Midrasz do Rodzaju 3:11

(Numb. 22:2:) “Now Balak ben Zippor saw.” What is the meaning of “Now he saw?” He saw retribution which would come against Israel in the future.³Numb. R. 20:2. And he hated them more than all their enemies, as all of the [others] came with wars and subjugation which they could withstand. But this one was like a man who could extract a word from his mouth to uproot an entire nation. (Numb. 22:2:) “Now Balak [ben Zippor] saw.” It would have been better for the wicked if they had been blind, for their eyes bring a curse to the world. With reference to the generation of the flood, [it is written] (in Gen. 6:2), “The sons of God saw [how beautiful the human daughters were and took whomever they chose as their wives].” [It is also written] (in Gen. 9:22), “Then Ham, the father of Canaan, saw [the nakedness of his father and told his two brothers outside].” It is also written (in Gen. 12:15), “So Pharaoh's courtiers saw her (i.e., Abram's wife Sarah) [and praised her to Pharaoh, and the woman was taken to Pharaoh's house].” It is also written (in Gen. 34:2), “Then Shechem ben Hamor saw [Dinah].” So also [here] (in Numb. 22:2), “Now Balak [ben Zippor] saw.” The matter is comparable to someone who appointed guards to guard from an invader; and he had confidence in them, because they were warriors. When the invader came over and killed them, he trembled with fear for himself. It was the same also with Balak. When he saw what happened with Sihon and Og to whom he had been sending payment to guard him, he was afraid for himself. And in addition to that, he had seen the miracles at the Wadis of Arnon.⁴According to Numb. 21:26-31, Sihon defeated the King of Moab and captured his territory as far at the Arnon. See above and Numb. R. 19:25, for a description of the miracles. See also below and Numb. R. 20:7, according to which Sihon’s victory resulted from a curse by Balaam. (Numb. 22:3:) “Wayyagor mo'av.”⁵A traditional translation of these words would be NOW MOAB WAS IN GREAT DREAD, or something similar. What is the meaning of “Wayyagor (rt.: ygr)?”⁶Numb. R. 20:3. When Israel appeared to the Ammonites, they appeared clothed for peace. But when they appeared to the Moabites they appeared armed [for battle]. Thus it is stated (in Deut. 2:19), “When you draw near the frontier of the Children of Ammon, do not trouble them.” It is written [to imply not to trouble them] with all kinds of trouble; (ibid., cont.) “and do not provoke (rt.: grh) them,” with any kind of provocation. In regard to Moab, however, He said (in Deut. 2:9), “Do not trouble Moab, and do not provoke (rt.: grh) them with war.” Do not make war with them, but whatever you can seize apart from [war], seize. For that reason they appeared armed, and [the Moabites] gathered themselves (rt.: 'gr) to their cities, as stated (in Numb. 22:3), “Now Moab yagor (i.e., gathered).” Wayyagor (rt.: ygr, here understood a form of 'gr) can only be a word for a gathering, just as it says (in Prov. 10:5), “A prudent child gathers (rt.: 'gr) in the summer.” Another interpretation (of Numb. 22:3), “wayyagor”: [It is] a word for fear, in that they were afraid, as they saw the whole land in the hands of Israel. As Sihon had come and taken [part of] the land of Moab, as stated (Numb. 21:26), “and he fought against the earlier king of Moab….” And Og had taken all of the land of the Children of Ammon, as stated (Deuteronomy 3:11), “Since only Og was left from the remnant of the Rephaim….” [And] Israel came and took it from both of them; theft that has no iniquity. And [so the Moabites] saw their land in the hand of Israel and they would say, “Did the Holy One, blessed be He, not say (in Deuteronomy 2:9), ‘As I will not give you from its land as an inheritance’; and behold our land is in front of them (already in their possession).” Therefore they were afraid. (Numb. 22:3, cont.:) “And Moab had a horror (rt.: qwts) [of the Children of Israel],” because they saw themselves as a [mere] thorn (qwts) over against them.

