Midrasz do Rodzaju 12:1

And the Lord said unto Abram: “Get thee out of thy country” (Gen. 12:1). May it please our master to teach us whether an Israelite is permitted to take upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom (i.e., to recite the Shema) while traveling? R. Idi and R. Huna said in the name of R. Judah, and R. Yosé said in the name of R. Samuel: An Israelite is forbidden to take upon himself the yoke of the heavenly kingdom while traveling. He is required to stand still, directing his heart heavenward in trepidation and fear, in trembling and reverence, while proclaiming the oneness of God: Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One (Deut. 6:4). He must speak each word with heartfelt sincerity, and then (add the benediction) “Blessed be His name, whose glorious kingdom is forever and ever.”¹Cf. Y. Berakhot 13b, Buber Tanhuma, Lekh Lekha 1. However, when he commences the portion “And thou shalt love the Lord thy God,” he may either walk or stand or sit, as he desires, for it is written: When thou sittest in thy house, when thou goest on thy way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up (Deut. 6:7).

(Gen. 12:1:) NOW THE LORD SAID UNTO ABRAM: GO…. {Let our masters teach} [Let our master instruct us]: What does it mean for one to take upon himself the Kingdom of Heaven (i.e., recite the Shema' while he is walking?¹yBer. 2:1 (4a); cf. Ber. 13b; Tanh., Gen. 3:1. Rav Idi and Rav Huna in the name of R. Jose bar Judah said in the name of R. Samuel:²Since R. Jose bar Judah flourished somewhat earlier than R. Samuel, the text here presents a chronological problem. Variant readings to this text represent attempts at a solution. It is forbidden for a person to take upon oneself the yoke of the Kingdom of Heaven while he is walking. Rather let him stand < still > upon his feet and give the recitation of the Shema'. Then, when he arrives at "Blessed be the name of his glorious majesty forever and ever," let him immediately begin to walk < while > reciting the We'ahavta (= Deut. 6:5) with no fear (of sinning). You find that whoever is meticulous about the commandments receives much reward. Now Abraham was meticulous about the commandments.³On Abraham keeping the Mosaic Law, see Syriac Baruch 57:1-2; cf. Jubilees 23:10; Damascus Document (CD) 3:2; Qid. 4:14; Yoma 28b; Ned. 32a (bar.); Gen. R. 49:2; 95:3; also below, 3:14. R. Aha said in the name of R. Alexandri and R. Samuel bar Nahmani in the name of R. Jonathan: They even kept eruvim of cooked foods in Abraham's house,⁴Yoma 28b; Gen. R. 49:2; 64:4; M. Pss. 1:13. as stated (in Gen. 26:5): BECAUSE ABRAHAM HEEDED MY VOICE [AND KEPT MY CHARGE: MY COMMANDMENTS, MY STATUTES, AND MY TORAHS]. But is there not a single Torah? < The plural usage here > simply < indicates > that he was meticulous with all commandments which are in < oral and written > Torah.⁵See below, 3:14; 11:12. The Holy One said: You are meticulous with my commandments; so should you dwell with those who serve idols? Go out from among them. {Thus it is stated} [Where is it shown? Where they read on the matter] (in Gen. 12:1): NOW THE LORD SAID UNTO ABRAM: GO.

(10) R. Isaac said: "A year which is poor (Israel appears humble) in the beginning, will be rich in the end (Israel's request will be granted). What is the reason for it? For it is written (Deut. 11, 12) From the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year; i.e., there are two parts in a year, the beginning and the end." (Ib. b) K. Isaac said again: "A man is judged only according to his deeds at the time of sentence; as it is said (Gen. 21, 17) God heard the voice of the lad, as he then was." Another thing R. Isaac said: "Three things cause a man's record of sins to be recalled. Three occasions cause the sins of man to be brought to mind: a threatening wall, calculating during prayer, and one who appeals to the Lord for judgment on his neighbor; for R. Chanin said: 'Whoever appeals to the Lord for judgment on his neighbor is first punished; as we find in the case of Sarah, who said (Gen. 16, 5) I suffer wrong through thee, may the Lord judge between me and thee. And shortly after this we read (Ib. 23, 2) And Abraham came to mourn Sarah and to weep for her.'" Another thing said R. Isaac: "Four things cause an evil decree which is passed on man to be torn (annulled). They are charity, prayer, change of name and change of conduct: Charity, as it is written (Prov. 10, 2) Charity delivereth from death; prayer, as it is WTitten (Ps. 97, 19) They cry unto the Lord when they are in distress, and He saveth them out of their afflictions; change of name, as it is written (Gen. 17, 15) As for Sarai, thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be: and the text continues saying: Then will I bless her, and give thee a son also, because of her change of conduct; as it is written (Jonah 3, 10) And God saw their works that they had turned from their evil ways; and immediately following: And God bethought Himself of the evil He had said He would do unto them, and He did it not." Some add also the change of location; as it is said (Gen. 12, 1-2) And God said to Abraham, get thee out from thy land [and afterwards] I will make of thee a great nation. But the former authority claims that the latter one was on account of the merits of the land of Israel.

Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house into a land that I ‎will show thee, to give it unto thee and unto thy seed after thee? For there, in that land I will ‎bless thee and there I will make thee unto a great nation and I will make thy name great, and ‎through thee all the families of the earth shall be blessed. And now arise and get thee out of ‎this place, thou and thy wife and all belonging to thee, be they born in thy house or acquired in ‎the land of Haran, and return at once to Canaan. And Abram arose and took his wife and all ‎belonging to him, and all his people, whether born in his house or acquired in Haran, and he ‎prepared to go unto the land of Canaan. And Abram went and returned unto the land of ‎Canaan according to the word of God, and Lot his brother's son went with him. And Abram was ‎seventy-five years of age when he left Haran to return into Canaan. And Abram returned unto ‎the land of Canaan according to the commandment of the Lord unto him. And Abram pitched ‎his tent and dwelt in the grove Moreh, and Lot his brother's son, and all belonging unto him ‎dwelt with him. And the Lord again appeared unto Abram saying: Unto thy children I will give ‎this land. And Abram again built an altar unto the Lord who appeared unto him, and that altar is ‎still in the grove of Moreh even to this day. And there was at that time in the land of Shinar a ‎man of great learning and wisdom, and he was versed in all sorts of knowledge, but the man ‎was poor and utterly destitute, and the name of that man was Rikayon. And his mind was ‎greatly troubled concerning his living and he concluded to go unto Ashvirosh, son of Tenos, ‎king of Egypt, to show his great wisdom unto the king, perhaps that he might find grace in the ‎eyes of the king, and the king would make him great and give him the means of supporting ‎himself. And Rikayon did accordingly. And when Rikayon came unto the land of Egypt, he ‎inquired of the people concerning their king, and the people acquainted him with the manners ‎of their king. For it was then the custom in Egypt, that the king would not leave his chamber ‎which was in the royal palace, to be seen in the land, more than one day in each year, and ‎after having shown himself for one day he would sit to judge all the people, and every man ‎that had a favor to ask of the king, the king would grant it on that day. And Rikayon, having ‎heard of the customs of the Egyptians, and that he could not make his appearance before the ‎king, was greatly troubled.‎

[(Gen. 12:1:) NOW THE LORD SAID UNTO ABRAM: GO.] R. Berekhyah the Priest opened < his teaching > (with Cant. 8:8): WE HAVE A LITTLE SISTER. How does the text speak about Abraham? In that, when Nimrod cast him into the midst of the fiery furnace,⁶Gen. R. 38:13; 39:3; 44:13; Cant. R. 8:8:2; Tanh., Gen. 3:2. This tradition is based on Gen 15:17, with UR (‘ur) OF THE CHALDEES understood as FIRE (‘ur) OF THE CHALDEES. up to that time the Holy One had performed no miracles for him. The ministering angels said to the Holy One: Sovereign of the World, behold, Nimrod has cast Abraham into the midst of the fiery furnace! R. Eliezer haQappar said: WE HAVE A LITTLE SISTER. < The passage > speaks of one who rends asunder < a garment in mourning > and does not sew < it > together Abraham, < however >, sewed the world together before the Holy One. Since up to then he had no children, for that reason it (Cant. 8:8) called him "SISTER." (Cant. 8:8, cont.:) WHAT SHALL WE DO FOR OUR SISTER [IN THE DAY THAT SHE IS SPOKEN FOR]? On the day that Nimrod said to throw him into the midst of the fiery furnace, the Holy One said to the ministering angels (in vs. 9): IF SHE IS A WALL, WE SHALL BUILD UPON HER A SILVER TURRET. [If he gives his life for the sanctification of the name (i.e., in martyrdom), we shall build upon it (his life) a silver turret.] (Vs. 9, cont.:) AND IF SHE IS A DOOR (DLT), WE SHALL ENCLOSE HER IN A CEDAR PANEL. If he is too wretched (DL)⁷DL corresponds to the first two letters of the Hebrew DLT, which means “door.” to give his life for the sanctification of my name, WE SHALL ENCLOSE (rt.: TsUR) HER IN CEDAR PANEL. Just as a picture (rt.: TsUR) which is on a panel is easy to erase, so it is easy for him to perish from the world when I am not looking after him. Abraham said (in vs. 10): I AM A WALL. I am giving my life for the sanctification of your name. Straightway he gave his life. How? His father, Terah, was serving idols [and worshiping them]. The Holy One said to him. These are idolaters; yet you are residing among them. (Gen. 12:1:) GO FROM YOUR < NATIVE > LAND.

(Gen. 47:29:) THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR…. This text is related (to I Chron. 29:15): FOR WE ARE SOJOURNERS BEFORE YOU AND TRANSIENTS LIKE ALL OUR ANCESTORS; {FOR} OUR DAYS UPON EARTH ARE [LIKE] A SHADOW, AND THERE IS NO HOPE.⁴Gen. R. 96:2; Tanh., Gen. 12:1. And < they are > not like the shadow of a wall or like the shadow of a tree. Rather they are like the shadow of a bird, as stated (in Ps. 144:4): {OUR} [HIS] DAYS ARE LIKE A PASSING SHADOW.⁵Eccl. R. 1:2:1. (I Chron. 29:15, end:) AND THERE IS NO HOPE: There is no one who does not expect to die. All know that they are going to die. Abraham said (in Gen. 15:2): FOR I AM GOING (i.e., dying) CHILDLESS. Isaac said (in Gen. 27:4): BEFORE I DIE. Jacob said (in Gen. 47:30): WHEN I SLEEP WITH MY ANCESTORS. When? When he was on the point of death (according to Gen. 47:29): THEN, WHEN THE DAYS FOR ISRAEL TO DIE DREW NEAR.

