출애굽기 32:8의 미드라쉬

3) (Vayikra 9:2): "And he said to Aaron: Take for yourself a bull-calf for a sin-offering": We are hereby taught that Moses said to Aaron: Aaron, my brother, even though the Holy One Blessed be He has consented to forgive your sins (in the episode of the golden calf), you must "place something in Satan's mouth." Send your gift before you before entering the sanctuary lest he condemn you upon your entering the sanctuary. And lest you say: Is it only I who need atonement? Israel, too, needs atonement, viz. (Vayikra 9:3): "And to the children of Israel shall you speak, saying: Take a kid of goats for a sin-offering, and a calf, etc." And why was it Israel's lot to bring more than Aaron? He said to them: You are culpable in the beginning and culpable in the end. In the beginning (at the sale of Yosef) — (Bereshith 37:31): "And they slaughtered a kid of goats, etc."; in the end — (Shemoth 32:8): "They have made for themselves a molten calf." Let a kid of goats come and atone for the "act" of goats, let a calf come and atone for the "act" of the calf.

(Lev. 14:2:) “This shall be the law of the leper.” Let our master instruct us: For how many things does leprosy come? Thus have our masters taught: The affliction comes [upon one] for eleven things:²³Cf. Numb. R. 7:5; Lev. 17:3; ‘Arakh. 16a. (1) For idolatry, (2) for desecration of the name [of God], (3) for unchastity, (4) for theft, (5) for slander, (6) for false witness, (7) upon²⁴In this passage “for” and “upon” translate the same Hebrew word (‘al). the judge who perverts justice, (8) for swearing in vain, (9) upon one who enters a domain which is not his, (10) upon one who thinks false thoughts, and (11) upon one who instigates quarrels among brothers. And some also say, “for the evil eye (i.e., for being miserly).” How is it shown [that leprosy comes] for idolatry? In that, when they made the calf, they were afflicted with leprosy. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 32:25), “Now Moses saw that the people were riotous (parua')”; and it is written concerning the leper (in Lev. 13:45), “his head shall be unkempt (parua').” And how is it shown [that leprosy comes] for cursing the name? From Goliath, of whom it is stated that he said in (I Sam. 17:8), “Choose a man ('ish) for yourselves.” Now man ('ish) can only be the Holy One, blessed be He, since it is stated (in Exod. 15:3), “The Lord is a man ('ish) of war.” It is also written (in I Sam. 17:46) “This day [the Lord] will deliver (rt.: sgr) you.” Now deliverance can only imply leprosy, since it is stated (in Lev. 13:5), “the priest shall isolate (rt.: sgr) him.” And how is it shown for unchastity? Where it is written (in Is. 3:[16-]17), “[Because the daughters of Zion are haughty, and walk with extended neck and roving eyes…]. Therefore the Lord will smite with sores (sph) the scalps [of the daughters of Zion].”²⁵Vs. 17 differs here from the Masoretic Text by replacing the divine name with Adonay (LORD). Now sores (sph) can only be leprosy, as stated (in Lev. 14:56), “For a swelling and for a sore (rt.: sph) and for a bright spot.” How is it shown for theft? Where it is stated (in Zech. 5:4), “I have sent it (i.e., the curse of the flying scroll in vs. 1) forth, says the Lord of hosts; and it shall come unto the house of the thief.” Hence, for theft. How is it shown for swearing falsely? Where it is stated (in Zech. 5:4, cont.), “and unto the house of the one who swears falsely in My name; and it shall lodge within his house; and it shall consume it, [even] with its timbers and stones.” What is a thing which consumes timbers and stones? Rabbi says, “This is leprosy, since it is written (concerning a house infested with leprosy (in Lev. 14:45), ‘And he shall break down the house with its timbers and stones.’” And how is it shown for slander? From Miriam [of whom] it is written (in Numb. 12:10), “so when Aaron turned unto Miriam, there she was, stricken with leprosy.” It is written (in Lev. 14:1), “This shall be the law of the leper (hametsora'),” [i.e.] the one who puts forth evil (hamotsi ra'). And how is it shown for those who bear false witness? Where Israel testified falsely and said (in Exod. 32:4), “These are your gods, O Israel,” they were struck with leprosy, as stated, “Instruct the Israelites to remove from the camp….” It also states (Exodus 32:25), “Now Moses saw that the people were riotous (parua').”²⁶Cf. above in this section, where parua‘ in this verse is related to Lev. 13:45, according to which the leper’s HEAD SHALL BE UNKEMPT (parua‘). And [how is it shown] for the judge who perverts justice? Where it is stated (of unjust judges in Is. 5:24), “And it shall be that as a tongue of fire consumes straw, and as chaff sinks down in a flame, their root shall be like the rot, and their blossom shall rise up like the dust; for they have rejected the law of the Lord of hosts.” Their blossom (prh) can only refer to leprosy, since it is stated (in Lev. 13:12), “If the leprosy should blossom out widely (rt.: prh).” And how is it shown for one who enters a domain which is not his? From Uzziah, who entered the domain of the priesthood. It is so stated (of him in II Chron. 26:19), “then leprosy appeared on his forehead.” And how is it shown for one who instigates quarrels among brothers? From Pharaoh, as stated (in Gen. 12:17), “Then the Lord afflicted Pharaoh,” because he had taken Sarah from Abraham. And [how is it shown] for the evil eye (i.e., for being miserly)? R. Isaac said, “When someone's eye is too evil (i.e., when someone is too miserly) to lend out his possessions. When someone comes and says to him, ‘Lend me your scythe, lend me your ax, or any object,’ he says to him, ‘Cursed is the one who has a scythe, cursed is the one has an axe’ (meaning, ‘I do not have one’). What does the Holy One, blessed be He, do?²⁷Cf. Yoma 11b. He afflicts [his house] with leprosy. When he comes to the priest and says to him, ‘Something like a plague has appeared in the house belonging to me,’ he commands (according to Lev. 14:45), ‘Let him break down the house with its timbers and stones.’ Then everybody will see his implements, when they lug them and bring them outside. So they publicize²⁸Mepharsemin, from PRSM, a verb related to the Greek, parresiazesthai (“to speak freely”). his implements, and they all say, ‘Did he not say, “I do not have a scythe; I do not have an ax?” See, he does have such and such an object, but he did not want to lend it.’ So his eye is evil (i.e., he is miserly), to lend.” (Leviticus 14:37:) “And [the priest] says, ‘[The walls are] deeply colored (shkarurot).’” Do not read it [such], but rather read it as he brought down curses (shaka arurot). As he said, “Cursed,” and he brought down his house. And everyone saw his curses, as stated (in Job 20:28), “The produce of his house shall depart, poured out in the day of His wrath.” [Moreover,] there are also some who say, [leprosy] also [comes] for haughtiness. How is it shown? From Naaman, as stated (in II Kings 5:1), “Now Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram […] a valiant warrior, was a leper,” because he was haughty. [Leprosy] also [comes] upon the one who says something against his colleague that is not true about him. Thus you find it so in the case of Moses our master, when he said (in Exod. 4:1), “But [surely] they shall not believe me.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “They are believers [and] children of believers”: [Believers] (in Exod. 4:31), “And the people believed”; the children of believers, as stated (in Gen. 15:6), “And he (Abram) believed in the Lord.” However, it is necessary [for you] to be afflicted, since the one who suspects the innocent is afflicted in his body. It is so stated (in Exod. 4:6), “Then [the Lord…] said, ‘Please put your hand in your bosom’; so he put his hand in his bosom, and when he withdrew it, behold, it was leprous as snow.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Look at the difference between you and the peoples of the world. When they sin, I afflict them first in their bodies and after that in their houses, as stated (in Gen. 12:17), ‘Then the Lord afflicted Pharaoh with great plagues,’ and afterwards, ‘and his house.’ But if you sin, I afflict your houses first.” Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Lev. 14:34), “and I put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land you possess.” (Lev. 14:34:) “And I put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land you possess.” How has the land sinned, that it should be afflicted? It is simply that the land is afflicted for human sin, as stated (in Ps. 107:[32-]34), “[He turns….] A fruitful land into a salt marsh because of the evil [of those who dwell in it].” Why? Because of the evil [of the people]. And so does it state (Isaiah 26:9), “with Your judgements upon the earth, so will those that dwell in the inhabitation learn justice.” Why do punishments come upon the world? For the creatures, so that they would look, consider, and say, “Whoever sins is afflicted, and whoever does not sin is not afflicted.” So why are the trees, the stones and the walls afflicted? So that their owners will look [at them] and repent. And so you find that when Israel sinned, the Holy One, blessed be He, intended to exile them at once before the [other] nations. But He said, “If I exile them at the start, they will become a shame and a disgrace to all the nations.” What did he do? He brought Sennacherib the wicked upon all the [other] nations and exiled them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 10:14), “My hand (the hand of Sennacherib) has found the wealth of the peoples like a nest.” It is also written (in vs. 13), “and I (Sennacherib) have removed the borders of peoples.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “When Israel sees that I have exiled the nations of the world, they will repent and fear My judgment.” It is so stated (in Zeph. 3:6), “I have rooted out the nations; their corner towers are desolate.” And after it is written (in vs. 7), “I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me, they will learn rebuke!’” When they did not repent, they immediately went into exile. Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, warns them and [first] afflicts their houses, so that they will repent. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 14:34), “and I put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land you possess.” For him to repent is preferable; but if not, he is afflicted in his body, as stated (in Lev. 15:2), “When any man has a discharge issuing from his flesh….” Hence, the stones are struck first. For him to repent is preferable; but if not, his clothes are afflicted, as stated (in Lev. 13:47), “When the plague of leprosy is in a garment.” Then if he does not repent, he is afflicted in his body. Thus it is stated (in Lev. 13:40), “When someone's head becomes hairless [so that he is bald, he is clean]”; but still with a balding of the head there is a substantial doubt whether he is unclean or clean. For him to repent is preferable, but if not, he is afflicted with boils, as stated (in Lev. 13:18), “And when one has boils on the skin of his flesh and is healed.”²⁹The verses that follow explain that the boils may then become leprous. Boils is [worse] than balding of the head. For him to repent is preferable, but if not, he is afflicted with five scourges: swelling, sore, bright spot, scab, and plague spot. And why all this? Because he did not repent.³⁰Numb. R. 14:4. Scripture has said (in Prov. 19:29), “Judgments are ready for scoffers; and stripes for the back of fools.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Before I created the human, I prepared all these for him.” [The situation] is comparable to an evil slave who was about to be sold. When his master went to buy him, he knew that he was a bad salve. [So] he took along chains and whips so that if he rebelled, he might subdue him with them. When he did rebel, he brought out the chains and chained him. He brought out the whips and beat him. The slave said to him, “Did you not know that I was a bad slave? Why did you buy me?” He said to him, “Because I knew that you are difficult, I prepared chains and whips for you, so that if you rebelled, I might subdue you with them.” So too the Holy One, blessed be He [and] blessed be His name forever, before He created the human one, He prepared afflictions for him, because (according to Gen. 8:21) He knows that³¹Heb.: Ki. Although in the biblical context the word must mean “for,” or its equivalent, the midrash understands the word with the alternate meaning of “that.” “the instinct of one's heart is evil from his youth.” He therefore prepared all these for him, so that if he rebelled, He would subdue him, as stated (in Prov. 19:29), “Judgments are ready for scoffers; and stripes (mahalumot) for the back of fools.” What are mahalumot? Mahah lamoot (strike to death). Warn him first; it is preferable if he repents. But if not, strike his body. How is it shown? From that which we read about the matter (in Lev. 14:34), “and I put a plague of leprosy in a house of the land you possess.”