Rabbi Azarya, and some say Rabbi Elazar, Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Elazar says: This is analogous to a king who had a wine cellar. One came, the first guest; he poured him a cup and gave it to him. The second came, and he poured him a cup and gave it to him. When the king’s son came, he gave him the entire cellar. So too, Adam, the first man, was commanded with seven commandments.⁹⁰The commentaries write that the text should state “six commandments,” as the midrash goes on to list only six. This is also consistent with the text of Bereshit Rabba 16:6 (see Matnot Kehuna). That is what is written: “The Lord God commanded the man, saying: From all the trees in the Garden you shall eat” (Genesis 2:16). “He commanded [vaytzav],” this is [the prohibition against] idol worship, just as you say: “Because he willingly followed an order [tzav]” (Hosea 5:11).⁹¹In this verse, the prophet is expressing that the kingdom of Israel is oppressed because of the sin of idolatry. “The Lord,” this is [the prohibition against] blaspheming the name, as it is stated: “One who blasphemes the name of the Lord shall surely die” (Leviticus 24:16). “God [Elohim],” this is [the commandment to appoint] judges, as it is stated: “The statement of the two of them shall come to the judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:8). “The man,” this is [the prohibition against] bloodshed, as it is written: “One who spills the blood of the man [by man shall his blood be shed]” (Genesis 9:6). “Saying,” these are forbidden sexual relations, as it is stated: “Saying: If a man divorces his wife and she goes from him [and becomes another man’s wife, may he return to her again?]” (Jeremiah 3:1). “From all the trees in the Garden,” this is robbery, as it is written: “[Did you eat] from the tree that I commanded you [not to eat?]” (Genesis 3:11).
Noah, [the prohibition against eating] a limb [detached] from a living animal was added for him, as it is written: “But flesh with its life, its blood [you shall not eat]” (Genesis 9:4). Abraham was commanded regarding circumcision. Isaac inaugurated it on the eighth day.⁹²Isaac was the first to have been circumcised on the eighth day of his life (see Genesis 21:4). Jacob [was commanded] regarding the [prohibition against eating the] sciatic nerve, as it is stated: “Therefore, the children of Israel shall not eat the sciatic nerve” (Genesis 32:33). Judah [was commanded] regarding [levirate marriage with] a childless sister-in-law, as it is stated: “Judah said to Onan: Consort with your brother's wife, and consummate levirate marriage with her” (Genesis 38:8). [The children of] Israel [were commanded] regarding all the positive commandments and the negative commandments.
Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina and the Rabbis say: This is analogous to a king who would distribute provisions to his troops by means of dukes, governors, and commanders. When his son came, he gave it to him directly.⁹³Similarly, God gave the commandments to Adam and Noah without direct and public Divine revelation, but He gave the Torah to Israel with direct and public Divine revelation. Rabbi Yitzḥak says: This is analogous to a king who was partaking of fine pastry; when his son came, he gave it to him directly.⁹⁴He shared the fine royal pastry with his son, and gave it to him directly. So too, God gave Israel the Divine Torah, and did so through direct revelation. The Rabbis say: This is analogous to a king who was partaking of slices [of food]; when his son came, he gave it to him directly.⁹⁵The king gave his son a slice of food from his own plate. Some say that he took it from his mouth and gave it to him, as it is stated: “For the Lord grants wisdom; from His mouth are knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6).
Rabbi Abahu, and some say Rabbi Yehuda, and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Neḥemya said: [This is analogous to] two friends who were engaged in a halakhic matter. This one says the source of the halakha and that one says the source of the halakha.⁹⁶Each one provided a source for his opinion as to the halakhic conclusion in the matter under discussion. The Holy One blessed be He says: ‘Their passion comes from Me.’⁹⁷Their commitment to arrive at the true halakha is for the sake of Heaven, and therefore, are the words of the living God (see Eiruvin 13b). Rabbi Neḥemya explains the meaning of the phrase: “Let him kiss me [yishakeni] with the kisses of his mouth” as related to “their passion” [shukeyotehon]. Rabbi Yehuda said: Even the vanity that emerges from his mouth,⁹⁸Even if those discussing the halakhic matter are mistaken in their analysis and claims. as it is stated: “Job opens his mouth in vanity” (Job 35:16), the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘His passion is from Me.’
The Rabbis say: The souls of these are destined to be taken with a kiss. Rabbi Azarya said: We find that the soul of Aaron was taken only with a kiss; that is what is written: “Aaron the priest ascended Mount Hor at the command of [al pi] God and he died there” (Numbers 33:38).⁹⁹The midrash interprets the phrase al pi according to its literal meaning, such that the verse states “with the mouth of God,” meaning with a Divine kiss. From where is it derived that the soul of Moses [also departed with a kiss]? As it is stated: “Moses, servant of the Lord, died there…at the command of [al pi] God” (Deuteronomy 34:5). From where is it derived that [the soul of] Miriam [departed with a kiss]? As it is written: “Miriam died there” (Numbers 20:1). Just as “there” that is written below, was with the mouth of God, so, too, here, it is the same, but it is improper to state it explicitly.¹⁰⁰Since the word “there” appears regarding the death of Moses, who died with a kiss, the use of the term “there” regarding the death of Miriam implies that she died in the same manner. However, the verse did not state this explicitly regarding Miriam because it would have been improper to indicate the kiss regarding a woman (see Bava Batra 17a). The rest of the righteous, from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Let him kiss me from the kisses of his mouth.” If you engaged in matters of Torah that kiss your lips, ultimately, everyone will kiss you on the mouth.¹⁰¹So too, God will collect your soul with a Divine kiss (Midrash HaMevoar).
Another matter, “let him kiss me [yishakeni] with the kisses”—He will arm me, He will purify me, He will cleave to me.¹⁰²All of these are connoted by the word yishakeni, as the midrash will explain. Yishakeni, He will arm me, from what is written: “Armed [noshekei] with bows, right-handed and left-handed” (I Chronicles 12:2). Rabbi Shimon bar Naḥman said: Matters of Torah were likened to weapons. Just as these weapons serve their owners in times of war, so, too, matters of Torah serve one who exerts sufficient effort in their study. Rabbi Ḥana bar Aḥa cites it from here: “Exaltation of God [is in their throats, and a double-edged [pifiyot] sword is in their hand]” (Psalms 149:6); just as this sword cuts with both its edges,¹⁰³It can thereby save the life of its owner on two planes. so too, Torah provides life in this world and life in the World to Come.
Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis. Rabbi Yehuda says: The Torah that was stated by one mouth [peh] is stated by many mouths [piyot].¹⁰⁴This is based on the verse from Psalms cited above, which compares Torah to a double-edged [pifiyot] sword. Originally it was stated to Israel by Moses, and then all of the children of Israel spoke about it. Similarly, throughout the generations, when a scholar teaches a Torah insight, it is later repeated by his students (Maharzu). Rabbi Neḥemya said: Two Torahs were stated, one oral and one written.¹⁰⁵This is a continuation of the previous statement. The written Torah is stated in one matter, compared to one mouth, whereas the oral Torah, which was not given with one exact text, is communicated in different forms by different people. This is comparable to a plurality of mouths (Maharzu). The Rabbis say: They decree on the supernal, and they perform, on the earthly, and they perform.¹⁰⁶The Sages have multiple mouths in the sense of multiple audiences, as the angels and human beings both observe their decrees. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: The reason of the Rabbis is as it is written: “As there were princes of sanctity and princes of God” (I Chronicles 24:5). “Princes of sanctity,” these are the ministering angels, as it is written: “I profaned the princes of sanctity” (Isaiah 43:28). “Princes of God, these are Israel, as it is written in their regard: “I said: You are divine” (Psalms 82:6), as they decree on the heavenly, and they perform, on the earthly, and they perform, when they conduct themselves in purity.
Another matter, “let him kiss me [yishakeni] with the kisses of his mouth”—let him purify me, like a person who causes two pools to meet [mashik] each other and unites them,¹⁰⁷If there is not enough water in one or both of the pools to serve as a ritual bath, which purifies, joining them together can allow them to serve in this capacity. as it is stated: “Like the meeting [mashak] of cascading pools he joins it” (Isaiah 33:4).
Another matter, “let him kiss me [yishakeni] with the kisses of his mouth”—yishakeni, He will cleave to me, as it is stated: “The sound of the wings of the creatures would touch [mashikot] one another” (Ezekiel 3:13). Alternatively, “let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth,” He will put forth for me the sound of kisses¹⁰⁸He will speak to me lovingly. from His mouth.

