출애굽기 12:1의 미드라쉬

“And Hashem said to Moses and to Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, ‘I hear that the the word was to Aaron and to Moses. When it says, ‘It happens on the day Hashem spoke to Moses (in the land of Egypt)’ (Exodus 6) - it was to Moses and not to Aaron. If so why does it teach, ’to Moses and to Aaron'? Except it teaches that just as that Moses was crowned for leadership, thus also Aaron was crowned for leadership. For what reason did he not speak with him? Because of his respect for Moses. Aaron is found excluded from all of the leadership that is in the Torah except from three places, from which it is possible.

...R’ Yehoshua be Levi said: If the nations of the world knew how good the Holy Temple was for them, they would surround it with fortifications in order to guard it. It was better for them than it was for Israel, just as Shlomo ordered his prayer “And also to the stranger, who is not of Your people Israel…” (Kings I 8:41 and it is written “…and do according to all that the stranger calls You for…” (Kings I 8:43) But when it comes to Israel, what is written? “…and give to each man according to his ways, whose heart You know…” (Chronicles II 6:30) If it was appropriate, He would give, and if not He would not. Don’t say that (they should value) the Holy Temple. Rather, if it were not for Israel the rain would not fall and the sun would not shine, because in their merit the Holy One brings plenty to His world. In the world to come the nations of the world will see how the Holy One is with Israel and they will come to cleave to them, as it says “In those days, when ten men of all the languages of the nations…” (Zechariah 8:23)

1) "And He called to Moses and the L–rd spoke to him, etc." "to him" — to exclude Aaron. R. Yehudah b. Betheira said: Thirteen dibroth (accompanied by a command) were stated in the Torah to Moses and Aaron, and, corresponding to them, thirteen limitations, to teach us that they were not spoken to Aaron, but to Moses, to tell them to Aaron. (The dibroth: 1) [Shemoth 6:13]; 2) [Shemoth 7:8]; 3) [Shemoth 9:8]; 4) [Shemoth 12:1]; 5) [Shemoth 12:43]; 6) [Vayikra 11:1]; 7) [Vayikra 13:1]; 8) [Vayikra 14:33]; 9 [Vayikra 15:1]; 10 [Bamidbar 2:1]; 11 [Bamidbar 4:1]; 12 [Bamidbar 4:18]; 13) [Bamidbar 19:2].)