(Numb. 13:2:) “Send men.” R. Aha the Great opened [his discourse] (with Is. 40:8), “Grass withers, flowers fade, but the word of our God shall stand forever.”⁷Numb. R. 16:3. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a friend. Now he made an agreement with him and said to him, “Come with me, and I will give you a present.” He went with him but died. The king said to the son of his friend, “Although your father has died, I am not withdrawing the present that I had promised to give him. Come and get it.” This king is the Holy One, blessed be He, and the friend is Abraham, as stated (in Is. 41:8), “the seed of My friend Abraham.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Come with me,” as stated (in Gen. 12:1), “Go from your land….” He made an agreement with him to give him the Land of Canaan as a present, as stated (in Gen. 13:17), “Arise, walk about the land [… for I am giving it to you].” It also says (in vs. 15), “For all the land which you see, [to you will I give it, and to your seed forever].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Although the ancestors have died, I had agreed with them to give them the land. I am not going back on [My word].” Instead (as in Numb. 13:2), “Send men.” Ergo (according to Is. 40:8), “but the word of our God shall stand forever.”

Another interpretation (of Gen. 12:1): GO. This text is related (to Ps. 45:11 [10]): HEAR, O DAUGHTER, TAKE NOTE, AND INCLINE YOUR EAR: FORGET YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR FATHER'S HOUSE.⁸Tanh., Gen. 3:3; cf. Gen. R. 39:1. HEAR, O DAUGHTER, TAKE NOTE: This refers to Abraham. AND FORGET YOUR PEOPLE AND YOUR FATHER'S HOUSE: This refers to the idolaters, as stated (in Jer. 2:27): THEY SAY TO A TREE: YOU ARE MY FATHER. (Ps. 45:12 [11]) AND THE KING WILL DESIRE YOUR BEAUTY. This refers to the Supreme King of Kings, the Holy One, < who takes pleasure in > ⁹The reading follows the traditional Tanhuma. adorning you in the world. R. Abbin said: {(ibid.): BECAUSE HE IS YOUR LORD, BOW DOWN TO HIM.} Now what did Abraham resemble?¹⁰Cf. Gen. R. 39:2. A vial of persimmon¹¹Gk.: balsamon. when it has been set in a graveyard. Then no one would know what its aroma was. What did a certain one do? He took it and moved it from place to place, < so that > its aroma began to disperse abroad. Similarly Abraham was dwelling among those who served idols. The Holy One said to him: Why are you residing among the wicked? Go out from among them, and make your good works known abroad. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 12:1): GO.

(Numb. 13:2:) SEND MEN…. R. Aha the Great opened (with Is. 40:8): GRASS WITHERS, FLOWERS FADE, BUT THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOREVER.⁷Tanh., Numb. 4:3; Numb. R. 16:3. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a friend. Now he made an agreement with him and said to him: Come with me, and I will give you a present. He went with him but died. The king said to the son of his friend: Although your father has died, I am not withdrawing the present that I had promised to give him. Come and get it. This king is the Holy One, and the friend is Abraham, as stated (in Is. 41:8): THE SEED OF MY FRIEND ABRAHAM. The Holy One said to him: Come with me, as stated (in Gen. 12:1): GO FROM YOUR LAND. He made an agreement with him to give him a present, as stated (in Gen. 13:17): ARISE, WALK ABOUT THE LAND […], FOR I AM GIVING IT TO YOU. It also says (in vs. 15): FOR ALL THE LAND WHICH YOU SEE, TO YOU WILL I GIVE IT, [AND TO YOUR SEED FOREVER]. The Holy One said to Moses: Although I had agreed with the ancestors to give them the land, and even though they have died, I am not going back on <my word>. Instead (according to Is. 40:8): BUT THE WORD OF OUR GOD SHALL STAND FOR EVER.

Rabbi Yoḥanan interpreted the verse regarding Abraham our patriarch. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Go you from your land, from your birthplace” (Genesis 12:1), to what was it analogous? To a flask of balsam oil that was placed in one corner and its fragrance did not diffuse. One came and moved it from its place and its fragrance diffused. So, too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘Abraham, you have many good deeds, you have many mitzvot, move yourself around in the world and your name will be exalted in the world.’ “Go, you,” what is written thereafter? “I will render you a great nation” (Genesis 12:2).
“Therefore, young women love you.” The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Here are many young women,’ as it is written: “Abram took Sarai his wife, Lot his nephew, all the property that they acquired, and the souls that they made in Ḥaran” (Genesis 12:5).¹⁴⁹The allusion to young women is derived from “the souls that they made in Haran.” But is it not so, that if the whole world were to gather to create a single mosquito, they would be unable to create it? Rather, these are the proselytes that Abraham and Sarah proselytized.¹⁵⁰The reference to souls alludes to the fact that Abraham and Sarah proselytized both men and women. That is why it is stated: “And the souls that they made in Ḥaran.” Rabbi Ḥonya said: Abraham would proselytize the men and Sarah, the women. Why does the verse state: “That they made in Ḥaran”? It teaches that Abraham our patriarch would bring them into his house, feed them, give them drink, befriend them, and draw them near under the wings of the Divine Presence. You learn that anyone who brings a single person into the midst of the wings of the Divine Presence, the verse ascribes to him as though he created him, formed him, and molded him.
Rabbi Berekhya said: Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, from the fact that You bring light to the world, Your name is exalted in the world. What is the light? It is salvation, as when You bring us light, many proselytes come and convert and join us, such as Yitro and Raḥav. Yitro heard and came; Raḥav heard and came.’ Rabbi Ḥanina said: When the Holy One blessed be He performed a miracle for Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, many proselytes converted, as it is written: “For upon his seeing his children, My handiwork, in his midst, they will sanctify My name” (Isaiah 29:23). What is written thereafter? “Those of misguided spirit will gain understanding” (Isaiah 29:24).
Another matter, “therefore, the young women love you,”because You gave us the plunder of Egypt, the plunder of the sea, the plunder of Siḥon and Og, and the plunder of the thirty-one kings. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women [alamot] love you,” because You obscured [shehe’elamta] from them the day of death and the day of consolation, they love You. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” with youthfullness and alacrity. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” these are the penitents. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” this is the third group, as it is stated: “I will bring the third through the fire, and I will refine them like the refining of [silver]” (Zechariah 13:9). Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” these are the proselytes; that is what is written: “Lord, I heard Your renown; I was afraid, Lord; your deeds are in the midst of the years…” (Habakkuk 3:2). Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” this is the generation of persecution, as it is stated: “For we are killed all day long for You; we are considered as sheep for slaughter” (Psalms 44:23).¹⁵¹Accordingly, the term young maidens [alamot] is related to al mut, beyond death. Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” this is Israel, as it is stated: “Rather, it is from the Lord’s love of you, and from His observance of the oath…” (Deuteronomy 7:8).¹⁵²This verse states that God loves Israel, not that Israel loves God. The midrash may be citing this verse as an introduction to the following one, which states that God “keeps covenant and mercy with those that love him” (Deuteronomy 7:9), indicating that Israel loves God (Etz Yosef). Alternatively, “therefore, the young women love you,” because you obscured from them the reward of the righteous.¹⁵³Therefore, when they perform mitzvot, it is an expression of love of God, rather than in order to receive reward (Yefei Kol).
As Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Ḥelbo said: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to render Himself the head of the circle for the righteous in the future. What is the reason? “Direct your heart to its ramparts [leḥeila]” (Psalms 48:14); a circle [leḥola] is written,¹⁵⁴In fact, the word is written leḥeila, and its spelling cannot be vocalized leḥola. It is possible that the point of the midrash is that the more common construct of this word would be leḥeilah, or even leḥomatah. The fact that it is written leḥeila is in order to hint to the similar word, leḥola (see Etz Yosef; Midrash Hamevoar). righteous on this side and righteous on that side, and the Holy One blessed be He in the middle of them, and they youthfully dance before Him in circles, and indicate to each other with a finger and say: “For this is God, our God, forever and ever. He will lead us beyond death” (Psalms 48:15). In two worlds He will lead us, in this world and in the World to Come.
Another matter, “He will lead us beyond death [al mut],” with youth [alemut] and alacrity. Alternatively, “beyond death [al mut],” like those young women, as it is stated: “Amid the drumming young women [alamot]” (Psalms 68:26). Alternatively, “beyond death [al mut],” Akilas translated: Athanasia, a world in which there is no death, and [people] motion to each other with a finger and say: “For this is God, our God, forever and ever. He will lead us beyond death.” In two worlds He will lead us, in this world and in the World to Come. In this world, as it is written: “For the Lord your God has blessed you” (Deuteronomy 15:6),¹⁵⁵This verse appears in a passage that describes God leading Israel through the wilderness. and in the World to Come, as it is written: “The Lord will lead you always” (Isaiah 58:11).

Unto the land that I will show you (Gen. 12:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, did not mention any specific place. This indicates that this was a trial within a trial, as in the case of a man who embarks upon a journey without being aware of his destination. What did Abraham do? He took his possessions and his wife and departed: And Abraham went, as the Lord had spoken to him (ibid., v. 4). And I will make of thee a great nation (ibid., v. 2). It is not written “I will establish you up as a great nation,” but I will make you a great nation; that is, I will create anew, as indicated by the verse And God made the firmament (ibid. 1:7); And God made the two great lights (ibid., v. 16). R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama said: When did the Holy One, blessed be He, make Abraham into a great nation? He did so when Israel accepted the Torah. Thus Moses proclaimed concerning them: For what great nation is there (Deut. 4:8).

Another interpretation (of Gen. 12:1): GO. R. Levi said: What is the meaning of GO (LK LK)? The Holy One said to him: At age one hundred you will produce a son. It is so stated < in the words > LK LK: L = thirty; K = twenty. < LK appears > two times, LK LK. Ergo, one hundred.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 12:1): GO (LK LK). R. Joshua ben Levi said: Throw away your (LK) life in this world, but in the world to come your reward is prepared for you (LK).

Another interpretation: GO. R. Levi ben Hama [said]: The Holy One said to him: For < your > first testing and < your > last testing I am only testing you with GO (LK LK).¹²Below, 4:46; M. Pss. 18:25; cf. ARN, A, 33; PRE 26. (Thus Gen. 12:1 reads:) GO (LK LK) FROM YOUR < NATIVE > LAND; (and Gen. 22:2 reads): < PLEASE TAKE YOUR SON > … AND GO (LK LK) TO THE LAND OF MORIAH.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 12:1): GO (LK LK). The Holy One said to him: I sought (rt.: ShHR) you (LK) early. Thus R. Joshua ben Qorhah said: David said (in Ps. 110:3): YOUR PEOPLE ('MK) OFFER THEMSELVES WILLINGLY IN THE DAY OF YOUR WARFARE (rt.: HYL)… < FROM THE WOMB OF THE DAWN (rt.: SHHR). > YOURS (LK) IS THE DEW OF YOUR YOUTH.¹³Cf. Gen. R. 39:8. The Holy One said to him: I was with you ('MK) on the day that you armed your forces (rt.: HYL). What is the meaning of THE DEW OF YOUR YOUTH? R. Aha said: R. Hanina said: At the age of three years Abraham recognized his Creator.¹⁴See Gen. R. 30:8; 46:2; 64:8; 95:3; Cant. R. 5:16:1; PR 21:12; below, 5:6. Where is it shown? Where it is stated (in Gen. 26:5): BECAUSE ('QB) ABRAHAM HEEDED MY VOICE. By gematria¹⁵Gk.: geometria or grammateis. Gematria is an exegetical method in which an interpretation is reached from the sum of the numerical value of the letters in a word. 'QB = 172 < years >, and all the days of Abraham are 175 < years >. Hence¹⁶By understanding Gen. 26:5 to mean: 172 YEARS ABRAHAM HEEDED MY VOICE. you learn that at the age of three years Abraham knew his Creator. The Holy One said to him: I am making all the evil deeds which you did in those three years like this dew. Ergo (in Ps. 110:3): THE DEW OF YOUR YOUTH.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 12:1): GO. For your sake I created the world. R. Tahalifa said: The Holy One said: I looked at you when I created the world. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 2:4): THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WHEN THEY WERE CREATED. What is the meaning of WHEN THEY WERE CREATED (BHBR'M)? In Abraham (B'BRHM) he created them.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 12:1): GO < … > UNTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU. < Here is > a testing within a testing, since he did not tell him which place to go to. < He > merely < said >: UNTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU.