Rabbi Abbahu began: “But they, like men [ke’adam], have violated the covenant” (Hosea 6:7) – this is Adam the first man. The Holy One blessed be He said: I brought Adam the first man into the Garden of Eden, I commanded him, and he violated My command. I sentenced him to banishment and expulsion, and I lamented him with eikha. I brought him into the Garden of Eden, as it is stated: “He placed him in the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 2:15). I commanded him, as it is stated: “The Lord God commanded the man saying.… [but from the tree of knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat]” (Genesis 2:16–17). He violated My command, as it is stated: “Have [you eaten] from the tree from which I commanded you [not to eat?]” (Genesis 3:11). I sentenced him to banishment, as it is stated: “He banished the man” (Genesis 3:24). I sentenced him to expulsion, as it is stated: “The Lord [God] sent him from the Garden of Eden” (Genesis 3:23). I lamented him with eikha, as it is stated: “He said to him: Where are you [ayeka]” (Genesis 3:9); it is written eikha.¹¹Ayeka and eikha are each spelled alef, yod, kaf, heh. Thus, it is as though God used the word eikha, how, regarding Adam, as if to say: How did this come to be, just as the first word of Lamentations is how [eikha].
His descendants, too, I brought into the Land of Israel, as it is stated: “I brought you into a fruitful land” (Jeremiah 2:7). I commanded them, as it is stated: “Command the children of Israel” (Leviticus 24:2). They violated My command, as it is stated: “All Israel has violated your Torah” (Daniel 9:11). I sentenced them to banishment, as it is stated: “From My house I will banish them” (Hosea 9:15). I sentenced them to expulsion, as it is stated: “Send them from My presence and let them go” (Jeremiah 15:1). I lamented them with: “How does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

