이사야 13:78의 미드라쉬

(Exodus 15:5) "so that the depths should cover them": Now are there depths there (at the bottom of the sea)? Is it not dry ground? What, then, is the intent of "should cover them"? __ The lower depths (under the earth) ascended to the upper depths and the torrents embattled them. Thus, "the depths should cover them." (The water) covered the firmament over them and darkened the stars over them, viz. (Ezekiel 32:8) "All the lights of the heavens I will darken above you, and I will bring darkness to your land," and (Isaiah 13:10) "For the stars of heavens and their constellations will not give their light. (For) the sun will be dark when it rises, etc." And it is written (Ezekiel 30:18) "And in Techafnefess the day will be darkened when I break there the power of Egypt… (For) a cloud shall cover it. And (Isaiah 13:11) "and I shall requite to the world (its) evil, etc." Jonah descended to one depth, viz. (Jonah 2:6) "The depth surrounded me," and they descended to two depths, viz. (Exodus 15:5) "The depths covered them." Jonah descended into one metzulah (whirlpool, viz. Jonah 2:4), and they descended into two, (Exodus, Ibid.) "metzuloth." And it is written (Nechemiah 9:11) "And their pursuers You cast into metzuloth, as a stone into raging waters." (Exodus, Ibid. "They descended into the metzuloth": Now are there metzuloth there? Is it not dry land? We are hereby apprised that the Great Sea (the Mediterranean) burst into it (the Red Sea) and the torrents embattled them. Thus, "They descended into the metzuloth." "as a stone": "As one metes it out, so, is it meted out to him." They said (Exodus 1:16) "and you see upon the (birth;) stones, etc." — wherefore You, likewise made the waters like stones to them, and the waters struck them upon the stones. Thus, "as a stone." Variantly: "as a stone": This was the middle state. The wicked among them were tossed about like stubble (viz. 7); the "moderate," like stone (here); the "better," like lead (viz. 10). Variantly: "as a stone": because their hearts were hard as stone. But Your goodness and Your many lovingkindnesses and Your mercies are upon us, and Your right hand is stretched out to all who enter the world, "Your right hand," being written twice (viz. 15:6). (Psalms 44:4) "… but Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance — for You favored them," and (Isaiah 45:23) "By Myself I have sworn. From My mouth has gone forth righteousness, a word that will not turn back." (Exodus 15:6) "Your right hand, O L rd, is grand in power": ("nedari bakeach") Comely (na'eh) are You, and grand (adir [acronym of "nedari"]) in power. For You gave a grace period to the generation of the flood to repent. And they did not repent, as it is written (Genesis 6:3) "My spirit shall not contend (in Me) forever, etc." And You did not decree (destruction upon them) until they had consummated their evil before You. And thus do you find with the men of the tower (of Bavel), that You gave them a grace period for repentance and they did not repent. As it is written (Ibid. 11:6) "Behold, they are one people, and all of them have one language, and this is what they begin to do! And now, etc. "Now" connotes (an opening for) repentance, viz. (Devarim 10:12) "And now, O Israel, what does the L rd your G d ask of you" (but to repent). And You did not decree destruction upon them (the men of the tower) until they had consummated their evil before You. And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that You gave them a grace period for repentance and they did not repent. As it is written (Genesis 18:20-21) "And the L rd said: The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it has become great … I shall go down now and I shall see, etc." (Ibid. 19:24) "And the L rd rained down upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire": If they repent — rain; if not, brimstone and fire. It is written here "rain," and elsewhere (Psalms 11:6) "rain." Just as there (ab initio) "rain," so, here, (ab initio) "rain." — But perhaps, just as here, "brimstone and fire," there, too, brimstone and fire! __ It is, therefore, (to negate this) written (Genesis, Ibid.) "from the L rd, from heaven" (and evil does not descend [ab initio] from the L rd.) And You did not decree (destruction) upon them until they had consummated their evil. And thus with Egypt. You brought ten plagues upon Egypt, and You did not decree destruction upon them until they had consummated their evil. Variantly: "Your right hand, O L rd, is grand in power. Your right hand" — twice. When Israel do the will of the L rd, they, as it were, convert the "left" to the "right." And when they do not do the will of the L rd, they convert the "right" to the "left," viz. (Eichah 2:3) "He has turned back His right hand before the foe." When Israel do His will, there is no sleep before Him, viz. (Psalms 121:9) "He does not slumber and He does not sleep." And when they do not do His will, there is, as it were, "sleep" before Him, viz. (Ibid. 78:66) "Then the L rd woke as a sleeper, as a warrior rousing himself from wine." And when Israel do His will, there is no wrath before Him, viz. (Isaiah 27:4) "I have no wrath." And when they do not do His will, there is wrath before Him, viz. (Devarim 11:17) "and the wrath of the L rd will burn against you." When Israel do His will, He wars for them, viz. (Exodus 14:14) "The L rd will war for you." And when they do not do His will, He wars against them, viz. (Isaiah 63:10) "And He turned into a foe of theirs; He warred against them." (Exodus 15:6) "Your right hand, O L rd, will break the foe": It is not written "broke the foe," but "will break the foe," in the future, viz. (Habakkuk 3:12) "In fury You will tread the earth; in wrath You will trample nations." "breaks the foe": This is Pharaoh, viz. (Exodus 15:9) "The foe (in this context, Pharaoh) said, etc." Variantly: This is Esav, viz. (Ezekiel 36:2) "Because the foe has said against you 'He'ach!', etc."

