Lamentações 3:44 Midrash: Midrash Tehillim, Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Bamidbar Rabbah & Sifrei Bamidbar

Another interpretation in the clouds. It says in the scripture (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For what great nation is there that has God close to it, as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon Him?" Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yitzhak, "He has a patron in the flesh." They said to him, "Your son has been caught." He said to them, "I am responsible for him." They said to him, "But he is sentenced to death. Where is he, and where is his patron?" However, the Holy One, blessed be He, saved Moses from Pharaoh's sword, as it says (Exodus 18:4), "For the God of my father was my help." Rabbi Yannai said, "It is written (Exodus 2:15), 'And Moses fled from Pharaoh.' Can a person escape from a monarchy? But at the moment when Pharaoh's men caught him and were about to decapitate him with a sword, the hilt of the sword broke above the neck of Moses, as it says (Song of Songs 7:6), 'Your neck is like the tower of David.' This refers to the neck of Moses." Rabbi Avitar said, "Not only that, but the sword fell on the neck of the executioner, and Moses killed him, as it says (Exodus 18:4), 'And He saved me from Pharaoh's sword.' He saved me, but not the executioner." Rabbi Berachya called upon it (Proverbs 21:18), "The wicked are a ransom for the righteous." Rabbi Avin called upon it (ibid. 11:8), "The righteous one is saved from distress." Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said, "At the moment when Moses fled, all the inhabitants of Pharaoh's palace became dumb, deaf, and blind. To the dumb, he said, 'Where did Moses flee?' but they did not speak. To the deaf, he said, 'What is happening?' but they did not hear. To the blind, he said, 'What does Moses look like?' but they did not see. This is what the Holy One, blessed be He, said (Exodus 4:11), 'Who gives a person speech?' There, you have the answer, but here I have none." Therefore, it is written (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For the Lord our God is close to us whenever we call upon Him." Rabbi Yudan said another interpretation: "He has a patron in the flesh." They said to him, "Your son has been caught." He said to them, "I am responsible for him." They said to him, "But he is sentenced to death." "And the Holy One, blessed be He, did not save Jonah from the belly of the fish, as it is said (Jonah 2:11), 'And the Lord spoke to the fish.' Rabbi Yudan said in his name, 'Flesh and blood have an advocate. When a time of trouble comes upon him suddenly, he does not immediately enter before him (God), but he comes and stands at the door of his advocate and calls to his servant and says, "So-and-so is at the door." But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. When a time of trouble comes upon Israel, he should not call upon Gabriel or Michael, but call upon him (God), and he will answer him. This is what is written (Joel 2:32), "And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered." Rabbi Alexandri related a story about a certain judge who used to deride others. He said to him, 'What is your name?' He replied, 'Alexander,' and he (the judge) turned away in contempt. The judge then asked him, 'What is the name of your advocate?' He replied, 'Alexander,' and the judge immediately rose to his feet and kissed him on his forehead, saying, 'My master, my master.' If one who is called by the name of flesh and blood can be saved from danger, how much more so one who is called by the name of the Holy One, blessed be He?' Rabbi Pinchas said two things in the name of Rabbi Zeira and one in the name of Rabbi Tanhum. Flesh and blood have an advocate. If one has burdened him excessively, he (the advocate) says, 'I have forgotten so-and-so who has burdened me too much.' But the Holy One, blessed be He, accepts whatever burdens Israel places upon Him, as it is said (Psalms 55:23), "Cast thy burden upon the Lord, and he shall sustain thee." Flesh and blood have an advocate. If one's enemies seize him at the door of his home and he cries out to him (the advocate), the sword may fall upon his neck and kill him before he is rescued. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. He saved Jehoshaphat from the sword of Aram, as it is said (Chronicles II 18:31), "And Jehoshaphat cried out and the Lord helped him; and God moved them to depart from him." This teaches that he only lacked humility. Rabbi Shimon said, flesh and blood have a relative; if he is rich, he acknowledges him, but if he is poor, he does not acknowledge him. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not so. When Israel is in distress, he calls them "brothers" and "friends," as it is said (Psalms 122:8), "For my brethren and companions' sakes," and it is written (Exodus 33:11), "And the Lord spoke unto Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend." Rabbi Zeira said, a person has a son who is seen once in seventy years, and yet he kisses him on the forehead; but the Holy One, blessed be He, waits for the repentance of the wicked every day, as it is said (Ezekiel 33:11), "As I live, says the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live." Above the firmament are the Chayot (heavenly beings). Rabbi Chelbo said that even the Chayot move in a cycle of 490 years. The legs of the Chayot correspond to all the animals, and the Throne of Glory corresponds to everything above. When a person enters the synagogue and stands behind the pillar to whisper their prayer, the Lord listens. This is what is written, "For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the Lord our God whenever we call upon Him?" (Deuteronomy 4:7) Rabbi Chanina asked Rabbi Samuel, "What does it mean when it says in Lamentations 3:44, 'You covered yourself with a cloud so that no prayer can get through?'" He replied that the gates of prayer are sometimes open and sometimes closed, but the gates of tears are never closed. Why is this? Because the Lord our God is close to us. Rabbi Hoshea asked, "Which nation delays God like this one?" How is it that when elders sit and recall the past year, the Lord agrees with them? Concerning them, David said, "I will call upon the Most High God, who completes for me" (Psalm 57:3). Blessed be the name of the Lord our God who completes and finishes with Israel what they do. A mortal king decrees a decree, and even if people seek to annul it, they cannot do so, whether willingly or unwillingly, because they must fulfill his decree. However, if the king himself seeks to annul it, he can do so. But the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that; rather, He upholds whatever the Sanhedrin decrees. When is this? On Rosh Hashanah, when the Sanhedrin sits and says, "Let Rosh Hashanah be on the second day of Shabbat or on the third day of Shabbat," immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, seats a Sanhedrin of angels and says to them, "Go and see if the lower court decreed and finalized it." They reply, "Master of the Universe, so they decreed." He then sits on that same day to judge His world, as it is stated (Psalms 47:6), "God has ascended amid shouts, the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets." The thrones are brought out, the books are opened, and the Sanhedrin of angels sits before Him, as it is stated (Daniel 7:9), "I looked until thrones were set up and the Ancient of Days took His seat." Some teach merit, while others teach obligation. Why? As it is stated (Psalms 81:5), "For it is a statute for Israel, an ordinance of the God of Jacob." Israel decreed that day as Rosh Hashanah, and it is also an ordinance of the God of Jacob, for He upholds His decrees and agrees with them. As it is stated (Psalms 50:15), "Call upon Me on the day of distress; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me." He agrees with Israel's opinion. Know that this is so because it is written (Numbers 29:1), "There shall be a day of blowing the horn for you," and it is only said "for you" and not for Me. Similarly, it is stated (Leviticus 23:2), "These are My appointed festivals, the appointed festivals of the Lord, which you shall proclaim as sacred assemblies." You shall proclaim them, whether in their proper time or not, for I have no appointed festivals except for these. As it is stated (Deuteronomy 4:7), "For what great nation is there that has God so near to them as the Lord our God is whenever we call upon Him?" And we call upon Him only for the sanctification of the festivals, as it is stated (Leviticus 23:4), "These are the appointed festivals of the Lord, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate at their appointed time." Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: If a mortal king has a relative who is taken captive, he is ashamed to say that And the Lord brought out the captive and insane Israelites and called them His close people, as it is said (Psalms 148:14), "He has raised up a horn for His people, the praise of all His faithful servants, of Israel, the people close to His heart." King David said, "Master of the Universe, even if a wicked person from among the Israelites comes and calls out to You, You answer them immediately, so that the nations of the world will not say that all faces are equal and that You answer me too." The Lord said to him, "I smile until you call Me, then I will answer you," as it is said (Psalms 50:15), "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." And it is said (Psalms 91:15), "When he calls on Me, I will answer him." And it is said (Isaiah 65:24), "And it shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer." Nevertheless, his call must be sincere, as it is said (Psalms 145:18), "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, to all who call upon Him in truth." Anyone who calls upon Him in truth can say, "God is good to Israel," (Psalms 73:1), "But as for me, God's nearness is my good," (Psalms 73:28), "The Lord is good to those who wait for Him," (Lamentations 3:25), "Good is the Lord to the one who seeks refuge in Him," (Psalms 34:9), and "The Lord is good to the upright in heart."

