Midrasz do Wyjścia 9:78

(Numb. 14:11:)¹This supplement comes from Codex Vaticanus, Ebr. 34. It is found neither in Buber’s primary Oxford manuscript nor in the traditional version of the Tanhuma. THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: HOW LONG WILL THIS PEOPLE SCORN ME, AND HOW LONG WILL THEY HAVE NO FAITH IN ME …? This text is related (to Prov. 1:25, 30): BUT YOU HAVE SPURNED ALL MY PLAN AND WOULD NOT ACCEPT MY REBUKE [….] THEY HAVE DESPISED ALL MY REBUKE. What is the implication of BUT YOU HAVE SPURNED ALL MY PLAN? Simply that all the good which I planned for you, you have spoiled and spurned.²Numb. R. 16:24. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 1:25): BUT YOU HAVE SPURNED (rt.: PR') ALL MY PLAN? At the beginning I said to Moses (in Exod. 3:8): I HAVE COME DOWN TO DELIVER THEM OUT OF THE HAND OF THE EGYPTIANS AND TO BRING THEM UP <OUT OF THAT LAND UNTO A GOOD AND SPACIOUS LAND>…. But you did not act in the way <I intended>. Instead you came to the sea and immediately spoiled my plan, as stated (in Ps. 106:7): THEY REBELLED AT THE SEA, AT THE REED SEA. When you came to Mount Sinai, I descended and spoke with you. I brought down on your behalf thousands upon thousands and myriads upon myriads of angels, and I passed on two angels to each and every person in Israel. R. Johanan said: One to gird him with his weapons³Gk.: zone (“girdle”). and one to put a crown on his head.⁴Above, Exod. 2:9 and 8:7 (with the notes in those sections); also Lam. R. 2:13 (17); Cant. R. 4:4:1 PRK 16:3; PR 21:7; 33:10; M. Ps. 103:8. R. Huna of Sepphoris said: He bound their weapons to them, while R. Simoy said: He clothed them in purple, as stated (in Ezek. 16:10): I CLOTHED YOU WITH EMBROIDERED GARMENTS. R. Simeon b. Johay says: He clothed them with an instrument of weaponry with the Ineffable Name written upon it. Moreover, as long as it was in their hand, nothing evil had power against them, neither the angel of death nor anything else.⁵See above, Exod. 9:12; Exod. R. 32:1; 41:7; 51:8; Lev. R. 18:3; cf. ‘AZ 5a. But when they sinned, Moses had said to them (in Exod. 33:5): NOW THEN, REMOVE YOUR ORNAMENTS (i.e., your weapons) FROM YOURSELVES, THAT I MAY KNOW WHAT TO DO TO YOU. At that time (according to vs. 4): WHEN THE PEOPLE HEARD THIS BAD NEWS, THEY WENT INTO MOURNING, <AND NO ONE PUT HIS ORNAMENTS ON HIMSELF>. And what is written (in vs. 6)? SO [THE CHILDREN OF] ISRAEL STRIPPED THEMSELVES OF ORNAMENTS…. What had the Holy One done (at the giving of Torah)?⁶See Exod. R. 32:1. He had brought the angel of death and said to him: All the world is under your authority, except this people whom I have chosen for myself. R. Eleazar the Son of R. Jose the Galilean said: The angel of death said to the Holy One: Have I been created in the world for nothing?⁷Exod. R. 27. The Holy One said to him: I created you so that you would destroy <all> the peoples of the world except this people, over whom you have no authority to take a single one of them. Look at the plan which the Holy One had devised concerning them for them to live and endure! Thus it is stated (in Deut. 4:4): BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD ARE ALL ALIVE TODAY. So also it says (in Exod. 32:16): AND THE WRITING WAS THE WRITING OF GOD INSCRIBED (harut) ON THE TABLETS. What is the meaning of harut? R. Judah says: FREEDOM (herut) from the empires; but R. Nehemiah says: FREEDOM (herut) from the angel of death; and our masters say: FREEDOM from afflictions. Look at the plan which the Holy One had devised for them! Then they immediately spoiled this plan after <only> forty days. It is therefore stated (in Prov. 1:25): BUT YOU HAVE SPURNED ALL MY PLAN.

(Exod. 30:12:) WHEN YOU TAKE A CENSUS (rosh) OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL…. This text is related (to Cant. 7:3 [2]): YOUR NAVEL IS A ROUND BOWL. LET NOT MIXED WINE BE LACKING. <The verse> is speaking of Israel's Sanhedrin, since it was located in the center of the Temple in the Chamber of Hewn Stones, which resembles a navel.¹Tanh., Exod. 9:2; PR 10:2; Numb. R. 1:4; below, Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 1:4 and Deut. 1:3 with the notes there; Ocf. Sanh. 37a; Exod. R. 39:1; below, Numb. 1:4; also Deut. 1:3. As the navel is located in the middle of the body, so was the Sanhedrin located in the middle of the Temple.

(Exodus 12:1) "in the land of Egypt":(He spoke to them) outside the city. __ But perhaps in the city itself? (This cannot be, for it is written (Exodus 9:29) "When I leave the city" (I shall pray). Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If prayer (that of Moses to the L rd) — the lesser — was only outside the city, then speech (that of the L rd to Moses) — the greater — how much more so (was it not spoken in the city)! And why did He not speak with him in the city? For it was full of abominations (of idolatry)! And before the land of Israel was chosen, all of the lands were kasher for speech. Once it was chosen, all other lands were excluded. Before Jerusalem was chosen all of Eretz Yisrael was kasher for altars. Once it was chosen, the rest of Eretz Yisrael was excluded. As it is written (Devarim 12: 13-14) "Take heed unto yourself lest you offer your burnt-offerings … but in the place that the L rd shall choose." Before the Temple was chosen, all of Jerusalem was fit for (the reposing of)) the Shechinah. Once the Temple was chosen, (the rest of) Jerusalem was excluded. As it is written (Psalms 132:13-14) "For the L rd has chosen Zion … This is My resting place forever." Before Aaron was chosen, all of Israel were kasher for the priesthood. Once he was chosen, the rest of Israel were excluded. As it is written (Numbers 18:19) "An everlasting covenant of salt is it (the priesthood) before the L rd for you (Aaron) and for your sons," and (Numbers 25:13) "And it shall be unto him and to his seed after him the covenant of an everlasting priesthood." Before David was chosen (as king) every Israelite was kasher for kingship. Once David had been chosen, the other Israelites (i.e., those not in his line) were excluded. As it is written (II Chronicles 13:5) "Is it not for you to know that the L rd, the G d of Israel, has given over the kingdom to David, to him and to his sons?" If you would contend: But the L rd did speak with the prophets outside the land, (I would answer:) Though He spoke with them outside the land, He did so only in the merit of the fathers. As it is written (Jeremiah 31:15-17) "Thus said the L rd: A voice is heard in Ramah … Thus said the L rd: Keep your voice from weeping, and all your eyes from tears … And there is hope for your future, says the L rd, etc." And even though He spoke with them outside the land in the merit of the fathers, He did so only in a clean place, one of water. As it is written (Daniel 10:4) "And I was by the stream Ulai," (Ibid. 10:4) "and I was by the great river, the Tigris," (Ezekiel 1:3) "The word of the L rd came to Ezekiel … by the river Kevar." Some say: He spoke with him in the land, (and then) He spoke with him outside the land, it being written (literally) "the word of the L rd was, was." (The first) "was" — in the land; (the second,) outside the land. R. Elazar b. Tzaddok says: It is written (Ibid. 3:22) "Arise, go out to the plain" — whence it is derived that the plain is kasher (for prophecy). Know that the Shechinah is not revealed outside the land. For it is written (Jonah 1:3) "And Jonah rose to flee to Tarshish, etc." Now can one flee from the L rd? Is it not written (Psalms 139:7-10) "Where can I flee from Your presence … If I ascend to heaven, You are there, etc. If I take wing with the dawn, there, too, Your hand will lead me," (Zechariah 4:10) "the eyes of the L rd range the entire land," (Mishlei 15:3) "The eyes of the L rd see the bad and the good," (Amos 9:2) "though they dig into Sheol, though they hide in the top of the Carmel, though they go into captivity (Job 34:22) "There is no darkness nor shadow of death, etc." Rather, Jonah's intent was: I will go outside the land, where the Shechinah does not repose and reveal itself. For the gentiles are close to repentance — so that they not make Israel (who do not repent) liable (by invidious contrast). An analogy: The bondsman of a Cohein flees from his master, saying: I will go to the cemetery, a place where my master cannot come after me. His master: I have (messengers) like you. Thus, Jonah said: I will go outside the land, a place where the Shechinah is not revealed. For the gentiles are close to repentance, (this, so as not to render Israel liable by invidious contrast.) The Holy One responds: I have many messengers like you, viz. (Jonah 1:4) "Then the L rd cast a great wind on the sea, etc." We find there to have been three (kinds of) prophets. One claimed the honor of the Father and the father of the son; another, the honor of the Father, but not the honor of the son; another, the honor of the son, but not the honor of the Father. Jeremiah claimed the honor of the Father and the honor of the son, viz. (Eichah 3:42) "We have offended and rebelled" (the honor of the Father); "You have not forgiven" (the honor of the son). Therefore, his prophecy was "doubled," (Jeremiah 36:33) "… and many other words were added to them" (the prophecies of Jeremiah). Eliyahu claimed the honor of the Father, but not the honor of the son, viz. (I Kings 19:10) "I have been very jealous for the L rd, the G d of hosts, etc." And what is stated in this regard? (Ibid. 15-16) "And the L rd said to him: Go, return on your way to the desert of Damascus … And Yehu the son of Nimshi shall you anoint to be king over Israel, and Elisha the son of Shafat … shall you anoint to be a prophet in your place." What is the intent of this? He does not desire your prophecy (because you do not claim the honor of Israel). Jonah claimed the honor of the son, but not the honor of the Father. What is stated in that regard? (Jonah 1:3) "And the word of the L rd came to Jonah a second time, saying." What is the intent of this? We will speak with him a second time, but not a third, (for he did not claim the honor of the L rd). R. Yochanan said: Jonah went (on that voyage) only to cast himself into the sea, as it is written (Jonah 1:12) "And he said to them: Lift me up and cast me into the sea." All this do you find with Moses and the (other) prophets, that they gave their lives for Israel. What is written of Moses? (Exodus 32:32) "And now, if You forgive their sin — and if not, blot me out of Your book which You have written." (Numbers 11:15) "If thus You do with me, kill me if I have found favor in Your eyes and let me not look upon my evil" (i.e., the destruction of Israel). What is written of David? (II Samuel 24:17) "Behold, I have sinned and I have been corrupt. But these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand be in me and in the house of my father." In all places you find that Moses and the (other) prophets gave their lives for Israel.

1) "And He called to Moses and the L–rd spoke to him, etc." "to him" — to exclude Aaron. R. Yehudah b. Betheira said: Thirteen dibroth (accompanied by a command) were stated in the Torah to Moses and Aaron, and, corresponding to them, thirteen limitations, to teach us that they were not spoken to Aaron, but to Moses, to tell them to Aaron. (The dibroth: 1) [Shemoth 6:13]; 2) [Shemoth 7:8]; 3) [Shemoth 9:8]; 4) [Shemoth 12:1]; 5) [Shemoth 12:43]; 6) [Vayikra 11:1]; 7) [Vayikra 13:1]; 8) [Vayikra 14:33]; 9 [Vayikra 15:1]; 10 [Bamidbar 2:1]; 11 [Bamidbar 4:1]; 12 [Bamidbar 4:18]; 13) [Bamidbar 19:2].)

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:2), “Command Aaron.” What is the function of Aaron here? Israel was bringing offerings whereas Aaron is mentioned, and Scripture says here, “Command Aaron.” But note, it is written (in Numb. 28:2), “Command the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘My offering, My bread,’” but here it says (in Lev. 6:2), “Command Aaron […], ‘This is the Torah of the one who ascends (h'lh).’”⁴The masoretic text vocalizes this word as ha’olah, which means, THE BURNT OFFERING, but the midrash interprets the word as though it were vocalized ha’oleh, which means, “The one who ascends,” with the ascending implying self-exaltation. So also Lev. R. 7:6. The Holy One, blessed be He, said (to warn Aaron and his sons), “Whenever someone raises (rt.: 'lh) himself up, his end is to go in the fire.”⁵M.Ps. 11:5. It is so stated (in Lev. 6:2, cont.), “that is the one which ascends upon the burning place.” The generation of the flood [suffered] because of what they said (in Job 21:15), “What is the Omnipresent that we should serve Him?” For that reason they were sentenced to the fire (of Gehinnom), as stated (Job 6:17), “at the time that they were heated, they were burnt in His heat,” and it is written (Job 22:20), “and the fire consumed their remnant.” And likewise the Sodomites, [as stated] (in Gen. 19:24), “Then the Lord rained down upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire.” When Pharaoh said (in Exod. 5:2), “Who is the Lord, [that I should heed His voice],” he exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in Ezek. 29:3), “my Nile is my own and I made it myself.” [He is] therefore (in the words of Lev. 6:2) “upon the burning place.” For so it says (in Ps. 18:14), “The Lord thundered in the heavens,” (Ps. 18:13), "From the illumination in front of Him, His clouds were pierced by hail and coals of fire.” And also when Sennacherib exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in II Kings 19:23 = Is. 37:24), “it is I who have ascended (rt.: 'lh) the mountain heights to the remotest parts of Lebanon.” And what happened to him? (II Kings 19:35:) “The angel of the Lord went out and smote [one hundred and eighty-thousand] in the camp of Assyria.” He had blasphemed (according to II Kings 19:23: cf. 18:17–35) through a messenger (mal'akh);⁶The parallel in Is. 37:24 reads “servant” instead of “messenger.” therefore (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21) “the angel (mal'akh) of the Lord went out and smote.” What did he do to him? (Is. 10:16), “And under his glory there shall burn a burning like the burning of fire.” What is the meaning of “under his glory?” That it burned them from within and left alone their clothes on the outside, since a person's glory is his garment.⁷Cf. Sanh. 94a. And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, leave their clothes behind? Because they were descendants of Shem, as stated (in Gen. 10:22), “The sons of Shem are Elam, Asshur (Assyria)….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I am indebted to their father Shem, because he took the garment and covered his father's nakedness, as stated (in Gen. 9:23), “Then Shem and Japheth took the garment… [and they covered their father's nakedness].”⁸Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:21, which interprets the verse to show that Shem took the lead in this act. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, left their clothes alone and burned [only] their body. This is as it is written (Lev. 6:2), “that (i.e. the person who exalts himself) is the one which ascends (ha'oleh) upon the burning place.” And so too Nebuchadnezzar exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in Is. 14:14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud; I will become like the Most High (rt.: 'lh).” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Upon your life, was it not enough that you said in your heart (in vs. 13), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) to the heavens; above the stars of God I will set my throne,” but that you should say (in vs. 14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud, I will become like the Most High (rt.: 'lh)?” And so he (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar) said to Hananiah and his friends (in Dan. 3:15), “’Now who is the God who shall deliver you out of my hand?’ I have burned His house and exiled His people. He did not stand against me in His house; so will He overcome me in my house?” What did he do? He threw them into the fiery furnace. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He gave a sign to the furnace and it became a highway.⁹PLTYA, from the Gk.: plateia. Buber suggests emending to PLNTYH, from the Gk.: planetes, i.e., “planets.” Whoever was designated to be burned was not burned and whoever was not designated to be burned was burned. So the fire went forth and burned half of the peoples. Thus you find, when they assembled for the dedication of the image, at first there were eight peoples, as stated (in Dan. 3:3), “Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the provincial officials assembled.” That makes eight peoples; but when they came in to see Hananiah and his friends, there were only four peoples written there (in vs. 27), “The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the royal companions assembled.” So where were [the other] four peoples?] It is simply that (in vs. 22) “the flame of the fire slew them.” Now Nebuchadnezzar also was burned by the fire, and the fright (i.e., repulsiveness) of [a body disfigured by] burning was put upon him.¹⁰For this interpretation, Jastrow, s.v., ‘immus. Why was all of him not burned? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Leave this evil man half of himself so that he may know against Whom he blasphemed.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “O wicked one, did you not say, ‘I do not want to live with the children of Adam, but (in Is. 14:14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud?”’ By your life, (according to Dan. 4:22) ‘You shall be driven away from humans and your domicile will be with the wild animals outside.’” Just as He brought the plagues upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, so did He bring [punishment] upon Nebuchadnezzar. It is so stated (in Dan. 3:32), “The signs and wonders which the most high God has worked for me [it seemed good to me to make known].” This fright of [a body disfigured by] burning fell upon him. Therefore it is stated (in Lev. 6:2), “that is the one which ascends (h'lh) upon the burning place.” (Lev. 6.2) “That is the one which ascends upon the burning place.” This is the kingdom of Edom (Rome), which exalted (rt.: 'lh) itself, as stated (in Obad. 1:4), “Though you make [your abode] as high as the eagle, and though [your nest is set] among the stars,” and will be judged by fire, as stated (in Dan. 7:11), “I looked on until the beast was slain and its body destroyed, given over for burning in the fire.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Obad. 1:18), “The House of Jacob shall be fire, and the House of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall be straw; [… for the Lord has spoken].” And what did he say? Through Moses (in Lev. 6:2), “that is the one which ascends (ha'olah, rt.: 'lh) upon the burning place.” Then after that [Scripture says] (in Obad. 1:21), “Then saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mountain of Esau.” Sisera also [was punished by fire] because he blasphemed. Thus it is written about him (in Jud. 4:3), “and he oppressed the Children of Israel with might,” [i.e.] with blasphemies and invectives.¹¹See M. Ps. 2:1, which derives this interpretation of WITH MIGHT (rt.: HZQ) from Mal. 3:13: YOUR WORDS HAVE BEEN MIGHTY (rt.: HZQ) AGAINST ME. See also below, 9:7. He was therefore punished by fire, as stated (in Jud. 5:20), “The stars fought from the heavens; from their courses they fought with Sisera.”¹²See Pes. 118b, according to which the stars descended and heated the iron implements in Sisera’s army. And in the world to come, when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to exact retribution from Esau, what [will] Esau do? Wrapped in a prayer shawl like an elder, he comes and takes his seat beside Jacob. It is so stated, (in Obad. 1:4), “and though your nest is set among the stars.” Stars can only mean Israel, since it is stated (in Gen. 15:5), “look toward the heavens and count the stars …; so shall your seed be.” Jacob says to him, “My brother ('hy), you shall not be like me.” Thus it is stated (in Hos. 13:14), “my brother ('hy),¹³The unemended reading below, given in braces, shows that the midrash is reading the he in ‘HY as a het, so that the WHERE of the Masoretic Text cited here is to be interpreted as MY BROTHER. your words¹⁴Devarekha. YOUR WORDS is the translation required by the midrash. In the biblical context devarekha should be rendered, YOUR PLAGUES. are death; my brother ('hy), your descent (qtb) is to Sheol.”¹⁵A traditional translation of the line would read: WHERE IS YOUR PESTILENCE, O SHEOL? Your words are decrees which you decreed over me. You decreed two-edged decrees against me, that I should serve idols. If I had done so, I would have been condemned to death at the hands of Heaven; and if I had not served them, you would have killed me. Ergo (in Hos. 13:14), “my brother, your words are death.” (Ibid., cont.) “My brother ('hy), your descent (qtb) is to Sheol.” [Qtb] is a Hellenistic¹⁶From the Gk. adverb: Hellenisti. word, meaning to descend to Sheol.¹⁷Thus QTB is understood as coming from the Greek, kataba, an aorist imperative meaning, “descend.” When Esau descends to Sheol, Jacob will remain by himself. It is therefore stated (in Zech. 13:8), “And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall remain in it.” Now the one-third can only be Israel, since it is stated (in Is. 19:24), “Israel shall be a third.” So Israel – because they made themselves despised and lowly, as stated (Malachi 2:9), “And I also made you despised and lowly” – are avenged and redeemed by fire; as stated (in Zech. 2:9), “And I Myself, says the Lord, will be a wall of fire around it (i.e., around Jerusalem).” When Esau departs from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel remain, as stated (in Cant. 6:9), “[Only] one is my dove, my perfect one.” It also says (in Deut. 32:12), “The Lord alone did lead him, and there was no foreign God with Him.”

(Numb. 1:1:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert.” This text is related (to Jer. 2:31), “0 generation, understand the word of the Lord, ‘Have I been a desert for Israel or a land of thick darkness?’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “Because you said to Moses (in Numb. 21:5), ‘Why did you bring us up from Egypt to die in the desert?’³Numb. R. 1:2. (Jer. 2:31:) ‘Have I been a desert for Israel?’ Did I act like a desert to you? Is it customary for a king of flesh and blood, when he leaves for the desert, [to find] easy living [there] just like that which he had found in his palace, either [palace] food or [palace] drink? However, when you were slaves to Pharaoh in Egypt and when I brought you out from there, I had you lie down on couches, as it states (Exod 13:18), ‘And the Lord made the people circumvent (Vayasev) through the desert.’” What is [the meaning of] ”circumvent?” It teaches that He made them recline in the way that kings dine (mesavin), reclining upon their beds. “And I did not even bring three fleas to trouble you. And I even raised up three redeemers for you to serve you, as stated (in Micah 6:4), ‘and I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam before you.’” Through their merit, Israel was able to travel. Through the merit of Moses there was manna, as stated (Deut. 8:3), “And He subjected you to hunger [and then gave you manna to eat].” Through the merit of Aaron I surrounded you in clouds of glory, as stated (Exod. 13:21), “And the Lord went in front of them during the day [in a pillar of cloud. And it is written (in Ps. 105:39), “He spread a cloud for a cover.” There were seven clouds: one from above, one from below, one from each of the four directions, and one going before them. [That last one] smote snakes and scorpions, leveled the mountains and valleys for them, and burned the thornbushes so that they sent up smoke. When all the kings of the East and West saw this, the peoples of the world said (in Cant. 3:6), “Who is this that comes up from the desert [like columns of smoke]?” It is also written (in Deut. 29:4), “your clothes did not wear out from upon you.” In the case of a baby, all the time that it was growing, its garments and clothes were growing along with it. Now the well [came] through the merit of Miriam, who uttered a song by the waters [of the Reed sea].⁴See above, Lev. 7:7. R. Berekhyah the Priest said in the name of R. Levi, “[The matter is comparable to] a king of flesh and blood who has a province. So he sends high ranking people into its midst to conduct their affairs and administer their justice. Who has to be responsible for their maintenance? Do not the people of the province have to be responsible for their maintenance? But the Holy One, blessed be He, did not act like that. Instead he sent out Moses, Aaron, [and Miriam], as stated (in Micah 6:4), ‘and I sent Moses, Aaron, and Miriam before you.’” Thus through their merit, Israel was sustained. The manna was through the merit of Moses. You yourself know that it is so. When Moses passed away, what is written (in Josh. 5:12)? “The manna ceased on the next day (i.e., the day after Moses died).”⁵Heb.: MMHRT. The midrash understands MMHRT (“on the next day”) as two words, MHR and MT, which can be translated: “On the day after he died.” In adopting this interpretation the midrash goes against the weight of Rabbinic and other traditions that Moses died sometime during the month of Adar, usually on the seventh of that month (as in Qid. 38a; etc.), since (according Josh. 5:12) the manna did not cease until the sixteenth of Nisan. The interpretation here and in Numb. R. 1:2 may result from the simple assertion commonly found in Rabbinic sources (e.g., in TSot. 11:8 [10]; Ta‘an 9a.) that, when Moses died, the manna ceased. The clouds of glory [came] through the merit of Aaron. You yourself know that it is so. When Aaron passed away, what is written (in Numb. 21:4)? “But the temper of the people grew short on the way,” because the sun was shining down upon them (without a cloud cover). And the well [came] through the merit of Miriam,⁶See above, Lev. 7:7. since it is stated (in Numb. 20:1-2), “and Miriam died there and was buried there. Now the congregation had no water.” And how was [the well] constructed? Like a kind of boulder or a type of hive or a type of ball. It rolled along and came with them on the journeys.⁷See above, Lev. 7:7; below, Numb 6:35, 47-50. When the standards [for each tribe] came to rest and the tabernacle arose, the rock would come and settle down in the court of the tent of meeting. Then the princes would stand beside it and say (in the words of Numb. 21:17), “Rise up, O well”; and the well would rise up. After that, I brought them quails (cf. Numb. 11:31). (Jer. 2:31:) “Have I been a desert for Israel?” Have I treated you like a desert? (Ibid., cont.) “Or a land of utter darkness?” Did not I become a light for you, a light by My own glory? It is so stated (in Exod. 13:21:) “And the Lord went….” Another interpretation (of Jer. 2:31): What is the meaning of “utter darkness? Have I [ever] said to you that I am bringing a benefit and delayed it? Utter darkness (rt.:'pl) can only be a term of delay, as it is used (in Exod. 9:32), “But the wheat and the spelt were not hurt, because they ripen late (i.e., are delayed: rt.:'pl).”⁸Below, Numb. 10:7; I Corinthians 10:4. Joshua said (in Josh. 21:45), “Not a thing has failed (npl) of any good thing which the Lord (your God) promised unto (you); it all came to you.” [And how are we to understand the rest of the verse] (in Jer. 2:31), “why did my people say, ‘we have let loose (radnu - rt.: rwd)’?” What is the meaning of “radnu?” The word is mishnaic (as in ter. 10:3), “one who removes (rwdh) a hot loaf” (adhering to an oven).⁹Bread is usually baked adhering to the roof or wall of the oven with the fire beneath. They (i.e., Israel) said, “When the bread is baked in the oven and is taken out of it, can it stick¹⁰Rt.: QB‘ (which normally means “fix in” or “fix on”). On the translation of this root, see Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol, 1971/72), vol. II, p. 647, n. 2, which regards it here as the equivalent of the root DBQ (which means (“stick to”). In a similar vein, see Wolf Einhorn’s commentary, Perush Maharzaw, on Numb. R. 1:2. Since the root QB‘ can also mean “rob” or “defraud,” the meaning for Israel would be that, as bread removed from an oven cannot stick to it again, neither can Israel once removed from Jerusalem ever defraud again. to the oven again? Now we in Jerusalem were as in an oven, as stated (in Is. 31:9), ‘says the Lord, who has a fire in Zion and has an oven in Jerusalem.’ Now You exiled us to Babylon. ‘What do you still want from us?’” [That is the meaning of] (Jer. 2:31:), “why did my people say, ‘radnu’” (i.e., he has already removed us from the oven of Jerusalem). Another interpretation (of Jer. 2:31), “why did my people say, ‘radnu?” What [is the meaning of] “radnu (rt.: rwd)?” Compare what is said (in I Kings 5:4), “For he subjugated (rwdh) everything beyond the river (i.e., West of the Euphrates), from Tipsah to Gaza.” They said to [the Holy One, blessed be He,], “You have destroyed for us the sanctuary, and You have taken away your Divine Presence from us. ‘Now what do You still want from us?’” (Jer. 2:31) [Why did my people say, “He has dominion over us (radnu)]”; He said to them, “Would that I were now in the desert, where I did those miracles for you.” And so does it state (in Jer. 9:1), “Would that I were in the desert, at an inn for wayfarers….” Where? Where I was praised,¹¹Rt.: QLS, a word related to the Gk.: kalos (“beautifully”). as stated (in Is. 42:11), “Let the desert and its cities lift up [their voice].” [The matter] is comparable to a prince who entered a metropolis. When the inhabitants of the metropolis saw him, they fled. He entered a second one, and [again] they fled from him. He entered into another city that was ruined (harevah); and when the inhabitants saw him, they praised him. That prince said, “This city is better than all the metropolises. Here I will build myself a lodging place¹²Gk.: xenia (“guestchamber”).; here I will dwell.” Similarly, when the Holy One, blessed be He, came to the sea, it fled from Him, as stated (in Ps. 114:3), “The sea saw [Him] and fled.” He revealed Himself on Mount Sinai, [it also] fled, as stated (in Ps. 114:4), “The mountains danced like rams.” When he came to the desert wasteland (harevah), it received Him and praised Him, as stated (in Is. 42:11), “Let the desert and its cities lift up [their voice].” He said, “This city is better than all of the cities. Here I will build a lodging place.” When He came down into its midst, they began rejoicing, because the Holy One, blessed be He, was dwelling in their midst, as stated (in Is. 35:1), “The desert and the arid land shall be glad, and the wilderness shall rejoice and blossom like a crocus.”

(Ps. 66:3, cont.:) AT YOUR GREAT STRENGTH <YOUR ENEMIES> SHALL DWINDLE AWAY (or BE DECEITFUL) (yekhahashu, rt. KHSh)²The Hebrew verb can have either meaning. BEFORE YOU. R. Berekhyah and R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite differed. One said: THEY DWINDLE AWAY (yekhahashu) BEFORE YOU, <i.e.,> they shall be broken, just as it is stated (in Deut. 33:29): YOUR ENEMIES SHALL DWINDLE AWAY (yekhahashu) BEFORE YOU. But the other said: THEY ARE DECEITFUL (rt.: KHSh) BEFORE YOU, <i.e.,> your enemies shall lie and act deceitfully (rt.: KHSh). Nebuchadnezzar said (in Dan. 3:28): BLESSED BE THE GOD OF SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO, <WHO SENT HIS ANGEL TO DELIVER HIS SERVANTS THAT TRUSTED IN HIM AND FLOUTED THE KING'S DECREE>…. Ergo (in Ps. 66:3): <YOUR ENEMIES> SHALL BE DECEITFUL BEFORE YOU. Sennacherib said (in II Kings 18:35): WHO AMONG ALL THE GODS OF <THOSE> LANDS <HAVE DELIVERED THEIR LAND FROM MY HAND>…? He did not move from there until he had dwindled away, as stated (in II Chron. 32:21): <THEN THE LORD SENT AN ANGEL, WHO DESTROYED EVERY MIGHTY WARRIOR, COMMANDER, AND OFFICER IN THE CAMP OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA. > SO HE RETURNED SHAME [FACED TO HIS OWN LAND]. Pharaoh said (in Exod. 5:2): I DO NOT KNOW THE LORD, <AND MOREOVER I WILL NOT LET ISRAEL GO>. <That statement> became a lie (KHSh) for them, when <Pharaoh> said (in Exod. 9:27): THE LORD IS RIGHT, AND I AND MY PEOPLE ARE IN THE WRONG. So he himself sent them away, as stated (in Exod. 13:17): NOW IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN PHARAOH HAD LET < THE PEOPLE > GO….