“I arose to open for my beloved; my hands were dripping with myrrh, and my fingers with myrrh passing onto the handles of the latch” (Song of Songs 5:5).
“I arose to open for my beloved” – I arose, and not the nations of the world. Rabbi Yaakov bar Avuna interpreted before Rabbi Yitzḥak: It is written: “[Then arose] the heads of the patrilineal families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites…[to go up to build the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem]” (Ezra 1:5); “of Judah” – as he is king; “and Benjamin” – as the Temple is in his portion; the priests because of the Temple service; and the Levites because of the platform.²⁵The verse specifies these groups for the reasons mentioned above, but in fact Israelites of all types went up to build the Second Temple. This is in contrast to the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin (see Ezra 4:2), who presented themselves as wanting to assist in building the Temple but in fact had malicious intentions. “To open for my beloved” – in repentance.
“My hands were dripping with myrrh [mor]” – bitterness [merarim]. Cyrus issued a decree: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “The sun will be dark when it rises” (Isaiah 13:10) – if only it had been dark on that day and did not shine. Cyrus emerged to walk in the province, and he saw that the province was deserted. He said: Why is this province deserted? Where are the goldsmiths, where are the silversmiths? They said to him: Are you not the one who decreed and said: Let all the Jews go out and build the Temple? It was they who were the goldsmiths and the silversmiths, and they have ascended to build the Temple. At that moment he decreed: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross.
Daniel and his associates and his comrades ascended. At that time they said: It is preferable for us to eat a meal of the Land of Israel and recite the blessing of the Land of Israel. Ezra and his associates and his comrades did not ascend at that time. Why did Ezra not ascend at that time? It was because he needed to clarify his studies before Barukh ben Neriya. So let Barukh ben Neriya ascend. Rather, they said: Barukh ben Neriya was a large, elderly man, and he could not even be loaded onto a sedan chair.
Reish Lakish said: It was due to the sanctity of the Temple that Ezra did not ascend at that time, as had Ezra ascended at that time, the accuser would be able to incite strife and say, it would be preferable to have Ezra serve in the High Priesthood rather than have Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak serve as the High Priest.²⁶The heavenly accuser was already accusing Yehoshua (see Zechariah 3:1), and this would have added to his accusations. But Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak was a High Priest son of a High Priest, and although Ezra was a righteous man, he was not as worthy to serve in the High Priesthood as [Yehoshua] was. Rabbi Simon said: Abolishing hereditary rights is problematic before the Holy One blessed be He. “Onto the handles of the latch” – it was from there that the Euphrates was blocked before them.
Another matter: “I arose to open for my beloved” – I arose and not the nations of the world. “To open for my beloved” – in repentance. “My hands were dripping with myrrh [mor]” – bitterness [merarim], this is the sin of the Golden Calf, “this is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). “And my fingers with myrrh passing” – nevertheless “myrrh passing [mor over],” He overlooked my bitterness [avar al merari], as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered the evil…” (Exodus 32:14). “Onto the handles of the latch” – it was from there that it was locked before them so that they would not enter the Land of Israel.

(Exodus 15:5) "so that the depths should cover them": Now are there depths there (at the bottom of the sea)? Is it not dry ground? What, then, is the intent of "should cover them"? __ The lower depths (under the earth) ascended to the upper depths and the torrents embattled them. Thus, "the depths should cover them." (The water) covered the firmament over them and darkened the stars over them, viz. (Ezekiel 32:8) "All the lights of the heavens I will darken above you, and I will bring darkness to your land," and (Isaiah 13:10) "For the stars of heavens and their constellations will not give their light. (For) the sun will be dark when it rises, etc." And it is written (Ezekiel 30:18) "And in Techafnefess the day will be darkened when I break there the power of Egypt… (For) a cloud shall cover it. And (Isaiah 13:11) "and I shall requite to the world (its) evil, etc." Jonah descended to one depth, viz. (Jonah 2:6) "The depth surrounded me," and they descended to two depths, viz. (Exodus 15:5) "The depths covered them." Jonah descended into one metzulah (whirlpool, viz. Jonah 2:4), and they descended into two, (Exodus, Ibid.) "metzuloth." And it is written (Nechemiah 9:11) "And their pursuers You cast into metzuloth, as a stone into raging waters." (Exodus, Ibid. "They descended into the metzuloth": Now are there metzuloth there? Is it not dry land? We are hereby apprised that the Great Sea (the Mediterranean) burst into it (the Red Sea) and the torrents embattled them. Thus, "They descended into the metzuloth." "as a stone": "As one metes it out, so, is it meted out to him." They said (Exodus 1:16) "and you see upon the (birth;) stones, etc." — wherefore You, likewise made the waters like stones to them, and the waters struck them upon the stones. Thus, "as a stone." Variantly: "as a stone": This was the middle state. The wicked among them were tossed about like stubble (viz. 7); the "moderate," like stone (here); the "better," like lead (viz. 10). Variantly: "as a stone": because their hearts were hard as stone. But Your goodness and Your many lovingkindnesses and Your mercies are upon us, and Your right hand is stretched out to all who enter the world, "Your right hand," being written twice (viz. 15:6). (Psalms 44:4) "… but Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your countenance — for You favored them," and (Isaiah 45:23) "By Myself I have sworn. From My mouth has gone forth righteousness, a word that will not turn back." (Exodus 15:6) "Your right hand, O L rd, is grand in power": ("nedari bakeach") Comely (na'eh) are You, and grand (adir [acronym of "nedari"]) in power. For You gave a grace period to the generation of the flood to repent. And they did not repent, as it is written (Genesis 6:3) "My spirit shall not contend (in Me) forever, etc." And You did not decree (destruction upon them) until they had consummated their evil before You. And thus do you find with the men of the tower (of Bavel), that You gave them a grace period for repentance and they did not repent. As it is written (Ibid. 11:6) "Behold, they are one people, and all of them have one language, and this is what they begin to do! And now, etc. "Now" connotes (an opening for) repentance, viz. (Devarim 10:12) "And now, O Israel, what does the L rd your G d ask of you" (but to repent). And You did not decree destruction upon them (the men of the tower) until they had consummated their evil before You. And thus do you find with the men of Sodom, that You gave them a grace period for repentance and they did not repent. As it is written (Genesis 18:20-21) "And the L rd said: The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah, because it has become great … I shall go down now and I shall see, etc." (Ibid. 19:24) "And the L rd rained down upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire": If they repent — rain; if not, brimstone and fire. It is written here "rain," and elsewhere (Psalms 11:6) "rain." Just as there (ab initio) "rain," so, here, (ab initio) "rain." — But perhaps, just as here, "brimstone and fire," there, too, brimstone and fire! __ It is, therefore, (to negate this) written (Genesis, Ibid.) "from the L rd, from heaven" (and evil does not descend [ab initio] from the L rd.) And You did not decree (destruction) upon them until they had consummated their evil. And thus with Egypt. You brought ten plagues upon Egypt, and You did not decree destruction upon them until they had consummated their evil. Variantly: "Your right hand, O L rd, is grand in power. Your right hand" — twice. When Israel do the will of the L rd, they, as it were, convert the "left" to the "right." And when they do not do the will of the L rd, they convert the "right" to the "left," viz. (Eichah 2:3) "He has turned back His right hand before the foe." When Israel do His will, there is no sleep before Him, viz. (Psalms 121:9) "He does not slumber and He does not sleep." And when they do not do His will, there is, as it were, "sleep" before Him, viz. (Ibid. 78:66) "Then the L rd woke as a sleeper, as a warrior rousing himself from wine." And when Israel do His will, there is no wrath before Him, viz. (Isaiah 27:4) "I have no wrath." And when they do not do His will, there is wrath before Him, viz. (Devarim 11:17) "and the wrath of the L rd will burn against you." When Israel do His will, He wars for them, viz. (Exodus 14:14) "The L rd will war for you." And when they do not do His will, He wars against them, viz. (Isaiah 63:10) "And He turned into a foe of theirs; He warred against them." (Exodus 15:6) "Your right hand, O L rd, will break the foe": It is not written "broke the foe," but "will break the foe," in the future, viz. (Habakkuk 3:12) "In fury You will tread the earth; in wrath You will trample nations." "breaks the foe": This is Pharaoh, viz. (Exodus 15:9) "The foe (in this context, Pharaoh) said, etc." Variantly: This is Esav, viz. (Ezekiel 36:2) "Because the foe has said against you 'He'ach!', etc."