(Ib. b) R. Elazar said: "Great is prayer, even more than good deeds; for there is none bigger in the performance of good deeds than our teacher Moses, still he was answered through prayers only; as it is said (Ib. ib. 26.) Let it suffice thee; do not continue to speak unto me any more of this matter; Immediately following it is said Get thee up unto the fop of Pisgah." R. Elazar also said: "Prayer is even more efficacious than sacrifice; "for it is said (Is. 1, 11.) For what serveth me the multitude of your sacrifice? Saith the Lord, and it is written further, And when you spread your hands, I shall withdraw my eyes from you." R. Elazar also said: "Since the day of the destruction of the Temple, the gates of prayer were locked up, as it is said (Lam. 3, 8.) Also when I cry aloud and make entreaty, He shutteth out my prayer; and even though the towers of prayer were locked up still the towers of tears are not locked, as it is said (Ps. 39, 13.) Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; at my tears Thou wilt surely not be silent." Further said R. Elazar: "Since the day of the destruction of the Temple, an iron wall separates Israel and the Heavenly Father, as it is said (Ezek. 4, 3.) Moreover take thou unto thyself an iron pan and set it up as a wall between thee and the city." R. Channin in the name of R. Chanina said: "He who prolongs in prayer will not return void (his prayers unfulfilled). Whence do we infer this? From our teacher Moses, for it is said (Deu. 9, 18.) And I threw myself down before the Lord; and it is further written And the Lord hearkened unto me also at that time." Is this so? Behold R. Chiya b. Abba in the name of R. Jochanan said: "Whoever prolongs in prayer and speculates on it (expecting its fulfillment as a reward for making it long) will, at the end, come to a heart sickness; for it is said (Pr. 13, 12.) Long deferred expectation maketh the heart sick. What is its remedy? Let him study the Torah, for close to it is said But a tree of life is a desire which is fulfilled; By a tree of life is meant nothing else but the Torah, for it is said (Ib. 3, 18.) A tree of life is she (the Torah) to those who lay hold on her." This is not difficult to explain; the latter deals with staying long in prayer and speculating on it, and the former deals with one who stays long in prayer but does not speculate on it. R. Chama b. Chanina said, "Although a man sees that his prayers are not answered, let him continue to pray; for it is said (Ps. 27, 14.) Wait on the Lord; be strong and let thy heart he of good courage; wait, I say, on the Lord." Our Rabbis taught: "Four things require fortitude in their observance: The Torah, good deeds, prayer, and social duties." The Torah and good deeds, whence do we know? It is said (Jos. 1, 7.) Be thou strong and firm that thou mayest observe to fulfill all the Torah; Be strong, refers to the Torah, And firm, refers to good deeds. Whence do we infer that prayer needs fortitude? It is said (Ps. 27, 14.) Wait on the Lord, be strong and He shall make thy heart firm; wait, I say, upon the Lord. 'Whence do we know that social duties require fortitude? It is said (II. Sam 10, 12.) Be strong and let us strengthen ourselves for our people and for the cities of our God. R. Elazar said: "Fasting is even more meritorious than charity for the former is performed with the body and the latter is performed only with money." Raba never ordered a fast on a cloudy day; for it is said (Lam. 3, 44.) Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud that no prayer may pass through.

“May the Lord show favor to you, and grant you peace” (Numbers 6:26).
“May the Lord show favor [yisa…panav] to you” – He will remove his anger from you. Yisa is nothing other than an expression of removal, just as it says: “Pharaoh will remove [yisa] your head [from upon you]” (Genesis 40:19). “Panav” – this is the countenance [panim] of rage, just as it says: “I will direct My countenance against that person…” (Leviticus 20:6). In other words, He will remove from you that countenance of rage that was fitting to come upon you.