Another interpretation (of Jer. 2:31): UTTER DARKNESS. Have I <ever> said to you that I am bringing a benefit and delayed it? UTTER DARKNESS (rt.:'PL) can only be a term of delay, as it is used (in Exod. 9:32): <BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT> BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE (i.e., ARE DELAYED: rt.:'PL).¹³Below, Numb. 10:7; I Corinthians 10:4. {R.} Joshua said (in Josh. 21:43 [45]; cf. 23:14): NOT A {SINGLE} THING HAS FAILED (NPL) OF ANY GOOD THING {OF HIS} WHICH THE LORD PROMISED UNTO THE {CHILDREN} [HOUSE] OF ISRAEL; IT ALL CAME TO PASS. <Therefore> (in Jer. 2:31:) WHY DID MY PEOPLE SAY: RADNU (rt.: RWD); <WE WILL NOT COME UNTO YOU ANY MORE>?¹⁴According to the interpretation given here, the word is regarded as coming from the root, RDH and voweled as radanu. The word is Mishnaic (as in Ter. 10:3 = Makhsh. 3:3): ONE WHO REMOVES (RWDH) A HOT LOAF (adhering to an oven).¹⁵Bread is usually baked adhering to the roof or wall of the oven with the fire beneath. They (i.e., Israel) said: When the bread is baked in the oven and is taken out of it, can it stick¹⁶Rt.: QB‘ (which normally means “fix in” or “fix on”). On the translation of this root, see Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem: Eshkol, 1971/72), vol. II, p. 647, n. 2, which regards it here as the equivalent of the root DBQ (which means (“stick to”). In a similar vein, see Wolf Einhorn’s commentary, Perush Maharzaw, on Numb. R. 1:2. Since the root QB‘ can also mean “rob” or “defraud,” the meaning for Israel would be that, as bread removed from an oven cannot stick to it again, neither can Israel once removed from Jerusalem ever defraud again. to the oven again? Now we in Jerusalem were as in an oven (since it is stated in Is. 31:9): SAYS THE LORD, WHO HAS A FIRE IN ZION AND HAS AN OVEN IN JERUSALEM. Now you exiled us to Babylon. What do you still want from us? (Jer. 2:31:) WHY DID MY PEOPLE SAY: RADNU (i.e., He has <already> removed us (radanu) <once from oven of Jerusalem>)?

Rabbi Levi said: Any place where [the phrase] “the hand of God” is stated, it is the plague of pestilence. The paradigm of them all is: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is [upon your cattle… a very severe pestilence]” (Exodus 9:3). Bar Kappara said: They demanded with the hand,¹¹⁴“Would that we had died by the hand of God in Egypt” (Exodus 16:3). and the hand¹¹⁵Regarding the generation of the wilderness, it is written: “And the hand of God was against them…until their demise” (Deuteronomy 2:14–15). harmed them. Rabbi Simon said: Among those who departed [the land of Israel] there was a plague;¹¹⁶This is derived from the fact that it states here: “The hand of the Lord has emerged against me [yatze’a bi],” which can be interpreted in the sense of biyatzi, “when I left.” among those who remained there was no plague. The students of Rabbi Neḥemya cite it from there: This is what is written: “Wherever they departed, the hand of the Lord was against them for evil” (Judges 2:15) – among those who departed there was a plague; among those who remained there was no plague. Rabbi Reuven said: Their children,¹¹⁷The children of those who departed Egypt. too, were suffering in their wake, and saying: ‘When will they die so we can enter the Land?’

(Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” This text is related (to Prov. 29:23), “One's pride will bring him low, but the low in spirit will obtain honor.” Whenever anyone pursues [a position of] authority, authority flees from him, but whenever anyone flees from [a position of] authority, authority will pursue him. Saul fled from authority when he came to reign, as stated (in I Sam. 10:22), “So they inquired of the Lord again, ‘Has anyone else come [here]?’ And the Lord said, ‘Here he is hiding among the baggage.’” What does it (the word “baggage”) mean? When they came and brought him word of his kingship, he told them, “I am not worthy of kingship. Rather inquire by means of urim and thummim whether I am worthy; and if not, leave me alone.” Immediately (ibid.), “So they inquired of the Lord again (i.e., this second time),” [and] immediately he hid himself until they had inquired of urim and thummim. (Ibid. cont.:) “And the Lord said, ‘here he is hiding among the baggage (literally: instruments).’” Thus have our masters taught: These instruments were urim and thummim. This man fled from authority, and it pursued him, as stated (in I Sam. 10:24), “Do you see the one whom the Lord has chosen, that there is no one like him among all of this people?” But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal pursued authority, and it fled from him, as stated (in Jud. 9:1), “But Abimelech ben Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother's brothers…,” and killed them all upon one stone and ruled over the masters of Shechem. But in the end (according to Jud. 9:23), “Then [God] sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the masters of Shechem,” and a woman killed him. Moses also fled from authority when the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him (in Exod. 3:10), “Come, I will send you unto Pharaoh, (Exod. 14:13) “But he said, ‘Pray Lord, please make someone else Your agent.” R. Levi said, “For seven days did the Holy One, blessed be He, prevail upon Moses in the thornbush in order to send him,¹³Lev. R. 11:6; Numb. R. 21:15; M. Pss. 18:22; cf. Exod. R. 3:14; also PR 7:2. and he was answering him, ‘Please make someone else Your agent.’” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 4:10), “Then Moses said unto the Lord, ‘Pray, Lord, I have never been a man of words, either in the past or now that You have spoken unto Your servant, for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “By your life, in the end you shall go.” When he did go [and] said, (in Exod. 5:1), “Thus says the Lord, the God of (the Hebrews) [Israel], ‘Let My people go and they shall serve Me,’” [and] that wicked man said (in vs. 2), “Who is the Lord,”¹⁴Cf. Numb. R. 13:3. Moses began to say, “I have already fulfilled my mission.” [So] he went and sat down. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Are you sitting down? (Exod. 6:11:) ‘Go and speak unto Pharaoh king of Egypt.’” And so too for each and every oracle (as in Exod. 7:15), “Go unto pharaoh”; (and Exod. 8:16) “Rise up early in the morning.” [These verses are] to teach you that he fled from authority. In the end he led them forth, divided the sea for them, brought them into the desert, brought down the manna for them, brought up the well for them, brought over the quails for them, and made the tabernacle. Then he said, “From now on what is there for me to do?” He got ready and sat down. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “By your life, now you have a greater work than any that you have done, [i.e.,] to teach My children clean and unclean, to enlighten them on how to offer sacrifices to Me,” as stated (in Lev. 1:1–2), “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses […], ‘Speak unto the Children of Israel […], “When one of you presents an offering.”’” Moshe fled from authority and it pursued him, in fulfillment of what is stated (in Prov. 29:23), “One's pride will bring him low, but the low in spirit will obtain honor.” This is Moses, of whom it is stated (in Ps. 8:6), “For You have made him a little less than divine, and crowned him with glory and majesty.” (Lev. 1:1:) “Then [the Lord] called unto Moses.” This text is related (to Ps. 89:20), “Then you spoke to Your saints in a vision and said, ‘I have conferred help upon one who is mighty; I have exalted one chosen from the people.’” Although the Holy One, blessed be He, spoke with the first Adam and commanded him concerning the tree of knowledge, he was alone in the world. So also in the case of Noah; although He spoke with him, he [alone] “was upright in his generations.” And so it was in the case of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were unique in the world. But in the case of Moses, how many righteous ones [were in the world]? Seventy elders, Bezalel, Uri, Aaron and his sons, and the [tribal] princes. Yet of them all, He called only Moses. Ergo, it says (in Ps. 89:20), “I have exalted one chosen from the people.” This is Moses, as stated (in Ps. 106:23), “had not Moses His chosen one […].”

(Deut. 2:2–4:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO ME, SAYING: YOU HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF GOING ABOUT THIS HILL COUNTRY. <TURN NORTH. > NOW CHARGE THE PEOPLE, SAYING: <YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH THE TERRITORY OF YOUR KINDRED, THE CHILDREN OF ESAU, WHO DWELL IN SEIR. THOUGH THEY WILL BE AFRAID OF YOU, YOU ARE TO BE VERY WARY.> This text is related (to Ps. 60:1): TO THE DIRECTOR: ACCORDING TO SHUSHAN EDUTH; A MIKHTAM OF DAVID; FOR INSTRUCTION. When? (According to vs. 2) WHEN HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM AND ARAM-ZOBAH.³Tanh., Deut. 1:3; see Gen. R. 74:15. Now was it not already stated (in I Kings 11:15–16): [AND HE (Joab) SMOTE EVERY MALE IN EDOM;] FOR JOAB <AND ALL ISRAEL> STAYED THERE SIX MONTHS, <UNTIL HE HAD ANNIHILATED EVERY MALE IN EDOM>? Still it says next (here in Ps. 60:2, cont.): JOAB RETURNED AND SMOTE <TWELVE THOUSAND> EDOMITES IN THE VALLEY OF SALT. This text is related (to Is. 50:8): MY VINDICATOR IS AT HAND. WHO WILL CONTEND WITH ME? LET US STAND TOGETHER…. The Holy One gave Torah to Israel, so that through it they would attain vindication before all peoples. You find that Joab was head of the Sanhedrin,⁴Gk.: Synedrion. as stated (in II Sam. 23:8) {AND} THESE ARE THE NAMES OF THE WARRIORS WHOM DAVID HAD: ONE WHO SITS IN THE SEAT OF WISDOM.⁵These words are commonly understood as the proper name, JOSHEB-BASSHEBETH, A TAHCHEMONITE, but this and other citations of the verse in rabbinic literature tend to understand the verse as translated here. See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 4:12, and the note there; also Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 10:9.: Cf. MQ 16b, for an interpretation that identifies this sage with David himself. This was Joab; but David was wiser than all, since it is stated (in II Sam. 14:20 with reference to David): MY LORD IS AS WISE [AS THE WISDOM OF AN ANGEL OF GOD.] Still, they only acted on something in accord with the Sanhedrin, as stated (in Ps. 60:1): TO THE DIRECTOR: ACCORDING TO SHUSHAN EDUTH (i.e., LILY OF WITNESS); A MIKHTAM OF DAVID. SHUSHAN EDUTH refers to the Sanhedrin, since it is stated (in Cant. 7:3): <YOUR BELLY IS A HEAP OF WHEAT> FENCED IN WITH THE LILIES (shoshanim). WITNESS (EDUTH) <is mentioned> because of the Torah, which is called a witness.⁶For this interpretation, see William G. Braude, The Midrash on Psalms (“Yale Judaica Series,” 13; New Haven: Yale, 1959), vol. 2, p. 477, n. 2 on Ps. 60, who explains that wheat symbolizes Torah and lilies represent the sages. Thus SHUSHAN EDUTH, “Lily of Witness,” alludes to the sages in the Sanhedrin, who teach from their knowledge of the Witness or Torah. See also above, Tanh. (Buber), Exod 9:1; Numb. 1:4, and the notes there. MIKHTAM refers to David, who made himself humble (Makh) and innocent (tam), because he walked in innocence with his Creator. When? (According to Ps. 60:2) WHEN HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM. What does that mean? When Joab went to fight with ARAM-NAHARAIM, they came out toward him. They said to him: You are one of the children of Jacob, but we are from the children of Laban. Now here is their confirmed agreement, as written (in Gen. 31:52): THIS MOUND IS A WITNESS, <AND THE PILLAR⁷Matstsebah. Cf. Braude, ibid., n. 1 to Ps. 60, who suggests that the mikhtam of Ps. 60:1 may denote a pillar. IS A WITNESS THAT I WILL NOT PASS BEYOND THIS MOUND AND THIS PILLAR UNTO YOU WITH EVIL INTENT>. When Joab heard <that>, he returned to David. He said to him: What do you say to that? Here is our ancestor Jacob's sworn agreement. They immediately convened a Sanhedrin, (in the words of Ps. 60:1) A SHUSHAN EDUTH (i.e., LILY OF WITNESS) < … > [FOR INSTRUCTION]. They instructed him and said: It really was so, but they transgressed it first. Why did Balaam the Wicked transgress it? Does it not say so (in Numb. 23:7): IT IS FROM ARAM THAT BALAK HAS BROUGHT ME, THE KING OF MOAB <FROM THE HILLS OF THE EAST> …? Moreover, did not Cushan-rishathaim (of Aram-naharaim) enslave us, as stated (in Jud. 3:8): AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SERVED CUSHAN-RISHATHAIM EIGHT YEARS? <Thus> they have committed two wicked acts against us. When the court had so {thanked} [instructed] him, he immediately turned back against them and slew them, as stated (in Ps. 60:2): WHEN HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM <AND ARAM-ZOBAH, JOAB RETURNED AND SMOTE EDOM, TWELVE THOUSAND, IN THE VALLEY OF SALT>. Did he not make war with Aram (i.e., Syria)? What is the meaning of AND SMOTE EDOM? It should have said "Aram" and not EDOM.⁸In Hebrew block letters “Aram” and “Edom” look almost identical. It is simply that when Joab came to fight with Aram, the children of Edom stood up to him and said to him: Did not the Holy One say to you (in Deut. 2:5): DO NOT ENGAGE THEM IN BATTLE? Joab answered them: Did he not say this to us (in vs. 4): YOU ARE PASSING THROUGH THE TERRITORY OF YOUR KINDRED, THE CHILDREN OF ESAU? Allow us to pass! But they did not want to <do so>. Joab said to them: If we eradicate Edom now, we shall find nothing to eat or drink on our return. Instead let us leave them alone until we have smitten Aram, and then we shall turn back against them. It is therefore stated (in Ps. 60:2 [1]): <WHEN HE HAD STRUGGLED WITH ARAM-NAHARAIM <AND ARAM-ZOBAH,> JOAB RETURNED AND SMOTE EDOM, TWELVE THOUSAND, IN THE VALLEY OF SALT>. The Holy One said: You are to eradicate Edom little by little. When the time comes, I will destroy and eradicate it, as stated (in Obad. vs. 19): {HE SHALL TAKE POSSESSION OF THE NEGEB AND THE MOUNTAIN} [THE NEGEB SHALL TAKE POSSESSION OF THE MOUNTAIN OF] <ESAU>…. It also says (in vs. 20): AND THE EXILES IN THIS ARMY <OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL>…. And it says (in vs. 21): FOR SAVIORS SHALL GO UP ON MOUNT ZION TO JUDGE THE MOUNTAIN OF ESAU. At that time (ibid., cont.): THE KINGDOM SHALL BELONG TO THE LORD.

(Deut. 2:2-4:) “Then the Lord spoke unto me, saying, ‘You have had enough of going about this mountain; turn north. Now charge the people, saying, “You are passing through the territory of your kindred, the children of Esau, who dwell in Seir.”’” This text is related (to Ps. 60:1), “To the director: With a shushan eduth; a mikhtam of David, for instruction.” When? (According to vs. 2,) “When he had struggled with Aram-Naharaim and Aram-Zobah, and Joab returned and smote Edom – [an army] of twelve thousand men – in the Valley of Salt.”⁵See Gen. R. 74:15. Now was it not already stated (in I Kings 11:16), “For Joab and all Israel stayed there six months, until he had annihilated every male in Edom?” And yet it repeats afterwards (here in Ps. 60:2, cont.), “Joab returned and smote Edom – [an army] of twelve thousand men – in the Valley of Salt.” This text is related (to Is. 50:8), “My Vindicator is at hand; who will contend with me; let us stand together […].” The Holy One, blessed be He, gave Torah to Israel, so that through it they would attain vindication before all peoples. You find that Joab was head of the Sanhedrin,⁶Gk.: Synedrion. as stated (in II Sam. 23:8), “These are the names of the warriors whom David had: one who sits in the seat of wisdom.”⁷These words are commonly understood as the proper name, JOSHEB-BASSHEBETH, A TAHCHEMONITE, but this and other citations of the verse in rabbinic literature tend to understand the verse as translated here. See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 4:12, and the note there; also Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 10:9: Cf. MQ 16b, for an interpretation that identifies this sage with David himself. This was Joab. But David was wiser than all, since it is stated (in II Sam. 14:20 with reference to David), “my lord is as wise as the wisdom of an angel of God.” Still, they only acted on something in accord with the Sanhedrin, as stated (in Ps. 60:1), “To the director: with the shushan eduth (i.e., lily of witness).” “Shushan” refers to the Sanhedrin, since it is stated (in Cant. 7:3), “fenced in with the lilies (shoshanim).” “Witness (eduth)” [is mentioned] because of the Torah, which is called a witness.⁸For this interpretation, see William G. Braude, The Midrash on Psalms (“Yale Judaica Series,” 13; New Haven: Yale, 1959), vol. 2, p. 477, n. 2 on Ps. 60, who explains that wheat symbolizes Torah and lilies represent the sages. Thus SHUSHAN EDUTH, “Lily of Witness,” alludes to the sages in the Sanhedrin, who teach from their knowledge of the Witness or Torah. See also above, Tanh. (Buber), Exod 9:1; Numb. 1:4, and the notes there. “Mikhtam” refers to David, who became (a king [melekh]) [humble (makh)] and called himself, poor; innocent (tam), because he walked in innocence with his Creator. When? (According to Ps. 60:2,) “When he had struggled with Aram-Naharaim.” What does that mean? When Joab went to fight with Aram-Naharaim, they came out towards him. They said to him, “You are one of the Children of Jacob, but we are from the Children of Laban. Now here is their confirmed agreement, as written (in Gen. 31:52), ‘This mound is a witness, [and the pillar⁹Matstsebah. Cf. Braude, ibid., n. 1 to Ps. 60, who suggests that the mikhtam of Ps. 60:1 may denote a pillar. is a witness that […] you will not pass beyond this mound and this pillar towards me with evil intent].’” When Joab heard that, he returned to David. He said to him, “What do you say to that? Here is our ancestor Jacob's sworn agreement.” They immediately convened a Sanhedrin, (in the words of Ps. 60:1) “a shushan eduth (i.e., lily of witness) […] [for instruction].” They instructed him and said, “It really was so, but they transgressed it first. Did Balaam the Wicked not say like this (in Numb. 23:7), ‘It is from Aram that Balak has brought me, the king of Moab…?’ Moreover, did not Cushan-Rishathaim (of Aram-Naharaim) enslave us, as stated (in Jud. 3:8), ‘and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years?’ [Thus] they have committed two wicked acts against us.” When the court had so instructed him, he immediately turned back against them and slew them, as stated (in Ps. 60:2), “When he had struggled with Aram-Naharaim and Aram-Zobah, and Joab returned and smote Edom – [an army] of twelve thousand men – in the Valley of Salt.” But did he not make war with Aram (i.e., Syria)? [So] shat is the meaning of “and smote Edom?” It should have said "and he smote Aram," not “Edom.”¹⁰In Hebrew block letters “Aram” and “Edom” look almost identical. It is simply that when Joab came to fight with Aram, the children of Edom stood up to him and said to him, “Did not the Holy One, blessed be He, say to you (in Deut. 2:5), ‘Do not engage them in battle, for I will not give you of their land so much as a foot can tread on?’ Joab answered them, “Did he not say this to us (in vs. 4), ‘You are passing through the territory of your kindred, the children of Esau?’ Allow us to pass to our land! [But they did not want to do so.] Joab said to [his army], “If we eradicate Edom now, we shall find nothing to eat or drink on our return. Instead let us leave them alone until we have smitten Aram, and then we shall turn back against them.” It is therefore stated (in Ps. 60:2), “[When he had struggled with Aram-Naharaim and Aram-Zobah,] and Joab returned and smote Edom – [an army] of twelve thousand men – in the Valley of Salt.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “What benefit is it for you that you smite Edom little by little?” [As we also find that] Abishai ben Zuriyah killed eighteen thousand, “and (in II Sam. 8:14), all the Edomites became vassals of David.” When the time comes, I will destroy and eradicate it, as stated (in Obad. 1:19-21), “They shall take possession of the Negeb and the Mountain of Esau…. They shall possess the Ephraimite country and the district of Samaria…. And the exiles in this army of the Children of Israel…. For saviors shall go up on Mount Zion to judge the Mountain of Esau.” At that time (ibid., cont.), “the kingdom shall belong to the Lord.”

Another interpretation (of Exod. 5:2): WHO IS THE LORD? The Holy One said to him: You have said: Who (MY)? By your life, through <the letters> MY you shall be punished (in Exod. 14:26–15:21). MY (who) is YM (sea) in reverse order. Through the sea (YM) you shall know who (MY) I am, because you said (in Exod. 5:2): I DO NOT KNOW THE LORD.²²So Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Shirata 1, with reference to Exod. 15:4. By your life, some day soon²³Literally: “tomorrow.” you shall say (in Exod. 9:27): THE LORD IS IN THE RIGHT, AND I AND MY PEOPLE ARE IN THE WRONG.²⁴Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Beshallah 1. You said (in Exod. 5:2): AND MOREOVER I WILL NOT LET ISRAEL GO. By your life, some day soon you shall take each and every one of them by the hand to send them away. It is therefore stated (in Exod. 13:17): [NOW IT CAME TO PASS, WHEN PHARAOH HAD LET THE PEOPLE GO.]

[(Exod. 30:12): WHEN YOU TAKE <A CENSUS>.] This text is related to Ps. 3:3 [2]): MANY SAY TO MY SOUL….. This refers to David, when that deed (of II Sam. 11) took place at his hand.¹¹Tanh., Exod. 9:4; PRK 2:1; PR 10:10; M. Pss. 3:5/6. They said: What person is there who has carried off the ewe lamb, killed the shepherd, and made Israel fall by the sword?¹²The ewe lamb was Bathsheba, and the shepherd was Uriah the Hittite. Is there salvation for him? (Ibid., cont.:) THERE IS NO SALVATION FOR HIM THROUGH HIS GOD. David said (in vs. 3 [2]): AND YOU, O LORD, have concurred with them and have written in the Torah (at Lev. 20:10): THE ADULTERER AND THE ADULTERESS SHALL SURELY BE PUT TO DEATH. Still (according to Ps. 3:4 [3]) <YOU, O LORD, ARE> A SHIELD ABOUT ME. You <are the one> who shielded me through the merit of my ancestors, <the one> who restored me to the kingship, AND (ibid. cont.:) THE ONE WHO RAISES UP MY HEAD. Instead of that which I owed you, < namely > the lifting off of the head, you gave me an uplifted head at the hands of the prophet Nathan, [who said to me] (in II Sam. 12:13): THE LORD HAS ALSO REMITTED YOUR SIN; YOU SHALL NOT DIE.

Another interpretation (of Numb. 1:1-2): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT […: TAKE A CENSUS OF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL….] This text is related (to Cant. 7:3 [2]): YOUR NAVEL IS A ROUND BOWL. LET NOT MIXED WINE BE LACKING. YOUR BELLY IS A HEAP OF WHEAT FENCED IN WITH LILIES. <The verse> is speaking about the Sanhedrin²⁸Gk.: Synedrion. of Israel, which was situated in the Chamber of Hewn Stone and is compared with a navel.²⁹Tanh., Numb. 1:4; Numb. R. 1:4; see PR 10:2; above, Exod. 9:1 and the notes there; also below, Deut. 1:3; and perhaps Exod. R. 39:1. And why is it compared with a navel? It is simply that just as the navel is situated in the middle of the body, so the Sanhedrin of Israel was situated in the middle of the Temple. (Ibid., cont.:) LET NOT MIXED WINE BE LACKING. What is the meaning of LET NOT MIXED WINE BE LACKING? That there was never one less than a third of them <present>. LET NOT MIXED WINE BE LACKING. Whoever mixes it properly mixes a third of a cup of wine with two parts water. Thus the Sanhedrin would sit from <the time of> the morning sacrifice until the sacrifice at twilight. But did not one of them turn away for the needs of nature? So what did they do when one wanted to leave? He would count. If twenty three were present, he would leave; if not, he would not leave. Why? Because it is written (ibid.): LET NOT MIXED WINE BE LACKING. Thus there was never less than a third of them <present>. It is therefore written: LET NOT MIXED WINE BE LACKING. (Ibid., cont.:) YOUR BELLY IS A HEAP OF WHEAT. Israel has been compared with a heap of wheat.³⁰See PR 10:3. Just as this wheat enters the granary with a count (minyan) and leaves with a count, so the Holy One said that Israel should be numbered (nimnin) all the time. It is therefore stated (ibid.): YOUR BELLY IS A HEAP OF WHEAT. The stubble and the straw, however, are not numbered. Instead they are measured.³¹Buber’s Spanish MS (described on p. 150 on his “Mavo”) plus the parallel texts read: “Nor are they measured.” Thus the peoples of the world are compared with stubble and straw, as stated (in Ps. 35:5): THEY SHALL BE LIKE CHAFF BEFORE THE WIND WITH THE ANGEL OF THE LORD OVERTHROWING THEM. And so it says (in Obad. 18): AND THE HOUSE OF ESAU SHALL BE STRAW. And why? Because they have³²The parallel texts read: “Because the Holy One has….” no pleasure from them, as stated (in Is. 40:17): ALL THE NATIONS ARE AS NOTHING BEFORE HIM; THEY ARE CONSIDERED BY HIM AS LESS THAN NOTHING AND VOID. But in the case of Israel, the Holy One does have pleasure from them. They read the Shema', pray, and bless the name of the Holy One every day; therefore, they are numbered all the time. For that reason they were compared with the wheat, as stated (in Cant. 7:3) YOUR BELLY IS A HEAP OF WHEAT. For that reason (in Numb. 1:1-2): THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES IN THE SINAI DESERT…: TAKE A CENSUS OF THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL….

(Numb. 1:1-2) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses in the Sinai desert […, ‘Take a census of the whole congregation of the Children of Israel…’].” This text is related (to Cant. 7:3), “Your navel is a round bowl; let not mixed wine be lacking; your belly is a heap of wheat fenced in with lilies.” [And that verse] is speaking about the Sanhedrin¹⁸Gk.: Synedrion. of Israel, which was situated in the chamber of hewn stone and is compared with a navel.¹⁹Numb. R. 1:4; see PR 10:2; above, Exod. 9:1 and the notes there; also below, Deut. 1:3; and perhaps Exod. R. 39:1. And why is it compared with a navel? It is that just as the navel is situated in the middle of the body, so the Sanhedrin of Israel was situated in the middle of the Temple. (Ibid., cont.) “Let not mixed wine be lacking.” What is the meaning of “let not mixed wine be lacking?” That there was never one less than a third of them [present]: “Let not mixed wine be lacking” – whoever mixes it properly mixes a third of a cup of wine with two parts water. Thus the Sanhedrin would sit from [the time of] the morning sacrifice until the afternoon sacrifice. But did not one of them go out for his [bodily] needs? So what did they do when one wanted to leave? He would count. If twenty three were present, he would leave; if not, he would not leave. Why? Because it is written (ibid.), “let not mixed wine be lacking.” Thus there was never less than a third of them [present]. It is therefore written, “let not mixed wine be lacking.” (Ibid., cont.) “Your belly is a heap of wheat.” Why is it compared to wheat?²⁰See PR 10:3. Just as this wheat enters the granary with a count and leaves with a count, so too, here the Holy One, blessed be He, said that they should be numbered all the time. It is therefore stated (ibid.), “your belly is a heap of wheat.” The stubble and the straw, however, are not numbered and not measured. Thus the peoples of the world are compared with stubble and straw, as stated (in Ps. 35:5), “They shall be like chaff before the wind.” And so it says (in Obad. 1:18), “and the house of Esau shall be straw.” Why? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, has no pleasure from them, as stated (in Is. 40:17), “All the nations are as nothing before Him; they are considered by Him as less than nothing and void.” But in the case of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, does have pleasure from them. They read the shema', pray, and bless the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, every day and at all times on every single thing; therefore, they are numbered all the time. For that reason they were compared with the wheat, as stated (in Cant. 7:3), “your belly is a heap of wheat.”

(Gen. 1:1:) IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED. This text is related (to Ps. 18:36 = II Sam. 22:36): AND YOU GAVE ME YOUR SHIELD OF YOUR SALVATION.¹⁰Exod. R. 41:4; M. Pss. 18:28f.; see Tanh., Exod. 9:15. < The words > [speak of Israel. What is written (in vs. 31 = vs. 31)? HE IS A SHIELD FOR ALL WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM.] (The verse continues:) AND YOUR RIGHT HAND SUSTAINS ME. This is Torah according to what is stated (in Deut. 33:2): AT HIS RIGHT HAND IS A FIERY LAW (dat). (Ps. 18:36 = II Sam. 22:36 continues:) AND YOUR HUMILITY HAS MAGNIFIED ME. Now is anyone more humble than the Holy One? R. Abba bar Aha said: The student sits before his master. When he is finished, the student says to the master: How I have tired you! But Israel was learning from the Holy One. When they are departing, he says to them: How I have tired you! It is so stated (in Deut. 1:6): THE LORD OUR GOD SPOKE TO US IN HOREB, SAYING: < YOU HAVE SAT LONG ENOUGH AT THIS MOUNTAIN >. Ergo (in Ps. 18:36 = II Sam. 22:36): AND YOUR HUMILITY HAS MAGNIFIED ME.

(Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE. Whatever Moses did he did through others, as stated (ibid.): <THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE, THE TABERNACLE OF THE TESTIMONY, WHICH WERE DRAWN UP AT MOSES' BIDDING,> THE WORK OF THE LEVITES BY MEANS OF ITHAMAR <BEN AARON >.¹⁴Exod. R. 51:6. He only did <the accounting > after the work on the Tabernacle was finished. He said to them: Come and let me make an accounting before you. All Israel gathered while he sat and made calculations. He forgot one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five shekels, of which he had made hooks for the pillars.¹⁵Tanh., Exod. 11:7. He said to them (in vs. 28): AND OF THE ONE THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FIVE < SHEKELS > [HE (Ithamar) MADE HOOKS FOR THE PILLARS]. At that time Israel was mollified¹⁶A form of piyyes, which may come from the Gk. aorist, peisai (“to persuade”). over the building of the Tabernacle. And who brought it about for him? <It was> because he < himself> sat down and mollified them. (Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE. But why did he make an accounting with them when the Holy One trusted him? It is so stated (in Numb. 12:7): NOT SO WITH MY SERVANT MOSES; [HE IS TRUSTED IN ALL MY HOUSE]. Yet Moses said: Come and make an accounting with me. It was simply that Moses had heard Israel speaking behind his back, as stated {in Exod. 33:9): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN MOSES WOULD GO [TO THE TENT], THE PILLAR OF CLOUD WOULD DESCEND…, AND THE LORD WOULD SPEAK WITH MOSES.} [(in Exod. 33:8): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN MOSES WOULD GO OUT UNTO THE TENT, <ALL THE PEOPLE WOULD RISE>… AND STARE AFTER MOSES.] And what were they saying?¹⁷Cf. yBik. 3:3 (65c); ySheq. 5:3 (49a), which in what follows omit the attributions to named authorities; also Tanh., Exod. 9:27, which reverses the views of R. Isaac and R. Hama. Exod. R. 51:6 reads R. Johanan instead of R. Isaac. R. Isaac says: They were saying in his favor: Blessed is she who bore this man. All his days the Holy One speaks with him; all his days he genuinely belongs to the Holy One. (Exod. 33:8:) <ALL THE PEOPLE WOULD RISE …> AND STARE AFTER MOSES. But R. Hama said: They were saying to his shame: Look at the <fat> neck; look at the <fat> thighs. Moses is eating from what belongs to Jews and drinking from what belongs to Jews, for everything he possesses comes from the Jews. Then an associate of his would reply: Would you not want a person in charge of the work on the Tabernacle to be wealthy? As soon as Moses heard that, he said to them: By your life, after the Tabernacle is finished, I am making an accounting with you. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 38:21:) THESE ARE THE RECORDS OF THE TABERNACLE….

