창세기 15:15의 미드라쉬

The Holy One said: I made a stipulation with Abraham (in Gen. 15:15): YOU SHALL GO UNTO YOUR ANCESTORS IN PEACE; YOU SHALL BE BURIED AT A GOOD OLD AGE. Now this was a good end; for when one who is righteous passes away, they say to him: Look at what your grandson is doing! David said (in Ps. 63:4 [3]): FOR YOUR STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE. Therefore, Abraham passed away because of Esau. You know yourself that it is so. Isaac, who came from the fecundity of Abraham, lived to one hundred and eighty; but Abraham only lived to one hundred and seventy-five. The Holy One said: Lest he see Esau committing transgressions and voice a complaint over him, for that reason, let five years be deducted from the life of Abraham.

R. Chanina said: "The departure of the soul from the body is (Fol. 19) like a knotted rope passing through a loop-hole in the mast." R. Jochanan said: "Like ropes pulled through loop-holes in the board of a ship." (Fol. 29) R. Levi b. Chitha said: "He who takes leave of a dead body after burial shall not say, 'Go with peace,' but 'Go in peace.' However, if one takes leave of his living friend he should not say, 'Go in peace,' but 'Go with peace'; i.e., when one takes leave of a dead body he shall not say: 'Go with peace,' but 'Go in peace,' as it is said (Gen. 15, 15) But thou shalt come to thy fathers in peace (Beshalom); but when one takes leave of his living friend he should not say, 'Go in peace,' but 'Go with peace'; for Jethro, who said to Moses (Ex. 4, 18) Go with peace (Leshalom), Moses went and was successful; while David who said to Abshalam (II Sam. 15, 9) Go in peace, the latter went and hung himself." R. Levi said again: "He who goes out from the synagogue after prayer and enters the house of learning to study the Torah will be rewarded with permission to wait on the Divine Presence, for it is said (Ps. 84, 8) They go from strength to strength; each of them will appear before God in Zion."

(Deut. 25:17:) “Remember what Amalek (Esau's grandson) did to you.” This verse is related (to Ps.109:14), “May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered before the Lord […].” Were the fathers of Esau wicked?¹¹PRK 3:1; cf. 12:4; PR 12:4. In note 16 on PR 12:4, W. G. Braude, Pesikta Rabbati (“Yale Judaica Series”; New Haven; Yale, 1968) p. 221, n. 16, suggests that the verse was understood as referring to Esau, because vs. 17 in the psalm identifies him as one who DID NOT FIND PLEASURE IN A BLESSING. And were they not righteous? His grandfather was Abraham. His father was Isaac. Yet are you saying (in Ps. 109:14), “May the iniquity of his fathers be remembered?” [The verse is] simply [referring to] a sin that he sinned against his fathers.¹²The Hebrew of Ps. 109:14 can also be understood in this sense. And how?¹³Above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 6:3; Gen. R. 63:12. You find that Isaac got his vitality from Abraham; yet he lived a hundred and eighty years, while Abraham only lived a hundred and seventy-five years. Why so? So he would not see Esau’s shame. Abraham had [Isaac] when he was a hundred years [old]. (Gen. 25:26-27:) “And Isaac was sixty years old when they were born. And the lads grew.” Both of them went to the elementary school, and both of them were equal until the age of fifteen. R. Levi said, “To what were they comparable? To a myrtle and a thorny plant. As long as they are small, no one [can] distinguish one from the other. After they have grown up, the one gives off its pleasant smell, but the other brings forth its thorns. Thus, so long as Esau and Jacob were small, no one distinguished between them. After they were grown up (in Gen. 25:26, cont.), ’Esau became a skillful hunter, a man of the outdoors; but Jacob was a mild man who