(Lev. 16:1:) “Now the Lord spoke unto Moses after the death [of Aaron's two sons].” This is what Elihu said (to Job 37:1), “At this also my heart trembles and leaps.” Elihu was observing how the sons of Aaron went in to sacrifice and came out destroyed by fire.⁵⁵Cf. PRK 26(27):5; Lev. R. 20:5. He was amazed and said (ibid.), “At this also my heart trembles and leaps.” What did he see for him to say this? He said, “At a time when the priesthood had become weak in the hand of Aaron, what is written there (in Numb. 17:21)? ‘Then Moses spoke unto the Children of Israel; and their princes gave him a staff, a staff for each prince.’ So he wrote the name of each and every tribe on its staff. He also wrote the name of Aaron on the staff of Levi and put it in the middle, lest the Children of Israel say, ‘It smelled the Divine Presence and bore fruit.’ Moses said, ‘See, I am putting it in the middle so as not to give a pretext,’ as stated (in Numb. 17:21, cont.), ‘and the staff of Aaron was in the midst of their staffs.’ What is written there (in vs. 22-23)? ‘Then Moses placed the staffs before the Lord in the tent of the testimony. And it was on the morrow that Moshe came to the tent of testimony, and the staff of Aaron had sprouted […] and had borne almonds.’ The scriptural text lacked nothing. Why then, ‘and had born (rt.: gml) almonds (rt.: shqd)?’⁵⁶Numb. R. 18:23. It repaid (rt.: gml) anyone who was bent on (rt.: shqd) evil against the tribe of Levi. So while (in Numb. 17:16-24) even dry pieces of wood emitted an aroma among those who live in the world, sprouted blossoms, came out alive, and produced fruits; [yet] the sons of Aaron, who entered there alive, came out destroyed by fire.” So when Elihu beheld the one and the other, he said (in Job 37:1), “At this also my heart trembles.” When? (Lev. 16:1:) “Now the Lord spoke unto Moses after the death of Aaron's two sons.” As [all] four of [Aaron's sons] deserved to die; but Moses prayed for them, and his prayer produced half [a response]. When? When Israel made the calf, what is written there (in Deut. 9:20)? “And the Lord was very angry with Aaron to destroy (rt.: shmd) him.” Destruction (rt.: shmd) can only be annihilation of children. Thus it is stated (in Amos 2:9), “I destroyed (rt.: shmd) their (the Amorites') fruit above […].” When Moses prayed, his prayer produced half [a response]. (Lev. 16:1:) “After the death of Aaron's two sons.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Aaron, did I not write this in My Torah (in Exod. 22:8), ‘In every case of misappropriation, whether for a bull, for an ass or for a sheep….’ Do you not remember what you did with the bull, as stated (in Ps. 106:20), ‘Thus they exchanged their glory for the image of a bull?’”⁵⁷See Numb. R. 9:47. For alternate interpretations of Exod. 22:8 that use the same form, see BQ 54b. (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “For an ass.” This refers to the Egyptians, about whom it is written (in Ezek. 23:20), “whose flesh is like the flesh of asses.” They (the Egyptians among them) made for them a calf, whom Israel worshiped, as stated (in Numb. 11:4), “Then the rabble⁵⁸I.e., the Egyptians who joined Israel in the Exodus. which was in their midst.” (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “For a sheep (seh).” This refers to Israel, as stated (in Jer. 50:17), “Israel is a scattered flock (seh).” (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “For a garment,” [i.e.] that one about which it is written (in Is. 3:6), “you have a garment; you shall be our leader.”⁵⁹According to Numb. R. 9:47, the allusion is to Israel having made the golden calf their king. (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “Or any loss,” since it is written of them (i.e., of Israel in Jer. 50:6), “My people were lost sheep.” (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “Of which one says, ‘This is it.” [This refers to] them when they said (in Exod. 32:8), “These are your gods, O Israel.” (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “The case of both parties shall come before God (the powers).” This refers to Moses of whom it is written (in Exod. 7:1), “See, I have set you as a power to Pharaoh,” [in that] Moses sat in judgment over them. (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “The one whom God (the powers) condemns.” This refers to the judges.⁶⁰See above, Exod. 2:1, and the note there. (Exod. 22:8, cont.:) “Shall pay his neighbor double.” This refers to the two sons of Aaron. Ergo (in Lev. 16:1), “after the death of Aaron's two sons.”

(Lev. 22:27) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat.” R. Jacob bar Zavday in the name of R. Abbahu opened [his discourse] (with Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity (i.e., the iniquity of the golden calf) […].”⁴³Lev. R. 27:3; PRK 9:3. It is also written (in Is. 6:2), “Above Him stood the seraphim, six wings to each one… with two he covered his face,” so as not to look at the Divine Presence, “with two he covered his feet,” so that the face of the Divine Presence would not see them, since it is written (in Ezek. 1:7), “and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot.”⁴⁴Cf. Hag. 13b. [This is] because (according to Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity.”⁴⁵In other words, the seraphim covered their calf feet, lest they recall the sin of the golden calf. (Is 6:2:) “And with two he flew,” for praise. We are taught there (in RH 3:2), “All the shofars are valid except that of a cow, since it is from a calf; for (according to Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity.” We have been taught there⁴⁶See Sanh. 7:4. (in Lev. 20:16): “You shall kill the woman and the beast.” If a woman sins, what is the beast’s sin? It is simply because a stumbling block came to the woman on account of [the beast]. Therefore the Scripture said, “So that the beast will not pass through the market, where they will say, ‘This is the beast on account of which such and such a woman was killed.’” [This is] because (according to Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity.” Now we have been taught: For what reason did they say, “A suspected adulteress (sotah) is not to drink from the cup of her colleague (i.e., another suspected adulteress)?”⁴⁷According to Sot. 2:2, a new earthenware dish was to be used for each such trial by ordeal. [It is] so that the people will not say, “When such and such a woman drank of this cup, she died.” [This is] because (according to Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity.” So also here (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born.” Is a bull born? Is not a calf born? It is simply because of what is written (in Exod. 32:8), “they have made themselves a golden calf.” Hence the Scripture called it a “bull”, and did not call it a "calf.”