Another interpretation (of Gen. 12:1): GO < … > UNTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU. R. Berekhyah the Priest Berabbi said: [This text is related (to Ps. 32:8): LET ME INSTRUCT YOU AND TEACH YOU IN THE WAY IN WHICH YOU SHALL GO.] So shall I instruct you. What is the meaning of LET ME INSTRUCT (askil) YOU? Let me place wisdom within you, as stated (in Josh. 1:7): SO THAT YOU MAY BE SUCCESSFUL (taskil). (Ps. 32:8:) AND TEACH YOU ('WR), in the sense that I am enlightening (rt.: 'WR) your eyes.

Another interpretation (of Ps. 32:8): LET ME INSTRUCT YOU AND TEACH YOU. What is the meaning of AND TEACH YOU? < AND TEACH YOU THE WAY TO GO >, (according to Gen. 12:1) UNTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU. He said to Abraham: You are not losing out. FOR (according to vs. 2) I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A GREAT NATION.¹⁷Gen. R. 39:11; Numb. R. 11:2. "For I will establish you" is not written here but FOR I WILL MAKE YOU, because I creating you as a new creature. In the same sense it is stated (in Gen. 1:7): AND GOD MADE THE FIRMAMENT. < Similarly > (in vs. 16): AND GOD MADE THE TWO < GREAT > LIGHTS. R. {Minhas} [Pinhas] bar Hama [the Priest] said: When did the Holy One make Abraham a great nation? When Israel had left Egypt, come to Sinai, and received the Torah, Moses looked at them and said: Behold, they have been made just as the Holy One had promised to the patriarch. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 4:8): AND WHAT GREAT NATION….

“So it is with a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words; rather, fear God” (Ecclesiastes 5:6).
“So it is with a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words; rather, fear God” – Rabbi said: If you saw harsh dreams or harsh and unnatural visions, or if you fear them, jump to three matters and you will be saved from them, as Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer: There are three matters that abrogate evil decrees, and they are: Prayer, charity, and repentance. All three are in one verse; this is what is written: “My people, upon whom My name is called, will submit, and pray, and seek My countenance, and repent their evil ways; I will hear from the heavens, and forgive their sin and heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14). “And pray” – this is prayer; “and seek my countenance” – this is charity, as you say: “I will behold your countenance in righteousness” (Psalms 17:15);¹⁵The same Hebrew root, tzedek, or tzedaka, can be translated as either charity or righteousness. “and repent their evil ways” – this is repentance. Then, “I will hear from the heavens…” Rabbi Mona said: Fasting as well, as it is stated: “The Lord will answer you on your day of trouble” (Psalms 20:2).¹⁶From the fact that the verse says, “day,” and not time of trouble, the midrash understands that the reference is to a day of fasting.
Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Yosei say: A change of name and a change of action, as well. Some say even a change of place, as it is written: “Go for yourself from your land” (Genesis 12:1). A change of name [is derived] from Abraham our patriarch, as it is stated: “Your name will no longer be called Abram, but your name will be Abraham” (Genesis 17:5). Abram cannot beget, Abraham can beget; Sarai cannot bear a child, Sarah can bear a child.¹⁷God changed Abram’s name to Abraham and Sarai’s name to Sarah when they were ninety-nine and eighty-nine years old respectively and bereft of children. In the same context, He promised them that they would have many descendants (see Genesis 17:1–16). The implication is that although Abram and Sarai could not have children, their name changes would enable them to do so. A change in action, from Nineveh, as it is stated: “God saw their actions, [that they turned from their evil way; and God reconsidered the harm that He had said He would do to them, and He did not do it]” (Jonah 3:10).
Rabba bar Meḥseya and Ḥama bar Gurya say: A fast is effective for a dream like fire for tow. Rav Ḥisda said: On that day. Rav Yosef said: Even on Shabbat. Likewise, you find regarding Hezekiah king of Judah; when Hezekiah fell ill, the Holy One blessed be He said to Isaiah: ‘Go say to him: “Set your house in order, as you will die and will not live”’ (Isaiah 38:1). Hezekiah said to Isaiah: ‘Isaiah, the way of the world is that a person who goes to visit the ill says to him: May they have mercy upon you from Heaven, and the doctor goes to him and says: Eat this item and do not eat that item; drink this and do not drink that. Even if he sees him approaching death, he would not say to him: Set your house in order, so he will not be discouraged; yet you say to me: “Set your house in order, as you will die and will not live”? I, too, do not ascribe importance to you and I will not heed your words, and I adopt only what my ancestor¹⁸Solomon said: “So it is with a multitude of dreams and vanities and many words…”’¹⁹Even prophetic dreams can be nullified and thereby rendered vanity, if one fulfills the conclusion of the verse, which states to “fear God.” This can be expressed via prayer, fasting, and repentance (Maharzu).
Immediately, “Hezekiah turned his face to the wall [hakir] [and prayed to the Lord]” (Isaiah 38:2). To which wall did he direct his face? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: He directed his face to the wall of Raḥav, as it is written: “Because her house was upon the side of [bekir] the wall” (Joshua 2:15). He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, Raḥav rescued two souls for You and how many souls did You rescue for her?’ It was taught that Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Even if her family numbered two hundred people and they cleaved to two hundred [additional] families [through marriage], they were all rescued by her merit. It is not written here, “all her family,” but rather, “they took out all her families” (Joshua 6:23). ‘My ancestors who assembled all the converts to You,²⁰See II Chronicles 2:16. all the more so.’²¹By their merit, You should rescue me.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It was to the wall of the Shunamite woman that he directed his eyes, as it is written: “Let us make a [small] walled attic” (II Kings 4:10). He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, this Shunamite woman made one wall for Elisha, and you revived her son; my ancestors who did all this tribute for you,²²This is a reference to the building of the Temple. all the more so.’
Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Yosei: It was to the walls of his heart that he directed his eyes, as it is stated: “My innards, my innards, I am trembling; the walls of my heart, my heart is murmuring” (Jeremiah 4:19). “His heart”²³This is interpreted as an allusion to the fact that Hezekiah turned to his own heart. is written.²⁴In standard editions of the Bible, it is in fact written “my heart,” not “his heart” as stated in the midrash. He said before him: ‘Master of the universe, I have surveyed the two hundred and forty-eight limbs that You formed in me, and I did not find that I angered You with any of them; all the more so that my life should be granted to me.’²⁵He said: Since it is Your way to forgive those who sin to You, all the more so should You grant me life given that I have not sinned (Etz Yosef).
The Rabbis say: He directed his eyes to the walls of the Temple, as it is written: “By their placing their threshold near My threshold…[with but a wall between Me and them]” (Ezekiel 43:8). He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, my ancestors were great men, but were unable to pray in the Temple at all times;²⁶As they were married, they would become impure when they would have relations with their wives, and it would then be prohibited for them to enter the Temple. rather they would stand in their houses and pray, with a wall between them and the Temple. I, when I pray, have no wall between me and the Temple;²⁷Hezekiah had not married; see Berakhot 10a. all the more so that my life should be given to me.’
Immediately, “the word of the Lord was to Isaiah” (Isaiah 38:4),²⁸The following verses state: “Go, and say to Hezekiah…thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold.… I will add to your days fifteen years.” [when] he had not [even] departed from there. Isaiah said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, initially, you said this to me and now you say that to me. How can I go and say so?’ [God] said to [Isaiah]: ‘He is humble and will accept it from you. Moreover, what you spoke has not yet become public, as it is written: “It was, Isaiah had not departed…”’ (II Kings 20:4). When Isaiah went to him, [Hezekiah] said to him: ‘Did I not say this to you initially: I do not ascribe importance to you and I will not heed your words; [I adopt] only what my ancestor said: “So it is with a multitude of dreams and vanities…”’

