출애굽기 12:12의 미드라쉬

Another explanation as to why Jacob did not want to buried in Egypt. He was afraid that the Egyptians might use him as an object of idolatrous worship. Just as punishment is exacted from the worshipper of an idol, so is it exacted from the (idol) which is worshipped, as it is written: And against all the gods of Egypt will I execute judgment (Exod. 12:12). Similarly, you find that after Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar’s dream: Then the king Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face, and worshipped Daniel, and commanded that they should offer an offering and sweet odors unto him (Dan. 2:46). Daniel would not allow it. And why not? For just as the idolaters would be punished, so too would he be. You find this illustrated in what is written about Hiram, king of Tyre. After he proclaimed himself a god: Because thy heart is lifted up, and thou hast said: I am a god (Ezek. 28:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Art thou wiser than Daniel? (ibid., v. 3). When Nebuchadnezzar decreed that offerings should be brought to him, he (Daniel) would not permit it, yet you call yourself a god. And so it is written there: I have cast thee to the ground, I have laid thee before kings, that they may gaze upon thee (ibid., v. 17).

Another reason why Jacob did not want to be buried in Egypt was lest they produce idolatry through him; for, just as punishment is exacted from the worshipers of idolatry, so is punishment exacted from the idolatry itself, as stated (in Exod. 12:12): AND ON ALL THE GODS OF EGYPT I WILL EXECUTE JUDGMENTS; I AM THE LORD. And so you find with Daniel when he interpreted the dream for Nebuchadnezzar. What is written (in Dan. 2:46)? THEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR FELL ON HIS FACE, PAID HOMAGE TO DANIEL, AND SAID TO OFFER HIM GRAIN AND INCENSE. But Daniel did not want it. He said: Just as punishment is exacted from the worshipers of idolatry, so is punishment exacted from it (the idolatry). And so you find in the case of Hiram, when he made himself a god, what is written of him (in Ezek. 28:2)? BECAUSE YOUR HEART IS PROUD, YOU HAVE SAID: I AM A GOD. The Holy One said to him (in vs. 3): SEE, YOU ARE WISER THAN DANIEL. When Nebuchadnezzar wanted to sacrifice to him, he did not want it; but you have made yourself a god. What is your end (according to Ezek. 28:17)? I HAVE CAST YOU {UNTO} [UPON] THE GROUND….

“A handful of tranquility is better than two handfuls of toil and herding wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6).
“A handful of tranquility is better” – one who studies halakhot and is familiar with them is better than one who studies halakhot and the hermeneutical principles but does not review them and familiarize himself with them. The parable says: One bound bird is better than one hundred that are flying. “And herding [urut] wind” – his wish [re’utei] is to be called “master of the mekhiltot.”¹⁴A reference to the midrash halakha on the book of Exodus, largely based on hermeneutical exposition of the verses.
Another matter: “A handful of tranquility is better” – one who performs minimal acts of charity with his own [funds] is better than one who steals, robs, or exploits others and performs great acts of charity from that of others. The parable says: She commits adultery for apples and distributes them to the poor. “And herding [urut] wind” – his wish [re’utei] is to be called “master of mitzvot.”
Another matter: “A handful of tranquility is better” – one who has ten gold pieces and conducts business and earns a livelihood from them is better than one who takes the property of others and squanders it and loses it. The parable says: It is not enough that he loses his own, but he loses that of others, what is his and what is not his. “And herding [urut] wind” – his wish [re’utei] is to be called a merchant.
Another matter: “A handful of tranquility is better” – one who rents one garden and eats its fruit is better than one who rents many gardens and leaves them fallow. The parable says: One who rents a garden will eat birds; one who rents many gardens, birds will eat them. “And herding [urut] wind” – his wish [re’utei] is to be called a property owner.
Rabbi Yaakov ben Rabbi Kurshai said: “A handful of tranquility is better” in the World to Come “than two handfuls of toil and herding wind” in this world. He would say: One hour of satisfaction in the World to Come is preferable to the entire life of this world, and one hour of repentance and good deeds in this world is preferable to the entire life of the World to Come, as the World to Come comes by virtue of this world.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: “A handful of tranquility is better” – this is the Shabbat day; “than two handfuls of toil and herding wind” – these are the seven days of action, as Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Israel is redeemed only thanks to Shabbat, as it is stated: “In stillness [beshuva] and quiet [vanaḥat] you will be saved” (Isaiah 30:15), with cessation from work and rest you will be saved. “And herding wind” – his wish is to be called one who works and eats.
Rabbi Berekhya said: The trampling that the Holy One blessed be He trampled in the land of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass in the land of Egypt on that night” (Exodus 12:12), is better than two handfuls, than their two handfuls of furnace soot. Why? It is because in this one there is redemption and they were redeemed, and in this of furnace soot, they were not redeemed.
Rabbi Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding the tribe of Gad and the tribe of Reuben who came to the Land of Israel and saw the amount of room for sowing that was in it, the amount of room for planting that was in it. They said: “A handful of tranquility is better” in the Land of Israel, “than two handfuls of toil” across the Jordan. They reconsidered and said: Did we not cause this to ourselves, did we not say: “Let this land be given to your servants” (Numbers 32:5)?
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written: “The cloud of incense will cover” (Leviticus 16:13). This cover, we do not know what it is, until David came and explained it, as it is stated: “You forgave the iniquity of Your people, [You covered all their sins]” (Psalms 85:3). The Holy One blessed be He, too, said: The poor person’s handful of the gift meal offering is dearer to Me than the High Priest’s two handfuls of the incense of the spices. Why? It is because this one comes for atonement and that one does not come for atonement, as it is written: “When a person [venefesh]¹⁵The connotation is that it is as though the person in sacrificing his soul [nefesh] and thereby gaining atonement. sacrifices a meal offering to the Lord” (Leviticus 2:1).