“Have the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom and they will gather every virgin young woman of fair appearance to the Shushan citadel, to the harem, to the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, guardian of the women, and their cosmetics will be provided.” (Esther 2:3).
“Have the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom” – What did he [the king] see? Rabbi Huna said: Because they would demean the daughters of Israel and call them ugly, and that no person would look at them; therefore, they [the women of the kingdom] came into the hands of this purveyor.
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Shilka and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When a Jew and a gentile are residing in one courtyard, and the Jew places his pot on the fire and the gentile touches it, it is not ritually impure. If the gentile places his pot on the fire and the Jew touches it, he [the gentile] would say it is impure. Even if several repugnant creatures and creeping animals fall into it, he would eat it, but if a Jew places his food in it, he [the gentile] would break it. So, it is written: “Muster archers against Babylon, all who draw the bow, […repay it in accordance with its actions]” (Jeremiah 50:29). Did it take silver that it will repay silver, gold that it will repay gold? “They ravished women in Zion” (Lamentations 5:11). What does it teach? Rather, so said the Holy One blessed be He: You are eager for licentiousness; by your lives, I will bring upon you a nation that seeks neither silver nor gold from you. That is what is written: “Behold, I will rouse Media against them, who do not appreciate silver and do not desire gold” (Isaiah 13:17). What do they seek from you? “And bows will cleave youths, and they will not have mercy on the fruit of the womb” (Isaiah 13:18).
“To the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch [seris], guardian of the women” (Esther 2:3) – he was crushed,¹⁴His testicles were crushed. and was appointed over the virgins. Similarly, “to the custody of Shaashgaz, official [seris] of the king, guardian of the concubines” (Esther 2:14) – he was withered and was appointed over the wives.

“Have the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom and they will gather every virgin young woman of fair appearance to the Shushan citadel, to the harem, to the custody of Hegai the king's eunuch, guardian of the women, and their cosmetics will be provided.” (Esther 2:3).
“Have the king appoint officials in all the provinces of his kingdom” – What did he [the king] see? Rabbi Huna said: Because they would demean the daughters of Israel and call them ugly, and that no person would look at them; therefore, they [the women of the kingdom] came into the hands of this purveyor.
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Shilka and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When a Jew and a gentile are residing in one courtyard, and the Jew places his pot on the fire and the gentile touches it, it is not ritually impure. If the gentile places his pot on the fire and the Jew touches it, he [the gentile] would say it is impure. Even if several repugnant creatures and creeping animals fall into it, he would eat it, but if a Jew places his food in it, he [the gentile] would break it. So, it is written: “Muster archers against Babylon, all who draw the bow, […repay it in accordance with its actions]” (Jeremiah 50:29). Did it take silver that it will repay silver, gold that it will repay gold? “They ravished women in Zion” (Lamentations 5:11). What does it teach? Rather, so said the Holy One blessed be He: You are eager for licentiousness; by your lives, I will bring upon you a nation that seeks neither silver nor gold from you. That is what is written: “Behold, I will rouse Media against them, who do not appreciate silver and do not desire gold” (Isaiah 13:17). What do they seek from you? “And bows will cleave youths, and they will not have mercy on the fruit of the womb” (Isaiah 13:18).
“To the custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch [seris], guardian of the women” (Esther 2:3) – he was crushed,¹⁴His testicles were crushed. and was appointed over the virgins. Similarly, “to the custody of Shaashgaz, official [seris] of the king, guardian of the concubines” (Esther 2:14) – he was withered and was appointed over the wives.

R. Judah the Levite, the son of Shalum said: The vavs, which the other verses lack, correspond to the six things which the Holy One, blessed be He, took from Adam after he sinned.²²Vav has the numerical value of six which is also, according to tradition, the number of the things takenfrom Adam because of his sin They are as follows: his luster, his stature, his immortality, the fertility of the earth, the garden of Eden, the sun and the moon. Whence do we know about his luster? it is written : Changest his countenance and sendest him away (Job 14:20). Whence do we know of his stature? It is said: Thou hast hemmed me in from behind and before (Ps. 139:5). How do we know about his immortality? If Adam had been worthy, he would have merited living forever. Whence do we know of the fertility of the earth? It is written: Cursed be the ground for thy sake (Gen. 3:17). Whence do we know of his banishment from the Garden of Eden? It is written: He drove out the man (ibid., v. 24). Whence do we know of the sun and the moon? The sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine (Isa. 13:10).

8) (Vayikra 17:7) "And they shall sacrifice no more their sacrifices to the satyrs (se'irim)": "se'irim" are shedim (demons), viz. (Isaiah 13:21) "And se'irim will dance there." "after which they go astray": to include other forms of idolatry. "an everlasting statute": for the Temple.

(Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” This text is related (to Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness. [This verse is] to teach you that the Holy One, blessed be He, does not delight in convicting a person, as stated (in Ezek. 33:11), “As I live, says the Lord, it is not My delight for the wicked to die.” In what does He delight? In vindicating (rt.: tsdq) His people. Thus it is stated (in Is. 42:21), “The Lord was delighted because of His [servant's] vindication (tsdq)…,”⁴⁰This is the interpretation of the midrash and of the new JPS translation. [i.e.] because of His people's vindication (tsdq)] and not [their] conviction. So also you find that in the case of the first Adam, when he created him, He set him in the Garden of Eden. Then He gave him a command and said to him, “Eat this, but do not eat from this, for (according to Gen. 2:17) ‘on the day that you eat from it, you shall surely die.’” [When] he transgressed, he brought a sentence⁴¹Gk.: apophasis. upon himself. [And then] the Sabbath came, and He acquitted him.⁴²Heb.: pinnahu. This word means “removed him” as well as “acquitted him.” In other words, Adam’s acquittal meant that his sentence was reduced from death to removal from the Garden. So M. Pss. 92:3. He began to talk with him [about] whether he would repent. It is so stated (in Gen. 3:9), “The Lord God called unto Adam and said, ‘Where are you?’” [This means, “What is your state?”] The Lord can only mean the quality of mercy, as stated (in Exod. 34:6), “The Lord, the Lord is a merciful and gracious God.” For him He had the quality of mercy precede the quality of strict justice. Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness,” in that He does not delight in convicting a person. He began to talk with him, as stated (in Gen. 3:11-12), “Who told you that you were naked? Then the man said, ‘The woman….’” He left Adam alone and began to talk with the woman, as stated (in vs. 13), “Then the Lord God said to the woman….” But when He came to the serpent He did not talk with him. Instead He immediately gave him a sentence, as stated (in vss. 14–15), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, ‘Because you have done this …. I will put enmity between you [and the woman]….’” [Then] He returned to the woman and said to her (in vs. 16), “I will greatly multiply your pain in pregnancy.” And when He returned to the man, He did not convict him. Rather He intimated to him that he should repent. Where is it shown? R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Levi, “When He said to him (in vs. 19), ‘By the sweat of your brow shall you eat bread, [until you return …].’ ‘You return’ can only be mean repentance, since it is stated (in Hos. 14:2), ‘Return O Israel, to the Lord your God, as you have stumbled in your iniquity.’” When [Adam] did not repent, He expelled him from the Garden of Eden, as stated [(in Gen. 3:24), “And He drove out the man.” Ergo I would say (in Ps. 5:5), “For you are not a God who delights in wickedness.” What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.), “evil may not abide with You.” R. Tanhuma bar Hanila'i in the name of R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Johanan, “Before the Holy One, blessed be He, stand only angels of peace and angels of mercy, but the angels of wrath are far from Him. It is so stated (in Numb. 14:15), ‘the Lord, of long patience.’ Do we not already know that He is of long patience? But rather what is the meaning of He is ‘of long patience?’ That the angels of wrath are far from Him, as stated (in Is. 13:5), ‘They come from a far land from the end of the heavens, even the Lord and the weapons of his wrath.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 5:5, cont.), “evil may not abide with You”: R. Johanan said, “If you do not pursue evil, evil will not pursue you, nor will it dwell with you. Ergo, (Ps. 5:5, cont.), ‘evil may not abide with You,’ as ‘abide with You,’ can only mean dwelling, as stated (Exodus 2:48), ‘And if a stranger dwells with you.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 5:5, cont.), “evil may not abide with You”: R. Eleazar ben Pedat said in the name of R. Johanan, “The name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is not mentioned in connection with evil but only in connection with good.” You know that it is so. When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the light and the darkness and gave them names, [Scripture] mentioned His name in connection with the light but did not mention His name in connection with the darkness.⁴³Gen. R. 1:6. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 1:5), “And God called the light day, and the darkness He called night.” Behold, it mentioned His name with the light; but when it comes to the dark it doesn’t say, “and God called the darkness night,” but “He called [the darkness] night.” So also you find that, when He created Adam and Eve, [Scripture] mentioned His name in connection with them, as stated (in Gen. 1:28), “Then God blessed them…”; but when He cursed them, it did not mention His name in connection with them. [Thus it is stated] (in Gen. 3:16-17), “And unto the woman He said […]. And unto Adam He said.” Now if you say [that] behold, [Scripture] mentioned [His name] in connection with the serpent when He cursed him, since it is written (in Gen. 3:14), “So the Lord God said unto the serpent, ‘Because you have done this, more cursed shall you be’”; the sages have taught thus: The Holy One, blessed be He, has mentioned His name in connection with three things, even though they stood for evil: In connection with the inciter, i.e., the serpent, since he incited the woman and said (in Gen. 3:5), “’For God knows that on the day that you eat from it, your eyes shall be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil,’ like Him. Just like He created His world, you [two] will be able to create worlds like Him. [But He doesn’t want this,] as every artisan hates his fellow [artisan].” So because he incited her and spoke slander, [Scripture] mentions His name in connection with [the serpent]. In connection with one who transgresses the words of the sages, as is stated (in Jer. 11:3), “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, ‘Cursed is the one who does not heed the words of this covenant.’” In connection with one who puts his trust in flesh and blood, as stated (in Jer. 17:5), “Thus says the Lord, ‘Cursed is the man who trusts in a human being, who makes flesh his strength and whose heart turns from the Lord.’”
So also you find in the case of Noah, [that Scripture used (God’s) name] when he blessed his sons, as stated (in Gen. 9:26), “And he said, ‘blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem…;’” but when he cursed Canaan, [Scripture did not mention the name of the Holy One, Blessed be He, in connection with him], as stated (in vs. 25), “And he said, ‘Cursed be Canaan….’” So also you find in the case of Elisha the prophet, that when the king of Aram came to fight against Israel, he consulted with his servants and made pits [to trap] them. He said, “When Israel comes to fight against us, they will fall into the pits,” as stated (in II Kings 6:8-9), “When the king of Aram was fighting against Israel, [he consulted with his servants, saying, ‘My camp shall be in such and such a place.’ But the man of God sent unto the king of Israel [saying], ‘Take care [not to pass this place, because the Aramaeans are camping there.]’” So the Holy One, blessed be He, does nothing (according to Amos 3:7) without having revealed His purpose unto His servants the prophets. When Israel passed by once and twice without falling in, the king of Aram took notice and said to his servants (in II Kings 6:11), “Will you not tell me which of us is for the king of Israel?” His servants said to him (in vs. 12-14), “’[It is because] Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words which you speak in your bedroom.’ So he said, ‘Go and see [where he is, so that I can send and seize him,’ and it was told to him, saying, ‘Behold he is in Dothan.’ Then he sent horses and chariots and a heavy force there.” Immediately Elisha’s youth rose and saw that horses, riders and a force encircled the city. Immediately he cried out (in vss. 15-16), “and said [unto him], ‘Alas, my Lord, what shall we do?’ Then he said, ‘Fear not, for there are more with us than with them.’” Immediately Elisha prayed and mentioned the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in vs. 17), “Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘Lord, please open his eyes and let him see’; so the Lord opened the eyes of the servant and he saw, and there was the hill full of fiery horses and chariots round about Elisha!” Immediately Elisha arose and cursed the Aramaeans (in vs. 18), and he said, “’Please smite this nation with a blinding light’; so He smote them with a blinding light according to the word of Elisha.” Now [Scripture] did not mention the name, but when [Elisha] prayed over them again for their eyes to be opened, he said (in vs. 20), “O Lord, open the eyes of these men that they may see.” Ergo, the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is mentioned in connection with good, but not with evil. So also you find that when the prophet saw the four chariots that were compared to the four kingdoms (that would rule over Israel), [it states (in Zech. 6:1),] “and I lifted my eyes, and behold, four chariots were coming out between the two mountains….” But when it spoke about the redemption, [it states (in Zech. 2:3),] “Then the Lord showed me four smiths.” So also you find that when the five angels of destruction came to destroy Jerusalem, as stated (in Ezek. 9:2), “And here were six persons coming by way of the upper gate [which faces north, each with his weapon of destruction in his hand]”; Gabriel was sent with them, as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2), “Then He spoke unto the person clothed in linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheelwork.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel, “Fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim and scatter them over the city,” as it is written (in Ezek. 10:2), “Then He spoke unto the person clothed in linen and said, ‘Go in among the wheelwork [under the cherub, and fill your hands with coals of fire from among the cherubim, and scatter them over the city].’”⁴⁴Cf. below, Lev. 8:5. Gabriel came and stood at the wheel. The cherub said to him, “What do you desire?” He said to him, “Thus and so has the Holy One, blessed be He, commanded me.” He said to him, “Take [them].” He said to him, “You put them in my hand.” Immediately (according to Ezek. 10:7), “Then the cherub stretched out his hand from among the cherubim [unto the fire that was among the cherubim…].” R. Johanan said in the name of R. Simeon ben Johay, “If the coals had not been cooled off [while passing] from the hand of a cherub to the hand of Gabriel, there would not have remained of the enemies of Israel (a euphemism, meaning Israel) a [single] survivor or refugee.”⁴⁵Yoma 77a. For more details, see Lam. R. 1:13 (41). So the Holy One, blessed be He, wanted to do what was evil, not by Himself, but through an angel. In the age to come, however, He will do what is good by Himself, as stated (in Ezek. 36:25), “I will sprinkle pure water upon you….” Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not abide with You.” What is the meaning of (Ps. 5:5) “and evil may not abide with You?” [It is] that [Scripture] does not cause the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, to rest upon evil, except for two [evil] sayings upon which the Holy One, blessed be He, did cause His name to rest. These are the following: (The first one is Dan. 9:14:) “So the Lord watched over evil and brought it upon us, because the Lord our God is righteous.” Was it because the Lord our God is righteous (tsaddik), that He brought the evil? It is simply that the Holy One, blessed be He, was charitable (tzekekah) to us when He first brought about the exile to Babylon of Jeconiah before the exile of Tsidikiyah. And what was charitable? That He first brought about the exile of Jeconiah to Babylon along with the artisans, the smiths, and all the valiant men. Now [those] descended to Babylon and they established a [framework] for Torah [study]. For if it had not happened like that, the Torah would have been forgotten in the exile. It is simply that those who believed in the words of Jeremiah went forth with the Torah. [They included (according to II Kings 24:16)] “a thousand artisans and smiths.” What is the meaning of “artisans (hrsh)?”⁴⁶Git. 88a; Sanh. 38a; Yalqut Shim‘oni, Dan., 1066. When they opened with words of Torah, all [present] became as those who are (deaf-)mute (hrsh). [And what is the meaning of] “smiths (rt.: sgr)?” After they closed (rt.: sgr) it, there was no one in all Israel who was able to open it. Ergo (in Dan. 9:14), “because the Lord our God is righteous.” So He acted justly during that exile in that He watched over it, and He still performed a great kindness for Israel [with reference to that exile]. How? In [the month of] Tebet they were scheduled to go into exile from Jerusalem, for so does [Scripture] say (in Ezek. 24:1-2), “[Then the word of the Lord came unto me in the ninth year of the tenth month on the tenth day of the month, saying,] ‘Son of man, write down the name of the day, [this very day;] on this very day [the king of Babylon laid siege to Jerusalem].’” What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He said, “If they go forth now in the cold, they will die.” What did He do for them? He waited for them and sent them into exile during the summer. This is what the prophet says (in Jer. 8:13), “I will utterly gather them, says the Lord.” "Gather" ('sp) can only mean "exile," since it is stated (in Micah 2:12), “I will gather Jacob, all of you.” Hence, this too was a great kindness. Now, the second [evil saying associated with the name of the Holy One, blessed be He] is (Ezek. 9:4:) “And the Lord said unto him, ‘Pass through the midst of the city, [through the midst of Jerusalem and mark (the letter) taw⁴⁷The last letter of the Hebrew alphabet. For various interpretations of its meaning, see the parallel version in Shab. 55a. on the foreheads of those people who moan and groan over all the abominations] ….’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Gabriel, “Go and write an ink taw upon the foreheads of the righteous, so that the angels of destruction will have no dominion over them. Then upon the foreheads of the wicked write a blood taw so that the angels of destruction will have dominion over them.” [The] prosecution⁴⁸Gk.: kategoria, i.e., “accusation,” “charge.” Here the concept is hypostatized as a separate being. came in before the Holy One, blessed be He, [and said to him], “Master of the world, how do the former differ from the latter?” He said to it, “The former are completely righteous, and the latter are completely wicked.” It said to Him, “It was in their power to protest, but they did not protest.” He said to it, “It was revealed and known to Me that, if they had protested, [the sinners] would not have accepted their [protest].” It said to Him, “Master of the world, if it was revealed and known in front of You, was if revealed in front of them? Hence they should have protested against them and demeaned themselves for the sanctification of Your name and take beatings from Israel upon themselves, just as the prophets endured [them].” So look at how many woes Jeremiah suffered from Israel; also Isaiah, of whom it is written (in Is. 50:6), “I gave my back to the smiters and my cheeks to the tearers of hair.” And [so with] the rest of the prophets. Immediately (in Ezek. 9:6) He spoke again to the angels of destruction, “[Kill off] old folk, youth ….” This also was a kindness, in that the Holy One, blessed be He, mitigated His wrath [by striking out] against Jerusalem, as stated (in Lam. 4:11), “The Lord has completed (klh) His wrath.” For if He had not done so, all Israel would have received a verdict of destruction (klyh). Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “and evil may not abide with You,” because the Holy One, blessed be He, does not cause His name to rest upon evil. So also even in the case of the wicked of Israel, He allotted them glory and did not mention them for evil. When He came to the offerings, He said to Moses (in Lev. 1:2), “Speak unto the Children of Israel and say unto them, ‘When one of you presents an offering to the Lord,’” [i.e.] “from Israel” and not from the idolaters. However, when He came to mention leprosy spots, He said (in Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has,” only saying “anyone.” Ergo (in Ps. 5:5), “and evil may not abide with you.”

