Midrash sobre Isaías 58:13

(Gen. 6:9:) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH. [Let our master instruct us: For how many transgressions do women die at the time of their childbirth? Thus] have our masters taught (in Shab. 2:6):¹Tanh., Gen. 2:1. WOMEN DIE AT THE TIME OF THEIR CHILDBIRTH FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS: [BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CAREFUL IN REGARD TO MENSTRUATION, IN REGARD TO THE HALLAH,²I.e., the priest’s share of the dough. AND IN REGARD TO THE LIGHTING OF THE < SABBATH > LAMP. These three commandments are also from the Torah.] Where is it shown about menstruation? Where it is stated (in Lev. 15:25): AND WHEN A WOMAN HAS HAD A DISCHARGE OF BLOOD. And where is it shown about the hallah? Where it is stated (in Numb. 15:20): YOU SHALL SET ASIDE THE FIRST OF YOUR DOUGH AS A HALLAH OFFERING. And where is it shown about the Sabbath lamp? Where it is stated (in Is. 58:13): AND YOU CALL THE SABBATH A DELIGHT. And why are the women charged with regard to these commandments?³Gen.R. 17:8; yShab. 2:4 (5b). Our sages have said: In the creation of the world Adam was first. Then came Eve, and she shed his blood in that he had heeded her. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 3:19): FOR DUST YOU ARE AND TO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN. The Holy One said: Let her be given the commandment of menstrual blood [so that she may have atonement] for that blood which she shed. And why the commandment of the hallah? Because Adam was the hallah of the world when she came and defiled him,⁴Cf. Gen. R. 14:1. the Holy One said: Let her be given the commandment of hallah so that she may have atonement for the hallah of the world, which she defiled. And where is it shown that Adam is the hallah of the world? Thus have our masters taught (in Hal. 3:1): ONCE THE WOMAN PUTS WATER into the dough, SHE IS TO REMOVE HER HALLAH. Thus did the Holy One do. R. Jose ben Qetsarta said: Once the Holy One put water on the ground, he immediately removed Adam as his hallah from the ground. Thus it says (in Gen. 2:6): BUT A MIST ('D) WENT UP FROM THE EARTH. THEN immediately (in vs. 7) THE LORD GOD FORMED < THE HUMAN ('DM) OUT OF DUST FROM THE GROUND >…. And the commandment of the lamp exists because Adam was the lamp of the Holy One, as stated (in Prov. 20:27): THE LAMP OF {GOD} [THE LORD] IS THE BREATH OF ADAM. But Eve came and extinguished it. The Holy One said: Let her be given the commandment of the lamp in order that she may have atonement for the lamp which she extinguished. Thus women have been charged with the commandments of the Sabbath lamp. The Holy One said: If you are careful with the Sabbath lamp, I also will be shining for you, as stated (in Is. 60:19): FOR THE LORD SHALL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT.

These are: The duty with regard to menstruation,¹A woman must remain apart from her husband during her menstrual period. for it is written: And if a woman have an issue of her blood, she shall be in her impurity seven days (Lev. 15:25); the duty of the levy of dough,²A portion of the dough, removed before baking bread, that is dedicated to God. During the Temple period it was given to the priest, but after the destruction of the Temple it was burned. for it is written: Of the first of your dough ye shall set apart a cake for a gift (Num. 15:20); and the duty of lighting the Sabbath lights, for it is written: And call the Sabbath a delight (Isa. 58:13). If one chooses to sit in darkness, the Sabbath would not then be a delight, since darkness is imposed upon those condemned to Gehenna,³Hell. One of the seven things formed two thousand years before creation. as it says: A land of thick darkness, as darkness itself (Job 10:22).

You find that not all the eighteen benedictions (of the Amidah) recited each day are in praise of the Holy One, blessed be He. In fact, only the first three and the final three are in praise of Him, while the twelve intervening prayers allude to human needs. It is for this reason that we do not say the eighteen benedictions on the Sabbath.³On Sabbaths and holy dayss the thirteen intervening blessings are omitted lest the holiness of the day be marred by references to mundane affairs; a single benediction describing the characteristic feature of the day is inserted, in their place. For, if it should happen that a loved one was ill at home at the time of praying, the worshipper would be reminded of it while reciting the prayer “Who healeth the ills of His people” and would become depressed. Inasmuch as the Sabbath was given to Israel for sanctification, for joy and rest and not for sorrow, one must recite the first three blessings and the final three blessings (of the Amidah) and replace the intervening ones with the prayer of Rest. Hence, David proclaimed: Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous ordinances (Ps. 119:164). The word seven in this verse refers to the seven benedictions recited on the Sabbath. What other day could this verse refer to, if not the day of rest, which is unlike any other? For it is said: Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy (Exod. 20:8)—in every respect, even from in the pursuit of thy business and speaking thereof (Isa. 58:13).