Similarly, in the verse And he blotted out every living substance which was upon the face of the ground, both man and cattle (Gen. 7:3). He mentioned man first, because man was the first to sin, and after that he refers to beasts and creeping things. Likewise, since Scripture states: And they smote the men that were at the door with blindness, both small and great (ibid. 19:11), they smote the least important ones first and then the greater ones. Likewise, in accordance with the verse I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast, man was punished first and then the beast. Another illustration is in the verse Thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword (Deut. 13:16). He smote the inhabitants of the city with the sword, and then he slew the cattle. Similarly, And her belly shall swell (Num. 5:27) is followed by And her thighs shall fall away. That is, the part of the body that sinned first was punished first. Is it not logical to conclude that if retribution is exacted first from the one who commits an evil deed first, then the reward for good deeds, whose reward is far greater, is dispensed according to the same rule.

3. [God] confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof';(Is 44:26) R. Berekiah said in the name of R Levi: Whoever confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers, do we not [therefore also] know that he will say of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built?' Rather [the apparent repetition may be understood by another text]: an angel appeared to our father Jacob and said to him, 'What is thy name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel;(Gen 32:28-29). The Kadosh Baruch Hu appeared [afterwards] to our father Jacob to fulfill the decree of the angel [in another verse]: And God said unto him: 'Thy name is Jacob: [thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name'; and He called his name Israel.] (Gen 35:10) Jerusalem, of which all the prophets prophesied that it will be built, all the more so! Another interpretation: “[God] confirmeth the word of His servant” refers to Moses, [as he is called in another verse]: My servant Moses is not so. (Num 12:7) “Performeth the counsel of His messengers” refers to Moses, [as he is called in another verse]: [God] sent a messenger, and brought us forth out of Egypt. (Num 20:16) The Kadosh Baruch Hu said to Moses, “Go, tell the people Israel that I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, [and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt.]” (Ex. 12:12) Moses went and said to Israel, “Thus saith the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt.” (Ex 11:4) The Kadosh Baruch Hu said, “Already I have made my promise to Moses, And I said of him 'My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house.' (Num 12:7) Should I make a liar out of My servant Moses? No, instead Since Moses said “About midnight,” then I will go out at midnight. So it happened that it came to pass at midnight, [that the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.]