“and the dust returns to the earth as it was; and the spirit returns to God, who provided it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
“And the dust returns to the earth as it was” – Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya [said] in the name of Rabbi Simon: When is it that “the spirit returns to God, who provided it”? It is when “the dust returns to the earth [as it was].”¹²If the body returns free of sin, as it was before the person lived his life. If not, “may He cast away the souls of your enemies…” (I Samuel 25:29).¹³God will cast away the souls of the sinners.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani [said] in the name of Rabbi Avdimi of Haifa: [This is analogous] to a priest who is scrupulous regarding matters of ritual purity who gave a loaf of teruma bread to a priest who is not scrupulous in that regard, and said to him: ‘Look, I am pure, my household is pure, my utensils are pure, and this loaf that I am giving you is pure. If you return it to me in the manner that I gave it to you, fine, but if not, I will burn it in your presence.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He says to each person: Look, I am pure, My abode is pure, My attendants are pure, and the soul that I am placing in you is pure. If you give it to Me as I gave it to you, fine, but if not, I will burn it in your presence.¹⁴In Gehenna
All this [occurs to a person] in his old age; however, in one’s youth, if he sins he is stricken with gonorrhea and leprosy; therefore, Moses cautions Israel: “[Any] man, when there will be a discharge from his flesh” (Leviticus 15:2).¹⁵The term “from his flesh” is seemingly unnecessary and is meant to emphasize that if one sins God brings upon him bodily punishment even in his youth. God need not bring this punishment from an external source; He can bring it from within a person’s own body.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verses regarding the Temple.¹⁶Previously verses 1–7 were interpreted as warning a person to remember God before reaching old age. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi offers an alternative interpretation of these verses. The prophet said to Israel: “Remember your Creator” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) – remember your Creator while your chosen status is still intact, while the covenant of priesthood is still intact, as it is stated: “And choose it from all the tribes of Israel [to be priests for Me]” (I Samuel 2:28); while the covenant of Levitehood is still intact, as it is stated: “As the Lord your God has chosen it from all your tribes…” (Deuteronomy 18:5); while the covenant of Jerusalem is still intact, as it is stated: “The city that I have chosen” (I Kings 11:32); while the kingdom of the House of David is still intact, as it is stated: “He chose David, His servant” (Psalms 78:70); while the Temple is still intact, as it is stated: “Now I have chosen and consecrated this house” (II Chronicles 7:16); while you are still intact, as it is stated: “The Lord your God has chosen you to be a treasured people for Him” (Deuteronomy 7:6). “Before the evil days come” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) – these are the days of the exile; that is what is written: “Who put far away the evil day” (Amos 6:3). “And the years arrive when you will say” (Ecclesiastes 12:1): The merit of the patriarchs has ceased.
“Before the sun…are darkened” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is the kingdom of the House of David, as it is stated: “His throne will be like the sun before Me” (Psalms 89:37). “The light” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is Torah, as it is stated: “For the commandment is a lamp and Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). “The moon” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is the Sanhedrin,¹⁷The Sanhedrin would sit in the configuration of a semicircle, or half-moon. as it is written: “Like the moon, it will be established forever” (Psalms 89:38). “The stars” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – these are Torah scholars.
“And the clouds return after the rain” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – you find that all the harsh prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied in their regard did not befall them until after the destruction of the Temple.
“On the day that the guards of the house will tremble” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the priestly and Levite watches. “The men of valor will be bent” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the priests. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Aaron [picked up and] waved twenty-two thousand Levites on one day, as it is stated: “Aaron waved the Levites a waving before the Lord (Numbers 8:11). Rabbi Ḥanina said: The crop [of a bird] is very light, and the priest would aim, take it in one hand, and throw it behind the ramp [of the altar, a distance of] thirty-two cubits, with a backward [motion of his] hand.¹⁸Throwing a light item accurately to a great distance takes enormous strength.
“The grinders will cease” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the great compilations [of tannaitic traditions], like the compilation of Rabbi Akiva, the compilation of Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Hoshaya, and the compilation of bar Kappara. “Because they have dwindled” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – this is the Talmud that is intermingled with them. “It will be dark for those who gaze through the windows” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – you find that when Israel was exiled to Babylon, there was no one able to clearly articulate his studies.
“The doors to the street will be shut” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – these are the doors of Neḥashta of the House of Elnatan,¹⁹Neḥushta, daughter of Elnatan, was the mother of Yehoyakhin, king of Judah (see II Kings 24:8). Her door was open to all those in need, but this was no longer the case after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. which had been wide open. “With the fading of the sound of the mill” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – [the destruction occurred] because they were indolent in the study of Torah. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Matters of Torah were likened to a mill; just as a mill is not idle by day or at night, so too, regarding matters of Torah it is stated: “You shall contemplate it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). “And one will arise to the voice of a bird” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – Rabbi Levi said: For eighteen years, a Divine Voice would proclaim and call out to Nebuchadnezzar and say to him: Wicked slave, ascend and destroy the house of your Master, because His children are rebellious and do not obey Him. “And all the sources of music will be lowered” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – [Nebuchadnezzar] ascended and abrogated song in the Temple; that is what is stated: “They will not drink wine with song” (Isaiah 24:9).
“They will also fear heights” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – [Nebuchadnezzar] also feared the most elevated, the King of kings. “There will be obstacles on the way” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – the fear of the way fell over him. Rabbi Levi said: He began delineating subdivisions along the route, as it is stated: “For the king of Babylon stood at the crossroads, [at the head of the two roads, to practice divination; he shot arrows, consulted the terafim, and examined the liver]” (Ezekiel 21:26); [he stood at] a thoroughfare that diverges, “at the head of the two roads,” [a location] that diverges to two roads. There were two roads there, one going toward the wilderness and one going toward the settlement [Jerusalem]. “To practice divination” – he began performing divination in the name of Rome, but it was not successful;²⁰He performed divination to find out if he would be successful if he waged war against Rome, but the message he received was that he would not be successful. in the name of Alexandria, but it was not successful; in the name of Jerusalem, and it was successful. “He shot arrows” in the name of Rome, but it was not successful; in the name of Alexandria, but it was not successful; in the name of Jerusalem, and it was successful.²¹He shot arrows straight up into the air and watched to see in which direction they would fall. When he shot with the intention to receive a sign about Jerusalem, the arrow sailed in the direction of Jerusalem. He kindled lamps and lanterns in the name of Rome, but they did not light; in the name of Alexandria, but they did not light; in the name of Jerusalem, and they lit. He sailed boats on the Euphrates River in the name of Rome, but they did not move; in the name of Alexandria, but they did not move; in the name of Jerusalem, and they moved. “Consulted the terafim” – this is his idol worship. “And examined the liver” – Rabbi Levi said: Like an Arab who slaughters a lamb and examines its liver.²²This is a form of divination.
“In his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, [to place battering rams, to call for murder, to raise the voice with shouting, to place battering rams against the gates, to pour a ramp, to build a siege tower]” (Ezekiel 21:27) – the divination of Jerusalem was in his right hand.²³He was encouraged by the signs he received via divination that he would conquer Jerusalem. Alternatively, he cast lots, and the lot of Jerusalem came up in his right hand, indicating that he would conquer it. “To place battering rams [karim]” – [to appoint] government officials [kalorkhin]; “to call for murder” – [to administer] death sentences; “to raise the voice” – [to sound] trumpets of war; “to place battering rams” – he deployed a siege; “to pour a ramp” – [from which they would catapult] stones; “and to build a siege tower” – ramps [to climb over the wall]. Regarding all of these [it could have been said]: “But it will be for them like a vain divination [in their eyes, who have weeks upon weeks, and it evokes iniquity for them to be captured]” (Ezekiel 21:28). The prophet said to Israel: Had you merited, you would have read the Torah that is expounded in seven times seven ways.²⁴This is alluded to in the phrase “weeks upon weeks,” as a week has seven days. Now that you have not merited, Nebuchadnezzar will divine seven times seven divinations upon you. Why to that extent? “And it evokes iniquity for them to be captured” – this is the blood of Zekharia.²⁵See Kohelet Rabba 3:16, where the story is told of Zekharia, a prophet and priest, who was murdered in the Temple. This terrible act caused the Israelites to be punished with great bloodshed and suffering at the time of the destruction of the Temple.
“The almond tree will blossom” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the prophecy of Jeremiah, as it is stated: “I see the branch of an almond tree” (Jeremiah 1:11). Rabbi Elazar said: Just as an almond tree, from the moment that it blossoms until its fruit ripens is twenty-one days, so too, the entire decree was [carried out] only from the seventeenth of Tammuz until the ninth of Av.
“The grasshopper will be burdened” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the image of Nebuchadnezzar, as it is stated: “Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold; [its height was sixty cubits, and its width was six cubits]” (Daniel 3:1).²⁶It is referred to disdainfully as a grasshopper as a way to mock its giant size. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It emerges that you are saying that anything whose height is sixty and its width is six [is able to stand,] but [in fact] it requires a width one-third of its height. Rabbi Banai said: It was like a reed; he would place it upright and it would fall, he would place it upright and it would fall. Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak. It was incapable of standing until he brought all the silver and gold from Jerusalem. They poured it into a solid base before it as a stand for its feet. That is what is written: “They will cast their silver in the streets” (Ezekiel 7:19).
“The caper berry [haaviyona] will fail” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the merit of the patriarchs.²⁷The word aviyona is expounded to mean father of a dove [avi yona], as the Jewish people are likened to a dove. “For the man goes to his eternal home” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – they were from Babylon,²⁸Abraham’s origins were in Babylon. and to Babylon they returned. “And the mourners will circle in the streets” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the exile of Yekhonya. You find that at the time of the exile of Zedekiah,²⁹The exile of Zedekiah, which took place in the wake of the destruction of the Temple, was eleven years after the exile of Yekhonya. the members of the exile of Yekhonya emerged to greet them. They were covered in sackcloth³⁰This was in mourning for the destruction of the Temple. on the inside and in white garments³¹As residents of Babylon, they outwardly celebrated their king’s victory. on the outside. They would ask each other:³²Those who had been exiled previously asked those who were just coming into exile. How is [my] father doing? How is [my] mother doing? How is [my] brother doing? They said to them: They were killed. They would mourn with one hand and laud with the other hand,³³They would beat their chests or thighs in mourning, and when forced to, they would applaud the king for his victory. to fulfill what is stated: “Your splendor will be upon your heads and your shoes upon your feet; you will not lament and you will not weep” (Ezekiel 24:23).³⁴They were forced to wear celebratory clothing and could not properly mourn their loss.
“Before the silver cord is severed” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – this is the genealogical chain;³⁵Families of impeccable lineage kept meticulous genealogical records and were careful to marry only families with similarly impeccable lineage. This ability, and certainly the records, were lost during the period of destruction and exile. “the golden skull is shattered” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – these are matters of Torah, as it is stated: “More pleasant than gold” (Psalms 19:11).
“The pitcher is smashed at the spring” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – two amora’im: One says: The pitcher of Barukh at the spring of Jeremiah,³⁶Barukh ben Neriya was the disciple of Jeremiah. The transmission from master to disciple was disrupted. and one says: The pitcher of Jeremiah at the spring of Barukh. That is what is written: “[Then Barukh answered them:] From his own mouth he would recite all these words to me and I would write on the scroll with the ink” (Jeremiah 36:18).³⁷In this verse, Barukh copied down what Jeremiah said. The midrash may be alluding to the fact that Jeremiah was dependent upon Barukh’s skill as a scribe, which was enhanced by Divine inspiration (Maharzu); alternatively, Jeremiah the teacher was enriched by his student’s insights and questions (Etz Yosef).
“And the wheel is shattered into the cistern” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – they were from Babylon, and to Babylon they returned. They were from Babylon, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Abram: Go you from your land” (Genesis 12:1).³⁸Abraham’s original land was Ur Kasdim (see Genesis 11:31), which is in Babylon. “And to Babylon they returned” – [as it is stated regarding Nebuchadnezzar:] “And exiled the people to Babylon” (Ezra 5:12). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Who says to the depths: Be dry” (Isaiah 44:27). “The depths” – this is Babylon. Why is it called “the depths”? Because the dead of the generation of the Flood were submerged there, as it is written: “As Babylon caused the dead of Israel to fall, [so at Babylon shall fall the dead of all the land]” (Jeremiah 51:49).
Reish Lakish said: It is written: “They found a valley in the land of Shinar” (Genesis 11:2). Why is it called Shinar? Because the dead of the generation of the Flood were transported [sheninaru] there [by the water]. Alternatively: Shinar, as they died in convulsions [tashnuk], without a lamp and without a bathhouse.³⁹Because they were impoverished. Alternatively: Shinar, as they were bereft [meno’arim] of the mitzvot, without teruma and tithes.⁴⁰These mitzvot apply specifically in the Land of Israel. Shinar, as their princes die as lads [ne’arim]. Shinar, as they established an enemy [soneh] and a destroyer [va’er]; and who is that? It is Nebuchadnezzar.
“And the dust returns to the earth as it was” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) – they were from Babylon, and to Babylon they returned. “And the spirit returns to God” – this is the Divine Spirit. You find that when Jeremiah saw Jerusalem destroyed, the Temple burned, Israel exiled, and the Divine Spirit that departed, he began [to speak] about them with [the phrase] “vanity of vanities” (Ecclesiastes 12:8).

