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Vayikra Rabbah
“It was on the eighth day; Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel” (Leviticus 9:1).
“It was on the eighth day.” Rav Ahava bar Kahana began: “Wisdom has built her house, [has hewed her seven pillars]; She has prepared her meat, [mixed her wine, also set her table]. She has sent her young women; [she will call upon the heights of the city]: Whoever is a simpleton, [let him turn from here; he who lacks heart, she speaks to him]” (Proverbs 9:1–4). Rabbi Yirmeya bar Ilai interpreted the verse regarding the creation of the world. “Wisdom has built her house,” this is the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). “Has hewed her seven pillars,” these are the seven days of Creation, as it is stated: “For in six days [the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in it, and He rested on the seventh day]” (Exodus 20:11), “God blessed the seventh day” (Genesis 2:3). “She has prepared her meat” – “God said: Let the earth produce [living creatures]” (Genesis 1:24). “Mixed her wine” – “God said: Let the water…be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). “Also set her table” – “God said: Let the earth sprout grass, vegetation-yielding seed” (Genesis 1:11). “She has sent her young women; she will call” – this is Adam and Eve. “Upon the heights of the city,” as the Holy One blessed be He elevated them and called them godlike. That is what is written: “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). After all this praise, “whoever is a simpleton, let him turn from here,”– they forsook the will of the Holy One blessed be He and followed the will of the serpent. That is why: “He who lacks heart, she speaks to him” – “you are dust and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
“It was on the eighth day.” Rav Ahava bar Kahana began: “Wisdom has built her house, [has hewed her seven pillars]; She has prepared her meat, [mixed her wine, also set her table]. She has sent her young women; [she will call upon the heights of the city]: Whoever is a simpleton, [let him turn from here; he who lacks heart, she speaks to him]” (Proverbs 9:1–4). Rabbi Yirmeya bar Ilai interpreted the verse regarding the creation of the world. “Wisdom has built her house,” this is the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). “Has hewed her seven pillars,” these are the seven days of Creation, as it is stated: “For in six days [the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in it, and He rested on the seventh day]” (Exodus 20:11), “God blessed the seventh day” (Genesis 2:3). “She has prepared her meat” – “God said: Let the earth produce [living creatures]” (Genesis 1:24). “Mixed her wine” – “God said: Let the water…be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). “Also set her table” – “God said: Let the earth sprout grass, vegetation-yielding seed” (Genesis 1:11). “She has sent her young women; she will call” – this is Adam and Eve. “Upon the heights of the city,” as the Holy One blessed be He elevated them and called them godlike. That is what is written: “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). After all this praise, “whoever is a simpleton, let him turn from here,”– they forsook the will of the Holy One blessed be He and followed the will of the serpent. That is why: “He who lacks heart, she speaks to him” – “you are dust and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
Vayikra Rabbah
Bar Kappara interpreted the verse regarding the Torah. “Wisdom has built her house” – this is the Torah, as it is written: “For the Lord grants wisdom” (Proverbs 2:6), [and] “The Lord made me at the beginning of His way” (Proverbs 8:22). “Has hewed her seven pillars,” these are the seven books of the Torah. But are they not five? Bar Kappara renders from the beginning of: “And He spoke” (Numbers 1:1) until: “it was when the Ark traveled” (Numbers 10:35),3That is, from the beginning of Numbers through Numbers 10:34 is considered its own unit, referred to here as a separate book. one; from “it was” (Numbers 10:35) until “when it rested” (Numbers 10:36) another; and [from the following verse] until its end, another.4Thus, he divides the book of Numbers into three separate books. That is seven.5With Numbers counting as the three books, the five books of the Torah become seven. “She has prepared her meat” – these are the punishments. “Mixed her wine” – these are the a fortiori inferences and the verbal analogies. “Also set [arkha] her table,” these are the valuations [arakhin]. “She has sent her young women; she will call,” this is Israel. “Upon the heights of the city,” as the Holy One blessed be He elevated them and called them godlike. That is what is written: “I had said: You are godlike…” (Psalms 82:6). After all this praise, “whoever is a simpleton let him turn from here” – they forsook the will of the Holy One blessed be He, and said to the calf: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4).. That is why: “He who lacks heart, she speaks to him” – “indeed, as men you will die” (Psalms 82:7).6Because of their sin, although God had originally said “you are godlike” (Psalms 82:6), in fact, “indeed, as men you will die” (Psalms 82:7).
Bereshit Rabbah
“It was at that time, Avimelekh and Pikhol, the captain of his army, said to Abraham, saying: God is with you in everything that you do” (Genesis 21:22).
“It was at that time, Avimelekh and Pikhol, the captain of his army, said” – “When the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man, He will cause even his enemies to make peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This refers to one’s wife, as it is stated: “The members of his household are a man’s enemy” (Micah 7:6). There was once an incident involving a woman who filed a complaint against her husband to the authorities and they beheaded him.1This is to illustrate how a man’s wife can be his enemy. Some say, they [subsequently] beheaded her, as well.