“May the Lord show [yisa] [favor [panav] to you]” – when you are standing and praying, as it is stated: “He said to him: See, I have granted [nasati] your request [fanekha]…” (Genesis 19:21). The matters may be inferred a fortiori: If I granted Lot’s request due to Abraham, My beloved, will I not show you favor due to you and due to your forefathers? That is what is written: “May the Lord show favor to you.”
One verse says: “May the Lord show favor to you,” and one verse says: “Who will not show favor” (Deuteronomy 10:17). How can both of these verses be realized? When Israel performs the will of the Omnipresent, “May the Lord show favor to you.” When they do not perform the will of the Omnipresent, “Who will not show favor.”
Another matter: “May the Lord show favor” – does the Holy One blessed be He show favor? Is it not already stated: “Who will not show favor” (Deuteronomy 10:17)? The Holy One blessed be He said: Just as they show Me favor, I show them favor. How so? I wrote in My Torah: “You will eat and be satisfied, and you shall bless” (Deuteronomy 8:10), but a person of Israel sits, he, his children, and the members of his household, and they do not have sufficient food to satisfy them, but they show Me favor and recite a blessing, and are exacting with themselves for the measure of an olive-bulk or an egg-bulk.³³There is a disagreement among the Sages regarding whether one must say Grace after Meals after eating an olive-bulk of bread or an egg-bulk of bread (Berakhot 45a). Therefore, “may the Lord show favor [to you].”
Another matter: “May the Lord show…” – one verse says: “May…show,” and one verse says: “Who will not show” (Deuteronomy 10:17). Until the sentence is sealed, “may the Lord show…”; after the sentence is sealed, “who will not show favor.”
Similarly, one verse says: “You hear prayer” (Psalms 65:3), and one verse says: “You have covered Yourself with a cloud [so that no prayer can pass]” (Lamentations 3:44). Until the sentence is sealed, “You hear prayer”; after the sentence is sealed, “You have covered Yourself with a cloud.” One verse says: “The Lord is near to all who call Him” (Psalms 145:18), and one verse says: “Why do You stand afar, Lord?” (Psalms 10:1). Until the sentence is sealed, “the Lord is near to all who call Him”; after the sentence is sealed, “why do You stand afar, Lord?”
One verse says: “From the mouth of the Most High, evil and good do not emerge” (Lamentations 3:38), and one verse says: “The Lord was intent on harm” (Daniel 9:14). Until the sentence is sealed, “from the mouth of the Most High…”; after the sentence is sealed, “the Lord was intent…”
One verse says: “Launder your heart of evil, Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 4:14), and one verse says: “For even if you launder with natron [and use much soap, your iniquity is stained before Me]” (Jeremiah 2:22). Until the sentence is sealed, “launder [your heart] of evil…”; after the sentence is sealed, “even if you launder…”
One verse says: “Return, wayward sons” (Jeremiah 3:22), and one verse says: “If they repent, He does not repent” (Jeremiah 8:4).³⁴Even if they repent, God will not retract the punishment. This is before the sentence is sealed; that is after the sentence is sealed.
One verse says: “Seek the Lord when He can be found” (Isaiah 55:6), and one verse says: “As I live, the utterance of the Lord God, I will not respond to you” (Ezekiel 20:31). This is before the sentence is sealed; that is after the sentence is sealed.
One verse says: “I do not desire the death of the wicked” (Ezekiel 33:11), and one verse says: “The Lord wished to put them to death.” (I Samuel 2:25). This is before the sentence is sealed; that is after the sentence is sealed.
Another matter: “May the Lord show favor to you” – in this world; “who will not show favor” (Deuteronomy 10:17) – in the World to Come.³⁵Repentance is possible in this world, not in the World to Come (Etz Yosef).
Another matter: “May the Lord show favor to you,” and one verse says: “Who will not show favor” (Deuteronomy 10:17). Rabbi Yosei ben Dostai says: How can these two verses be realized? It is, rather, “may the Lord show favor” – regarding a matter between you and Him; “who will not show favor” – regarding matters between you and your counterpart.
