시편 138:3 미드라쉬: Aggadat Bereshit

"[2] Another interpretation: The LORD appeared to him [Abraham]. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: 'You shall make for Me an altar of earth' (Exodus 20:21). Rabbi Isaac Ne'eha said: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If one slaughters and spills a little blood, or the blood of a non-sanctified animal, or the blood of an ox, I come and bless him, as it says, 'In every place where I record My name [I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee]' (Exodus 20:21). How much more so for Abraham, who had a river of blood flowing from his house, and he circumcised himself, and all the people of his household, yet I did not come and bless him. Therefore, it is written, 'And the LORD appeared to him.' He came and saw the strength that the Holy One, blessed be He, gave him, for on one day he circumcised himself, and Ishmael his son, and blood was still dripping from his circumcision, yet he also circumcised all the men of his household, and the male children of his household. He saw how many male children there were in his household, eighteen hundred and thirty-two, and if all the members of his household were only these, he could sell his entire fortune for them, and they were all circumcised on the same day, as it says, 'In the selfsame day was Abraham circumcised, and Ishmael his son' (Genesis 17:26) and all the men of his household (Genesis 17:26)." From the elders, from the young. And "Yelid Beitoh" acquired (with his money) from a foreigner, they circumcised him, (his name is omitted), Abraham established a hill of foreskins in his house, and a river of blood flowed from his house. The Lord called upon the ministering angels and said to them, "Come and visit the sick." The angels said to Him, "Lord of the Universe, what is man that You should take note of him, and a mortal being, that You should pay him heed? (Psalms 144:3) You are walking in a place of filth, in a place of blood and filth." The Lord said to them, "You just mentioned the smell of that blood of foreskins that I commanded, and if you are not willing to go, I myself will go." Similarly, King Solomon said, "Until the day breathes and the shadows flee (Song of Songs 4:6) — these are the circumcised and the uncircumcised, whom Abraham took care of, who were like shadows coming and going so that they should not suffer from the word they were called." "I will go to the mountain of myrrh" (Song of Songs 4:6) — this is Abraham, who was called "myrrh," as it says, "myrrh and aloes" (Psalms 45:9). Therefore, the Lord appeared to him. Once the ministering angels saw him, they went with the Lord, as it says, "He lifted up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men were standing over against him" (Genesis 18:2), and David praised Him, saying, "All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth" (Psalms 25:10). This is Abraham, who kept the covenant of circumcision. Once the Lord revealed Himself to him, he was sitting, as it says, "And he sat at the door of his tent" (Genesis 18:1). Abraham came to stand when he saw the Shechinah, but the Lord said to him, "Do not move, as it says, 'The Lord says to my lord, "Sit at my right hand"' (Psalms 110:1). Abraham said to Him, "Master of the Universe! Such is the way of the world: a person sits while the king stands." The Lord said to him, "It does not matter. You are now old, one hundred years of age, and you wonder why I am standing and you are sitting? Your children, for generations, will be sitting in the synagogues while I stand, as it says, 'God stands in the congregation of God' (Psalms 82:1)." Abraham began to complain and said, "You gave me the shield of Your salvation (Psalms 18:36) when I pursued the kings, as it is said, 'Do not fear, Abram, I am a shield to you' (Genesis 15:1). And 'Your right hand will save me' (Psalms 138:7) when You held my right hand and helped me to circumcise myself, and 'Your answers will increase me' (Psalms 138:3), while I am sitting and You are standing."