וַֽ֭יּוֹצִיאֵם בְּכֶ֣סֶף וְזָהָ֑ב וְאֵ֖ין בִּשְׁבָטָ֣יו כּוֹשֵֽׁל׃
I wywiódł ich ze srebrem i ze złotem, a nie było w ich pokoleniach bezsilnego.
Devarim Rabbah
Another matter, what is written above? “You shall know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God” (Deuteronomy 7:9) – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: To what is the matter comparable? To the friend of a king who entrusted a deposit to the hands [of the king]. The friend of the king died, and his son came and requested the deposit from [the king]. He said to him: ‘Give me the deposit that my father entrusted with you.’ The king said to him: ‘Have you found another better than I? Have I not guarded the deposit that is with me, and have I not folded it?’3It was expected that one who was guarding another’s garment or fabric would occasionally air it out and refold it. So, when Israel sinned in the days of Jeremiah, the Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Go and say to Israel: “What injustice did your fathers find in Me?” (Jeremiah 2:5). I took an oath to them that I will bless their descendants, as it is stated: “For I will bless you….” (Genesis 22:17). Did I not bless you by means of Moses, as it is stated: “The Lord your God has multiplied you”? (Deuteronomy 1:10). I said to him that I would take them out with great wealth, as it is stated: “Then they will emerge with great wealth” (Genesis 15:14). Did I not do so?’ – “He brought them out with silver and gold; none among His tribes faltered” (Psalms 105:37). That is why Moses said: “And from His observance of the oath” (Deuteronomy 7:8), “He redeemed you from the house of bondage” (Deuteronomy 7:8); you know that He is the faithful God.
Another matter, “That the Lord your God, He is God” (Deuteronomy 7:9) – Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? To the friend of a king…his son came and requested the deposit from him. The king said to him: ‘Go bring two military commanders and twelve advisers, and through them I will give you the deposit.’ So the Holy One blessed be He said when Israel departed from Egypt: ‘Your ancestors entrusted Me with a deposit [pikadon].’4The deposit was the seventy descendants of Jacob who descended to Egypt. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I have remembered [pakod pakadeti] you” (Exodus 3:16). He said to them: ‘Let two commanders and twelve advisers come’ – these are Moses and Aaron and the twelve heads of the tribes. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “You shall count [tifkedu] them according to their hosts, you and Aaron…. And with you shall be a man for each tribe” (Numbers 1:3–4).
Another matter, “the faithful God” – from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He. There was an incident involving Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair who was residing in a certain city in the South. People went there to earn a living. They had two se’a of barley and they deposited it with him, forgot about it, and left. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair would sow them every year, place them in a grain pile and gather them. Seven years later, those same friends went there, to demand that he give it to them. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair recognized them immediately and said to them: ‘Come and take your storehouses.’ That is, from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He. There was another incident involving Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair, who went to a certain city, and the mice were devouring [everything] within the boundaries of that city. They came and asked his help. What did Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair do? He said to them: ‘Why do you not separate your tithes properly? Are you asking me to guarantee you that if you separate your tithes properly the mice will devour no more?’ They said to him: ‘Yes.’ He guaranteed them, and the mice departed and were not seen again.
Another matter, there was an incident involving a certain man who would dig water channels for the public. His daughter was walking on her way and came to cross a river, and it swept her away. They came and said to Rabbi Pinḥas: ‘This happened to the daughter of so-and-so.’ He said to them: ‘It is impossible; since he performed the will of the Holy One blessed be He concerning water, the Holy One blessed be He would not eliminate his daughter by means of water.’ Immediately there was an outcry in the city: ‘The daughter of so-and-so has come!’ Our Rabbis say: When Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair said this, an angel descended and lifted her [from the water].
