Talmud su Genesi 25:35

¹⁰Gen. rabba 20(12), 45(14), 63(8). Rebbi Joḥanan in the name of Rebbi Eleazar ben Rebbi Simeon: We do not find that the Omnipresent talked to a woman, except only to Sarah. But is there not written¹¹Gen. 3:16.: “To the woman He said: I shall increase,” etc.? Rebbi Jacob of Kefar Ḥanin¹²Elsewhere he is called “from Kefar Ḥanan”. said, through an interpreter¹³Adam is addressed by the Eternal in 3:9, the woman in 3:13, the snake in 3:14.. But is there not written¹⁴Gen. 25:23.: “The Eternal said to her, two peoples are in your womb”? Rebbi Abba bar Cahana said, the Word fell to her¹⁵A word about her fell to a prophet (in the opinion of Gen. rabba, Sem ben Noah.). Rebbi Biri said, how many weaver’s shuttles! The Holy One, praise to Him, desires to hear the talk of the just women: “He said no, but you laughed.¹⁶The only time we find a mention of God addressing a woman directly it is about an unimportant matter.”

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.

There were seven patriarchs with whom a divine covenant was made, viz.: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron, Phinehas and David. In connection with Abraham it is written, In that day the Lord made a covenant with Abraham saying.³⁵Gen. 15, 18. In connection with Isaac it is written, But My covenant will I establish with Isaac.³⁶ibid. XVII, 21. In connection with Jacob it is written, Then will I remember My covenant with Jacob.³⁷Lev. 26, 42. In connection with Moses it is written, For after the tenor of these words I have made a covenant with thee and with Israel.³⁸Ex. 34, 27. In connection with Aaron it is written, It is an everlasting covenant of salt before the Lord.³⁹Num. 18, 19. In connection with Phinehas it is written, And it shall be unto him, and to his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood.⁴⁰ibid. XXV, 13. In connection with David it is written, I have made a covenant with My chosen, I have sworn unto David My servant.⁴¹Ps. 89, 4. Perhaps this passage is quoted here to teach men to emulate their special characteristics. Abraham stands as the example of hospitality, Isaac of self-sacrifice, Jacob of scholarship (cf. Gen. 25, 27, where according to Rabbinic interpretation tents means schools), Moses of meekness, Aaron of peace-making, Phinehas of zeal on behalf of God, and David of singing His praise.

What was the fence that Job made around his words? It says (Job 1:5), “A pure and righteous man, who fears God and turns away from evil.” This teaches us that Job distanced himself from anything that would bring him to sin, from any ugliness, and from anything even resembling ugliness. If that is so, then why do we have to also learn that he was “a pure and righteous man”? But instead, this is here to teach us that Job emerged [from the womb] already circumcised. Adam also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 1:24), “And God created the person in His image.” Seth also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 5:2), “He had a child in his likeness and image.” Noah also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 6:9), “A just and pure man in his generation.” Shem also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 14:18), “Malkitzedek, king of Shalem.”²Malkitzedek is understood in rabbinic tradition to be Shem. The Hebrew word shalem means “complete.” Jacob also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 25:27), “Jacob was a pure man, who sat in tents.” Joseph also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Genesis 37:2), “This is the progeny of Jacob: Joseph.” But shouldn’t it say [instead]: This is the progeny of Jacob: Reuben? What do we learn from [the fact that it says] Joseph? [We learn] that just as Jacob emerged already circumcised, (so, too,) Joseph emerged already circumcised. Moses also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Exodus 2:2), “She saw that he was good.” And what did his mother see in him that was lovelier and more praiseworthy than any other person? That he emerged circumcised. Bil’am the wicked also came out circumcised, as it says (Numbers 24:4), “The word of him who hears God’s speech.” (Samuel also emerged circumcised, as it says [I Samuel 2:26], “Young Samuel continued to grow and was good.”) David also emerged circumcised – as it says (Psalms 16:1), “A mikhtam³A ketem (which has the same Hebrew letters as mikhtam) can mean a type of spot or marking. of David. (Protect me, for I seek refuge in You).” Jeremiah also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Jeremiah 1:5), “Before I formed you in the belly, I knew you; and before you came out of the womb I consecrated you.” Zerubbabel also emerged already circumcised, as it says (Haggai 2:23), “On that day (I will take,) [declares the Eternal of Hosts, I will take] Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, declares the Eternal.” And it says (Job 31:1), “I have made a covenant with my eyes, so how can I gaze at a maiden [i.e., an unmarried woman]?” This teaches that Job was strict with himself and would not even look at a maiden. And if with a maiden – whom he could marry if he wished (to his son, to his daughter, or to [another] family member) – he was strict with himself and would not look at her, then all the more so [would he never look at] a married woman! And why was he so strict with himself not to look even at a maiden? Because Job said to himself: Perhaps I will look today, and tomorrow another man will come along and marry her, and then I will have looked at a married woman.