(Lev. 22:27:) “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related (to Is. 41:24), “Behold (hen), you are nothing (me'ayin), and your work is naught (me’afa’); an abomination shall He choose among you.”⁵⁵Lev. R. 27:7; PRK 9:6. “Behold, you are nothing,” full of nothing, from a putrid liquid. “Naught (me’afa’)”; from the hundred screams (meah puot), that a woman screams when she sits on the birthing chair, ninety-nine are for death and [only] one is for life. “An abomination shall He choose among you.” What is the meaning of, “an abomination shall He choose among you?” [It is] speaking about this baby; even though it comes out from its mothers womb dirty, defiled and full of mucous, everyone kisses it and everyone hugs it, and especially if it is a male. Another interpretation: That (hen) is Greek. Hen [in Greek] means "one." You (Israel) are the one for Me, from (min) the nations of the world, who are called "nothing ('ayin),"⁵⁶Since min is commonly abbreviated to me, me’ayin is understood to mean “as compared to nothing” (literally: “than nothing.”) as stated (in Is. 40:17), “All the nations are as nothing ('ayin) before Him.” (Is. 41:24, cont.:) “And your work is naught.” R. Levi said, “All the good works and consolations which the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to bring about with Israel are only as reward for a single shout which they shouted on Sinai, when they said (according to Exod. 24:7), ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will carry out and obey.’” (Is. 41:24, cont.:) “An abomination shall He choose among you.” That is the abomination which you made as a molten calf. Of that very abomination, bring Me sacrifice, and I will choose you. And what is it? (As in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” [This text is related (to Hos. 7:3),] “They make a king glad with their evil.”⁵⁷Lev. R. 27:8; PRK 9:7–8. What did He see in the bull for making it first among the sacrifices? R. Levi said, “[The situation] is similar to a matron⁵⁸Lat.: matrona. concerning whom there went forth an evil report in connection with one of the notables in the kingdom. The king looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. What did the king do? He made a great banquet and sat him at the head of those reclining in order to show that the king had looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. [Similarly,] because the nations of the world were saying to Israel, “You made the calf,” the Holy One, blessed be He, examined the rumors and found no substance in them. Therefore the bull was made first among the sacrifices. How is this shown? From that which they read about the matter (in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” R. Huna and R. Idi [said] in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman, “Israel was saved from that act. Because if they had made the calf, it would have been [natural] for them to say (in Exod. 32:8), ‘These are our Gods, O Israel.’ However, it was the proselytes who came up with them from Egypt that made it, and they directed Israel [by saying] (in Exod. 32:8), ‘These are your Gods, O Israel.’” R. Judah bar Simon said, “It is written (in Isaiah 1:3), ‘An ox knows its owner, and an ass..., Israel does not know [...].’ And did they not know? It is simply that they trampled [the notion] with their heel.” And similar to it is (Hos. 2:10) “And she did not know that it was I who bestowed on her the grain....” And did she not know? It is simply that she trampled it with her heel.

We are taught there (in RH 3:2): ALL THE SHOPHARS ARE VALID EXCEPT THAT OF A COW, since it is from a calf; for (according to Ezek. 29:16): AND IT SHALL NO MORE BE A SOURCE OF SATISFACTION AGAINST THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL TO RECALL INIQUITY. We have been taught there:⁵⁵See Sanh. 7:4. (Lev. 20:16): YOU SHALL KILL THE WOMAN AND THE BEAST. If a woman sins with a beast, how does it sin? It is simply because a stumbling block came to the woman on account of < the beast >. Therefore (in vs. 15): AND YOU SHALL KILL THE BEAST. {Another interpretation:} So that the beast will not pass through the market, where they will say: This is the beast on account of which such and such a woman was killed. And this is < why it is written > (in Ezek. 29:16): AND IT SHALL NO MORE BE A SOURCE OF SATISFACTION AGAINST THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL TO RECALL INIQUITY. Now we have been taught in a baraita: For what reason did they say: A suspected adulteress (sotah) is not to drink from the cup of her colleague (i.e., another suspected adulteress)?⁵⁶According to Sot. 2:2, a new earthenware dish was to be used for each such trial by ordeal. < It is > so that the people will not say: When such and such a woman drank of this cup, she died. And this is < why it is written > (in Ezek. 29:16): AND IT SHALL NO MORE BE A SOURCE OF SATISFACTION AGAINST THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL TO RECALL INIQUITY. So also here (in Lev. 22:27): WHEN A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT < IS BORN (rt.: YLD)… >. Was a bull brought forth (rt.: YLD)? Was not a < golden > calf brought forth (rt.: YLD)? It is simply because of what is written (in Exod. 32:8): THEY HAVE MADE THEMSELVES A GOLDEN CALF. Ergo: BULL is written, and "calf" is not written. [This is what is written] (in Lev. 22:27): WHEN A BULL OR A SHEEP OR A GOAT < IS BORN (rt.: YLD)… >