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

“The king said to her: What troubles you, Queen Esther, and what is your request… Esther said: If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet… The king said: Hasten Haman…The king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared…Haman emerged on that day joyful and glad of heart, but upon Haman’s seeing Mordekhai at the king’s gate, and he did not stand, and he did not move on his account, Haman became filled with fury…Haman restrained himself…and brought his supporters and Zeresh his wife, etc.” (Esther 5:3–5; 8–10).
Among all of them, there was no one capable of giving counsel like Zeresh his wife. He [Haman] had three hundred and sixty-five advisers, corresponding to the days of the solar year. His wife said to him: The person [Mordekhai] about whom you are asking, “If he is of the progeny of the Jews…you will not prevail against him” (Esther 6:13) – unless you approach him with cleverness, with [a strategy] that has never been attempted against members of his nation. If you drop him into a fiery furnace, Ḥananya and his cohorts have already been rescued [from it]; if [you place him in] the lions’ den, Daniel already emerged from it. If you incarcerate him in prison, Joseph already emerged from it. If you ignite a fire in a vat beneath him, Menashe [king of Judah] already pleaded, and the Holy One blessed be He acceded to his plea and he emerged from it. If you exile him to the wilderness, his ancestors already procreated in the wilderness, and they were confronted with numerous ordeals and passed them all and were rescued. If you blind his eyes, Samson took numerous Philistine lives when he was blind. Rather, hang him on a gibbet, as no member of his people has survived it.
Immediately, “the matter was pleasing to Haman and he prepared the gibbet” (Esther 5:14). From what tree was that gibbet crafted? The Rabbis said: When he came to prepare it, the Holy One blessed be He called to all the trees of Creation: ‘Who will give [of its wood] so this wicked one [Haman] will be hanged on it?’
The fig said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel brings first fruits from me. Moreover, Israel was likened to the first fruits [of a fig]; that is what is written: “Like a first fruit on a fig tree in its first season”’ (Hosea 9:10).
The grapevine said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; that is what is written: “You transported a vine from Egypt”’ (Psalms 80:9).
The pomegranate said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “Your temple is like a pomegranate slice”’ (Song of Songs 4:3).
The nut said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was likened to me; that is what is written: “I have descended to the nut garden”’ (Song of Songs 6:11).
The citron said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel takes from me for a mitzva; that is what is written: “You shall take for you on the first day the fruit of a pleasant tree…”’¹This verse refers to the mitzva to take the four species on Sukkot. Rabbinic tradition identifies the “pleasant tree” as the citron. (Leviticus 23:40).
The myrtle said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “And he was standing among the myrtles”’ (Zechariah 1:8).
The olive said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “The Lord called your name a flourishing olive-tree, fair of fruit and form”’ (Jeremiah 11:16).
The apple said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the boys” (Song of Songs 2:3), and as it is written: “And the fragrance of your face like apples”’ (Song of Songs 7:9).
The palm said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; that is what is written: “This, your stature, is likened to a palm”’ (Song of Songs 7:8).
Acacia trees and cypress trees said: ‘We will give of ourselves, as the Sanctuary was crafted and the Temple was constructed from us.’
The cedar and the date said: ‘We will give of ourselves, as we are analogized to the righteous, as it is stated: “The righteous man flourishes like a palm tree; like a cedar in Lebanon he grows tall”’ (Psalms 92:13).
The willow says: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me, as it is stated: “Like willows by streams of water” (Isaiah 44:4); and they take from me for the mitzva of the four species in the lulav.’
At that moment, the thorn said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I, who have nothing to ascribe [litlot] to myself, I will give of myself, and that impure one will be hanged [veyitaleh]. My name is thorn, and he [Haman] is a painful thorn; it is appropriate for a thorn to be hanged on a thorn.’ They found [suitable wood from a thorn] and erected [the gibbet].
When they brought it before Haman, he prepared it at the entrance to his house and measured himself on it to show his servants how Mordekhai should be hanged on it. A divine voice replied to him: ‘The tree is suitable for you; this tree has been prepared for you since the six days of Creation.’ The Rabbis there [i.e. Babylonia] say: Where in the Torah is there [an allusion] to Haman? It is, as it is stated: “Was it from the tree [hamin haetz]” (Genesis 3:11), which is expounded to read: Haman haetz.
Another matter: “it was on the third day” (Esther 5:1). Israel is never subject to trouble for more than three days, as in Abraham’s regard it is written: “On the third day, Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from a distance” (Genesis 22:4). The tribes, “he gathered them into custody for three days” (Genesis 42:17). Jonah, as it is stated: “Jonah was in the innards of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 2:1). And the dead will live only after three days, as it is stated: “On the third day He will raise us” (Hosea 6:2).²At the resurrection of the dead, all will be revived for the day of judgement, when some will be granted “eternal life,” and others will receive “reproaches and everlasting abhorrence” (Daniel 12:2). The midrash here is stating that the righteous will experience the anxiety of the impending judgement for three days before they are granted eternal life. This miracle, too, transpired after three days of their fasting; that is what is written: “It was on the third day, that Esther donned royalty” (Esther 5:1). She sent and invited Haman to a banquet with the king on the fifteenth of Nisan. Once they ate and drank, Haman said: ‘The king promotes me, his wife honors me, and there is no one in the kingdom greater than I am,’ and his heart was overjoyed; that is what is written: “Haman emerged on that day joyful and glad of heart” (Esther 5:9).