stayed in camp.’” And Esau would go out and rob and extort, and people would maledict him. And during the five years [that were withheld from Abraham's life], Esau committed two serious transgressions: He violated a betrothed maiden, and he took a life. The one is what is written about (in Gen. 25:29), “then Esau came from the field, and he was exhausted.” Now field can only be a reference to a betrothed maiden [of whom it is stated (in Deut. 22:25), “If in the field the man finds [a maiden who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her…].” Moreover, exhausted can only be a reference to a murderer, of whom it is stated (in Jer. 4:31), “woe to me, now; for my life is exhausted before those who kill.” Rabbi Zakkay said, “He also stole, as stated (in Obad. 1:5), ‘If thieves have come to you.’”¹⁴The Midrash, of course, is identifying the Edom of Obadiah with Esau. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I had already promised my beloved Abraham (in Gen. 15:15), ‘And you shall go unto your ancestors in peace; [you shall be buried at a good old age].’ But now he would see his grandson go to bad culture and hear what people say about his grandson; [that he was] transgressing sexual prohibitions and shedding blood. He would [then] wonder and say, ‘Are these the stipulations that the Holy One, blessed be He, being fulfilled with me?’ And he would voice a complaint, ‘And this is not “a good old age.”’ What should I do for him?” [So] He gathered him from the world. It is better for the righteous man to be gathered (to his ancestors) in peace, as stated in Ps. 63:4), “For Your steadfast love is better than life.” Behold, he [thus] sinned against his grandfather. He sinned against his father, as he caused his eyes to become dim during his lifetime. Hence they have said, “Whoever produces a wicked son or a wicked disciple causes his [own] eyes to grow dim during his lifetime.” From where [in Scripture] do you learn [this]? A wicked son, from Isaac, as stated (in (Gen. 27:1), “And it came to pass that when Isaac was old [and his eyes were too dim to see].” [In regard to] a wicked disciple, [we learn] from Ahijah, as it is written (in I Kings 14:4), “now Ahijah could not see, because his eyes were dim from old age.” Why? Because he produced a wicked disciple in Jeroboam. [(Ps. 109:14:) “And let not the sin of his mother be blotted out.”] But how had he sinned against his mother? R. Judah, R. Nehemiah, and [our] masters [differ]. R. Judah says, “When he left his mother's belly, he severed her uterus,¹⁵Metrin: Gk.: metra; cf. Lat.: matrix. with the result that she would not bear [any more children]. This is what is written (in Amos 1:11), ‘because he (i.e., Edom, which is Esau) pursued his brother with the sword and repressed his pity (rachamiv),’ as it is written, ‘his uterus (rechemo).’”¹⁶I.e., the womb from which he had been born. The Masoretic text here reads WOMB in the plural. As such, an idiomatic reading of the text would be rendered: BECAUSE HE PURSUED HIS BROTHER WITH THE SWORD AND REPRESSED HIS PITY. Moreover, R. Berekhyah says, “You should not say [this] in reference to when he had left [his mother's uterus].¹⁷Gen. R. 63:6. Rather, as he was leaving his mother's uterus, his zerta'¹⁸The Aramaic word means “fist” or “hand,” as the bracketed explanation correctly translates. The reason for this rather unusual word here is to play on the word zoru from Ps. 58:4, which he is about to cite. [i.e., fist] was stretched out against him (i.e., against his brother Jacob).” What is the reasoning? (Ps. 58:4:) “The wicked go astray (zoru) from the womb.” R. Nehemiah says, “He was the cause of her not producing twelve tribes.” As Rav Huna has said, “Rebekah was worthy of producing twelve tribes, as stated (in Gen. 25:23), ‘And the Lord said to her, “Two nations are [in your womb].”