[(Lev. 16:1:) AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.] The Holy One said to him: Aaron, did I not write this in my Torah (in Exod. 22:8 [9]): IN EVERY CASE OF MISAPPROPRIATION, WHETHER FOR A BULL…. Do you not remember what you did with the bull, as stated (in Ps. 106:20): THUS THEY EXCHANGED THEIR GLORY FOR THE IMAGE OF A BULL?⁶¹See Numb. R. 9:47. For alternate interpretations of Exod. 22:8 [9] that use the same form, see BQ 54b. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR AN ASS. This refers to the Egyptians, about whom it is written (in Ezek. 23:20): WHOSE FLESH IS LIKE THE FLESH OF ASSES. You (Egyptians)⁶²The parallel account in Numb. R. 11:47 explains that it was the Egyptians who enticed Israel to make the golden calf. made for them a calf, whom they worshiped, [as stated] (in Numb. 11:4): THEN THE RABBLE⁶³I.e., the Egyptians who joined Israel in the Exodus. WHICH WAS IN THEIR MIDST. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR A SHEEP (seh). This refers to Israel, as stated (in Jer. 50:17): ISRAEL IS A SCATTERED FLOCK (seh). (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) FOR A GARMENT. < i.e. > that one about which it is written (in Is. 3:6): YOU HAVE A GARMENT; YOU SHALL BE OUR LEADER.⁶⁴According to Numb. R. 9:47, the allusion is to Israel having made the golden calf their king. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) < OR > ANY LOSS, since it is written of them (i.e., of Israel in Jer. 50:6): MY PEOPLE WERE LOST SHEEP. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) OF WHICH ONE SAYS: THIS IS IT. < This refers to > them when they said (in Exod. 32:8): {THIS IS YOUR GOD} [THESE ARE YOUR GODS], O ISRAEL. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) THE CASE OF BOTH PARTIES SHALL COME BEFORE GOD. This refers to Moses of whom it is written (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH, < in that > Moses sat in judgment over them. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) THE ONE WHOM GOD CONDEMNS. This refers to the judges, of whom it is written (in Exod. 22:27 [28]): YOU SHALL NOT CURSE A GOD < NOR A RULER OF YOUR PEOPLE.⁶⁵See above, Exod. 2:1, and the note there. (Exod. 22:8 [9], cont.:) SHALL PAY HIS NEIGHBOR DOUBLE. This refers to the two sons of Aaron. Ergo (in Lev. 16:1): AFTER THE DEATH OF AARON'S TWO SONS.

R. Huna and R. Idi < said > in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: Israel was saved from that act, because if they had made the calf, it would have been < natural > for them to say (in Exod. 32:8): "These are our gods, O Israel." However, it the proselytes who came up with them from Egypt that made it, and they said to Israel (in Exod. 32:8): THESE ARE YOUR GODS, O ISRAEL.