(Lev. 13:2:) WHEN ANYONE HAS ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH…. This text is related (to Ps. 5:5 [4]): FOR YOU ARE NOT A GOD WHO DELIGHTS IN WICKEDNESS. < This verse is able > to teach you that the Holy One does not delight in convicting a person,⁵²Tanh., Lev. 4:9. as stated (in Ezek. 18:32): FOR I DO NOT DELIGHT IN THE DEATH OF ONE WHO DIES. In what does he delight? In vindicating (rt.: TsDQ) his people. [Thus it is stated (in Is. 42:21): THE LORD WAS DELIGHTED BECAUSE OF HIS < SERVANT'S > VINDICATION (TsDQ)…,⁵³This is the interpretation of the midrash and of the new JPS translation. < i.e. > because of his people's vindication (TsDQ)] and not < their > conviction. So also you find that in the case of the first Adam, when he created him, he set him in the Garden of Eden. Then he gave him a command and said to him: Eat this, but do not eat from this, FOR (according to Gen. 2:17) ON THE DAY THAT YOU EAT FROM IT, YOU SHALL SURELY DIE. < When > he transgressed, he brought a sentence⁵⁴Gk.: apophasis. upon himself. < Then > the Sabbath came, and he acquitted him.⁵⁵Heb.: pinnahu. This word means “removed him” as well as “acquitted him.” In other words, Adam’s acquittal meant that his sentence was reduced from death to removal from the Garden. So M. Pss. 92:3. He began to talk with him < about > whether he would repent? It is so stated (in Gen. 3:9): THE LORD GOD CALLED UNTO THE HUMAN. THE LORD can only mean the quality of mercy, as stated (in Exod. 34:6): THE LORD: THE LORD IS A MERCIFUL AND GRACIOUS GOD. For him he had the quality of mercy precede the quality of strict justice. Ergo (in Ps. 5:5 [4]): FOR YOU ARE NOT A GOD WHO DELIGHTS IN WICKEDNESS, in that he does not delight in convicting a person. He began to talk (in Gen. 3:11–12): WHO TOLD YOU < THAT YOU WERE NAKED? DID YOU EAT FROM THE TREE >…? THEN THE MAN SAID: THE WOMAN…. He left Adam alone and began to talk with the woman, as stated (in vs. 13): THEN THE LORD GOD SAID TO THE WOMAN…. But when he came to the serpent he did not talk with him. Instead he immediately gave him a sentence, as stated (in vss. 14–15): SO THE LORD GOD SAID UNTO THE SERPENT: BECAUSE YOU HAVE DONE THIS, < MORE CURSED SHALL YOU BE THAN ALL THE CATTLE, THAN ALL THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD >…. I WILL PUT ENMITY < BETWEEN YOU AND THE WOMAN >…. < Then > he returned to the woman and said to her (in vs. 16): I WILL GREATLY MULTIPLY YOUR PAIN IN PREGNANCY. And when he returned to the man, he did not convict him. Rather he intimated to him that he should repent. Where is it shown? R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Levi that he said to him (in vs. 19): BY THE SWEAT OF YOUR BROW SHALL EAT BREAD, UNTIL YOU RETURN < … >. YOU RETURN can only be an expression for repentance, since it is stated (in Hos. 14:2 [1]): RETURN O ISRAEL, < TO THE LORD YOUR GOD >. When < Adam > did not repent, he expelled him from the Garden of Eden, as stated [(in Gen. 3:24): AND HE DROVE OUT THE MAN. Ergo] (in Ps. 5:5 [4]): FOR YOU ARE NOT A GOD WHO DELIGHTS IN WICKEDNESS. What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.): EVIL MAY NOT ABIDE WITH YOU. R. Tanhuma bar Hanila'i in the name of R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Johanan: Before the Holy One stand only angels of peace and angels of mercy, but the angels of wrath are far from him. It is so stated (in Is. 13:5): THEY COME FROM A FAR LAND FROM THE END OF THE HEAVENS, EVEN THE LORD AND THE WEAPONS OF HIS WRATH, TO RAVAGE THE WHOLE EARTH. [Another interpretation] (of Ps. 5:5 [4], cont.): EVIL MAY NOT ABIDE WITH YOU. R. Johanan said: If you do not pursue evil, evil will not pursue you, nor will it dwell with you.