Rabbi Shmuel said: It refers to a snake. It is taught: Rabbi Ḥalafta says: Snakes are keen for garlic. There was once an incident involving a snake that came down from the mountain into a house and found a bowl of garlic. It ate from it and emitted [some venom] into it. Another snake that was in the house was unable to stand up to it [to fend it off]. When that [mountain] snake departed, the house snake came out and filled [the bowl] with dirt.2In order to protect the members of the household, it brought dirt from the ground and spit it into the poisoned garlic so they would not eat it. The members of this house were apparently righteous, and so ‘the Lord was pleased with their ways.’
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It refers to the evil inclination. The usual way of the world is that if a person grows up with another person, two or three years in the same city, he develops a liking for him. But this one [the evil inclination] grows up with a person from his youth to his old age, and if it finds an opportunity within seventy years, it will bring him down,3By causing him to sin. [and even] within eighty years,4Even in his old age. it will bring him down. This is what David says: “All my bones will say: Lord, who is like You, who delivers the poor from those who are stronger, the poor and the needy from their despoiler?” (Psalms 35:10). Rabbi Aḥa said: Is there any greater despoiler than this [the evil inclination]?5So David was thanking God for delivering men from the clutches of their evil inclinations. Solomon said: “If your enemy6Alluding to the evil inclination, as above. is hungry, feed him bread; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink” (Proverbs 25:21). [This means: Give him] from the bread of Torah, as it says, [referring to Torah wisdom]: “Come partake of my bread” (Proverbs 9:4), [and give himfrom the water of Torah, as it says [referring to the Torah]: “Ho, anyone thirsty, go to water” (Isaiah 55:1).
Rabbi Berekhya said: [It doesn’t say only ] “his enemies,” [but] “even [gam] his enemies” (Proverbs 16:7) – this is to include the pests of one’s house, such as gnats, fleas, and flies.7“When the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man,” He shields him from such annoyances. Alternatively, “when the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man [ish]” – this refers to Abraham, who was called ish, as it is written in his regard: “The man [ish] of My counsel from a distant land” (Isaiah 46:11). “Even his enemies” – this refers to Avimelekh.
“It was at that time, Avimelekh and Pikhol, the captain of his army, said” – “When the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man, He will cause even his enemies to make peace with him” (Proverbs 16:7). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: This refers to one’s wife, as it is stated: “The members of his household are a man’s enemy” (Micah 7:6). There was once an incident involving a woman who filed a complaint against her husband to the authorities and they beheaded him.1This is to illustrate how a man’s wife can be his enemy. Some say, they [subsequently] beheaded her, as well.
Rabbi Shmuel said: It refers to a snake. It is taught: Rabbi Ḥalafta says: Snakes are keen for garlic. There was once an incident involving a snake that came down from the mountain into a house and found a bowl of garlic. It ate from it and emitted [some venom] into it. Another snake that was in the house was unable to stand up to it [to fend it off]. When that [mountain] snake departed, the house snake came out and filled [the bowl] with dirt.2In order to protect the members of the household, it brought dirt from the ground and spit it into the poisoned garlic so they would not eat it. The members of this house were apparently righteous, and so ‘the Lord was pleased with their ways.’
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It refers to the evil inclination. The usual way of the world is that if a person grows up with another person, two or three years in the same city, he develops a liking for him. But this one [the evil inclination] grows up with a person from his youth to his old age, and if it finds an opportunity within seventy years, it will bring him down,3By causing him to sin. [and even] within eighty years,4Even in his old age. it will bring him down. This is what David says: “All my bones will say: Lord, who is like You, who delivers the poor from those who are stronger, the poor and the needy from their despoiler?” (Psalms 35:10). Rabbi Aḥa said: Is there any greater despoiler than this [the evil inclination]?5So David was thanking God for delivering men from the clutches of their evil inclinations. Solomon said: “If your enemy6Alluding to the evil inclination, as above. is hungry, feed him bread; and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink” (Proverbs 25:21). [This means: Give him] from the bread of Torah, as it says, [referring to Torah wisdom]: “Come partake of my bread” (Proverbs 9:4), [and give himfrom the water of Torah, as it says [referring to the Torah]: “Ho, anyone thirsty, go to water” (Isaiah 55:1).
Rabbi Berekhya said: [It doesn’t say only ] “his enemies,” [but] “even [gam] his enemies” (Proverbs 16:7) – this is to include the pests of one’s house, such as gnats, fleas, and flies.7“When the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man,” He shields him from such annoyances. Alternatively, “when the Lord is pleased with the ways of a man [ish]” – this refers to Abraham, who was called ish, as it is written in his regard: “The man [ish] of My counsel from a distant land” (Isaiah 46:11). “Even his enemies” – this refers to Avimelekh.