Мидраш к Берешит 2:10

(Fol. 10) Our Rabbis were taught: "The land of Israel was created first of all and the rest of the world later; as it is said (Prov. 8, 26) While as yet he had not made the land and open fields." Our Rabbis were taught: "The land of Israel is watered first, and the rest of the world is being watered by the residue within the clouds. This may be likened unto a man who makes cheese; he uses what is edible, and leaves the refuse. "The land of Israel is watered by the Lord Himself, while the rest of the world is watered by a messenger; as it is said (Job 5, 10) Who giveth rain upon the surface the face of the fields." R. Joshua b. Levi, however, said that the entire world is of the earth, and sendeth out waters over watered by the drains of Eden; as it is said (Gen. 2, 10) And a river went out of Eden to water the garden and from there it was parted and became four principal streams. In a Baraitha we have been taught: "The sap of a field of the capacity of a Kur of seed is enough to water a field of the capacity of a Tarkab (one-sixtieth)."

2) "All that have fins and scales in the waters, in the seas, and in the rivers — those may you eat': "in the seas (yamim)": This is the Great Sea (the Mediterranean), as it is written (Bereshith 1:10): "And the (great) ingathering of the waters, He called yamim." "and in the nechalim": These are the rivers, as it is written (Bereshith 2:10): "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden." This tells me only of oceans and rivers, that flow (both) in the dry season and in the rainy season. Whence do I derive for inclusion other waters, and other rivers, that flow in the rainy season but not in the dry season, until you include water in holes? From (the repetition of) "in the waters" (Bereshith 11:8, Bereshith 11:9).

R. Chiya b. Abba in the name of R. Jochanan said: "All that the prophets prophesied [concerning future glory] was only for a repentant sinner, but as for the perfectly righteous the glory will be No eye has seen, O God, beside Thee! (Is. 6-1, 3)." And this is in contradiction of what R. Abuhu said: "Where the repentant sinners stand the perfectly righteous are not permitted to stand, for it is said (Ib. 57, 19.) Peace, peace unto him that is afar off, and to him that is near. First to him who is afar off (repentant) and then to him who is near (righteous from the very beginning)." But R. Jochanan said: "What is meant by Afar off? He who was far from the 'very beginning* of a transgression; and Near to him, means he who was 'close to a transgression' but turned away therefrom." Further said R. Chiya b. Abba in the name of R. Jochanan: "The prophecy of all the prophets referred only to the period of Messiah, but as for the future world, No eye has witnessed. O God, beside Thee!" And this disagrees with Samuel; for Samuel said: "There will be no difference between this world and the future one except in the subjugation of the Exile, as it is said (Deu. 15, 11.) For the needy will not cease out of thy land." Further said R. Chiya b. Abba in the name of R. Jochanan: "The glorious future of which all the prophets prophesied is only for him who marries his daughter to a Talmid Chacham (Scholar), and for him who does business with a Talmid Chacham, and for him who bestows of his wealth upon a Talmid Chacham; but as to the scholars themselves, No eye has witnessed, O God, beside Thee! happy is he who waits (patiently) for it." What is meant by No eye has witnessed? R. Joshuah b. Levi said: "This refers to the wine preserved in its grapes since the six days of creation." R. Samuel b. Nachmeini said: "This refers to Eden which no eye ever saw. And if thou wilt ask, 'Where did Adam, the first man live?' It was only in the garden [of Eden]. And if thou wilt say that 'Garden' and 'Eden' are the same, it is therefore said (Gen. 2, 10.) And a river went out of Eden to water the garden [which shows that] 'Garden' and 'Eden' are two distinct places."