¹⁹See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 12:16. Here are two. (Ibid., cont.:) “and two peoples.” Here are four. (Ibid., cont.:) “And one people shall be stronger than the other.” Here are six. (Ibid., cont.:) “And the elder shall serve the younger.”’ Here are eight. (Vs. 24:) ‘And behold there were twins in her womb.’ Here are ten. (Vs. 25:) ‘The first came out ruddy.’ That is eleven. (Vs. 26:) ‘And afterward his brother came out.’ Here are twelve.” And there are some who bring this [idea] from here (vs. 22); “and she said, ‘If so, why am I here (zh)?’” By gematria²⁰Gk.: geometria. z (=7) + h (=5) [for a total of] twelve. But [our] masters have said, “He caused her bier to not go forth publicly [to her funeral]. You find that when Rebekah died, they were saying, ‘Who will go before her? Abraham is dead. Isaac's eyes are dim, and he is sitting at home. Jacob has gone to Paddan-Aram. Should Esau the wicked go before her? Then people would say [in Aramaic],²¹Much of this paragraph is in Aramaic. “Cursed be her breasts for suckling this man.”’ What did they do? They brought out her bier at night, so that Esau not go out in front of her, and all say, ‘Cursed are the breasts suckled this evil man.’” R. Jose bar R. Hanina said, “Because they brought out her bier at night, the text only explained about her obliquely. Thus it is written (in Gen. 35:8), ‘Then Rebekah's nurse, Deborah, died [and she was buried under the oak below Bethel] and its name was called Weeping Oak (Allon-Bacuth)],’ as they wept two weepings (bekhiot).”²²Bacuth, of course, means “weeping,” and allon can be understood as a Greek adjective in the neuter that means “other” or “another.” Thus the name can be read as “another weeping” and imply a second weeping. So PRK 3:1; Gen. R. 81:5; cf. Eccl. R. 7:2:3. While Jacob was seated in observance [of mourning] for her nurse, the news about his mother came to him, as stated (to Gen. 35:9), “Now God appeared unto Jacob again […,] and blessed him.” With what blessing did He bless him? He blessed him with the blessing of [consolation given to] mourners.²³The blessing informed Jacob that his mother was dead. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Did his father pay him (i.e. Esau) back with evil? Did his mother pay him back with evil? Did his brother pay him back with evil? Did his grandfather pay him back with evil? Did you pay him back with evil? I shall pay him back with evil, as his children destroyed My house. You and I shall rise against him, as stated (Obad. 1:1), “Rise, and we shall rise up against her for war.” Israel said to him, “Master of the world, we cannot [overcome] him.” [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, “You mention his name below, and I shall blot out his name above, as stated (Ps. 109:15) ‘Let them (the iniquity against his fathers and the sin against his mother) always be before (neged) the Lord.’ Whatever he has done, he has done against (neged) Me.” [Therefore] (ibid., cont.), “and may He have their memory cut off from the earth.” Ergo (in Deut. 25:17), “Remember what Amalek (Esau's grandson) did to you.”

(Deut. 25:17:) REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK (Esau's grandson) DID TO YOU. This verse is related (to Ps. 109:14): MAY THE INIQUITY OF HIS FATHERS BE REMEMBERED BEFORE THE LORD…. Were the fathers of Esau wicked?¹⁵Tanh., Deut. 6:4; PRK 3:1; cf. 12:4; PR 12:4. In note 16 on PR 12:4, W. G. Braude, Pesikta Rabbati (“Yale Judaica Series”; New Haven; Yale, 1968) p. 221, n. 16, suggests that the verse was understood as referring to Esau, because vs. 17 in the psalm identifies him as one who DID NOT FIND PLEASURE IN A BLESSING. And were they not righteous? His grandfather was Abraham. His father was Isaac. Yet are you saying (in Ps. 109:14): MAY THE INIQUITY OF HIS FATHERS BE REMEMBERED! <The verse is> simply <referring to> a sin that he sinned against his fathers.