Psalmów 145:17 Midrasz: Bereshit Rabbah, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael & Sifrei Devarim

Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: [The alternative forms of the letters] Mem, nun, tzadi, peh, kaf,⁴⁰These letters have different forms depending on whether they appear in the beginning or middle of a word, or at its end. the prophets said them, though it was a halakha transmitted to Moses at Sinai.⁴¹The existence of these alternative forms was transmitted to Moses, forgotten, and the prophets restored them. Rabbi Yirmeya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba: What the prophets instituted.⁴²The letters are not listed in the order they appear in the alphabet, and the list can be read as min tzofakh – from your prophets. It once happened that there was a stormy day and the Sages could not gather at the house of assembly,⁴³The bet midrash, where the Torah was expounded. but there were some children there. They said: ‘Let us make our own house of assembly.’ They said: ‘What is the reason that it is written mem mem,⁴⁴Why are there two forms with which to write mem, and so on. nun nun, tzadi tzadi, peh peh, kaf kaf ? It is for this reason: [To allude to the fact that the Torah was transmitted] from utterance [ma’amar] to utterance, from a faithful one [ne’eman] to a faithful one, from a righteous one [tzadik] to a righteous one, from mouth [peh] to mouth, from hand [kaf] to hand. From utterance to utterance – from the utterance of the Holy One blessed be He to the utterance of Moses; from a faithful one to a faithful one – from the Holy One blessed be He, who is called ‘God, faithful King’ – to Moses who is called faithful, as it is written: “In all My house he is faithful” (Numbers 12:7); from a righteous one to a righteous one – from the Holy One blessed be He, who is called righteous, as it is written: “Righteous is the Lord in all His ways” (Psalms 145:17), to Moses, who was called righteous, as it is written: “He performed the righteousness of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 33:21); from mouth to mouth – from the mouth of the Holy One blessed be He, to the mouth of Moses; from hand to hand – from the hand of the Holy One blessed be He, to the hand of Moses.’ They [the Sages] took note of them [the children], and [ultimately] great sages in Israel emerged from among them. Some say they were Rabbi Eliezer, Rabbi Yehoshua, and Rabbi Akiva. And they applied to them the verse: “Even a boy is recognized through his deeds, if his action is pure or upright” (Proverbs 20:11). anokhi of Rabbi Meir…>⁴⁵These words are a scribal error and should be deleted (Matnot Kehuna).

(Ib. b) (Ex. 34, 6), And the Lord passed by before him and proclaimed. R. Jochanan said: "Had this passage not been written, it would have been impossible to think of it, for it teaches us that the Holy One, praised be He! wrapped Himself, as does a deputy of the congregation, while pointing out to Moses the regular order of prayer, and said to him: 'Whenever Israel sins, let them do [pray to Me], after this manner, and I shall pardon their sins.'" (Ib.) The Lord, the Lord; i.e., I am the same God before a man sins as I am after he sins and does repentance; a God, merciful and gracious. R. Juda said: "This means a solemn assurance was given that the invocation of the thirteen divine attributes will never be without effect, as it is said (Ib. 10) Behold I make a covenant." Ilpha pointed out a similar contradiction: "It is written (Ex. 34, 6) abundant in goodness; and in addition it is written, and truth. How can both harmonize? In the beginning [His attribute] is truth, but at the end it is goodness." R. Elazar points out a further contradiction: "It is written (Ps. 62, 18) Unto thee, O Lord, belongeth mercy; and again. Thou renderest to every man according to his work; i.e., in the beginning He rewards every man according to his works, but in the end He is merciful." R. Huna points out a contradiction: it is written (Ib. 145, 17) The Lord is just in all His ways; and it is also written (Ib.) and kind in all His deeds; i.e., in the beginning He is only just, but in the end He is kind."

R. Jochanan in the name of R. Jose said: "Whence do we learn that we must not attempt to appease a man at the moment of his excitement? It is written (Ex. 33, 14.) My presence shall walk before you, and I will give thee rest, i.e., the Holy One, praised be He! said unto Moses. "Wait for me until my excitement shall subside and I shall then give thee rest.' " Is wrath [to be ascribed] to the Holy One — praised be He? Yea! As it is taught; And a God who is angry every day (Ps. 7, 12). And how long does His anger last? For a moment. And how long lasts a moment? One fifty-eight thousand eight hundred and eighty-eighth part of an hour; and this is meant by the word Regga (moment); and no creature is able to determine that exact moment [when the anger arises] except Bilam the wicked, for it is written (Num. 24, 16.) And knoweth the knowledge of the most High. How is it possible? If he did not know even the temperament of his animal, how could he acquire a knowledge of the Most High? We must therefore say that he knew how to determine the exact hour in which the Holy One, praised be He! is angry. And this is meant by the prophet who said to Israel (Micha 6, 5.) O my people, do but remember what Balak the king of Moab resolved in order to know the gracious benefits of the Lord. What is meant by The gracious benefits of the Lord. R. Elazar said: "Thus said the Holy One, praised be He! unto Israel. 'Do but remember how many gracious benefits I bestowed unto ye, that I kept myself back from becoming angry during all the days of Bilam, the wicked; for my anger might have inflicted a great misfortune upon them [in that generation].' And this is meant by Bilam when he said. (Num. 23, 8.) How shall I denounce, whom God hath not denounced? And how shall I defy, when the Lord hath not defied?" And how long endureth His anger? A Regga (moment). How long does a Regga last? R. Abin and according to some R. Abina said: "A Regga lasts as long as it takes to utter it." And whence do we learn that God is angry? It is said (Ps. 30, 6.) For His anger is momentary, (but) life rests upon his favor. And if you wish I say from this (Is. 26, 20.) Hide thyself but for about a moment, until anger passeth away. And when is He angry? Abaye said: "During the first three hours of the day, when the crest of the cock becomes white and he stands on one leg." But the cock stands like that all the time? At all times it has red stripes [in the white crest], but in that particular hour there are no red stripes whatsoever. A certain heretic was in the neighborhood of R. Joshua b. Levi, and annoyed him exceedingly, questioning him about various passages. One day R. Joshua b. Levi took a cock, tied it to his bed and watched it, thinking that as soon as he would notice the sign, he would curse the heretic. But before the time came, sleep overtook him. So he said: "I learn from this [incident] that it is not proper to do such a thing: And he is beneficent in all His work, it is written (Ps. 145, 17.) and it is also written (Pr. 17, 26.) Punishment, even to the just, is not good." It was taught in the name of R. Meier: "At the time when the sun rises and all the heathen Kings of the East and West, with their crowns upon their heads, prostrate themselves before the sun, there-upon the Holy One, praised he He! immediately becomes angry."