R. Chiya b. Aba, in the name of R. Jochanan said: "All the prophets have prophesied only for the Messianic period, but concerning the world to come, we read (Ib. 63, 3) "No eye has seen, O God, beside Thee." And he differs with Samuel, who says that there is no difference between this world and the days of the Messiah except the delivery of the nations from servitude. R. Chiya said further in the name of R. Jochanan: "The prophets prophesied only concerning repentant sinners, but concerning the perfect righteous, the passage says No eye has seen, O Lord, besides Thee." And he differs with R. Abahu, who said: "Where the repentant sinners stand, the perfectly righteous are not permitted to stand, for it is said (Is. 57, 19) "Peace, peace, to him that is afar off, and to him that is near; i.e., first, afar off, then, that is near. And what does afar off mean? Who previously was far off and now is near. And what does near mean? He who was near from the beginning to the end." R. Jochanan, however, said far off means one who was always far away from sin, and near means one who was near to sin, but now is far away. R. Chiya said again in the name of R. Jochanan: "The prophets prophesied only to him who marries his daughter to a scholar, to him who is in business with a scholar, and to him who benefited a scholar by his estate, but as to the scholars themselves, No eye has seen, O God, besides Thee." What does No eye has seen mean? R. Joshua b. Levi said: "This refers to the wine which is preserved in its grapes since the days of the creation." And Resh Laksh said: "This refers to the Eden which no eye has seen. And lest one ask where did Adam the First dwell then, Adam dwelt only in the garden. And lest one say that both are one and the same, therefore it is said (Gen. 2, 10) And a river went out of Eden to water the garden."