¹⁶The Hebrew of Ps. 109:14 can also be understood in this sense. And how did he sin against his fathers?¹⁷Above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 6:3; Gen. R. 63:12. You find that Isaac got his vitality from Abraham; yet he lived a hundred and eighty years, while Abraham <only>¹⁸The “only” is found in the parallel account of Tanh., Deut. 6:4. lived a hundred and seventy-five years.¹⁹The Tanh. parallel adds here: “Why so? Because he did not foresee Esau’s shame.” Rabbi Levi said: During the five years that were withheld from Abraham's life, Esau committed two serious transgressions. He violated a betrothed maiden, and he took a life. The one is what is written about (in Gen. 25:29): THEN ESAU CAME FROM THE FIELD, AND HE WAS EXHAUSTED. Now FIELD can only be a reference to a BETROTHED MAIDEN [of whom it is stated (in Deut. 22:25): IF IN THE FIELD THE MAN FINDS A MAIDEN WHO IS BETROTHED, <AND THE MAN SEIZES HER AND LIES WITH HER….>] Moreover, EXHAUSTED can only be a reference to a murderer, of whom it is stated (in Jer. 4:31): WOE TO ME, NOW! FOR MY LIFE IS EXHAUSTED BEFORE THOSE WHO KILL. Rabbi Zakkay [the Elder] said: He also stole, as stated (in Obad. 5): IF THIEVES HAVE COME TO YOU.²⁰The Midrash, of course, is identifying the Edom of Obadiah with Esau. The Holy One said: I had already promised my beloved Abraham (in Gen. 15:15): YOU SHALL GO UNTO YOUR ANCESTORS IN PEACE; YOU SHALL BE BURIED <AT A GOOD OLD AGE>. But now he would see his grandson, when he was robbing with violence, practicing seduction, and shedding blood. At that time he was a good grandfather; <so> it was better for him as a righteous man to be gathered (to his ancestors) in peace, as stated in Ps. 63:4 [3]): FOR STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE. And what sin did he commit against his father? He caused his eyes to become dim during his lifetime. Hence they have said: Whoever produces a wicked son or a wicked disciple causes his eyes to grow dim during his lifetime. A wicked son came from Isaac, as written (in (Gen. 27:1): <AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN ISAAC WAS OLD> AND HIS EYES WERE TOO DIM TO SEE. [Why? Because he produced Esau the Wicked.] In regard to a wicked disciple, <there was a disciple> from Ahijah the Shilonite, as stated (in I Kings 14:4): NOW AHIJAH {THE SHILONITE} COULD NOT SEE, BECAUSE HIS EYES WERE DIM FROM OLD AGE. Why? Because he produced a wicked disciple in Jeroboam. [(Ps. 109:14:) AND LET NOT THE SIN OF HIS MOTHER BE BLOTTED OUT.] But how had he sinned against his mother? R. Judah, R. Nehemiah, and <our> masters <differ>. R. Judah says: When he left his mother's belly, he severed her uterus²¹Metrin: Gk.: metra; cf. Lat.: matrix. {i.e., placenta}, with the result that she would not bear <any more children>. This is what is written (in Amos 1:11): BECAUSE HE (i.e., Edom, which is Esau) PURSUED HIS BROTHER WITH THE SWORD AND DESTROYED HIS WOMB.²²I.e., the womb from which he had been born. The Masoretic text here reads WOMB in the plural. As such, an idiomatic reading of the text would be rendered: BECAUSE HE PURSUED HIS BROTHER WITH THE SWORD AND REPRESSED ALL PITY. Moreover, R. Berekhyah says: You should not say <this> in reference to when he had left <his mother's uterus>.²³Gen. R. 63:6. Rather, as he was leaving his mother's uterus, his zerta'²⁴The Aramaic word means “fist” or “hand,” as the bracketed explanation correctly translates. The reason for this rather unusual word here is to play on the word zoru from Ps. 58:4, which he is about to cite. {i.e., fist} was stretched out against him (i.e., against his brother Jacob). What is the reasoning? (Ps. 58:4 [3]:) THE WICKED GO ASTRAY (zoru) FROM THE WOMB. R. Nehemiah says: He was the cause of her not producing twelve tribes, since Rav Huna has said: Rebekah was worthy of producing twelve tribes, as stated (in Gen. 25:23): AND THE LORD SAID TO HER: TWO NATIONS ARE [IN YOUR WOMB.