There was an incident involving Rabbi Shimon ben Shetaḥ, who purchased a certain donkey from a certain Ishmaelite. His disciples went and found on it a gem suspended from its neck. They said to him: ‘Rabbi, “the blessing of the Lord, it will enrich”’ (Proverbs 10:22). Rabbi Shimon ben Shetaḥ said to them: ‘I purchased a donkey, I did not purchase a gem.’ He went and returned it to that Ishmaelite. That Ishmaelite called out in his regard: ‘Blessed is the Lord, God of Shimon ben Shetaḥ.’ That is, from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He, who is faithful to pay Israel reward for the mitzvot they perform. From where is this derived? “You shall guard the unleavened bread [ushmartem et hamatzot]” (Exodus 12:17).5Many suggest that the reference should not be to the verse “You shall guard the unleavened bread [ushmartem et hamatzot]” but to the verse: “You shall observe the commandment [veshamarta et hamitzva], and the statutes, and the ordinances that I command you today, to perform them” (Deuteronomy 7:11). The implication is that one must perform them today, but the reward is later – “in the end [ekev],” as hinted to in the following verse (Deuteronomy 7:12). But the reward for them: “It will be, because [ekev] you heed” – in the end [be’ekev] I will give you your reward.
Another matter, “That the Lord your God, He is God” (Deuteronomy 7:9) – Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? To the friend of a king…his son came and requested the deposit from him. The king said to him: ‘Go bring two military commanders and twelve advisers, and through them I will give you the deposit.’ So the Holy One blessed be He said when Israel departed from Egypt: ‘Your ancestors entrusted Me with a deposit [pikadon].’4The deposit was the seventy descendants of Jacob who descended to Egypt. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I have remembered [pakod pakadeti] you” (Exodus 3:16). He said to them: ‘Let two commanders and twelve advisers come’ – these are Moses and Aaron and the twelve heads of the tribes. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “You shall count [tifkedu] them according to their hosts, you and Aaron…. And with you shall be a man for each tribe” (Numbers 1:3–4).
Another matter, “the faithful God” – from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He. There was an incident involving Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair who was residing in a certain city in the South. People went there to earn a living. They had two se’a of barley and they deposited it with him, forgot about it, and left. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair would sow them every year, place them in a grain pile and gather them. Seven years later, those same friends went there, to demand that he give it to them. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair recognized them immediately and said to them: ‘Come and take your storehouses.’ That is, from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He. There was another incident involving Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair, who went to a certain city, and the mice were devouring [everything] within the boundaries of that city. They came and asked his help. What did Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair do? He said to them: ‘Why do you not separate your tithes properly? Are you asking me to guarantee you that if you separate your tithes properly the mice will devour no more?’ They said to him: ‘Yes.’ He guaranteed them, and the mice departed and were not seen again.
Another matter, there was an incident involving a certain man who would dig water channels for the public. His daughter was walking on her way and came to cross a river, and it swept her away. They came and said to Rabbi Pinḥas: ‘This happened to the daughter of so-and-so.’ He said to them: ‘It is impossible; since he performed the will of the Holy One blessed be He concerning water, the Holy One blessed be He would not eliminate his daughter by means of water.’ Immediately there was an outcry in the city: ‘The daughter of so-and-so has come!’ Our Rabbis say: When Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair said this, an angel descended and lifted her [from the water].
There was an incident involving Rabbi Shimon ben Shetaḥ, who purchased a certain donkey from a certain Ishmaelite. His disciples went and found on it a gem suspended from its neck. They said to him: ‘Rabbi, “the blessing of the Lord, it will enrich”’ (Proverbs 10:22). Rabbi Shimon ben Shetaḥ said to them: ‘I purchased a donkey, I did not purchase a gem.’ He went and returned it to that Ishmaelite. That Ishmaelite called out in his regard: ‘Blessed is the Lord, God of Shimon ben Shetaḥ.’ That is, from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He, who is faithful to pay Israel reward for the mitzvot they perform. From where is this derived? “You shall guard the unleavened bread [ushmartem et hamatzot]” (Exodus 12:17).5Many suggest that the reference should not be to the verse “You shall guard the unleavened bread [ushmartem et hamatzot]” but to the verse: “You shall observe the commandment [veshamarta et hamitzva], and the statutes, and the ordinances that I command you today, to perform them” (Deuteronomy 7:11). The implication is that one must perform them today, but the reward is later – “in the end [ekev],” as hinted to in the following verse (Deuteronomy 7:12). But the reward for them: “It will be, because [ekev] you heed” – in the end [be’ekev] I will give you your reward.
