Rodzaju 14:1 Midrasz: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Midrash Tanchuma, Midrash Tanchuma Buber & Mekhilta DeRabbi Yishmael

(Fol. 10, b) And it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus. R. Levi, and according to others, R. Jochanan, said: "There is a tradition among us from our ancestors [who reicev it from] the men of the Great Assembly, that wherever Vayehi (it came to pass) occurs, it refers to some disaster. (Ruth 1) And it came to pass in the days of Ahasuerus, there was Haman; (Jud. 1) And it came to pass in the days of the Judges, there was hunger; (Gen. 6, 1) And it came to pass when men began to multiply, and soon after this it is written, And the children of man, etc. — [which caused the flood]; (Ib. 11, 2) And it came to pass as they journeyed toward the east, then there came the dispersion; (Ib. 14, 1) And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel … there was a war. (Josh. 5, 13) It came to pass when Joshua was by Jericho, etc. and he saw a man with a drawn sword in his hand; (Ib. 6, 27) And the Lord was (Va'yehi) with Joshua, and soon after this. And the children of Israel committed a trespass; (I Samuel) There was (Va'yehi) a certain man of Romathaim, and afterward, Hannah he loved, but the Lord had shut her womb; (Ib. 8, 1) It came to pass when Samuel became old … and his sons walked not in his way; (Ib. 18, 14) And David was successful all his ways, and soon follows, Saul was in dread of him; (II Sam. 7, 1) And it came to pass when the king dwelt in his house. But thou canst not build the Temple. But is it not written (Lev. 9, 1) And it came to pass on the eighth day, and we have been taught in a Baraitha: "That particular day caused as great rejoicing before the Holy One, praised be He! as did the day of creation, for it is written here. And it came to pass (Va'yehi) on the eighth day, and it is written (Gen. 1, 5) And it was (Vayehi) evening and it was morning the first day. [Hence we find Vayehi when a misfortune does not follow.] There also the tragedy of Nadab and Abihu happened (Lev. 10, 1-7). But is it not written (I Kings 6, 1) And it came to pass in the four hundred and eightieth year after the going forth of the children of Israel out of Egypt, and it is also Written (Gen, 29, 16) While Jacob saw Rachel, and in Genesis (1, 5) And it was evening, and it was morning, the first day — and so on the second and third days although no disaster occurred? We must therefore say that wherever it is said, (Vayehi) It came to pass, there may or may not be a calamity; but whenever it is said, (Vayehi Bimai), And it came to pass in the days of, there a misfortune surely took place. There are five expressions, It came to pass in the days of, viz., in the days of Ahasuerus, the Judges, Amraphel, Ahaz (Is. 7) and Yehoyakim (Jer. 1) [and in every instance there was trouble] .

And it came to pass in the days of Amraphel (Gen. 14:1). May it please our master to teach us when a proselyte who has been converted on the eve of the Passover is permitted to partake of the paschal lamb. Thus did our masters instruct us: The School of Shammai maintained: Let him undergo ritual immersion and then he may partake of the paschal lamb offering in the evening. The School of Hillel taught: One who is circumcised is like one who leaves a burial site.⁸He must wash his hands, like one who returns from the cemetery, and then he may eat. Pesahim 92a, Buber Tanhuma 5.

(Gen. 14:1:) NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAPHEL. Let our master instruct us: In regard to a proselyte who converts on the eve of Passover, how does he eat his paschal offering? Thus have our masters taught (in Pes. 8:8)²¹Tanh., Gen. 3:6. THE BET SHAMMAY SAY: HE IMMERSES AND EATS HIS PASCHAL OFFERING ON THE EVE, BUT THE BET HILLEL SAY: ONE WHO TURNS ASIDE FROM A STATE OF UNCIRCUMCISION IS AS ONE WHO TURNS ASIDE FROM THE GRAVE.²²Thus such a proselyte might not eat his paschal offering because he needed a far more elaborate purification than could be carried out in a single day or less. Resh Laqish said: The proselyte who converts is more beloved than Israel when they stood at Mount Sinai. Why? Because, if they had not seen the thunder and lightning, the mountains trembling, and the noise of the trumpets, they would not have accepted the Torah. But this < proselyte >, who did not see one of them, came, resigned himself to the Holy One, and took upon himself the Kingdom of Heaven. Is there one of you more lovable than this one? Once upon a time Onqelos the Proselyte questioned a certain elder and said to him: How the Holy One loves the proselyte when he has stated (in Deut. 10:18 that one should) LOVE {THE} [a] PROSELYTE IN GIVING HIM FOOD AND CLOTHING!²³Cf. Gen. R. 70:5; Exod. R. 19:4; Numb. R. 8:10; Eccl. R. 7:8:1. Is that everything? FOOD AND CLOTHING? He said to him: But did not our father Jacob seek only this? Thus it is stated (in Gen. 28:20): AND < IF GOD > GIVES ME FOOD TO EAT AND CLOTHING TO PUT ON < … >. Our masters have said: The proselyte is beloved because the Holy One had < the following > written about himself (in Jer. 14:8): WHY ARE YOU LIKE A PROSELYTE IN THE LAND? The Holy One said: Thus do I love the proselyte. Moreover, Abraham is the father of proselytes,²⁴On Abraham being a proselyte, see Mekh. R. I., Neziqin 18. and these wicked ones have come to join < in battle > against him. Woe to them, for their end is to fall (PL) before him. Where is it shown? From what they read on the matter (in Gen. 14:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS IN THE DAYS OF AMRAPHEL ('MRPL).²⁵The Hebrew letters can mean, “He said (’MR): Fall (PL).” For other interpretations of the name, see ‘Eruv. 53a.