²⁵See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 12:16. Here] are two. (Ibid., cont.:) AND TWO PEOPLES. Here are four. (Ibid., cont.:) AND ONE PEOPLE SHALL BE STRONGER THAN THE OTHER. Here are six. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE ELDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER. Here are eight. (vs. 24:) AND BEHOLD THERE WERE TWINS IN HER WOMB. Here are ten. (vs. 25:) THE FIRST CAME OUT RUDDY. [Here are eleven.] (vs. 26:) AND AFTERWARD HIS BROTHER CAME OUT. Here are twelve. There are also some who apply a passage to her (from vs. 22): AND SHE SAID: IF SO, WHY AM I HERE (ZH)? By gematria²⁶Gk.: geometria. Z (=7) + H (=5) <for a total of> twelve. But <our> masters have said: He was the cause of her bier not going forth publicly <to her funeral>. You find that when Rebekah died, they were saying: Who will go before her? Abraham is dead. Isaac's eyes are dim, and he is sitting at home. Jacob has gone to Paddan-aram. Should Esau the Wicked go before her? Then people would say <in Aramaic>:²⁷Much of this paragraph is in Aramaic. Cursed be her breasts for suckling this man {i.e., <in Hebrew>: cursed be the breasts that have suckled one like this man}. What did they do? They brought out her bier at night. R. Jose bar Hanina said: Because they brought out her bier at night, the text only explained about her obliquely. Thus it is written (in Gen. 35:8): THEN REBEKAH'S NURSE, DEBORAH, DIED <AND WAS BURIED UNDER THE OAK BELOW BETHEL> [AND ITS NAME WAS CALLED WEEPING OAK (Allon-bacuth)]. What is the meaning of Allon-bacuth? Two weepings.²⁸Bacuth, of course, means “weeping,” and allon can be understood as a Greek adjective in the neuter that means “other” or “another.” Thus the name can be read as “another weeping” and imply a second weeping. So PRK 3:1; Gen. R. 81:5; cf. Eccl. R. 7:2:3. While Jacob was seated in observance of mourning for {his} [her] nurse, the news about his mother came to him. This is related (to Gen. 35:9): NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN […,] AND BLESSED HIM. With what blessing did he bless him? He blessed him with the blessing <of consolation given to> mourners.²⁹The blessing informed Jacob that his mother was dead. The Holy One said: Did his father pay him (i.e. Esau) back with evil? Did his mother pay him back with evil? Did his brother pay him back with evil? Did his grand[father] pay him back with evil? Did you pay him back with evil? So should I pay him back with evil? When you mention his name below, I shall blot out his name above. (Ps. 109:15:) LET THEM (the iniquity against his fathers and the sin against his mother) ALWAYS BE BEFORE THE LORD. Whatever he has done, he has done against me. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): AND MAY HE HAVE THEIR MEMORY CUT OFF FROM THE EARTH. [Ergo] (in Deut. 25:17): REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK (Esau's grandson) DID TO YOU.

Abraham also pleaded for death with his own lips, as it is said: What wilt thou give me, seeing I go hence childless (Gen. 15:2). Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace (ibid., v. 15). Isaac likewise sought death, as is said: That I may eat, and bless thee before the Lord before my death (ibid. 35:29). Similarly, Jacob asked for death, as is said: Now let me die (ibid. 46:30). The Holy One, blessed be He, told him: You have said: Now let me die, but you will live seventeen additional years. After that time had passed he became ill and died.

