”, where High is a Title of God, Is. 56:15; cf. below, Note 61..” Rebbi Ḥaggai objected, is there not written, “Laban and Bethuel began⁴⁵Gen. 24:50. As noted later, they spoke Aramaic.,” if you say because of “beginning” only, is there not written “and said⁴⁶That verse contains both roots, ענה and אמר, even if they are separated by the names of the speakers. Therefore, the argument of R. Jehudah is invalid.”? If you want to say, by “saying” only, is there not written “from the Eternal came the word”⁴⁷This is a counter-argument. Since Laban and Bethuel admitted that the betrothal of Rebecca was a word of the Eternal, did they not speak Hebrew at that moment?? If you want to say, in the holy language, is there not written “the stone heap of testimony⁴⁸Gen. 31:47. Since Laban had to translate Jacob’s גַלְעֵד into Aramaic, it follows that he did not speak Hebrew.”? If you want to say, before the Torah was given, is there not the text of the declaration of tithes⁴⁹Deut. 26:16. However, there only the root אמר is used. which may be recited in any language⁵⁰Cf. Mishnah 1.?

Rebbi Jeremiah and Rebbi Ammi asked¹⁶³The text is impossible as it stands. It must have been either “R. Jeremiah (fourth generation) said that R. Immi (second generation) asked” or “R. Yasa and R. Immi asked”. The sequel would support both versions.: What is the difference between her¹⁶⁴The woman whose hymen was impaired by a mechanical accident, who is declared eligible to marry a High Priest. and one who had sex with a finger¹⁶⁵Either she or another person perforated her hymen with his finger in sexual activity without penetration by a penis.? Is the one who had sex with a finger not disabled for priesthood¹⁶⁶The high priesthood. Only the High Priest is required to marry a virgin.? Rebbi Haggai said, explain it that there was no penetration¹⁶⁷If the girl had sexual experience without any penetration, she will qualify for a virgin’s ketubah.. Rebbi Haggai wanted to change his mind; Rebbi Abba said to him, do not change your mind. Why did Rebbi Haggai want to change his mind? Because of the verse¹⁶⁸Lev. 21:13, speaking of the high priest. The complicated expression אִשָּׁהבִבְתוּלֶיהָ “a woman in her virginities” instead of simpy בְּתוּלָה “a virgin” calls for an explanation.: “But he shall marry a wife in her virginities,” only if she is a virgin in both respects¹⁶⁹She must be a virgin without any sexual experience; cf. Babli Yebamot 59a.. Similarly, “a virgin and no man had known her.¹⁷⁰Gen. 24:16; here again the double expression calls for an explanation. In Gen.rabba 60(5), the explanation is ascribed to R. Simeon ben Laqish.” A virgin, with respect to penetration. No man had known her, without penetration. Rebbi Isaac ben Eleazar said, [no man] ever had wanted to touch her hand, for it was said¹⁷¹Ps. 125:3. In Gen.rabba 60(5), this explanation is ascribed to R. Joḥanan.: “The staff of evil shall not rest on the just’s lot.” Why did Rebbi Haggai want to change his mind? He could explain it by “touching”. Why does (Rav Yosef) [Rebbi Yasa]¹⁷²Since the author here cannot be the fourth generation Babylonian Rav Joseph (bar Ḥiyya), most likely he is Rebbi Yasa (cf. Note 163). not explain it by “touching”? Rebbi Mana said, because it presented a problem for him: Rebbi Yasa asked: What is the legal status of “touching”¹⁷³The touching of the genitals of two persons, whether there was penetration or emission or not. “Touching” is the legal definition of the sex act both for marriage (cf. Yebamot4:2, Note 59; Mishnah 6:1) and for criminal law (Mishnah Keritut 2:4; cf. Soṭah 1:2, Notes 97,98). The same question is asked in Qiddušin 1:1 (59c 1. 14). with a male? “Touching” with an animal? When Rebbi Jeremiah heard that of Rebbi Haggai, he said, that was not Rebbi Ammi’s problem¹⁷⁴That solution is too obvious not to have occured to R. Ammi, and it does not address his question which asks for the difference between a hymen split by mechanical means or by the girl’s own finger. In both cases, no male was involved..