Rabbi Akiva says: One verse says: “He will cleanse” (Exodus 34:7), and one verse says: “He will not cleanse” (Exodus 34:7). How is it possible to realize these two verses? It is, rather, regarding a matter between you and Him, “He will cleanse”; regarding matters between you and your counterpart, “He will not cleanse.” Ben Azai says: He cleanses for those who repent, but does not cleanse for those who do not repent.
Another matter: “May the Lord show favor [panav]…” – He will turn His face [panav] toward you. One who greets his counterpart face-to-face is not comparable to one who greets him from the side. Rather, “May the Lord show favor [panav]” – He will turn His face to you, just as it says: “I will turn [ufaniti] to you and make [you] fruitful” (Leviticus 26:9).
“And grant you peace” – peace upon your arrival, peace upon your departure, peace with every person. Rabbi Natan says: “And grant you peace” – peace is the peace of the kingdom of the house of David: “with abundant authority and everlasting peace [upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom]” (Isaiah 9:6).
Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says: This is the peace of Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11).
Great is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He altered a matter due to peace, as it is stated: “Shall I indeed bear a child? But I have grown old” (Genesis 18:13).³⁶This is what God told Abraham, despite the fact that Sarah had actually said: “And my lord is old” (Genesis 18:12), referring to Abraham.
Great is peace, as the angel that spoke with Manoaḥ altered due to peace. He had said to the woman: “Behold, you are barren and have not given birth” (Judges 13:3), but he did not relate that matter to Manoaḥ.³⁷He refrained from saying this when Manoaḥ could hear, so that Manoaḥ would not blame his wife for their childlessness.
Great is peace, as the Name that is written in sanctity, the Holy One blessed be He said: Let it be erased on the water in order to instill peace between a man and his wife.³⁸This is referring to the procedure of the sota.
Rabbi Elazar says: Great is peace, as the prophets implanted into the mouths of all the people only peace.³⁹See Nahum 2:1, Hagai 2:9, Isaiah 57:19.
Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: Great is peace, as there is no vessel that contains blessing other than peace, as it is stated: “The Lord will bless His people with peace” (Psalms 29:11). In the Priestly Benediction as well, after all the blessings, He concluded them with peace: “And grant you peace,” saying that the blessings are of no avail unless accompanied by peace. Rabbi Elazar HaKappar says: Great is peace, as every prayer concludes only with peace, and the Priestly Benediction concludes only with peace.
Great is peace, as it is given to the humble, as it is stated: “The humble inherit the earth and delight in abundant peace” (Psalms 37:11). Great is peace, as it is equivalent to everything. We recite: Who makes peace and creates everything.
Rabbi Elazar son of Rabbi Elazar HaKappar says: Even if Israel engages in idol worship but there is peace between them, the Holy One blessed be He, as it were, said: The accuser cannot touch them, as it is stated: “Ephraim is attached to idols, leave him” (Hosea 4:17). But when they were divided, what is stated in their regard? “Their heart is divided; now they will be punished” (Hosea 10:2). That is, great is peace and dispute is despised.
Great is peace, as even in time of war, peace is necessary, as it is stated: “When you approach a city [to wage war against it, you shall call to it for peace]” (Deuteronomy 20:10). And it says: “I sent messengers from the wilderness of Kedemot [to Siḥon, king of Ḥeshbon, with words of peace]” (Deuteronomy 2:26). And it says: “Restore them peacefully” (Judges 11:13).
Great is peace, as even the dead require peace, as it is stated: “You will come to your fathers in peace” (Genesis 15:15). And it says: “You will die in peace” (Jeremiah 34:5).
Great is peace, as it is provided for penitents, as it is stated: “Creator of the expression of the lips: Peace, peace [for the far and for the near]” (Isaiah 57:19).