“Moreover, I have seen, under the sun, in the place of judgment there is wickedness, and in the place of justice there is wickedness” (Ecclesiastes 3:16).
“Moreover, I have seen, under the sun, in the place of judgment…” – Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi say: “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where the Great Sanhedrin convenes and determine rulings for Israel, “there is wickedness,” as it is stated: “All the princes of the king of Babylon came and sat at the Middle Gate” (Jeremiah 39:3) – the place where the halakhot are determined.⁷⁰The word for Middle Gate [hatavekh] is similar to the term for determine [ḥotekh]. “There is wickedness,” there sat “Nergal Saretzer, Samgar Nevo, Sarsekhim the chief official; Nergal Saretzer the chief magician, and all the rest of the princes of the king of Babylon” (Jeremiah 39:3). The parable says: Where the master hung his weapon, the insolent shepherd hangs his jug.⁷¹The place formerly used for a glorious purpose has now been appropriated for an inglorious one. The Divine Spirit is screaming: “And in the place of justice, there is wickedness” – the place in whose regard it is stated: “Justice would lodge in it, but now murderers” (Isaiah 1:21), they commit murders. There they killed Zekharya and Uriya.⁷²Because Israel committed atrocities in the place that should have been set aside for justice, the members of the Great Sanhedrin were replaced in that location by conquering Babylonian officers.
Rabbi Yonatan raised a dilemma before Rabbi Aḥa: In which place did they kill Zekharya, in the Israelite courtyard or in the women’s courtyard? He said to him: Neither in the women’s courtyard nor in the Israelite courtyard, but rather in the priests’ courtyard. They did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle or like the blood of a deer. Regarding the blood of a deer and a gazelle it is written in the Torah: “He shall spill its blood and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). But the righteous Zekharya, they did not treat his blood like the blood of a deer and a gazelle; rather they spilled it on the stones, as it is written: “For its blood was in its midst; it placed it upon a bare rock. [It did not pour it on the ground to cover it with dirt]” (Ezekiel 24:7). To what purpose? It was “to arouse fury to take vengeance, [I placed its blood upon the bare rock so it would not be covered]” (Ezekiel 24:8),⁷³God brought it about that Zekharya’s blood would not be covered in order to motivate the Babylonians to take vengeance upon the Israelites. and in that regard it is written: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1).
You find that when Nevuzaradan ascended to destroy Jerusalem, the Holy One blessed be He had indicated to that blood that it should seethe and rise for two hundred and fifty-two years, from [the time of] Yoash to [the time of] Zedekiah. What did they do? They swept all possible dirt and formed every possible pile [upon it], but it would not rest; the blood was seething and boiling. The Holy One blessed be He said to the blood: ‘This is the time that you will collect your debt.’ When Nevuzaradan ascended and saw it, he said to them: ‘What is the nature of this blood that seethes in this way?’ They said to him: ‘It is the blood of bulls, rams, and sheep that they were slaughtering and sacrificing.’ He brought bulls, rams, and sheep and slaughtered them onto it, but it did not quiet, did not rest, and did not stop. He immediately took them and hanged them on a pole. He said to them: ‘Tell me what is the nature of this blood, and if not, I will comb you with a comb of iron.’ They said to him: ‘Since the Holy One blessed be He wishes to demand [vengeance for] His blood from us, we will reveal it to you.’ They said to him: ‘He was a priest, a prophet, and a judge, who would prophesy about us all these actions that you are performing against us. But we did not believe him and we rose against him and killed him for rebuking us.’
Immediately [Nevuzaradan] brought eighty thousand young priests and slaughtered them onto [the blood], but it did not rest. The blood emerged until it reached Zekharya’s grave. [Nevuzaradan] then brought the Great Sanhedrin and the lesser Sanhedrin and slaughtered them onto it, but it did not rest. At that moment, that wicked one [Nevuzaradan] came and shouted at the blood, and said to it: ‘What good are you, and in what way is your blood superior to the blood of these? Do you wish to eliminate your entire nation because of you?’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He became filled with mercy for them, and He said: ‘If this cruel wicked one, son of a wicked one, who ascended to destroy My house, became filled with mercy for them, I, of whom it is written: “The Lord, the Lord, God, merciful and gracious” (Exodus 34:6), and it is written in My regard: “The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His creations” (Psalms 145:9), all the more so.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He intimated to that blood, and it was absorbed in its place.
Rabbi Yudan said: The Israelites performed seven transgressions at that moment:⁷⁴When they killed Zekharya. They killed a priest, a prophet, and a judge, they spilled innocent blood, they [brought] impurity to the [Temple] courtyard, and it was Shabbat and Yom Kippur.
Rabbi Yehoshua interpreted the verse regarding the sin of the Golden Calf. “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where Moses implemented the attribute of justice, as it is stated: “Go to and fro from gate to gate in the camp [and each man kill his brother]” (Exodus 32:27). “There is wickedness,” as it is stated: “The Lord afflicted the people…” (Exodus 32:35). The Divine Spirit was shouting: “In the place of justice there is wickedness” – in the place where I treated them as righteous ones and called them divine, as it is stated: “I said: You are divine and all of you are sons of the celestial” (Psalms 82:6). “There is wickedness” – there they were corrupted and crafted the [Golden] Calf. As it is stated: “They prostrated themselves to it” (Exodus 32:8).
Rabbi Yuda interpreted the verse regarding Shitim. “In the place of judgment there is wickedness” – in the place where the attribute of justice acted in Shitim, as it is stated: “Take all the leaders of the people and hang them before the Lord against the sun” (Numbers 25:4). “There is wickedness,” as it stated: “The dead in the plague were twenty-four thousand” (Numbers 25:9). The Divine Spirit was shouting and saying: “And in the place of justice there is wickedness” – in the place where I treated them as righteous regarding the curses of Bilam, and I transformed them into blessings, as it is stated: “The Lord your God turned the curse into a blessing for you” (Deuteronomy 23:6), “there is wickedness,” there they corrupted and sinned, as it is stated: “Israel resided in Shitim [and the people began to engage in licentiousness]” (Numbers 25:1).
Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Yitzḥak, Rabbi Levi said two matters [are stated in verses] regarding the hand [of God], and two matters regarding the right hand [of God]. Two matters regarding the hand [of God], as it is written: “In whose hand is the life of every living being…” (Job 12:10), and it is written: “And My hand grasps judgment” (Deuteronomy 32:41). And two matters regarding the right hand [of God], as it is stated: “From His right hand, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2), and it is written: “Your right hand is filled with righteousness” (Psalms 48:11). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Holy One blessed be He said to the soul: Soul, I strengthened you very much and commanded you, and said: “Just be strong not to eat the blood [because the blood is the soul]” (Deuteronomy 12:23), and [nonetheless the soul] goes out, violently robs, sins, and subjects itself to the attribute of justice, and emerges from the attribute of justice and sins,⁷⁵It sins again after receiving punishment for its previous sins. as it is stated: “Speak to the children of Israel saying: ‘If a soul sins unwittingly…’” (Leviticus 4:2).⁷⁶The verse assigns responsibility for even unwitting sins to the soul (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Alternatively, the verse may also be understood as a rhetorical question, as though to say: After all this, can a soul yet sin, even unwittingly? (Etz Yosef).