“My beloved is like a gazelle or a fawn; behold, he is standing behind our wall, gazing from the windows, peering through the lattice” (Song of Songs 2:9).
“My beloved [dodi] is like a gazelle,” Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He, ‘Master of the universe, You said to us: Come, come [deyu deyu]. You come to us first.’
“My beloved is like a gazelle,” just as this gazelle leaps from mountain to mountain, from valley to valley, from tree to tree, from booth to booth, and from fence to fence, so too, the Holy One blessed be He leapt from Egypt to the sea, and from the sea to Sinai, and from Sinai to the future. In Egypt they saw Him, as it is stated: “I will pass through the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12). At the sea they saw Him, as it is stated: “Israel saw the great hand…” (Exodus 14:31); “this is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2). At Sinai they saw Him, as it is written: “The Lord spoke with you face to face at the mountain” (Deuteronomy 5:4), and it is written: “The Lord came from Sinai” (Deuteronomy 33:2).
“Or a fawn,” Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: Like the offspring of a hind. “Behold, he is standing behind our wall,” behind our wall at Sinai. That is what is written: “For on the third day the Lord will descend” (Exodus 19:11). “Gazing through the window,”—“the Lord descended upon Mount Sinai to the top of the mountain” (Exodus 19:20). “Peering through the lattice,”—“God spoke all these matters” (Exodus 20:1);¹⁰²The phrase “gazing through the window, peering through the lattice” is understood to mean that God seeks to establish a connection with Israel. The midrash asserts that this was done through the giving of the Torah. “my beloved spoke up, and he said to me” (Song of Songs 2:10)—what did He say to me? “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2).

“How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women? How is your beloved more than another beloved, that you administer an oath to us so? My beloved is clear and ruddy, more eminent than ten thousand” (Song of Songs 5:9–10).
“How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women?” – the nations of the world say to Israel: “How is your beloved more than another beloved?” In what way is He God more than other gods, in what way is He a protector more than other protectors? Israel says to them: “My beloved is clear and ruddy” – clear³⁷This is a metaphor for the attribute of mercy. for me in the land of Egypt and red³⁸This is a metaphor for the attribute of justice. for the Egyptians. Clear for me in the land of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass through the land of Egypt [on that night, and I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.… and I will pass over you]” (Exodus 12:12–13).³⁹This was during the plague of the firstborn. Red for the Egyptians, as it is stated: “The Lord hurled the Egyptians [in the midst of the sea]” (Exodus 14:27). It was clear for me at the sea, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:29). It was red for me⁴⁰The text should state: It was red for the Egyptians (Etz Yosef). at the sea – as it is stated: “The Lord hurled the Egyptians in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27). It is clear for me in the World to Come, and it is red for me in this world.⁴¹God brings hardship upon the righteous in this world in order to punish them for their sins or in order to motivate them to improve, and He rewards them in the World to Come.
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥaita said three [statements] about this: It is clear for me on Shabbat, and it is red for me all the days of the week. It is clear for me on Rosh HaShana, and it is red for me the rest of the year. It is clear for me in this world, and it is red for me in the World to Come.
“More eminent than ten thousand” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: A king of flesh and blood is identified by his trappings; however, here, He is fire and His servants are fire: “He came [ve’ata] from the holy tens of thousands, [from His right, a fiery law to them]” (Deuteronomy 33:2) – it is a sign [ot] from the midst of the holy tens of thousands.

This is the thing that thou shalt do unto them (Exod. 29:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: But Thou, O Lord, art on high for evermore (Ps. 92:9). And preceding this is written: When the wicked spring up as the grass, and when all the workers of iniquity do flourish; it is that they may be destroyed forever (ibid., v. 8). Whenever the Holy One, blessed be He, exacts retribution from the wicked, His name is glorified throughout the world, as it is said: And against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgments; I am the Lord (Exod. 12:12).

“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).