Rabbi Meir says: Great is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He did not create an attribute more beautiful than peace, which was given to the righteous, as when he passes from the world, three groups of ministering angels greet him with peace. The first says: “He will come in peace” (Isaiah 57:2). The second says: “They will rest on their resting places” (Isaiah 57:2). The third says: “One who walks with integrity” (Isaiah 57:2). It is not sufficient for the righteous that their death is in the hands of Glory, as it is stated: “The glory of the Lord will gather you” (Isaiah 58:8), but they laud them before them with peace: “He will come in peace.”
Great is peace, as the Holy One blessed be He did not create an attribute more beautiful than peace, and He withheld it from the wicked, as when they pass from the world, three groups of angels of destruction greet them. The first says: “There is no peace” (Isaiah 48:22). The second says: “The Lord says to the wicked” (Isaiah 48:22). The third says: “You will lie in suffering” (Isaiah 50:11). It is not sufficient for the wicked that their death is at the hand of destroyers, as it is stated: “His soul approaches perdition and his life to the killers” (Job 33:22); and it says: “He will be driven from light to darkness” (Job 18:18); and it says: “Let their way be dark and slippery, with an angel of the Lord pursuing them” (Psalms 35:6); but they vex them and say to them: “There is no peace,” “you will lie in suffering.”
Great is peace, as it is given as reward for Torah and mitzvot, as it is stated: “I will grant peace in the land” (Leviticus 26:6). Great is peace, as it is given to lovers of Torah, as it is stated: “Great peace for lovers of Your Torah” (Psalms 119:165). Great is peace, as it is given to those who study Torah, as it is stated: “All your children will be students of the Lord, and the peace of your children will be abundant” (Isaiah 54:13). Great is peace, as it is given to those who perform acts of charity [tzedaka], as it is stated: “The act of righteousness [hatzedaka] will be peace” (Isaiah 32:17).
Great is peace, as the name of the Omnipresent is called peace, as it is stated: “He called it: The Lord is peace” (Judges 6:24).
Great is peace, as those who reside On High require peace, as it is stated: “He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25:2). The matters can be inferred a fortiori; if in a place where there is no enmity and hatred they require peace, all the more so for a place where all these attributes exist.
Rabbi Shimon would say: Come and see that the attribute of flesh and blood is not like the attribute of the Holy One blessed be He. A king of flesh and blood, when he goes out to war he goes with multitudes and legions, but when he goes to make peace, he goes alone. But the attribute of the Holy One blessed be He is not so. When He goes to make peace, He emerges with multitudes and legions, as it is stated: “He makes peace in His heights” (Job 25:2), and then it is written: “Is there a number to His troops?” (Job 25:3). And it says: “The chariots of God are myriads, thousands upon thousands of companies. My Lord is among them, at Sinai, in holiness” (Psalms 68:18). And it says: “Thousands upon thousands serve Him, and myriads upon myriads…” (Daniel 7:10). But when He goes out to war, He goes alone, as it is stated: “The Lord is a Man of war…” (Exodus 15:3) – He wages war with His name and does not require assistance. And it says: “I have trodden a winepress alone…” (Isaiah 63:3).
You find that when the Holy One blessed be He exacted retribution from the generation of the Flood, He exacted retribution only alone, as it is stated: “Behold, I am bringing the Flood, water….” (Genesis 6:17). Likewise, from the people of Sodom, He exacted retribution only alone: “The Lord rained [brimstone and fire] upon Sodom and [upon Gomorrah from the Lord from the heavens]” (Genesis 19:24). Likewise when He exacted retribution from the Egyptians, as it is stated: “The Lord smote every firstborn…” (Exodus 12:29). Likewise, He exacted retribution alone from the Emorites, as it is stated: “And the Lord cast large stones upon them” (Joshua 10:11). Likewise, from Sennacherib, He exacted retribution alone, as it is stated: “The angel of the Lord emerged and smote in the camp…” (II Kings 19:35).
One verse says: “Is there a number to His troops?” (Job 25:3), and one verse says: “Thousands upon thousands serve Him” (Daniel 7:10). When Israel were exiled, “Thousands upon thousands serve Him”; as it were, the entourage On High was diminished. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says in the name of Abba Yosei ben Dostai: “Thousands upon thousands serve Him” – one troop; how many troops are they? “Is there a number to his troops?”
