וַיֵּצֵא֙ הַשָּׂטָ֔ן מֵאֵ֖ת פְּנֵ֣י יְהוָ֑ה וַיַּ֤ךְ אֶת־אִיּוֹב֙ בִּשְׁחִ֣ין רָ֔ע מִכַּ֥ף רַגְל֖וֹ עד [וְעַ֥ד] קָדְקֳדֽוֹ׃
사단이 이에 여호와 앞에서 물러가서 욥을 쳐서 그 발바닥에서 정수리까지 악창이 나게 한지라
Midrash Tanchuma
Even to the poor with thee. Our sages of blessed memory said: All manner of physical suffering is on one side (of the scale), while poverty is on the other. At the time that Satan came to denounce Job, it is said: Then Satan answered the Lord, and said: “Doth Job hear God for nought?” (Job 1:9). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job: Which do you prefer, poverty or suffering? He replied: I willingly accept all the suffering in the world but not poverty. How can I transact business in the marketplace without even a perutah in my possession? Satan thereupon departed from God and afflicted Job with ugly boils from the sole of his foot to his head. Job cried out: O that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come even to His seat (Job 23:3), to plead for divine justice. Elijah then said to him: Why do you complain? Did you not choose suffering in preference to poverty, as it is said: For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction (ibid. 36:21).
Vayikra Rabbah
Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua bar Avin and Rabbi Zekharya, son-in-law of Rabbi Levi, in the name of Rabbi Levi: The Merciful One does not afflict human beings first. From whom do you derive it? From Job, as it is stated: “The oxen were plowing [and the donkeys grazing beside them, and Sheba fell upon them and took them]” (Job 1:14–15).11Before afflicting Job himself, God took away his possessions. This teaches that the Holy One blessed be He showed him a sample of the World to Come, as it is stated: “The plowman will encounter the reaper” (Amos 9:13).12The midrash makes an ancillary point based on the fact that the donkeys were grazing alongside the oxen that were plowing. Generally there is nothing to graze in a field that has just been plowed. The midrash therefore derives that God gave a glimpse of the future reality described in Amos, in which the plowmen and reaper will work in the field at the same time because the produce will grow immediately. “Sheba fell upon them and took them; [they smote the lads by the sword]” (Job 1:15). Rabbi Avin bar Kahana said: They went from the village of Kerainos, traveled through all the intervening towns, and arrived at the tower of Tzivaya and they died there.13The lads were taken captive along with the animals, and died of their wounds only after they had travelled with their captors. “Only [rak] I, alone, escaped to tell you” (Job 1:15). Rabbi Yudan said: Everywhere that rak is stated, it is a limitation. He, too, was broken and stricken. Rabbi Yudan said: “Alone,” and it was incumbent upon me alone to tell you. He, too, once he heard, he immediately died.14Once Job heard the testimony of the lone survivor, that survivor died.
“This one was still speaking, and that one came and said: The Chaldeans set three columns [and staged a raid against the camels and took them; they smote the lads by the sword and only I alone escaped to tell you]” (Job 1:17). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When Job heard this he immediately began mobilizing his armies for war. That is what is written: “Because I feared the great horde and the contempt of families breaking me” (Job 31:34). He said: ‘This nation is contemptible,’ as it is stated: “Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, this people that was not” (Isaiah 23:13) – that did not come other than to impose fear. Since it is stated: “A fire of God fell from the heavens” (Job 1:16), he said: ‘What can I do?’ “A voice fell from the heavens” (Daniel 4:28). ‘What can anyone do?’ “I would be silent and not go out of the entrance” (Job 31:34). “He took for himself a potsherd to scratch with it” (Job 2:8).15This is because he was afflicted with severe boils (see Job 2:7).
The same is true in Egypt. “He delivered their livestock to hail, their cattle to bolts of lightning” (Psalms 78:48). Then, “it struck their vines and their fig trees, and it broke the trees of their border” (Psalms 105:33). Then, “He smote every firstborn in their land, the first fruits of all their vigor” (Psalms 105:36).16First God struck the Egyptians’ property and only then did He smite human beings.