(Numb. 28:1–2:) “Then the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, ‘Command the Children of Israel, [and say unto them], “My offering, My bread for My fire offering….”’” Let our master instruct us: Regarding the meal offerings that were offered upon the altar, how were they offered? Thus have our masters taught (in Men. 5:1–2):³³See above, Lev. 1:7. All meal offerings were offered unleavened except the leavened [cakes] in the thank offering and the two loaves (of Pentecost) which were offered leavened. R. Meir says, “The leaven is separated from its own [dough], and [it is from this that] they are leavened.” R. Judah says, “Even that is not the best [method]; one should bring the leaven, put it into the [measure], and fill the measure [with flour].” [The sages] said to him, “Even that [method] resulted in too little or too much.” All meal offerings were kneaded in lukewarm water and one watched them lest they become leavened; and if the remnants of it became leavened, one transgressed a negative commandment, as stated (in Lev. 2:11), “No meal offering which you offer to the Lord shall be made with leaven.” Thus one may become culpable in the kneading of [leaven], in rolling it, and in baking it. There is nothing more pleasing for you than the offerings. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Moses, “Say to those Israelites, ‘I did not tell you to offer me sacrifices because I have a need for them, since the whole world is Mine, and I created the animal from which you offer a sacrifice in front of Me.’”³⁴Numb. R. 21:16; see Men. 110a; PRK 6:1; PR 16:1; 48:3; Tanh., Exod. 8:14. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it belong to Me.” R. Judah bar Simon said, “It is not that I require to eat anything which I commanded you to offer as My offering, My bread; as there is not eating or drinking in front of Me.” R. Simon said, “There are thirteen attributes of mercy that are written about the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Exod. 34:6), ‘And the Lord passed over his face….’ Is there a merciful one that delivers his victuals to a cruel one?” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Judah bar Simon said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have delivered ten [kinds of] clean animals to you (for food).³⁵See also PR 16:1; Numb. R. 20:5; 21:16. Three are in your possession, and seven are not in your possession. Now these are those which are in your possession (according to Deut. 14:4), “the bull, the sheep, and the goat.” And these are those which are not in your possession (according to Deut. 14:5), “The deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.” I did not burden you to have you seek them in the mountains and the hills, in order to bring Me a sacrifice from those [which are not in your possession]. Rather [your sacrifices come] from those which are in your possession, which grew up at your feeding trough.’” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Isaac said, “It is written (in Numb 28:2), ‘My offering, My Bread, for My burnt offering.’ Is there eating and drinking in front of Me? And if you say there is eating and drinking in front of Me, [you should] learn from the ministering angels, as stated (in Ps. 104:4), ‘His servants flaming fire.’” From what are they [then] sustained? R. Judan said in the name of R. Isaac, “They are nourished from the radiance of the Divine Presence, as stated (in Prov. 16:15), ‘The light of the king’s face is light.‘” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, [Regarding (Numb. 28:6),] “The regular burnt offering done at Mount Sinai,” “And did they do it at Mount Sinai? It is simply that if you will say that that there is eating and drinking in front of Him, learn from Moshe, our teacher. Observe what is written about him (in Exod. 34:28), ‘And he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water.’ If there was eating and drinking in front of Me, he would have eaten and drank from what I eat and drink. And if Moses who [only] fulfilled the errand of God, ‘neither ate bread nor drank water,’ all the more so is it true of the Holy One, blessed be He.” Ergo (in Ps. 50:12), “If I am hungry, I would not tell you.” R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “So did the Holy One blessed be He say: ‘My [other] creatures do not need My creatures (people). In your days have you heard one saying, “Let this vine produce wine,” and it produces much wine, [or] “Let this olive tree produce oil,” and it produces much wine. My creatures do not need My creatures and I should need My creatures?’” R. Jannai said, “It is customary that when a man is walking by a river, it is impossible for him not to drink two or three log. Now all the water that is in the world would fill the hollow of My hand, as stated (in Is. 40:12), ‘Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?’ But [yet] I have written about your log (in Numb. 28:7), ‘to be poured in the sacred precinct as an offering of fermented drink to the Lord,’ which is an expression of drinking, an expression of satiation, an expression of inebriation.” I have created one animal in My world, and you are not able to support its victuals. And which is it? That is (in Psalms 50:10), “the behemoths on a thousand mountains.” R. Johanan, R. Joshua ben Levi and the Sages [disagreed about this]. R. Johanan said, ‘It was one animal crouching on a thousand mountains and it would pasture on a thousand [different] mountains each day, as stated, (in Job 40:20), ‘The mountains yield him produce.’” R. Joshua ben Levi says, “It was one animal crouching on a thousand mountains and a thousand mountains would produce many types of food, for the righteous to eat in the future to come, as stated (in Is. 65:10), ‘Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, And the Valley of Achor a place for cattle to lie down.’” And the Sages say, “It crouches upon the thousand mountains, and the thousand mountains produce animals every day and it eats [them].” What is the explanation? As it states (in Job 40:20, cont.), “and all the beasts of the field play there.” Is it possible for a grazing animal to eat a grazing animal? R. Tanchuma says, “Great is the work of our God and how great are His acts.” And from where does it drink? R. Joshua ben Levi and the Sages [disagreed about this]. R. Joshua ben Levi says, “It drinks up with one swallow all that the Jordan produces in six months, as stated (in Job 40:23), ‘He can restrain the river from its rushing; [he is confident the Jordan will gush at his command].’ [And the sages say, “Twelve months….”]³⁶See Numb. R. 21:18. But it only has a moistening of the mouth [from it].” And [so] from where does it drink? R. Shimon ben Gamliel taught (form Gen. 2:10), “’A river issues from Eden to water the garden’ and its name is Yuval, as stated (in Jer. 17:8), ‘sending forth its roots by a stream (yuval),’ and it drinks from it.” R. Chiya taught in the name of R. Meir (from Job 12:7), “’But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, they will tell you’: ’But ask the beasts,’ this is the behemoth; ‘the birds of the sky,’ this is the ziz of the Omnipresent (a giant bird). (Job 12:8:) ‘Or speak to the earth, it will teach you; the fish of the sea, they will inform you’: ‘Or speak to the earth,’ this is the Garden of Eden; ‘The fish of the sea,’ that is the leviathan. (Job 12:9:) ‘Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?’” You have one king and his name was Solomon, as stated (about the lavishness of his meals in I Kings 5:2-3), “Solomon’s daily provisions consisted of thirty kor of semolina, and sixty kor of [ordinary] flour, ten fattened oxen….” R. Yehuda bar Zvidah said, “Solomon had a thousand wives and each and every one would make him like this every day, as she thought he would eat with her. [And] Nehemiah the governor did not [even] have the ability to reckon his meal, as stated (in Neh. 5:18), ‘And although what was prepared for each day came to one ox….’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘My children, it is not because there is eating and drinking in front of Me. Rather it is because of the smell, that you shall be pleased and give the pleasant smell in front of Me.’”