[(Exod. 30:12): WHEN YOU TAKE A CENSUS.] What is written <just> before this lection (in Exod. 30:10)? AARON SHALL MAKE ATONEMENT UPON ITS HORNS (i.e., the horns of the incense altar) <ONCE A YEAR>.¹³Tanh., Exod. 9:6; PRK 2:7. When Israel sinned, the Holy One said to Moses: Go and make atonement for them. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, did you not say this: ONCE A YEAR? The Holy One said to him: Go and restore them. R. Abbin the Levite said: Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, out of all the peoples that you have in your world, you only charge me concerning Israel. (Lev. 20:2:) AND UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL YOU SHALL SAY. (Exod. 30:31:) UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL YOU SHALL SPEAK. To what is the matter comparable?¹⁴Tanh., Exod. 9:8. To a King who had purple garments.¹⁵Gk.: porphurai. Now he had a certain purple cloak which he cherished more than all of them. So he commanded his servant and said to him: Shake it out; fold it up. He also said to him: Set your mind on it. He said to him: My Lord King, of all your purple garments you have only commanded me concerning this one. He said to him: Because I wore this one when I first became king, I therefore cherish it more than all these <other> garments of mine. In such a way did the Holy One speak, when <Moses> said to him: For what reason did you command me more concerning Israel than all the <other> peoples which are in the world? He said to him: For what reason? Because they were the first to make me king, <when they did so> by the sea. (Exod. 15:18:) THE LORD SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER.

[(Exod. 30:12): WHEN YOU TAKE A CENSUS.] What is written <just> before this lection (in Exod. 30:10)? AARON SHALL MAKE ATONEMENT UPON ITS HORNS (i.e., the horns of the incense altar) <ONCE A YEAR>.¹³Tanh., Exod. 9:6; PRK 2:7. When Israel sinned, the Holy One said to Moses: Go and make atonement for them. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, did you not say this: ONCE A YEAR? The Holy One said to him: Go and restore them. R. Abbin the Levite said: Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, out of all the peoples that you have in your world, you only charge me concerning Israel. (Lev. 20:2:) AND UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL YOU SHALL SAY. (Exod. 30:31:) UNTO THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL YOU SHALL SPEAK. To what is the matter comparable?¹⁴Tanh., Exod. 9:8. To a King who had purple garments.¹⁵Gk.: porphurai. Now he had a certain purple cloak which he cherished more than all of them. So he commanded his servant and said to him: Shake it out; fold it up. He also said to him: Set your mind on it. He said to him: My Lord King, of all your purple garments you have only commanded me concerning this one. He said to him: Because I wore this one when I first became king, I therefore cherish it more than all these <other> garments of mine. In such a way did the Holy One speak, when <Moses> said to him: For what reason did you command me more concerning Israel than all the <other> peoples which are in the world? He said to him: For what reason? Because they were the first to make me king, <when they did so> by the sea. (Exod. 15:18:) THE LORD SHALL REIGN FOR EVER AND EVER.

They forced the Israelites to pasture their flocks, and so he sent the murrain against them, as it is said: Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle (Exod. 9:3). They compelled the Israelites to keep the heated things warm, and so He afflicted them with boils. They plotted to have them stoned to death and so He sent hail upon them. They planned to make the Israelites their gardeners, and so He brought against them the locusts, which consumed their trees, and ate all the grass and fruit in the land. They conspired to imprison them, and so He brought darkness upon them. They planned to kill the Israelites, and so He smote all their firstborn. They wanted to drown them in water, and so He overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red Sea (Ps. 136:15).

4) as it is written (Vayikra 23:14): "And bread, and kali, and karmel you shall not eat until this self-same day, until you have brought the offering of your G d." "And if you offer a meal-offering of bikkurim to the L–rd": This is the meal-offering of the omer. From which (grain) does it come? From barley. — But perhaps it comes from wheat! R. Eliezer says (to negate this): It is written here (Vayikra 2:14): "aviv" (grain in the ear), and also in respect to Egypt (Shemoth 9:41). Just as "aviv" in respect to Egypt is barley, so, "aviv" here. R. Akiva says: It is written that the congregation is to bring bikkurim (the omer) on Pesach and that the congregation is to bring bikkurim (the two loaves) on Atzereth (Shavuoth). Just as we find that of that kind (of grain [i.e., wheat]) of which the individual brings his obligatory offering, the congregation brings its obligatory offering (the two loaves) on Atzereth — so, of that kind (i.e., barley), of which the individual brings his obligatory offering (the meal-offering of rancor of the sotah), the congregation is to bring its bikkurim (the omer) on Pesach. From which kind does the individual bring his obligatory offering? From barley. The congregation, too, is to bring its obligatory offering only from barley. An alternate derivation: If you say (that he brings it) of wheat, then the two loaves (which are of wheat) could not be (called) "bikkurim" (first fruits).

(Exod. 30:12): WHEN YOU TAKE <A CENSUS>. R. Joshua bar Nahmani the Priest said: The Holy One said to Moses: Go and number Israel.¹⁶PRK 2:8; Tanh., Exod. 9:1. Moses said to the Holy One: It is written (in Gen. 28:14): AND YOUR SEED SHALL BE LIKE THE DUST OF THE EARTH…; (and in Hos. 2:1 [1:10]): THE NUMBER OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL SHALL BE AS THE SAND OF THE SEA…. So are you saying: Go and number Israel! Moses said to the Holy One: I am unable to hold out in counting them. The Holy One said to him: Moses, it is not as you think. However, if you wish to hold out in counting Israel, take the initial letters of the tribes. Then you shall hold out in counting them. <Take> the resh from Reuben, the shin from Simeon, the lamed from Levi, etc., for each and every tribe. To what is the matter comparable? To a money-changer who had a boy. He said to him: Count these coins for me. He said to him: How can I count them? He said to him: count the tops of the stacks of coins, and you will hold out in the calculation. So when Moses met with difficulties in the calculation of Israel, the Holy One said to him: Take the initial letters of the tribes, and you shall hold out in their calculation. The resh of Reuben equals two hundred thousand;¹⁷This and the following numbers comprise numerical equivalents of the initial Hebrew letters times one thousand. the nun of Naphtali equals fifty thousand; the shin of Simeon equals three hundred thousand; the yod of Judah <plus> the yod of Joseph <plus> the yod of Issachar equal thirty thousand; the zayin of Zebulun equals seven thousand; the dalet of Dan equals four thousand; the gimel of Gad equals three thousand; the bet of Benjamin equals two thousand; the alef of Asher equals one thousand. The result is five hundred ninety-seven thousand. Where are the three thousand (from the original six hundred thousand of Exod. 12:37)? These were the ones who fell in the days of the <golden> calf, as stated (in Exod. 32:28): SO THE CHILDREN OF LEVI ACTED ACCORDING TO THE WORD OF MOSES, AND ABOUT THREE THOUSAND OF THE PEOPLE FELL ON THAT DAY. For that reason the Holy One said to Moses: Number Israel in order to know how many are missing.

Whatever the Egyptians devised against Israel, [the Holy One] brought against them. Those < Egyptians > devised for them to draw their water. What is written (in Ps. 78:44)? HE TURNED THEIR NILES INTO BLOOD SO THAT THEIR STREAMS WERE UNDRINKABLE. Those < Egyptians > devised for them to be laden as traveling traders.²²Gk.: pragmateutes. He sent frogs upon them and covered them with resin. Those < Egyptians > devised for them to work on the land. The Holy One made the land swarm with gnats. Those <Egyptians> devised that they should bear their children as a paidagogos.²³The Greek word designates a slave who was assigned to a child as an attendant and guardian. He sent lions, wolves, and bears among them. <If> an Egyptian had ten children, when he told Israel to bring them to the market place, the lion came and took one, the wolf one, the bear one, the leopard one, and the snake one. Then he came <back> to the Egyptian alone. The Egyptian said: Where are my children? Israel said to him: Sit down and I myself will render you an accounting: The lion took one <etc.>; and so <he continued> on, until he had given him an accounting. Now they (the Egyptians) devised that they would tend their livestock, but he sent out the plague among them, as stated (in Exod. 9:6): THEN ALL THE EGYPTIAN LIVESTOCK DIED. They intended that they would be bath attendants {bathe them}. He brought the boils upon them. They intended to stone them with stones. The Holy One brought the hail upon them, as stated (in Exod. 9:22): THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL <IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT >…. They intended that they would be their vine dressers. The Holy One brought the locusts, who ate their trees, as stated (in Exod. 10:15): AND THEY ATE ALL THE GRASS OF THE EARTH…. They intended to imprison them in prison. The Holy One brought darkness upon them, as stated (in Exod. 10:23): THEY COULD NOT SEE ONE ANOTHER…. They intended to kill them. The Holy One killed their first-born, as stated (in Exod. 12:29): THAT THE LORD SMOTE ALL THE FIRST-BORN. They intended to drown them in water. The Holy One also drowned them in water, as stated (in Ps. 136:15): BUT OVERTHREW PHARAOH AND HIS HOST IN THE REED SEA….

Whatever the Egyptians devised against Israel, [the Holy One] brought against them. Those < Egyptians > devised for them to draw their water. What is written (in Ps. 78:44)? HE TURNED THEIR NILES INTO BLOOD SO THAT THEIR STREAMS WERE UNDRINKABLE. Those < Egyptians > devised for them to be laden as traveling traders.²²Gk.: pragmateutes. He sent frogs upon them and covered them with resin. Those < Egyptians > devised for them to work on the land. The Holy One made the land swarm with gnats. Those <Egyptians> devised that they should bear their children as a paidagogos.²³The Greek word designates a slave who was assigned to a child as an attendant and guardian. He sent lions, wolves, and bears among them. <If> an Egyptian had ten children, when he told Israel to bring them to the market place, the lion came and took one, the wolf one, the bear one, the leopard one, and the snake one. Then he came <back> to the Egyptian alone. The Egyptian said: Where are my children? Israel said to him: Sit down and I myself will render you an accounting: The lion took one <etc.>; and so <he continued> on, until he had given him an accounting. Now they (the Egyptians) devised that they would tend their livestock, but he sent out the plague among them, as stated (in Exod. 9:6): THEN ALL THE EGYPTIAN LIVESTOCK DIED. They intended that they would be bath attendants {bathe them}. He brought the boils upon them. They intended to stone them with stones. The Holy One brought the hail upon them, as stated (in Exod. 9:22): THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL <IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT >…. They intended that they would be their vine dressers. The Holy One brought the locusts, who ate their trees, as stated (in Exod. 10:15): AND THEY ATE ALL THE GRASS OF THE EARTH…. They intended to imprison them in prison. The Holy One brought darkness upon them, as stated (in Exod. 10:23): THEY COULD NOT SEE ONE ANOTHER…. They intended to kill them. The Holy One killed their first-born, as stated (in Exod. 12:29): THAT THE LORD SMOTE ALL THE FIRST-BORN. They intended to drown them in water. The Holy One also drowned them in water, as stated (in Ps. 136:15): BUT OVERTHREW PHARAOH AND HIS HOST IN THE REED SEA….

In the land of Egypt refers to the territory outside of the capital of Egypt. You find that the Shekhinah does not appear in the capital city of Egypt, for it is stated: And Moses said unto him: “As soon as I am out of the city, I will spread forth my hand” (Exod. 9:29). Why was it necessary to specify all the land of Egypt? Because all of Egypt was filled with idols. Hence it is written in the land of Egypt and not simply “in Egypt.”

R. Levi stated: He then took the list of gods and began to read: The god of Edom, the god of Moab, the god of Sidon, etc. And he said to them: “I have read the entire list, but the name of your God is not upon it.” R. Levi said: This may be compared to a priest who had a foolish servant. On one occasion, after the priest had left the city, his servant went to the cemetery to seek him. He inquired of the men loitering about: “Have you seen my master here?” They replied: “Isn’t your master a priest?” Indeed, he replied. “Fool,” they said, “who has ever seen a priest in a cemetery?”⁷Priests are not permitted to enter cemeteries (Lev. 21:1 and the halakhic codes). Moses and Aaron likewise rebuked Pharaoh, saying: “Fool, these gods that you mentioned are all dead, but the Lord, the true God, is a living God, the King of the Universe.” Pharaoh asked them: “Is He young or old? How many cities has He captured? How many provinces has He humbled? How long has He been King?” They replied: “The strength and power of our God permeates the world. He was before the world was created, and He will be at the end of all worlds. He fashioned you and placed within you the breath of life.” “What else has He done?” he asked. They replied: He stretched forth the heavens and the earth and His voice heweth out flames of fire (Ps. 29:7); He rends the mountains and breaketh in pieces the rocks (I Kings 19:11); His bow is of fire; His arrows are flames; His spear is a torch; His shield is of the clouds; His sword is lighning; He formeth mountains and hills; covereth the mountains with the grass; the heavens with clouds; He bringeth down rain and dew, cạuseth plants to grow and fruits to ripen; He afflicteth the beasts; He formeth the embryo in the womb of the mother and bringeth it forth into the light of the world. He removeth kings and setteth up kings (Dan. 2:21). He said to them: “You have been speaking falsehood from the start! For I am the lord of the world, and I created myself and the Nile, as is written: The Nile is mine, I made it (Ezek. 29:3).” At that moment he gathered all the wise men of Egypt, and said to them: “Perhaps you have heard about the god of these?” They said to him: “We have heard that he is the son of wise men and the son of early kings.” The Holy One, blessed be He said: They call themselves wise men, but Me (they call) a son of wise men! By your life, I will destroy you for your wisdom, as is written: All the wisdom of Pharaoh’s advisers, their plans are foolish. How can you say to Pharaoh, “I am a son of wise men, I am the son of early kings? (Isa. 19:11). See what is written of them: The wisdom of his wise men and the understanding of his discerning men will be hidden (ibid. 29:14). He (Pharaoh) answered them (Moses and Aaron): “I do not understand what you are saying. Who is God that I should harken to His voice? (Exod. 5:2).” The Holy One, blessed be He responded: Evil one! Who is God? you asked. (With) who (mi) you will be plagued. Mi equals fifty in gematria.⁸Mem = 40, yod = 10. These are the fifty plagues which the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon the Egyptians in Egypt. What does Scripture say regarding Egypt? The sorcerers said to Pharaoh: “This is the finger of God” (ibid. 8:15), and regarding the sea, what does (Scripture) say? Israel saw the great hand (ibid. 14:31). How many plagues did they suffer with a finger? Ten plagues. Calculate the five fingers on a great hand; each one corresponds to ten, hence fifty. Another interpretation: mi (“who”), switch the letters of mi (mem-yod)and you spell yam (yod-mem, “sea”); the Red Sea will inform you who God is. By your life! With your own mouth you will exclaim: ‘The Lord is righteous.’ You have said: I will not send, but tomorrow you will take hold of each of them by the hand and say: Go in peace, take even thy sheep and thy cattle, and the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, to send them out of the land in haste (ibid. 12:33). And thus it is said: And it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go (ibid. 13:17).

The way of the world is that one pours a full vessel into an empty one. Perhaps you can pour a full vessel into a full vessel?! All the world was water in water and you say “…into one place…” (Genesis 1:9) Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. Similarly - “Moses and Aaron assembled the congregation in front of the rock…” (Numbers 20:10) R’ Chanina said: there was a space the size of the mouth of a small sieve there, and all of Israel stood there? Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. Similarly – “The Lord said to Moses and to Aaron, "Take yourselves handfuls (chofneichem) of furnace soot…” (Exodus 9:8) R’ Huna said: and could Moshe’s handful hold eight handfuls (kamatzim)? That’s strange! Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. There is no comparison between what one takes in a cupped handful (chofan) and what one takes in a closed handful (kamatz). A cupped handful is twice that of a closed and it is written “…and Moses shall cast it heavenward…” (ibid.) therefore Moshe’s cupped hand held eight closed handfuls. Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. Similarly – R’ Yosi bar Chalifta said: “The length of the courtyard shall be one hundred cubits and the width fifty by fifty cubits,” (Exodus 27:18) and all of Israel stood there? That’s strange! Rather from here we learn that a little can hold a lot. Similarly - “And Joshua said to the children of Israel, Come here…” (Joshua 3:9) R’ Huna said: he stood them all up between the two poles of the ark. R’ Acha bar R’ Chanina said: he placed them between the two poles of the ark. The Rabbis said: he shrank them between the two poles of the ark. Yehoshua said to them: from the fact that the two poles of the ark could hold you, you know that Presence of the Holy One is among you. This is what is written “By this you shall know that the living God is in your midst…” (Joshua 3:10) So too regarding Jerusalem it is taught ‘they stood crowded together, but prostrated themselves with plenty of space between them. R’ Shmuel bar R’ Chana said in the name of R’ Acha: each one had four cubits, and a cubit of space to each side so that no one heard the prayer of his fellow. So too it will be in the time to come, as it says “At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord…” (Jeremiah 3:17) R’ Yochanan went up to visit R’ Chanina, he found him sitting and interpreting this verse ‘At that time, they will call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord.’ He said to him: oh my teacher, can Jerusalem really hold the throne of the Lord? He replied: The Holy One said to her ‘spread out your length and breadth and receive your population.’ This is what is written “Widen the place of your tent…” (Isaiah 54:2) Why? “For right and left shall you prevail…” (Isaiah 54:3)

(Exod. 30:12): WHEN YOU TAKE A CENSUS <…, EACH SHALL GIVE A RANSOM FOR HIS LIFE…,> SO THAT NO PLAGUE COME UPON THEM. When Moses heard this, he was afraid, and said (as Job. 2:4): SKIN FOR SKIN! ALL THAT ONE HAS HE WILL GIVE FOR HIS LIFE.¹⁸Tanh., Exod. 9:11; cf. below, Numb. 2:19. R. Judah b. R. Il'ay said: Moses said: We have already found that a ransom for a person's life is a talent of silver. It is so stated (in I Kings 20:39): IT WILL BE YOUR LIFE FOR HIS LIFE OR YOU WILL PAY A TALENT [OF SILVER]. R. Johanan said: From whom did he learn <about the ransom >? From the one who commits libel. Thus it is stated (concerning the man who commits libel against his virgin bride in Deut. 22:19): AND THEY SHALL FINE HIM A HUNDRED <SHEKELS OF> SILVER. Now we have committed libel against the Holy One¹⁹PR 10:12. and said (of the golden calf in Exod. 32:4): THIS IS YOUR GOD, O ISRAEL. <Therefore,> each and every one of us must give a hundred <shekels> of silver. Resh Laqish said: Moses learned <about the ransom> from <the law concerning > the rapist. It is written (concerning the rapist in Deut. 22:29): THE MAN WHO LAY WITH HER SHALL GIVE [TO THE YOUNG WOMAN'S FATHER FIFTY <SHEKELS OF> SILVER]. Now we have raped the <divine> word. Thus it is written (in Exod. 20:3): YOU SHALL HAVE NO [OTHER GODS] <BESIDES ME>; and we have committed idolatry. <Therefore,> each and every one of us must give fifty < shekels of> silver. R. Judah bar Simon said: Moses learned from <the law concerning> a goring bull, since it is stated (in Exod. 21:32): IF A BULL GORES A MALE [OR FEMALE] SLAVE, [HE SHALL GIVE THIRTY SHEKELS OF SILVER TO THE MASTER]. Now we have exchanged his glory for a bull. It is so stated (in Ps. 106:20): THUS THEY EXCHANGED THEIR GLORY FOR THE IMAGE OF A BULL. Does every one of us have to give thirty shekels? The Holy One knew what was in Moses' heart. He said to him: By your life, <the ransom will be> not a talent of silver, not a hundred < shekels of> silver, not fifty shekels of silver, and not thirty shekels, but (as in Exod. 30:13): <EVERYONE WHO IS ENTERED IN THE RECORDS > SHALL GIVE THIS: <A HALF SHEKEL >.

Another interpretation: Lest the nations of the world say: He behaves like a brute with you. That is to say: When the generation of the flood came, he destroyed them with water, as stated (in Gen. 7:6): WHEN THE FLOODWATERS CAME UPON THE EARTH. And similarly, when the generation of the dispersion came, he destroyed them. And similarly, when the Egyptians came, he drowned them in water. And also in the case of these whom he has called (in Exod. 4:22) ISRAEL, MY FIRST-BORN SON, here he is destroying (mekhalleh) them! <He is> like that Lilith (keLilit). When she does not find anything else, she turns on children. So (in Numb. 14:16): BECAUSE THE LORD WAS NOT ABLE TO BRING THIS PEOPLE INTO THE LAND WHICH HE HAS SWORN <TO GIVE> THEM, HE HAS SLAUGHTERED THEM IN THE DESERT. Moses said: Sovereign of the World, (according to vs. 14) THAT YOU, O LORD, ARE SEEN FACE TO FACE (literally: EYE TO EYE). What is the meaning of THAT <YOU> … ARE SEEN EYE TO EYE ('YN B'YN)?¹⁴Similarly Deut. R. 5:13. R. Simeon ben Laqish said: See, the scales are balanced (rt.: 'YN). You say (in Numb. 14:12): I WILL SMITE THEM WITH PESTILENCE AND DISPLACE THEM; but I am saying (in vs. 19): PLEASE PARDON. We shall see whose <utterance> will stand. The Holy One said to him: By your life, Moses, yours shall stand, while mine is null <and void>. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 14:20): THEN THE LORD SAID: I HAVE PARDONED THEM AS YOU ASKED. But nevertheless, the decree of the Holy One which he had uttered to Moses (in Numb. 14:12): THEN I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A NATION THAT IS GREATER AND MORE NUMEROUS THAN THEY, <that decree> was not repealed. He raised up from him sixty myriads, and in the world to come the Holy One shall gather them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 49:12): LOOK! THESE ARE COMING FROM AFAR. AND LOOK! THESE ARE FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE SEA (i.e., FROM THE WEST), AND THESE FROM THE LAND OF SINIM. Moreover, the exiles shall come with them, also the tribes who are located beyond <the River> Sambatyon¹⁵Gk.: Sabbatikos (“Sabbatical”). See Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Exod. 34:10; ySanh. 10:6 or 5 (29c); Gen. R. 73:6; Lam. R. 2:5 (9); PR 31:10; above, Gen. 10:17, it was beyond, or on an island in, this legendary river that at least some of the ten tribes were exiled. See also Tanh., Exod. 9:33; Gen. R. 11:5, PR 23:8; according to which the river carried stones in its current during the whole week but rested on the Sabbath. See also Pliny, HN 31:18 (24); Sanh. 65b. Cf. Josephus, BJ 7:5:1 (96–99), according to whom the Sabbath was the only day on which the river flowed. and beyond the darkness.¹⁶Cf. Ezek. 34:12. They shall be gathered and come to Jerusalem. It is concerning them that Isaiah has said (in Is. 49:9): SAYING TO THE PRISONERS: GO FORTH, <i.e.,> to those who are located beyond the Sambatyon. (Ibid., cont.:) TO THOSE WHO ARE IN DARKNESS: SHOW YOURSELVES.¹⁷Higgalu. The verb can also mean “be exiled. These are those who are located beyond the cloud of darkness. (Ibid., cont.:) THEY SHALL PASTURE ALONG THE ROADS, AND {UPON} [IN ALL] THE HEIGHTS SHALL BE THEIR PASTURE. These are those who are located in Daphne near Antioch.¹⁸According to ySanh. 10:6 or 5 (29c) the exiles were divided into three parts: one beyond the Sambatyon River, one to Daphne at Antioch, and one into a cloud cover. At that time they shall be redeemed and come to Zion with gladness. Isaiah has said (in Is. 51:11): SO LET THOSE RANSOMED BY THE LORD RETURN AND COME TO ZION WITH EXALTATION, WITH JOY EVERLASTING UPON THEIR HEADS. LET THEM ATTAIN JOY AND GLADNESS; MAY SORROW AND SIGHING FLEE.

R. Judah bar Simon said (Ibid., cont.): I HAVE MADE A COVENANT WITH YOU AND WITH ISRAEL. < It was done > through writing and through word of mouth: FOR THESE WORDS ARE BY MOUTH. If you preserve what is in writing in writing and what is by word of mouth by word of mouth, I HAVE MADE < A COVENANT > WITH YOU. But, < if > you change what is by mouth into writing and what is in writing into word of mouth, I HAVE not MADE < A COVENANT > WITH YOU. R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said:²⁹Tanh. Exod. 9:34. See Exod. R. 47:1; Cant. R. 2:7:1; cf. Hag. 13a; Ket. 111a. Moses wanted the Mishnah also to be in writing, but the Holy One foresaw that the peoples of the world were going to translate the Torah and read it in Greek. Then they would say: We too are Israel. The Holy One said to him (in Hos. 8:12): SHOULD I WRITE THE FULL ABUNDANCE OF MY TORAH (i.e., including the Mishnah) FOR YOU? If so, THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN RECKONED AS STRANGERS. And why all this? Because the Mishnah is a mystery³⁰Gk.: mysterion. belonging to the Holy One, and the Holy One reveals his mystery only to the righteous. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 25:14): THE SECRET OF THE LORD IS FOR THOSE WHO FEAR HIM. And so you find that even when the Holy One was angry over Sodom because of their evil deeds and when the Holy One sought to destroy Sodom, the Holy One did not seal their judgment until he had consulted with Abraham. {Thus it is stated:} [Where is it shown? From what we have read on the matter] (in Gen. 18:17): THEN THE LORD SAID: SHALL I HIDE FROM ABRAHAM < WHAT I AM DOING >?

(Exod. 29:1:) AND THIS IS THE THING WHICH YOU SHALL DO TO THEM <TO SANCTIFY THEM FOR SERVING ME AS PRIESTS >. This text is related (to Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. These are the Israelites.²³Tanh., Exod. 8:11; Numb. R. 11:1. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT FOOLS TAKE AWAY SHAME. These are the peoples of the world. Now when did²⁴The past tense here follows Tanh., Exod. 8:11. The Buber text reads “shall.” Israel inherit the glory? When they received the Torah from Sinai. R. Johanan said: Sixty myriads of ministering angels descended with the Holy One to Sinai, and they put crowns on the head of each and every one from Israel.²⁵Above, Exod. 2:9. PR 10:6; 21:7; 33:10. R. Abba bar Kahana said: When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said (in Exod. 24:7): WE WILL CARRY OUT AND OBEY, the Holy One immediately loved them and gave two angels to each and every one of them. The one girded on his armor (zayin),²⁶Cf. Gk.: zone, or Lat.: zona (“girdle”). and the other set a crown for him on his head. R. Simon said: They clothed them in purple,²⁷Gk.: porphura. as stated (in Ezek. 16:10): I CLOTHED YOU WITH EMBROIDERED GARMENTS. R. Simeon ben Johay said: They gave them implements of war (zayin) with the Ineffable Name engraved thereon.²⁸Below, Exod. 9:15. Ergo (in Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. These are the Israelites, because they received the Torah. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT FOOLS TAKE AWAY SHAME. These are the peoples of the world. The Holy One put them to shame. R. Samuel said: (Prov. 3:35): THE WISE SHALL INHERIT GLORY. These are David and Solomon, who built the Temple. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT FOOLS TAKE AWAY SHAME. These are the peoples of the world who destroyed it. The Holy One puts them to shame. R. Nahman said: See what is written (in Ps. 73:20): O LORD, IN THE CITY²⁹This is the meaning of ba’ir assumed in the midrash. A more common interpretation would be: ON BEING AROUSED. YOU DESPISE THEIR IMAGE.³⁰Esther R. 3:14. Why IN THE CITY? The proverb is simply saying: In the place where the robber³¹Gk.: lestes. The last letter of this word should certainly be S, as in the traditional Tanhuma, instead of the M of the Buber text. commits robbery, there he is hung. For that reason IN THE CITY is written.

And it came to pass in the middle of the night, that the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt (Exod. 12:29). The Creator of the night divided the night precisely. The Lord smote all the first born. It was the Lord Himself who smote the firstborn and not His emissary (Moses). In fact, even though a man was elsewhere, and his firstborn was in Egypt, he died. How do we know that the firstborn of the Cuthites, Puthites, and Ludites were also slain? It is said: And smote all the firstborn in Egypt, the first fruits of their strength in the tents of Ham (Ps. 78:51).⁸Ham was the ancestor of Cush, Put, and Lud (Gen. 10:15). Only the firstborn of the Pharaoh remained alive in fulfillment of the verse However, it was for this that I raised you up (Exod. 9:16). And Ba’al Saphon was the only idol remaining, to mislead them, in fulfillment of the verse He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them (Job 12:23). Unto the firstborn of the captives (Exod. 12:29). Why were the firstborn of the captives punished? Because they had rejoiced in the decrees promulgated against Israel. Hence it is written: He that is glad at calamity shall not be unpunished (Prov. 17:5). You must not be of the opinion that only the captives reacted in that manner, for the slaves and handmaidens did likewise, as is said: Even unto the firstborn of the maidservants that is behind the mill (Exod. 11:5); that is, even those who were legally bound to the millers. Even their firstborn cattle were destroyed lest the people assert: “Our deities are powerful, and that is why punishment was imposed upon them (and not upon us).”

(Numb. 34:2:) WHEN YOU COME <INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN>. This text is related (to Jeremiah 2:31): YOU, O GENERATION, UNDERSTAND THE WORD OF THE LORD! [HAVE I BEEN A DESERT (HMDBR, voweled as (hamidbar) TO ISRAEL] …? Do not read A DESERT but HAVE I SPOKEN (HMDBR, voweled as hamedabber) anything (DBR) TO ISRAEL that I have not fulfilled for Israel?²⁵Tanh., Numb. 10:9; Numb. R. 23:10. With regard to the land which I agreed to give to them, did I say that it was beautiful and mislead them? (Ibid., cont.:) OR A LAND OF UTTER DARKNESS (ma'pelyah)? What is the meaning of ma'pelyah (rt.: 'PL)? Did I, perhaps, promise you to bring you into the land and <then> delay you? After all ma'pelyah can only mean "delay," as stated (in Exod. 9:32): <BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT> BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE (i.e., ARE DELAYED, rt.: 'PL).²⁶Above, Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 1:2. See, you will be entering into its midst, WHEN (according to Numb. 34:2) YOU COME INTO THE LAND OF CANAAN (Kena'an), <i.e., into> a land of business,²⁷Gk.: pragmateia. a land of trade. <The usage is> just as you say (in Is. 23:8 with reference to Tyre): WHOSE TRADERS (kena'anim)²⁸Here the word usually translated CANAAN (Kena‘an) occurs in the sense of trader, as in Hos. 12:8. THE WORLD HONORED.

[(Exod. 30:13:) <EVERYONE WHO IS ENTERED IN THE RECORDS> SHALL GIVE THIS (ZH): <A HALF SHEKEL>.] R. Meir said: The Holy One took something like a coin of fire²⁰Perhaps the word THIS (ZH) in Exod. 30:13 suggested the biblical Aramaic root, ‘ZH (“light a fire,” “heat”), found in Dan. 3:19, 22. For an explicit connection between the two roots, see M. Pss. 68:5. Cf. also PR 10:12. from under the throne of glory and showed it unto Moses.²¹Below, Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 2:19; Tanh., Exod. 9:9 (at the end); ySheq. 1:6 (46b); PRK 2:10; Numb. R. 12:3; M. Pss. 91:1. Then he said to Moses <EVERYONE WHO IS ENTERED (ha'over, rt.: 'BR) IN THE RECORDS > SHALL GIVE THIS. Moses said: Who shall give? The Holy One said to him: Everyone who crossed over (ha'over) in the sea.