“My beloved is mine, and I am his, who herds among the lilies” (Song of Songs 2:16).
“My beloved is mine, and I am his,” He is God for me, and I am a nation for Him. He is God for me, “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). I am a people and a nation for Him, as it is stated: “Pay attention to Me, My people, and listen to Me, My nation” (Isaiah 51:4). He is a father to me, and I am a son to Him. He is a father to me, “For You are our Father” (Isaiah 63:16). I am a son to Him, “My son, My firstborn, Israel” (Exodus 4:22). He is a shepherd to me, “Shepherd of Israel, listen” (Psalms 80:2). I am His flock, “you, My flock, flock of My pasture” (Ezekiel 34:31). He is my guardian, “Behold, the Guardian of Israel does not slumber and does not sleep” (Psalms 121:4). I am His vineyard, as it is stated: “For the house of Israel is the vineyard of the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 5:7).
He is for me against those who provoke me, and I am for Him against those who anger Him. He is for me against those who provoke me, as He smote the firstborn of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:12); “it was at midnight and the Lord smote every firstborn” (Exodus 12:29). I am for Him against those who anger Him, as I slaughtered the gods of Egypt, and likewise, “against all the gods of Egypt I will administer punishment” (Exodus 12:12), and I slaughtered them to Him, as it is stated: “Behold, will we slaughter the abomination of Egypt before their eyes, and they will not stone us?” (Exodus 8:22). Likewise, “they shall each take for them a lamb for each patrilineal home” (Exodus 12:3).
He said to me: ‘Let the proportion [hamazeg] not be skewed,’ as it is stated: “Your navel is a moon-shaped goblet, may it not lack mixed wine [hamazeg]” (Song of Songs 7:3). I said to Him: ‘You are my good beloved, if only Your goodness will never be lacking from me,’ just as it says: “The Lord is my Shepherd, I will not lack” (Psalms 23:1).
Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Ilai said: He sang to me and I sang to Him; He lauded me and I lauded Him. He called me: “My sister, My love, My faultless dove” (Song of Songs 5:2), and I said to Him: “This is my beloved and this is my companion” (Song of Songs 5:16). He said to me: “Behold you are fair my love” (Song of Songs 4:1), and I said to Him: “Behold, you are fair, my beloved, pleasant too” (Song of Songs 1:16). He said to me: “Happy are you Israel, who is like you?” (Deuteronomy 33:29). I said to Him: “Who is like You among the powers, Lord?” (Exodus 15:11). He said to me: “Who is like Your people Israel, one nation in the land” (I Chronicles 17:21). I declare the unity of His name twice daily: “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). When I require something, I seek it only from His hand, as it is stated: “It was during those many days, that the king of Egypt died; [the children of Israel sighed due to the bondage, and they cried out, and their plea rose to God due to the bondage.] God heard their groaning…God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:23–25). When He requires something, he seeks it only from me and from my hand, as it is stated: “Speak to the entire congregation of Israel, saying: [In the tenth day of this month they shall take for themselves every man a lamb]” (Exodus 12:3). When I require something, I seek it only from His hand, as it is stated: “Pharaoh approached and the children of Israel raised [their eyes and…the Egyptians were traveling after them… the children of Israel cried out to the Lord]” (Exodus 14:10). When He requires something, He seeks it only from me, as it is stated: “Speak to the children of Israel and let them take a gift for Me” (Exodus 25:2). When I had trouble, I sought [salvation] only from Him: “The Children of Israel cried out to the Lord, as he had nine hundred iron chariots, and he oppressed the Children of Israel forcefully…” (Judges 4:3). What is forcefully? It was with cursing and blaspheming. When He required something, He sought it only from me, as it is stated: “They shall make a sanctuary for Me” (Exodus 25:8).

Another interpretation (of Is. 44:26): <HE> CONFIRMS THE WORD OF HIS SERVANT. This is Moses, about whom it is stated (in Numb. 12:7): NOT SO⁶⁹I.e., unlike other prophets with whom (according to Numb. 12:6) the Holy One speaks in a vision or dream. WITH MY SERVANT MOSES <…. WITH HIM I WILL SPEAK MOUTH TO MOUTH….> (Is. 44:26, cont.:) AND FULFILLS THE COUNSEL OF HIS MESSENGERS. This is Moses of whom it is stated (in Numb. 20:16): AND HE (the Holy One) SENT A MESSENGER WHO BROUGHT US OUT FROM EGYPT. The Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 12:12): Go! Say to Israel: I WILL PASS THROUGH THE LAND OF EGYPT <ON THIS NIGHT AND WILL SMITE EVERY FIRST-BORN IN THE LANDOF EGYPT…. > Moses went and said to Israel (according to Exod. 11:4): ABOUT MIDNIGHT.⁷⁰Thus Moses specified the time on his own. The Holy One said: Now have I not already promised Moses and said (in Numb. 12:7): NOT SO WITH MY SERVANT MOSES; <HE IS TRUSTED IN ALL MY HOUSE>? Did I not say so? And is my servant Moses to seem like a liar? Rather, even as Moses said (in Exod. 11:4): ABOUT MIDNIGHT, so I will act at midnight to confirm the decree of Moses. Ergo (in Is. 44:26): <HE> CONFIRMS THE WORD OF HIS SERVANT. Therefore (in Exod. 12:29): AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. <Exod. 11:4; 12:29 also> teaches that the night <generally> divides on its own, but he (i.e., the Holy One) divided it like a thread of hair.⁷¹I.e., while Moses could only approximate and say: ABOUT MIDNIGHT, the Holy One could act IN the exact MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. See Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Pisha 13; PRK 7:5; also 7:2.