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

Another interpretation (of Gen. 15:1): AFTER THESE THINGS. This text is related (to Prov. 2:7): HE RESERVES UNDERSTANDING FOR THE UPRIGHT.⁶⁷Tanh.,Gen. 3:11. [What is the meaning of HE RESERVES UNDERSTANDING FOR THE UPRIGHT?] Before the world was created, the Holy One reserved the Law for Abraham, as stated (in Gen. 26:5): BECAUSE ABRAHAM HEEDED MY VOICE < AND KEPT MY CHARGE: MY COMMANDMENTS, MY STATUTES, AND MY TORAHS >. < This > teaches that Abraham kept all the commandments and all the Torahs. R. Samuel bar Nahmani said: R. Jonathan said: Our father Abraham also maintained the 'eruvim of cooked foods.⁶⁸Thus the use of torah in the plural indicates that Abraham knew even the oral Torah. See above, 3:1; below, 11:12. For a full description of the ‘eruvim of cooked foods, see Maimonides, Yad, Yom Tov 6:1-3. Thus it is stated (ibid.): BECAUSE ABRAHAM HEEDED MY VOICE. For that reason, Solomon stated (in Prov. 2:7): HE RESERVES UNDERSTANDING FOR THE UPRIGHT, [A SHIELD FOR THOSE WHO LIVE BLAMELESSLY]. The Holy One said to Abraham: You have been occupied with my Law. By your life, I am a shield for you, as stated (in Gen. 15:1): FEAR NOT, ABRAM! [I AM A SHIELD FOR YOU]. Just as, when one grasps the shield, even if darts and stones are thrown at him, he is not afraid; [so I am doing for you], as stated (in Gen. 15:1): I AM A SHIELD FOR YOU; YOUR REWARD SHALL BE VERY GREAT—not for you alone, but also for your children, if they are occupied with my Law just as you have been occupied. Thus it is stated (in Prov. 30:5): [EVERY] UTTERANCE OF GOD IS PURE, A SHIELD FOR {ALL} WHO TAKE REFUGE IN HIM. It is therefore stated (in Prov. 2:7): HE RESERVES UNDERSTANDING FOR THE UPRIGHT, [A SHIELD FOR THOSE WHO LIVE BLAMELESSLY].

What was the dress of the first man? A skin of nail, and a cloud of glory covered him. When he ate of the fruits of the tree, the nail-skin was stripped off him, and the cloud of glory departed from him, and he saw himself naked, as it is said, "And he said, Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee?" (Gen. 3:11).