“There is one and not another, he also has no son or brother. There is no end to all his toil, and his eye is not satisfied with wealth. For whom do I toil, and prevent good from my soul? This too is vanity and a grave matter” (Ecclesiastes 4:8).
“There is one and not another.” “There is one” – this is the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4); “and not another” – He has no partner in His world. “He also has no son or brother” – if He has no “brother,”¹⁶Once it says that there is not another, it is clear that He does not have a brother. Brother in this context refers to one close to Him, and the midrash understands it in the sense of a spouse. from where would he have a son? Rather, [sons is written] because the Holy One blessed be He was fond of Israel and called them sons, as it is stated: “You are sons to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1). And He called them brothers, as it is stated: “For the sake of my brothers and neighbors” (Psalms 122:8). “There is no end to all his toil” – to everything that He created during the six days of Creation. “For whom do I toil, and prevent good from my soul?” Is it not to cleave to His ways? If the righteous do not stand and amass mitzvot and good deeds before Him, is it not vanity that the Holy One blessed be He created him in His world?¹⁷If one does not engage in the performance of mitzvot, there is no purpose to his existence.
Another matter: “There is one and not another” – this is Abraham, as it is stated: “Abraham was one” (Ezekiel 33:24); “and not another” – as he has no equal. “He also has no son or brother” – he had no son or brother at the moment that he descended into the furnace.¹⁸See Bereshit Rabba 38:13. At the moment that the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take now your son, your only one” (Genesis (22:2), he did not see that he had a son.¹⁹His compassion for his son did not prompt him to resist God’s command. At the moment that He said to him: “Go for yourself from your land” (Genesis (12:1), he did not see that he had a brother. “There is no end to all his toil” – from mitzvot and good deeds. “For whom do I toil, and prevent good from my soul?” Is it not to cleave to His ways? Anyone who does not act like him, “this too is vanity.”
Another matter: “There is one” – this is the tribe of Levi. “He also has no son or brother” – at the moment that Moses said to them: “Pass to and fro from gate to gate […and slay every man his brother]” (Exodus 32:27), and it is written: “Who says of his father and his mother: I have not seen him, and his brothers he did not acknowledge…” (Deuteronomy 33:9). “There is no end to all his toil” – the labor of the Tabernacle. “And his eye is not satisfied with wealth” – these are the offerings. “For whom do I toil?” Is it not to cleave to His ways? It is for anyone who does not act like him; “this too is vanity and a grave matter.”
Another matter: “There is one” – this is the evil inclination; “and not another” – there is no concern for a partner when performing a transgression.²⁰When performing a transgression, one does not consider the fact that others will suffer due to his act. “He also has no son or brother” – at the moment that a person goes to perform a transgression he does not see that he has a son who will die due to his sins, and does not see that he has a brother who will be ashamed of him and will be condemned because of him. “There is no end to all his toil” – to his wicked deeds. “And his eye is not satisfied with wealth” – these are his wicked deeds. “For whom do I toil?” It is in order to avoid cleaving to his ways. One who does not do so, “this too is vanity.”
Another matter: “There is one” – this is Gevini ben Ḥarson;²¹An extremely wealthy recluse “and not another” – he has no concern for any partner. “He also has no son or brother” – as he was his mother’s only son. “There is no end to all his toil [amalo]” – from what his father bequeathed him.²²The word amalo, his toil, can also mean his wealth. Additionally, it is possible that the meaning is that it took much toil to maintain his many assets. “And his eye is not satisfied with wealth” – as he is blind in one eye. “For whom do I toil, and prevent good from my soul?” – they said: At the moment that his father died, he said to his mother, show me all the silver and gold that father bequeathed me. She went and showed him a kor of dinars; she stood on this side and he on that side and they could not see each other.²³This is because the coins were piled so high in the kor vessel. On the day that Gevini ben Ḥarson died, Belshatzar the governor of Babylon was born.²⁴Some say that Belshatzar eventually took possession of all of Gevini’s wealth (Matnot Kehuna).

Rabbi Abba bar Kahana began: “Tremble [rigzu] and do not sin…” (Psalms 4:5). David said before the Holy One, blessed be He: ‘How long will they be provoking [mitragzim] me, and saying: Does he not have flawed lineage? Does he not descend from Ruth the Moavite?’ ‘“…Say in your heart, on your bed…” (Psalms 4:5) – you also, do you not descend from two sisters?²⁵⁸You also have lineage that could be considered questionable, as Jacob married two sisters, Leah and Rachel. This would later be prohibited by the Torah. This is stated by David as a response to the elders of Judah, who had been taunting him due to his lineage. You, see what are your roots! “…and be silent, Sela” (Psalms 4:5). Tamar, too, whom Judah your grandfather took as a wife, is that not flawed lineage?²⁵⁹Judah married Tamar, who had previously been his daughter-in-law. This relationship too would later be prohibited by the Torah. And she was the daughter of Shem ben Noah.²⁶⁰The Sages identify him with Malkitzedek king of Shalem, who was a priest, and the Torah severely punishes the daughter of a priest who engages in licentiousness. Consequently, the lineage of her children Peretz and Zeraḥ were compromised by her act of having relations with Judah. What, do you have pedigree?’
Rabbi Yaakov bar Aviya said: Confront [argiz] your evil inclination and you will not sin. The Rabbis said: Anger your evil inclination and you will not sin.
“These are the generations of Peretz: Peretz begot Ḥetzron” (Ruth 4:18).
“These [eleh] are the generations of Peretz.” Rabbi Abba said: Anywhere that eleh is stated, it rejects what preceded it; ve’eleh, it adds to what preceded it. Bereshit Rabba 12 until “informed him that Ishmael repented,” end of quote>.
“Ḥetzron begot Ram and Ram begot Aminadav” (Ruth 4:19).
“Ḥetzron begot Ram.” But wasn’t Yeraḥme’el a previous son, [as it is stated:] “the sons of Ḥetzron who were born to him: Yeraḥme’el, Ram, and Keluvi” (I Chronicles 2:9)? Rather, he married a Canaanite woman in order to exalt himself [lehitater] through her, as it is written: “Yeraḥme’el had another wife, and her name was Atara” (I Chronicles 2:26).²⁶¹Since Yeraḥme’el married a Canaanite woman, the line of kingship did not come through him.
“Aminadav begot Naḥshon and Naḥshon begot Salma. Salmon begot Boaz and Boaz begot Oved” (Ruth 4:20–21).
“Ram begot Aminadav…and [Naḥshon begot…] Salmon.” To this point, they were the ladder for the princes;²⁶²Of the tribes. from this point on they were ladders to kings.²⁶³The name Salma, or Salmon, is similar to sulam, ladder. It appears in two different forms in these verses to allude to the change in status of the family: To this point, its members were tribal princes; from Boaz, Salmon’s son, the family was moving toward establishing the Israelite monarchy (Midrash HaMevoar). Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “Then [az] I said, behold, I have entered” (Psalms 40:8). I should have sung a song when I came.²⁶⁴When I was accepted into the congregation. Az means nothing other than song, as it is stated: “Then [az] Moses sang” (Exodus 15:1). I was included in “shall not enter,” and [yet] I entered.²⁶⁵David is cited as saying that he was assumed to be included within the prohibition against a Moavite convert entering the congregation, as he was a descendant of Ruth, but he was able to enter the congregation because of the acceptance of the halakha that this prohibition applies only to male converts.
“Oved begot Yishai and Yishai begot David” (Ruth 4:22).
“In the scroll of a book it is written about me” (Psalms 40:8). “In the scroll” – “whom You commanded that they should not enter into Your congregation” (Lamentations 1:10). “Of a book” – “An Ammonite and a Moavite shall not enter [into the assembly of the Lord]” (Deuteronomy 23:4). Not only did I enter, but in a scroll and a book it is written about me. In the scroll: Peretz, Ḥetzron, Ram, Aminadav, Naḥshon, Oved, Yishai, David.²⁶⁶The reference is to the verses in Ruth 4:18–22. In a book – “the Lord said: Arise, anoint him; for this is he” (I Samuel 16:12). Rabbi Huna says: It is written: “The Lord has provided me another [aḥer] offspring” (Genesis 4:25), an offspring that comes from another [aḥer] place, and who is this? It is the messianic king.²⁶⁷The messianic king is a descendant of David, and thus David is alluded to in the Torah itself.
Rabbi Berekhya and Rabbi Simon [said]: This is analogous to a king who would pass from place to place and a pearl fell from [the crown] on his head. The king and his entire entourage stopped there, and passersby would say: ‘What is the nature [of the stay] of the king and his entourage here?’ They saw and said: ‘A pearl fell from upon his head.’ What did he do? He piled up the dirt, and brought sifters, and sifted one pile but did not find it; the second, but did not find it; and the third, and he found it. They said: ‘The king found his pearl.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: “Go for yourself [lekha]” (Genesis 12:1) – It was you [lekha] that I was anticipating. What need was there to delineate the lineage: “Shem, Arpakhshad, Shelaḥ, Ever, Peleg… Naḥor, Teraḥ” (I Chronicles 1:24–26)? It was only for you. “Abram is [hu] Abraham” (I Chronicles 1:27)²⁶⁸It was he [hu] that God was anticipating, and for whom all the previous generations were listed. – “and You found his heart faithful before You” (Nehemiah 9:8). So too, the Holy One blessed be He said to David: ‘What need was there for Me to delineate the lineage: Peretz, Ḥetzron, Ram, Aminadav, Naḥshon, Oved, Yishai? Was it not for you?’ – “I have found David My servant” (Psalms 89:21).