Kohelet Rabbah
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verse regarding Israel upon their entry into the land. “I increased my actions [maasai]” (Ecclesiastes 2:4) – “When you will come to the land of your dwellings.… you will perform [vaasitem] a fire offering to the Lord” (Numbers 15:2–3). “I built myself houses” (Ecclesiastes 2:4) – “houses filled with everything good” (Deuteronomy 6:11). “I planted myself vineyards” (Ecclesiastes 2:4) – “vineyards and olive trees that you did not plant” (Deuteronomy 6:11). “I made myself gardens and orchards” (Ecclesiastes 2:5) – Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya: ‘It is written in the Torah: “A land in which without poverty [you will eat bread; you will not lack anything there]” (Deuteronomy 8:9). Can you bring me three things that I request?’ He said to him: ‘What are they?’ He said to him: ‘Peppers, pheasants, and silk fabrics.’ [Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya] brought him peppers from Nitzḥana, pheasants from Tzaidan, and some say from Akhberin, and silk fabric from Gush Ḥalav. “I made myself pools of water” (Ecclesiastes 2:6) – as it is written: “A land of streams of water” (Deuteronomy 8:7). “To irrigate from them a forest which grows trees” (Ecclesiastes 2:6) – even wood for the shafts of arrows was not lacking in the Land of Israel.
“I purchased myself slaves and maidservants” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – “a mixed multitude [left with them]” (Exodus 12:38). “And I had stewards” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – these are the Givonites, whom Joshua tasked as hewers of wood and drawers of water, as it is stated: “Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water” (Joshua 9:27). “I also had great possession of herds and flocks” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – “[the children of Gad and the children of Reuben had a very great] multitude of livestock…” (Numbers 32:1). “I also gathered for myself silver and gold” – these are matters of Torah, as it is stated: “He took them out with silver and gold” (Psalms 105:37). “And the treasure of kings and countries” – these are the spoils of Og and the spoils of Midyan.25See Numbers 21:35 and 31:9. “I acquired for myself songsters and songstresses” – male singers and women singers. “And the pleasures of people” – these are the pleasures of the children of Israel; “chests [shidda] and wagons [shiddot]” – indulgences and luxuries.
“I purchased myself slaves and maidservants” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – “a mixed multitude [left with them]” (Exodus 12:38). “And I had stewards” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – these are the Givonites, whom Joshua tasked as hewers of wood and drawers of water, as it is stated: “Joshua made them that day hewers of wood and drawers of water” (Joshua 9:27). “I also had great possession of herds and flocks” (Ecclesiastes 2:7) – “[the children of Gad and the children of Reuben had a very great] multitude of livestock…” (Numbers 32:1). “I also gathered for myself silver and gold” – these are matters of Torah, as it is stated: “He took them out with silver and gold” (Psalms 105:37). “And the treasure of kings and countries” – these are the spoils of Og and the spoils of Midyan.25See Numbers 21:35 and 31:9. “I acquired for myself songsters and songstresses” – male singers and women singers. “And the pleasures of people” – these are the pleasures of the children of Israel; “chests [shidda] and wagons [shiddot]” – indulgences and luxuries.
Bereshit Rabbah
“He benefitted Abram for her sake; he acquired flocks, cattle, donkeys, slaves, maidservants, female donkeys, and camels” (Genesis 12:16).
“Pharaoh commanded men in his regard and they sent away him and his wife, and everything that was his” (Genesis 12:20).