Perhaps thou wilt say: There was some other work (to be done) in the garden of Eden, (such as) to water the garden. But did not a river flow through and issue forth from Eden, and water the garden, as it is said, || "And a river went out of Eden to water the garden" (Gen. 2:10)?

Another interpretation (of Gen. 8:16): GO FORTH FROM THE ARK. This text is related (to Eccl. 8:2-3): I < SAY >: KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND, AND BECAUSE OF THE OATH OF GOD, < DO NOT BE DISMAYED >.⁴⁶Tanh., Gen. 2:10; Lev. R. 33:6. The Holy Spirit said to them: I made you swear that if a kingdom makes decrees over you, you shall not rebel against it in respect to anything which it has commanded concerning you. Rather, I < SAY >: KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND. However, if it commands you to abolish the Torah, the commandments and the Sabbath, do not obey them. I < SAY > KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND, in respect to anything which is necessary, but BECAUSE OF THE OATH OF GOD, DO NOT BE DISMAYED. LEAVE HIS PRESENCE; [DO NOT REMAIN IN SOMETHING EVIL]. Why? Because they will not separate you from the commandments, unless you deny the Holy One. Ergo: BECAUSE OF THE OATH OF GOD. And thus did Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah do when Nebuchadnezzar set up the image. They said to him: What do you think? That when you cast us into the midst of a fiery furnace, the Holy One will not save us? Whether he saves or does not save us, we will not bow down to the image. Thus it is stated (in Dan. 3:17): IF OUR GOD WHOM WE SERVE IS ABLE TO SAVE US, HE SHALL SAVE US FROM THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE AND FROM YOUR HAND. O KING. It is also written after this (in vs. 18): BUT IF NOT, BE IT KNOWN TO YOU, O KING, THAT WE SHALL NOT SERVE YOUR GODS NOR PAY HOMAGE TO THE IMAGE OF GOLD WHICH YOU HAVE SET UP. Nebuchadnezzar said to them: Are you telling the truth? It is so stated (in vs. 14): IS IT TRUE, SHADRACH, MESHACH, < AND ABEDNEGO >? They said to him: WE DO NOT {CARE} [NEED] TO ANSWER YOU IN THIS MATTER. They said to him: With respect to whatever you may decree for us, crop taxes,⁴⁷Lat.: annona. imposts, poll taxes, we shall obey you; but with regard to denying the Holy One, we will not obey you. (Eccl. 8:2f.:) BECAUSE OF THE OATH OF GOD, DO NOT BE DISMAYED. LEAVE HIS PRESENCE. When he heard that from them, he began to be angry, as stated (in Dan. 3:19): THEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS FILLED WITH RAGE. When they had heated the furnace, they threw them in bound. When they had descended into the midst of the furnace, they raised their eyes to the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and said: Sovereign of the Universe, you know that we have not trusted in our works but in your name. (Ps. 115:1:) NOT UNTO US, O LORD, NOT UNTO US, BUT UNTO YOUR NAME GIVE GLORY…. Behold now, this wicked man had assembled all the tongues, as stated (in Dan. 3:3): THEN WERE ASSEMBLED THE SATRAPS…. {(Ps. 115:2:) WHY SHOULD THE NATIONS SAY < WHERE NOW IS THEIR GOD > ?} Immediately the angels wanted to go down to free them. The Holy One said to them: Was it for your name that they descended (into the furnace)? For my name they descended, and I will descend to free them. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 146:7): [THE ONE WHO EXECUTES JUSTICE FOR THE OPPRESSED]…. THE LORD FREES THOSE WHO ARE BOUND. The Holy One freed them immediately, flooded the furnace, and raised them up.⁴⁸Cf. Sanh. 92b (bar.), according to which the furnace was raised. Then he leveled it (the furnace) to the ground, since it was deep. When the angel saw that, he said to them: Come out of there; for behold, the Holy One has freed you, performed miracles for you, and leveled the furnace to the ground. Come forth! They said to him: We are not coming forth without Nebuchadnezzar lest they say: They fled from the furnace. (Eccl. 8:2:) I < SAY >: KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND: With his permission we entered into here, and with his permission we are going forth. When Nebuchadnezzar came and saw them, he was astonished. He began crying out to them, as stated (in Dan. 3:26): HE SPOKE AND SAID: SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO, SERVANTS OF THE GREAT GOD [GET OUT AND COME]. "Get out and come up" is not written here, but GET OUT AND COME. Hence < one may conclude > that the furnace was leveled to the ground. They immediately said to the king: Now we will leave. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): THEN SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO CAME OUT [FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE]. From whom had they learned < what to do >? From Noah, who had entered the ark with the permission of the Holy One. Now it is stated (in Gen. 8:15-16): AND GOD SPOKE UNTO NOAH < … > GO FORTH FROM THE ARK. For when the earth had dried out and the ark had come to rest, as stated (in Gen. 8:4): SO THE ARK CAME TO REST, his sons said to him: Let us go out. He said to them: Heaven forbid! With the permission of the Holy One we entered, and with the permission of the Holy One we will leave. When the Holy One heard that, he immediately gave them permission, as stated (in Gen. 8:15-16): AND GOD SPOKE UNTO NOAH < … > GO FORTH FROM THE ARK.