What is written above concerning the matter (in Gen. 12:1): NOW THE LORD SAID UNTO ABRAHAM: GO < FROM YOUR NATIVE LAND > … UNTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU. "Unto such and such a land" is not written here, but UNTO THE LAND THAT I WILL SHOW YOU. So Abraham was on the move until he came to the land of Israel. May the name of the Holy One be blessed!³¹Tanh., Gen. 3:5. He desired to test the righteous one and to make his good works known. For his sake there immediately came a famine. When he encountered the famine, he said to his wife, Sarah: See, there is a famine here. Our masters have said: There was never a famine in the world more severe than < that > one. Abraham said to Sarah: Consider Egypt. It would be nice to settle there inasmuch as famine has come. The supply is available there, and meat is plentiful. Let us go there. At that time they went down to Egypt. When they arrived at the gate³²Gk.: pule. of Egypt, Abraham said to Sarah: My girl³³Literally: “daughter.” For a similar use of “daughter,” see Ruth 8:2, Ps. 45:11 [10]. Egypt is a place of whoredom, as stated (in Ezek. 23:19-20): … < SHE WAS A WHORE IN THE LAND OF EGYPT, AND SHE LUSTED OVER THEIR PARAMOURS > WHOSE FLESH IS LIKE THE FLESH OF ASSES. Let us, however, put you in a box and lock you in it. Then he did so. When they arrived at the gate of Egypt, the customs officers said to him: What are you carrying in the box? He said to them: Beans. They said to him: No, it is pepper. Give us the duty for pepper. He said to them: I shall hand it over. They said to him: It is not that. Rather this box is full of gold coins. He said to them: I shall hand you over the duty for gold coins. When they saw that he was accepting whatever they would say about it, they said: Unless he had something of value in his possession, we < could > not be raising the price for him. At that moment they said to him: You are not moving from here until you open the box. Then he said to them: It is up to me to give you whatever you want, but you are not to open the box. Nevertheless, they insisted on opening the box against his will and saw Sarah. When they saw her, they said: In the case of one like this, it is not seemly to touch her. Immediately they took < her > and brought her to Pharaoh. So they brought her into his palace³⁴Lat.: palatium. When Abraham saw that they had taken her and brought her unto Pharaoh, Abraham began to cry. < Sarah > also said: Sovereign of the World, Abraham came with you under a promise,³⁵Gen. R. 42:2. since you had said to him (in Gen 12:3): I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU. Now I did not know anything except that, when he told me that you had said to him (in Gen. 12:1): GO, I believed your words. But now, < when > I have been left isolated from my father, my mother, and my husband, this wicked man has come to mistreat me. He (Abraham) had acted because of your great name and because of our trust in your words. The Holy One said to her: By your life, nothing evil shall harm you, as stated (in Prov. 12:21): NO HARM SHALL BEFALL THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THE WICKED ARE FULL OF EVIL. So in regard to Pharaoh and his house, I will make an example³⁶Gk.: dogma or deigma. of them. Thus it is written (in Gen. 12:17): THEN THE LORD AFFLICTED PHARAOH AND HIS HOUSE WITH GREAT PLAGUES AT THE WORD OF SARAI.³⁷Cf. yKet. 7:11 (31d). In that very hour an angel came down from the heavens with a rod in his hand. < When > Pharaoh came to take off her shoe, he smote him with his hand. < When > he came to touch her clothes, he would smite him. And the angel would consult with Sarah on each and every blow. If she said that he should be afflicted, he was afflicted. When she would say: Wait for him until he recovers himself, the angel would wait for him, as stated (in Gen. 12:17): AT THE WORD OF SARAI. What is the meaning of AT THE WORD OF SARAI? That < here > is not stated "On the matter of," nor "over the cause of," nor "for the sake of," nor "in consequence of," but AT THE WORD OF SARAI.³⁸Like the other alternatives, AT THE WORD OF would generally be understood idiomatically in the sense of “on account of,” but the midrash argues for the expression to be taken literally. Thus, if she said that he should be afflicted, he was afflicted; and, if not, he was not afflicted. R. Judah b. R. Shallum the Levite said: The Holy One did not allow a wicked man to occupy himself with a righteous woman. Our masters have said: < When > he came to take off her shoe, leprosy immediately came over him,³⁹Cf. Lev. R. 16:1. and his governors⁴⁰Gk.: eparchoi. were also afflicted with him—also the princes, also the servants, and also his family. And the walls also were afflicted along with him,⁴¹On walls having leprosy, see Lev. 14:34-53. as stated (in Gen. 12:17): THEN THE LORD AFFLICTED PHARAOH AND HIS HOUSE. Why? (Ibid., cont.:) AT THE WORD OF SARAI, ABRAM'S WIFE….

“My beloved spoke up, and he said to me: Rise, my love, my fair one, and go” (Song of Songs 2:10).
“My beloved spoke up [ana], and he said [ve’amar] to me,” what did He say to me? “This month is for you the beginning of the months” (Exodus 12:2). Alternatively, “my beloved spoke up, and he said to me,” Rabbi Azarya said: Is speaking not the same as saying? Rather, he answered [ana] me by means of Moses, and said [ve’amar] to me by means of Aaron.¹⁰⁶God sent Moses in response to Israel’s pleas for help, and He spoke to them by means of Aaron, who served as Moses’ spokesman (Midrash HaMevoar). What did He say to me? “Rise, my love, my fair one, and go.” “Rise,” hurry yourself.
Another matter, “rise [kumi lakh]” daughter of Abraham, in whose regard it is written: “Go [lekh lekha] from your land and from your birthplace” (Genesis 12:1). “My love [raayati], my fair one [yafati],” daughter of Isaac, who endeared [sheria] himself to Me and exalted [yipa] Me upon the altar. “And go,” daughter of Jacob, who obeyed his father and his mother, as it is stated: “Jacob obeyed his father and mother and went to Padan Aram” (Genesis 28:7).

R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: The Holy One transmitted a sign⁵⁹Gk.: semeion. to Abraham that whatever had happened to him would happen to his children.⁶⁰Cf. Gen. R. 40:6. Abraham was chosen from the whole household of his father. Israel also was chosen from seventy tongues. It was said to Abraham (in Gen. 12:1): GO … < FROM YOUR FATHER'S HOUSE >; and it was said for Israel (in Exod. 3:17): AND I HAVE SAID: I WILL BRING YOU UP < OUT OF THE AFFLICTION OF THE LAND OF EGYPT >. It was said to Abraham (in Gen. 12:3): I WILL BLESS THOSE WHO BLESS YOU; and also for Israel (in Numb. 6:24): THE LORD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU. It was said to Abraham (in Gen. 12:2): [THEN I WILL MAKE YOU INTO A GREAT NATION, BLESS YOU], AND MAKE YOUR NAME GREAT; and also concerning Israel (in Deut. 4:8): AND WHAT GREAT NATION IS THERE < WHICH HAS STATUTES AND ORDINANCES AS RIGHTEOUS AS ALL THIS LAW THAT I SET BEFORE YOU THIS DAY >? Abraham was called an individual, as stated (in Ezek. 33:24): ABRAHAM WAS ONE (ehad); and also Israel (in I Chron. 17:21): AND WHO IS LIKE YOUR PEOPLE ISRAEL, A UNIQUE (ehad) NATION ON EARTH? Just as with Abraham, when he came to the land, there was a famine in the land; with Israel also, when they had settled in the land of Israel, there was famine, as stated (in Gen. 43:1): BUT THE FAMINE WAS SEVERE IN THE LAND. Just as Abraham went down to Egypt because of famine, [as stated (in Gen. 12:10): NOW THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND, AND ABRAM WENT DOWN TO EGYPT]; so with Israel, as stated (in Gen. 42:3): SO THE TEN BROTHERS OF JOSEPH WENT DOWN TO BUY GRAIN < FROM EGYPT >. Just as in the case of Abraham, when he went down to Egypt, the Egyptians provoked him; so in the case of Israel, as stated (in Exod. 1:10): COME, LET US (Egyptians) ACT SHREWDLY < TOWARD THEM (Israel), LEST THEY MULTIPLY >…. Just as in the case of Abraham, four kings engaged him in battle;⁶¹“Engage in battle” comes from the Hebrew root ZWG, which corresponds to the Greek zeugos or zugon. so in the case of Israel, the nations are going to make an alliance⁶²Gk.: omonoia. against them, as stated (in Ps. 2:2): THE KINGS OF THE EARTH TAKE THEIR STAND, < AND THE RULERS TAKE COUNSEL TOGETHER AGAINST THE LORD AND AGAINST HIS ANOINTED >. Just as in the case of Abraham, the Holy One went out to fight before him and slew his enemies; so the Holy One has fought for Israel. In the age to come the Holy One is going out to fight their wars, as stated (in Zech. 14:3): THEN THE LORD WILL COME FORTH AND FIGHT WITH THOSE NATIONS AS WHEN HE FIGHTS IN THE DAY OF BATTLE.

The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Genesis 50:24,] "pakod yifkod (He will surely remember you)" [is a hint to] Yosef, [that] He will remember you in this world, and He will remember you in the world to come. The doubling of tzadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, ou'metachtav yitsmach (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDaveed tsemach tsadeek (and I will raise up a true branch of David)." ["The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3)] ("Sixty were the queens" [Song of Songs 6:8]). Twenty-four books (of the Bible), and add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold ["The leader of fifty"] ("Sixty were the queens"). "[Sixty were the queens] and eighty were the concubines" (Song of Songs 6:8). Sixty tractates and eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates. "And maidens without number" (Song of Songs 6:8). The study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This] corresponds to the [number of] letters of [the priestly blessing,) "May the Lord bless you and keep you, etc." (Numbers 6:24-26). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of the count of the days of the solar year, as he rules over all the year to slander, except for Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami bar Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before he] fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered, and he was called Avraham [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." [Regarding] Sarai, two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod [with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her] was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehshoua came and had a yod added, as it is stated (Numbers 13:16), "and Moshe called Hoshea [...], Yehoshua." And it saved him from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod [with a numerical count of ten] corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi [with a numerical count of ninety, as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet [with a numerical count of eight, as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof [with a numerical count of one hundred, as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards, Levi. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, and Levi was the tenth. And he gave him as a tithe to the Omnipresent to fulfill [what he said] (Genesis 28:22), "all that You give to me, I will surely tithe it to You." [The letter] ayin [with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt], "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received], "And may He give you [etc.]" (Genesis 27:28). Take away the name [of God] from there, and one hundred [letters] remain. [The letter] bet [with a numerical count of two] corresponds to two angels [that he saw on the ladder in his dream] rising. Yehudah was called according to [the significance of the numerical count of the letters of] his [own] name: Thirty, corresponding to the thirty virtues of the monarchy. There were six hundred and thirteen letters on the tablets - from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you [besides to fear Him]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; along with Torah and circumcision, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) is six hundred. [Add] eight strings and five knots, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al)] has a numerical value of one hundred, corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. "And now Israel, what (mah) does the Lord, your God, ask of you" - read it as one hundred (meah), these are the hundred blessings. Once he ordained it, the pestilence ceased. "This is the law of the burnt-offering (olah), it is the burnt-offering" (Leviticus 6:2), [meaning] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of repentance. "Two anointed ones" (Zechariah 4:14). These are David and Aharon who were anointed with the anointing oil, such that their anointing was for [all] the generations. With Aharon, it is written (Numbers 25:13), "It shall be for him and his descendants after him, a pact of priesthood for all time." With David it is written (Ezekiel 37:25), "and My servant David as their prince for all time." "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov)" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen [blessings]. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "'Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov).' The numerical value of tov in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet) is [the same as] soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'Behold the fat from us, from our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of the [number of the] days of the nine months of birthing (two hundred and seventy one). The name of the angel that is appointed for conception is night, as stated (Job 3:3), "and the night [that it was] said, 'A man was conceived." The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah corresponding to the [forty mentions] of well, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. And a seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] hallah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value of le'at is forty. Behold the measure of a seah is a tefach by a tefach with the height of [sixteen] tefach [and a fifth]. And one who separates the measure of the hallah [tithe] must separate [one part in forty three] and a fifth [from Torah writ like the numerical value of hallah]. Forty lashes (which are actually thirty-nine) is from Torah writ, as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one (thirty-nine). "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses received by the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground, and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." A Sanhedrin is twenty-three, so [that it is possible for] those advocating innocence to have one more (than twenty), and those advocating guilt to have two more. It is best for the two to come and push off one. The numerical value of anathmea (cherem) is two hundred and forty-eight. And Shmuel said, when it takes force it takes force on [all] two hundred and forty-eight organs, and when it leaves, it leaves from two hundred and forty-eight limbs, as it is written (Habakuk 3:2), "in anger, remember to have mercy (rachem, which is made up of the same letters as cherem)." It is written,"tirash," but we read it [as] tirosh. [If] he merits, he becomes a rosh (leader); [if] he does not merit, he becomes a rash (poor person). Our rabbis, may their memory be blessed said, "A man is recognized by three things: by his purse, by his glass and by his anger. Tavel is Ramaliah. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value of in at-bash. The numerical value of Gog and Magog is seventy, as they are the seventy nations [of the world].