The same is true of Maḥlon and Kilyon. Initially, the attribute of justice affected their property, and then, “both of them, Maḥlon and Kilyon, died” (Ruth 1:5). Regarding leprosy that befalls a person, initially it befalls his house. If he repents, it requires removal;17Removal of the stones; see Leviticus 14:40. if not, it requires demolition.18See Leviticus 14:45. It befalls his garments. If he repents, it requires laundering; if not, it requires burning.19See Leviticus 13:54–55. It befalls his body. If he repents, he is purified; if not, “he shall dwell in isolation” (Leviticus 13:46).
“This one was still speaking, and that one came and said: The Chaldeans set three columns [and staged a raid against the camels and took them; they smote the lads by the sword and only I alone escaped to tell you]” (Job 1:17). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: When Job heard this he immediately began mobilizing his armies for war. That is what is written: “Because I feared the great horde and the contempt of families breaking me” (Job 31:34). He said: ‘This nation is contemptible,’ as it is stated: “Behold, the land of the Chaldeans, this people that was not” (Isaiah 23:13) – that did not come other than to impose fear. Since it is stated: “A fire of God fell from the heavens” (Job 1:16), he said: ‘What can I do?’ “A voice fell from the heavens” (Daniel 4:28). ‘What can anyone do?’ “I would be silent and not go out of the entrance” (Job 31:34). “He took for himself a potsherd to scratch with it” (Job 2:8).15This is because he was afflicted with severe boils (see Job 2:7).
The same is true in Egypt. “He delivered their livestock to hail, their cattle to bolts of lightning” (Psalms 78:48). Then, “it struck their vines and their fig trees, and it broke the trees of their border” (Psalms 105:33). Then, “He smote every firstborn in their land, the first fruits of all their vigor” (Psalms 105:36).16First God struck the Egyptians’ property and only then did He smite human beings.
The same is true of Maḥlon and Kilyon. Initially, the attribute of justice affected their property, and then, “both of them, Maḥlon and Kilyon, died” (Ruth 1:5). Regarding leprosy that befalls a person, initially it befalls his house. If he repents, it requires removal;17Removal of the stones; see Leviticus 14:40. if not, it requires demolition.18See Leviticus 14:45. It befalls his garments. If he repents, it requires laundering; if not, it requires burning.19See Leviticus 13:54–55. It befalls his body. If he repents, he is purified; if not, “he shall dwell in isolation” (Leviticus 13:46).
Shemot Rabbah
“It was when Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them via the land of the Philistines, although is was near, as God said: Lest the people reconsider when they see war and return to Egypt” (Exodus 13:17).
“It was when Pharaoh let the people go” – that is what the verse says: “A whip for the horse, and a bridle for the donkey” (Proverbs 26:3). “A whip for the horse,” this is the first Pharaoh, as it is stated: “The Lord afflicted Pharaoh…over the matter of Sarai, Abram’s wife” (Genesis 12:17). Why does the verse state: “Abram’s wife”? “Two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4:9),1Pharaoh was struck due to the merit of both Abraham and Sarah. and it says: “He was good to Abram for her sake” (Genesis 12:16).2This demonstrates that the miracle was due to Abraham’s merit as well as Sarah’s merit.
“A bridle for the donkey,” this was Avimelekh. When? “As the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Avimelekh” (Genesis 20:18). He began praising himself and saying: “In the innocence of my heart and the cleanliness of my hands I did this” (Genesis 20:5). [God responded:] “I withheld you from sinning against Me” (Genesis 20:6). To what is this matter comparable? It is comparable to a donkey upon which a person was riding, which saw a baby in the street. He jumped over it and did not harm it. They began praising the donkey that jumped over the baby and did not harm it. Its owner said to them: ‘By your lives, were it not for me who pulled [it away with] the bridle in its mouth, it would have harmed it.’ Similarly, they said: ‘Avimelekh was upright that he did not draw near to Sarah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘He sought to do so, but I did not allow him to do so, and it was I who pulled him [away], as it is stated: “Lord, do not grant the desires of the wicked” (Psalms 140:9). That is why it says: “A bridle for the donkey.”
