Diwrej ha-jamim I 16:36 Midrasz: Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael

(Lev. 19:2:) “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Before I created My world, the ministering angels praised My name through you and sanctified Me through you by saying (in I Chron. 16:36), ‘Blessed is the Lord God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting.’” When the first Adam was created, the angels said, “Master of the world, is this the one in whose name we are praising You?” He told them, “No. This person is a thief, since it is stated (of him in Gen. 3:17), ‘and you ate of the tree.’” [When] Noah came, they said to Him (i.e., to the Holy One, blessed be He), “Is this the one?” He told them, “[No]. This person is a drunkard, since it is stated (of him in Gen. 9:21), ‘Then he drank of the wine [and became drunk].’” [When] Abraham came, they said to Him, “Is this the one?” He told them, “This is a stranger (ger), from which Yishmael came out.” [When] Isaac came, they said to Him, “Is this the one?” He told them, “This one loves My enemy, as stated (in Gen. 25:28), ‘Now Isaac loved Esau.’” When Jacob came, they said to Him, “Is this the one?” He told them, “Yes, for so it says (in Gen. 35:10), ‘God said to him, “Your name shall no longer be Jacob, but your name shall be Israel.”’ So all Israel was called by his name.” At that time the Holy One, blessed be he, sanctified them because of His name, as stated (in Is. 49:3), “Israel, in whom I will be glorified.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Since you were sanctified for My name before I created My world, be holy as I am holy.” It is so stated (in Lev. 19:2), “[You shall be holy,] because I am holy.” To what is the matter comparable? To a king who betrothed a wife. He said to her, “Because you have been betrothed (literally, sanctified) to my name, I am a king and you, a queen. Just as it (i.e., my name) is an honor for me, so it is an honor for you. Why? Because you are my wife.” Thus the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Go and sanctify (i.e., go and betroth) Israel,” as stated (in Exod. 19:10), “and sanctify (rt.: qdsh) them today and tomorrow.” The Holy One, blessed be He, sanctified them and said to them (in Exod. 19:6), “But you shall be for Me a kingdom of priests, a holy (rt.: qdsh) nation.” Why? (Lev. 19:2:) “Because I the Lord am holy.” And you also shall be sanctified (rt.: qdsh) just as you have sanctified Me, as stated (in Lev. 19:2) “Speak unto the whole congregation of the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘You shall be holy (rt.: qdsh).’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said unto them, “If you are worthy, you shall be called a congregation of holy ones (rt.: qdsh); [but if] you are unworthy, you shall be called an evil congregation, as stated (Numb. 14:27) ‘How long shall this evil congregation?’”

Another interpretation (of Lev. 19:2:) YOU SHALL BE HOLY. The Holy One said to Israel: Before I created my world, the ministering angels praised my name through you and sanctified me through you by saying (in I Chron. 16:36): BLESSED IS THE LORD GOD OF ISRAEL FROM EVERLASTING TO EVERLASTING.⁸Tanh., Lev. 7:2. When the first Adam was created, the angels said: Sovereign of the World, is this the one in whose name we are praising you? He told them, [No]. This person is a thief, since it is stated (of him in Gen. 3:17): < BECAUSE YOU OBEYED YOUR WIFE AND > ATE OF THE TREE ABOUT WHICH I COMMANDED YOU, < SAYING: DO NOT EAT OF IT. CURSED IS THE LAND BECAUSE OF YOU >. < When > Noah came, they said to him (i.e., to the Holy One): Is this the one? He told them, [No]. This person is a drunkard, since it is stated (of him in Gen. 9:21): THEN HE DRANK OF THE WINE AND BECAME DRUNK…. < When > Abraham came, they said to him: Is this the one? He told them: This is a stranger (ger). < When > Isaac came, they said to him: Is this the one? He told them: This one loves my enemy, as stated (in Gen. 25:28): NOW ISAAC LOVED ESAU. When Jacob came, they said to him: Is this the one? He told them, Yes, for so it says (in Gen. 35:10): GOD SAID TO HIM: YOUR NAME SHALL NO LONGER BE JACOB, BUT YOUR NAME SHALL BE ISRAEL…. So all Israel was called by his name. At that time the Holy One, Blessed be He, sanctified them because of his name, as stated (in Is. 49:3): ISRAEL, IN WHOM I WILL BE GLORIFIED. The Holy One said to him: Since you were sanctified for my name before I created my world, Be holy as I am holy. It is so stated (in Lev. 19:2:) YOU SHALL BE HOLY, BECAUSE I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, AM HOLY. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who betrothed a wife. He said to her because you have been betrothed (literally: sanctified) to my name, I am a king and you, a queen. Just as it (i.e., my name) is an honor for me, so it is an honor for you. Why? Because you are my wife. Thus the Holy One said to Moses. Go and sanctify (i.e., go and betroth) Israel, as stated (in Exod. 19:10): GO UNTO THE PEOPLE AND SANCTIFY (rt.: QDSh) THEM TODAY AND TOMORROW. {The Holy One sanctified them} [He sanctified them. The Holy One came] and said to them (in Exod. 19:6): BUT YOU SHALL BE FOR ME A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS, A HOLY (rt.: QDSh) NATION. Why? (Lev. 19:2:) BECAUSE… I AM HOLY. And you also shall be sanctified (rt.: QDSh) just as you have sanctified me, as stated (in Lev. 19:2) SPEAK UNTO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: YOU SHALL BE HOLY (rt.: QDSh)…. The Holy One said unto them: If you are worthy, you shall be called a congregation of saints (rt.: QDSh); < if > you are unworthy, you shall be called an evil congregation. (Numb. 14:27:) HOW LONG SHALL THIS EVIL CONGREGATION…?

