וְהַנָּחָשׁ֙ הָיָ֣ה עָר֔וּם מִכֹּל֙ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֔ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָׂ֖ה יְהוָ֣ה אֱלֹהִ֑ים וַיֹּ֙אמֶר֙ אֶל־הָ֣אִשָּׁ֔ה אַ֚ף כִּֽי־אָמַ֣ר אֱלֹהִ֔ים לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִכֹּ֖ל עֵ֥ץ הַגָּֽן׃
Ngayon, ang ahas ay higit na tuso kaysa sa lahat ng hayop sa parang na ginawa ng Walang-Hanggang Diyos. At sinabi nito sa babae: “Talaga bang sinabi ng Diyos: Huwag kayong kakain mula sa alinmang punungkahoy sa halamanan?”
Midrash Aggadah
"And the snake." He thought at that moment and said, I will go and I will kill Adam, and I will marry Eve, and I will be king over all the living creatures and I will walk around with an erect stature and eat of all the dainties of the world. The Holy One said to him, Because you said, I will go and I will kill Adam and I will marry Eve, therefore, "I will place enmity between you and the woman."(Genesis 3:15) You said, I will be king over all the living creatures, therefore, "more cursed shall you be than all beasts." (Genesis 3:14) You said, I will walk around with an erect stature, therefore, "on your belly you shall crawl." (Genesis 3:14) You said, I shall eat of the dainties of the world, therefore, "and dirt shall you eat all the days of your life." (Genesis 3:14)
Shemot Rabbah
Another interpretation: “Moses was [haya].” Everyone in whose regard haya is written, was fated for this [for what follows]: “Behold, the man has become [haya] [like one of us, knowing good and bad, what if he should extend his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever?]” (Genesis 3:22); death was fated to come to the world, as it is stated: “With darkness upon the surface of the deep” (Genesis 1:2) – that is death, which darkens the faces of the people. “The serpent was [haya] … cunning” (Genesis 3:1); he was fated for punishment. Regarding Noah it is written: “…was [haya] faultless” (Genesis 6:9); he was fated for salvation. Regarding Joseph it is written: “Joseph was [haya]” (Exodus 1:5); he was fated to [provide] sustenance. Regarding Mordekhai it is written: “There was [haya] a Jewish man” (Esther 2:5); he was fated to [bring] deliverance; and Moses, to [bring] salvation. From their original creation they were fated for this.
“And he led the flock into the wilderness [midbar].” Rabbi Yehoshua said: Why did he seek the wilderness? It is because he saw that Israel would come up from the wilderness, as it is stated: “Who is this coming up from the wilderness” (Song of Songs 3:6). For it was from the wilderness that they had the manna, the quail, the well, the Tabernacle, the Divine Presence, priesthood, kingship, and the clouds of glory.
Alternatively, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You are destined to take Israel up from Egypt due to the merit of he with whom I spoke [dibbarti] between the pieces, that is Abraham.’ And midbar means nothing but speech [dibbur], as it is stated: “Your mouth [umidbarekh] is lovely” (Song of Songs 4:3). Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘This is a sign for you, you will leave them in the wilderness, and from the wilderness you are destined to restore them in the future, as it is stated: “Therefore, I will allure her and I will lead her into the wilderness” (Hosea 2:16).
Alternatively, why did he seek the wilderness? It is because he saw that he was destined to destroy the cities of the nations of the world, as it is written; “The end of the nations will be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert” (Jeremiah 50:12).
Another interpretation: “And he led the flock into the wilderness” – He informed him that Israel, which is called a flock, will die in the wilderness. Likewise, when Moses entreated [God for] Israel’s needs, 6The exchange between Moses and God that follows is based on Song of Songs 1:7–8: “Tell me, You whom my soul loves, where do You shepherd, where do You rest them at noon? For why should I be like one who veils herself by the flocks of Your companions? If you do not know, the fairest among women, go you out after the sheep and shepherd your kids, by the tents of the shepherds.” he said to him: ‘O Holy One blessed be He, “tell me, He whom my soul loves…” (Song of Songs 1:7) – how many birth mothers are among them, how many pregnant women, how many wet nurses have you provided for the babies, how many delicacies have you prepared for the pregnant women?’ The Holy One blessed be He responded to him: “If you do not know” (Song of Songs 1:8); if you do not know, ultimately you will know. “Go out in the footsteps of the flock”; in other words, you will herd the sheep and the lambs, but you will only herd the offspring, “by the tents of the shepherds;” in the land of Siḥon,.7Moses will only lead the second generation in the conquest of the lands on the eastern side of the Jordan, he but will not lead them into the Land.
“…he arrived at the mountain of God, to Ḥorev.” It has five names: “The mountain of God, Mount Bashan, Mount Gavnunim” (Psalms 68:16), Mount Ḥorev, Mount Sinai.
