Midrasz do Psalmów 145:16

TAANITH (Fol. 2) R. Jochanan said: "Three keys (sources of help) are in the hands of the Holy One, praised be He! which are not intrusted to any agent. They are: [The key] for [help in] confinements, for rain, and for the resurrection of the dead. The key for help in confinements, as it is written (Gen. 30, 22) And God hearkened (Ib. b) to her (Rachel) and opened her womb; that for rain, as it is written (Deut. 28, 12) The Lord will open unto thee His good treasure, the heaven, to give the rain of thy land in its season; and that for the resurrection of the dead, as it is written (Ez. 37, 13) And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and when I cause you to come up out of your graves, O my people. In the West (the land of Israel) it was said: "Also the key of a man's support is in the hands of God Himself, as it is written (Ps. 145, 16) Thou openest Thy hand. etc. Why did not R. Jochanan mention this also? Because R. Jochanan may explain that rain includes the means of maintenance.

In the days of R. Samuel b. Nachmeni the world was visited by famine and pestilence, and the sages said: "What shall we pray for? Shall we pray both to cease? This is impossible! We shall therefore pray for the abatement of the pestilence, and we shall put up with the famine." Whereupon R. Samuel b. Nachmeni said to them: "Nay, let us pray for relief from the famine; for if the Merciful One will give bread, he will surely give it to the living; as it is written (Ps. l45, 16) Thou openest thy hand and satisfiest the desire of every living thing [consequently the pestilence will have to cease]." Whence do we know that to pray for two things at one time is not proper? From the following passage (Ezra. 8, 23) So we fasted and besought our God for this, — for this, implies that there must have been some other infliction, [nevertheless only one thing was prayed for]. In the days of R. Zera the government issued an edict [detrimental to the interests of the Jews]. Another edict was passed that no fast-days should be kept. R. Zera then said to the people: "Let us take a fast-day upon ourselves now, and when the government shall have rescinded its decree, we will then fast." And they asked him: "Whence dost thou infer that this would be just as good?" "I know it," answered he, "from the following passage (Dan. 10, 12) And he said unto me: Fear not, Daniel for from the first day that thou didst set thy heart to obtain understanding, and to fast before thy God. were thy words heard."

(Gen. 30:22:) THEN GOD REMEMBERED RACHEL…. AND OPENED (rt.: PTH) HER WOMB. Let our master instruct us: Is it legitimate for one to wipe off a table on the Sabbath with a sponge.⁴⁸Gk.: spoggos. Thus have our masters taught (in Shab. 21:3): IN THE CASE OF A SPONGE, IF IT HAS A LEATHER HANDLE, ONE MAY WIPE WITH IT; BUT, IF NOT, ONE MAY NOT WIPE WITH IT. Now, if leather is not sewn to it, when one comes to wipe [on the Sabbath], the water enters. Then {it would absorb} [he would press down], the water would flow out, and he would be found squeezing on the Sabbath. Ergo (ibid.): IF IT HAS A LEATHER HANDLE, ONE MAY WIPE WITH IT; [BUT, IF NOT, ONE MAY NOT WIPE WITH IT], lest he squeeze and the water flows out. Come and see the works of the Holy One, that they are unlike the work of flesh and blood. In the case of flesh and blood, when one squeezes (rt.: 'TsR) on a sponge, the water flows down; < if > one opens his hand, the water does not flow down. With the Holy One, however, this is not so. If he squeezes, the water does not flow down, as stated (in Job 12:15): BEHOLD, HE SHALL SHUT UP (rt.: 'TsR) THE WATERS SO THAT THEY DRY UP. It is also written (in Deut. 11:17): AND HE SHALL SHUT UP (rt.: 'TsR) THE HEAVENS SO THAT THERE SHALL BE NO RAIN. However, if he opens up (PTH), then < the waters > come down, as stated (in Deut. 28:12): THE LORD SHALL OPEN (PTH) FOR YOU < HIS BOUNTEOUS TREASURY, THE HEAVENS, TO GIVE RAIN FOR YOUR LAND IN ITS SEASON >. R. Johanan said: There are four keys (rt.: PTH) in the hand of the Holy One which he has not delivered to the humans in the world, they are the following: the key of rains, the key of sustenance, the key of graves, and the key of barren women.⁴⁹Cf. above, 4:35; Frag. Targum, Gen. 30:22; Frag. Targum, Deut. 28:11; Ta‘an. 2ab; Gen. R. 73:4. Yet, when they were needed, the Holy One delivered them to the righteous. The key of rain he delivered to Elijah, as stated (in I Kings 17:1): DURING THESE YEARS THERE SHALL BE NEITHER DEW NOR RAIN EXCEPT AT MY (Elijah's) WORD. The key of sustenance he delivered to Noah, as stated (in Gen. 6:21): FOR YOUR PART, TAKE SOME OF EVERY KIND OF FOOD THAT IS EATEN…. < AND IT SHALL BE FOOD FOR YOU AND FOR THEM >. The key of graves he delivered to Ezekiel, as stated (in Ezek. 37:3-4 [4-5]): AND YOU SHALL SAY UNTO THEM: O DRY BONES … < YOU SHALL LIVE AGAIN >. The key of barren women he delivered to Elisha, as stated (in II Kings 4:16): < THEN HE (Elisha) SAID > AT THIS SEASON NEXT YEAR YOU SHALL BE EMBRACING A SON. Where is it shown that the Holy One has not delivered them to the humans in the world, but unlocks (rt.: PTH) them by himself? In respect to the key (rt.: PTH) of rains? Where it is stated (in Deut. 28:12): THE LORD WILL OPEN (rt.: PTH) FOR YOU < HIS BOUNTEOUS TREASURY, THE HEAVENS, TO GIVE RAIN FOR YOUR LAND IN ITS SEASON >. In respect to the key of sustenance? Where it is stated (in Ps. 145:16): < YOU > OPEN (rt.: PTH) YOUR HAND < AND SATISFY THE DESIRE OF EVERY LIVING BEING >. In respect to the key of graves? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 37:12): < THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD > : BEHOLD, I WILL OPEN (PTH) YOUR GRAVES < AND RAISE YOU UP OUT FROM YOUR GRAVES >. And in respect to the key of barren women, how is it shown? From what is written on the matter (in Gen. 30:22): THEN GOD REMEMBERED RACHEL < … > AND OPENED (rt.: PTH) HER WOMB.