BARAITHA. Seven patriarchs died in universal honour, and the worms and maggots had no power over them, viz. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Amram the father of Moses, Benjamin the son of Jacob, Jesse and Chileab.¹⁷⁹The second son of David (2 Sam. 3, 3, who is named Daniel in 1 Chron. 3, 1). Cf. Ginzberg, The Legends of the Jews, I, p. 22. Some add: David, as it is stated, Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth; my flesh also dwelleth in safety.¹⁸⁰Ps. 16, 9.
Seven entered Paradise in their lifetime, viz.: [Seraḥ [the daughter of Asher],¹⁸¹She showed Moses the place in the Nile where Joseph’s coffin lay hidden, thus enabling him to take it with him when the Israelites left Egypt (Ex. 13, 19). Cf. Ginzberg, op. cit., II, pp. 116, 181; V, pp. 96, 165, 356, n. 295, 359, n. 321. See also Soṭah 13a (Sonc. ed., p. 67). Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh,¹⁸²Cf. 1 Chron. 4, 18; Meg. 13a (Sonc. ed., p. 74); Ginzberg, op. cit., II, p. 270; V, p. 401, n. 60. Hiram, king of Tyre,¹⁸³Because he was of great help to Solomon in the building of the Temple. Cf. 1 Kings 5; Ginzberg, op. cit., IV, p. 155; V, pp. 96, 165; VI, p. 425. Ebed-melech the Ethiopian,¹⁸⁴He rescued the prophet Jeremiah when his life was in danger. Cf. Jer. 38, 11ff.; Ginzberg, op. cit., IV, pp. 318ff.; VI, pp. 387, 409f., 411f. Eliezer [the servant of Abraham],¹⁸⁵op. cit., I, p. 297; V, pp. 96, 165, 263, n. 301. the grandson of Judah the Prince,¹⁸⁶op. cit., V, p. 96, where he refers to R. Judah’s ‘slave’, not his grandson. Jabez¹⁸⁷op. cit., V, p. 96; VI, p. 187, n. 30, where Jabez is identified with R. Judah’s grandson. and some add, R. Joshua b. Levi].¹⁸⁸op. cit., V, pp. 31, 96, 165.
GEMARA. Seraḥ, as it is written, I am of them that are peaceable and faithful in Israel¹⁸⁹2 Sam. 20, 19, E.V. we are of them, etc.; the words which the wise woman spoke in the name of the people of the city. Here the words are applied to another wise woman, Serah. [which is interpreted,] It is I who completed the number of entrants to the Garden of Eden. Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh, as it is written, And his wife Hajehudijah bore Jered the father of Gedor … and these are the sons of Bithiah the daughter of Pharaoh whom Mered took.¹⁹⁰1 Chron. 4, 18. God said, ‘I will call Moses by no other name than she called him’,¹⁹¹Cf. Ex. 2, 10. as it is stated, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said: Moses, Moses.¹⁹²ibid III, 4. To this David alluded when he exclaimed, He sent from on high, He took me; He drew me out of many waters.¹⁹³2 Sam. 22, 17; Ps. 18, 17. [It is written,] And she called his name Moses, and said: Because I drew him out of the water.¹⁹⁴Ex. 2, 10. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Because she caused salvation to come to Israel and brought them forth to life, behold, I will prolong her life’. He [also] said, ‘I have made a covenant with your fathers and they followed in the path of their fathers. This woman, however, who has forsaken her royal status and attached herself to you, shall I not reward her?’