(Numb. 1:1:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT, IN THE TENT OF MEETING. Before the Tent of Meeting was set up, he spoke with him in the bush, as stated (in Exod. 3:2): THEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD {CALLED} [APPEARED] UNTO HIM IN A FLAME OF FIRE FROM THE MIDST OF A BUSH.²⁰Tanh., Numb. 1:3; Numb. R. 1:3. [After that he spoke with him in Midian, as stated (in Exod. 4:19): THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES IN MIDIAN.] After that he spoke with him in Egypt, as stated (in Exod. 12:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON IN THE LAND OF EGYPT. After that he spoke with him in Sinai, as stated (in Lev. 25:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES ON MOUNT SINAI. When the Tent of Meeting was set up, he said: Humility is beautiful, as stated (in Micah 6:8): <HE HAS TOLD YOU, O HUMAN, WHAT IS GOOD…,> AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH {THE LORD} YOUR GOD. He began to speak with him in the Tent of Meeting. Likewise David also says (in Ps. 45:14 [13]): ALL GLORIOUS IS THE KING'S DAUGHTER WITHIN; [HER CLOTHING IS OF GOLD BROCADE]. THE KING'S DAUGHTER: This <king> is Moses, as stated (in Is. 19:4): AND I WILL DELIVER THE EGYPTIANS INTO THE HAND OF A HARSH LORD. These²¹Since LORD (adonim) is a plural of excellence or majesty, it is readily seen as representing a plurality of plagues. are the plagues which came upon the Egyptians. (Ibid., cont.:) AND A STRONG KING SHALL RULE OVER THEM. This is Moses, who was king of Torah, which is called STRENGTH, where it is stated (in Ps. 29:11): THE LORD WILL GRANT STRENGTH TO HIS PEOPLE. Ergo (in Ps. 45:14 [13]): ALL GLORIOUS IS THE KING'S DAUGHTER WITHIN. (Ibid., cont.:) HER CLOTHING IS OF GOLD BROCADE. This is Aaron, since it is stated (in Exod. 28:13): AND YOU SHALL MAKE A GOLD BROCADE. Hence, our masters have said: Every bride who conceals herself (because of humility, i.e., modesty), even though she be an <ordinary> Israelite woman, is worthy of being married to a priest and to raise up high priests, since it is stated (in Ps. 45:14 [13]): HER CLOTHING IS OF GOLD BROCADE. The Holy One said: Likewise it befits him to speak from within, as stated (in Numb. 7:89): [WHEN²²This bracketed section ends in the first part of section 10 and represents a missing page in Buber’s primary Oxford Ms. MOSES WENT INTO THE TENT OF MEETING TO SPEAK WITH HIM, HE WOULD HEAR THE VOICE SPEAKING UNTO HIM. R. Joshua ben Levi said: If the people of the world had known how auspicious the Temple was for them, they would have surrounded it with military encampments²³Lat. castra. in order to protect it,²⁴Lev. R. 1:11. since it was more auspicious for them than for any of Israel; for thus did Solomon set forth in his prayer (in II Chron. 6:32-33 // I Kings 8:41-42):²⁵The passage is actually a conflation of the parallel passages, which Buber has emended to agree with Chron. 6:32-33. AND LIKEWISE, {IN THE CASE OF} [UNTO] THE FOREIGNER, WHO IS NOT OF YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL AND COMES FROM A DISTANT LAND FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR GREAT NAME, YOUR MIGHTY HAND, AND YOUR OUTSTRETCHED ARM, IF {HE COMES} [THEY COME] UNTO THIS HOUSE TO PRAY, MAY YOU HEARKEN <UNTO HIM> FROM HEAVEN, EVEN FROM THE PLACE WHERE YOU DWELL, AND DO ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE FOREIGNER CRIES OUT UNTO YOU, IN ORDER THAT ALL THE PEOPLES OF THE EARTH MAY KNOW YOUR NAME [AND] FEAR YOU, AS DO YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL, AND THAT THEY MAY KNOW THAT YOUR NAME IS CALLED UPON IN THIS HOUSE WHICH I HAVE BUILT. But when he comes to Israel, what is written (in II Chron. 6:30 = I Kings 8:39)? AND YOU SHALL GIVE TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO ALL HIS WAYS, SINCE YOU KNOW HIS HEART. Solomon said: Sovereign of the Universe, if he is worthy, give to him; if he is not worthy, do not give to him. Moreover, you should not <only> say that the temple <was auspicious for them>.²⁶So Tanh. Numb. 1:3. In fact, if it had not been for Israel, no rain would ever have come down²⁷Cf. Gen. R. 39:12. nor would the sun have shown; for it was through their merit that the Holy One brought relief to the world. Also in the world to come, when the peoples of the world shall see, in the case of Israel, how the Holy One is with them, they shall come to join them, as stated (in Zech. 8:23): IN THOSE DAYS WHEN TEN PEOPLE FROM ALL THE LANGUAGES OF THE NATIONS TAKE HOLD, THEY SHALL TAKE HOLD OF THE SKIRT OF A JEWISH PERSON, [SAYING]: LET US GO WITH YOU FOR WE HAVE HEARD THAT GOD IS WITH YOU.

