창세기 6:11의 미드라쉬

When the Lord cuts down (Deuteronomy 12:29): The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, "By your lives, I will conduct your wars and write about you that you killed them." Come and see, the acts of the Holy One, blessed be He, are not like the acts of a king of flesh and blood: [When] a king of flesh and blood goes out to war, his legions go out in front of him. If they are victorious, they come and make a crown and crown him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, does not do like this, but rather He conducts the war, and give the crown to Israel, as it is stated (Psalms 136:17-20), "Who struck down great kings, [...]. Sihon, king of the Amorites,[...]. Og, king of Bashan." But He gave the crown to Israel, as it is stated (Joshua 12:5), "Moshe, the servant of God, and Israel smote them." And so [too], with Yehoshua, what is written? "And the Lord hurled huge stones on them from the sky" (Joshua 10:11). And [yet] it is stated (Joshua 12:7), "And these are the kings of the land that Yehoshua and the Children of Israel slew." So that we inherit their land, He cut them down from the world, in order that we would enter and inherit houses filled with all good things. As all the days that Israel was present, they were swept and wandering in the wilderness for forty years. Yet they had been fitting to go up [to the Land of Israel] immediately, as it is stated (Exodus 3:17), "I will take you out of the misery of Egypt," to a good and spacious land. But they did not go in immediately. As when they left from Egypt, the seven nations [inhabiting the land] heard that [the Israelites] were coming to inherit [the land]. What did they do? They cut down the trees, stopped up the springs and destroyed the homes, such that if [the Israelites] would enter, they would find nothing [worthwhile there]. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "If I bring them in right away, they will find it desolate, and I promised them that they would find it full of all of good things." What did He do? He held them up in the wilderness forty years, such that the Canaanites disregarded Israel, saying they are not coming. [Hence] they rose and planted trees, they fixed the wells and the cities, such that Israel would come when it was built, to fulfill that which is stated (Deuteronomy 6:11), "Houses full of all good things." This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Exodus 13:17), "God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines." Once they fixed everything, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moshe, "Why are you standing? 'Go up from here, you and the people' (Exodus 33:1). Make war with them and cut them down." And Israel said to Moshe, "When do we enter the land." [His answer was:] When the Lord, your God cuts down the nations within it shall you enter.

(Gen. 27:4f.:) AND MAKE ME DELICACIES…. NOW REBEKAH HAD BEEN LISTENING…. [THEN ESAU WENT TO THE FIELD]. When he had caught < some deer > and bound them, the angel went to set them free and drive them away.³⁵Gen. R. 67:2; see Tanh., Gen. 6:11. Again he caught them, but the angel set them free. And why so? Simply to drag out the hours until Jacob would go. So he would go, make < the meal >, enter in with his father, eat, and receive the blessings. Ergo (in Gen. 27:5): THEN ESAU WENT TO THE FIELD TO CATCH GAME TO BRING < HOME >.