One verse says: “He counts a number for the stars, and calls them all by names” (Psalms 147:4), and one verse says: “Who brings out their host by number, calling all of them by name” (Isaiah 40:26).⁴⁰One verse implies that each one is called by a separate name, and one verse implies that they are all called by one name. When the Holy One blessed be He calls them, He calls all their names simultaneously and they respond, something that is impossible for flesh and blood, to call two names simultaneously. Likewise it says: “God spoke all these matters, saying” (Exodus 20:1). It teaches that He said all of the Ten Commandments in one utterance. And it says: “God spoke one; these are two that I heard. Might belongs to God” (Psalms 62:12). And it says: “Is My word not like fire, the utterance of the Lord, and like a hammer that shatters the rock?” (Jeremiah 23:29).⁴¹See Shabbat 88b. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says in the name of Abba Yosei ben Dostai: What is “and calls them all by names”? There is no name repeated; the name that he is called now is not the name that he is called later. Likewise it says: “Why do you ask my name? It is hidden” (Judges 13:18). I do not know to what name I will be switched.
One verse says: “David gave to Ornan for the place shekels of gold, six hundred by weight” (I Chronicles 21:25), and one verse says: “For silver, fifty shekels” (II Samuel 24:24). How can both of these verses be realized? It was the place of the threshing floor for six hundred [shekels of gold], the place of the altar for fifty [shekels of silver]. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] says in the name of Abba Yosei ben Dostai: There were twelve tribes, and David took fifty shekels from each and every tribe, the result being six hundred shekels from all the tribes.⁴²See Zevaḥim 116b, where the Gemara explains that according to this opinion David collected from each tribe an amount of silver worth fifty shekels of gold, and paid to Ornan an amount of silver worth six hundred shekels of gold. Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua says: The threshing floor for six hundred, but “the cattle for the burnt offering, the threshing tools, and the implements of the cattle for the wood” (II Samuel 24:22), were for “fifty shekels of silver.”
One verse says: “Solomon had four thousand stables for horses” (II Chronicles 9:25), and one verse says: “Solomon had forty thousand horses’ stables” (I Kings 5:6). How can both of these verses be realized? There were four thousand large stables, with forty thousand horses.
One verse says: “It would hold three thousand bat that it contained” (II Chronicles 4:5), and one verse says: “It would hold two thousand bat” (I Kings 7:26). How can both of these verses be realized? It was two thousand for liquid and three thousand for dry goods. From here they said: Two kor of liquid that are three kor of dry goods.⁴³The term bat, which measured volume, represented different volumes depending on whether the item being measured was liquid or solid. The same was true for the kor. Two kor of liquid took up the same amount of space as three kor of dry goods.
Beloved is peace, as for all the deeds and meritorious acts performed by Abraham our patriarch, He gave only peace as his reward, as it is stated: “You will come to your fathers in peace” (Genesis 15:15). Likewise, you find regarding Jacob our patriarch, who requested peace from the Omnipresent, as it is stated: “And I will return [to my father’s house] in peace” (Genesis 28:21). Likewise you find regarding Aaron, who was praised before the Omnipresent only with peace, as it is stated: “My covenant was with him, life and peace” (Malachi 2:5). Likewise you find regarding Pinḥas that He gave peace as his reward, as it is stated: “Behold, I am granting him My covenant of peace” (Numbers 25:12). Likewise, you find that the Torah was analogized only to peace, as it is stated: “And all its paths are peace” (Proverbs 3:17). Likewise, you find that the Holy One blessed be He consoles Jerusalem only with peace, as it is stated: “My people will reside in an abode of peace” (Isaiah 32:18). Likewise, He exacted retribution from Amon and Moav only by withholding peace from them, as it is stated: “You shall not seek their peace or their welfare…” (Deuteronomy 23:7). Likewise, Israel is blessed each day with peace, as it is stated: “And grant you peace.”