(Exod. 30:13:) A HALF SHEKEL. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah differ. R. Judah says: Because (in the matter of the calf) they sinned in the middle of the day, they would give the half shekel. But R. Nehemiah said: Because they sinned for six hours in the day, they would give the half shekel,²²ySheq. 2:4 or 3 (46d); see Tanh., Exod. 9:10. See also below, Exod. 9:13. since it consists of six grammata.²³The Greek word (gramma in the singular) denotes a small weight of 1/24 ounce. R. Judah bar Nehemiah said in the name of R. Johanan ben Zakkay: Because Israel transgressed (rt.: 'BR) the Ten Commandments, they would give ten gerahs.²⁴Cf. Exod. 30:13 = Numb. 3:47: THE SHEKEL IS TWENTY GERAHS. Similarly Lev. 27:25; Numb. 18:16; Ezek. 45:12. R. Berekhyah said in the name of Resh Laqish: You sold Rachel's first-born for twenty <pieces of> silver (according to Gen. 37:28); therefore, in the case of every first-born that you shall have, his redemption shall be five shekels of silver, as stated (in Numb. 3:47): YOU SHALL TAKE FIVE <SHEKELS> EACH.

(Exod. 30:13:) A HALF SHEKEL. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah differ. R. Judah says: Because (in the matter of the calf) they sinned in the middle of the day, they would give the half shekel. But R. Nehemiah said: Because they sinned for six hours in the day, they would give the half shekel,²²ySheq. 2:4 or 3 (46d); see Tanh., Exod. 9:10. See also below, Exod. 9:13. since it consists of six grammata.²³The Greek word (gramma in the singular) denotes a small weight of 1/24 ounce. R. Judah bar Nehemiah said in the name of R. Johanan ben Zakkay: Because Israel transgressed (rt.: 'BR) the Ten Commandments, they would give ten gerahs.²⁴Cf. Exod. 30:13 = Numb. 3:47: THE SHEKEL IS TWENTY GERAHS. Similarly Lev. 27:25; Numb. 18:16; Ezek. 45:12. R. Berekhyah said in the name of Resh Laqish: You sold Rachel's first-born for twenty <pieces of> silver (according to Gen. 37:28); therefore, in the case of every first-born that you shall have, his redemption shall be five shekels of silver, as stated (in Numb. 3:47): YOU SHALL TAKE FIVE <SHEKELS> EACH.

And he took six hundred chosen chariots (Exod. 14:7). Whose beasts drew the chariots? If you should say they belonged to the Egyptians, has it not already been said: And all the cattle of Egypt died (Exod. 9:6)? If you should contend that they belonged to Pharaoh, has it not already been stated: Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle (ibid. 9:3)? If you should assert that they belonged to Israel, has it not already been written: Our cattle also shall go with us, there shall not a hoof be left behind (ibid. 10:26)? To whom, then, did they belong? They belonged to the slaves of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord. Hence we learn that even those who feared the word of the Lord were a stumbling block to Israel. Because of this verse, they say: “The best among the Egyptians, kill; the best among serpents, crush its brain.”

And he took six hundred chosen chariots (Exod. 14:7). Whose beasts drew the chariots? If you should say they belonged to the Egyptians, has it not already been said: And all the cattle of Egypt died (Exod. 9:6)? If you should contend that they belonged to Pharaoh, has it not already been stated: Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle (ibid. 9:3)? If you should assert that they belonged to Israel, has it not already been written: Our cattle also shall go with us, there shall not a hoof be left behind (ibid. 10:26)? To whom, then, did they belong? They belonged to the slaves of Pharaoh who feared the word of the Lord. Hence we learn that even those who feared the word of the Lord were a stumbling block to Israel. Because of this verse, they say: “The best among the Egyptians, kill; the best among serpents, crush its brain.”

You find that Israel was counted ten times.²⁵PRK 2:8; Tanh., Exod. 9:9; PR 10:14; Numb. R. 2:11.

(Exod. 31:18:) <WHEN HE HAD FINISHED SPEAKING WITH HIM ON MOUNT SINAI, > HE THEN GAVE UNTO MOSES <THE TWO TABLETS OF THE TESTIMONY, TABLETS OF STONE WRITTEN WITH THE FINGER OF GOD>. This text is related (to Cant. 4:11): YOUR LIPS DRIP NECTAR, O BRIDE.²⁶Cf. Tanh., Exod. 9:18. See the acclaim with which the Holy One praises the congregation of Israel. R. Judah bar Abba said: He praises them from bottom to top, and they praise him from top to bottom. Why so? Because they were down, and he raised²⁷“Raised” follows an emendation of WHTLH to WH’LH in agreement with Midrash Tanhuma (Jerusalem; Eshkol, n.d.), vol. 1, appendix, p. 115, n. *. them up. When they were enslaved with bricks, he redeemed them. But they praise him from top to bottom. When he was set above the seven skies, they brought him down to themselves (in the Temple). See the acclaim with which he praises them (in Cant. 4:11): <YOUR LIPS> DRIP NECTAR (nofet). R. Johanan said: What is the meaning of nofet? "Bride," <i.e.> nymphe.²⁸The translation reads the text as kallah nymphe. The Buber text has the Hebrew equivalent of the Greek, kale nymphe (“beautiful bride”) written as a single word (QLWNYNPY). It is a Greek word. R. Eleazar said: Nofet is the honey from <Mt.> Scopus. There is a honey called the nofet of Scopus, which is superior to every honey in the world. Similarly you are superior to all the peoples in the world. <YOUR LIPS> DRIP NECTAR (nofet), <O BRIDE>; [HONEY AND MILK ARE UNDER YOUR TONGUE]. When? When you are engaged in the Torah.

(Numb. 34:2:) “When you come [into the land of Canaan].” This text is related (to Jer. 2:31), “You, O generation, understand the word of the Lord! Have I been a desert (hmdbr, voweled as (hamidbar) to Israel…?” Do not read “a desert,” but “have I spoken (hmdbr, voweled as hamedabber)” anything (dbr) to Israel that I have not fulfilled?²⁵Numb. R. 23:10. With regard to the land which I agreed to give to them, did I say that it was beautiful and mislead them? (Ibid., cont.:) “Or a land of utter darkness (ma'pelyah)?” What is the meaning of “ma'pelyah (rt.: 'pl)?” Did I, perhaps, promise you to bring you into the land and [then] delay you? After all, ma'pelyah can only mean "delay," as stated (in Exod. 9:32), “But the wheat and the spelt were not hurt because they ripen late (i.e., are delayed, rt.: 'pl).”²⁶Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 1:2. See, you will be entering into its midst, “When (according to Numb. 34:2) you come into the land of Canaan (kena'an),” [i.e., into] a land of business,²⁷Gk.: pragmateia. a land of trade. [The usage is] just as you say (in Is. 23:8 with reference to Tyre), “whose traders (kena'anim)²⁸Here the word usually translated CANAAN (Kena‘an) occurs in the sense of trader, as in Hos. 12:8. the world honored.”

And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Succoth (Exod. 12:37). The distance from Rameses to Succoth is forty parasangs (approx. 43 miles), yet Moses’ voice could be heard at Succoth. Do not be surprised at this, for even the dust that Moses hurled into the air soared about for forty days, as it is said: And it shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt (Exod. 9:9). If the dust could spread over the whole of Egypt, which takes forty days to traverse, how much more likely it is that his voice could traverse forty parasangs. R. Akiba said: Succoth refers to the clouds, as it is said: For over all the glory shall be a canopy (sukkah) (Isa. 4:5). Likewise, in the future, And there shall be a canopy (sukkah) for a shadow in the daytime (ibid., v. 6). Besides children (Exod. 12:37). That is, besides little ones and women. And they baked cakes (ibid., v. 39). Actually, they did not manage to bake cakes. The word cakes refers to a cake baked on coal, as it is said: But make me thereof a little cake first, and bring it forth unto me (I Kings 17:13). An amazing miracle was performed for them by means of the cakes. They ate them twice a day for thirty days, until the manna descended for them. Neither had they prepared for themselves any victuals (Exod. 12:39). This was to demonstrate Israel’s worth, since they did not complain and say: “How can we cross the desert and the sea if we have no provisions?” This teaches us that they trusted Him. Concerning them, it is expressly stated in the post-Mosaic writing: Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem (Jer. 2:2). What was their reward for their faithfulness? Israel is the Lord’s hallowed portion (ibid., v. 3).

Rabbi Papis expounded: “To a mare [lesusati] in Pharaoh's chariots”—lesisati is written.²⁴³The word lesusati is written without a vav such that it can also be read lesisati. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Just as I was gladdened [sasti] to eliminate the Egyptians at the sea, so I would have been gladdened to eliminate the enemies of Israel.’²⁴⁴The “enemies of Israel” is used here as a euphemism for the people of Israel themselves. Who caused them to be saved? “On their right and on their left” (Exodus 14:22); due to the merit of the Torah thay they were destined to receive from the right of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “From His right, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2). “And on their left,” this is mezuza.²⁴⁵The mezuza is situated to the left of the door when one is leaving the house. They were saved partially in the merit of their future fulfillment of the mitzva of mezuza. Alternatively, on their right, this is reciting Shema, “and on their left,” this is [the Amida] prayer.²⁴⁶Like the right, reciting Shema is superior because in it one does not request fulfillment of his own needs. By contrast, in the Amida prayer we request fulfillment of our own needs. This is exemplified in the verse: “Length of days is on its right; on its left is wealth and honor” (Proverbs 3:16) (Midrash HaMevoar). Rabbi Akiva said to him: ‘Enough, Papis. Every place that gladness [sisa] is stated, it is written with a sin, and here with a samekh.’ He said to [Rabbi Akiva]: ‘How do you interpret [the phrase] “to a mare in Pharaoh's chariots”?’ [Rabbi Akiva answered:] ‘Pharaoh mounted a stallion, and the Holy One blessed be He, as it were, revealed Himself on a stallion. That is what is written: “He mounted a cherub and flew” (Psalms 18:11). Pharaoh said: ‘A stallion kills its owners in war;²⁴⁷This is because its conduct is more aggressive. rather, I will ride on a mare.’ That is what is written: “To a mare in Pharaoh's chariots.” Pharaoh then rode on a red horse, on a white horse, or on a black one. As it were, the Holy One blessed be He revealed Himself on a red, white, and black horse. That is what is written: “You trampled in the sea with Your horses” (Habakkuk 3:15), interchanging horses.
The wicked Pharaoh emerged with armor and a helmet; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated; “He donned righteousness like armor [and a helmet of salvation on His head]” (Isaiah 59:17). [Pharaoh] brought naphtha;²⁴⁸A flammable liquid, which he brought in order to use in battle. as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Hail and coals of fire passed through His clouds” (Psalms 18:13). [Pharaoh] brought catapult stones; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “And the Lord provided thunder and hail” (Exodus 9:23). [Pharaoh brought] swords and spears; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Many bolts of lightning” (Psalms 18:15). [Pharaoh] brought arrows; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “He shot His arrows” (Psalms 18:15). Rabbi Levi said: “He shot his arrows and dispersed them” (Psalms 18:15) [teaches] that the arrows would scatter them; “many bolts of lightning and they confounded them” (Psalms 18:15) teaches that they would confuse them and confound them. He removed their banners²⁴⁹Without the banners, the formation of their camp disintegrated. and they did not know what they were doing.
Pharaoh emerged in full armor; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord will emerge like a mighty man” (Isaiah 42:13). [Pharaoh] thundered with his voice; as it were, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord would thunder from the heavens” (II Samuel 22:14). [Pharaoh] heartened them [his soldiers] with his voice; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated]: The Most High would project His voice” (II Samuel 22:14). Pharaoh emerged with fury; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “With fury You trod the earth” (Habakkuk 3:12). [Pharaoh emerged] with a bow; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “Your bow will be bared” (Habakkuk 3:9). [Pharaoh emerged] with shield and armor; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “Grasp Your shield and armor” (Psalms 35:2). [Pharaoh emerged] with a flashing spear; as it were, [the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated:] “The glow of the flash of Your spear” (Habakkuk 3:11).
Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: When Paharaoh exhausted all his weapons, the Holy One blessed be He began exalting over him. He said to him: ‘Wicked one, do you have wind, do you have a cherub, do you have wings?’ From where did the Holy One blessed be He cause them to fly [to the sea]? Rabbi Yudan said: The Holy One blessed be He removed them from between the wheels of the Divine Chariot and flew them at the sea. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: One who is flesh and blood rides upon something that carries him, and it is an item that has substance; however, the Holy One blessed be He is not so; He carries what He rides upon, and He rides upon an item that has no substance. That is what is written: “He mounted a cherub and flew, and He soared on wings of wind” (Psalms 18:11).
One verse says: “He soared [on wings of wind]” and one verse says: “He was seen on wings of wind” (II Samuel 22:11). In what sense can both verses be reconciled? Rabbi Aḥa said: From here [it may be derived] that the Holy One blessed be He has had many worlds and He emerges to be seen in them.

... This is that which is written (Job 36:22), "See, God is beyond reach in His power, who governs like Him?" It is customary in the world that when flesh and blood seeks to do bad to his enemy, he does so immediately so that [the other] not become aware. But the Holy One, blessed be He, warns Pharaoh about each and every plague, so that he would repent. This is that which is written (7:17), "In this you will know that I am the Lord"; (7:27) "behold I will plague all of your borders with frogs"; (9:19) "send, hasten your cattle."

(Exod. 31:18:) WHEN HE HAD FINISHED <SPEAKING WITH HIM ON MOUNT SINAI, > HE THEN GAVE UNTO MOSES. Rav Huna said: Resh Laqish said: Just as the bride adorns herself in twenty-four ornaments; so a wise student needs to be versed in twenty-four books (of the Bible).³¹Tanh., Exod. 9:16; Exod. R. 41:5. R. Levi said: What (in Exod. 31:18) is the meaning of WHEN HE HAD FINISHED (rt.: KLH)? Just as the bride (KLH) secludes herself all the time that she is in her father's house so that no one knows her, <and only> when she is about to enter the wedding canopy, does she reveal her face, saying: Whoever knows of testimony against me, let him come and testify against me; so a wise student must be modest like a bride and be famous³²mefursemet, rt.: PRSM; cf. Gk.: parresia (“outspokenness”). through his good deeds like the bride who is famous. (Exod. 31:18:) AS UNTO HIS BRIDE,³³So the midrash interprets WHEN HE HAD FINISHED (KKLWTW). HE THEN GAVE UNTO MOSES.

“Emerge, daughters of Zion, and gaze at King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding, and on the day of the rejoicing of his heart” (Song of Songs 3:11).
“Emerge, daughters of Zion, and gaze,” sons who are conspicuous [metzuyanim] for me in haircut, in circumcision, in ritual fringes; “at King Solomon [Shlomo],” at the King who created perfect [shelemot] creations. He created the sun and the moon in their completeness, the stars and the constellations in their completeness. Bar Kappara said: Adam and Eve were created as at the age of twenty. “At King Solomon [Shlomo],” at the King [of Whom it may be said] that peace is His.
Another matter, “at King Solomon [Shlomo],” the King who made peace between His works and His creatures. How so? He made the fire be at peace with our patriarch Abraham; He made the sword be at peace with Isaac; He made the angel be at peace with Jacob.¹⁰⁶God saw to it that Abraham was not harmed when he was thrown into the fiery furnace; that Isaac was not harmed when Abraham was about to slaughter him; and that Jacob was not harmed when he struggled with the angel.
Another matter, “at King Solomon [Shlomo],” the King who made peace between His creations. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The firmament is of snow and the [celestial] creatures are of fire. The firmament is of snow, as it is stated: “Over the heads of the creature there was the likeness of a firmament, resembling the awesome ice” (Ezekiel 1:22). The creatures are of fire, as it is stated: “The likeness of the creatures, their appearance was like fiery coals” (Ezekiel 1:13), and it is written: “The creatures were darting to and fro like the appearance of a flash” (Ezekiel 1:14). This one does not extinguish that one, and that one does not extinguish this one. Mikhael is the angel of snow and Gabriel of fire; this one does not extinguish that one, and that one does not harm this one.
Rabbi Avin said: This is not merely between angel and angel, but even within one angel that is half snow and half fire, the Holy One blessed be He makes peace between them. It has five descriptions, and they are: “His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning” (Daniel 10:6);¹⁰⁷The full verse states: “His body was like beryl, his face like the appearance of lightning, his eyes as torches of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.” Thus it is described as like beryl, lightning, torches of fire, burnished brass, and the voice of a multitude—five descriptions. and one does not harm the other.
One verse says: “He covers His upper chambers with water” (Psalms 104:3), and one verse says: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire” (Deuteronomy 4:24), and it is written: “His throne was sparks of fire” (Daniel 7:9). This one does not harm that one, and that one does not harm this one. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “He makes peace in His high places” (Job 25:2), the firmament is of water and the stars of fire and they do not harm each other. The sun has never seen the defect of the moon.¹⁰⁸The deficient side of the moon’s crescent never faces the sun. This is taken as an indication that God causes there to be peace between them.
Rabbi Yaakov of the village of Ḥanin said: It is written: “Dominion and fear are with Him” (Job 25:2). “Dominion,” this is Mikhael, “and fear,” this is Gavriel, “with Him,” what is “with Him”? They are at peace for Him. Rabbi Levi said: No constellation ever passed another on their ascent. There is no star that sees what is above it, but rather what is below it, like a person who descends a ladder and does not look behind him.
Even regarding the plagues of Pharaoh, the Holy One blessed be He brought about peace, as it is stated: “There was hail, and fire aflame within the hail” (Exodus 9:24). Rabbi Yuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yuda said: Bowls of hail filled with fire; this one did not extinguish that one, and that one did not extinguish this one. Rabbi Ḥanin said: That [description] of Rabbi Yuda is similar to a pomegranate aril, as [the seed] inside each aril can be seen.¹⁰⁹Just as the seed is visible from outside the aril, the hail contained fire that was visible despite being surrounded by ice. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Fire and hail intermingled with each other. Rabbi Ḥanin said: That [description] of Rabbi Neḥemya is similar to the bowl of an oil lamp, where water and oil are intermingled and it continues to burn. This one does not extinguish that one, and that one does not extinguish this one. The Rabbis say:¹¹⁰Expounding the word “aflame” [mitlakaḥat]. Death [mita] and reassembly [mitkalha], death and reassembly in order to perform the will of their Creator.¹¹¹The ice and fire would continually eliminate each other and be restored. Rabbi Aḥa said: [This is analogous] to a king who had two powerful legions and they were enemies with each other. Once they saw that the king’s war was intensifying, they made peace with one another in order to wage the king’s war. So too, fire and hail are enemies with each other. When they saw the war of the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, which was the war against the Egyptians, they made peace between them and waged the war of the Holy One blessed be He against Egypt. That is what is written: “There was hail and fire aflame within the hail”—a miracle within a miracle.

(Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.” Let our master instruct us: How many things preceded the act of creation? Thus have our masters taught: Seven things preceded the world. These are the following: The throne of glory, the Torah, the Temple,⁷⁰See Sifre, Deut. 7:12 (37). the ancestors of the world, Israel, the name of messiah, and repentance. And some say also the Garden of Eden and gehinnom. In the case of the throne of God, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 93:2), “Your throne is established from of old; You are from everlasting,” [meaning] from before the world was created. And in the case of the Torah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Prov. 8:22), “The Lord acquired me (i.e., wisdom) as the beginning of His way the first of His works of old.” In the case of the Temple, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Jer. 17:12), “O glorious throne, on high from the beginning, the place of our sanctuary.” In the case of the ancestors (forefathers), where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Hos. 9:10), “I saw your ancestors like the first fruit on a fig tree in its first season.” In the case of Israel, where is it shown? “Where it is stated of them] (in Ps. 74:2), “Remember Your congregation which You acquired of old […].” In the case of the name of the messiah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 72:17), “Before the sun, his name is Yinon (a name of the messiah).”⁷¹This translation of Ps. 72:17 is a literal rendering, which the midrash understands to mean that this name existed before the sun was created. A more traditional rendering would be MAY HIS NAME ENDURE AS LONG AS THE SUN. In the case of repentance, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 90:2-3), “Before the mountains were brought forth […]. You return humanity to contrition and say, ‘Repent you mortals.’” In the case of the Garden of Eden [that] some say, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 2:8), “And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, from of old.”⁷²This is the interpretation of miqqedem by the midrash. A more traditional rendering would be IN THE EAST. In the case of gehinnom, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Is. 30:33), “For Topheth has been prepared from of old.” Come and see. When the Holy One, blessed be He, told Moses to tell Israel to make a Tabernacle for Him, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Moses, Behold, My sanctuary is [already] built above.” It is so stated (in Jer. 17:12), “O glorious throne, on high from the beginning.” And a chamber is there, as stated (in Hab. 2:20), “But the Lord is in His holy chamber […].”⁷³Cf. Ps. 11:4. So also has Isaiah said (in Is. 6:1), “[I saw the Lord] seated upon a throne, high and lifted up […].” Out of love for you I left my Temple on high, which had been prepared before the world was created, to come down and dwell among you. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8), “[And make me a sanctuary] that I may dwell among them.” R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Johanan, “This is one of the three commands which Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty and which took him aback:⁷⁴Numb. R. 12:3; PRK 6:4; PR 16:7; M. Pss. 91:1. When He said to him (in Exod. 30:12), ‘each shall give a ransom for his life.’⁷⁵Here is the second command that shook Moses. Moses said, ‘Who can give a ransom for his life? It is written (in Job 2:4), “Skin for skin; all that one has [he will give for his life],”⁷⁶Cf. above, Exod. 9:6. and still it is not enough. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 49:8), “Surely no one will redeem a brother nor give a ransom for him to God.”’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, ‘I am not asking [a ransom] in accordance with My means but in accordance with their means.’ [Hence,] (Exod. 30:13) ‘This shall they give.’” R. Meir said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, took something like a kind of coin of fire from under the throne of glory and showed it to Moses and He said to Him,⁷⁷See above, Lev. 9:7, and the note there. ‘This shall they give.’” Again, when He said (in Numb. 28:2), “My offering, My bread for My fire offering,” Moses said, “Who can supply enough offerings for You.⁷⁸Numb. 28:2 is the third of the three commands that shook Moses. If we sacrificed all the beasts of the forest and all the trees of Lebanon, they would not be enough, as stated (in Is. 40:16), ‘For Lebanon is not fuel enough, nor its beasts enough for sacrifice.’” He said to him, “I am not asking [offerings] in accordance with My means but in accordance with their means.” Thus it is stated (in Numb. 28:3), “Now you shall say to them, ‘This is the burnt offering [which you shall offer to the Lord: two yearling lambs without blemish…].’” And not both of them at once, but (according to vs. 4), “The one lamb you shall offer in the morning and the second lamb you shall offer at twilight.” And when He said to him (in Exod. 25:8), “And make me a sanctuary [that I may dwell among them],”⁷⁹With this repetition of Exod. 25:8, the midrash returns to the first command that shook Moses. Moses said [to the Holy One, blessed be He,] (in I Kings 8:27), “Even the heavens and the heavens above the heavens cannot contain you!” It also says (in Jer.. 23:24), “’Do I not fill the heavens and the earth,’ says the Lord.” And it says (in Is. 66:1), “The heavens are My throne and the earth is My footstool.” So can we make Him a sanctuary? The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I am not asking [a sanctuary] [in accordance with My means] but in accordance with their means.” Thus it is stated (in Exod. 26:1), “Now as for the Tabernacle, you shall make it with ten curtains.”’ When Israel heard this, they arose and donated gladly. So they made the Tabernacle. Moreover, when they had made the Tabernacle, it was filled with His glory, as stated (in Exod. 40:35), “Now Moses could not enter the tent of meeting, [because … the glory of the Lord filled the Tabernacle].” The princes said, “Now is the time for us to offer sacrifices with joy, because the Divine Presence is dwelling among us.” Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Numb. 7:1), “So it came to pass on the day that Moses had finished.”

[(Exod. 31:18:) WHEN HE HAD FINISHED <SPEAKING WITH HIM ON MOUNT SINAI,> HE THEN GAVE UNTO MOSES <THE TWO TABLETS OF THE TESTIMONY>.] R. Abbahu said: The whole forty days that Moses spent on high, he was learning Torah and forgetting it.³⁴Tanh., Exod. 9:16; Exod. R. 41:6; Ned. 38a. Moses said to him: Sovereign of the World, here I have <spent> forty days, and I do not know anything! What did the Holy One do when he had completed the forty days? He gave him the Torah as a gift. HE THEN GAVE UNTO MOSES.

(Exod. 31:18, cont.:) THE TWO TABLETS OF THE TESTIMONY correspond to heaven and earth, to groom and bride, to the two wedding attendants, to this world and the world to come.³⁵Tanh., Exod. 9:16; ibid., Deut. 3:10; Deut. R. 3:16. Ergo: THE TWO TABLETS OF THE TESTIMONY.

And Hashem said to Moshe: "place your hand upon the heavens." Thus it is written: "all Hashem desired, he has done." (Psalms 135:6) Dovid said: this is in spite of the Holy One's decree that "the heavens are Hashem's heavens and the earth He gave to humanity." (Ibid. 115:16) To what analogy is this similar? To a king who decrees, saying "Romans shall not descend to Syria and Syrians shall not ascend to Rome." Likewise, when the Holy One created the universe, He decreed, saying: "the heavens are Hashem's heavens and the earth He gave to humanity." (Ibid.) When He desired to give the Torah He nullified this original decree. He said: "the the lower [realms] shall ascend to the higher, and the higher shall descend to the lower; and I am the one who initiated [this]." As it is written: "And Hashem descended upon Mt. Sinai." (Exodus 19:20) And it is written: "And to Moshe He said 'ascend to Hashem'." (Ibid. 24:9) Behold, [it is for this reason that it is written] "all which Hashem desired in the heavens and upon earth, he has done." (Psalms 135:6) ...

And Hashem said to Moshe: "place your hand upon the heavens." Thus it is written: "all Hashem desired, he has done." (Psalms 135:6) Dovid said: this is in spite of the Holy One's decree that "the heavens are Hashem's heavens and the earth He gave to humanity." (Ibid. 115:16) To what analogy is this similar? To a king who decrees, saying "Romans shall not descend to Syria and Syrians shall not ascend to Rome." Likewise, when the Holy One created the universe, He decreed, saying: "the heavens are Hashem's heavens and the earth He gave to humanity." (Ibid.) When He desired to give the Torah He nullified this original decree. He said: "the the lower [realms] shall ascend to the higher, and the higher shall descend to the lower; and I am the one who initiated [this]." As it is written: "And Hashem descended upon Mt. Sinai." (Exodus 19:20) And it is written: "And to Moshe He said 'ascend to Hashem'." (Ibid. 24:9) Behold, [it is for this reason that it is written] "all which Hashem desired in the heavens and upon earth, he has done." (Psalms 135:6) ...

Your flocks: "Your flocks come also from mine!" Your herds: "Your herds come also from my ministers!" Take [them], as you said, and begone!: Your prediction has been fulfilled! "Moses said, “You yourself must provide us with sacrifices and burnt offerings to offer up to the LORD our God" (Exodus 10:25) And may you bring a blessing upon me also!: Even women and children. Another interpretation: "And may you bring a blessing upon me also." (Exodus 12:32) From here you say that Pharaoh knew that he was lacking in prayer, and God does not forgive someone until he has persuaded his neighbor [to forgive him as well]. What reward did he take for this? -- "In that day, there shall be an altar to the LORD inside the land of Egypt" (Isaiah 19:19) The mouth that said, "Who is the LORD that I should heed Him [and let Israel go]?" (Exodus 5:2) is [also] the mouth that said, "The LORD is in the right [and I and my people are in the wrong.]" (Exodus 9:27) What reward did he take for this? -- "You shall not abhor an Egyptian, for you were a stranger in his land." (Deuteronomy 23:8) The mouth that said, "I will pursue, I will overtake, I will divide the spoil," (Exodus 15:9) is [also] the mouth that said, "Let us flee from the Israelites, [for the LORD is fighting for them against Egypt.]" (Exodus 14:25) What reward did he take for this? -- "You put out Your right hand, The earth swallowed them." (Exodus 15:12) They merited to be buried, that beast and birds would not eat them.

(Exod. 32:1:) WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW THAT MOSES WAS LATE <IN COMING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN >. What is the meaning of WAS LATE (boshesh)?³⁹Shab. 89a; Gen. R. 18:6; Exod. R. 41:7; cf. PR 11:12. <That> six (shesh) hours had passed (bo) without Moses having come down, for Moses had made an agreement with them and said to them: After forty days I will bring you the Law. As soon as six hours had passed and he had not come down, immediately (ibid., cont.): THE PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST AARON. Our masters have said: Satan came, confounded the world,⁴⁰See also Tanh., Exod. 9:19. and showed them something like Moses suspended from the earth, i.e., in the air⁴¹Avir; cf. Gk.: aer. beneath it.⁴²Cf. the parallel in Exod. R. 41:7, which reads, “suspended between heaven and earth.” Then they pointed a finger at him and said (ibid., cont.): <ARISE AND MAKE A GOD FOR US WHO WILL GO BEFORE US, > FOR THIS IS THE MAN, MOSES.⁴³The biblical context would suggest the following translation: FOR REGARDING THIS MAN MOSES <WHO BROUGHT US UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS BECOME OF HIM >. At that time Hur said to them: O stiff-necked < people >, do you not remember what he did for you?⁴⁴Lev. R. 10:3. According to Exod. 24:14, Moses left Aaron and Hur in charge while he was up on the mountain. They arose and killed him.⁴⁵Below, Exod. 10:4; Exod. R. 41:7; 42:1; 48:3; Numb. R. 9:45. Then they gathered together against Aaron, as stated (ibid.): THE PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST AARON….⁴⁶Sanh. 7a; Exod. R. 51:8. They said to him: If you make a god for us, well and good; but if not, we will do to you just as we did to Hur. (Exod. 32:5:) WHEN AARON SAW THIS, <i.e., when> he saw what they had done to Hur, (ibid., cont.) HE BUILT (YBN) AN ALTAR (MZBH), <i.e.> he understood (HBYN) from the slaughtered (MZBWH) one.⁴⁷So also Lev. R. 10:3; cf. Gen. R. 34:9, which gives the same interpretation of BUILT, in Gen. 8:20. They wanted to build <the altar> along with him. He said to them, leave me alone, and I will make it by myself, for no one is to build it along with me. Now Aaron had a plan. <He was> saying <to himself>: While I am building it, Moses will come down.⁴⁸So also Exod. R. 37:2. Immediately (in Exod. 32:6): SO THEY ROSE EARLY THE NEXT DAY, < OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS, AND BROUGHT PEACE OFFERINGS>; [AND THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK.] In every place that you find sitting, there you find degradation.⁴⁹Exod. R. 41:7; similarly Sanh. 106a; Gen. R. 38:7; Tanh., Gen. 9:1; Sifre, Numb. 131; PRE 47. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 37:25): THEN THEY SAT DOWN TO EAT BREAD. What degradation happened there? <It was there> that they sold Joseph. It is also written (in Numb. 25:1): WHILE ISRAEL WAS STAYING (literally: SITTING) AT SHITTIM. And what was the degradation there? (Ibid., cont.:) THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO GO WHORING <WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB>. And here too (in Exod. 32:6): THEN THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN, <i.e., in> the sitting of idolatry. The Holy One said to Moses; They have risen to revel in idolatry, while you are sitting <up here>. (Exod. 32:7:) GO AND GET DOWN. At that time Moses was going to go down, but he saw the angels of destruction and was afraid to go down. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 9:19): FOR I WAS AFRAID OF ANGER AND RAGE. What did he do? He went and grasped the throne, as stated (in Job 26:9): HE (Moses) GRASPS THE FACE OF A THRONE; [HE (the Holy One) SPREAD HIS CLOUD UPON HIM]. So the Holy One protected him and spread some of the radiance of his Divine Presence over him. Come and see how many troubles they caused. Yesterday Moses had shoved them (the angels of destruction) aside,⁵⁰According to Shab. 88b-89a and Exod. R. 28:1, because the angels wanted the Torah for themselves, they tried to prevent Moses from receiving it. and now he was afraid of them. (Deut. 9:19:) FOR I WAS AFRAID OF [ANGER AND RAGE]. The five angels of destruction were Af (Anger), Qetsef (Wrath), Meshabber (Smasher), Mashhit (Destroyer), and Hemah (Rage); ⁵¹Cf. Tanh., Exod. 9:20. Moses mentioned three patriarchs, and three <angels> went away.⁵²See also Exod. R. 44:1. But ANGER AND RAGE remained behind. Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World: You stand up to one and I to one, as stated (in Ps. 7:7 [6]): RISE UP, O LORD, IN YOUR Af (ANGER).⁵³A more traditional translation would be: RISE UP, O LORD IN YOUR ANGER. The Holy One said to him (in Exod. 32:7): GO AND GET DOWN; you have a descent (i.e., degradation). He said to him: Why? HE SAID TO HIM: BECAUSE YOUR PEOPLE <WHOM YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT > HAVE ACTED BASELY. Moses said to him: Now are they my people and not your people! (Exod. 32:12:) TURN BACK FROM YOUR WRATHFUL ANGER. R. Simeon ben Johay said: Moses did not move from praying until the Holy One was reconciled to them. The Holy One said: In this world you sinned against me because the evil drive was ordering you; but in the world to come I am rooting it out of you, as stated (in Ezek. 36:26): I WILL REMOVE THE HEART OF STONE FROM YOUR FLESH AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH.⁵⁴Below, Tanh. (Buber), Lev. 1:12; above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:40; Tanh., Exod. 9:19; Tanh., Lev. 1:6.

