Midrasz do Hioba 34:10

(Lev. 13:2:) “When anyone has [on the skin of his flesh a swelling or a sore or a bright spot].” This text is related (to Job 38:25), “Who split open a channel for the flow (shtp) and a path to move the sounds?” R. Joshua of SIkhnin said in the name of R. Levi, “In Arabia they call the hair (s'r) a flood (shtp'). Thus¹⁷I.e., interpreting Job 38:25 to mean, WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE HAIR? for each and every hair that a person has, the Holy One, blessed be He, has created its own separate follicle (literally, well).”¹⁸Cf. Lev. R. 15:3; BB 16a. Because Job uttered a complaint and said, (in Job 9:17), “’For He crushes me with a tempest (rt.: s'r)¹⁹The Targum and Peshitta both read, FOR A HAIR. and multiplies my wounds for no reason,’ [i.e.] for no reason He has brought all these afflictions upon me.” Elihu said to him (in Job 34:10), “Heaven forbid! May wickedness be far from God and injustice from the Almighty.” Rather (in vs. 11), “’For he repays a person according to his actions, [and provides for one according to his ways].’ He brings everything [upon a person] according to his [own] measure (of what he does).” R. Abbin the Levite said in the name of R. Abba bar Kahana, “The Holy One, blessed be He, does not measure out [reward and punishment] in a basket. Rather everything is with justice, as stated (in Ps. 75:8), ‘For it is God who judges]; one He puts down, and another He lifts up.’” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Job, “Even with regard to the hair which is upon you, I have made a follicle for it and made a measure for it, as stated (in Job 38:25), ‘Who split open a channel for the flow (i.e., for the hair).’” There is a story about a certain priest who examined leprosy spots. When he became poor, he wanted to go abroad. He called his wife [and] said to her, “Because people used to come to me to show their leprosy spots, it is hard from me to leave them. Rather come and let me teach you, so that you may examine the leprosy spots. If you see a person's hair with its follicle dried up, you will know that [such a person] is stricken; because for each and every hair the Holy One, blessed be He, has created its own separate follicle [from which it drinks. If] its follicle dries up, the hair dries up.” His wife said to him, “But surely if for each and every hair the Holy One, blessed be He, has created its own separate follicle [from which it drinks], in your case, since you are a human being, with so many hairs on you and with your children being supported²⁰PRHS, perhaps related to the Gk. adj. pronoos (“prudent”). by you, is it not all the more certain that the Holy One, blessed be He, will summon support for you?” Therefore, she did not allow him to go abroad. Another interpretation (of Job 38:25), “Who split open a channel for the flow”: When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the human, He created him with wisdom. How? If He had created him with a lot of water and a little blood, he would have become frail.²¹Gk.: asthenes, i.e., “weak” or “sick.” If He had created him with a lot of blood and a little water, he would have become a leper. [He therefore created him with] half water and half blood, [thereby] a perfect human.

(Lev. 13:1–3:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES AND UNTO AARON, SAYING: WHEN ANYONE HAS ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH < A SWELLING OR A SORE OR A BRIGHT SPOT, AND IT BECOMES ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH THE PLAGUE OF LEPROSY, HE SHALL BE BROUGHT UNTO AARON THE PRIEST…. AND THE PRIEST SHALL INSPECT THE PLAGUE ON THE SKIN OF HIS FLESH >…. This text is related (to Job 38:25): WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE FLOW (ShTP)? R. Joshua of Sikhnin said in the name of R. Levi: In Arabia they call the hair (S'R) a flood (ShTP'). Thus²⁶I.e., interpreting Job 38:25 to mean, WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE HAIR? for each and every hair that a person has the < Holy One > has created its own separate follicle (literally: well).²⁷Tanh., Lev. 4:6; cf. Lev. R. 15:3; BB 16a. Because Job uttered a complaint and said: (in Job 9:17): FOR HE CRUSHES ME WITH A TEMPEST (rt.: S'R)²⁸The Targum and Peshitta both read, FOR A HAIR. [AND MULTIPLIES MY WOUNDS FOR NO REASON], < i.e. > for no reason he has brought all these afflictions upon me; Elihu said to him (in Job 34:10): Heaven forbid! MAY WICKEDNESS BE FAR FROM GOD AND INJUSTICE, FROM THE ALMIGHTY. Rather (in vs. 11): FOR HE REPAYS A PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS ACTIONS, [AND PROVIDES FOR ONE ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS]. He brings everything < upon a person > according to measure. R. Abbin the Levite said in the name of R. Abba bar Kahana: The Holy One does not measure out reward and punishment {with a respite} [in a basket]. Rather everything is with justice, as stated (in Ps. 75:8 [7]): [FOR IT IS GOD WHO JUDGES]; ONE HE PUTS DOWN, AND ANOTHER HE LIFTS UP. The Holy One said to Job: Even with regard to the hair which is upon you, I have made a follicle for it and made a measure for it, as stated (in Job 38:25): WHO SPLIT OPEN A CHANNEL FOR THE FLOW (i.e., FOR THE HAIR). There is a story about a certain priest who examined leprosy spots. When he became poor, he wanted to go abroad. He called his wife < and > said to her: Because people used to come to me to show their leprosy spots, come and let me teach you, so that you may examine the leprosy spots. If you see a person's hair with its follicle dried up, you will know that < such a person > is stricken, because for each and every hair the Holy One has created its own separate follicle [from which it drinks]. < If > its follicle dries up, the hair dries up. His wife said to him: But surely if for each and every hair the Holy One has created its own separate follicle [from which it drinks], in your case, since you are a human being, with so many hairs on you and with your children being supported²⁹PRHS, perhaps related to the Gk. adj. pronoos (“prudent”). by you, is it not all the more certain that the Holy One will summon support for you?³⁰Cf. Matthew 10:29–31 // Luke 12:6–7. Therefore, she did not allow him to go abroad.