3 (Numb. 13:2) “Send men”: R. Aha the Great opened [his discourse] (with Is. 40:8), “Grass withers, flowers fade, but the word of our God shall stand forever.” To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a friend. Now he made an agreement with him and said to him, “Come with me, and I will give you a present.” He went with him but died. The king said to the son of his friend, “Although your father has died, I am not withdrawing the present that I had promised to give him. Come and get it.” This king is the Holy One, blessed be He, and the friend is Abraham, as stated (in Is. 41:8), “the seed of My friend Abraham.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Come with me,” as stated (in Gen. 12:1), “Go from your land….” He made an agreement with him to give him a present, as stated (in Gen. 13:17), “Arise, walk about the land [… for I am giving it to you].” It also says (in vs. 15), “For all the land which you see, [to you will I give it, and to your seed forever].” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Although the ancestors have died, I had agreed with them to give them the land. I am not going back on [My word].” Instead (as in Numb. 13:2), “Send men.” Ergo (according to Is. 40:8), “but the word of our God shall stand forever.”

Another explanation of Thou art fairer than the children of men. This refers to Abraham, for the Holy One, blessed be He, did not speak to any generation prior to his, as it is stated: And God said unto Abraham (Gen. 17:19). Grace is poured upon thy lips is said because he pleaded in behalf of the Sodomites: That be far from Thee (halilah) to do after this manner (ibid. 18:25). Some say That be far from Thee would be a profanation of Thy name (halil shemkha) to do this, while others say it means to be set aside (halelah), as in the case of an unchaste woman who is set aside. R. Huna said: It would be a profanation of the name of God if He were to destroy the righteous with the wicked, for men would then say: He did this to the generation of Enoch (which suffered a flood), the generation of the flood,²⁶All were punished, righteous or not. (and) the generation of the dispersion²⁷Punishment for building the Tower of Babel, though all were not involved. (Gen. 11:1–9), for they refrained from repenting. Grace is poured upon thy lips implies that you should be convinced that it (the law) will go forth from your descendants, since I gave him the Torah and he will teach it to your descendants, as is said: He gave unto Moses.

21 The Seers (i.e., the prophets) were the ones who said the doubled letters, mantzepakh (mem, nun, tzadi, peh, and kaf, which are the letters that have a different form when they appear at the end of a word). [The doubling of kaf that is found in Genesis 12:1,] "Lekh lekha (Go for yourself)," hints to Avraham that he will father Yitschak at one hundred years [of age] (as the numerical value of these two words is one hundred). [The doubling of mem that is found in Genesis 26:16,] "ki atsamta memenu (as you have become more powerful than us)" is a hint [to Yitschak] that hints that he and his seed will be powerful in both worlds. The doubling of nun [that is found in Genesis 32:12,] "Hatsileini na (Save me)" [is a hint to] Yaakov, [that] he will be saved in both worlds. The doubling of peh [that is found in Exodus 3:15, is a hint to] Israel, to Moshe,"pakod pakadeti etchem (I have surely remembered you)." The doubling of tsadi [that is found in Zachariah 6:12,] "hinei eesh, Tsemach shemo, [ou'metachtav yitsmach] (behold, a man called Branch shall branch out from the place where he is,)" is [referring to] the Messiah. And so is it stated (Jermiah 23:5), "vahikimoti leDavid tsemach tsadeek [...] (and I will raise up a true branch of David [...])." "The leader of fifty" (Isaiah 3:3). Twenty-four books (of the Bible); add to them eleven of the thirteen [books of the minor prophets] - besides Yonah which is by itself - and six orders of the Mishnah and nine chapters of Torat Kohanim, behold fifty. "Sixty were the queens," (Song of Songs 6:8), sixty tractates; "and eighty were the concubines," eighty study halls that were in Jerusalem corresponding to its gates.; and maidens without number," the study outside. "Behold the bed of Shlomo, sixty warriors" (Song of Songs 3:7). [This corresponds to] the sixty letters of the priestly blessing (Numbers 6:24-26). Three hundred and eighteen [souls mentioned in Genesis 14:14 is the numerical equivalent of] Eliezer. "Inasmuch (ekev) as Avraham obeyed Me and kept My charge: My commandments, My laws, and My teachings" (Genesis 26:5) - he recognized him when he was three (the numerical equivalent of ekev, being three less than that of Avraham). The Satan (HaSatan) has the numerical equivalent of three hundred and sixty-four, the count of the days of the solar year that he rules over all of them to slander, excepting Yom Kippur. Rabbi Ami beiRabbi Abba said, "Avraham was missing five organs before he was circumcised and [before] he fathered. The [letter] hay (with a numerical value of five) was added [to his name] and he became complete and fathered [corresponding to the complete set of organs, two hundred and forty-eight], the numerical count of his letters." "A woman of valor is the crown of her husband" (Proverbs 12:4) - that is Sarah. Her name had been Sarai. Two Amoraim (later rabbinic teachers) differed. One said, "The [letter] yod (with a numerical count of ten that was taken from her) was divided into two, [to give] a hay to Avaraham and a hay to Sarah." And [the other] said, "The yod that was taken from Sarah raised a protest until Yehoshua came and Moshe added to him a yod - the Lord save you from the counsel of the [other] spies. [The significance of the letters in the name,] Yitschak [is as follows]: Yod (with a numerical count of ten) corresponds to the ten trials [of Avraham]. [The letter] tsadi (with a numerical count of ninety), [as] Sarah was ninety when he was born. [The letter] chet (with a numerical count of eight), [as] he was circumcised on the eighth day. And the letter kof (with a numerical count of one hundred), [as] Avraham was a hundred years old when he was born. Yaakov was called according to [the significance of the letters of] his [own] name: Yod [corresponds to] the tenth of his offspring going backwards. Count from (the last son), Binaymin to Levi - there are ten sons, [and Levi] was the tenth. [The letter] ayin (with a numerical count of seventy corresponds to the number of offspring he took to Egypt), "with seventy souls" (Deuteronomy 10:22). Kof corresponds to the [number of the] letters of the blessing [that he received minus the name of God, "And may He give you etc." (Genesis 27:28)]. [The letter] bet (with a numerical count of two) remains, corresponding to two angels (that he saw on the ladder in his dream) rising. There were six hundred and thirteen commandments in the tablets - corresponding to the letters from "I am" (Exodus 20:2) to "to your neighbor" (Exodus 20:14) - corresponding to the six hundred and thirteen commandments - no less and no more. And they were all given to Moshe at [Mount] Sinai; and in them are statutes and judgments, Torah and Mishnah, Talmud and aggadah. "The fear of the Lord is his treasure" (Isaiah 33:6). There is no greater characteristic than fear and humility, [as it is stated] (Deuteronomy 10:12), "And now Israel, what does the Lord, your God, ask of you besides to fear Him [...]." "The fear of" (Yirat) has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven; and Torah has a numerical value of six hundred and eleven - and Torah and fear [of God] along with them, behold that is six hundred and thirteen. [The numerical value of] fringes (tsitsit) [is six hundred] - the rabbis taught: [Add] eight [strings] and five [knots], behold that is six hundred and thirteen. The days of Avraham were one hundred and seventy-five years, [of] Yitzchak were one hundred and eighty years [and of] Yaakov were a hundred and forty-seven years. When you put them together, it is found to be five hundred and two years. And so is the distance of the the heavens to the earth, "like the the days of the heavens above the earth" (Deuteronomy 11:21). "[The man (David)] raised on high" (II Samuel 23:1) - [high (al) has a numerical value of one hundred] corresponding to one hundred blessings. As on every day, one hundred men of Israel were dying. [So] David came and ordained [the daily saying of] one hundred blessings. Once he ordained them, the pestilence ceased. High (al) [corresponds to] the yoke (ulah) of Torah and the yoke of suffering. "Forgive all guilt and take the good (tov) that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3). Israel said, "Master of the world, at the time that the Temple existed, we would offer a sacrifice and be cleansed. But now all we have in our hand is prayer." The numerical value of tov is seventeen. Prayer [consists of] nineteen blessings. Take away from them the blessing for the malfeasers that was composed at Yavneh, and "Let the sprout of David blossom," which they ordained after it for the sake of "Probe me, Lord, and try me" (Psalms 26:2). Rabbi Simon says, "Take tov [in at-bash (matching letters based on how close they are to the center of the alphabet), which is the same] as the numerical value of soul (nefesh). Israel said, 'At the time that the Temple existed, we would incinerate the fats and the innards and be cleansed. But now behold our fat, our blood and our souls. May it be Your will that it be atonement for us and "that we pay with the words of our lips" (Hosea 14:3).'" "And the Lord gave her conception (herayon)" (Ruth 4:13). [Herayon] has a numerical value of two hundred and seventy one (the number of the days of the nine months of birthing). The measure of the water of a mikveh (ritual bath) is forty seah [corresponding to the forty mentions] of well water, written in the Torah. And [the volume of] how many eggs is the measure of the mikveh? Five thousand seven hundred and sixty. Each seah is a hundred and forty-four eggs. Forty-three and a fifth eggs is the measure of [what is required for] challah [tithe]. And from where [do we know] that a mikveh requires forty seah? As it is written (Isaiah 8:6), "Since this nation has rejected the waters of Shiloach that flow gently (le'at)." The numerical value [of le'at] is forty. And one who separates the measure of the challah [tithe] must separate one part in forty three and a fifth from Torah writ like the [numerical] value of challah. The main categories of work [on Shabbat] are forty minus one (thirty-nine), as it is written (Exodus 35:1), "These (eleh) are the things which the Lord commanded." [The numerical count of] "eleh" is thirty-six; "things" (being plural) is two; "the things" [indicates an additional] one - behold, forty minus one. "He shall strike him forty, he shall not add" (Deuteronomy 25:3), corresponds to the forty curses that the snake, Chava, Adam and the ground were cursed - and the sages lessened one, because of "he shall not add." Those [judges] advocating innocence are more those advocating guilt. [For] it is best for the two to come and push off one. Seshach is Bavel (Babylon) [according to] its numerical value in at-bash. Tavel is Ramlah [according to] its numerical value in al-bam (another numerical scheme). "Thus (bezot) shall Aaron enter the shrine; with a bull of the herd for a sin offering and a ram for a burnt offering" (Leviticus 16:3). Bezot (which has a numerical count of four hundred and ten) is a hint to the first Temple that stood for four hundred and ten years.