[(Gen. 21:1:) THEN THE LORD VISITED SARAH.] There are four keys (rt.: PTH): the key to sustenance, the key to rain, the key to graves, and the key to barren women.¹²⁹Cf. below, Gen. 7:16; Frag. (Jerusalem) Targum, Gen. 30:22; Frag. (Jerusalem) Targum, Deut. 28:11; Ta‘an. 2ab; Sanh. 113a; Gen. R. 72:4; Deut. R. 7:6; PR 42:7; M. Ps. 78:5. Moreover, the four of them are in the hand of the Holy One. Where is it shown about sustenance? Where it is stated (in Ps. 145:16): YOU OPEN (rt.: PTH) YOUR HAND < AND SATISFY THE DESIRE OF EVERY LIVING BEING >. Where is it shown about rain? Where it is stated (in Deut. 28:12): THE LORD WILL OPEN (rt.: PTH) FOR YOU < HIS BOUNTEOUS TREASURY, THE HEAVENS, TO GIVE RAIN FOR YOUR LAND IN ITS SEASON >. Where is it shown about graves? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 37:13): WHEN I HAVE OPENED (rt.: PTH) YOUR GRAVES < AND BROUGHT YOU UP OUT OF YOUR GRAVES >. Where is it shown about barren women? Where it is stated (in Gen. 30:22): THEN THE LORD VISITED RACHEL… AND HE OPENED (rt.: PTH) HER WOMB.

"The angel who has redeemed me from all harm[...]" (Genesis 48:16) Rabbi Yosei son of Chalafta said, sustenance is doubly difficult, like birth. Of birth it is written (Genesis 3:16) "In pain [עצב] shall you bear children", and of sustenance it is written (Genesis 3:17) "By toil [עצבון] shall you eat of it [the ground] all the days of your life." Rabbi Elazar and Rabbi Shmuel son of Nachman, Rabbi Elazar said, redemption is deduced from sustenance and sustenance from redemption. Just as redemption is doubled, so too is sustenance doubled. Just as sustenance is daily, so too is sustenance daily. Rabbi Shmuel son of Nachman said, and [sustenance] is greater than redemption, for redemption comes at the hand of an angel and sustenance at the hand of the Holy Blessed One. Redemption by the hand of an angel, "the angel who redeemed me" (Genesis 48:16), and sustenance by the hand of the Holy Blessed One, "open Your hand and satisfy all that lives" (Psalms 145:16). Rabbi Yehoshua son of Levi said, the victuals of man are as difficult as the splitting of the Sea of Reeds, as it says "to the One Who split the Sea of Reeds asunder" (Psalms 136:13) and it is written later "Who gives food to all flesh" (Psalms 145:25). "Bless the lads" (Genesis 48:16), these are Yehoshua and Gidon, for there it says "And it was when Yehoshua was in Yericho, and he lifted up his eyes and saw, and behold, a man stood over him... and he [the man] said 'No, but I am captain of the LORD's host and have just arrived...'" (Joshua 5:13-14). Rabbi Yehoshua in the name of Rabbi Chanina son of Yitzchak, he cried out from within his toenails, as it says "And he said, 'I am a captain of the LORD's host'" (ibid.) - a captain of the Lofty Ones am I, and every place that I am seen, the Holy Blessed One is seen. This is a sign that in every place that Rabbi Yosei was set[?], so too Rabbi would appear. "Now I have come" (ibid.) -- with Moshe your teacher I have come, rather that he was praying and said "Unless You go in the lead..." (Exodus 33:15) - I was unable to ascend above, but now that I have not done my mission, I was not able to descend below, that now I pray and say "Unless You go in the lead." Rather, be warned that you should not do as Moshe your teacher did with me, and I was swayed. "And may they be teeming multitudes [וידגו לרב] on the earth..." (Genesis 48:16). Just as the eye does not penetrate/rule over to see these fish [דגים], so your sons will not be seen/ruled over by the [evil] eye. So it is written, "The sons of Yosef spoke to Yehoshua... [saying, 'Why have you assigned as our portion a single allotment and a single district, seeing that we are a numerous people...']" (Joshua 17:14). He said to them, 'Are you not afraid of the [evil] eye?' [i.e. how can you boast of your numbers?]. They responded, 'This was our father's blessing for us, "they shall be teeming multitudes on the earth" (Genesis 48:16).' Just as these fish are only caught in the throat, so your sons will only be caught in the throat. "And they said to him, please say 'shibolet,' and he said 'sibolet'." (Judges 12:6). Just as these fish grow in water, and when one drop descends from above they accept it with thirst like one who had never tasted water in their life, so too Israel grow in the water of Torah, and when they hear one new word of Torah they accept it with thirst as one who had never heard a word of Torah in their life. Rabbi Levi said, the women of Israel became impregnated with sixty thousand foetuses in one night, and all were sent to the Nile, and they ascended [out of the Nile?] in the merit of Moshe, since Moshe said "Six hundred thousand are my feet of the people that I am within" (Numbers 11:21) -- they all went up to my feet. Rabbi Zacai....