(Numb. 1:1:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert, in the tent of meeting.” Before the tent of meeting was set up, He spoke with him in the bush, as stated (in Exod. 3:4), “and God called him from the bush.¹³Numb. R. 1:3. After that He spoke with him in Midian, as stated (in Exod. 4:19), “Then the Lord said unto Moses in Midian.” After that He spoke with him in Egypt, as stated (in Exod. 12:1), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses and unto Aaron in the land of Egypt.” After that He spoke with him at Sinai, as stated (in Lev. 25:1), “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses on Mount Sinai.” When the tent of meeting was set up, He said, “Humility is beautiful,” as stated (in Micah 6:8), “and to walk humbly with your God.” [So] He began to speak with him in the tent of meeting. Likewise David also says (in Ps. 45:14), “All glorious is the king's daughter within; her clothing is of gold brocade.” “The king's daughter” – that is Moses, as stated (Exod. 2:10), “and she brought him to the daughter of Pharaoh, and he was a son to her.” And it is written (in Is. 19:4), “And I will deliver the Egyptians into the hand of a harsh lord.” – these¹⁴Since LORD (adonim) is a plural of excellence or majesty, it is readily seen as representing a plurality of plagues. are the plagues which came upon the Egyptians; (ibid., cont.) “and a strong king shall rule over them” – this is Moses, who was king of Torah, which is called strength, where it is stated (in Ps. 29:11), “The Lord will grant strength to His people.” Ergo (in Ps. 45:14), “All glorious is the king's daughter within.” (Ibid., cont.) “Her clothing is of gold brocade.” This is Aaron, since it is stated (in Exod. 28:13), “And you shall make a gold brocade.” Hence, our masters have said, “Every bride who conceals herself (because of modesty), even though she be an [ordinary] Israelite woman, is worthy of being married to a priest and to raise up high priests, since it is stated (in Ps. 45:14), ‘All glorious is the king's daughter within; her clothing is of gold brocade.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “My honor is like this” – that He speak from within, as stated (in Numb. 7:89), “When Moses went into the tent of meeting to speak with Him, he would hear the voice speaking unto him.” R. Joshua ben Levi said, “If the people of the world had known how auspicious the Temple was for them, they would have surrounded it with military encampments¹⁵Lat. castra. in order to protect it,¹⁶Lev. R. 1:11. since it was more auspicious for them than for any of Israel; for thus did Solomon set forth in his prayer (in I Kings 8:41-42), ‘And likewise, unto the foreigner, who is not of Your people Israel […] may You hearken [unto him] from heaven […] and do according to all that the foreigner cries out unto You.’ But when he comes to Israel, what is written? (In II Chron. 6:30) ‘and You shall give to each one according to all his ways, since You know his heart.’ Solomon said, ‘Master of the universe, if he is worthy, give to him; if he is not worthy, do not give to him.’” Moreover, you should not [only] say that the Temple [was auspicious for them]. In fact, if it had not been for Israel, no rain would ever have come down¹⁷Cf. Gen. R. 39:12. nor would the sun have shown; for it was through their merit that rain falls and that the Holy One, blessed be He, has [the sun] shine in this world. And in the future, the peoples of the world shall see, how the Holy One, blessed be He, clings to Israel, and they shall cling to them [as well], as stated (in Zech. 8:23), “Let us go with you for we have heard that God is with you.”

And the Lord spoke unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying (Exod. 12:1). Is it not a fact that He spoke only to Moses? Why, then, does the Scripture say unto Moses and Aaron? To indicate that just as Moses was included in the revelation, so too was Aaron. Where do we learn that He did not speak to Aaron? From the verse And it came to pass on the day that the Lord spoke unto Moses in the land of Egypt (Exod. 6:28), that is, to Moses and not to Aaron. Similarly in the above verse He spoke to Moses but not to Aaron. Why did He not speak to Aaron? In order (to enhance) Moses’ honor. However, if that were so, would not Aaron’s honor be diminished? No. For they were equals. You find that whenever two things are mentioned together they are of equal importance. On that day the heaven and the earth were finished (Gen. 2:1), and they are equal. Honor thy father and mother (Exod. 20:12), and they are equal. Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh (Num. 14:38), and they were equals. Similarly, Moses and Aaron were equals.

This month shall be unto you (Exod. 12:1). R. Ishmael said: He showed him the moon during night and said: Like this shall you examine the new moon; this shall be the law for future generations. Teach them the time of the new moon. He said to them: Until now I intercalated the year (adding an additional month in leap years), but now I turn this responsibility over to you. From now on you shall count (the days and designate the time) for the appearance of the new moon. This month. This is Nisan, and there is no other (i.e., no intercalated second Nisan to sere as the first month). With regard to Tishri it is written: And the feast of ingathering (Sukkot) at the turn of the year (the autumnal equinox) (Exod. 34:22). This teaches us that the month in which the festival called the feast of the ingathering at the turn of the year occurs is the month in which the year actually changes. However, Tishri is called the seventh month only because it comes seven months after Nisan. This month refers to Nisan. A hint of this (is the fact that it is the only month that is spoken of as the first month),⁷Nisan begins the secular year and therefore is counted as the first month. It marks the anniversary of the deliverance from Egyptian bondage. It is the month in which the reigns of kings begin, and the month from which the festivals are instituted. as Scripture states: In the first month, which is the month of Nisan (Est. 3:17), first for months, and first for festivals, since (Passover) is written first: The festival of Passover, the festival of Shavuot, the festival of Sukkot.

