Midrash sobre Gênesis 1:7

(Gen. 1:1:) IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH. It is written (in Ps. 104:3): WHO ROOFS HIS UPPER ROOMS IN THE WATERS, WHO SETS THE CLOUDS AS HIS CHARIOT…. R. Johanan said:¹Gen. R. 1:3; PRE 4; M. Pss. 104:7. See below, sec. 1:12; M. Pss. 24:4. Heaven and earth were created on the first day, and on the second the Holy One²In this translation “the Holy One” (apart from biblical quotations) represents the Hebrew acronym, HQBH, which stands for “The Holy One Blessed be He.” A somewhat abbreviated form is called for because this acronym has become the common midrashic name of the Deity and is treated as a single word. The full title would be awkward and only appears in the translation where the full title occurs in the Buber text. created the firmament and the angels. Where is it shown that they were created on the second day? Where it is stated (ibid.): WHO ROOFS HIS UPPER ROOMS IN THE WATERS,³The midrash interprets this roof as the firmament of Gen. 1:6-8. Thus Ps. 104:3f. is seen as a reference to the second day of creation. WHO SETS THE CLOUDS AS HIS CHARIOT, WHO WALKS ON THE WINGS OF THE WIND (ruah). And what is written next (in vs. 4)? WHO MAKES HIS ANGELS SPIRITS (ruah).⁴Cf. Hebrews 1:7. R. Hanina said: The angels were created on the fifth day. Thus it is written concerning the fifth (in Gen. 1:20): AND LET FOWL FLY (ye'ofef) ABOVE THE EARTH. Now the word ye'ofef only refers to the flying of angels, as it is used (in Is. 6:2): AND WITH TWO HE DID FLY (ye'ofef). And why were the angels not created on the first day? So that the heretics (minim) would not say: Michael was standing in the north with Gabriel in the south, and together they spread out the heavens and the earth. So who did create them? The Holy One by himself, as stated (in Gen. 1:1): IN THE BEGINNING GOD CREATED < THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH >. R. Judah and R. Nehemiah disagree. R. Judah says: The world was being created for six days. Thus it is written concerning the work of each and every day (in Gen. 1:7, 9, 11, 15, 24, 30): AND IT WAS SO. That is R. Judah's opinion, but R. Nehemiah says: The whole world was created on the first day. R. Judah said to him: What is the meaning of what is written concerning the work of each and every day: [AND IT WAS SO]? R. Berekhyah said concerning R. Nehemiah's opinion: (According to Gen. 1:24) GOD SAID: LET THE EARTH BRING FORTH. The expression LET BRING FORTH is only used of something that was prepared from IN THE BEGINNING, as stated concerning the first day (in vs. 1): IN THE BEGINNING.

Unto the land that I will show you (Gen. 12:1). The Holy One, blessed be He, did not mention any specific place. This indicates that this was a trial within a trial, as in the case of a man who embarks upon a journey without being aware of his destination. What did Abraham do? He took his possessions and his wife and departed: And Abraham went, as the Lord had spoken to him (ibid., v. 4). And I will make of thee a great nation (ibid., v. 2). It is not written “I will establish you up as a great nation,” but I will make you a great nation; that is, I will create anew, as indicated by the verse And God made the firmament (ibid. 1:7); And God made the two great lights (ibid., v. 16). R. Phinehas the priest, the son of Hama said: When did the Holy One, blessed be He, make Abraham into a great nation? He did so when Israel accepted the Torah. Thus Moses proclaimed concerning them: For what great nation is there (Deut. 4:8).

[Another interpretation (of Lev. 19:2:) SPEAK UNTO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL,] < AND SAY UNTO THEM: > YOU SHALL BE HOLY, BECAUSE I< , THE LORD YOUR GOD, > AM HOLY. The Holy One said to them: Be holy just as I am holy in every respect.¹¹Tanh., Gen. 1:7; Lev. 7:4; above, Gen. 1:7. See what is written (in Josh. 24:19): FOR HE IS A HOLY GOD (in the plural).¹²The words, HOLY and GOD, are both plural in the Hebrew. What is the meaning of FOR HE IS A HOLY GOD (in the plural)? This verse < provides > an opening for the heretics (minim), in that he seems like two powers.¹³Alan F. Segal, Two Powers in Heaven: Early Rabbinic Reports about Christianity and Gnosticism (“Studies in Judaism in Late Antiquity,” 25; Leiden: Brill, 1977), p. 121. The heretics asked R. Simlay: What is the meaning of FOR HE IS HOLY GOD?¹⁴See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 1:7; and the parallels listed there. Do you not say that he is one power? See, here are < at least > two powers. He said to them: You idiots! [See what is written: FOR HE IS A HOLY GOD (in the plural). You would say: They are < at least > two powers, [for why are GOD and HOLY plural?] R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Abba: What is the meaning of HE IS A HOLY < GOD > (with HOLY in the plural)? That he is holy in all categories of holiness. How? R. Aha bar Hanina said: His speech is in holiness, as stated (in Ps. 60:8 [6]): GOD SPOKE IN HIS HOLINESS (i.e., in the Holy Place, the Temple). His way is in holiness, as stated (in Ps. 77:14 [13]): YOUR WAY, O GOD, IS IN HOLINESS (i.e., in the Holy Place). He is seen in holiness, as stated (in Ps. 63:3 [2]): SO I HAVE BEHELD YOU IN HOLINESS, (i.e., in the Holy Place). His praise¹⁵Gk.: kalos (“beautifully”). is in holiness, as stated (in Exod. 15:11): WHO IS LIKE YOU, GLORIOUS IN HOLINESS? The uncovering of his arm is in holiness, as stated (in Is. 52:10): THE LORD HAS UNCOVERED < HIS ARM OF HOLINESS >. Ergo (in Josh. 24:19) HE IS A HOLY GOD (with HOLY in the plural), because he is holy in all categories of holiness.