“A staff for the back of fools” (Proverbs 26:3) – this is Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Since they were devastated with the plagues, they freed Israel against their will, as it is stated: “It was when Pharaoh let [the people] go.” [The story of] Avimelekh, to what is it comparable? It is to one who entered the king’s palace and took his treasure chest in the dark. He went out and was apprehended. The king said to him: ‘What is in your hand?’ He was afraid. He said to him: ‘Why are you afraid? Did you take something from the palace?’ He said: ‘No.’ ‘What is this treasure chest? Who gave it to you?’ So, Avimelekh said before God: “Will you also kill a righteous nation?” (Genesis 20:4). [Avimelekh] said to Him: ‘You know that I did not touch her.’ [God] said to him: ‘And what is a man’s wife doing with you? Now send her away, as she is a married woman.’ “Behold, you will die, because of the woman whom you have taken…return the man's wife, as he is a prophet, and he will pray for you (Genesis 20:3,7).
What is “and he will pray for you”? It is analogous to a head of state who sent his slave to the judge [so the judge would] flog him. He began pleading to the judge. The judge said to him: ‘You did nothing to me, let your master say so and I will let you alone.’ So, God said: ‘Abraham entrusted his grievance to Me last night, and I dictated that I “execute justice for the oppressed” (Psalms 146:7) and you oppressed him. If he prays for you I will leave you alone,’ as it is stated: “And he will pray for you and you will live” (Genesis 20:7).
“And a bridle for the donkey” – [the story of] Pharaoh, to what is it comparable? It is [comparable] to a certain herdsman who would herd pigs. He found one sheep and took it among them. Its owner [who was the king,] sent to him and said: ‘Give me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘You have no sheep with me.’ The owner said [to his servants]: ‘Inform me from where he waters his animals.’ They went and informed him, and he sealed the springs. He said to him: ‘Send me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘You have no sheep with me.’ The owner said: ‘Inform me where he rests his animals.’ They went and informed him, and he destroyed the pens. He said to him: ‘Send me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘You have no sheep with me.’ The owner said: ‘Inform me where he grazes [his animals].’ They went and informed him, and he burned all the grass that he had. He said to him: ‘Send me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘You have no sheep with me.’ He said: ‘Inform me where his son goes to school.’ He went and abducted his son. He said to him: ‘Send me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘Here is your sheep.’
He was herding [his pigs] and then [the king] incarcerated him with his son. He said to him: ‘Now your sheep is no longer with me, why are you incarcerating me? What else do I have of yours?’ He said to him: ‘I demand of you everything to which it gave birth, and its shearings all the days that it was in your possession.’ He began screaming and saying: ‘If only I had not given it to you, and people would say [about me:] He stood by his word and did not send it to him, and it was [the king] who sought to kill him.’
So, the king [in the parable] is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, the sheep is Israel, the pig herdsman is Pharaoh. Israel descended to Egypt and [Pharaoh] imposed taxes upon them, as it is stated: “They imposed upon them taskmasters” (Exodus 1:11), and it says: “Every son that is born [you shall cast him into the river]” (Exodus 1:22). The Holy One blessed be He began saying to Moses, to say to Pharaoh: “Let My people go, and they will serve Me” (Exodus 7:16). He went and said it to him. [Pharaoh] began saying: “Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). Moses began and said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘He is saying “who is the Lord” and does not wish to let them go.’ [God] said to him: ‘Where does Egypt drink?’ He said to Him: ‘From the Nile.’ He said to him: ‘Transform it into blood.’ He said: ‘I cannot transform it. Is there a person who drinks from a well who throws a stone into it?’ He said to him: ‘Let Aaron go and turn it [into blood].’ Aaron went and struck it and it turned into blood. Why did Moses not strike it? He said: ‘I was thrown into it and it did not harm me.’ That is why Aaron struck it. The Egyptians began seeking [water] to drink but were unable to find any.