19 (Numb. 23:7) “So he took up his theme and said, ‘From Aram, Balak the king of Moab has brought me, from the hills of the east.’” I was one of the exalted ones,³¹Ramim. The midrash links this word with ARAM in Numb. 23:7. but Balak has brought me down to the pit of corruption. (Ibid.) “Brought me (yanheni, rt.: nhh),” [is to be understood] just as you say (in Ezek. 32:18), “bring (rt.: nhh) the masses of Egypt [and cast them down [… unto the lowest part of the netherworld along with those who go down to the pit].”³²Thus Numb. 23:7 comes to mean that Balak BROUGHT (rt.: NHH) Balaam down to the grave. The unusual Biblical translation is necessary to fit the sense of the midrash. Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram”: I was with the highest (ram) of the high, and Balak has brought me down from my glory. [The matter] is comparable to one who was walking with the king. When he saw [some] robbers,³³Gk.: lestai. he left the king and toured along with the robbers. When he returned to be with the king, the king said to him, “Go with whomever you have toured with, because it not possible for you to walk with me again.” Similarly Balaam had been bound to the holy spirit. When he paired himself with Balak, the holy spirit departed from him. So he returned to being a diviner as in the beginning. Thus it is stated (at his execution in Josh. 13:22), “Balaam ben Beor the diviner….” Therefore did he yell out, “I was high up (ram), and Balak brought me down.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:7), “From Aram, he has brought me”: [Balaam] said to [Balak], “We are alike, even both of us, for being ungrateful, because were it not for their father Abraham, there would have been no Balak. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 19:29), ‘And it came to pass that when God destroyed the cities of the plain, God remembered Abraham and sent Lot away.’ Except for Abraham, he would not have delivered Lot from Sodom; and you are one of the children of the children of Lot.³⁴As a Moabite, Balak was descended from Moab, the son of Lot. See Gen. 19:37. Moreover, if it were not for their father Jacob, I should not have been present in the world, because Laban had sons only through the merit of Jacob, since it is written at the beginning (in Gen. 29:9), ‘Rachel came with the sheep.’ Now if he had sons, how was his daughter a shepherdess? As soon as Jacob came there, sons were given to him, as stated (in Gen. 31:1), ‘Now he heard the things that Laban's sons [were saying].’³⁵Jewish tradition gives three views on Balaam’s relation to Laban: That he was Laban himself, that he was Laban’s nephew, and that he was Laban’s grandson. See Ginzberg, vol. III, p. 354; vol.. V, p. 303, n. 229; vol. VI, pp. 123f., nn. 722f.; p. 130, n. 764. And it also says [that Laban said] (in Gen. 30:27), ‘I have learned by divination that the Lord has blessed me for your sake.’” (Numb. 23:7, cont.) “Come, curse Jacob for me”: Whoever curses [the Children of Jacob] is cursing himself, since it is stated (in Gen. 12:3), “and the one who curses you, I will curse.” It also says (in Gen. 27:29), “cursed be those who curse you.” (Numb. 23:7) “Come, curse [Jacob] for me […].” If you had told me to curse another people, for example, the Children of Abraham and Isaac, I would have been able [to do so]. But Jacob? When a king selects a portion for himself, and someone else gets up and speaks disparagingly about it, will he keep his life? Now these people are the Holy One, blessed be He’s, heritage, His portion, and His treasure. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 32:9), “For the Lord's share is His people; Jacob the portion of His heritage.” And it is written (in Exod. 19:5), “and you shall be My treasure.” (Numb. 23:7, cont.) “And come, denounce Israel:” When a king takes a crown and puts it on his head, and someone says of it that it is nothing, will he keep his life? Now in regard to these people it is written about them (in Is. 49:3), “Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” (Numb. 23:8) “How shall I curse [the one] whom God has not cursed”: When they deserved to be cursed, they were not cursed: When Jacob went in to receive the blessings, he went it with deception. As it is written (in Gen. 27:16), “[Then she clothed his arms and the hairless part of his neck] with the skins of goat kids.” His father said to him (in Gen. 27:18), “Who are you?” He said to him (in vs. 19), “I am Esau, your first-born.” Does not the one who puts forth a lie with his mouth deserve to be cursed? Yet not only [was he not cursed], but he was blessed; as stated (in Gen. 27:33), “he shall also be blessed.” So how do I curse them? (In the words of Numb. 23:8) “God has not cursed.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” According to universal custom, when a legion³⁶Lat.: legio. rebels against the king, it incurs the penalty of death. Now since these denied and revolted against Him, when they said [about the calf] (in Exod. 32:4), “This is your god, O Israel,” was it not necessary to have Him destroy them at that time? [Still] He did not cease to cherish them. Instead He had clouds of glory accompany them. Nor did He withhold the manna and the well from them. And so it says (in Exod. 32:4), “When they made a molten calf,” (in Neh. 9:18-20), “You in Your great mercies did not abandon them in the desert […]; and You did not withhold Your manna from their mouth […].” How can I curse them? (Numb. 23:8) “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed” When He commanded them concerning the blessings and the curses, He mentioned them (as the people) in connection with the blessings where it is stated (in Deut. 27:12), “These shall stand [on Mount Gerizim] for blessing the people;” but He did not mention them in connection with the curses. Thus it is stated (in vs. 13), “And these shall stand on Mount Ebal for the curse.” Moreover, when they sin and He plans to bring a curse upon them, it is not written that He Himself is bringing them (i.e., the curses); but with respect to the blessings, He Himself is blessing them; for so it says (in Deut. 28:1, 8), “And it shall come to pass that, if you diligently obey […], the Lord your God will set you high [over all the nations of the earth]. The Lord will command the blessing to be with you.” But with respect to the curses, it is written (according to Deut. 28:15), “And it shall come to pass that, if you do not obey […], then [all these curses] shall come upon you,” [i.e.,] of their own accord. Ergo (in Numb. 23:8), “How shall I curse whom God has not cursed?” (Numb. 23:9) “For from the top of the rocks I see him,” in order to make the hatred of that evil man (i.e., Balaam) known to you. As from his blessing you may know his thoughts. To what is he comparable? To someone who came to chop down a tree. One who is not an expert chops off the branches one at a time and becomes tired, but the clever one exposes the roots and [then] chops it down. Similarly that wicked man said, “Why shall I curse each and every tribe? Rather I will go to their roots.” When he came to touch them, he found them hard [to cut]. It is therefore stated (in Numb. 23:9), “For from the top of the rocks I see him.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 23:9): “For from the top of the rocks,” these are the patriarchs; (ibid., cont.) “and from the hills I behold him,” these are the matriarchs. (Numb. 23:9, cont.) “Here is a people dwelling alone”: When He makes them rejoice, no nation rejoices along with them. But when the nations are rejoicing in this world, they (i.e., the Children of Israel) eat with each and every kingdom, and no one is charging [such pleasures] against their account (rt: hshb).³⁷In other words the pleasures that Israel enjoys in this world are not to be deducted from their pleasures in the world to come. It is so stated (in Numb. 23:9, cont.), “and they shall not be reckoned (rt.: hshb) among the nations.” (Numb. 23:10) “Who has counted the dust of Jacob”: Who is able to count the commandments which they carry out upon the dust: (In Deut. 22:10,) “You shall not plow with an ox and an ass”; (in Deut. 22:9,) “You shall not sow your vineyard with two kinds of seed”; (in Numb. 19:9,) “Then someone clean shall gather the ashes of the heifer”; (in Numb. 5:17,) “[Then the high priest shall take holy water in an earthen vessel] and some of the dust which is on the floor of the tabernacle”; (in Lev. 19:23,) “[Moreover, when you come into the land and plant any tree for food, you shall count its fruit as forbidden,] three years it shall be forbidden to you, [it shall not be eaten]”; and so on with all of them. (Numb. 23:10, cont.) “Or numbered the sand (rb') of Israel,” [i.e.,] their copulations (rt.: rb')³⁸For this interpretation, cf. Nid. 31a. Who can number the masses³⁹Gk.: ochloi. that have emerged from them, from those women who seize on and cherish the commandments (of procreation), as stated (in Gen. 30:15), “But she said to her, ‘Is it a small matter that you have taken away my husband?’” [And so too (in Gen. 30:3, 9),] “Here is my maid Bilhah; go into her.” “When Leah saw that she had ceased bearing children, [she took her maidservant Zilpah and gave her to Jacob as a wife].” [And so too (in Gen. 16:3),] “So Abraham's wife Sarai took her maidservant Hagar the Egyptian… [and gave her to her husband Abraham as a wife].” (Numb. 23:10, cont.) “Let me die the death of the upright”: The matter is comparable to a butcher who came to slaughter a cow that belonged to a king. The king began to take notice. When [the butcher] realized [what was happening], he began by discarding the knife, then giving [the cow] a rubdown [and] filling the feeding trough for it. He began to say, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to slaughter it; but observe that I have [now given it sustenance].” Similarly Balaam said, “Let my life be forfeit for coming to curse, but I will bless [them].” Ergo (in Numb. 23:10), “let me die the death of the upright!” (Numb. 23:14) “So he took him to the Field of Zophim at the top of Pisgah”: He saw that [Israel would be] breached there, for it was there that Moses died, as stated (in Deut. 3:27), “Go up to the top of Pisgah …, [for you shall not cross over this Jordan].” Is there a breach greater than this? What he saw was through divinations, and he was of the opinion that because of him they would fall there.