In what did Hiram, king of Tyre, earn his merit? Because he built a Tabernacle as Moses did; as it is written, Even all these vessels.¹⁹⁵1 Kings 7, 45. In the Heb. text the word for these is so spelt that it could be read ’ohel which is reminiscent of the ’ohel mo‘ed, ‘the tent of meeting’, which Moses erected. To what does the word these allude? To the tent of meeting. [Why did] Ebed-melech the Ethiopian [enter Paradise alive]? Because he brought up Jeremiah [from the dungeon], as it is written, And Ebed-melech the Ethiopian said unto Jeremiah, etc.¹⁹⁶Jer. 38, 12f. [Why did] Eliezer [enter Paradise alive]? Because he prayed on Abraham’s behalf. On what occasion? When he said, O Lord, the God of my master Abraham, send me, I pray Thee, good speed this day,¹⁹⁷Gen. 24, 12. and it is further written, Because the Lord thy God sent me good speed.¹⁹⁸ibid. XXVII, 20. Jacob said this to his father. And whence do we know that the latter one¹⁹⁹Jacob. [entered Paradise alive]? For it is written, And he brought him wine, and he drank;²⁰⁰ibid. XXVII, 25. and it further states, See, the smell of my son is as the smell of a field which the Lord hath blessed.²⁰¹ibid. 27, i.e., the Garden of Eden. Jacob, according to tradition, brought the vine from the Garden of Eden; cf. Midrash Rabbah, Genesis, LXV, 22 (Sonc. ed., p. 599): ‘When Jacob went in to his father, the Garden of Eden entered with him’.
And the grandson of R. Judah the Prince? For this we have a tradition. And R. Joshua b. Levi? For this too we have a tradition. And whence do we know it of Jabez? For it is written, And Jabez called on the God of Israel … and that Thy hand might be with me.²⁰²1 Chron. 4, 10. Some derive it from here, And that Thou wouldest work deliverance from evil, that it may not pain me.²⁰³ibid. Whence do we know that evil means death? As it is written, The righteous is taken away from the evil to come;²⁰⁴Isa. 57, 1. and it has been taught: But for the ills that come upon the world, the righteous would not be taken away before their time. And Jabez prayed concerning himself, That it may not pain me, [and then it is written,] And God granted him that which he requested.²⁰⁵1 Chron. 4, 10.

HALAKHAH: Rebbi Isaac said, the Torah uses any expression. And the man looked confidently at her³¹⁶Gen. 24:21.. “Any amphora which contains two seah.³¹⁷Mishnah Terumot 10:8.” “If they are fearful.³¹⁸Both Bible and Mishnah are finite texts and do exhaust the entire Hebrew vocabulary known at their times. Therefore it is not astonishing that occasionally one finds hapax legomena or at least uncommon expressions used in these texts. The use of שאה in the biblical text is hapax. In later texts, the root means “destruction”. The word usually is interpreted as a collateral form of שעה, but since the linguistic background of Genesis is the Accadic of the Patriarchs it may be Accadic šeū “to see” read as ש₁א₇א instead of ש₄א₇א, and therefore represents archaic Hebrew. A clay amphora as mentioned in Mishnah Terumot usually is חָבִית. The root of the uncommon word גָּרָב is the same as the biblical word (Lev. 21:20) “to be bone dry”, but the meaning is totally different. Similarly, in our Mishnah the expression צוֹדֶה does not mean “to hunt” but “to be afraid of an ambush”, comparable to Biblical צָדָה (Ex. 21:12, 1S 24:12) “to intend murder”, Arabic צדּי “to corrode (metal)”. Cf. Responsa Rashba, vol. 1, #523.”