(Exodus 12:12) "And I shall pass ("ve'avarti") through the land of Egypt": R. Yehudah says: As a king, who makes the rounds of his kingdom. Variantly: I shall place My wrath ("evrathi") and My fear in Egypt. "evrah" is wrath, as in (Psalms 78:49) "He sent His burning anger upon them — evrah and scorn, and affliction," and (Isaiah 13:9) "Behold, the day of the L rd is coming — fury and evrah and burning wrath, etc."

(Gen. 2:4:) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS (toledot) OF HEAVEN AND EARTH WHEN THEY WERE CREATED. R. Berekhyah and R. Helbo said in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman:⁴⁵Sanh. 38b; Gen. R. 12:6; Exod. R. 30:3; Numb. R. 13:12; PR 46:2; Tanh., Gen. 1:6; Hasarot wlterot, fol. 37. Every toledot which is in the Torah lacks < a vowel letter > apart from two which are spelled in full. < The two are > (Ruth 4:18): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS (toledot) OF PEREZ < and > (Gen. 1:4): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF HEAVEN. Both of them are spelled in full. R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite said: Those < which lack a vowel letter number > six. R. Pinhas said in the name of R. Reuben: They correspond to the six things which < the Holy One > took away from the first Adam, and these are the following: (1) His facial luster, (2) his stature, (3) his life (i.e., his immortality), (4) the fruits of the earth, (5) the Garden of Eden, and (6) sun and moon. Where is it shown about his facial luster? Where it is stated (in Job 14:20): YOU CHANGE HIS FACE AND SEND HIM AWAY. Where is it shown about his stature?⁴⁶Hag. 12a; cf. Gen. R. 19:8; Cant. R. 3:7:5; PRK 1:1; 5:3; PR 15:3. Where it is stated (in Ps. 139:5): YOU HAVE < RE > FORMED ME BEHIND AND BEFORE. Where is it shown about his life? Where death was decreed over him (in Gen. 2:17); [for, if he had been worthy], he would have remained alive forever. Where is it shown about the fruits of the earth? Where it is stated (in Gen. 3:17): CURSED IS THE LAND BECAUSE OF YOU. Where is it shown about the Garden of Eden? Where it is stated (in Gen. 3:24): AND HE DROVE OUT THE MAN. Where is it shown about sun and moon? Where it is stated (in Is. 13:10): THE SUN SHALL BE DARK AT ITS RISING AND THE MOON SHALL NOT CAUSE ITS LIGHT TO SHINE. In the world to come, however, the Holy One will restore {to him} [them]. [Where is it shown] about facial luster? Where it is stated (in Is. 61:9): ALL WHO SEE THEM SHALL ACKNOWLEDGE THEM, < THAT THEY ARE THE SEED WHICH THE LORD HAS BLESSED >. And where is it shown about his stature? Where it is stated (in Lev. 26:13):⁴⁷Sifra, ad loc.; Sanh. 100a. AND I MADE YOU WALK WITH STATURE. R. Judah says: What is the meaning of STATURE? The time will come when each and every {upright} one [from Israel] will be a hundred cubits tall. R. Simeon ben Johay says: two hundred cubits, as stated (here): STATURE (qomemiyyut): Qom < ahmeans one stature of > a hundred; miyyut (read as me'ot, i.e., "hundreds") < implies another > hundred.⁴⁸Cf. Gen. R. 8:1). Ergo: two hundred. {And they would live forever?} [And where is it shown about his life?] Where it is stated (in Is. 65:22): AS LONG AS THE DAYS OF A TREE SHALL BE THE DAYS OF MY PEOPLE…. And where is it shown about the fruits of the earth?⁴⁹See ySheq. 6:2 (50a); yTaan. 1:2 (64a). Where it is stated (in Ezek. 47:12): AND BY THE RIVER UPON ITS BANK ON BOTH SIDES [SHALL GROW EVERY TREE FOR FOOD. THEIR LEAF SHALL NOT WITHER, NEITHER SHALL THEIR FRUIT FAIL. THEY SHALL BRING FORTH NEW FRUIT EVERY MONTH]. Where is it shown about the Garden of Eden? Where it is stated (in Hos. 14:8 [7]): THOSE WHO DWELL IN HIS SHADOW SHALL BE TRANSFORMED. THEY SHALL GROW GRAIN AND BLOSSOM LIKE A VINE. Where is it shown about sun and moon? Where it is stated (in Is. 30:26): MOREOVER, THE LIGHT OF THE MOON SHALL BE AS THE LIGHT OF THE SUN, AND THE LIGHT OF THE SUN SHALL BE SEVENFOLD, AS THE LIGHT OF THE SEVEN DAYS. R. Aha said in the name of R. Hanina: The wound from the blow to the world will heal.

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sichnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: "And He built" is written; He contemplated from where to create her. He said: I will not create her from the head, lest she be haughty; I will not create her from the eye, lest she be coquettish; I will not create her from the ear, lest she be an eavesdropper; I will not create her from the mouth, lest she be a chatter-box; I will not create her from the heart, lest she be jealous; I will not create her from the hand, lest she be a thief; I will not create her from the leg, lest she be a run-about; rather, I will create create her from the most modest place on a person, as even when a person stands naked this place is covered. And as He created each and every limb of the woman, He would say to her: be a modest woman, be a modest woman! Nevertheless, "And they have disregarded all of my counsel" (Proverbs 1:25). I did not create her from the head, and yet she is haughty, as it says: "And they walk with stretched-forth necks" (Isaiah 3:16). And not from the eye, yet she is coquettish, as it says: "and with wanton eyes" (ibid.). And not from the ear, and yet she is an eavesdropper, as it says: "And Sarah listened from the entrance of the tent" (Genesis 18:10). And not from the heart, and yet she is jealous, as it says: "And Rachel was jealous of her sister" (Genesis 30:1). And not from the hand, and yet she is a thief, as it says: "And Rachel stole the idols" (Genesis 31:19). And not from the leg, and yet she is a run-about, as it says: "And Dinah went out..." (Genesis 34:1).

Rabbi Pinhas in the name of Rabbi Levi stated: This is comparable to a king’s son who strayed and was accustomed to eat non-kosher meat. The king declared, “let him always eat at my table and on his own he will eventually become disciplined.” Similarly, because Israel was attached to idolatry in Egypt and would bring their sacrifices to the goat-demons, as it is written (Leviticus 17:7) "No longer shall you sacrifice to goat-demons, which refer to the shedim they sacrificed to (Deuternomy 32:17) "and they sacrificed to shedim", and those shedim refer to the goat-demons, as it says, (Isaiah 13:21) "and the goat [demons] shall prance there." And they would offer sacrifices on high places and retribution would befall them, the Holy One blessed be He said “let them offer sacrifices before Me at all times in the Tent of Meeting and they will be separated from idolatry and be saved.” This is the meaning of what is written (Leviticus 17:3-7): “Any man of the House of Israel who slaughters an ox or sheep or goat... and does not bring it to the entrance of the Tent of Meeting as a sacrifice to God.... that man will be cut off from among his people… so that they no longer offer their sacrifices to the goat-demons that they are wont to stray after."