(Exod. 20:2:) I AM THE LORD YOUR GOD…. R. Aha said: For twenty-six generations (between creation and the giving of Torah) the alef⁵⁷Alef and bet are the first two letters of the Hebrew alphabet and are represented here in transliteration by ‘and b respectively. kept making a complaint before the Holy One, saying: Even though I am the first of all the letters, you did not create the world with me but with a bet (i.e., in Gen. 1:1): IN THE BEGINNING (Bereshit) GOD CREATED.⁵⁸Gen. R. 1:10; Cant. R. 5:11:4; PRK 12:24; PR 21:21. The Holy One said: By your life, I will repay you with the Torah, which was created two thousand years before the world was created;⁵⁹Gen. R. 8:2; Lev. R. 19:1; Cant. R. 5:11:1; Tanh., Gen. 9:4. Other sources place Torah 974 or 980 generations before creation. So Shab. 88b; Zev. 116a; ARN, A, 31; Gen. R. 28:4; Eccl. R. 1:15:2; Tanh., Gen. 3:11; Exod. 5:9; M. Pss. 90:13; 105:3. and when I come to give Torah to Israel, I will begin {according to} [with] you (in Exod. 20:2): I (Anokhi) AM THE LORD YOUR GOD. R. Nehemiah said: What is 'anokhi? It is an Egyptian word. To what is the matter comparable? To a king whose son was captured and spent a long time with the captors. He learned the speech of those captors. When <his father> had taken vengeance on his enemies and brought him <back>, he went to converse with him in his own language; but he did not know it. What did he do? He began to speak with him in the language of his captors. Thus did the Holy One do with Israel. During all those years that Israel had been in Egypt, they had learned the Egyptian speech. When the Holy One had redeemed them, he came to give them the Torah, <but> they did not know how to understand it. The Holy One said: Here, I shall converse with them in the Egyptian language. 'Anokh. In Egypt, when one wants to say "I" to a friend, he says: 'anokh.⁶⁰The word means “I” in Coptic. Thus the Holy One began in their language and said (in Exod. 20:2): I ('anokhi).

Rav Naḥman began: “Oh, Ariel, Ariel” (Isaiah 29:1) – lion, mighty lion.¹¹⁰He understands the term Ariel to mean mighty lion [ari el]. “The city where David encamped” (Isaiah 29:1) – the city in which David encamped, a city in which no one other than David encamped,¹¹¹The city became the everlasting capital city of the Davidic kingdom. the city that David made his royal fortress. “Add year to year, festivals [ḥagim] will come around [yinkofu]” (Isaiah 29:1) – a year began and a year departed, but they did not ascend on the pilgrimage festivals. The roads were growing thorn bushes [higim]. That is what is written: “Ḥagim yinkofu.”¹¹²Ḥagim yinkofu is expounded to mean that travelers would have to remove the thorns [yinkofu higim]. “I will distress Ariel” (Isaiah 29:2) – Rabbi Nisa of Caesarea said: From here, that it had been a place of contentment for Israel. “There will be mourning and moaning” (Isaiah 29:2) – mortification upon mortification. “It will be for Me like Ariel” (Isaiah 29:2) – the second destruction will be like the first destruction. When they sinned they were exiled. When they were exiled, Jeremiah began lamenting over them, eikha.

Rabbi Pinḥas began: “If after these you will not heed Me…” (Leviticus 26:18). Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua: Rabbi Eliezer says: The Holy One blessed be He does not bring punishment upon Israel until He first warns them. That is what is written: “If after these.” Rabbi Yehoshua says: So Israel would not say: The blows have ceased; He has no others to bring upon us, the verse states: “If after these [ad],” if there are more [od] of these, He has other [punishments] and more like these to bring [upon you]. “I will punish you further, seven ways for your sins” (Leviticus 26:18) – You violated seven transgressions before Me; come and accept upon yourselves seven punishments. You violated seven transgressions before Me, so Jeremiah comes to recite lamentations over you which are seven alphabetic [acrostics], eikha.¹¹³The book of Lamentations contains three alphabetical acrostics, in chapters 1,2, and 4, each beginning with the word eikha. Additionally, chapter 3 contains a triple alphabetical acrostic. Chapter 5 is not written in an acrostic, but since it has twenty-two verses, which are the number of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, the midrash refers to this too as alphabetical in the sense that it corresponds to the number of letters in the alphabet (Matnot Kehuna).