There is another story of a young woman who was kidnapped, and two pious men went to pay her ransom. One of them was arrested and accused of robbery and sent to prison. Every day, his wife would bring him bread and water. One day, he said to her: Go to my friend [the other pious man] and tell him that I am being held in prison [(and accused of soliciting a prostitute), while he just sits in his house and does nothing to help the young woman. His wife replied: It’s bad enough that you are being held in prison, but now you also engage in this kind of foolishness?] He said to her: Please, just go and say this to him. So she went and related this to his friend. What did the friend do? He went and brought silver and gold, and other men with him, and got them both released. When the first man got out, he said: Let me sleep next to the young woman in bed, but with her clothes on. In the morning, he said to them: Now immerse me in water, and then immerse her in water. They did so. Then he said to them: What did you suspect during my immersion? They said to him: We said to ourselves, all that time that he was in prison, he was hungry and thirsty, and now he is out in the fresh air…so this all warmed up your flesh and you were overstimulated, so perhaps you had an ejaculation [and that is why you had to immerse]. He said: And what did you suspect during her immersion? They said to him: After all that time that she was among the idolaters, perhaps she ate and drank from their foods, and now you were telling us to immerse her so that she would be purified. He said to them: That is in fact just what happened, and you, who have judged me favorably, will be judged favorably by the Omnipresent God.
Just as the early righteous people were pious, so too were their animals. They say that Abraham’s camels would not go into a house that had idols in it, as it says (Genesis 24:31), “I have cleared the house, and made space for the camels.” [“I have cleared the house” – of idols. But what do you learn from “and made space for the camels”?] That teaches us that they would not go into the house of Lavan the Aramean until all the idols were cleared out.
There is a story that Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa’s donkey was stolen by robbers. They put it in the courtyard and placed straw, barley, and water in front it, but it would not eat or drink. They said: How can we leave it here? It will just die and rot in the courtyard. So they opened the door and put the animal outside, and it started walking and kept going until it reached [the home of] Rabbi Hanina ben Dosa. When it got there, his son heard it braying. He said: Father, isn’t this voice is like the voice of our animal? He said: Son, open the door for it, for it is clearly dying of hunger. He got up and opened the door, and put straw and barley and water in front of it, and it ate and drank. That is why they say: Just as the early righteous people were pious, so too were their animals.”

MISHNAH: Rebbi Nehorai says: I am leaving aside all trades in the world and teach my son only Torah²⁶²This really is frowned upon, Mishnah Avot 2:2, 4:5., for a man eats from its rewards in this world and the capital remains for the future world. But with other trades it is not so, for if a person is afflicted with sickness, or old age, or a measure of suffering, and cannot continue in his trade, he dies, abandoned, from hunger. But the Torah is different, it guards him from all evil in his youth and gives him a future and hope in his old age. What does it say about his youth? “Those who trust in the Eternal will renew strength, they rise on wings like an eagle, they run without effort, they walk without tiring.²⁶³Is. 40:31.” What does it say about his old age? “They still bear fruit in old age, fat and invigorated they will be.²⁶⁴Ps. 92:15.” So it says about our father Abraham, peace on him: “Abraham was old, came into days, and the Eternal blessed Abraham with everything.²⁶⁵Gen. 24:1.” We find that our father Abraham kept the entire Torah before it was given, as it is said: “As a reward because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My watch, My commandments, My laws, and My teachings.²⁶⁶Gen. 26:5.”

HALAKHAH: ²⁶⁷Tosephta 5:16–17; a shortened version in the Babli, 82b, and Masekhet Sopherim 17:1.“Rebbi Nehorai says: I am leaving aside all trades in the world and teach my son only Torah.” For all trades support a person only in his youth as long as he is in possession of his powers. But if a person is afflicted with sickness or a measure of suffering, and cannot continue working, he dies from hunger. But the Torah is different, it honors him and guards him from all evil in his youth and gives him a future and hope in his old age²⁶⁸G has here an amplification that looks redundant.. What does it say about his youth? “Those who trust in the Eternal will renew strength, they rise on wings like an eagle, they run without effort, they walk without tiring.²⁶³Is. 40:31.” What does it say about his old age? “They still bear fruit in old age, fat and invigorated they will be.²⁶⁴Ps. 92:15.” So you find about the patriarch Abraham who kept the Torah before it came into the world²⁶⁹G lacks “into the world”. The text of L should be interpreted as “came into this world”, not excluding the doctrine of pre-existence of the Torah in the abstract prior to Creation., as it is said: “As a reward because Abraham listened to My voice and kept My watch, My commandments, My laws, and My teachings.²⁶⁶Gen. 26:5.” Also it made him great and blessed him in his youth and gave him a future and hope in his old age. What does it say about his youth? “Abraham was very wealthy with livestock, silver, and gold.” And about his old age, what does it say? “Abraham was old, came into days, and the Eternal blessed Abraham with everything.²⁶⁵Gen. 24:1.”