The mountain of God – because it was there that Israel accepted the Holy One blessed be He as their God.
Mount Bashan – as everything that a person eats with his teeth [beshinav] is thanks to the Torah that was given on the mountain. Likewise it says: “If you follow My statutes…I will provide your rains in their seasons” (Leviticus 26:3–4).8Agricultural prosperity will depend upon keeping the Torah.
Mount Gavnunim – it is as pure as cheese [gevina],9Cheese is pure in that it can be made only from the milk of kosher animals. Mount Sinai was pure, as there was never idol worship there. and they were pure without blemish.10The midrash is alluding to a tradition that all of the physical blemishes of Israel were healed when they received the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Mount Ḥorev – from it, the Sanhedrin received license to execute with the sword [ḥerev]. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It was from there that idolaters received their death sentence, as it is stated: “The nations will be destroyed [ḥarov yeḥeravu]” (Isaiah 60:12) – from Ḥorev they will be destroyed.
Mount Sinai – from which hatred [sina] for idolaters descended.11This is because they refused to accept the Torah.
“And he led the flock into the wilderness [midbar].” Rabbi Yehoshua said: Why did he seek the wilderness? It is because he saw that Israel would come up from the wilderness, as it is stated: “Who is this coming up from the wilderness” (Song of Songs 3:6). For it was from the wilderness that they had the manna, the quail, the well, the Tabernacle, the Divine Presence, priesthood, kingship, and the clouds of glory.
Alternatively, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘You are destined to take Israel up from Egypt due to the merit of he with whom I spoke [dibbarti] between the pieces, that is Abraham.’ And midbar means nothing but speech [dibbur], as it is stated: “Your mouth [umidbarekh] is lovely” (Song of Songs 4:3). Rabbi Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘This is a sign for you, you will leave them in the wilderness, and from the wilderness you are destined to restore them in the future, as it is stated: “Therefore, I will allure her and I will lead her into the wilderness” (Hosea 2:16).
Alternatively, why did he seek the wilderness? It is because he saw that he was destined to destroy the cities of the nations of the world, as it is written; “The end of the nations will be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert” (Jeremiah 50:12).
Another interpretation: “And he led the flock into the wilderness” – He informed him that Israel, which is called a flock, will die in the wilderness. Likewise, when Moses entreated [God for] Israel’s needs, 6The exchange between Moses and God that follows is based on Song of Songs 1:7–8: “Tell me, You whom my soul loves, where do You shepherd, where do You rest them at noon? For why should I be like one who veils herself by the flocks of Your companions? If you do not know, the fairest among women, go you out after the sheep and shepherd your kids, by the tents of the shepherds.” he said to him: ‘O Holy One blessed be He, “tell me, He whom my soul loves…” (Song of Songs 1:7) – how many birth mothers are among them, how many pregnant women, how many wet nurses have you provided for the babies, how many delicacies have you prepared for the pregnant women?’ The Holy One blessed be He responded to him: “If you do not know” (Song of Songs 1:8); if you do not know, ultimately you will know. “Go out in the footsteps of the flock”; in other words, you will herd the sheep and the lambs
“…he arrived at the mountain of God, to Ḥorev.” It has five names: “The mountain of God, Mount Bashan, Mount Gavnunim” (Psalms 68:16), Mount Ḥorev, Mount Sinai.
The mountain of God – because it was there that Israel accepted the Holy One blessed be He as their God.
Mount Bashan – as everything that a person eats with his teeth [beshinav] is thanks to the Torah that was given on the mountain. Likewise it says: “If you follow My statutes…I will provide your rains in their seasons” (Leviticus 26:3–4).8Agricultural prosperity will depend upon keeping the Torah.
Mount Gavnunim – it is as pure as cheese [gevina],9Cheese is pure in that it can be made only from the milk of kosher animals. Mount Sinai was pure, as there was never idol worship there. and they were pure without blemish.10The midrash is alluding to a tradition that all of the physical blemishes of Israel were healed when they received the Torah at Mount Sinai.
Mount Ḥorev – from it, the Sanhedrin received license to execute with the sword [ḥerev]. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It was from there that idolaters received their death sentence, as it is stated: “The nations will be destroyed [ḥarov yeḥeravu]” (Isaiah 60:12) – from Ḥorev they will be destroyed.
Mount Sinai – from which hatred [sina] for idolaters descended.11This is because they refused to accept the Torah.