all embrace and kiss it, especially so if it is a male.

"Now leave me be to make an end of them." Had Moses caught the Holy-One-Blessed be He in his grip that He had to say: "Leave Me Be"? But to what may this be comapred? To a king who became angry with his son and took him to an ante-room and set about to try and kill him. There he shouted fro the room: Leave me alone to kill him! The boy's tutor who was standing outside, reasoned thus: Both the king and his son are in a room together inside. Why then does he shout: Leave me alone? Te reasn must be that the king really wants me to go in and make peace between him and his son. That is why he cries out: Leave me alone!

Variantly: (Devarim 11:16) "Take heed unto yourselves lest your hearts be enticed": He said to them: Take care that the evil inclination not lead you astray to separate yourselves from the Torah. For once a man separates himself from the Torah, he cleaves to idolatry, as it is written (Shemoth 32:8) "They have turned aside quickly from the way which I have commanded them; they have made for themselves a golden calf." And it is written (I Samuel 26:19) "If the L-rd has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. And if the sons of man, let them be cursed before the L-rd. For they have driven me out this day from joining the inheritance of the L-rd, saying 'Go and serve other gods.'" Now would it enter your mind that David, king of Israel, would serve idolatry? (The thought is,) rather, that his ceasing to occupy himself with words of Torah is equivalent to his cleaving to idolatry.

(Devarim 15:16) "and you bow down to them": You bow down to them, but not to Me! And thus is it written (in respect to the golden calf, Shemoth 32:8) "and they bowed down to it and they sacrificed to it." Others say: If Israel had not joined the name of the Holy One Blessed be He to that of idolatry (the golden calf), they would have been exterminated, viz. (Shemoth, Ibid.) "These are your gods, O Israel, who (plural) brought you up from the land of Egypt." R. Shimon says: But is not one who joins the name of Heaven with that of idolatry liable to extermination, it being written (Ibid. 22:19) "He who sacrifices to a god will be destroyed, other than to the L-rd alone!" What, then, is the intent of "who (plural) brought you up"? We are hereby taught that they made for themselves many calves. And thus (that they did not join the L-rd in their service) is it written (II Chronicles 29:7) "They have also shut up the doors of the ulam (the Temple hall), and they have put out the lamps, and they have not offered a burnt-offering in the holy place to the G-d of Israel." They did burn incense to something else. In the holy place they did not offer, but in chullin (a profane place) they did offer. To the G-d of Israel they did not offer, but they did offer to something else.

AND IT CAME TO PASS FROM THE TIME THAT HE APPOINTED HIM, etc. (XXXIX, 5). R. Simeon b. Yohai taught: Wherever the righteous go, the Shechinah accompanies them. Thus when Isaac went down to Gerar, a blessing went with him, as it says, And Isaac sowed in that land...and the Lord blessed him (Gen. XXVI, 12). Jacob went down to Laban, and a blessing went with him: And the Lord hath blessed thee whithersoever I turned (ib. XXX, 30). Joseph went down to Potiphar, and a blessing went with him, and it says, AND THE LORD BLESSED THE EGYPTIAN'S HOUSE FOR JOSEPH'S SAKE.