R. Joshua b. Levi said: I have never looked into a book of ’aggadta except once when I looked and found written therein that the one hundred and seventy-five sections of the Torah,⁴⁷i.e. the Pentateuch. in which occurs any expression of speaking, saying or commanding, correspond to the number of years of our father Abraham;⁴⁸Abraham lived 175 years (Gen. 25, 7). for it is written, Thou hast ascended on high, Thou hast led captivity captive; Thou hast received gifts⁴⁹Explained as the Torah given to Moses as a gift from God. for the sake of the man,⁵⁰viz. Abraham. Ps. 68, 19, E.V. among men. and it is also written, The greatest man⁵¹Also explained of Abraham. among the Anakim.⁵²Josh. 14, 15. On this account the Rabbis instituted one hundred and seventy-five orders in the Torah [to be read in public worship] every Sabbath⁵³Completing the entire Pentateuch in 175 weeks, or three and a half years: fifty orders or sections in one year. This was the Jerusalem practice. In Babylon and at the present time the Pentateuch is completed every year. [as regularly as the] continual burnt-offering.⁵⁴Cf. Num. 28, 10.

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’.

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’.

Ben Azzai would say: When someone’s mind is calm as a result of the wisdom they have acquired, that is a good sign. When someone’s mind is not calm as a result of the wisdom they have acquired, that is a bad sign. When someone’s mind is calm in the face of his desire, that is a good sign. When someone’s mind is not calm in the face of his desire, that is a bad sign. When the sages look kindly upon someone (at the time of his death), that is a good sign. When the sages do not look kindly upon someone, that is a bad sign. When someone is facing upward [at the time of his death], that is a good sign. When someone is facing downward, that is a bad sign. When someone looks people in the eye, that is a good sign. When someone avoids looking people in the eye, that is a bad sign. When someone’s face shines, that is a good sign. When someone’s face is gloomy, that is a bad sign.
At the hour of Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai’s death, he raised his voice and cried. His students said to him: Rabbi! You are a tall pillar, a light to the world, a mighty hammer; so why do you cry? He said to them: Am I going to face a human king? If he were angry with me, it would be only in this world. And if he imprisoned me or killed me, it would be only in this world. And what’s more, I would be able to pacify him with words, or bribe him with money. But no, I am going to face the King of all kings, the Holy Blessed One. And if He is angry with me, it will be in this world and in the World to Come. And what’s more, I cannot pacify Him with words or bribe Him with money. So I have two paths before me: one that leads to Paradise, and one that leads to Gehenna, and I do not know if He will force me into Gehenna or bring me into Paradise. For the verse says about Him (Psalms 22:30), “All who go down into the dirt will submit before him.” (With regard to Moses, it says that he breathed his last breath and died, and was gathered to his people.) It also says (Exodus 33:23), “I will remove my hand.” And then it says (Ezekiel 2:10), “And He spread it out before me, and it had writing on the front and on the back.” “On the front” refers to this world; “on the back” refers to the World to Come. Another interpretation: “On the front” refers to the sufferings of the righteous in this world and the tranquility of the wicked in this world. “On the back” refers to the reward for the righteous in the Future to Come, and the punishment for the wicked in Gehenna.
[The verse from Ezekiel continues:]“And on it were written lamentations, dirges, and woes” (Ezekiel 2:10). “Lamentations” refers to the punishment of the wicked in this world, as it says (Ezekiel 32:16), “This is the lamentation with which they shall lament for her; the women of the nations shall lament for her.” “Dirges” refers to the reward for the righteous in the Time to Come, as it says (Psalms 92:4), “Upon the ten-stringed instrument, and upon the lyre and the dirge of the harp.” “Woe” refers to the punishment of the wicked in the World to Come ,as it says (Ezekiel 7:26), “Woe will come upon woe, rumor upon rumor.”
He would also say: Clear your house of impurity, and prepare a chair for Hezekiah, king of Judah.