Thus did R. Tanhuma interpret (Exod. 12:1–2): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, SAYING: THIS MONTH SHALL BE FOR YOU THE BEGINNING OF THE MONTHS…. This text is related (to Cant. 2:10–12): MY BELOVED ANSWERED AND SAID TO ME: ARISE, MY DARLING, MY FAIR ONE, AND COME AWAY. FOR NOW THE WINTER IS PAST,…. THE BLOSSOMS HAVE APPEARED IN THE LAND….²⁹PRK 5:9; PR 15:10; Cant. R. 2:9:5. MY BELOVED ANSWERED through Moses AND SAID TO ME through Aaron: ARISE, MY DARLING (rt.: R'H), O daughter of Abraham, who befriended (rt.: R'H) me in the world. MY FAIR ONE (rt.: YPH), O daughter of Isaac, who beautified (rt.: YPH) me in the world, when his father bound him upon the altar. AND COME AWAY, O daughter of Jacob, the one who (according to Gen. 28:7) heeded HIS FATHER AND HIS MOTHER [AND WENT TO PADDAN-ARAM]. R. Aqiva says: The text <reads> ARISE<…,> [COME AWAY] (both of which are feminine imperatives with the letter yod at the end). The < extra > yod stands for ten, [due to] the ten commandments which you are going to receive on Sinai. ARISE, MY DARLING, MY FAIR ONE <AND COME AWAY>…. R. Johanan said: MY DARLING (R'YTY) <belongs in the context of> what is written (in Exod. 29:39): THE ONE LAMB YOU SHALL OFFER IN THE MORNING….³⁰The Masoretic text of Cant. 2:10 vowels R‘YTY as ra‘yati (MY DARLING). R. Johanan would revowel R‘YTY as re‘iyyati (MY PASTURING), a word which refers especially to the pasturing of sacrificial animals. Hence the reference to the sacrificial lambs of Exod. 29:39.

What is written above (in Exod. 11:9) on the matter? NOW THE LORD HAD SAID UNTO MOSES: PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU…. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: This parashah says at the beginning of the plagues (in Exod. 7:4): PHARAOH WILL NOT HEARKEN UNTO YOU. But R. Nehemiah says: <The warning> is stated in its <present> place (in Exod. 11:9, which continues): <IN ORDER THAT MY WONDERS MAY BE MULTIPLIED IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, > in the sea more than in Egypt. (Exod. 11:10) SO MOSES AND AARON PERFORMED ALL THESE WONDERS…. The Holy one wished to credit this parashah to Moses alone.³⁷See Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, which gives the following marginal addition: R. Jacob said: A defense (Gk.: synegoria) was entered before the Holy One. It said to him: Sovereign of the Universe, (according to Exod. 11:10) MOSES AND AARON PERFORMED….; yet you wish to credit this parashah to Moses alone! The Holy One said to it: You have taught well. As you (Moses and Aaron) live, I am crediting it to both of you. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 12:1): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON …

Three things Moses found difficult and the Holy One, blessed be He, showed them to him with a finger and these are them: The making of the menorah, the moon, and creeping things.³⁵Below, Numb. 3:4; Mekhilta, Pisha 2; Men. 29a; PRK 5:15; PR 15:21; Numb. R. 15:4; cf. Sifre to Numb. 8:4 (61); Exod. R. 15:28; Numb. R. 15:10; also below, Numb. 3:11, and the notes there. In the making of the menorah, how [was it]? When Moses ascended [Sinai], the Holy One, blessed be He, was showing him on the mountain how he would make the tabernacle. When He showed him the making of the menorah, Moses found it difficult.³⁶Below, Numb. 3:4. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “See, I am making it before you.” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He showed him white fire, red fire, black fire, and green fire. Then from them He made the menorah, its bowls, its knobs, its blossoms, and the six branches. Then He said to him (in Numb. 8:4), “This is the making of the menorah.” This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him with a finger. But nevertheless, [Moses] found it difficult. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He engraved it on the palm of Moses’ hand. He said to him, “Go down and make it just as I have engraved it on your hand.” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 25:40), “Observe and make them [by means of] their pattern.” Even so, he found it difficult and said (in Exod. 25:31), “with difficulty (mqshh)³⁷While this meaning, so understood by the midrash, is possible, a more usual English translation would read, HAMMERED WORK, or something similar. will the menorah be made,” meaning to say, how difficult it was to make. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Cast the gold into the fire, and it will be made automatically.” So it is stated, “with difficulty will the menorah be made” [be made (a reflexive form, in the niph'al) is what is written, i.e.,] was made of its own accord. This teaches that Moshe had difficulty with the menorah, and the Holy One, blessed be He, showed it to him with a finger, as stated (in Numb. 8:4), “this.” In reference to the moon (yareah), where is it shown [that Moses had difficulty]? (Exod. 12:1-2) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses…, ‘This month (hodesh) for you.’”³⁸Hodesh also means “new moon.” He said to him, “In the month of Nissan, you will see like this and like that and [you shall] sanctify [it].” This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him with a finger. In reference to creeping things, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Lev. 11:29), “Now this shall be unclean for you from among the swarming things which swarm on the earth.” The Holy One, blessed be He, caught each and every species, showed them to Moses, and said to him, “This you may eat, and this you may not eat.” [Thus it is stated (in Lev. 11:2, 4),] “This is the creature that you may eat …. However this you may not eat.” Moreover, do not be surprised over [this] thing, since it is a fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed all creatures to the first Adam, and he gave them names. And where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 2:19), “and all that man called the soul ….” After he had given names to all of them, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “And I, what is My name?” He said to him, “It is Y____.” Thus it is written (in Is. 42:8), “I am Y____; that is My name,”³⁹Below, Numb. 6:12. this My name, which the first Adam gave Me. It is My name, which I have agreed upon [for use] between Me and My creatures. So if in the case of the first Adam, the Holy One, blessed be He, had the creatures pass before Him; in the case of Moses, when the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to warn Israel about the unclean and about the clean, are you surprised that He showed him and said to him, “These you may eat, and these you may not eat?” Lest your [evil] drive lead you astray, saying that the Holy One, blessed be He, has forbidden Israel from having good things, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Whatever I have forbidden you from having, I have permitted you to have [something] that corresponds to it.⁴⁰Cf. Hul. 109b; Lev. R. 22:10. How is this? I have forbidden you menstrual blood; I have permitted you virginal blood. I have forbidden you [animal] blood; I have permitted you the liver, which is wholly blood. I have forbidden you the flesh of swine; I have permitted you the tongue of a fish with the name shibbuta, which resembles swine.⁴¹According to Jastrow, s.v., a shibbuta was probably a mullet. The Arukh (Plenus Aruch, ed. A. Kohut [Vienna: G. Broeg, 1878–92], s.v.) suggests that the fish here is a sturgeon. In any case shibbuta apparently had a pork taste. So Rashi on Hul. 109a. I have forbidden you [another] man's wife; I have permitted you a man’s divorcee. I have forbidden a gentile woman; I have permitted a beautiful woman [captive]. I have forbidden you a brother's wife; I have permitted her for you after his death, with no children, as stated (in Deut. 25:5), ‘her brother-in-law shall have sexual intercourse with her.’ I have forbidden you mingled seeds, but I have permitted you a sindon⁴²The Greek word, sindon, designates a garment of fine Indian linen. with a woolen fringe.⁴³See Jastrow, s.v., SDYN. I have forbidden you the fat of cattle, but I have permitted you the fat of game animals.” R. Bisna said in the name of R. Hiyya, “What the Holy One, blessed be He, forbade for cattle He permitted for game animals, and what He forbade for game animals He permitted for fowl, and what He forbade for fowl He permitted for fish. How? He forbade the fat in the case of cattle; He permitted it in the case of game animals. He forbade the thigh muscle in the case of game animals; He permitted it in the case of fowl. He forbade blood in the case of fowl; He permitted it in the case of fish. And why all this? In order to give Israel a good reward for observing the commandments.” Ergo, it states (II Sam. 22:31 = Ps. 18:31) “As for God, His way is perfect…”; for all the ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, are perfect.⁴⁴Gen. R. 44:1; cf. Lev. R. 13:3. And likewise, what does the Holy One, blessed be He, care whether one ritually slaughters cattle and eats [the meat] or whether one slaughters cattle by stabbing and eats it? Will some such thing benefit Him (i.e., the Holy One, blessed be He,) or harm Him? Or what does He care whether one eats carcasses or eats what is clean? Solomon said [about this] (in Prov. 9:12), “If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; [and if you scoff, you will bear it alone].” Thus, the commandments were given only to purify (rt.: tsrp) [mortals] through them, as stated (in II Sam. 22:31 = Ps. 18:31, cont.), “the word of the Lord is pure (rt.: tsrp).” Why? So that He might be a shield over you, [as stated] (ibid., cont.), “He is a shield for all who take refuge in Him.” Ergo (in Lev. 11:2:), “These are the creatures [that you may eat].”