Another explanation: "And it was in the middle of the night" - this is [the meaning of] that which is written (Psalms 119, 62), "At midnight I arise to praise You for the judgments of your charity (mishpetei tzidkecha):" "At midnight I arise to praise You for" the judgments You enacted upon the Egyptians, and [that] for us You enacted charity. How is this? Rather, once Moshe said (Exodus 12:12), "and I will smite every firstborn," some of them began to fear, and there were [also] from them who were not afraid. One who was afraid would take his firstborn to a Jew and say to him, "I request of you, take this one and he will lodge with you." When the middle of the night arrived, the Holy One, blessed be He, killed all of the firstborn. And [concerning] those that were placed in the houses of the Jews, the Holy One, blessed be He, would skip between the Jews and the Egyptians and take the soul of the Egyptian and leave the soul of the Jew. And the Jew would wake up and find the Egyptian dead between all [of the Jews around him], as it is stated (Ibid. 13), "and I will skip over you and there will not be a plague among you." The Jews [then] began to say, "At midnight I arise to praise You." Thus is it written (Psalms 119, 160), "all of the judgments of your charity."

God said to Moshe, "Say to them, to the Jews, 'What are you doing? Be aware that He will strike the Egyptians,'" as is is stated (Exodus 12:23), "And the Lord will pass to strike the Egyptians." Rabbi Levi said, "What is [the meaning of], 'and the Lord will pass (veavar)?' The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, 'I am going against (ohver) that which I said.' There is a parable of a king whose son went to Barbaria. The Barbarians got up and received him and made him king over them. The king heard and said, 'what honor should I do for these [people], who raised my son and crowned him over them? Rather, I shall call the name of that country according to the name of my son.' After some time, they went back and they cursed the son of the king and they subjugated him. The king said, 'I will go against that which I honored them - I will go out and make war with them and rescue my son.' So [too is it that when] Yosef went to Egypt, they received him and made him king over them, as it is stated (Genesis 42:6), 'And Yosef was the ruler over the land;' they honored Yakov, as it is stated (Genesis 50:3), 'and the Egyptians cried for him seventy days.' The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'What honor should I do for Egypt? Behold, I will call it with the name of the Garden of Eden,' as it is stated (Genesis 13:10), 'like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt.' When they went back and subjugated them, the Holy One, blessed be He, said (Exodus 12:12), '"And I will pass over ( avarti, here understood as, went against)" - I am going back from that honor and I will make it into a desolate place,' as it is stated (Joel 4:11), 'Egypt will be a desolate place.'"

What is written above? "And the Lord will pass over the opening." (Exodus 12:23) At that time - as if it were possible - He, Himself, stood at the opening. But rather, as it is the custom of the world - in the same way as when a butcher brings in his sheep and he takes red dye and marks each lamb and sheep that he wants to slaughter, in order to recognize which one to slaughter and which one not to slaughter; so too (Ibid.), "and he will see the blood" - as if it were possible - He stood at the entrance and pushed away the destroyer that he should not strike Israel. God said to them (Ibid. 24), "'And you shall keep this thing as a statute for you and your children forever" - in the same way as I did [this] for you today, so [too] will I do [it] for you in the future to come," as it is stated (Malachi 3:19), "As behold the day is coming, burning like a furnace, etc." "But [with] you, 'I will have pity upon you as a father has pity on his son.' (Ibid. 17)"