R. Nehorai said: I abandon all professions in the world and teach my son only Torah,¹Inserted by GRA in agreement with Ḳid. 82a (Sonc. ed., p. 423). because a man enjoys part of its reward in this world while the principal remains intact for the world to come. The other professions, however, are not so. For should a person come to sickness, old age or suffering and is unable to carry on his work, he would die of starvation; whereas with the Torah it is not so, but it protects him from all evil in his youth and gives him a future and hope in his old age. What does it say in Scripture of his youth? But they that wait for the Lord shall renew their strength.²Isa 40, 31. And what does it say of his old age? They shall still bring forth fruit in old age.³Ps. 92, 15. In Ḳid. loc. cit. the Mishnah adds: ‘And thus it is said of our father Abraham, And Abraham was old … and the Lord blessed Abraham in all things (Gen. 24, 1)’.

⁶¹From this point to the end of the tractate is an aggadic addendum. The greatest man among the Anakim⁶²Josh. 14, 15.—among the Anakim refers to our father Abraham whose height was equal to that of seventy-four men; his eating and drinking were of a similar proportion, equal to those of seventy-four men; so too his strength. What did he do?⁶³This is probably a reference to Gen. 25, 6, But unto the sons of the concubines … Abraham gave gifts; and he sent them away … eastward, unto the east country. He removed the sixteen⁶⁴So GRA in accordance with Gen. 25, 2-4. V, M and H incorrectly ‘seventeen’. sons of Keturah, built for them a walled city of iron and settled them in it. The sun never penetrated into it because it was exceedingly high, so Abraham handed to them disks of precious stones and pearls of which use will be made⁶⁵So GRA. V, M and H read, ‘and they will be used’. in the hereafter when the Holy One, blessed be He, will cause the sun and moon to be confounded, as it is written, When the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed,⁶⁶Is. 24, 23. because use will be made of these [disks as luminaries].
Og⁶⁷King of Bashan; Deut. 3, 11. is identical with Eliezer,⁶⁸Abraham’s servant; cf. Gen. 15, 2, XXIV, 2ff. and [he was so huge that] he could hide Abraham’s feet in the palm of his hand. Once he was rebuked [by Abraham] and from fright his tooth fell out. Abraham picked it up and made ivory beds of it in which he slept. Others say that he made of it a chair which he used⁶⁹lit. ‘and sat in it’. all his life. Who gave him to Abraham? Nimrod.⁷⁰Mentioned in Gen. 10, 8ff. Og went and built sixty cities, the smallest of which was sixty miles high, as it is stated, Threescore cities, all the region of Argob.⁷¹Deut. 3, 4. And what did he eat? A thousand oxen and the same [number of] other animals, and his drink consisted of a thousand measures. A⁷²So GRA. V, M and H read ‘and what was the’. drop of his semen weighed thirty-six pounds.⁷³V and H add ‘and so for all generations’, which makes no sense.