He again said: ‘Let My people go,’ but [Pharaoh] did not wish to do it. [God] said to [Moses]: ‘Where do his animals graze?’ [Moses responded:] ‘In the wilderness.’ He sent hail upon them and broke every tree of theirs and burned everything, as it is stated: “There was hail, and fire flaming…” (Exodus 9:24). Then he sent locusts against them, which ate all the vegetation on the trees, and he took his staff and burnedall the animals, as it is stated: “Behold, the hand of the Lord [is upon your livestock… a very severe pestilence]” (Exodus 9:3). He brought upon him all the plagues, but he did not want to let them go. Then He took his son and incarcerated him, as it is stated: “The Lord smote every firstborn” (Exodus 12:29). At that moment, he said: “Arise and depart” (Exodus 12:31).
[Pharaoh] pursued them, and [God] seized him and incarcerated him alongside his son, as it is stated: “He tossed Pharaoh and his army into the sea” (Psalms 136:15). Pharaoh began saying: ‘If only I had not let them go, and [people] would say: See, a man who stood by his word, [for now even though I have] let them go, He is killing me; that is: “A staff for the back of fools.” Why does it say “staff” in their regard? It is because all the first plagues did not affect them until He brought the boils upon them. Once they were afflicted [by boils], they said to each other: ‘This is a harsh plague.’ The expression “staff” means nothing other than boils, as Job says: “Let Him remove His staff from upon me” (Job 9:34).3Job had been struck by boils – see Job 2:7. That is why it is stated: “A staff for the back of fools.” Pharaoh said: ‘My people were stricken and He killed my son and his children are departing.’ Once he let them go, he began crying: ‘Woe, woe [vai vai]’– that is: “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh let the people go.”
“It was when Pharaoh let the people go” – that is what the verse says: “A whip for the horse, and a bridle for the donkey” (Proverbs 26:3). “A whip for the horse,” this is the first Pharaoh, as it is stated: “The Lord afflicted Pharaoh…over the matter of Sarai, Abram’s wife” (Genesis 12:17). Why does the verse state: “Abram’s wife”? “Two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4:9),1Pharaoh was struck due to the merit of both Abraham and Sarah. and it says: “He was good to Abram for her sake” (Genesis 12:16).2This demonstrates that the miracle was due to Abraham’s merit as well as Sarah’s merit.
“A bridle for the donkey,” this was Avimelekh. When? “As the Lord had closed all the wombs of the house of Avimelekh” (Genesis 20:18). He began praising himself and saying: “In the innocence of my heart and the cleanliness of my hands I did this” (Genesis 20:5). [God responded:] “I withheld you from sinning against Me” (Genesis 20:6). To what is this matter comparable? It is comparable to a donkey upon which a person was riding, which saw a baby in the street. He jumped over it and did not harm it. They began praising the donkey that jumped over the baby and did not harm it. Its owner said to them: ‘By your lives, were it not for me who pulled [it away with] the bridle in its mouth, it would have harmed it.’ Similarly, they said: ‘Avimelekh was upright that he did not draw near to Sarah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘He sought to do so, but I did not allow him to do so, and it was I who pulled him [away], as it is stated: “Lord, do not grant the desires of the wicked” (Psalms 140:9). That is why it says: “A bridle for the donkey.”
“A staff for the back of fools” (Proverbs 26:3) – this is Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Since they were devastated with the plagues, they freed Israel against their will, as it is stated: “It was when Pharaoh let [the people] go.” [The story of] Avimelekh, to what is it comparable? It is to one who entered the king’s palace and took his treasure chest in the dark. He went out and was apprehended. The king said to him: ‘What is in your hand?’ He was afraid. He said to him: ‘Why are you afraid? Did you take something from the palace?’ He said: ‘No.’ ‘What is this treasure chest? Who gave it to you?’ So, Avimelekh said before God: “Will you also kill a righteous nation?” (Genesis 20:4). [Avimelekh] said to Him: ‘You know that I did not touch her.’ [God] said to him: ‘And what is a man’s wife doing with you? Now send her away, as she is a married woman.’ “Behold, you will die, because of the woman whom you have taken…return the man's wife, as he is a prophet, and he will pray for you (Genesis 20:3,7).
What is “and he will pray for you”? It is analogous to a head of state who sent his slave to the judge [so the judge would] flog him. He began pleading to the judge. The judge said to him: ‘You did nothing to me, let your master say so and I will let you alone.’ So, God said: ‘Abraham entrusted his grievance to Me last night, and I dictated that I “execute justice for the oppressed” (Psalms 146:7) and you oppressed him. If he prays for you I will leave you alone,’ as it is stated: “And he will pray for you and you will live” (Genesis 20:7).