(Exod. 32:1:) WHEN THE PEOPLE SAW THAT MOSES WAS LATE <IN COMING DOWN FROM THE MOUNTAIN >. What is the meaning of WAS LATE (boshesh)?³⁹Shab. 89a; Gen. R. 18:6; Exod. R. 41:7; cf. PR 11:12. <That> six (shesh) hours had passed (bo) without Moses having come down, for Moses had made an agreement with them and said to them: After forty days I will bring you the Law. As soon as six hours had passed and he had not come down, immediately (ibid., cont.): THE PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST AARON. Our masters have said: Satan came, confounded the world,⁴⁰See also Tanh., Exod. 9:19. and showed them something like Moses suspended from the earth, i.e., in the air⁴¹Avir; cf. Gk.: aer. beneath it.⁴²Cf. the parallel in Exod. R. 41:7, which reads, “suspended between heaven and earth.” Then they pointed a finger at him and said (ibid., cont.): <ARISE AND MAKE A GOD FOR US WHO WILL GO BEFORE US, > FOR THIS IS THE MAN, MOSES.⁴³The biblical context would suggest the following translation: FOR REGARDING THIS MAN MOSES <WHO BROUGHT US UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT, WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT HAS BECOME OF HIM >. At that time Hur said to them: O stiff-necked < people >, do you not remember what he did for you?⁴⁴Lev. R. 10:3. According to Exod. 24:14, Moses left Aaron and Hur in charge while he was up on the mountain. They arose and killed him.⁴⁵Below, Exod. 10:4; Exod. R. 41:7; 42:1; 48:3; Numb. R. 9:45. Then they gathered together against Aaron, as stated (ibid.): THE PEOPLE GATHERED TOGETHER AGAINST AARON….⁴⁶Sanh. 7a; Exod. R. 51:8. They said to him: If you make a god for us, well and good; but if not, we will do to you just as we did to Hur. (Exod. 32:5:) WHEN AARON SAW THIS, <i.e., when> he saw what they had done to Hur, (ibid., cont.) HE BUILT (YBN) AN ALTAR (MZBH), <i.e.> he understood (HBYN) from the slaughtered (MZBWH) one.⁴⁷So also Lev. R. 10:3; cf. Gen. R. 34:9, which gives the same interpretation of BUILT, in Gen. 8:20. They wanted to build <the altar> along with him. He said to them, leave me alone, and I will make it by myself, for no one is to build it along with me. Now Aaron had a plan. <He was> saying <to himself>: While I am building it, Moses will come down.⁴⁸So also Exod. R. 37:2. Immediately (in Exod. 32:6): SO THEY ROSE EARLY THE NEXT DAY, < OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS, AND BROUGHT PEACE OFFERINGS>; [AND THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN TO EAT AND DRINK.] In every place that you find sitting, there you find degradation.⁴⁹Exod. R. 41:7; similarly Sanh. 106a; Gen. R. 38:7; Tanh., Gen. 9:1; Sifre, Numb. 131; PRE 47. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 37:25): THEN THEY SAT DOWN TO EAT BREAD. What degradation happened there? <It was there> that they sold Joseph. It is also written (in Numb. 25:1): WHILE ISRAEL WAS STAYING (literally: SITTING) AT SHITTIM. And what was the degradation there? (Ibid., cont.:) THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO GO WHORING <WITH THE DAUGHTERS OF MOAB>. And here too (in Exod. 32:6): THEN THE PEOPLE SAT DOWN, <i.e., in> the sitting of idolatry. The Holy One said to Moses; They have risen to revel in idolatry, while you are sitting <up here>. (Exod. 32:7:) GO AND GET DOWN. At that time Moses was going to go down, but he saw the angels of destruction and was afraid to go down. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 9:19): FOR I WAS AFRAID OF ANGER AND RAGE. What did he do? He went and grasped the throne, as stated (in Job 26:9): HE (Moses) GRASPS THE FACE OF A THRONE; [HE (the Holy One) SPREAD HIS CLOUD UPON HIM]. So the Holy One protected him and spread some of the radiance of his Divine Presence over him. Come and see how many troubles they caused. Yesterday Moses had shoved them (the angels of destruction) aside,⁵⁰According to Shab. 88b-89a and Exod. R. 28:1, because the angels wanted the Torah for themselves, they tried to prevent Moses from receiving it. and now he was afraid of them. (Deut. 9:19:) FOR I WAS AFRAID OF [ANGER AND RAGE]. The five angels of destruction were Af (Anger), Qetsef (Wrath), Meshabber (Smasher), Mashhit (Destroyer), and Hemah (Rage); ⁵¹Cf. Tanh., Exod. 9:20. Moses mentioned three patriarchs, and three <angels> went away.⁵²See also Exod. R. 44:1. But ANGER AND RAGE remained behind. Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World: You stand up to one and I to one, as stated (in Ps. 7:7 [6]): RISE UP, O LORD, IN YOUR Af (ANGER).⁵³A more traditional translation would be: RISE UP, O LORD IN YOUR ANGER. The Holy One said to him (in Exod. 32:7): GO AND GET DOWN; you have a descent (i.e., degradation). He said to him: Why? HE SAID TO HIM: BECAUSE YOUR PEOPLE <WHOM YOU HAVE BROUGHT UP FROM THE LAND OF EGYPT > HAVE ACTED BASELY. Moses said to him: Now are they my people and not your people! (Exod. 32:12:) TURN BACK FROM YOUR WRATHFUL ANGER. R. Simeon ben Johay said: Moses did not move from praying until the Holy One was reconciled to them. The Holy One said: In this world you sinned against me because the evil drive was ordering you; but in the world to come I am rooting it out of you, as stated (in Ezek. 36:26): I WILL REMOVE THE HEART OF STONE FROM YOUR FLESH AND GIVE YOU A HEART OF FLESH.⁵⁴Below, Tanh. (Buber), Lev. 1:12; above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:40; Tanh., Exod. 9:19; Tanh., Lev. 1:6.

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh from the water” (Exod. 8:16). Why did Pharaoh go to the waters early in the morning? Because the wicked one boasted that since he was a god, he had no need to go to the water to relieve himself. Therefore he went out early in the morning so that no one would see him performing a demeaning act. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Rise up early in the morning, when he must (go out), and say unto him: Thus saith the Lord, the God of the Hebrews … for I will this time send all My plagues upon thy person, etc. (Exod. 9:14). Ordinarily, when a man desires to harm his enemy, he does so unexpectedly lest he be forewarned, but the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the wicked Pharaoh before each plague, as it is said: Behold, I will cause it to rain (ibid., v. 18), Behold, tomorrow will I bring locusts into thy border (ibid. 10:5). And He did so in each instance.

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh; lo, he cometh from the water” (Exod. 8:16). Why did Pharaoh go to the waters early in the morning? Because the wicked one boasted that since he was a god, he had no need to go to the water to relieve himself. Therefore he went out early in the morning so that no one would see him performing a demeaning act. That is why the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses: Rise up early in the morning, when he must (go out), and say unto him: Thus saith the Lord, the God of the Hebrews … for I will this time send all My plagues upon thy person, etc. (Exod. 9:14). Ordinarily, when a man desires to harm his enemy, he does so unexpectedly lest he be forewarned, but the Holy One, blessed be He, warned the wicked Pharaoh before each plague, as it is said: Behold, I will cause it to rain (ibid., v. 18), Behold, tomorrow will I bring locusts into thy border (ibid. 10:5). And He did so in each instance.

Scripture says elsewhere: Behold, God doeth loftily in His power. Who is a teacher like unto Him? (Job 36:22); that is, He instructed the wicked ones to do penance. To Pharaoh He said: Now therefore, hasten in thy cattle (Exod. 9:19), and He warned him, For behold, I will cause it to rain (ibid., v. 18), and after that it is written: Behold, tomorrow will I bring locusts into thy border (ibid. 10:4). Each plague followed a warning.

And the Lord said unto Moses: “Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven that there may be hail” (Exod. 9:22). Scripture says (elsewhere in allusion to this verse): Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that hath He done, in heaven and in the earth (Ps. 135:6). In reference to the heaven, the Holy One, blessed be He, said: The heavens are the heavens of the Lord (Ps. 115:16), and in regard to the earth, The earth hath He given to the children of men (ibid.). This may be compared to a king who decreed that the people of Rome should not migrate to Syria and that the people of Syria should not migrate to Rome. And similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed when he created the world: The heavens are the heavens of the Lord; and the earth He hath given to the children of men. However, when He decided to give the Torah, He abrogated the first decrees and declared: Let the earthly beings ascend on high and the heavenly creatures descend below, and I will be the first (to do so), as it is said: And the Lord came down upon Sinai (Exod. 19:20). And it is also written: And to Moses He said: “Come up unto the Lord” (ibid. 24:1). Hence, Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that hath He done.

When He desired it to happen, He said: Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together (Gen. 1:9). And when He was so inclined, He made the sea become dry and turn into land, as is said: And the children of Israel went into the midst of the sea, upon the dry ground (Exod. 14:22). Therefore, whatsoever the Lord pleased, that hath He done, etc. With regard to the heavens, it is said: Stretch forth thy hand toward heaven that there may be hail (ibid. 9:22), and in reference to the earth it is stated: Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the earth (ibid. 8:12). What is written above concerning this matter? For now I have stretched out My hand … But in very deed for this cause have I made thee to stand (ibid. 9:16), so that you will not die as a result of the first plague, and so that My name may be declared throughout all earth (ibid., v. 36).

“I have spoken with my heart, saying: Behold, I have amassed and added wisdom, beyond all who were before me over Jerusalem; my heart has seen much wisdom and knowledge” (Ecclesiastes 1:16).
“I have spoken with my heart” – the hearts sees, as it is stated: “My heart has seen much.” The heart hears, as it is stated; “Give your servant an understanding [shome’a]¹²⁰Literally, hearing. heart” (I Kings 3:9). The heart speaks, as it is stated: “I have spoken with my heart.” The heart goes, as it is stated: “Didn’t my heart go?” (II Kings 5:26). The heart falls, as it is stated: “Let no man’s heart fall” (I Samuel 17:32). The heart stands, as it is stated: “Will your heart endure [haya’amod]”¹²¹Literally, stand. (Ezekiel 22:14). The heart rejoices, as it is stated: “Therefore, my heart rejoices” (Psalms 16:9). The heart cries out, as it is stated: Their heart cried out to the Lord” (Lamentations 2:18). The heart is consoled, as it is stated: “Speak to the heart of Jerusalem” (Isaiah 40:2).¹²²This verse is preceded by: “Console, console My people, says your God.” The heart grieves, as it is stated: “Your heart shall not be grieved” (Deuteronomy 15:10). The heart hardens, as it is stated: “The Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart” (Exodus 9:12). The heart softens [mitrakekh], as it is stated: “Let your heart not be faint” (Deuteronomy 20:3). The heart is saddened, as it is stated: “He was saddened in His heart” (Genesis 6:6). The heart fears, as it is stated: “From the fear of your heart” (Deuteronomy 28:67). The heart breaks, as it is stated: “A broken and contrite heart” (Psalms 51:19). The heart becomes conceited, as it is stated: “Your heart will grow haughty” (Deuteronomy 8:14). The heart is recalcitrant, as it is stated: “But this people had a revolting and rebellious heart” (Jeremiah 5:23). The heart fabricates, as it is stated: “The month that he fabricated from his heart” (I Kings 12:33). The heart contemplates,¹²³Matters of stupidity as it is stated: “[I will have peace] though I walk in the stubbornness of my heart” (Deuteronomy 29:18). The heart overflows, as it is stated: “My heart overflows with goodly matter” (Psalms 45:2). The heart calculates [meḥashev], as it is stated: “Many are the thoughts [maḥshavot] in the heart of man” (Proverbs 19:21). The heart desires, as it is stated: “The desire of his heart You have granted him” (Psalms 21:3). The heart deviates, as it is stated: “Let your heart not turn aside to her ways” (Proverbs 7:25). The heart strays, as it is stated: “You shall not follow after your heart…[after which you stray]” (Numbers 15:39). The heart is sustained, as it is stated: “And sustain your heart” (Genesis 18:5). The heart is stolen, as it is stated: “Jacob stole the heart of Laban” (Genesis 31:20). The heart is humbled, as it is stated: “Perhaps then their hearts will be humbled” (Leviticus 26:41). The heart is enticed, as it is stated: “He spoke soothingly¹²⁴Literally, “to the heart.” Shekhem was speaking to Dina and attempting to entice her to marry him. to the young woman” (Genesis 34:3). The heart goes astray, as it is stated: “My heart has gone astray” (Isaiah 21:4). The heart trembles, as it is stated: “For his heart was trembling” (I Samuel 4:13). The heart awakens, as it is stated: “I am asleep but my heart is awake” (Song of Songs 5:2). The heart loves, as it is stated: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:5). The heart hates, as it is stated: “Do not hate your brother in your heart” (Leviticus 19:17). The heart envies, as it is stated: “Let your heart not envy…” (Proverbs 23:17). The heart is searched, as it is stated: “I the Lord search the heart…” (Jeremiah 17:10). The heart is rent, as it is stated: “Rend your heart and not your garments” (Joel 2:13). The heart meditates, as it is stated: “The meditation of my heart will be understanding” (Psalms 49:4). The heart is like fire, as it is stated: “My heart will be like fire” (Jeremiah 20:9). The heart is like stone, as it is stated: “I will remove the heart of stone” (Ezekiel 36:26). The heart repents, as it is stated: “Who returned to the Lord with all his heart” (II Kings 23:25). The heart is incensed, as it is stated: “For his heart is incensed” (Deuteronomy 19:6). The heart dies, as it is stated: “His heart died within him” (I Samuel 25:37). The heart melts, as it is stated “The heart of the people melted” (Joshua 7:5). The heart absorbs matters, as it is stated: “These matters that I command you today shall be upon your heart” (Deuteronomy 6:6). The heart absorbs fear, as it is stated: “I will place My fear in their hearts” (Jeremiah 32:40). The heart thanks, as it is stated: “I will thank my Lord with all my heart” (Psalms 111:1). The heart covets, as it is stated: “Do not covet her beauty in your heart” (Proverbs 6:25). The heart is toughened, as it is stated: “And one who toughens his heart” (Proverbs 28:14). The heart becomes merry, as it is stated: “It was when their hearts were merry” (Judges 16:25). The heart deceives, as it is stated: “Deceit is in the heart of those who devise evil” (Proverbs 12:20). The heart speaks from within, as it is stated: “Hannah was speaking in her heart” (I Samuel 1:13). The heart loves a bribe, as it is stated: “Your eyes and your heart [are only on your ill-gotten gain]” (Jeremiah 22:17). The heart writes matters, as it is stated: “Write them on the tablet of your heart” (Proverbs 3:3). The heart devises, as it is stated: “Duplicity is in his heart, he devises evil” (Proverbs 6:14). The heart absorbs mitzvot, as it is stated: “The wise of heart will grasp mitzvot (Proverbs 10:8). The heart acts with malice, as it is stated: “The malice of your heart deceived you” (Obadiah 1:3). The heart arranges, as it is stated: “To a person are the arrangements of the heart” (Proverbs 16:1). The heart glorifies, as it is stated: “Your heart has glorified you” (II Chronicles 25:19). That is, “I have spoken with my heart, saying: Behold, I have amassed…”

(Exod. 9:13–14:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: GO EARLY IN THE MORNING TO PRESENT YOURSELF BEFORE PHARAOH; <AND SAY UNTO HIM: THUS SAYS THE LORD,>… < LET MY PEOPLE GO TO WORSHIP ME.> FOR THIS TIME <I WILL SEND ALL MY PLAGUES UPON YOUR HEART>….⁸⁹There is some confusion whether this section began with 8:16 or 9:13. The verses are almost identical. See Jacob Mann, The Bible as Read and Preached in the Old Synagogue, Vol. I (Ktav, 1971), pp. 396–398. This text is related (to Ps. 9:21 [20]): PUT MORAH INTO THEM, O LORD; <LET THE NATIONS KNOW THAT THEY ARE ONLY HUMAN. SELAH>. Turn their faces red. What is the meaning of MORAH? He caused the spirit of folly to enter them.⁹⁰The midrash understands MORAH as coming from the Greek moros, which does mean fool. In Hebrew MORAH usually means “teaching authority”, “fear,” or “razor.” Another interpretation (of Ps. 9:21 [20]): PUT MORAH INTO THEM, O LORD. Because they are acquiring lordship (mariyyut) for themselves, make known to them that you are Lord (Adon) over all of them. PUT MORAH INTO THEM, O LORD; LET THE NATIONS KNOW THAT THEY ARE ONLY HUMAN.⁹¹The Hebrew wording here differs slightly from the Masoretic Text, perhaps to bring out its meaning more clearly. Now they were making themselves into deities. Hiram king of Tyre made himself into a deity, as stated (in Ezek. 28:2): BECAUSE YOUR HEART IS PROUD, YOU HAVE SAID: I AM A GOD.⁹²Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Shirata 1; Gen. R. 9:5; 96:5; Exod. R. 8:2. The Holy One informed him that he was mortal, as stated (in Ezek. 28:17): I HAVE CAST YOU UNTO THE GROUND; I HAVE SET YOU BEFORE KINGS FOR THEM TO STARE AT YOU. The Holy One informed him that he was flesh and blood. Ergo (in Ps. 9:21 [20]): LET THE NATIONS KNOW THAT THEY ARE ONLY HUMAN. SELAH.

Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as hath not been seen (Exod. 9:18). Zabdi the son of Levi said: He made a mark upon the wall and told him that when the sun reached that mark tomorrow, the hail would fall. Such as hath not been seen implies that it would be a hail like none that had occurred previously, and would occur again only in the days to come, that is, in the time of Gog and Magog, as it is said: Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war (Job 38:23). It also says: And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; an overflowing shower and great hailstones (Exod. 38:22). And now therefore send, hasten in thy cattle (ibid. 9:19), on account of the plague of hail. He said to him: Wicked one, the Lord is righteous indeed.

(Exod. 33:21:) AND THE LORD SAID: SEE, THERE IS A PLACE WITH ME,…. R. Jose bar Halafta said: "See I am in this place," is not written here, but SEE, THERE IS A PLACE WITH ME.⁷¹Tanh., Exod. 9:27; Exod. R. 45:6; cf. Gen. R. 68:9. My place is secondary to me; so would I be secondary to my place? Exod. 33:19:) AND HE SAID: I WILL MAKE ALL MY GOODNESS PASS < BEFORE YOU>. Goodness, ALL MY GOODNESS, <also implies > the attribute of punishment.⁷²I.e., the one who has power to reward the good must also have the power to punish the wicked. (Ibid., cont.:) I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS. At that time the Holy One showed him all the treasuries with the rewards which are prepared for the righteous. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, To whom does this treasury belong? He said to him: To those who act with righteousness. To whom does this one belong? To those who support orphans. And it was so for each and every treasury, until he saw a certain huge treasury. He said to him: To whom does this one belong? He said to him: To the one who has < merit >, to him I give what belongs to him out of <this one>; but to the one who has not, for him I do it gratis, <and give it to him from here>.⁷³These bracketed words appear in both Tanh., Exod. 9:27, and Exod. R. 45:6. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 33:19): I WILL BE GRACIOUS TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS. {"Who is prepared"} ["To whom we will be gracious"] is not written here, but TO WHOM I WILL BE GRACIOUS.

And Moses stretched forth his rod unto heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail (ibid., v. 23). Wherever Scripture says and the Lord it refers to Him and to His heavenly court. And the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken (Gen. 21:1), that is, He and His court. And the Lord caused it to rain on Sodom (ibid. 20:24), that is, He and His court. And the Lord sent thunder and hail (Exod. 9:23), that is, He and His court. So there was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the hail (ibid., v. 24). The words fire flashing indicate that after the hail, the fire flashed and consumed it, as is said: But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten, for they ripen late (ibid., v. 32). R. Phinehas and R. Judah the son of Shalum discussed this matter. R. Phinehas said: What is the meaning of ripen late? It indicates that the Holy One, blessed Be, performed a miracle with them. R. Judah, however, insisted that they were merely late in ripening. R. Phinehas maintained: It is written: And the hail smote every herb of the field (ibid., v. 25), and yet you insist that they were not smitten because they were still young. Obviously that is not so. The Holy One, blessed be He, performed a miracle with them.¹⁷Word-play interpreting afilot (“late”) in Exod. 9:32 as pelaim (“wonders”).

And Moses stretched forth his rod unto heaven, and the Lord sent thunder and hail (ibid., v. 23). Wherever Scripture says and the Lord it refers to Him and to His heavenly court. And the Lord did unto Sarah as he had spoken (Gen. 21:1), that is, He and His court. And the Lord caused it to rain on Sodom (ibid. 20:24), that is, He and His court. And the Lord sent thunder and hail (Exod. 9:23), that is, He and His court. So there was hail, and fire flashing up amidst the hail (ibid., v. 24). The words fire flashing indicate that after the hail, the fire flashed and consumed it, as is said: But the wheat and the spelt were not smitten, for they ripen late (ibid., v. 32). R. Phinehas and R. Judah the son of Shalum discussed this matter. R. Phinehas said: What is the meaning of ripen late? It indicates that the Holy One, blessed Be, performed a miracle with them. R. Judah, however, insisted that they were merely late in ripening. R. Phinehas maintained: It is written: And the hail smote every herb of the field (ibid., v. 25), and yet you insist that they were not smitten because they were still young. Obviously that is not so. The Holy One, blessed be He, performed a miracle with them.¹⁷Word-play interpreting afilot (“late”) in Exod. 9:32 as pelaim (“wonders”).

At that very moment the wicked Pharaoh cried out: Entreat the Lord … and I will let them go (Exod. 9:28). Moses replied: You said that at the time of the first plague, and I pleaded in your behalf, but yet you did not send them away. Why should I entreat for thee and for thy servants? (ibid. 8:5). Pharaoh replied: I have sinned before the Lord your God and against you, but now I will let them go. When Moses heard that, Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread forth his hands unto the Lord; and the thunders and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth (ibid. 9:33). They were suspended in mid-air. When did they descend? Some descended upon the Amorites in the days of Joshua, as it is said: The Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them (Josh. 10:11), and the remainder will fall on Gog and Magog in the days of the Messiah. And the thunders ceased (Exod. 9:34). They, too, were suspended (in mid-air). They descended in the days of Elisha, against the camp of the Arameans, as it is said: For the Lord had made the hosts of the Arameans, to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses (II Kings 7:6).

At that very moment the wicked Pharaoh cried out: Entreat the Lord … and I will let them go (Exod. 9:28). Moses replied: You said that at the time of the first plague, and I pleaded in your behalf, but yet you did not send them away. Why should I entreat for thee and for thy servants? (ibid. 8:5). Pharaoh replied: I have sinned before the Lord your God and against you, but now I will let them go. When Moses heard that, Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread forth his hands unto the Lord; and the thunders and the hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth (ibid. 9:33). They were suspended in mid-air. When did they descend? Some descended upon the Amorites in the days of Joshua, as it is said: The Lord cast down great stones from heaven upon them (Josh. 10:11), and the remainder will fall on Gog and Magog in the days of the Messiah. And the thunders ceased (Exod. 9:34). They, too, were suspended (in mid-air). They descended in the days of Elisha, against the camp of the Arameans, as it is said: For the Lord had made the hosts of the Arameans, to hear a noise of chariots, and a noise of horses (II Kings 7:6).

Pharaoh made himself into a deity, as stated (in Ezek. 29:9): BECAUSE HE SAID: {MY} [THE] NILE IS MINE AND I MADE {MYSELF} [IT]. He said: I am the one who created myself. Immediately <the Holy One> made known to him that he was flesh and blood. The Holy One said <to Moses >: Because he has made himself into a deity, inform him that he is flesh and blood. See, he is setting out on the way to his morning toilet. Grab him and inform him that he is flesh and blood. What did Moses do? Immediately, as soon as the Holy One told him to go to Pharaoh early in the morning, Moses grabbed him. He said: Leave me alone to make my toilet, and after that I shall speak with you. Moses said to him: Is there a deity who makes his toilet? Therefore, the Holy One said to him (in Exod. 9:13): GO EARLY IN THE MORNING, and inform him that he is flesh and blood.

25 Moses said to Him (in vss. 14, 15), “Now they have heard that You, O Lord, are in the midst of this people. If then You slay this people like one man.” So the nations of the world would not say, “The gods of Canaan are stronger than the gods of Egypt; the gods of Egypt are false, but those of Canaan are of land watered by rain (i.e., of Ba'al).” (Numb. 14:14, 16) “They will say unto the inhabitants of this land […] Because he was not able (yekholet),” i.e., because He did not have the means to supply enough food, He brought them out to have them die in the desert. Now the word, yekholet can only refer to food, since it is stated (in I Kings 5:25 [11]), “and Solomon gave Hiram twenty thousand measures of wheat as food (makkolet) for his household.” Another interpretation: Lest the nations of the world think of You as cruel. That is to say: When the generation of the flood came, He destroyed them. And similarly, when the generation of the dispersion came, and when the Sodomites came, and when the Egyptians came, He destroyed them And also in the case of these whom He has called (in Exod. 4:22), “My first-born son,” He is destroying (mekhalleh) them! He is like that Lilith (keLilit). When she does not find anything else, she turns on children. So (in Numb. 14:16), “Because the Lord was not able.” Moses said, “Sovereign of the world, (according to vs. 14) ‘[that…] You […], o Lord, are seen face to face (literally: eye to eye).’” What is the meaning of “[that...] are seen eye to eye ('YN B'YN)?”⁴⁵Similarly Deut. R. 5:13. R. [Simeon ben] Laqish said, “See, the scales are balanced (rt.: 'YN).” “You say (in Numb. 14:12), “’I will smite them with pestilence’; but I am saying (in vs. 19), ‘Please pardon.’ We shall see whose utterance will stand.” It is so stated (in Numb. 14:20), “Then the Lord said, ‘I have pardoned them as you asked.’” But nevertheless, the decree of the Holy One which he had uttered to Moses (in Numb. 14:12), “then I will make you into a nation that is greater,” that decree was not repealed. He raised up from him sixty myriads, as stated (in I Chron. 23:17), “but the sons of Rehabiah were very numerous.” And in the world to come the Holy One shall gather them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 49:12), “Look! These are coming from afar. And look! These are from the north and from the sea (i.e., from the west), and these from the land of Sinim.” Moreover, the exiles shall come with them, also the tribes who are located beyond the River Sambatyon⁴⁶Gk.: Sabbatikos (“Sabbatical”). See Targum Pseudo-Jonathan, Exod. 34:10; ySanh. 10:6 or 5 (29c); Gen. R. 73:6; Lam. R. 2:5 (9); PR 31:10; above, Gen. 10:17, it was beyond, or on an island in, this legendary river that at least some of the ten tribes were exiled. See also Tanh., Exod. 9:33; Gen. R. 11:5, PR 23:8; according to which the river carried stones in its current during the whole week but rested on the Sabbath. See also Pliny, HN 31:18 (24); Sanh. 65b. Cf. Josephus, BJ 7:5:1 (96–99), according to whom the Sabbath was the only day on which the river flowed. and beyond the hills of darkness.⁴⁷Cf. Ezek. 34:12. They shall be gathered and come to Jerusalem. Isaiah said (in Is. 49:9), “Saying to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,’” i.e., to those who are located beyond the Sambatyon. (Ibid., cont.,) “To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves,’”⁴⁸higgalu. the verb can also mean “be exiled. these are those who are located beyond the cloud of darkness. (Ibid., cont.,) “They shall pasture along the roads, and in all the heights shall be their pasture,” these are those who are located in Daphne of Antioch.⁴⁹According to ySanh. 10:6 or 5 (29c) the exiles were divided into three parts: one beyond the Sambatyon River, one to Daphne at Antioch, and one into a cloud cover. At that time they shall be redeemed and come to Zion with gladness, as stated (in Is. 51:11), “So let those ransomed by the Lord return [and come to Zion with exaltation, with joy everlasting upon their heads. Let them attain joy and gladness; may sorrow and sighing flee].”

(Exod. 9:13:) GO EARLY IN THE MORNING. This text is related (to Prov. 22:29): DO YOU SEE SOMEONE DILIGENT AT HIS WORK?…⁹³Exod. R. 11:1; PR 6:2. Rabbi Judah and Rabbi Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: It is speaking about Joseph. When he was sold into Egypt, he was diligent in his work (according to Gen. 39:11): AND HE CAME INTO THE HOUSE (of Potiphar) TO DO HIS WORK. (Prov. 22:29, cont.:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS. This is Joseph. What is written about him (in Gen. 41:46)? Now Joseph was thirty years old [when he stood before Pharaoh, the king of Egypt]. (Prov. 22:29, cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE. This refers to Potiphar's wife.⁹⁴Cf. Cant. R. 1:1:1, according to which the obscure (literally: darkened) one is Potiphar, whose eyes the Holy One darkened by making him a eunuch. See Gen. 37:36, part of which can be translated, POTIPHAR, A EUNUCH OF PHARAOH.

And when Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased (Exod. 9:34). Such is the way of the wicked: whenever they are in trouble, they humiliate themselves, but once their troubles have ceased, they become corrupt again. When Nebuchadnezzar was in trouble, he said: Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and honor and extol the King of heaven, for all His works are truth, and His way is justice; and those that walk in pride, He is able to abase (Dan. 4:34).