"The sons of Noah who came out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth (Genesis 9:18)": "When He is silent, who will condemn? If He hides His face, who will see Him, Be it nation or man? (Job 34:29)". Rabbi Meir interpreted: ""He is silent" from his world, and "He hides his face" from his world, like a judge whom a curtain stretches in front of his face and he does not know what is being done beyond it. Likewise they said about the generation of the Flood: "The clouds screen Him so He cannot see as He moves about the circuit of heaven (Job 22:14)"". They said to him: "That is enough for you, Meir". He said to them: "But why is it written: "When He is silent, who will condemn?"? He said: "Did he not give contentment to the generation of the Flood? And who came to reproach them. What contentment did he give them? "Their children are with them always [nakhon], And they see their children’s children (Job 21:8)", "They let their infants run loose like sheep, And their children skip about (Job 28:11)". Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: Rabbi Levi said: "For three days one's wife was pregnant, as it is said elsewhere using the word nakhon "Be ready [nakhon] for the third day: do not go near a woman (Exodus 19:15)". As nakhon is said here to mean for three days, so nakhon is there for three days". And the Rabbis said: "For one day one's wife was pregnant and gave birth, as nakhon is said there and here: "Be ready [nakhon] by morning (Exodus 34:2)". As nakhon is said here to mean for one day, so nakhon is there for one day". "And they see": they were looking at their children and their children's children. "They let their infants ['avileihem] run loose like sheep": Rabbi Levi said: "In Arabia they call a child an avilah". "And their children skip [yeraqqedun] about": like demons, which is why it says: "And there shall satyrs dance [yeraqqedu] (Isaiah 13:21)". One of these women gave birth during the day, and she said to her son: "Go and bring me a flint to detach your umbilical cord". And at night she said to her son: "Go and light a lamp for me to detach your umbilical cord". There was a time when one gave birth at night and said to her son: "Go and light a lamp for me to detach your umbilical cord" and her son went and met with the demon Asmodeus. Asmodeus said to him: "Go and tell you mother that the rooster has crowed, and if the rooster had not crowed I would have harmed you". The boy said to him: "Go and tell you mother that my mother has not detached my umbilical cord, and if she had I would have struck and killed you." See! It is written: "Their homes are secure, without fear (Job 21:9)": from destroyers/demons. "They do not feel the rod of God (Job 21:9)": because of a lack of chastisement. Why did he hide his face from them? Because he brought to them the Flood. See! It is written: "All existence on earth was blotted out (Genesis 7:23)". "Be it nation or man together". "Be it nation": this is the generation of the Flood". "Or man": this is Noah. "Together": because from him the world was established, and it is possible for him to set up the world from a nation alone and from one man, as it is said: "The sons of Noah who came out of the ark".

... Teach us oh, teacher: A court which sanctified the month, but not at Eintav with witnesses, is it sanctified? R’ Abahu said in the name of R’ Chiya the great: if a court sanctified the month without witnesses, it is sanctified, as it says “…which you shall designate in their appointed time.” (Leviticus 23:4) This means whether it is with witnesses or without. Whether witnesses saw it or not it is sanctified, as it says ‘which you shall designate.’ And why did the court intercalate a month into the calendar at Eintav? Because this was the meeting place for the court. Therefore on Rosh HaShana which fell out on Shabbat the shofar is not blown anywhere except at Eintav, in the place where the court sat and intercalated the years and months. The Holy One said: Zion is the meeting place for the whole world, as it says “…for out of Zion shall the Torah come forth, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 2:3) Therefore when I redeem Zion and her exiles, as it says “Zion shall be redeemed through justice and her penitent through righteousness,” (Isaiah 1:27) they will come and blow the shofar within her. From where do we learn this? From how the prophet finished his words “Sound a shofar in Zion…” (Yoel 2:15). This is how R’ Tanchuma opened in the name of the House of R’ Aba: “The fairest of branches (nof) , the joy of the entire earth- Mount Zion, by the north side, the city of a great king.” (Psalms 48:3) What does nof mean? A bride (kloninfe). Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches’ R’ Chanina bar Pappa said: The most beautiful in her branches, like the fig whose roots are in the land, rising up with her branches going out in every direction, she is beautiful. This is why Jerusalem is called the fairest of branches, because in the future she will be so “And it became wider and it wound higher and higher…” (Ezekiel 41:7) Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches’ R’ Berachia said: The one who is beautiful through the waving (hanafat) of her omer offering. R’ Yitzchak said: The one who is beautiful because in the future she will wave away the nations of the world. R’ Levi said: the fairest of branches (nof) because everyone beautifies her, praises her and waves (manifim) to her. “Tyre, you said, 'I am the perfection of beauty.'” (Ezekiel 27:3) but everyone praises and says ‘how beautiful’ to Jerusalem “Is this the city that was called the perfection of beauty, the joy of all the earth?” (Lamentations 2:15) Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches’ R’ Levi said: her branches are beautiful through the circling of the altar. Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth’ R’ Yochanan said: there was a dome of accounting outside of Jerusalem, and they would take their accounts to do them outside of Jerusalem under that dome outside of the city limits. Within the city they would eat, drink and be joyful. Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth’ Through the dew which comes out from there and causes the grains to wave (m’nafef), gives blessing and makes all the land rejoice. ‘The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth’ R’ Yonatan of Bet Guvrin went into Jerusalem with merchandise in his hands and no one was around. He said: and this is the joy of the entire earth?! He hadn’t finished saying this before he sold everything that was in his hands. “…Mount Zion, by the north side…” (Psalms 48:3) And is Zion located in the north, isn’t it actually in the south? What is ‘the north side’? That her sacrifices were offered “…on the northern side of the altar…” (Leviticus 1:11) And what does “…the city of a great king…” (Psalms 48:3) mean? The city of the Great King. Another explanation. ‘The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth’ R’ Levi said: joy comes from Zion, “…and they shall come to Zion with song, with joy of days of yore shall be upon their heads…” (Isaiah 35:10) The blessing comes from there, “Like the dew of Hermon, that comes down upon the mountains of Zion; for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forever.” (Psalms 133:3) The Torah comes from Zion “…from out of Zion comes the Torah…” (Isaiah 2:3) Help comes to Israel out Zion, “Send forth your help from the sanctuary, and support you out of Zion.” (Psalms 20:3) Life comes from Zion, “…for there the Lord commanded the blessing, even life forever.” (Psalms 133:3) Salvation comes from Zion, as it says “Oh that the salvation of Israel were come out of Zion!” (Psalms 14:7) And the shofar blast which will bring near the redemption of Israel comes out of Zion “Blow the shofar in Zion, and sound an alarm in My holy mountain; Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the Lord comes, for it is at hand…” (Yoel 2:15)

"as se'irim upon the herbage": as one who first begins to learn Torah. At first it falls upon him like a demon, viz. (Isaiah 13:21) "and se'irim will dance there."