“And a bridle for the donkey” – [the story of] Pharaoh, to what is it comparable? It is [comparable] to a certain herdsman who would herd pigs. He found one sheep and took it among them. Its owner [who was the king,] sent to him and said: ‘Give me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘You have no sheep with me.’ The owner said [to his servants]: ‘Inform me from where he waters his animals.’ They went and informed him, and he sealed the springs. He said to him: ‘Send me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘You have no sheep with me.’ The owner said: ‘Inform me where he rests his animals.’ They went and informed him, and he destroyed the pens. He said to him: ‘Send me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘You have no sheep with me.’ The owner said: ‘Inform me where he grazes [his animals].’ They went and informed him, and he burned all the grass that he had. He said to him: ‘Send me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘You have no sheep with me.’ He said: ‘Inform me where his son goes to school.’ He went and abducted his son. He said to him: ‘Send me my sheep.’ He said to him: ‘Here is your sheep.’
He was herding [his pigs] and then [the king] incarcerated him with his son. He said to him: ‘Now your sheep is no longer with me, why are you incarcerating me? What else do I have of yours?’ He said to him: ‘I demand of you everything to which it gave birth, and its shearings all the days that it was in your possession.’ He began screaming and saying: ‘If only I had not given it to you, and people would say [about me:] He stood by his word and did not send it to him, and it was [the king] who sought to kill him.’
So, the king [in the parable] is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, the sheep is Israel, the pig herdsman is Pharaoh. Israel descended to Egypt and [Pharaoh] imposed taxes upon them, as it is stated: “They imposed upon them taskmasters” (Exodus 1:11), and it says: “Every son that is born [you shall cast him into the river]” (Exodus 1:22). The Holy One blessed be He began saying to Moses, to say to Pharaoh: “Let My people go, and they will serve Me” (Exodus 7:16). He went and said it to him. [Pharaoh] began saying: “Who is the Lord that I should heed His voice?” (Exodus 5:2). Moses began and said to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘He is saying “who is the Lord” and does not wish to let them go.’ [God] said to him: ‘Where does Egypt drink?’ He said to Him: ‘From the Nile.’ He said to him: ‘Transform it into blood.’ He said: ‘I cannot transform it. Is there a person who drinks from a well who throws a stone into it?’ He said to him: ‘Let Aaron go and turn it [into blood].’ Aaron went and struck it and it turned into blood. Why did Moses not strike it? He said: ‘I was thrown into it and it did not harm me.’ That is why Aaron struck it. The Egyptians began seeking [water] to drink but were unable to find any.
He again said: ‘Let My people go,’ but [Pharaoh] did not wish to do it. [God] said to [Moses]: ‘Where do his animals graze?’ [Moses responded:] ‘In the wilderness.’ He sent hail upon them and broke every tree of theirs and burned everything, as it is stated: “There was hail, and fire flaming…” (Exodus 9:24). Then he sent locusts against them, which ate all the vegetation on the trees, and he took his staff and burned
[Pharaoh] pursued them, and [God] seized him and incarcerated him alongside his son, as it is stated: “He tossed Pharaoh and his army into the sea” (Psalms 136:15). Pharaoh began saying: ‘If only I had not let them go, and [people] would say: See, a man who stood by his word, [for now even though I have] let them go, He is killing me; that is: “A staff for the back of fools.” Why does it say “staff” in their regard? It is because all the first plagues did not affect them until He brought the boils upon them. Once they were afflicted [by boils], they said to each other: ‘This is a harsh plague.’ The expression “staff” means nothing other than boils, as Job says: “Let Him remove His staff from upon me” (Job 9:34).3Job had been struck by boils – see Job 2:7. That is why it is stated: “A staff for the back of fools.” Pharaoh said: ‘My people were stricken and He killed my son and his children are departing.’ Once he let them go, he began crying: ‘Woe, woe [vai vai]’– that is: “It was [vayhi] when Pharaoh let the people go.”