Jacob delivered to Joseph and his brethren the principle of intercalation, and they intercalated the year in the land of Egypt. (When) Joseph and his brethren died, the intercalations ceased from Israel in Egypt, as it is said, "And Joseph died, and all his brethren, and all that generation" (Ex. 1:6). Just as the intercalations were diminished from the Israelites in the land of Egypt, likewise in the future will the intercalations be diminished at the end of the fourth kingdom until Elijah, be he remembered for good, shall come. Just as the Holy One, blessed be He, was revealed to Moses and Aaron in Egypt, likewise in the future will He be revealed to them at the end of the fourth kingdom, as it is said, "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt saying, This month shall be unto you the beginning of months" (Ex. 12:1, 2). What is the significance of the word "saying"? Say to them, Till now the principle of intercalation was with Me, henceforth it is your right to intercalate thereby the year.

The intercalation takes place in the presence of three; Rabbi Eliezer says that ten (men are required), as it is said, "God standeth in the congregation of God" (Ps. 82:1), and if they become less than ten, since they are diminished they place a scroll of the Torah before them, and they are seated in a circle in the court-room, and the greatest (among them) sits first, and the least sits last; and they direct their gaze downwards to the earth and (then) they stand and spread out their hands before their Father who is in heaven, and the chief of the assembly proclaims the name (of God), and they hear a Bath Ḳol (saying) the following words, "And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron… saying, This month shall be unto you" (Ex. 12:1, 2).

“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, the one will lift the other; but if one who is alone falls, there is no other to lift him.… And if one attacks, two will stand against him, and the threefold thread will not be quickly severed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–12).
“Two are better than one” – two who labored in Torah are better than one, when this one engages alone and that one alone. “For if they fall, the one will lift the other” – if one of them forgot a halakha, the other will restore the halakha. “And the threefold thread will not be quickly severed” – this is the rabbi who corrects their error.
Another matter: “Two are better than one” – two, who conduct business with merchandise, “are better than one,” this one alone and that one alone. “For if they fall” – for if one falls and endangers himself, the other will lift him. “And the threefold thread” – when they are three.²⁵In that case, it is even better. Rabbi Meir, when he would see one going out on the highway, he would shout to him: ‘Go, peace be upon you, dead man’; two, he would shout to them: ‘Peace be with you, disputants’; three, he would shout to them: ‘Peace be with you, peaceful ones.’
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Two are better” – man and his wife; “than one” – this one alone and that one alone. “And the threefold thread” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, who remembers them and provides them with children. Rabbi Yoḥanan said another matter in its regard: “Two are better” – this is Amram and Yokheved, who “have a good reward for their toil” – this is Moses, who is called good, as it is stated: “She saw him that he was good [tov]” (Exodus 2:2), as his name is Toviya because he was born circumcised.
Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis: Rabbi Yehuda says: This is David and Batsheva. “And the threefold thread,” this is Natan the prophet, who said to Batsheva: “I will come after you and I will complete your words” (I Kings 1:14). When they came to David, he agreed with them, and said: “Mount Solomon my son on the mule that is mine…” (I Kings 1:33). Rabbi Neḥemya said: “Two are better” – this is Yehoyada and Yehosheva; “than one” – this one alone and that one alone. “And the threefold thread” – this is the Sanhedrin that agreed with them;²⁶They agreed to unseat Atalya and crown Yoash as king. that is what is written: “They took out the king’s son and placed the crown upon him…” (II Chronicles 23:11). The Rabbis say: “Two are better” – this is Mordekhai and Esther; “than one” – this one alone and that one alone. “And the threefold thread” – this is Aḥashverosh, who agreed with them, and decreed, and said: “You, write regarding the Jews…” (Esther 8:8).
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥama said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: “Two,” whom Mordekhai and Esther hanged,²⁷Bigtan and Teresh. “are better than one,” whom Joseph hanged,²⁸The baker, whose dream Joseph interpreted to mean that Pharaoh would hang him. See Genesis, chap. 40. as these, miracles were performed through them on behalf of all of Israel, and this one, no miracle was performed through him. “And the threefold thread” – this is the Holy One blessed be He above them all, who toppled an enemy, as it is written: “They hanged Haman on the tree that he had prepared for Mordekhai…” (Esther 7:10).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: A portion that was stated by means of two is better than a portion that was stated by means of one. By means of two, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying: This month is for you…” (Exodus 12:1–2), than a portion said to an individual, [such as that which] is stated: “The Lord said to Moses saying” (e.g., Exodus 13:1). “And the threefold thread” – “The Lord said to Moses and to Aaron to say to them” (Leviticus 11:1) – to his sons, to Elazar and Itamar. Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “To say to them” – to Elazar and Itamar, and for them to say to all Israel.
Another matter: “Two are better” – this is Moses and Aaron; “than one” – this one alone and that one alone. You find that when Moses came and blessed Israel, the Divine Presence did not rest [on Israel] through him, but when both of them came and blessed Israel, immediately the Divine Presence rested through them, as it is written: “Moses and Aaron came to the Tent of Meeting and they emerged and blessed the people” (Leviticus 9:23), they blessed Israel, and then, “the glory of the Lord appeared,” (Leviticus 9:23), the Divine Presence rested through them.
Rabbi Ze’eira said: There are various families: A family of teachers produces teachers; Torah scholars produce Torah scholars; the wealthy produce wealthy. They objected: But there are descendants of a certain family that achieved wealth and it ceased. He said to them: Is it written that it will never be severed? “It will not be quickly severed,” is written. If one poses difficulties for us,²⁹If he does not contribute to charitable causes supporting Torah study and the needy. he will be parted from his wealth. This is what bar Kappara said: If not him, his son will come to it, and if not his son, his grandson will come to it.³⁰Sooner or later, if one of his descendants gives charity, he will be wealthy, and if he fails to do so, he will lose the wealth.