(Ib. b) Where was the High-priest during the reading of the scrolls? In the Temple court. But R. Eliezer b. Jacob says on the Temple mount, as it is said (Nech. 8, 3) And he read therein in the open place, which is before the water-gate, from daylight until mid-day, before the men and the women, and those that could understand; and the ears of all the people were directed unto the book of law. Whereupon R. Hisda said: "He was then in the women's court [where all could sit]." (Nech. 8, 6) And Ezra blessed the Lord, the great God, and all the people answered 'Amen, Amen,' with the lifting up of their hands; and they bowed their heads, and fell down before the Lord with their faces to the ground. What is meant by Hagadol (the great)? R. Assi said: "He then magnified Him by uttering the Tetragrammaton." R. Gidel said: "By reciting (I Chron. 16, 36) Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even unto everlasting." Abaye said to R. Dimi: "Why not say because He was exalted through the utterance of the Tetragrammaton?" "Because," answered R. Dimi, "the Tetragrammaton must not be pronounced outside the Temple [and was therefore not used]." Is that so? Is it not written (Neh. 8, 4) Ezra the expounder stood upon an elevated stand of wood? Whereupon R. Gidel said, [Elevated implies that] he then exalted Him by pronouncing the Tetragrammaton. It was only on that special occasion and no more. (Ib. 9, 4) There stood upon the stairs of the Levites, Joshua, and Buni, Kadmiel, Shebaniya, Boni and Kanami, and they cried with a loud voice unto the Lord. What did they say? R. Juda, and according to others R. Jochanan, said they cried: 'Woe, woe, it is this (the evil inclination) that destroyed the Temple, burnt the Hechal, killed all the just men, and exiled Israel from their land, and still dances among us! Why hast thou given it to us? Is it not in order to give us greater reward for overcoming it? We wish neither this nor the great rewards.' Then a tablet fell down from Heaven, whereon Emeth (Truth) was written. "We infer from this," said R. Chanina, "that the seal of the Holy One, praised be He! is Truth." They fasted three days and three nights, and then he (the evil inclination) was delivered into their hands. The result was that a flame in the shape of a young lion came out of the Holy of Holies. "Here he is, the evil inclination of idolatry," the prophet called to Israel, as it is said (Zech. 5, 8) This is the wickedness. While they were catching him, a hair was torn out of his mane; he issued a cry which was heard for a distance of four hundred parsas. They said: "If he cries so loudly', what can we do to him? Lest he be pitied in Heaven, what shall we do that his voice be not heard?" They were then advised by the Prophet to throw him into a leaden boiler, as lead absorbs (deadens) sound. They put him into a leaden boiler, which they covered with a leaden lid, as it is said (Ib.) And he said, this is the wickedness. And he cast it into the midst of the ephah, and he cast the weighty lead cover upon the mouth thereof. They then said: "Since it is a moment so favorable (to Heaven), let us pray against sensual desire." So they prayed, and it was delivered to them. The prophet said to them: "Take heed. If ye kill this spirit, the entire world will be destroyed." They kept him imprisoned three days. In all Palestine they sought for a sick person an egg laid on that day, but it could not be found. They said among themselves: "What shall we do? If we kill him. the world will be destroyed. Shall we pray for a part [that sensual desire should exist only in legal cases]? We have a tradition that things are not given by halves from Heaven." So they rendered him blind in both of his eyes, and left him. The good result was, that since then he does not excite desire toward relatives.