(Gen. 27:30:) AND IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN ISAAC HAD FINISHED BLESSING JACOB, AND < JACOB > HAD JUST GONE OUT, GONE OUT.⁶⁶Such verbal repetition, with the first verb vocalized as an infinitive absolute, is common in biblical Hebrew and generally indicates emphasis. Two departures are recorded here: GONE OUT, GONE OUT. {Isaac said:} Isaac's gateway⁶⁷The Buber text reads “window” (hallon) here, but the word makes little sense. Buber himself suggests this emendation of “gateway” (pilon, from the Gk.: pylon). So Gen. R. 66:5. had two ends, a gate to the north and a gate to the south. Jacob left with the plate⁶⁸Gk.: diskos; Lat.: discus. in his hand. He saw Esau and hid behind the door. One who is in the light does not see {him. He forgets him.} [one who is in the darkness].⁶⁹See Tanh., Gen. 6:11. Ergo: JUST GONE OUT, GONE OUT. < He hid > because, if Esau had seen him, he would have killed him. R. Joshua ben Levi said: At the second hour (8:00 A.M.) he learned Esau had gone in to his father, and at the sixth hour (12:00 M.) he was going out. But, while Jacob was detained [for so long] over all this business, where was Esau during this time? R. Joshua ben Levi said: He was catching game and binding it, but an angel was setting it free and driving it away.⁷⁰See above, 6:10. That is what is stated (in Prov. 12:27): A DECEPTIVE ONE SHALL NOT ROAST HIS GAME, BUT A DILIGENT ONE IS A PERSON OF PRECIOUS WEALTH.⁷¹According to Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Gen. 27:31, Esau deceived his father by serving him dog meat instead of the venison he had been unable to catch. It was not known to Jacob what miracles were performed for him, for, while he was going out, Esau was coming in. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 27:30): AND < JACOB > HAD JUST GONE OUT, GONE OUT…. Therefore, David has said (in Ps. 86:10): FOR YOU ARE GREAT, AND YOU PERFORM WONDERS (rt.: PL'), YOU GOD BY YOURSELF. You know what miracles and wonders (rt.: PL') you are doing with such a person, but he does not know. This person sleeps upon his bed < and > arises to put on his clothes. Unless they make a search (rt.: PL') for whether there is a snake or a scorpion there, he will cast them off without knowing about them and < so > be delivered from them. Therefore, David has said to him: < It is > for you alone to do wonders (rt.: PL'); < it is incumbent > upon us to be blessing you, as stated (in Ps. 72:18): BLESSED BE THE LORD GOD < OF ISRAEL, WHO ALONE DOES WONDERS (rt.: PL') >. In Egypt you did miracles for us, and we on our part uttered a song by the sea for you (in Exod. 15:1-18). The Holy One said to them: In this world I have performed wonders (rt.: PL') for you and redeemed you from the bondage of Egypt. Thus I am going to redeem you in the world to come from the bondage of Edom (i.e., of Esau) and perform wonders for you. It is so stated (in Micah 7:15): AS IN THE DAYS OF YOUR EXODUS FROM [THE LAND OF EGYPT], I WILL SHOW HIM WONDERS (rt.: PL').

Another interpretation (of Gen. 27:33): Why did he tremble? Because he had blessed the younger before the elder; for he had intended to bless both of them. So he called Esau in order to bless him first, since he was the elder. Then afterwards, < he would call > Jacob. So he intended. Why? Because before the Holy One it is difficult to supplant a genealogical chain, to replace primogeniture. So note that he only called Esau. On what basis do you say that he wished to bless Jacob? On the basis of what Jacob said, {and he said} [to his mother] (in Gen. 27:12): THEN I WILL BRING UPON MYSELF A CURSE INSTEAD OF A BLESSING. He said to her: Even the blessing which he was going to give me, in the end he will not give me. Isaac only trembled when he said: What sin is on my hands that the genealogical chain should be ruined at my hands, for me to bless the younger < first > and the elder afterwards? And so you find: In every place Moses comes before Aaron;⁹²Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Pisha, 1. but when it comes to genealogy, Aaron is before Moses. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 3:1): NOW THESE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF AARON AND MOSES. R. Abba said in the name of R. Johanan of the Bet Guvrin: In the case of Reuben also, when that event (the selling of Joseph) happened at his hands, his father gave his birthright to Joseph. Thus it is stated (in I Chron. 