It was taught: What did our father Jacob do when his sons brought him the coat [stained] with blood?⁷⁴Cf. Gen. 37, 31ff. He did not believe them at all. Whence do we infer this? For it is written, But he refused to be comforted,⁷⁵ibid. 35. because no consolations are acceptable for a living person. One, however, who is dead passes naturally from the mind,⁷⁶lit. ‘he is forgotten from the heart of his own accord’. as it is stated, I am forgotten as a dead man out of mind.⁷⁷Ps. 31, 13. What then did he do? He proceeded to make a test with sheaves,⁷⁸GRA transposes the order of V, M and H by putting the test of the sheaves before that of the stones, and omits ‘according to the first opinion’. writing upon them the respective names of the tribes, their constellations and the months, and said to them, ‘I order you to prostrate yourselves before Levi because he wears the Urim and Thummim’,⁷⁹Cf. Ex. 28, 30. but they did not stand up. ‘Before Judah who is king’, but they did not stand up; but when he mentioned Joseph to them, they all stood up and bowed before Joseph. But it was not yet quite clear that he was alive. So Jacob went to the mountains, hewed twelve stones, arranged them in a row, and wrote on each the name of its tribe, the name of its constellation and the name of its month. On one stone he wrote ‘Reuben, lamb, Nisan’⁸⁰The name of the tribe, constellation and month. and similarly on every stone. He began from Simeon and said to them, ‘I order you to stand up for Reuben’, but they did not stand up. ‘For Simeon’, but they did not stand up. ‘For every tribe’, but the stones did not stand up. As soon, however, as he mentioned the name of Joseph to them, they stood up at once and bowed before Joseph’s stone.⁸¹The translation follows the text of GRA. For this reason, all the tribes were written on Joseph’s stone. Similarly, all Israel are called by Joseph’s name, as it is stated, Thou that leadest Joseph like a flock.⁸²Ps. 80, 2 where Joseph is a synonym of all Israel. So also all the heads of the families of the priests and Levites, [e.g.] Eliashib,⁸³Neh. 3, 1. because of the phrase lahashibo ’el ’abiw;⁸⁴In the story of Joseph (Gen. 37, 22), E.V. to restore him to his father. The name Eliashib is broken up in three parts corresponding in sound and meaning to these three Heb. words. From ‘For this reason’ to ’abiw is the reading of GRA. V and H have instead: ‘but from the mishmaroth, Eliashib the priest’. Elḳanah,⁸⁵Connected with ḳanah, ‘he bought’. because Potiphar had bought him [as it is stated,] And Joseph ms brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar … bought him.⁸⁶Gen. 39, 1. V inserts in parentheses, And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Ẓaphenath, paneah, etc. (ibid. XLI, 45), which has no relevance to the subject.
When Rebekah left her father’s house⁸⁷Cf. ibid. XXIV, 59ff. she was three years old,⁸⁸V, M and H add ‘and three days’. because it is customary among kings, when a daughter is born to them, to hear of it after three days;⁸⁹H reads ‘after three years and three days’. but as her father did not hear [of her birth] he did not defile her up to that time; and now a miracle happened to her in that her father died so that he should not defile her, as it is written, Neither had any man known her,⁹⁰Gen. 24, 16. and by man only her father could be meant,⁹¹From ‘he did not’ to ‘meant’ is GRA’s reading. V, M and H read: ‘therefore a miracle happened to her that she should not be defiled’. for such was the practice of the Arameans to lie with their virgin daughters after they were three years of age,⁹²‘After … age’ is inserted by GRA; omitted in V, M and H. and then to give them away in marriage.⁹³V, M and H add: ‘on account of that which is written, Neither had any man known her, and by man only her father could be meant’.
Dinah was six years old when she bore Asenath from [her association with] Shechem,⁹⁴Cf. Gen. 34. corresponding to⁹⁵lit. ‘the number of’. the six years which Jacob served Laban in payment for the flock,⁹⁶ibid. XXXI, 41. thus completing⁹⁷lit. ‘until’. the twenty years of his service. [The Archangel] Michael then descended and took her away to the house of Potiphar.
From here onward let the man of understanding increase knowledge.⁹⁸From ‘completing the twenty years’ to ‘knowledge’ is GRA’s text. V and M have instead: ‘and he added twenty years, because he died. From this point onwards let the man of understanding increase knowledge. And Michael descended and led her to Potiphar’s house’.