“He benefitted Abram for her sake; he acquired flocks, cattle…Pharaoh commanded men in his regard and they sent away him [and his wife]” – Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya the Great: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham our forefather: ‘Go and pave the way before your descendants.’30The events of your life are portents for the events that will occur to your descendants. You find that everything that is written in Abraham’s regard is written regarding his descendants. In Abraham’s regard it is written: “There was famine in the land” (Genesis 12:10); in Israel’s regard it is written: “For these two years the famine is in the midst of the land” (Genesis 45:6). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there” (Genesis 12:10); in Israel’s regard it is written: “Our ancestors descended to Egypt” (Numbers 20:15). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “To sojourn there”; in Israel’s regard it is written: “We have come to sojourn in the land” (Genesis 47:4). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “As the famine was severe in the land” (Genesis 12:10); in Israel’s regard it is written: “The famine was severe in the land” (Genesis 43:1). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “It was when he drew near” (Genesis 12:11); in Israel’s regard it is written: “Pharaoh drew near” (Exodus 14:10). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “They will kill me, and keep you alive” (Genesis 12:12); in Israel’s regard it is written: “Every son who is born, you shall cast him into the Nile [and every girl you shall keep alive]” (Exodus 1:22). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “Please, say you are my sister; so that it may be well with me [yitav li] because of you…” (Genesis 12:13); in Israel’s regard it is written: “God favored [vayeitev] the midwives” (Exodus 1:20). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “It was upon Abram’s arrival in Egypt” (Genesis 12:14); in Israel’s regard it is written: “These are the names of the children of Israel who arrived in Egypt” (Exodus 1:1). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “And Abram was very wealthy in livestock, [in silver, and in gold]” (Genesis 13:2); in Israel’s regard it is written: “He took them out with silver and with gold” (Psalms 105:37). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “Pharaoh commanded [men] in his regard, [and they sent away him and his wife]” (Genesis 12:20); in Israel’s regard it is written: “The Egyptians urged the people, [to send them away in haste]” (Exodus 12:33). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “He went on his journeys” (Genesis 13:3); in Israel’s regard it is written: “These are the journeys of the children of Israel” (Numbers 33:1).
“Pharaoh commanded men in his regard and they sent away him and his wife, and everything that was his” (Genesis 12:20).
“He benefitted Abram for her sake; he acquired flocks, cattle…Pharaoh commanded men in his regard and they sent away him [and his wife]” – Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya the Great: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham our forefather: ‘Go and pave the way before your descendants.’30The events of your life are portents for the events that will occur to your descendants. You find that everything that is written in Abraham’s regard is written regarding his descendants. In Abraham’s regard it is written: “There was famine in the land” (Genesis 12:10); in Israel’s regard it is written: “For these two years the famine is in the midst of the land” (Genesis 45:6). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “Abram descended to Egypt to sojourn there” (Genesis 12:10); in Israel’s regard it is written: “Our ancestors descended to Egypt” (Numbers 20:15). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “To sojourn there”; in Israel’s regard it is written: “We have come to sojourn in the land” (Genesis 47:4). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “As the famine was severe in the land” (Genesis 12:10); in Israel’s regard it is written: “The famine was severe in the land” (Genesis 43:1). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “It was when he drew near” (Genesis 12:11); in Israel’s regard it is written: “Pharaoh drew near” (Exodus 14:10). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “They will kill me, and keep you alive” (Genesis 12:12); in Israel’s regard it is written: “Every son who is born, you shall cast him into the Nile [and every girl you shall keep alive]” (Exodus 1:22). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “Please, say you are my sister; so that it may be well with me [yitav li] because of you…” (Genesis 12:13); in Israel’s regard it is written: “God favored [vayeitev] the midwives” (Exodus 1:20). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “It was upon Abram’s arrival in Egypt” (Genesis 12:14); in Israel’s regard it is written: “These are the names of the children of Israel who arrived in Egypt” (Exodus 1:1). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “And Abram was very wealthy in livestock, [in silver, and in gold]” (Genesis 13:2); in Israel’s regard it is written: “He took them out with silver and with gold” (Psalms 105:37). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “Pharaoh commanded [men] in his regard, [and they sent away him and his wife]” (Genesis 12:20); in Israel’s regard it is written: “The Egyptians urged the people, [to send them away in haste]” (Exodus 12:33). In Abraham’s regard it is written: “He went on his journeys” (Genesis 13:3); in Israel’s regard it is written: “These are the journeys of the children of Israel” (Numbers 33:1).