18 R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “My creatures do not need My creatures. In your days, have you heard one saying, ‘Water this vine with wine, so that it will produce much wine,’ [or] ‘Water this olive tree with oil, so that it will produce much oil.’ My creatures do not need My creatures and I should need My creatures?” R. Jannai said, “It is customary that when a man is walking by a river, it is impossible for him not to drink two or three log. Now all the seas and all the water would fill the hollow of My hand, as stated (in Is. 40:12), ‘Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?’ But [yet] I have written about your log (in Numb. 28:7), ‘poured as an offering of fermented drink,’ [which is] an expression of drinking, an expression of satiation, an expression of inebriation.”

19 I have created one animal in My world, and man is not able to support its victuals. And which is it? That is (in Ps. 50:10), “the behemoths on a thousand mountains.” R. Johanan, R. Simeon ben Laqish and the sages [disagreed about this]. R. Johanan said, “It was one animal crouching on a thousand mountains and a thousand mountains would produce many types of food, for the righteous to eat in the future to come, as stated (in Is. 65:10), ‘Sharon shall become a pasture for flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for cattle to lie down.’” And the Sages say, “It crouches upon the thousand mountains, and the thousand mountains produce animals every day and it eats [them].” What is the explanation? [As] (in Job 40:20, cont.), “and all the beasts of the field play there.” Is it possible for a grazing animal to eat a grazing animal? R. Tanchuma says, “Great is the work of our God and how great are His acts.” And from where does it drink? R. Joshua ben Levi says, “It drinks up with one swallow all that the Jordan produces in six months, as stated (in Job 40:23), ‘He can restrain the river from its rushing; he is confident the Jordan will gush at his command.’ And the sages say, “It drinks up with one swallow all that the Jordan produces in twelve months, as stated (in Job 40:23), ‘He can restrain the river from its rushing; he is confident the Jordan will gush at his command.’ But it only has a moistening of the mouth [from it].” R. Huna said in the name of R. Joseph, “It did not [even] have a moistening of the mouth.” And [so] from where does it drink? R. Simeon ben Yochai taught (form Gen. 2:10), “’A river issues from Eden to water the garden’ and its name is Yuval, as stated (in Jer. 17:8), ‘sending forth its roots by a stream (yuval),’ and it drinks from it.” R. Chiya taught in the name of R. Meir (from Job 12:7), “’But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the sky, they will tell you’: ’But ask the beasts,’ this is the behemoth; ‘the birds of the sky,’ this is the ziz of the Omnipresent (a giant bird). [(Job 12:8) ‘Or speak to the earth, it will teach you; the fish of the sea, they will inform you’:] ‘Or speak to the earth,’ this is the Garden of Eden; ‘The fish of the sea,’ that is the leviathan. (Job 12:9) ‘Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?’”