(Exod. 34:27:) AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: WRITE DOWN THESE WORDS. This text is related (to Hos. 8:12): SHOULD I WRITE THE FULL ABUNDANCE OF MY TORAH (i.e., including the Oral Torah) FOR HIM? When the Holy One came to give the Torah, he spoke it to Moses in <this> order: the Scripture, the Mishnah, the Aggadah, and the Talmud.⁷⁵Exod. R. 47:1; cf. above Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 4:6; Tanh., Gen. 4:5; Exod. 9:34; PR 5:1; yPe’ah 2:6 17a. It is so stated (in Exod. 20:1): THEN GOD SPOKE ALL THESE WORDS. At that time the Holy One told Moses even what an advanced student <one day> would ask his teacher, as stated (ibid.): THEN GOD SPOKE ALL <THESE> WORDS. After Moses had learned it, the Holy One said to him: Go and teach it to my children. Moses said to him: Sovereign of the World, write it down for your children. He said to him: I want to give it to them in writing, because it has been revealed to me that the peoples of the world are going to have dominion over them and take it away from them, so that my children would be like the peoples of the world. Then give them the Scripture in writing but the Mishnah, the Aggadah, and the Talmud orally. (Exod. 34:27): AND THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: WRITE DOWN < THESE WORDS >. This is Scripture. (Ibid., cont.:) FOR ORALLY IN⁷⁶Al pi, literally; ON THE MOUTH OF. English translations would normally render al pi IN ACCORDANCE WITH, or something similar. <THESE WORDS…, i.e.> in the Mishnah and the Talmud, since they separate Israel from the peoples of the world.

R. Berechiah stated in the name of R. Helbo, who had said in the name of R. Samuel the son of Nahman: Most assuredly, the Holy One, blessed be He, judges the thoughts and the heart of man. Nebuchadnezzar praised Him in this verse just as David did in the Book of Psalms. Nebuchadnezzar said praise, and David said Praise the Lord, O Jerusalem (Ps. 147:12); Nebuchadnezzar said extol, and David said: I will extol thee, O Lord, for Thou hast raised me up (Ps. 30:2); Nebuchadnezzar said honor, and David declared: Thou art clothed with honor and majesty (ibid. 104:1). After he achieved greatness, however, he became arrogant, as it is said: Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for a royal dwelling-place, by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty? (Dan. 4:27). Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked him: Wretch! Again you are boastful, as it is said: While the word was in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven: “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken: The kingdom is departed from thee” (ibid., v. 28). Hence, whenever the wicked are in trouble, they humble themselves, but when their difficulties cease, they revert to their corrupt practices. Pharaoh did likewise. When he saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he continued to sin (Exod. 9:34). The gentiles add to their sins, but in the case of Israel The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion, he will no more carry thee away into captivity; He will punish thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom, he will uncover thy sins (Lam. 4:22).

(Exod. 2:13:) WHEN HE WENT OUT ON THE SECOND DAY, HERE THERE WERE TWO HEBREW MEN FIGHTING (NTsYM). R. Abbahu said that they were emitting sparks (NYTsWTsYN) from their heels.⁹⁷Thus R. Abbahu understands the verse to read: HERE THERE WERE TWO HEBREW MEN SPARKING. (Ibid., cont.:) SO HE SAID TO THE WICKED ONE: WHY ARE YOU STRIKING YOUR NEIGHBOR? R. Isaac said: You learn from here that whoever raises his hand against his comrade is called wicked, since it is stated (ibid.): SO HE SAID TO THE WICKED ONE.⁹⁸Cf. Sanh. 58b. He said to him (in Exod. 2:14): WHO APPOINTED YOU <A PRINCE AND A JUDGE OVER US>? R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said: Moses said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, why is this people enslaved? There are seventy nations in the world and none of them are enslaved except this nation alone. Surely this sin is known, even as written (in Exod. 2:14, cont.): SURELY THE MATTER IS KNOWN, since you were not were enslaved for nothing. What did Moses do (in Exod. 2:15)? BUT MOSES FLED FROM BEFORE PHARAOH and went into Midian <to be> with Jethro. (Prov. 22:29:) SOMEONE DILIGENT AT HIS WORK. This is Moses. (Ibid., cont.:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS. This refers to Pharaoh. (Ibid., cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE. This refers to Jethro. Thus the Holy One said to him (i.e., Moses, in Exod. 4:19): <THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES IN MIDIAN: > GO BACK TO EGYPT. Then he said to him (in Exod. 9:13): GO EARLY IN THE MORNING <TO PRESENT YOURSELF BEFORE PHARAOH>. R. Nehemiah said: See, you have made the holy profane and the profane holy. (Prov. 22:29:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS, <i.e.,> before the Holy One; (ibid., cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE (rt.: HShK). This refers to Pharaoh, as stated (in Ezek. 30:18): IN TEHAPHNEHES⁹⁹Heb.: THPNHS. Cf. Jer. 43:9, according to which Pharaoh’s house was located at THPNHS. THE DAY SHALL BE DARKENED (rt.: HShK) < WHEN I BREAK THERE THE YOKES OF EGYPT>.

Another interpretation (of Prov. 22:29:) HE SHALL STAND BEFORE KINGS. This refers to the Holy One, of whom it is written (in Deut. 5:28 [31]): BUT AS FOR YOU, STAND HERE WITH ME. (Prov. 22:29, cont.:) HE SHALL NOT STAND BEFORE THE OBSCURE. This is Pharaoh, [since it is written <of Moses>] (in Exod. 9:13): GO EARLY IN THE MORNING <TO PRESENT YOURSELF BEFORE PHARAOH>. All the wicked ones become corrupt during their lifetimes. You find in the case of Zedekiah, king of Judah, that all the kings were subjugated to Nebuchadnezzar. What is written about him (in Jer. 27:6)? {ALL} [AND EVEN] THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD HAVE I GIVEN HIM TO SERVE HIM. Zedekiah went up to offer a gift.¹⁰⁰Gk.: doron. Nebuchadnezzar said: Dine with me at noon. So he made a dinner. Now a Babylonian dinner is not like a dinner in the land of Israel. He brought him meat which he had roasted. He saw Nebuchadnezzar eating with his spittle running down onto his beard. Zedekiah looked at him in astonishment and said: Is it to this one that the whole world is subjugated? He ate with him. What did he do? After he had dined, he took Zedekiah and made him take an oath. He said to him: <Swear> that you shall not go to your land and leave me. He got free and came to the land of Israel. He began to scorn (rt.: BZH) him, and he revoked that oath <which he had taken >. So Ezekiel cried out concerning him (in Ezek. 17:16): {BECAUSE HE SCORNED (BZH) AN OATH} [WHOSE OATH HE SCORNED (BZH)]. The kings who were reclining with him heard him. They sent and said to him (to Nebuchadnezzar): Zedekiah is sitting <here> laughing at you. Where is it shown that they sent to him and said < this > to him? R. Samuel said: It is written (in Is. 16:1): SEND A LAMB (KR) TO THE RULER OF THE LAND. What is the meaning of KR? It is like someone who says to his comrade: Find out (HKR) for whom he is ruling the land. Where is it shown that he had sworn an oath to him? Where it is stated (in II Chron. 36:13): AND HE ALSO REBELLED AGAINST KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR WHO HAD MADE HIM TAKE AN OATH BY GOD. What did he do? He immediately sent and had him come. Then he fed him barley, stood him up, and scorned (rt.: BZH) him shamefully. The Holy One said (to Nebuchadnezzar): So you have shamed (rt.: BZH) him. By your life, you shall not depart from this world until all creatures laugh at you. Thus it is stated (in Dan. 4:29 [32]): YOU SHALL BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM HUMANKIND. Moreover, just as you have shamed (rt.: BZH) him, so you shall be shamed (rt.: BZH) before all creatures. What is written (in Hab. 2:17)? AND THE VIOLENCE OF THE BEASTS WILL TERRIFY THOSE FEMALES (rt.: HTT+N)….¹⁰¹This translation of Hab. 2:17 fits the context of the midrash. In the biblical translations shod is usually rendered DESTRUCTION rather than VIOLENCE. Moreover, since the midrash is concerned with sexual acts, it is necessary to translate the femimine verbal suffix meaning “them” as THOSE FEMALES. R. Abba bar Kahana said that he became a bridegroom (HTN) to all cattle and wild beasts. And what caused him this shame (rt.: BZH)? It was simply because he had shamed (BZH) Zedekiah.

"And it was in the middle of the night" (Exodus 12:29) - this is [the meaning of] what is written (Isaiah 44:26), "He fulfills the word of His servant and completes the counsel of His messengers:" Rabbi Abahu said, "'He fulfills the word of His servant' - this [refers to] Moshe as it is stated (Numbers 12:7), 'Not so My servant Moshe.'" And how is it that He fulfilled it? Rather, when He brought the plague of darkness upon them, Pharaoh began to cry out (Exodus 10:24), "Go and serve the Lord, but your sheep and cattle must stay." Moshe said to him, "Upon your life! 'And also our livestock we will take, not one hoof will remain' (Ibid. 26)." What is [meant by] a hoof? Even an animal that belongs completely to an Egyptian and has one hoof that belongs to a Jew, [Moshe] will not leave. "Since from them shall we take" (Ibid.) - after he said, "from them shall we take," he went back and said "and we do not know with what we will serve the Lord." He said to him, "If with you, who are flesh and blood, [and] people die if they transgress your commands; [nonetheless] if you put out a proclamation in front of you and you say, collect this and that for me, the world can stand in front of you [and fulfill your proclamation]; but with us, perhaps God will say to us, 'sacrifice a sacrifice [that includes all of the sacrifices] of two hundred and ten years.'" That is [what is meant by] "and we do not know." Pharaoh said to him, "Until when will you enter here? 'Go away from me; guard yourself, do not see my face again!' (Ibid. 28)" Moshe said [back] to him, "you have spoken well; 'I will not see your face again.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "What is still required for me? To inform Pharaoh of one plague." Immediately, He went into the palace of Pharaoh for Moshe - who said to [Pharaoh], "I will not see your face again" - so that he would not be found to be a fabricator. And you find that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not speak with Moshe in the house of Pharaoh except for that time. From where [do we know this]? As it is stated (Exodus 9:29), "When I leave the city, I will raise my hands to the Lord;" and now the Holy One, blessed be He, hastened and spoke with Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 11:1), "still one plague will I bring upon Pharaoh, etc." Once Moshe heard [this], he rejoiced and became great, as it is stated, (Ibid. 3) "and also the man, Moshe, was very great." He begin to cry out in public (Ibid. 4), "'so did the Lord say, "at the middle of the night."' You have spoken well, 'I will not see your face again.' I, myself, will not come again to you, but rather you will come to me; and your general that is standing with you - and he is your head officer - and all of these [in] your palace retinue will come to me with you and request of me - and bow down to me - that we should leave from here;" as it is written (Ibid. 8), "And all of your servants will come down to me and bow down to me saying" - he did not want to say, 'and you will bow down to me' because of the honor of the king. When the middle of the night arrived, as Moshe said; immediately, "And it was the middle of the night and the Lord smote every firstborn." Hence, "He fulfills the word of his servant. And completes the counsel of His messengers" - that He made a counsel (agreement) with Avraham because of this thing. When? When the kings came and he pursued them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "It is enough for you until the middle of the night - come, let us split the night, you and I;" as it is stated, "And he divided against them at night (understood here as 'and He divided the night for them')." When the time came, he completed his counsel. That is [the meaning of] "And it was in the middle of the night." Thus is it written, "And completes the counsel of His messengers."

And also in the case of Pharaoh, he was gnashing his teeth against Moses. Now he had said to them (the Israelites, in Exod. 5:17): YOU ARE LAZY, LAZY! R. Judah b. R. Simon said: What is the meaning of LAZY? He said to them: You are holy. (Ibid., cont.:) THAT IS WHY YOU SAY: LET US GO AND SACRIFICE TO THE LORD. The Holy One said (in Exod. 9:13): GO EARLY IN THE MORNING and make known to Pharaoh that he is nothing. {See, he is going out to the water.} (Exod. 9:13, cont., & 14:) THUS SAYS THE LORD [THE GOD OF THE HEBREWS]: LET MY PEOPLE GO TO WORSHIP ME. FOR THIS TIME <I WILL SEND ALL MY PLAGUES UPON YOUR HEART >…. He said to them: LET MY PEOPLE GO TO WORSHIP ME. Then it will be good for you; but if not, <then> FOR THIS TIME <I WILL SEND ALL MY PLAGUES UPON YOUR HEART>…. It is written (in Job 36:22): WHO IS A TEACHER LIKE HIM (i.e., like the Holy One), who teaches the wicked to repent? He said to Pharaoh (in Exod. 9:19): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. And what is written (in vs. 18)? BEHOLD, AT THIS TIME TOMORROW I WILL RAIN DOWN <VERY HEAVY HAIL>,…. Then after that I will bring the locust, as stated (in Exod. 10:4–5): BEHOLD, TOMORROW I WILL BRING LOCUSTS ON YOUR TERRITORY, AND THEY SHALL COVER THE EYE¹⁰²A more common translation would be SURFACE, but the midrash understands the Hebrew literally here to mean EYE. OF THE EARTH. Our masters have said: Just as a woman has a head, so does the earth have a head. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 8:26): <…> NOR THE HEAD OF THE DUST OF THE WORLD.¹⁰³In the context of Proverbs these words mean that the Holy One had not yet made A BEGINNING in creating THE DUST OF THE WORLD. Similarly other verses in this paragraph are understood more literally than in some translations. And just as a woman has ears, so does the earth have ears. Thus it is stated (in Is. 1:2): <HEAR, O HEAVENS, > AND GIVE EAR, O EARTH. And just as a woman has eyes, so does the earth have eyes. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 10:5): AND THEY SHALL COVER THE EYE OF THE EARTH. And just as a woman has a mouth, so does the earth have a mouth. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 16:32): AND THE EARTH OPENED ITS MOUTH <AND SWALLOWED THEM…>. And just as a woman has arms, so does the earth have arms. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 34:21): FOR BEHOLD, THE LAND HAS BROAD ARMS. And just as a woman has a navel, so does the land have a navel. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 38:12): WHO DWELL ON THE NAVEL OF THE EARTH. Just as a woman conceives and gives birth, so does the earth. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:8): CAN A LAND PASS THROUGH LABOR IN A SINGLE DAY? IS A NATION BORN ALL AT ONCE? <YET WHEN ZION WAS IN LABOR, SHE ALSO BORE HER CHILDREN. > This refers to Israel, because the Holy One brought them and had them enter Jerusalem ALL AT ONCE. And Jerusalem was astounded, as stated (in Is. 49:21): AND YOU WILL SAY IN YOUR HEART: WHO HAS BORNE ME {ALL} THESE? The Holy One said to them: By your life, in short while I am gathering your Dispersion, for so has Isaiah said (while addressing Zion in Is. 49:18): LIFT UP YOUR EYES ROUND ABOUT AND SEE. THEY ARE ALL ASSEMBLED, ARE COME TO YOU.

And also in the case of Pharaoh, he was gnashing his teeth against Moses. Now he had said to them (the Israelites, in Exod. 5:17): YOU ARE LAZY, LAZY! R. Judah b. R. Simon said: What is the meaning of LAZY? He said to them: You are holy. (Ibid., cont.:) THAT IS WHY YOU SAY: LET US GO AND SACRIFICE TO THE LORD. The Holy One said (in Exod. 9:13): GO EARLY IN THE MORNING and make known to Pharaoh that he is nothing. {See, he is going out to the water.} (Exod. 9:13, cont., & 14:) THUS SAYS THE LORD [THE GOD OF THE HEBREWS]: LET MY PEOPLE GO TO WORSHIP ME. FOR THIS TIME <I WILL SEND ALL MY PLAGUES UPON YOUR HEART >…. He said to them: LET MY PEOPLE GO TO WORSHIP ME. Then it will be good for you; but if not, <then> FOR THIS TIME <I WILL SEND ALL MY PLAGUES UPON YOUR HEART>…. It is written (in Job 36:22): WHO IS A TEACHER LIKE HIM (i.e., like the Holy One), who teaches the wicked to repent? He said to Pharaoh (in Exod. 9:19): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. And what is written (in vs. 18)? BEHOLD, AT THIS TIME TOMORROW I WILL RAIN DOWN <VERY HEAVY HAIL>,…. Then after that I will bring the locust, as stated (in Exod. 10:4–5): BEHOLD, TOMORROW I WILL BRING LOCUSTS ON YOUR TERRITORY, AND THEY SHALL COVER THE EYE¹⁰²A more common translation would be SURFACE, but the midrash understands the Hebrew literally here to mean EYE. OF THE EARTH. Our masters have said: Just as a woman has a head, so does the earth have a head. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 8:26): <…> NOR THE HEAD OF THE DUST OF THE WORLD.¹⁰³In the context of Proverbs these words mean that the Holy One had not yet made A BEGINNING in creating THE DUST OF THE WORLD. Similarly other verses in this paragraph are understood more literally than in some translations. And just as a woman has ears, so does the earth have ears. Thus it is stated (in Is. 1:2): <HEAR, O HEAVENS, > AND GIVE EAR, O EARTH. And just as a woman has eyes, so does the earth have eyes. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 10:5): AND THEY SHALL COVER THE EYE OF THE EARTH. And just as a woman has a mouth, so does the earth have a mouth. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 16:32): AND THE EARTH OPENED ITS MOUTH <AND SWALLOWED THEM…>. And just as a woman has arms, so does the earth have arms. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 34:21): FOR BEHOLD, THE LAND HAS BROAD ARMS. And just as a woman has a navel, so does the land have a navel. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 38:12): WHO DWELL ON THE NAVEL OF THE EARTH. Just as a woman conceives and gives birth, so does the earth. Thus it is stated (in Is. 66:8): CAN A LAND PASS THROUGH LABOR IN A SINGLE DAY? IS A NATION BORN ALL AT ONCE? <YET WHEN ZION WAS IN LABOR, SHE ALSO BORE HER CHILDREN. > This refers to Israel, because the Holy One brought them and had them enter Jerusalem ALL AT ONCE. And Jerusalem was astounded, as stated (in Is. 49:21): AND YOU WILL SAY IN YOUR HEART: WHO HAS BORNE ME {ALL} THESE? The Holy One said to them: By your life, in short while I am gathering your Dispersion, for so has Isaiah said (while addressing Zion in Is. 49:18): LIFT UP YOUR EYES ROUND ABOUT AND SEE. THEY ARE ALL ASSEMBLED, ARE COME TO YOU.

(Exod. 9:22:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: HOLD OUT YOUR ARM TOWARD THE HEAVENS <THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT,>…. This text is related (to Ps. 115:3): <OUR GOD IS IN THE HEAVENS;> {THE LORD} [HE] HAS DONE WHATEVER HE PLEASED….¹⁰⁴Tanh., Exod. 2:15; Exod. R. 12:3. The Holy One said (in vs. 16): THE HEAVENS ARE HEAVENS BELONGING TO THE LORD, <BUT THE EARTH HE GAVE OVER TO THE CHILDREN OF ADAM>. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who uttered a decree for the children of Rome not to go down to Syria and for the children of Syria not to go up to Rome. So it is with the Holy One. When he created [the beings on high, he said] (in Ps. 115:16): THE HEAVENS ARE HEAVENS BELONGING TO THE LORD, [BUT THE EARTH HE GAVE OVER TO THE CHILDREN OF ADAM]. When the Holy One wished to give Torah to Israel, he repealed the first decree and said: let those below ascend to those on high and those on high descend to those below. And I will be the one who begins. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 19:20): AND THE LORD CAME DOWN UPON MOUNT SINAI. It is also written (in Exod. 24:1): THEN HE SAID UNTO MOSES: GO UP UNTO THE LORD…. Ergo (in Ps. 115:3) THE LORD HE HAS DONE WHATEVER HE PLEASED [in the heavens and on earth]. <It was> when he wanted <that> he said (in Gen. 1:9): LET THE WATERS <UNDER THE HEAVENS> BE GATHERED <UNTO ONE PLACE>. And <it was> when he wanted <that> he spoke and made the sea into dry ground, as stated (in Exod. 14:29): BUT THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WENT THROUGH THE SEA [ON DRY GROUND],…

(Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED. Let our master instruct us: How many things preceded the act of creation?⁸¹Tanh., 2:11. Thus have our masters taught: Seven things preceded the world. These are the following: The throne of glory, the Torah, the Temple,⁸²See Sifre, Deut. 7:12 (37). the ancestors of the world, [Israel,] the name of Messiah, and repentance. And some would also say the Garden of Eden and Gehinnom. In the case of the throne of God, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 93:2): YOUR THRONE IS ESTABLISHED FROM OF OLD; YOU ARE FROM EVERLASTING. And in the case of the Torah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Prov. 8:22): THE LORD ACQUIRED ME (i.e., wisdom) AS THE BEGINNING OF HIS WAY THE FIRST OF HIS WORKS OF OLD. In the case of the Temple, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Jer. 17:12): O GLORIOUS THRONE, ON HIGH FROM THE BEGINNING, THE PLACE OF OUR SANCTUARY. In the case of the ancestors of the world, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Hos. 9:10): I FOUND [ISRAEL] LIKE GRAPES IN THE DESERT; [I SAW] YOUR ANCESTORS [LIKE THE FIRST FRUIT ON A FIG TREE IN ITS FIRST SEASON]. In the case of Israel, where is it shown? [Where it is stated of them] (in Ps. 74:2): REMEMBER YOUR CONGREGATION WHICH YOU ACQUIRED OF OLD. In the case of the name of the Messiah, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 72:17): BEFORE THE SUN HIS NAME IS YENNON (a symbolic name for the Messiah).⁸³This translation of Ps. 72:17 is a literal rendering, which the midrash understands to mean that this name existed before the sun was created. A more traditional rendering would be MAY HIS NAME ENDURE AS LONG AS THE SUN. In the case of repentance, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Ps. 90:2): BEFORE THE MOUNTAINS WERE BROUGHT FORTH, since it is written (in vs. 3): YOU RETURN HUMANITY TO CONTRITION, [AND SAY: REPENT YOU CHILDREN OF ADAM]. In the case of the Garden of Eden, where is it shown? where it is stated (in Gen. 2:8): AND THE LORD GOD PLANTED A GARDEN IN EDEN, FROM OF OLD.⁸⁴This is the interpretation of miqqedem by the midrash. A more traditional rendering would be IN THE EAST. In the case of Gehinnom, where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Is. 30:33): FOR TOPHETH HAS BEEN PREPARED FROM OF OLD. Come and see. When the Holy One told Moses to tell Israel to make a tabernacle for him, the Holy One said to Moses: Say to those Israelites, as it were: It is not because I have nowhere to dwell that I am telling you to make me a tabernacle. Before the world was created, here was my sanctuary built in heaven above. It is so stated (in Jer. 17:12): O GLORIOUS THRONE, ON HIGH FROM THE BEGINNING…. And a temple was built there for my throne, as stated (in Hab. 2:20): BUT THE LORD IS IN HIS HOLY TEMPLE.⁸⁵Cf. Ps. 11:4. So also has Isaiah said (in Is. 6:1): I SAW THE LORD SEATED UPON A THRONE, HIGH AND LIFTED UP. Out of love for you I left my temple on high, which had been prepared before the world was created, to come down and dwell among you. It is so stated (in Exod. 25:8): [AND MAKE ME A SANCTUARY] THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM. R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Johanan: This is one of the three commands which Moses heard from the mouth of the Almighty and which took him aback.⁸⁶Numb. R. 12:3; PRK 6:4; PR 16:7; M. Pss. 91:1. When he said to him (in Exod. 30:12): EACH SHALL GIVE A RANSOM FOR HIS LIFE.⁸⁷Here is the second command that shook Moses. Moses said: Who can give a ransom for his life? It is written (in Job 2:4): SKIN FOR SKIN! ALL THAT ONE HAS HE WILL GIVE FOR HIS LIFE,⁸⁸Cf. above, Exod. 9:6. and still it is not enough. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 49:8 [7]): SURELY NO ONE WILL REDEEM A BROTHER NOR GIVE A RANSOM FOR HIM TO GOD. The Holy One said to him: I am not asking <a ransom> in accordance with my means but in accordance with their means. (Exod. 30:13:) <EVERYONE … > SHALL GIVE THIS. [R. Meir said: The Holy One took something like a kind of coin of fire from under the throne of glory and showed it to Moses.⁸⁹See above, Lev. 9:7, and the note there. <EVERYONE … > SHALL GIVE THIS; <i.e., EVERYONE … > SHALL GIVE one like THIS.] Again, when he said (in Numb. 28:2): MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE OFFERING, Moses said: Who can supply enough offerings for you.⁹⁰Numb. 28:2 is the third of the three commands that shook Moses. If we sacrificed all the beasts of the forest and all the trees of Lebanon, they would not be enough, as stated (in Is. 40:16): FOR LEBANON IS NOT FUEL ENOUGH, NOR ITS BEASTS ENOUGH FOR SACRIFICE. He said to him: I am not asking <offerings> in accordance with my means but in accordance with their means. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 28:3): NOW YOU SHALL SAY TO THEM: THIS IS THE BURNT OFFERING WHICH YOU SHALL OFFER TO THE LORD: <TWO YEARLING LAMBS WITHOUT BLEMISH… > And not both of them at once, but (according to vs. 4): THE ONE LAMB YOU SHALL OFFER IN THE MORNING AND THE SECOND LAMB YOU SHALL OFFER AT TWILIGHT. And when he said to him (in Exod. 25:8): AND MAKE ME A SANCTUARY <THAT I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM>,⁹¹With this repetition of Exod. 25:8, the midrash returns to the first command that shook Moses. Moses said [to the Holy One] (in I Kings 8:27): EVEN THE HEAVENS AND THE HEAVENS ABOVE THE HEAVENS CANNOT CONTAIN YOU! It also says (in Jer. 23:24): DO I NOT FILL THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH? SAYS THE LORD. And it says (in Is. 66:1): THE HEAVENS ARE MY THRONE AND THE EARTH IS MY FOOTSTOOL.⁹²Cf. Acts 7:47-50. So can we make him a sanctuary? The Holy One said to him: I am not asking <a sanctuary> [in accordance with my means] but in accordance with their means. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 26:1): NOW AS FOR THE TABERNACLE, YOU SHALL MAKE IT WITH TEN CURTAINS. When Israel heard this, they arose and donated gladly. So they made the Tabernacle. Moreover, when they had made the Tabernacle, it was filled with his glory, as stated (in Exod. 40:35): NOW MOSES COULD NOT ENTER THE TENT OF MEETING, <BECAUSE … THE GLORY OF THE LORD FILLED THE TABERNACLE>. The princes said: Now is the time for us to offer sacrifices with joy, because the Divine Presence is dwelling among us. Where is it shown? {Where it is stated} [From what they read on the matter] (in Numb. 7:1): SO IT CAME TO PASS ON THE DAY THAT MOSES HAD FINISHED.

(Exod. 9:22:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: HOLD OUT YOUR ARM <TOWARD THE HEAVENS > [THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT]. Why did he smite them with hail? Because the Egyptians thought that the Israelites were their vinedressers.¹⁰⁵Since the vines of the Israelites would also have been subject to hail damage, the Egyptians believed that the Holy One would not send hail; but the Holy One did send hail and further demonstrated his power by sparing Israel’s vines in the land of Goshen. See Exod. 9:25. David said (in Ps. 78:47): HE KILLED THEIR VINES WITH HAIL, AND THEIR SYCAMORES WITH HANAMAL.¹⁰⁶Several English versions translate hanamal as “frost”; but since the word appears nowhere else in Scripture, it is well suited to speculation concerning its meaning. And how did it come down? R. Pinhas and R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite differ.¹⁰⁷Exod. R. 12:4, 6; cf. Cant. R. 3:11:1; M. Pss. 78:13; 105:10. The first of them said: It came down like the worm and cut down the trees. (Ps. 78:47:) HE KILLS THEIR VINES WITH HAIL,… And the other said: It came down like the hanamal. (Ps. 78:47:) AND THEIR SYCAMORES WITH HANAMAL.¹⁰⁸According to Exod. R. 12:4, R. Judah bar Shallum derived the meaning from the phrase WITH HANAMAL (bahanamal), which he interprets to mean, “It came (ba), it came to rest (nah), it cut off (mal)”; but R. Pinhas believed that the hail came down like an axe (pilqin, from the Gk.: pelekus) and cut down the trees. Similarly Tanh., Exod. 2:14. Cf. Yalqut Shim‘oni, Pss. 820, where these two views are attributed to other authorities. It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT.¹⁰⁹See Exod. R. 12:6. It is simply that it came down upon each and every thing according to its power (to exhibit the wondrous works of Holy One): upon the cattle according to their power, upon the herbage according to its power, and upon humanity according to its power. What is written above on the matter (in Exod. 9:16)? BUT NEVERTHELESS, FOR THIS REASON I HAVE PRESERVED YOU,… I have preserved you to recount my wondrous works. Thus I did not cause you to die in the first plagues, (ibid., cont.:) IN ORDER TO SHOW YOU MY POWER AND IN ORDER FOR MY NAME TO RESOUND IN ALL THE WORLD.

(Exod. 9:22:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: HOLD OUT YOUR ARM <TOWARD THE HEAVENS > [THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT]. Why did he smite them with hail? Because the Egyptians thought that the Israelites were their vinedressers.¹⁰⁵Since the vines of the Israelites would also have been subject to hail damage, the Egyptians believed that the Holy One would not send hail; but the Holy One did send hail and further demonstrated his power by sparing Israel’s vines in the land of Goshen. See Exod. 9:25. David said (in Ps. 78:47): HE KILLED THEIR VINES WITH HAIL, AND THEIR SYCAMORES WITH HANAMAL.¹⁰⁶Several English versions translate hanamal as “frost”; but since the word appears nowhere else in Scripture, it is well suited to speculation concerning its meaning. And how did it come down? R. Pinhas and R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite differ.¹⁰⁷Exod. R. 12:4, 6; cf. Cant. R. 3:11:1; M. Pss. 78:13; 105:10. The first of them said: It came down like the worm and cut down the trees. (Ps. 78:47:) HE KILLS THEIR VINES WITH HAIL,… And the other said: It came down like the hanamal. (Ps. 78:47:) AND THEIR SYCAMORES WITH HANAMAL.¹⁰⁸According to Exod. R. 12:4, R. Judah bar Shallum derived the meaning from the phrase WITH HANAMAL (bahanamal), which he interprets to mean, “It came (ba), it came to rest (nah), it cut off (mal)”; but R. Pinhas believed that the hail came down like an axe (pilqin, from the Gk.: pelekus) and cut down the trees. Similarly Tanh., Exod. 2:14. Cf. Yalqut Shim‘oni, Pss. 820, where these two views are attributed to other authorities. It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT.¹⁰⁹See Exod. R. 12:6. It is simply that it came down upon each and every thing according to its power (to exhibit the wondrous works of Holy One): upon the cattle according to their power, upon the herbage according to its power, and upon humanity according to its power. What is written above on the matter (in Exod. 9:16)? BUT NEVERTHELESS, FOR THIS REASON I HAVE PRESERVED YOU,… I have preserved you to recount my wondrous works. Thus I did not cause you to die in the first plagues, (ibid., cont.:) IN ORDER TO SHOW YOU MY POWER AND IN ORDER FOR MY NAME TO RESOUND IN ALL THE WORLD.