And get thee into the land of Moriah (ibid., v. 2). What is suggested by the word get thee? It implies that the last trial was similar to the first. At the first trial, The Lord said unto Abram: “Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred” (Gen. 12:1), and at the last trial He said: Get thee into the land of Moriah.

The third trial was his migration from his father's house and from the land of his birth; and He brought him to Haran, and there his father Terah died, and Athrai his mother. Migration is harder for man than for any other creature. Whence do we know of his migration? Because it is said, "Now the Lord said || unto Abram, Get thee out" (Gen. 12:1).

"G-d said to Abram, 'Go forth from your land…'" (Genesis 12:1) Rabbi Yitzchak opened: "Listen, daughter, look, and incline your ear, and forget your people and your father's house." (Psalms 45:11) Rabbi Yitzchak said: this may be compared to a man who was traveling from place to place when he saw a castle aglow. He said, "Is it possible that this castle lacks a person to look after it?" The owner of the building looked at him and said to him, 'I am the master of the castle.'" What happened with Abraham our father was similar. He said, “Is it possible that this universe lacks a person to look after it?," the Holy Blessed One looked at him and said to him, 'I am the Master of the Universe.'" "And let the king be aroused by your beauty since he is your master" (Psalms 45:12) And let the king be aroused for your beauty in the universe. "And bow to him" (Psalms 45:12) Hence, G-d said to Abram, [go forth...].

"G-d said to Abram…" (Genesis 12:1) Rabbi Berekhyah opened: "Your perfumes have good fragrance, your name is poured-out oil" (Song of Songs 1:3) Rabbi Berekhyah said: to what was Abraham our father similar? to a flask of balsam-tree juice close with a tight lid, placed in a corner and its fragrance was not emitted. When it was moved, its fragrance was emitted. Thus the Holy Blessed One said to Abraham our Father, move yourself from place to place and your name will become great in the world....

YHVH said to Abram, "Go forth from your land…" (Genesis 12:1) What was written prior to this matter? “…and Teraḥ died in Ḥaran.” (Genesis 11:32) Rabbi Yitzḥak said: if the matter is the math, then up to now [where Avram leaves, for Teraḥ to be dead,] it would need another 65 years, but initially, you can interpret that evildoers are called “dead” during their lives. It is because Abraham our father was afraid and said, “If I go out, they will profane the Heavenly Name through me and say that he left his father and went during his [father’s] old age. The Holy One Blessed Be He said to him, I exempt you from honoring father and mother, but I do not exempt [any] other from honoring father and mother. And not only that, but I moved forward his death to before your going out: first, “And Teraḥ died in Ḥaran.”, and afterwards “And YHVH said to Avram”

(Gen. 22:2:) GO (Lekh-lekha).¹⁶³Tanh., Gen. 4:22. The Holy One said to him: The first trial¹⁶⁴On the ten trials of Abraham, see above, 4:43, and the note there; see also above, 3:4. < was given > through < the words > Lekh-lekha, as stated (in Gen. 12:10): GO FROM YOUR < NATIVE > LAND, FROM YOUR BIRTHPLACE. Now the last trial < is given here > through < the words > Lekh-lekha (GO) UNTO THE LAND OF MORIAH.

Rabbi Eliezer said: The five letters of the Torah, which alone of all the letters in the Torah are of double (shape), all appertain to the mystery of the Redemption. With "Khaph" "Khaph" our father Abraham was redeemed from Ur of the Chaldees, as it is said, (Lekh Lekha) "Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred… unto the land that I will shew thee" (Gen. 12:1). With "Mem" "Mem" our father Isaac was redeemed from the land of the Philistines, as it is said, "Go from us: for thou art much mightier (Memennu M'ôd) than we" (Gen. 26:16). With "Nun" "Nun" our father Jacob was redeemed from the hand of Esau, as it is said, "Deliver me, I pray thee, (Hazilêne na) from the hand of my brother, from the hand of Esau" (Gen. 32:11). With "Pê" "Pê" Israel was redeemed from Egypt, as it is said, "I have surely visited you, (Paḳôd Paḳadti) and (seen) that which is done to you in Egypt, and I have said, I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt" (Ex. 3:16, 17). With "Zaddi" "Zaddi" the Holy One, blessed be He, in the future will redeem Israel from the oppression of the kingdoms, and He will say to them, I have caused a branch to spring forth for you, as it is said, "Behold, the man whose name is (Zemach) the Branch; and he shall grow up (yizmach) || out of his place, and he shall build the temple of the Lord" (Zech. 6:12). These letters were delivered only to our father Abraham. Our father Abraham delivered them to Isaac, and Isaac (delivered them) to Jacob, and Jacob delivered the mystery of the Redemption to Joseph, as it is said, "But God will surely visit (Paḳôd yiphḳôd) you" (Gen. 1. 24). Joseph his son delivered the secret of the Redemption to his brethren. Asher, the son of Jacob, delivered the mystery of the Redemption to Serach his daughter. When Moses and Aaron came to the elders of Israel and performed the signs in their sight, the elders of Israel went to Serach, the daughter of Asher, and they said to her: A certain man has come, and he has performed signs in our sight, thus and thus. She said to them: There is no reality in the signs. They said to her: He said "Paḳôd yiphḳôd"—"God will surely visit you" (ibid.). She said to them: He is the man who will redeem Israel in the future from Egypt, for thus did I hear, ("Paḳôd Paḳadti") "I have surely visited you" (Ex. 3:16). Forthwith the people believed in their God and in His messenger, as it is said, "And the people believed, and when they heard that the Lord had visited the children of Israel" (Ex. 4:31).

"Far be it from You." R' Yudan said, "It is far from You"; "It is outside for You." R' Aha said, "Halila" "Halila" twice. There is a desecration of the name of Heaven in the matter. R' Aba said, It does not say "to do this thing"; rather, it says "to do a thing like this." Not it, nor anything like it, nor anything less than it. R' Levi said, Two individuals said the same thing, Avraham and Iyov. Avraham: "Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty" Iyov: "It is all one; therefore I say, 'He destroys the blameless and the guilty.'" Avraham received a reward for it, and Iyov was punished for it. Avraham spoke well-ripened thoughts; Iyov spoke hastily and angrily: "It is all one; therefore I say, 'He destroys the blameless and the guilty.'" R' Hiyya bar Aba said, There is a confusion of questions here. Avraham said,"Far be it from You to do such a thing, to bring death upon the innocent as well as the guilty," and the Holy One Blessed be He says, "so that innocent and guilty fare alike." Would He suspend [judgment] against the wicked for the sake of the righteous? Oh that they were righteous, but they are only righteous men of an inferior quality, as R' Yohanan said, All tzaddikim mentioned in connection with S'dom are written "tzaddikam." This is the opinion of R' Yohanan, as R' Yohanan said, "So our elders and all the inhabitants of our country instructed us" -- it is written "z'kananu" -- uncultured old men, i.e., shameful old men. R' Yehoshua ben Levi said, Annex my deeds and they will increase the total to 50. R' Yehuda ben R' Simon said, Aren't You the Righteous One of the world? Annex Your deeds and they will increase the total to 50. R' Yehuda ben R' Simon said, This is what Avraham said to Him: With a flesh-and-blood king, one can take an appeal from a duke's decision to a provincial governor, and from a provincial governor to a military governor. But with You, because there is no one to take an appeal to, won't You do justice? R' Yehuda ben R' Simon said, When You sought to judge Your world, You gave it over to two, Remus and Romulus, so that if one of them wanted to do something, the other could stay the first one's hand. But You, with respect to Whom there is no one to stay Your hand, won't You do justice? R' Ada said, You swore that You would not bring a flood to the world, and now You are weaseling out of the oath -- a flood of water You are not bringing, but a flood of fire You are bringing. If so, You have not fulfilled Your oath. R' Levi said, ...

And He said: Take, please, your son, etc. (22:2). Said God to him: ‘Take, I beg you" — please —Your son.’ ‘Which son? I have two sons’ he said. ‘Your only son,’ replied He. ‘This one is the only one of his mother, and this one is the only one of his mother.’ "The one you love"—‘Is there a limit to the affections?’ "Itzchak" said He. And why did God not reveal it to him without delay? In order to make him [Itzchak] even more beloved in his eyes and reward him for each and every word spoken. This agrees with the opinion of Rabbi Yohanan, who said: "Get out of your country" (Gen. 12:1) means from your province; “And from your kindred” (Gen. 12:1)—from your neighborhood; “And from your father’s house"(Gen. 12:1)—literally your father’s house. “To the land that I will show you” (Gen. 12:1). Why did He not reveal it to him there and then? In order to make it more beloved in his eyes and to reward him for each and every word said, and for each and every step taken. Rabbi Levi b. Hayata said: ‘Get you’ is written twice, and we do not know which was more precious [in the eyes of God] the first or the second. But when it is written, “And get you to the land of Moriah” (22:2) it follows that the second occasion was more precious than the first. "And go yourself to the land of Moriah" Rabbi Chiya Raba and Rabbi Yanai [disagree]: one says to the place from which instruction (hora’ah) goes out to the world, and the other says to the place from which awe (yirah) goes out to the world. Similarly regarding the Holy of Holies (devir), Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yanai [disagree]: one says from the place from which the commandments (dibra’ot) go out to the world, and one says from the place from which speech (dibur) goes out to the world. Similarly regarding the ark (aron), Rabbi Chiya and Rabbi Yanai [disagree]: one says to the place from which the light (ha’orah) goes out to the world, and one says to the place where awe (yirah) goes out to the world. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said that from there the Holy One instructs [mor'eh] the nations of the world and brings them down [moridam] to Gehinnom. Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai said, to the place which is aligned [ra'ui] with the Holy Temple above. Rabbi Yudan said, to the place where there will be an appearance [mar'eh] to you. Rabbi Pinchas said, to the place of the Master [marvatah] of the World. The Rabbis said, to the place where the incense is offered – this is what it says “…I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense.” (Shir HaShirim 4:6) "And offer Him there as a burnt-offering (Gen. 22:2). Rabbi Yudan bar Simon said: He [Avraham] said to Him: ‘Master of the Universe! Can there be a sacrifice without a priest?’ The Holy One of Blessing replied ‘I have already appointed you to be a priest’ as it is written, ‘You are a priest for ever’ (Ps. 110:4). "On one of the mountains which I will tell you of (Gen. 22:2). Rabbi Huna said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer the son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: The Holy One of Blessing first places the righteous in doubt and suspense, and then reveals to them the real meaning of the matter, as it is written "to the land that I will show you (Gen. 12:1); "On one of the mountains which I will tell you"; "And make to it the proclamation that I bid you (Jonah 3:2); similarly, "Arise, go out into the plain and I will there speak with you (Ezek. 3:22).

"He surrounded him": viz. (Ibid. 12:1) "And the L-rd said to Avram: Go for your sake, etc."