“The blossoms have appeared in the land, the time of the nightingale has arrived, and the sound of the turtledove is heard in our land” (Song of Songs 2:12).
“The blossoms [hanitzanim] have appeared in the land,” the administrators [hanatzoḥot] have appeared in the land; these are Moses and Aaron, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying” (Exodus 12:1).¹¹⁰This is the month of redemption and they would be the leaders who facilitate that redemption.
“The time of the nightingale [hazamir] has arrived,” the time for Israel to be redeemed has arrived, the time for the foreskin to be cut off [shetizamer] has arrived, the time for Egypt to be cut off has arrived, the time for their idol worship to be uprooted has arrived, as it is stated: “And I will administer punishments against all the gods of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12). The time for the sea to have its water split has arrived, as it is stated: “The water split” (Exodus 14:21). The time for song has arrived, as it is stated: “Then Moses…sang” (Exodus 15:1). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The time to compose paeans to the Holy One blessed be He has arrived, as it is stated: “The Lord is my strength and my song [vezimrat ya]” (Exodus 15:2); paeans to the Lord [zemirot ya]. Rabbi Beivai said: “Your statutes were paeans to me” (Psalms 119:54). ”The sound of the turtledove [hator] is heard in our land,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The voice of a good explorer [tayar] was heard in our land; this is Moses, at the time that he said: “Moses said: So said the Lord: At about midnight” (Exodus 11:4).

... Another explanation. “…to you it shall be the first ...” (Exodus 12:2) This is referring, so to speak, to the Holy One who is called first, as it says “I am first and I am last…” (Isaiah 44:6) And Zion is called first, as it says “As a Throne of Glory, exalted from the beginning, so is the place of our Sanctuary.” (Jeremiah 17:12) And Esau is called first, as it says “And the first one emerged ruddy…” (Genesis 25:25) The Messiah is called first, as it says “The first one to Zion, behold, behold them…” (Isaiah 41:27) Let the Holy One, who is called first, come and build the Holy Temple which is called first, and exact retribution from Esau who is called first. And let the Messiah, who is called first, come in the first month, as it says “This month shall be to you the head of the months…” (Exodus 12:2)