(Exod. 9:22:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: HOLD OUT YOUR ARM <TOWARD THE HEAVENS > [THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT]. Why did he smite them with hail? Because the Egyptians thought that the Israelites were their vinedressers.¹⁰⁵Since the vines of the Israelites would also have been subject to hail damage, the Egyptians believed that the Holy One would not send hail; but the Holy One did send hail and further demonstrated his power by sparing Israel’s vines in the land of Goshen. See Exod. 9:25. David said (in Ps. 78:47): HE KILLED THEIR VINES WITH HAIL, AND THEIR SYCAMORES WITH HANAMAL.¹⁰⁶Several English versions translate hanamal as “frost”; but since the word appears nowhere else in Scripture, it is well suited to speculation concerning its meaning. And how did it come down? R. Pinhas and R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite differ.¹⁰⁷Exod. R. 12:4, 6; cf. Cant. R. 3:11:1; M. Pss. 78:13; 105:10. The first of them said: It came down like the worm and cut down the trees. (Ps. 78:47:) HE KILLS THEIR VINES WITH HAIL,… And the other said: It came down like the hanamal. (Ps. 78:47:) AND THEIR SYCAMORES WITH HANAMAL.¹⁰⁸According to Exod. R. 12:4, R. Judah bar Shallum derived the meaning from the phrase WITH HANAMAL (bahanamal), which he interprets to mean, “It came (ba), it came to rest (nah), it cut off (mal)”; but R. Pinhas believed that the hail came down like an axe (pilqin, from the Gk.: pelekus) and cut down the trees. Similarly Tanh., Exod. 2:14. Cf. Yalqut Shim‘oni, Pss. 820, where these two views are attributed to other authorities. It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT.¹⁰⁹See Exod. R. 12:6. It is simply that it came down upon each and every thing according to its power (to exhibit the wondrous works of Holy One): upon the cattle according to their power, upon the herbage according to its power, and upon humanity according to its power. What is written above on the matter (in Exod. 9:16)? BUT NEVERTHELESS, FOR THIS REASON I HAVE PRESERVED YOU,… I have preserved you to recount my wondrous works. Thus I did not cause you to die in the first plagues, (ibid., cont.:) IN ORDER TO SHOW YOU MY POWER AND IN ORDER FOR MY NAME TO RESOUND IN ALL THE WORLD.

(Exod. 9:22:) THEN THE LORD SAID UNTO MOSES: HOLD OUT YOUR ARM <TOWARD THE HEAVENS > [THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT]. Why did he smite them with hail? Because the Egyptians thought that the Israelites were their vinedressers.¹⁰⁵Since the vines of the Israelites would also have been subject to hail damage, the Egyptians believed that the Holy One would not send hail; but the Holy One did send hail and further demonstrated his power by sparing Israel’s vines in the land of Goshen. See Exod. 9:25. David said (in Ps. 78:47): HE KILLED THEIR VINES WITH HAIL, AND THEIR SYCAMORES WITH HANAMAL.¹⁰⁶Several English versions translate hanamal as “frost”; but since the word appears nowhere else in Scripture, it is well suited to speculation concerning its meaning. And how did it come down? R. Pinhas and R. Judah bar Shallum the Levite differ.¹⁰⁷Exod. R. 12:4, 6; cf. Cant. R. 3:11:1; M. Pss. 78:13; 105:10. The first of them said: It came down like the worm and cut down the trees. (Ps. 78:47:) HE KILLS THEIR VINES WITH HAIL,… And the other said: It came down like the hanamal. (Ps. 78:47:) AND THEIR SYCAMORES WITH HANAMAL.¹⁰⁸According to Exod. R. 12:4, R. Judah bar Shallum derived the meaning from the phrase WITH HANAMAL (bahanamal), which he interprets to mean, “It came (ba), it came to rest (nah), it cut off (mal)”; but R. Pinhas believed that the hail came down like an axe (pilqin, from the Gk.: pelekus) and cut down the trees. Similarly Tanh., Exod. 2:14. Cf. Yalqut Shim‘oni, Pss. 820, where these two views are attributed to other authorities. It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT.¹⁰⁹See Exod. R. 12:6. It is simply that it came down upon each and every thing according to its power (to exhibit the wondrous works of Holy One): upon the cattle according to their power, upon the herbage according to its power, and upon humanity according to its power. What is written above on the matter (in Exod. 9:16)? BUT NEVERTHELESS, FOR THIS REASON I HAVE PRESERVED YOU,… I have preserved you to recount my wondrous works. Thus I did not cause you to die in the first plagues, (ibid., cont.:) IN ORDER TO SHOW YOU MY POWER AND IN ORDER FOR MY NAME TO RESOUND IN ALL THE WORLD.

"And they heard the sound of Hashem Elokim moving about in the garden in the windy part of the day." (Genesis, 3:8)... Rabbi Abba Bar Kahana said: It doesn't use the word מהלך here, but rather מתהלך, which implies jumping and rising. The Shechina was originally in the lower worlds, but when Adam sinned, it left to the first heaven. When Cain sinned, it left to the second, in the generation of Enosh to the third, in the generation of the flood to the fourth, in the generation of the tower of Babel to the fifth, in the generation of Sedom to the 6th, in the generation of the Egyptians to the 7th. 7 righteous men arose corresponding to them: Avraham, Yitzchak, Ya'akov, Levi, Kehos, Amram and Moshe. Avraham brought it down to the 6th, Yiztchak brought it down from the 6th to the 5th, Ya'akov brought it down to the 5th to the 4th, Levi brought it down from the 4th to the 3rd, Kehos brought it down from the 3rd to the 2nd, Amram brought it down from the 2nd to the 1st, and Moshe brought it down from above to below. Rabbi Yitzchak said: It is written "The righteous will inherit the land [and rest forever on it]." (Psalms, 37:29) Are the wicked floating in the air? Rather, [the intent of the verse is that] the wicked do not cause the Shechina to dwell on the land.

(Exod. 9:18:) BEHOLD, AT THIS TIME TOMORROW I WILL RAIN DOWN <VERY HEAVY HAIL>. Zavday ben Levi said: He scratched a single mark for him on the wall.¹¹⁰Tanh., Exod. 2:16; Exod. R. 12:2. He said to him: Tomorrow when the sun reaches here, I will bring hail down upon you. (Ibid., cont.:) SUCH AS HAS NEVER BEEN. Nothing has happened like it, but it is going to happen to the nations. It is prepared for Sennacherib. <These are> the words of R. Simon. R. Hanina said: It is prepared for the punishment of Gog and Magog, as stated (concerning Gog in Ezek. 38:22): AND I WILL POUR TORRENTIAL RAIN, HAILSTONES, <FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE UPON HIM AND HIS HOSTS AND THE MANY PEOPLES THAT ARE WITH HIM>.¹¹¹On Gog and Magog, see above, note 68.

(Exod. 9:18:) BEHOLD, AT THIS TIME TOMORROW I WILL RAIN DOWN <VERY HEAVY HAIL>…. However (in Exod. 9:19 it says): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. Our masters have said: during all the plagues, Pharaoh never said: THE LORD IS IN THE RIGHT, except in the plague of the hail alone (in Exod. 9:27). Why? When someone wants to fight with his companion and overcome him, he comes upon him suddenly, kills him, and takes everything he has. But the Holy One said to Pharaoh (in Exod. 9:19): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. <It was> at that time <that> Pharaoh said: THE LORD IS IN THE RIGHT.

(Exod. 9:18:) BEHOLD, AT THIS TIME TOMORROW I WILL RAIN DOWN <VERY HEAVY HAIL>…. However (in Exod. 9:19 it says): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. Our masters have said: during all the plagues, Pharaoh never said: THE LORD IS IN THE RIGHT, except in the plague of the hail alone (in Exod. 9:27). Why? When someone wants to fight with his companion and overcome him, he comes upon him suddenly, kills him, and takes everything he has. But the Holy One said to Pharaoh (in Exod. 9:19): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. <It was> at that time <that> Pharaoh said: THE LORD IS IN THE RIGHT.

(Exod. 9:18:) BEHOLD, AT THIS TIME TOMORROW I WILL RAIN DOWN <VERY HEAVY HAIL>…. However (in Exod. 9:19 it says): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. Our masters have said: during all the plagues, Pharaoh never said: THE LORD IS IN THE RIGHT, except in the plague of the hail alone (in Exod. 9:27). Why? When someone wants to fight with his companion and overcome him, he comes upon him suddenly, kills him, and takes everything he has. But the Holy One said to Pharaoh (in Exod. 9:19): NOW SEND <AND> BRING UNDER SHELTER YOUR LIVESTOCK <AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE>…. <It was> at that time <that> Pharaoh said: THE LORD IS IN THE RIGHT.

(Exod. 9:20:) THOSE <OF PHARAOH'S SERVANTS> WHO FEARED THE WORD OF THE LORD. From here R. Simeon ben Johay said: <In dealing with> the best of snakes, crush its brain; and <in dealing with> the most worthy of the Egyptians, kill.¹¹²Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Beshallah 2. It is written (in Exod. 14:7): THEN HE TOOK SIX HUNDRED SELECT CHARIOTS. Where did they come from, in view of what is written (in Exod. 9:6): THEN ALL THE EGYPTIAN LIVESTOCK DIED…? It is simply that (according to Exod. 9:20–21): THOSE [OF PHARAOH'S SERVANTS] WHO FEARED THE WORD OF THE LORD HAD THEIR SERVANTS AND THEIR LIVESTOCK FLEE INTO THE HOUSES.¹¹³The argument here is that, although some Egyptians saved their livestock, Pharaoh led even this remnant, i.e., the SIX HUNDRED SELECT CHARIOTS, to their destruction (Exod. 14:26). BUT THOSE WHO PAID NO ATTENTION TO <THE WORD OF THE LORD LEFT THEIR SERVANTS AND LIVESTOCK IN THE FIELD >. <It was with reference to these that> the Holy One said (to Moses in vs. 22): HOLD OUT YOUR ARM TOWARD THE HEAVENS <THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT >.

(Exod. 9:20:) THOSE <OF PHARAOH'S SERVANTS> WHO FEARED THE WORD OF THE LORD. From here R. Simeon ben Johay said: <In dealing with> the best of snakes, crush its brain; and <in dealing with> the most worthy of the Egyptians, kill.¹¹²Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, Beshallah 2. It is written (in Exod. 14:7): THEN HE TOOK SIX HUNDRED SELECT CHARIOTS. Where did they come from, in view of what is written (in Exod. 9:6): THEN ALL THE EGYPTIAN LIVESTOCK DIED…? It is simply that (according to Exod. 9:20–21): THOSE [OF PHARAOH'S SERVANTS] WHO FEARED THE WORD OF THE LORD HAD THEIR SERVANTS AND THEIR LIVESTOCK FLEE INTO THE HOUSES.¹¹³The argument here is that, although some Egyptians saved their livestock, Pharaoh led even this remnant, i.e., the SIX HUNDRED SELECT CHARIOTS, to their destruction (Exod. 14:26). BUT THOSE WHO PAID NO ATTENTION TO <THE WORD OF THE LORD LEFT THEIR SERVANTS AND LIVESTOCK IN THE FIELD >. <It was with reference to these that> the Holy One said (to Moses in vs. 22): HOLD OUT YOUR ARM TOWARD THE HEAVENS <THAT THERE MAY BE HAIL IN ALL THE LAND OF EGYPT >.

(Exod. 9:23:) AND THE LORD SENT THUNDER AND HAIL…. And why? By virtue of the Torah, which was <also> given in thunder. It is so stated (in Exod. 20:15 [18]): NOW ALL THE PEOPLE PERCEIVED THE THUNDERINGS.

(Exod. 9:23:) AND THE LORD, <implies the Holy One> and all <his> council,¹¹⁴Gk.: sugkletos. for did they not decree that the hail come down upon Egypt?¹¹⁵See Tanh. Exod. 2:16; Exod. R. 12:4. The exegetical principle here is that, wherever the expression, AND THE LORD, appears, there is an implication that the heavenly court is also present. So below, 3:17; yBer. 9:7 (14b); ySan. 1:1 (18a); Gen. R. 51:2; Lev. R. 24:2.

(Exod. 9:23:) AND THE LORD SENT THUNDER AND HAIL…. AS THE LORD RAINED DOWN HAIL UPON THE LAND OF EGYPT. R. Hananyah said: AS THE LORD RAINED DOWN (rt.: MTR) HAIL. At first the Holy One sent down rain (MTR) upon them, <but> as it came down it became hail. It is so stated: AS THE LORD RAINED DOWN (rt.: MTR) HAIL. Why? Because no evil (such as hail) dwells with the Holy One. <It was> the rain <that> came down and <then> became hail when the wind entered it and turned it into hail. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 148:8): STORM WIND THAT EXECUTES HIS COMMAND. Ergo (in Exod. 9:23): AS THE LORD RAINED DOWN HAIL.

(Exod. 9:24:) SO THERE WAS HAIL AND FLASHING FIRE. R. Jose b. R. Hanina said: A flash full of fire and after that, hail.¹¹⁶Cf. PRK 1:3; cf. also Tanh., Exod. 14; Exod. R. 12:4. But our masters have said: Rain came down and became hail, while the fire came down with it.

It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum differ.¹¹⁷Tanh., Exod. 2:16; Exod. R. 12:6. R. Pinhas says: What is the meaning of BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE (rt.: 'PL)? The Holy One performed miracles (rt.: PL') through them. But R. Judah says: They were late crops. R. Pinhas said to him: But look, it is written (in Exod. 9:25): THE HAIL SMOTE EVERY HERB OF THE FIELD; yet you say: Because they were tiny they were not smitten. Rather the Holy One performed miracles through them. At that time, when Pharaoh saw this, he said to Moses: Pray for me. He said to him: {(Exod. 8:5 [9]:) YOU MAY HAVE THIS TRIUMPH OVER ME; so I will let them go.} In the first plague you said to me: Pray for me and I will let them go. Then I prayed, but you did not let them go. {(Exod. 8:5 [9], cont.:) FOR WHAT TIME SHALL I MAKE SUPPLICATION FOR YOU…?} Pharaoh said to him (in Exod. 9:27): [THIS TIME] I HAVE SINNED {AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD AND AGAINST YOU.} Now I will let them go. As soon as Moses heard this, what is written (in vs. 33)? SO LEAVING PHARAOH, MOSES WENT OUT OF THE CITY AND SPREAD OUT HIS HANDS UNTO THE LORD. <THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED>… See how dear the righteous are to the Holy One! For whatever they decide to do, the Holy One does <for them>. Our masters have said (in Ta'an. 3:8):¹¹⁸See also yTa‘an. 3:8–12 (66d-67a); Ta’an. 23a. Once upon a time Honi the Circle-Drawer prayed for rain to fall. He drew a circle and stood within it. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, your children have set their faces upon me, for here I am like a house child (i.e., a close friend) before you. I swear by your great name that I will not move from here until you have compassion upon your children. Immediately the rains came down. Now if Honi the Circle-Drawer, who was from the children of the children of Moses < could do> this, how much the more so in the case of Moses himself. Ergo (ibid.): THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED, [AND NO RAIN CAME POURING DOWN TO EARTH]. And where is it to be found? Our masters have said: It is suspended in the air¹¹⁹Gk.: aer. until Gog and Magog come.¹²⁰Exod. R. 12:7; cf. Ber. 54b. It is so stated (concerning Gog in Ezek. 38:22): AND I WILL POUR TORRENTIAL RAIN, HAILSTONES, <FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE UPON HIM AND HIS HOSTS AND THE MANY PEOPLES THAT ARE WITH HIM>.¹²¹On Gog and Magog, see above, note 68. Immediately (after Exod. 9:33 it says in vs. 34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT THE RAIN AND THE HAIL <AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, HE REVERTED TO SINNING.¹²²Tanh., Exod. 2:17. So it is with the wicked. When they see that trouble has come upon them, they humble themselves; but as soon as the trouble passes and one feels relief, they return to their evil deeds. When Nebuchadnezzar saw trouble come upon him, he began giving praise to the Holy One. (Dan. 4:34 [37]:) SO NOW I, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, PRAISE, EXALT, AND HONOR THE KING OF HEAVEN…. R. Berekhyah the Priest said in the name of R. Helbo, <who spoke> in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: Were it not for the fact that the Holy One judges the hearts and thoughts, would Nebuchadnezzar have given praise with one verse, just as David gave praise in his whole book? When Nebuchadnezzar saw himself <to have> greatness, he began to boast (in Dan. 4:1 [4] and 27 [30]): I <AM> NEBUCHADNEZZAR,… IS NOT THIS BABYLON THE GREAT < WHICH I HAVE BUILT >…? The Holy One said to him: You wicked man, what are you boasting about? (Vs. 28 [31]:) THE WORDS WERE STILL ON THE KING'S LIPS, <WHEN A VOICE FELL FROM HEAVEN…: THE KINGDOM HAS PASSED FROM YOU>…. As long as the wicked see trouble coming upon them they are humble. When they see that it is going <away>, they return to their wickedness. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 9:34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT <THE RAIN AND THE HAIL AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, <HE REVERTED TO SINNING>. The nations of the world continue to sin, but as for Israel (according to Lam. 4:22): YOUR INIQUITY IS ENDED, O DAUGHTER OF ZION. When? When he attends to the iniquity of the house of Edom, as stated (ibid., cont.): HE HAS ATTENDED TO YOUR INIQUITY, O DAUGHTER OF EDOM. From now on Israel shall never go into exile.¹²³Heb. golim. The word also connotes being exposed or uncovered. Rather the Holy One shall gather them to Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 107:2–3): LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO, THOSE WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED FROM THE HAND OF ADVERSITY; FOR HE HAS GATHERED THEM FROM THE LANDS, FROM THE EAST AND FROM THE WEST, FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE SEA.

It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum differ.¹¹⁷Tanh., Exod. 2:16; Exod. R. 12:6. R. Pinhas says: What is the meaning of BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE (rt.: 'PL)? The Holy One performed miracles (rt.: PL') through them. But R. Judah says: They were late crops. R. Pinhas said to him: But look, it is written (in Exod. 9:25): THE HAIL SMOTE EVERY HERB OF THE FIELD; yet you say: Because they were tiny they were not smitten. Rather the Holy One performed miracles through them. At that time, when Pharaoh saw this, he said to Moses: Pray for me. He said to him: {(Exod. 8:5 [9]:) YOU MAY HAVE THIS TRIUMPH OVER ME; so I will let them go.} In the first plague you said to me: Pray for me and I will let them go. Then I prayed, but you did not let them go. {(Exod. 8:5 [9], cont.:) FOR WHAT TIME SHALL I MAKE SUPPLICATION FOR YOU…?} Pharaoh said to him (in Exod. 9:27): [THIS TIME] I HAVE SINNED {AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD AND AGAINST YOU.} Now I will let them go. As soon as Moses heard this, what is written (in vs. 33)? SO LEAVING PHARAOH, MOSES WENT OUT OF THE CITY AND SPREAD OUT HIS HANDS UNTO THE LORD. <THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED>… See how dear the righteous are to the Holy One! For whatever they decide to do, the Holy One does <for them>. Our masters have said (in Ta'an. 3:8):¹¹⁸See also yTa‘an. 3:8–12 (66d-67a); Ta’an. 23a. Once upon a time Honi the Circle-Drawer prayed for rain to fall. He drew a circle and stood within it. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, your children have set their faces upon me, for here I am like a house child (i.e., a close friend) before you. I swear by your great name that I will not move from here until you have compassion upon your children. Immediately the rains came down. Now if Honi the Circle-Drawer, who was from the children of the children of Moses < could do> this, how much the more so in the case of Moses himself. Ergo (ibid.): THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED, [AND NO RAIN CAME POURING DOWN TO EARTH]. And where is it to be found? Our masters have said: It is suspended in the air¹¹⁹Gk.: aer. until Gog and Magog come.¹²⁰Exod. R. 12:7; cf. Ber. 54b. It is so stated (concerning Gog in Ezek. 38:22): AND I WILL POUR TORRENTIAL RAIN, HAILSTONES, <FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE UPON HIM AND HIS HOSTS AND THE MANY PEOPLES THAT ARE WITH HIM>.¹²¹On Gog and Magog, see above, note 68. Immediately (after Exod. 9:33 it says in vs. 34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT THE RAIN AND THE HAIL <AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, HE REVERTED TO SINNING.¹²²Tanh., Exod. 2:17. So it is with the wicked. When they see that trouble has come upon them, they humble themselves; but as soon as the trouble passes and one feels relief, they return to their evil deeds. When Nebuchadnezzar saw trouble come upon him, he began giving praise to the Holy One. (Dan. 4:34 [37]:) SO NOW I, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, PRAISE, EXALT, AND HONOR THE KING OF HEAVEN…. R. Berekhyah the Priest said in the name of R. Helbo, <who spoke> in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: Were it not for the fact that the Holy One judges the hearts and thoughts, would Nebuchadnezzar have given praise with one verse, just as David gave praise in his whole book? When Nebuchadnezzar saw himself <to have> greatness, he began to boast (in Dan. 4:1 [4] and 27 [30]): I <AM> NEBUCHADNEZZAR,… IS NOT THIS BABYLON THE GREAT < WHICH I HAVE BUILT >…? The Holy One said to him: You wicked man, what are you boasting about? (Vs. 28 [31]:) THE WORDS WERE STILL ON THE KING'S LIPS, <WHEN A VOICE FELL FROM HEAVEN…: THE KINGDOM HAS PASSED FROM YOU>…. As long as the wicked see trouble coming upon them they are humble. When they see that it is going <away>, they return to their wickedness. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 9:34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT <THE RAIN AND THE HAIL AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, <HE REVERTED TO SINNING>. The nations of the world continue to sin, but as for Israel (according to Lam. 4:22): YOUR INIQUITY IS ENDED, O DAUGHTER OF ZION. When? When he attends to the iniquity of the house of Edom, as stated (ibid., cont.): HE HAS ATTENDED TO YOUR INIQUITY, O DAUGHTER OF EDOM. From now on Israel shall never go into exile.¹²³Heb. golim. The word also connotes being exposed or uncovered. Rather the Holy One shall gather them to Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 107:2–3): LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO, THOSE WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED FROM THE HAND OF ADVERSITY; FOR HE HAS GATHERED THEM FROM THE LANDS, FROM THE EAST AND FROM THE WEST, FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE SEA.

It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum differ.¹¹⁷Tanh., Exod. 2:16; Exod. R. 12:6. R. Pinhas says: What is the meaning of BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE (rt.: 'PL)? The Holy One performed miracles (rt.: PL') through them. But R. Judah says: They were late crops. R. Pinhas said to him: But look, it is written (in Exod. 9:25): THE HAIL SMOTE EVERY HERB OF THE FIELD; yet you say: Because they were tiny they were not smitten. Rather the Holy One performed miracles through them. At that time, when Pharaoh saw this, he said to Moses: Pray for me. He said to him: {(Exod. 8:5 [9]:) YOU MAY HAVE THIS TRIUMPH OVER ME; so I will let them go.} In the first plague you said to me: Pray for me and I will let them go. Then I prayed, but you did not let them go. {(Exod. 8:5 [9], cont.:) FOR WHAT TIME SHALL I MAKE SUPPLICATION FOR YOU…?} Pharaoh said to him (in Exod. 9:27): [THIS TIME] I HAVE SINNED {AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD AND AGAINST YOU.} Now I will let them go. As soon as Moses heard this, what is written (in vs. 33)? SO LEAVING PHARAOH, MOSES WENT OUT OF THE CITY AND SPREAD OUT HIS HANDS UNTO THE LORD. <THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED>… See how dear the righteous are to the Holy One! For whatever they decide to do, the Holy One does <for them>. Our masters have said (in Ta'an. 3:8):¹¹⁸See also yTa‘an. 3:8–12 (66d-67a); Ta’an. 23a. Once upon a time Honi the Circle-Drawer prayed for rain to fall. He drew a circle and stood within it. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, your children have set their faces upon me, for here I am like a house child (i.e., a close friend) before you. I swear by your great name that I will not move from here until you have compassion upon your children. Immediately the rains came down. Now if Honi the Circle-Drawer, who was from the children of the children of Moses < could do> this, how much the more so in the case of Moses himself. Ergo (ibid.): THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED, [AND NO RAIN CAME POURING DOWN TO EARTH]. And where is it to be found? Our masters have said: It is suspended in the air¹¹⁹Gk.: aer. until Gog and Magog come.¹²⁰Exod. R. 12:7; cf. Ber. 54b. It is so stated (concerning Gog in Ezek. 38:22): AND I WILL POUR TORRENTIAL RAIN, HAILSTONES, <FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE UPON HIM AND HIS HOSTS AND THE MANY PEOPLES THAT ARE WITH HIM>.¹²¹On Gog and Magog, see above, note 68. Immediately (after Exod. 9:33 it says in vs. 34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT THE RAIN AND THE HAIL <AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, HE REVERTED TO SINNING.¹²²Tanh., Exod. 2:17. So it is with the wicked. When they see that trouble has come upon them, they humble themselves; but as soon as the trouble passes and one feels relief, they return to their evil deeds. When Nebuchadnezzar saw trouble come upon him, he began giving praise to the Holy One. (Dan. 4:34 [37]:) SO NOW I, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, PRAISE, EXALT, AND HONOR THE KING OF HEAVEN…. R. Berekhyah the Priest said in the name of R. Helbo, <who spoke> in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: Were it not for the fact that the Holy One judges the hearts and thoughts, would Nebuchadnezzar have given praise with one verse, just as David gave praise in his whole book? When Nebuchadnezzar saw himself <to have> greatness, he began to boast (in Dan. 4:1 [4] and 27 [30]): I <AM> NEBUCHADNEZZAR,… IS NOT THIS BABYLON THE GREAT < WHICH I HAVE BUILT >…? The Holy One said to him: You wicked man, what are you boasting about? (Vs. 28 [31]:) THE WORDS WERE STILL ON THE KING'S LIPS, <WHEN A VOICE FELL FROM HEAVEN…: THE KINGDOM HAS PASSED FROM YOU>…. As long as the wicked see trouble coming upon them they are humble. When they see that it is going <away>, they return to their wickedness. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 9:34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT <THE RAIN AND THE HAIL AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, <HE REVERTED TO SINNING>. The nations of the world continue to sin, but as for Israel (according to Lam. 4:22): YOUR INIQUITY IS ENDED, O DAUGHTER OF ZION. When? When he attends to the iniquity of the house of Edom, as stated (ibid., cont.): HE HAS ATTENDED TO YOUR INIQUITY, O DAUGHTER OF EDOM. From now on Israel shall never go into exile.¹²³Heb. golim. The word also connotes being exposed or uncovered. Rather the Holy One shall gather them to Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 107:2–3): LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO, THOSE WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED FROM THE HAND OF ADVERSITY; FOR HE HAS GATHERED THEM FROM THE LANDS, FROM THE EAST AND FROM THE WEST, FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE SEA.

It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum differ.¹¹⁷Tanh., Exod. 2:16; Exod. R. 12:6. R. Pinhas says: What is the meaning of BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE (rt.: 'PL)? The Holy One performed miracles (rt.: PL') through them. But R. Judah says: They were late crops. R. Pinhas said to him: But look, it is written (in Exod. 9:25): THE HAIL SMOTE EVERY HERB OF THE FIELD; yet you say: Because they were tiny they were not smitten. Rather the Holy One performed miracles through them. At that time, when Pharaoh saw this, he said to Moses: Pray for me. He said to him: {(Exod. 8:5 [9]:) YOU MAY HAVE THIS TRIUMPH OVER ME; so I will let them go.} In the first plague you said to me: Pray for me and I will let them go. Then I prayed, but you did not let them go. {(Exod. 8:5 [9], cont.:) FOR WHAT TIME SHALL I MAKE SUPPLICATION FOR YOU…?} Pharaoh said to him (in Exod. 9:27): [THIS TIME] I HAVE SINNED {AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD AND AGAINST YOU.} Now I will let them go. As soon as Moses heard this, what is written (in vs. 33)? SO LEAVING PHARAOH, MOSES WENT OUT OF THE CITY AND SPREAD OUT HIS HANDS UNTO THE LORD. <THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED>… See how dear the righteous are to the Holy One! For whatever they decide to do, the Holy One does <for them>. Our masters have said (in Ta'an. 3:8):¹¹⁸See also yTa‘an. 3:8–12 (66d-67a); Ta’an. 23a. Once upon a time Honi the Circle-Drawer prayed for rain to fall. He drew a circle and stood within it. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, your children have set their faces upon me, for here I am like a house child (i.e., a close friend) before you. I swear by your great name that I will not move from here until you have compassion upon your children. Immediately the rains came down. Now if Honi the Circle-Drawer, who was from the children of the children of Moses < could do> this, how much the more so in the case of Moses himself. Ergo (ibid.): THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED, [AND NO RAIN CAME POURING DOWN TO EARTH]. And where is it to be found? Our masters have said: It is suspended in the air¹¹⁹Gk.: aer. until Gog and Magog come.¹²⁰Exod. R. 12:7; cf. Ber. 54b. It is so stated (concerning Gog in Ezek. 38:22): AND I WILL POUR TORRENTIAL RAIN, HAILSTONES, <FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE UPON HIM AND HIS HOSTS AND THE MANY PEOPLES THAT ARE WITH HIM>.¹²¹On Gog and Magog, see above, note 68. Immediately (after Exod. 9:33 it says in vs. 34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT THE RAIN AND THE HAIL <AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, HE REVERTED TO SINNING.¹²²Tanh., Exod. 2:17. So it is with the wicked. When they see that trouble has come upon them, they humble themselves; but as soon as the trouble passes and one feels relief, they return to their evil deeds. When Nebuchadnezzar saw trouble come upon him, he began giving praise to the Holy One. (Dan. 4:34 [37]:) SO NOW I, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, PRAISE, EXALT, AND HONOR THE KING OF HEAVEN…. R. Berekhyah the Priest said in the name of R. Helbo, <who spoke> in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: Were it not for the fact that the Holy One judges the hearts and thoughts, would Nebuchadnezzar have given praise with one verse, just as David gave praise in his whole book? When Nebuchadnezzar saw himself <to have> greatness, he began to boast (in Dan. 4:1 [4] and 27 [30]): I <AM> NEBUCHADNEZZAR,… IS NOT THIS BABYLON THE GREAT < WHICH I HAVE BUILT >…? The Holy One said to him: You wicked man, what are you boasting about? (Vs. 28 [31]:) THE WORDS WERE STILL ON THE KING'S LIPS, <WHEN A VOICE FELL FROM HEAVEN…: THE KINGDOM HAS PASSED FROM YOU>…. As long as the wicked see trouble coming upon them they are humble. When they see that it is going <away>, they return to their wickedness. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 9:34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT <THE RAIN AND THE HAIL AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, <HE REVERTED TO SINNING>. The nations of the world continue to sin, but as for Israel (according to Lam. 4:22): YOUR INIQUITY IS ENDED, O DAUGHTER OF ZION. When? When he attends to the iniquity of the house of Edom, as stated (ibid., cont.): HE HAS ATTENDED TO YOUR INIQUITY, O DAUGHTER OF EDOM. From now on Israel shall never go into exile.¹²³Heb. golim. The word also connotes being exposed or uncovered. Rather the Holy One shall gather them to Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 107:2–3): LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO, THOSE WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED FROM THE HAND OF ADVERSITY; FOR HE HAS GATHERED THEM FROM THE LANDS, FROM THE EAST AND FROM THE WEST, FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE SEA.