It is written (in Job 41:4 [12]): I WILL NOT KEEP SILENT ABOUT HIS BOASTINGS, HAUGHTY TALK, AND HIS FAIR ARRAY OF WORDS. The Holy One said: Lest the children of Adam say: We also speak with the Holy One just as Abraham spoke, and he is keeping silent for us, the Holy One said: No, I WILL NOT KEEP SILENT ABOUT HIS BOASTINGS. Only for Abraham alone do I keep silent. Why? Because he kept silent for me, I also keep silent for him. When did Abraham keep silent? When I said to him (in Gen. 21:12): FOR IN ISAAC SHALL YOUR SEED BE NAMED, and afterwards I said to him (in Gen. 22:2): PLEASE TAKE YOUR SON … < AND OFFER HIM THERE AS A BURNT OFFERING >. Then he kept silent for me, as stated (in Ps. 38:14 [13]): BUT I AM LIKE A DEAF PERSON, NOT HEARING, < LIKE A DUMB PERSON, NOT OPENING HIS MOUTH >.⁴³Throughout Gen. 21 & 22 Abraham never responds to God. I also will keep silent for him; and, even though he said harsh things, as stated (in Job 41:4 [12]): HAUGHTY TALK, HIS FAIR ARRAY OF WORDS was pleasing to me. And what is the meaning of HAUGHTY TALK? See what is written (in Gen. 18:23): THEN ABRAHAM DREW NEAR AND SAID: WILL YOU ALSO DESTROY < THE RIGHTEOUS WITH THE WICKED >? Abraham said to the Holy One (in Gen. 18:25): Sovereign of the World, FAR BE IT FROM YOU < TO DO SUCH A THING >, for will not those coming into the world say: This is his trade, that he destroy the generations by a rule of cruelty. He destroyed the generation of Enosh, the generation of the flood, and the generation of the dispersion < of humankind >. He did not abandon his trade. [Thus, Abraham said] (in Gen. 18:25): FAR BE IT FROM YOU!⁴⁴Cf. Gen. R. 49:9. The Holy One said to him: You have said this. Come and see, as I make all the generations that I have destroyed pass before you. Then I will show you that I did not collect their divine punishment from them < before it was finally sealed >.⁴⁵So Codex Vaticanus Ebr. 34, ad loc. Now, if it should cross your mind that I did not act fairly, teach me; and I will act < accordingly >. Thus it is stated (in Job 34:32): WHAT I DO NOT SEE, YOU TEACH ME. IF I HAVE DONE WRONG, I WILL NOT CONTINUE. So I will continue no more. They said to him: Sovereign of the World, far be it from you to issue judgment over all creation. Thus it is stated (in Job 34:10): LISTEN TO ME, THEREFORE, O PEOPLE OF UNDERSTANDING; MAY WICKEDNESS BE FAR FROM GOD AND INJUSTICE, FROM THE ALMIGHTY. Rather (in vs. 11): FOR HE REPAYS A PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS ACTIONS…. Therefore, he says (in Gen. 18:25): FAR BE IT FROM YOU < TO DO SUCH A THING, TO PUT TO DEATH A RIGHTEOUS PERSON ALONG WITH A WICKED ONE SO THAT THE RIGHTEOUS ONE FARES LIKE THE WICKED! FAR BE IT FROM YOU >!

"And the wife of his master cast her eyes" (Genesis 39:7) - "Therefore, men of understanding, listen to me" (Job 34:10): What is the occupation of the Holy One blessed be He? "He pays a man according to his actions" (Job 34:11). Rabbi Meir and Rabbi Yehudah and Rabbi Shimon [say]: "And the wife of his master cast her eyes" - what is written before regarding this? "Yosef was well built and handsome" (Genesis 39:6). [The matter can be] compared to a strong man that was at the market, fluttering his eyes, fixing his hair and raising his heels, saying "I am handsome, I am fit, I am beautiful, a strong man". They said to him: "If you are indeed a strong man, indeed a fit man, here is a bear, get up and strike it down!"