The Holy One exacted punishment from them in Egypt and afterwards he exacted punishment from them at the sea. What is written concerning Egypt (in Exod. 12:29)? AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT <THAT THE LORD SMOTE ALL THE FIRST-BORN, FROM THE FIRST-BORN OF PHARAOH, WHO WAS SITTING UPON HIS THRONE, TO THE FIRST-BORN OF THE CAPTIVE WHO WAS IN THE DUNGEON, AND ALL THE FIRST-BORN OF THE CATTLE>. When he had killed their prince, he afterwards killed them; and so it says (in Exod. 12:12): AND ON ALL THE GODS OF EGYPT <I WILL EXECUTE JUDGMENTS>…. <Gods > of stone have rotted; <those> of silver and gold have been melted. When he had exacted punishment from their gods, he afterwards exacted punishment from them. (Exod. 15:1, cf. 21:) THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER HE HAS THROWN INTO THE SEA. This is the prince. And after that (in vs. 4): PHARAOH'S CHARIOTS AND HIS ARMY <HE HAS CAST INTO THE SEA>. Also in the case of this evil Roman Empire, when the Holy One has exacted punishment from their prince, he will afterwards exact punishment from them, just as he did to the Babylonian Empire. When he had exacted punishment from their prince, he afterwards exacted punishment from Nebuchadnezzar. It is so stated (in Jer. 51:44): I WILL ATTEND TO BEL (the prince of Babylon) IN BABYLON.⁸⁰Cf. vs. 47: I WILL DEAL WITH THE IMAGES OF BABYLON…; AND ALL ITS SLAIN SHALL FALL IN THE MIDST OF IT. And so also he does to Edom (i.e., to Rome), as stated (in Jer. 46:15): WHY HAS ABBIREKHA BEEN WASHED AWAY?⁸¹The midrash understands ABBIREKHA as a singular subject, because the Hebrew verb translated, HAS BEEN WASHED AWAY, is singular; however, it is common to follow such a singular verb with a plural subject. Thus the new JPS translation reads: WHY ARE YOUR STALWARTS SWEPT AWAY? This is their prince since he is afflicting that Abbirekha with leprosy.⁸²See below, Lev. 4:16; cf. Gen. 41:43, where “Abrech” (‘BRK) can be taken as a princely title, which according to Gen. R. 90:3 has the homiletic meaning, “Father (‘B) in wisdom and tender (RK) in years.” In the biblical context Jer. 46:15 refers to Egypt, but the midrash regards Abbirekha as intimating the prince of Edom, since according to sec. 6, above, “All the plagues which the Holy One brought upon the Egyptians he is going to bring upon Edom.” Now WASHED AWAY (rt.: SHP) can only mean leprosy, since it is stated (in Lev. 13:2): <WHEN ANYONE HAS ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH > A SWELLING OR A SORE (rt.: SPH) <OR A BRIGHT SPOT, AND IT BECOMES ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY >…. Then afterwards he exacts punishment from it (i.e., the whole Kingdom of Edom, rt.: 'DM). It is so stated (in Jer. 46:15, cont.): BECAUSE THE LORD THRUST IT DOWN. And so it also says (in Is. 24:21): THE LORD SHALL PUNISH THE HOST OF HEAVEN IN HEAVEN; then afterwards (ibid.): AND THE KINGS OF THE EARTH (rt.: 'DM) {IN} [ON] THE EARTH (rt.: 'DM). But in the case of Israel, just as their God lives and abides forever and forevermore, so do they live and abide forever and forevermore. Thus it is stated (in Jer. 10:10): BUT THE LORD IS A TRUE GOD: HE IS A LIVING GOD AND AN EVERLASTING KING; while concerning Israel it is written (in Deut. 4:4): BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE ALL ALIVE TODAY.

(Devarim, Ibid. 8) "And the L-rd took us out": not through an angel, and not through a seraph, and not through a messenger, as it is written (Shemoth 12:12) "And I shall pass through the land of Egypt in this night, and I shall smite, etc.": "And I shall pass through the land of Egypt" — I, and not an angel. "and I shall smite every first-born" — I, and not a seraph. "and upon all the gods of Egypt I shall wreak judgments" — I, and not a messenger, "I am the L-rd."