It is written (in Exod. 9:32): BUT THE WHEAT AND THE SPELT WERE NOT HURT BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE. R. Pinhas bar Hama the Priest and R. Judah bar Shallum differ.¹¹⁷Tanh., Exod. 2:16; Exod. R. 12:6. R. Pinhas says: What is the meaning of BECAUSE THEY RIPEN LATE (rt.: 'PL)? The Holy One performed miracles (rt.: PL') through them. But R. Judah says: They were late crops. R. Pinhas said to him: But look, it is written (in Exod. 9:25): THE HAIL SMOTE EVERY HERB OF THE FIELD; yet you say: Because they were tiny they were not smitten. Rather the Holy One performed miracles through them. At that time, when Pharaoh saw this, he said to Moses: Pray for me. He said to him: {(Exod. 8:5 [9]:) YOU MAY HAVE THIS TRIUMPH OVER ME; so I will let them go.} In the first plague you said to me: Pray for me and I will let them go. Then I prayed, but you did not let them go. {(Exod. 8:5 [9], cont.:) FOR WHAT TIME SHALL I MAKE SUPPLICATION FOR YOU…?} Pharaoh said to him (in Exod. 9:27): [THIS TIME] I HAVE SINNED {AGAINST THE LORD YOUR GOD AND AGAINST YOU.} Now I will let them go. As soon as Moses heard this, what is written (in vs. 33)? SO LEAVING PHARAOH, MOSES WENT OUT OF THE CITY AND SPREAD OUT HIS HANDS UNTO THE LORD. <THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED>… See how dear the righteous are to the Holy One! For whatever they decide to do, the Holy One does <for them>. Our masters have said (in Ta'an. 3:8):¹¹⁸See also yTa‘an. 3:8–12 (66d-67a); Ta’an. 23a. Once upon a time Honi the Circle-Drawer prayed for rain to fall. He drew a circle and stood within it. He said to him: Sovereign of the World, your children have set their faces upon me, for here I am like a house child (i.e., a close friend) before you. I swear by your great name that I will not move from here until you have compassion upon your children. Immediately the rains came down. Now if Honi the Circle-Drawer, who was from the children of the children of Moses < could do> this, how much the more so in the case of Moses himself. Ergo (ibid.): THEN THE THUNDER AND THE HAIL CEASED, [AND NO RAIN CAME POURING DOWN TO EARTH]. And where is it to be found? Our masters have said: It is suspended in the air¹¹⁹Gk.: aer. until Gog and Magog come.¹²⁰Exod. R. 12:7; cf. Ber. 54b. It is so stated (concerning Gog in Ezek. 38:22): AND I WILL POUR TORRENTIAL RAIN, HAILSTONES, <FIRE, AND BRIMSTONE UPON HIM AND HIS HOSTS AND THE MANY PEOPLES THAT ARE WITH HIM>.¹²¹On Gog and Magog, see above, note 68. Immediately (after Exod. 9:33 it says in vs. 34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT THE RAIN AND THE HAIL <AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, HE REVERTED TO SINNING.¹²²Tanh., Exod. 2:17. So it is with the wicked. When they see that trouble has come upon them, they humble themselves; but as soon as the trouble passes and one feels relief, they return to their evil deeds. When Nebuchadnezzar saw trouble come upon him, he began giving praise to the Holy One. (Dan. 4:34 [37]:) SO NOW I, NEBUCHADNEZZAR, PRAISE, EXALT, AND HONOR THE KING OF HEAVEN…. R. Berekhyah the Priest said in the name of R. Helbo, <who spoke> in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman: Were it not for the fact that the Holy One judges the hearts and thoughts, would Nebuchadnezzar have given praise with one verse, just as David gave praise in his whole book? When Nebuchadnezzar saw himself <to have> greatness, he began to boast (in Dan. 4:1 [4] and 27 [30]): I <AM> NEBUCHADNEZZAR,… IS NOT THIS BABYLON THE GREAT < WHICH I HAVE BUILT >…? The Holy One said to him: You wicked man, what are you boasting about? (Vs. 28 [31]:) THE WORDS WERE STILL ON THE KING'S LIPS, <WHEN A VOICE FELL FROM HEAVEN…: THE KINGDOM HAS PASSED FROM YOU>…. As long as the wicked see trouble coming upon them they are humble. When they see that it is going <away>, they return to their wickedness. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 9:34): BUT WHEN PHARAOH SAW THAT <THE RAIN AND THE HAIL AND THE THUNDER> HAD CEASED, <HE REVERTED TO SINNING>. The nations of the world continue to sin, but as for Israel (according to Lam. 4:22): YOUR INIQUITY IS ENDED, O DAUGHTER OF ZION. When? When he attends to the iniquity of the house of Edom, as stated (ibid., cont.): HE HAS ATTENDED TO YOUR INIQUITY, O DAUGHTER OF EDOM. From now on Israel shall never go into exile.¹²³Heb. golim. The word also connotes being exposed or uncovered. Rather the Holy One shall gather them to Jerusalem, as stated (in Ps. 107:2–3): LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD SAY SO, THOSE WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED FROM THE HAND OF ADVERSITY; FOR HE HAS GATHERED THEM FROM THE LANDS, FROM THE EAST AND FROM THE WEST, FROM THE NORTH AND FROM THE SEA.

10 (Numb. 34:2) “When you come into the land of Canaan”: This text is related (to Jer. 2:31), “You, O generation, understand the word of the Lord! Have I been a desert (hmdbr, voweled as (hamidbar) to Israel…?” Do not read “a desert,” but “I was the Speaker (hmdbr, voweled as hamedabber)” to Israel. (Ibid., cont.) “[Or a land] of utter darkness (ma'pelyah)”: What is the meaning of “ma'pelyah (rt.: 'pl)?” Did I, perhaps, promise you to bring you into the land and [then] delay you? After all, ma'pelyah can only mean "delay," as stated (in Exod. 9:32), “But the wheat and the spelt were not hurt [because they ripen late] (i.e., are delayed, rt.: 'pl).”¹⁸Tanh. (Buber), Numb. 1:2. See, you will be entering into its midst, “When (according to Numb. 34:2) you come into the land of Canaan (kena'an).” What is the meaning of (kena'an? A land of business,¹⁹Gk.: pragmateia. a land of trade. [The usage is] just as you say (in Is. 23:8 with reference to Tyre), “[…] whose traders (kena'anim)²⁰Here the word usually translated CANAAN (Kena‘an) occurs in the sense of trader, as in Hos. 12:8. the world honored.”

Rabbi Eliezer said: In the hour of the death of Jacob he called to his son Joseph, and said to him: O my son! Swear to me by the covenant of circumcision that thou wilt take me up to the burial-place of my fathers in the land of Canaan to the Cave of Machpelah. The ancients used to swear by the covenant of circumcision prior to the giving of the Torah, as it is said, "Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh" (Gen. 47:29), and "he sware unto him" (Gen. 47:31). He kept (the oath) and did (accordingly), as it is said, "And he said, Swear unto me" (ibid.). And all the mighty men of the kingdom went up with him to bury him, and to show loving-kindness to Jacob his father, as it is said, "And Joseph went up to bury his father" (Gen. 50:7). The camp of Israel numbered 5040 (people). All the (people of the) land were bringing food on account of the famine to the camp of Joseph. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Ye have shown loving-kindness to Jacob, My servant, I also will give you your reward, and also unto your children in this world. When the Egyptians died in the Reed Sea they did not die in the water, but they were deemed worthy to be buried in the earth. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: Ye have submitted yourselves to the divine punishment; I also will give you a place of burial, as it is said, "Thou stretchedst forth thy right hand, the earth swallowed them" (Ex. 15:12).

Rabbi Nechunia, son of Haḳḳanah, said: Know thou the power of repentance. Come and see from Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who rebelled most grievously against the Rock, the Most High, as it is said, "Who is the Lord, that I should hearken unto his voice?" (Ex. 5:2). In the same terms of speech in which he sinned, he repented, as it is said "Who is like thee, O Lord, among the mighty?" (Ex. 15:11). The Holy One, blessed be He, delivered him from amongst the dead. Whence (do we know) that he died? Because it is said, "For now I had put forth my hand, and smitten thee" (Ex. 9:15). He went and ruled in Nineveh. The men of Nineveh were writing fraudulent deeds, and everyone robbed his neighbour, and they committed sodomy, and such-like wicked actions. When the Holy One, blessed be He, sent for Jonah, to prophesy against (the city) its destruction, Pharaoh hearkened and arose from his throne, rent his garments and clothed himself in sackcloth and ashes, and had a proclamation made to all his people, that all the people should fast for two days, || and all who did these (wicked) things should be burnt by fire. What did they do? The men were on one side, and the women on the other, and their children were by themselves; all the clean animals were on one side, and their offspring were by themselves. The infants saw the breasts of their mothers, (and they wished) to have suck, and they wept. The mothers saw their children, (and they wished) to give them suck. By the merit of 4123 children more than twelve hundred thousand men (were saved), as it is said, "And should not I have pity on Nineveh, that great city; wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?" (Jonah 4:11); "And the Lord repented of the evil, which he said he would do unto them" (Jonah 3:10). For forty years was the Holy One, blessed be He, slow to anger with them, corresponding to the forty days during which He had sent Jonah. After forty years they returned to their many evil deeds, more so than their former ones, and they were swallowed up like the dead, in the lowest Sheol, as it is said, "Out of the city of the dead they groan" (Job 24:12).

Rabbi Nechunia, son of Haḳḳanah, said: Know thou the power of repentance. Come and see from Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who rebelled most grievously against the Rock, the Most High, as it is said, "Who is the Lord, that I should hearken unto his voice?" (Ex. 5:2). In the same terms of speech in which he sinned, he repented, as it is said "Who is like thee, O Lord, among the mighty?" (Ex. 15:11). The Holy One, blessed be He, delivered him from amongst the dead. Whence (do we know) that he died? Because it is said, "For now I had put forth my hand, and smitten thee" (Ex. 9:15). He went and ruled in Nineveh. The men of Nineveh were writing fraudulent deeds, and everyone robbed his neighbour, and they committed sodomy, and such-like wicked actions. When the Holy One, blessed be He, sent for Jonah, to prophesy against (the city) its destruction, Pharaoh hearkened and arose from his throne, rent his garments and clothed himself in sackcloth and ashes, and had a proclamation made to all his people, that all the people should fast for two days, || and all who did these (wicked) things should be burnt by fire. What did they do? The men were on one side, and the women on the other, and their children were by themselves; all the clean animals were on one side, and their offspring were by themselves. The infants saw the breasts of their mothers, (and they wished) to have suck, and they wept. The mothers saw their children, (and they wished) to give them suck. By the merit of 4123 children more than twelve hundred thousand men (were saved), as it is said, "And should not I have pity on Nineveh, that great city; wherein are more than six score thousand persons that cannot discern between their right hand and their left hand; and also much cattle?" (Jonah 4:11); "And the Lord repented of the evil, which he said he would do unto them" (Jonah 3:10). For forty years was the Holy One, blessed be He, slow to anger with them, corresponding to the forty days during which He had sent Jonah. After forty years they returned to their many evil deeds, more so than their former ones, and they were swallowed up like the dead, in the lowest Sheol, as it is said, "Out of the city of the dead they groan" (Job 24:12).

And they read the book of Egyptian idols before the king, in order therein to find the name of ‎Jehovah, but they found it not. And his wise men spoke unto the king, saying: We have heard ‎that the God of the Hebrews is the son of wise men, of some of the former kings. And ‎Pharaoh said unto Moses and unto Aaron: I know not that Jehovah of whom you speak, nor ‎shall I send away his people. And they replied, saying unto the king: Jehovah, the God of gods, ‎is his name, and he hath called his name over us in the days of our ancestors, and he hath sent ‎us, saying: Go ye unto Pharaoh and say unto him, send away my people that they may serve ‎me. Now, therefore, send us away, that we go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, to ‎sacrifice unto him, for since the days of the going down to Egypt he hath not received from our ‎hands any offerings. But if thou wilt not send us, then his anger will kindle against thee and he ‎will smite all Egypt with pestilence or with the sword. And Pharaoh said unto them: Relate unto ‎me something concerning his power and might. And they said: He created the heaven and the ‎earth, and the seas with all their fishes, he produced the light and created the darkness, he ‎lets rain fall upon the earth to water it, and he causeth the grass and herbs to sprout, he ‎created man and cattle and the beasts of the forest, and the fowls of heaven and the fishes of ‎the sea; and by his mouth they live and die. Verily, he created thee in thy mother's womb, and ‎he gave unto thee the breath of life, and he made thee great and placed thee upon the ‎throne of Egypt's kingdom, and he will take from thee thy breath and thy soul, and return thee ‎to the ground whence thou hast been taken. And the anger of the king was kindled at their ‎words, and he said unto them: And who among all the gods of the nations could have made ‎my river, which I have made myself? And he drove them away from his presence, and he ‎commanded to make the labor of Israel heavier than yesterday or day before yesterday; and ‎Moses and Aaron went forth from the presence of Pharaoh. And they saw the children of ‎Israel in the evil that the task masters of Pharaoh had made their labor heavier than before, ‎and Moses returned unto the Lord and said: Wherefore hast thou so evil entreated this ‎people? For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to the children of ‎Israel. Then the Lord said unto Moses: Now shalt thou see that with a strong hand and under ‎terrible plagues, Pharaoh will drive the children of Israel out of this land.‎

But for all that the anger of the Lord did not turn from Egypt, and his arm was still outstretched ‎upon them, and he sent the pestilence to rage in Egypt amongst horses, and asses, and ‎camels, and oxen, and sheep, and man, and when the Egyptians rose up in the morning to ‎drive their cattle to pasture, they found it dead. And there remained only one out of ten of ‎the cattle of the Egyptians, but of the cattle belonging to the Israelites in Egypt not one died. ‎And God sent burning heat into the bodies of the Egyptians that their flesh burst and turned ‎into malignant sores on all the Egyptians from the soles of their feet to the crowns of their ‎heads, and they had ulcers all over their bodies that their flesh sloughed away in stench. But ‎the Lord’s anger did not turn for all this, and his hand was still outstretched upon Egypt, and he ‎sent a heavy hail storm which smote their vines, and injured their fruit trees, so that they dried ‎up and finally fell upon the people. And every green herb became blighted and destroyed, for ‎fire was mingled with the hail, and therefore the fire and hail consumed all things on the field, ‎also man and beast that were found in the streets, so that the villages became depopulated. ‎Then the Lord brought into Egypt all sorts of locusts in great numbers, and they devoured all ‎that was left after the hail. Then all the Egyptians were pleased with the locusts, although they ‎consumed all the productions of the field, for the Egyptians caught them in great numbers and ‎salted them for food; but the Lord turned a mighty sea wind which carried away all the locusts, ‎even those that were salted, and cast them into the Red Sea, and not a single locust remained ‎within the boundaries of Egypt. And the Lord sent darkness over Egypt, and the whole land of ‎Egypt was so dark for three days that a man could not see his hand when he put it even to his ‎mouth. In those days many of the children of Israel died, all those that had rebelled against the ‎Lord, and would not hearken unto Moses and believed not that God had sent him, and said: ‎We will not go away from Egypt to die of starvation in the barren wilderness. And the Lord ‎punished them in those days of darkness, and the children of Israel buried them in those days, ‎so that the Egyptians should not know and rejoice over them; and the darkness was so intense ‎in Egypt for three days, that any man who stood up when the darkness came had to remain ‎standing in his place, and he that was sitting had to remain sitting, and he that was lying had to ‎keep on lying, and he that was walking remained fixed to the ground, and thus it was with all ‎the Egyptians until the darkness had subsided.‎

(Moses) put his hand into his bosom, and brought it forth leprous like snow, and the magicians also put their hands in their bosoms, and brought them forth leprous like snow. But they were not healed till the day of their death. Every plague which the Holy One, blessed be He, brought upon them, they also produced every plague until He brought upon them the boils, and they were not able to stand and to do likewise, as it is said, "And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils" (Ex. 9:11).

Then Pharaoh, king of Egypt, approached Moses and Aaron and part of the children of Israel ‎that were with them in that place, and he entreated them, saying: Rise up and get you forth ‎from among my people, and take your brethren, all the children of Israel that are in the land, ‎with their sheep and oxen, and all belonging unto them, leave nothing here, but pray ye unto ‎the Lord in my behalf. And Moses said unto Pharaoh: Behold, thou art the first born of thy ‎mother, but fear thou not as thou shalt not die, for the Lord hath commanded that thou ‎shouldst live, in order to show unto thee his great might and his outstretched arm. And ‎Pharaoh commanded that all the children of Israel be sent away, and the Egyptians were ‎urgent upon the people to send them away in haste, for they said: We be all dead men. And all ‎the Egyptians sent the children of Israel away with great riches, with sheep, and oxen, and ‎valuables, according to the oath of our Lord between him and Abraham our father. But the ‎children of Israel were unwilling to depart at night, and when the Egyptians came to cause ‎them to leave they said unto them: Are we thieves to leave at night? And the children of Israel ‎asked of the Egyptians jewels of silver and jewels of gold and raiment, and they spoiled the ‎Egyptians. And Moses hastened and brought up from the river of Egypt the coffin of Joseph, ‎and he took it with him, and the children of Israel brought up likewise every one of them the ‎coffins of his ancestors, and the coffins of the tribe of his people. And the children of Israel ‎from Rameses to Succoth, about six hundred thousand on foot that were men, beside their ‎children and wives. And a mixed multitude went up also with them, and flocks and herds, even ‎very much cattle. Now the sojourning of the children of Israel who dwelt in Egypt in servitude ‎was two hundred and ten years, and at the end of two hundred and ten years the Lord ‎delivered them from Egypt with a strong hand, and the children of Israel journeyed from ‎Egypt, and from Goshen and from Rameses, and they encamped in Succoth on the fifteenth ‎day of the first month. And the Egyptians buried all the first born whom the Lord had slain, and ‎the Egyptians buried their dead for three days. And the children of Israel journeyed from ‎Succoth and encamped in Etham, at the end of the wilderness. And on the third day, after the ‎Egyptians had buried all their first born, many men among the Egyptians rose up and they ‎went after the children of Israel to bring them back into Egypt, for they were sorry to have ‎sent away the children of Israel from their servitude, and they said to each other: Surely, ‎Moses and Aaron spoke unto Pharaoh, saying: Only a three days journey will we go into the ‎wilderness, and we will bring sacrifices to the Lord our God. Let us therefore rise up in the ‎morning to bring them back, and if they actually return unto Egypt to their masters, then will ‎we know that there is faith in them, but should they refuse to return, then we will cause them ‎to come back, with great force and with a powerful arm.‎

(Bamidbar 15:37-38) "And the L-rd spoke to Moses, saying … and they shall make for themselves tzitzith": Women, too, are included (in the mitzvah of tzitzith.) R. Shimon exempts women from tzitzith, it being a time-based (only in the daytime) positive commandment, from which women are exempt, this being the principle: R. Shimon said: Women are exempt from all time-based positive commandments. R. Yehudah b. Bava said: Of a certainty, the sages exempted a woman's veil from tzitzith, and they are required in a wrap only because sometimes her husband covers himself with it. "tzitzith": "tzitzith" is something which "protrudes" ("yotzeh") somewhat. And the elders of Beth Shammai and those of Beth Hillel have already entered the upper chamber of Yonathan b. Betheira and declared: Tzitzith have no prescribed size. And they declared, similarly: A lulav has no prescribed size. "and they shall make for themselves tzitzith." I might think that one string suffices; it is, therefore, written (Devarim 22:12) "Fringes (shall you make for yourself.") How many fringes? Not fewer than three. These are the words of Beth Hillel. Beth Shammai say: Three of wool and the fourth of tcheleth (blue linen). And the halachah is in accordance with Beth Shammai. When is this so (that a minimum size is required)? In the beginning (of its attachment). But for what is left over or lopped off any size (is sufficient). (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "and they shall make for themselves tzitzith." I might think that all of it shall be tzitzith; it is, therefore, written "fringes." If "fringes," I might think all of it shall be fringes. It is, therefore, written "tzitzith." How is this (to be implemented)? That its fringes protrude from the corner (of the garment), and tzitzith from the fringes. "in the corners of their garments": I might think, even garments that are three-cornered, five-cornered, six-cornered, seven-cornered, and eight-cornered; it is, therefore, written (Devarim, Ibid.) "on the four corners of your garment," to exclude the aforementioned. And whence is it derived that pillows and covers are (also) excluded (from tzitzith)? From (Ibid.) "wherewith you cover yourself." If from there, I would think that night-clothes are also included (as requiring tzitzith). It is, therefore, written (Bamidbar, Ibid. 39) "and you shall see it" — in the daytime and not at night. And if it were intended both for day and night, it requires tzitzith. I might think that this excludes both the above and the garment of a blind man; it is, therefore, written (Bamidbar, Ibid. 39) "And it shall be for you for tzitzith" — in any event (i.e., to include a blind man). (Ibid. 38) "and they shall place on the tzitzith (on) the corner a strand of tcheleth": spun and doubled. This tells me only of the tcheleth, that it is to be spun and doubled. Whence do I derive (the same for) the white (i.e., the wool)? You derive it by induction, viz.: Since the Torah said: "place" tcheleth and "place" white, just as tcheleth is spun and doubled, so, white is spun and doubled. "and they shall place": on the place of the weaving (i.e., the corner of the garment), and not on the place of the "growing" (i.e., the strands at the corner of the garment). If he did place it on the site of the "growing," it is (nonetheless) kasher. R. Eliezer b. Yaakov includes it both on the "growing" and on the very edge of the garment, it being written "on the corners of their garments." "and they shall place on the tzitzith (on) the corner": What is the intent of this? From "and they shall make for themselves tzitzith, I might think that he should weave it (the tzitzith) together with it (the garment; it is, therefore, written "and they shall place." How so? He ties it (the tzitzith) together with it (the garment). (Ibid. 39) "And it shall be to you for tzitzith": The four tzitzith are mutually inclusive (i.e., in the absence of one there is no mitzvah), the four being one mitzvah. R. Yishmael says: They are four mitzvoth. R. Elazar b. R. Shimon says: Why is it called "tcheleth"? Because the Egyptians were "bereaved" ("nitkelu" [like "tcheleth"]) of their first-born, viz. (Shemot 12:29) "And it was in the middle of the night, that the L-rd smote every first-born, etc." Variantly: Because the Egyptians were "destroyed" ("kalu") in the Red Sea. Why is it called "tzitzith"? Because the L-rd "looked" ("hetzith") over our fathers' houses in Egypt, as it is written (Song of Songs 2:9) "The voice of My Beloved, behold, it is coming … My Beloved is like a gazelle or a young hart … Behold, He stands behind our wall, looking through the windows, peering through the lattices." R. Chanina b. Antignos says: One who fulfills the mitzvah of tzitzith, what is said of him? (Zechariah 8:23) "In these days it will happen that ten men, of all the languages of the nations will take hold of the corner (i.e., of the tzitzith) of a Jewish man, saying 'Let us go with you, for we have heard that G-d is with you!'" And one who nullifies the mitzvah of "the corner," what is said of him? (Iyyov 38:13) "to take hold of the corners of the earth and to shake the wicked from it!" R. Meir says: It is not written (Bamidbar, Ibid. 39) "And you shall see them" (the tzitzith), but "And you shall see Him." Scripture hereby apprises us that if one fulfills the mitzvah of tzitzith, it is reckoned unto him as if he beheld the face of the Shechinah. For tcheleth is reminiscent of (the color of) the sea; the sea, of the firmament; and the firmament, of the Throne of Glory, as it is written (Ezekiel 1:26) "And above the firmament that was over their heads … (28) the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the L-rd." (Bamidbar, Ibid.) "and you shall see and you shall remember": See this mitzvah and remember another mitzvah, (which is contingent upon it.) Which is that? The recitation of the Shema — But perhaps (the reference is to) one of all the other mitzvoth of the Torah. It is, therefore, written (in the section of tzitzith, Ibid. 41) "I am the L-rd your G-d," which you find to be written only in (the section of) the recitation of the Shema. "and you shall remember": Remember (i.e., recite) the section with your mouth. I might think that the section "vehaya im shamoa" (Devarim 11:13-21) should precede all of the sections. — Would you say that? The section of Shema (Devarim 6:4-9), which contains acceptance of the yoke of the kingdom of Heaven should precede "vehaya im shamoa," which contains acceptance of the yoke of mitzvoth, and "vehaya im shamoa," which obtains both in the daytime and at night, should precede the section of tzitzith ("vayomer" [Bamidbar 15:37-41]), which obtains only in the daytime. And perhaps he should recite three (sections) in the evening as he does in the daytime. It is, therefore, written (of tzitzith [Bamidbar 15:39]) "and you shall see it" — in the daytime and not at night. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: The section of Shema, which contains (the mitzvah of) learning (Torah), should precede "vehaya im shamoa," which speaks only of teaching. And "vehaya im shamoa" should precede the section of tzitzith, which is only to do (i.e., the final stage). For thus was Torah given: to learn and to teach, to keep and to do: "And you shall see it, and you shall remember (all the mitzvoth of the L-rd, and you shall do them."): Now does this not follow a fortiori, viz.: If one who fulfills the mitzvah of tzitzith, (which is only a sign and a remembrance towards the doing of mitzvoth,) is accounted as one who has fulfilled all of the mitzvoth, how much more so (is this true of) one who (actively) performs (any one of) all the mitzvoth of the Torah! "And you shall not go astray after your hearts": This is heresy, as it is written (Koheleth 7:26) "And I find more bitter than death 'the woman' (heresy), whose heart is snares and nets. Her hands are bonds. The good before G-d shall escape her." "and after your eyes": This is harlotry, as it is written (Judges 14:3) "Take her for me, for she is just in my eyes." "after which you go astray": This is idolatry, as it is written (Ibid. 8:33) "and they went astray after the ba'alim." R. Nathan says: that one not "drink" in this "cup" (i.e., his own wife), and cast his gaze at the "cup" of another. Variantly: "And you shall not go astray after your hearts and after your eyes": This teaches us that the eyes follow the heart. — But perhaps the heart follows the eyes! Would you say that? Are there not blind men who commit all the abominations in the world? What, then, is the intent of "And you shall not go astray after your hearts, etc."? That the eyes follow the heart. R. Yishmael says: "And you shall not go astray after your hearts": What is the intent of this? From (Koheleth 11:9) "Rejoice young man in your youth (… and walk in the ways of your heart"), (I would not know whether) in a way that is straight or in (any) way that you like; it is, therefore, written "And you shall not go astray after your hearts." (Ibid. 40) "So that you remember and you do (all of My mitzvoth): This equates remembering with doing. "and you shall be holy to your G-d": This refers to the holiness of all of the mitzvoth. You say the holiness of (all the) mitzvoth, but perhaps the holiness of tzitzith (is intended). — Would you say that? What is the (general) context? The holiness of all the mitzvoth. Rebbi says: The reference is to the holiness of tzitzith. You say the holiness of tzitzith, but perhaps the holiness of all the mitzvoth is intended. — (Vayikra 19:2) "Holy shall you be" already refers to the holiness of all the mitzvoth. How, then, am I to understand "and you shall be holy to your G-d"? As referring to the holiness of tzitzith — whence it is seen that tzitzith add holiness to Israel. (Ibid. 41) "I am the L-rd your G-d, who took you out of the land of Egypt.": Why is this mentioned here? So that one not say: I will take imitation-dyed threads (and attach them to my garment) as tcheleth, and who will know the difference? If (within the framework of) the measure of punishment, the lesser measure (of the L-rd) — if one sins in secret, He exposes him in public, (as He did in Egypt), then, (within the framework of) the measure of good, the greater measure (of the L-rd) — how much more so (does this hold true)! Variantly: Why is the exodus from Egypt mentioned in connection with every mitzvah? An analogy: The son of a king's loved one was taken captive. When he (the king) redeems him, he redeems him not as a son, but as a servant, so that if he (the son) does not accept his decree, he can say to him "You are my servant!" When they enter the province, he (the king) says to him: Put on my sandals and carry my things before me to the bath-house. The son begins to object, whereupon the king presents him with his writ (of servitude) and says to him: "You are my servant!" Thus, when the Holy One Blessed be He redeemed the seed of His loved one, He did not redeem them as "sons," but as servants, so that if they reject His decree He says to them: "You are My servants!" When they went to the desert, He began to decree upon them some "light" mitzvoth and some formidable ones, such as Shabbath, illicit relations, tzitzith, and tefillin, and Israel began to object — whereupon He said to them: "You are My servants! On that condition I redeemed you; on condition that I decree and you fulfill!" "I am the L-rd your G-d": Why is this stated again? Is it not already written (Shemot 20:2) "I am the L-rd your G-d who took you out of the land of Egypt"? Why state it again? So that Israel not say: Why did the L-rd command us (to do mitzvoth)? Is it not so that we do them and receive reward? We shall not do them and we shall not receive reward! As Israel said (Ezekiel 20:1) "There came to me (Ezekiel) men of the elders of Israel to make inquiry of the L-rd, and they sat before me." They said to him: A servant whose Master has sold him, does he not leave His domain? Ezekiel: Yes. They: Since the L-rd has sold us to the nations, we have left His domain. Ezekiel: A servant whose Master has sold him in order to return, does he leave His domain? (Ibid. 32-33) "And what enters your minds, it shall not be, your saying: We will be like the nations, like the families of the lands, to serve wood and stone. As I live, says the L-rd G-d. I swear to you that I will rule over you with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath!" "with a strong hand": pestilence, as it is written (in that regard, Shemot 9:3) "Behold, the hand of the L-rd is in your cattle, etc." "with an outstretched arm": the sword, as it is written (I Chronicles 21:16) "with his (the angel's) sword drawn in his hand, stretched over Jerusalem." "and with outpoured wrath": famine. After I bring these three calamities upon you, one after the other, I will rule over you perforce!

"And the waters will came back and cover the chariot and the horsemen" (Exodus 14:26) And even Par'oh, according to Rabi Yehuda, as it says "the chariots of Phar'oh and his army" (15:4). Rabi Natan says Par'oh was the exception, since we have this verse about him: "maybe for this I made you stand up"(Exodus 9:16). And there are those who say that at the end Par'oh went down and drowned, as it says "and the horse of Par'oh came" (Exodus 15:19). "And the children of Israel went into the sea in dry ground" - the angels of service were astounded, saying: 'the children of Israel, idolaters that they are, are coming on dry land?!' And from where do we know that even the sea was filled with rage from Above? Because the text says "and the waters were like rage to them" [since the vav is missing to the word chomah, wall, it can be read as chema, rage; so you can re-read the verse as "the water was like anger on their right and on their left"]. And what caused them to be saved from their right and their left? From the right, it was Torah, which they would receive later on, as it says "From His right, [He gave] a fiery law to them". And left? This is tefilin.

(Devarim, Ibid.) "with a strong hand": This is the pestilence, as it is written (Shemoth 9:3) "Behold, the hand of the L-rd is in your cattle in the field … a very sore pestilence."