Esther Rabbah
“Was [haya] [a Judean man in the Shushan citadel]….” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Everyone about whom “haya” is stated, it is he at the beginning and it is he at the end.9 He was righteous from beginning to end. They objected to him; but isn’t it written: “One was [haya] Abraham” (Ezekiel 33:24)?10 Abraham began his life as an idolater; he wasn’t the same at the beginning and the end. He said to them: That is not, in fact, a refutation, as Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yoḥanan said: At age three Abraham identified his Creator. That is what is written: “Because [ekev] Abraham heeded My voice” (Genesis 26:5). The number of years that Abraham heeded the voice of his Creator is the equivalent of ekev (172),11Ayin – 70, kof –100, beit – 2 and he lived one hundred and seventy-five years. [If one does not accept this explanation,] how do I find expression for haya about him? It means that he was fated from the beginning to guide the entire world to repent.12Although Abraham was not a believer in God his whole life, he had the potential from the beginning.
“[The Lord God said:] Behold, the man has become [haya] [like one of us, knowing good and evil]” (Genesis 3:22) – he became fated to die. “The serpent was [haya] more cunning” (Genesis 3:1) – he was fated for punishment. “Cain was [haya] a cultivator of the ground” (Genesis 4:2) – he was fated for exile, as you say: “Cain departed from the presence of the Lord” (Genesis 4:16); saying that he would be “restless and wandering” (Genesis 4:12). “There was [haya] a man in the land of Utz” (Job 1:1) – he was fated for suffering. “Noah, a righteous man, was [haya] faultless” (Genesis 6:9) – he was fated to acknowledge his Creator. “Moses was [haya] herding (Exodus 3:1) – he was fated for salvation. Mordekhai was fated for redemption.
Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: Rabbi Levi said: Anyone about whom haya is stated witnessed a new world. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: They are five.
Noah – yesterday “Water eroded stone” (Job 14:19), as Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Even millstones were dissolved during the flood, and now [after the flood] it says: “The sons of Noah who emerged from the ark…” (Genesis 9:18),13Immediately following this verse, the Torah relates how the earth was repopulated by Noah’s sons while Noah was alive. indicating that he witnessed a new world.
Joseph – yesterday “they tortured [his feet] with chains” (Psalms 105:18), and now “And Joseph was [haya] was the ruler over the land” (Genesis 42:6); that is, he witnessed a new world.
Moses – yesterday he was fleeing from Pharaoh and now he is drowning him in the sea; that is, he witnessed a new world.
Job – yesterday “He spills my bile onto the ground” (Job 16:13), and now “and the Lord gave Job double what he had had” (Job 42:10); that is, he witnessed a new world.
Mordekhai – yesterday “he wore sackcloth and ashes” (Esther 4:1), and now “he emerged from before the king in royal garments” (Esther 8:15).
“And his name was Mordekhai” (Esther 2:5). Just as myrrh [mor] is first of all the spices,14It is first on the list of ingredients of the sacred oil of anointment (Exodus 30:23). so was Mordekhai first among the righteous in his generation.
“[The Lord God said:] Behold, the man has become [haya] [like one of us, knowing good and evil]” (Genesis 3:22) – he became fated to die. “The serpent was [haya] more cunning” (Genesis 3:1) – he was fated for punishment. “Cain was [haya] a cultivator of the ground” (Genesis 4:2) – he was fated for exile, as you say: “Cain departed from the presence of the Lord” (Genesis 4:16); saying that he would be “restless and wandering” (Genesis 4:12). “There was [haya] a man in the land of Utz” (Job 1:1) – he was fated for suffering. “Noah, a righteous man, was [haya] faultless” (Genesis 6:9) – he was fated to acknowledge his Creator. “Moses was [haya] herding (Exodus 3:1) – he was fated for salvation. Mordekhai was fated for redemption.
Rabbi Levi and the Rabbis: Rabbi Levi said: Anyone about whom haya is stated witnessed a new world. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: They are five.
Noah – yesterday “Water eroded stone” (Job 14:19), as Rabbi Levi said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: Even millstones were dissolved during the flood, and now [after the flood] it says: “The sons of Noah who emerged from the ark…” (Genesis 9:18),13Immediately following this verse, the Torah relates how the earth was repopulated by Noah’s sons while Noah was alive. indicating that he witnessed a new world.
Joseph – yesterday “they tortured [his feet] with chains” (Psalms 105:18), and now “And Joseph was [haya] was the ruler over the land” (Genesis 42:6); that is, he witnessed a new world.
Moses – yesterday he was fleeing from Pharaoh and now he is drowning him in the sea; that is, he witnessed a new world.
Job – yesterday “He spills my bile onto the ground” (Job 16:13), and now “and the Lord gave Job double what he had had” (Job 42:10); that is, he witnessed a new world.
Mordekhai – yesterday “he wore sackcloth and ashes” (Esther 4:1), and now “he emerged from before the king in royal garments” (Esther 8:15).
“And his name was Mordekhai” (Esther 2:5). Just as myrrh [mor] is first of all the spices,14It is first on the list of ingredients of the sacred oil of anointment (Exodus 30:23). so was Mordekhai first among the righteous in his generation.