And further said R. Abin the Levite: "He who leaves his friend [after escorting him a distance] must not say 'Go in peace' but Go with peace.' for Jethro said unto Moses (Ex. 4, 18.) Go with peace. He went and succeeded, but David said to Abshalom (II Sam. 15, 9.) Go in peace. He went and hanged himself." Further said R. Abin the Levite: "He who takes leave of the dead body [after burial] must not say 'Go with peace' but 'Go in peace,' for it is said (Gen. 15, 15.) But thou shalt come to thy fathers in peace." R. Levi b. Chiya said: "He who goes out from the synagogue [after prayer] and enters the house of learning and studies the Torah will be permitted to wait on the Divine Presence, for it is said (Ps. 84, 8.) They go from strength to strength; each of them will appear before God in Zion." R. Elazar in the name of R. Chanina said: "Scholars advance peace in the world, as it is said (Is. 54, 13.) And all thy children shall be taught by the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy children. Read not Banaich (Thy Children), but read it Bonaich (thy builders)"; Great peace have they who love thy Torah and there is no stumbling for them (Ps. 119, 115). Peace be within thy rampart, prosperity within thy palaces (Ib. 122, 7). For my brethren and associates' sake I would fain speak peace concerning Thee (Ib.). For the sake of the house of the Lord our God. I would seek thy good. The Lord will give strength unto his people; The Lord will bless his people with peace.

What is written above of the matter (in Exod. 3:4)? WHEN THE LORD SAW THAT HE HAD TURNED ASIDE TO LOOK, GOD CALLED UNTO HIM FROM THE MIDST OF THE THORN BUSH AND SAID: MOSES, MOSES! R. Abba bar Kahana said: Everyone whose name is doubled has a share in both worlds (i.e., this world and the world to come):⁶⁸Tanh., Exod. 1:18; Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:1, 6; Gen. R. 30:4; 38:12; Exod. R. 2:6. NOAH, NOAH (in Gen. 6:9); ABRAHAM, ABRAHAM (in Gen. 22:11); JACOB, JACOB (in Gen. 46:2); MOSES, MOSES (in Exod. 3:4); SAMUEL, SAMUEL (in I Sam. 3:10); and the text TERAH, TERAH (in Gen. 11:27). He said to them: Terah also is to have a share in both worlds, for our father Abraham did not die until he had received the good news about the fact that his father Terah had repented, as stated (in Gen. 15:15): YOU SHALL GO UNTO YOUR ANCESTORS IN PEACE. < Abraham > said to him: Should I go to my ancestors with whatever good works you have saved up for him?⁶⁹Cf. Tanh., Exod. 1:18, which reads: “With whatever good works2have saved up?” At that time the Holy One brought the good news and said to him: By your life, your father Terah has repented. His name is therefore doubled (in Gen. 11:27).

And Moses went, and returned unto Jethro his father-in-law. Prior to this is written: And when the Lord saw that he returned to see … and He said: “Moses, Moses” (Exod. 3:4). R. Abba the son of Kahana said: Everyone whose name is repeated in immediate succession experiences life in both worlds: Noah, Noah (Gen. 6:9); Abraham, Abraham (ibid. 22:11); Jacob, Jacob (ibid. 46:2); Moses, Moses (Exod. 3:4); Samuel, Samuel (I Sam. 3:10); Perez, Perez (Ruth 4:15). However, someone retorted: Is it not also written: These are the generations of Terah, Terah (Gen. 11:27). He replied: Even he had a portion in both worlds, for our patriarch Abraham was not buried until he was assured that his father, Terah, had repented, for it is said: But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace (ibid. 15:15). Abraham said to the Holy One, blessed be He: Master of the Universe: Shall I go to my fathers, though I have stored up good deeds in this world? The Holy One, blessed be He, answered: Be assured: Thy father hath repented. Hence his name was repeated.

Rabbi Ẓe'era said: All the souls go forth and are gathered, each man's soul to the generation of his fathers and to his people. The righteous with the righteous, and the wicked with the wicked, for thus spake the Holy One, blessed be He, to Abraham: "But thou shalt go to thy fathers in peace" (Gen. 15:15). And when the soul goes forth from the body, then the righteous come to meet them, and say to them: Come unto peace ! One verse says, "Therefore, behold, I will gather thee to thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace" (2 Kings 22:20).

The third wonder (was): From the day when the heavens and the earth were created there never was a man upon whom grey hairs were sprinkled until Abraham came. The people were astonished because they had not seen any one like him from the day when the world was created. Whence do we know that grey hairs were sprinkled upon him? Because it is said, "And Abraham was old, well stricken in age" (Gen. 24:1).