5:1): AND THE SONS OF REUBEN, THE FIRST-BORN OF ISRAEL. NOW HE IS FIRST-BORN; BUT, WHEN HE HAD DEFILED HIS FATHER'S BED, HIS BIRTHRIGHT WAS GIVEN TO (JOSEPH) [THE SONS JOSEPH BEN ISRAEL]. Hence the birthright belonged to Joseph. In the genealogy, however, he was not able to keep his birthright away from him, as stated (in Exod. 6:14): THE SONS OF REUBEN THE FIRST-BORN OF ISRAEL. "Now he was the first-born" is not written here (in I Chron. 5:1), but: NOW HE IS THE FIRST-BORN. So also in the case of the sons of Noah, Japheth was the oldest: but because Shem was more righteous, < Scripture > counts him first in every place.⁹³See above, 2:19. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 9:18): AND THE CHILDREN OF NOAH WHO WENT FORTH FROM THE ARK WERE SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH. In regard to genealogy, however, < Scripture > mentions Japheth as being the eldest. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 10:21): AND UNTO SHEM THERE WERE CHILDREN BORN. HE WAS ALSO FATHER TO ALL THE CHILDREN OF EBER < AND > THE BROTHER OF JAPHETH, WHO WAS THE OLDEST.⁹⁴The last eight words can be, and commonly are, translated: THE ELDER BROTHER OF JAPHETH. See Gen. R. 37:7. R. Tanhuma said: But you also have to learn < through > greater insight, that Shem was second to Japheth. Therefore, you find that Noah sired a son at < an age of > five hundred years. It is written (in Gen. 5:32): AND NOAH WAS FIVE HUNDRED YEARS OLD; < AND NOAH BEGOT SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH >. Now the flood took place (according to Gen. 7:11): IN THE SIX HUNDREDTH YEAR OF NOAH'S LIFE…. {Since} it is also written of Shem that he sired a son at < the age of > a hundred years, {he was lacking two} [two years after the flood). It is so stated (in Gen. 11:10): THESE ARE THE DESCENDANTS OF SHEM: SHEM WAS A HUNDRED YEARS OLD WHEN HE BEGOT ARPACHSHAD, TWO YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD. If he had been the eldest, it would have been necessary to say only: HE BEGOT ARPACHSHAD, TWO YEARS AFTER THE FLOOD. You also learn from here that Japheth was two years older than Shem according to the reckoning of my calculation. Here also (in Gen. 27:33), Isaac only trembled when he said: What sin is there on my hands that I have blessed the younger before the elder and have changed the order? Jacob went out and Esau came in, as stated (in Gen. 27:30): AND JACOB HAD JUST GONE OUT…. He (Esau) said to his father (in vs. 32): I AM [YOUR SON], YOUR FIRST-BORN, ESAU. His father began saying: Who is this one who entered and received the blessings? The Holy Spirit said to him: It was Jacob. He said to him (in vs. 33): AND I HAVE EATEN OF EVERYTHING. R. Isaac said: In that dish Isaac had a taste OF EVERYTHING that the Holy One had created during the six days of creation.⁹⁵Tanh., Gen. 6:11; Gen. R. 67:2. Also R. Judah b. R. Shallum said in the name of R. Ayyevu: In that dish Isaac had a taste of whatever is stored up for the righteous in the days to come. [Isaac said to him: In that dish I tasted everything that the Holy One has created]. Esau said to him: Daddy, [tell me:] What is that dish? Isaac said to him: < Whatever I ask for >. I asked for pheasant;⁹⁶Gk.: phasianos. I tasted it. Esau said to him: Daddy, tell me the basic < ingredient >. He said to him: It was meat. R. Hananyah b. R. Isaac said: When Esau heard this, he began striking his face. He said: Woe to that man, as stated (in Gen. 27:34): AND HE LET OUT A GREAT AND BITTER CRY…. Esau said: He fed me pottage of lentils, and I gave him my birthright. Now he has fed Daddy meat. You must know with what blessings he blessed him! HE BEGAN TO CRY AND SAY: IS HE NOT RIGHTLY NAMED JACOB (rt.: 'QB)? [FOR HE HAS CHEATED (rt.: 'QB) ME THESE TWO TIMES. HE TOOK MY BIRTHRIGHT; AND, SEE, NOW HE HAS TAKEN MY BLESSING.] His father said to him: So what should I do for you? He said to him: He has already taken my birthright. Isaac said to him: Over this matter I was sorry. He also said: Perhaps I transgressed a commandment of the Law in blessing the younger before the elder. Now that I have already blessed him, (according to Gen. 27:33:) HE SHALL ALSO BE BLESSED.