וַיַּֽעַן־יְהוָ֣ה אֶת־אִ֭יּוֹב מנ הסערה [מִ֥ן ׀] [הַסְּעָרָ֗ה] וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
At sumagot ang Walang-Hanggan kay Job mula sa ipu-ipo, at sinabi:
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
(Ib. 9, 17) He that bruiseth me with s'arah (storm) and multiplieth my wounds without a cause. Rabba said: "Job, when blaspheming, used the word S'arah (stormanger), and he was also answered with S'arah. He blasphemed with S'arah, as it is written: He that bruiseth me with S'arah (storm). He thus said before the Holy One, praised be He! 'Sovereign of the Universe! Perhaps a storm wind passed before Thee and changed to Thee the word Iyob (Job) to Oyeb (enemy); and he was also answered with S'arah, as it is written (Ib. 38, 1) And the Lord answered Job from the S'arah." "Do not gird up like a mighty man thy loins; and I will ask thee, and do thou inform Me. So said He: "I have created many hairs on human beings, and for each hair I have created a separate pore; for if two should be nourished from one pore, it would blind the eyes of men; now from one pore to another, between these pores I did not make a mistake, and from lyob to Oyeb [you say that I have made a mistake]. (Ib., ib. 25) What hath divided off water-courses, etc. There are many drops that I have created in the clouds, and for each drop there is a separate place; for if two drops should go into one, they would make the earth too soft and it could not produce. Between this I did not make a mistake, and from lyob to Oyeb [you say that] I made a mistake! … And a way for the lightning that is followed by thunders. Many thunders have I created in the clouds, and for each thunder there is a separate path; for if two should go along the same path, they would destroy the world. Between these paths I did not make a mistake, and from Ilob to Oyeb [you say that] I made a mistake! (Ib. 39, 1)! Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? Or canst thou work when the hinds do calve? The wild goat of the rock is cruel towards its offspring, and when the time (Ib. b) of bearing comes she ascends to the top of the mountain, so that the offspring should fall down and die. And I summon an eagle which receives it with its wings, and places them before her. This must happen at the exact moment, for should it occur a second earlier or a second later the children would die. Now between one and the other I did not make a mistake, and from lyob to Oyeb [you say that] I did make a mistake. Or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve? The hind has a narrow womb, and when the time of bearing comes I procure a snake that bites her womb, so that she is able to bring forth her offspring. This must happen at the exact moment, for if it occurs a second later the mother would die. Now from one second to the other I do not make a mistake; and from lyob to Oyeb [you say that] I made a mistake?" (Ib. 24, 35) job hath not spoken without knowledge, and his words are without intelligence. Raba said: "From this it may be deduced that a man is not taken to account for what he speaks in his distress."
Shemot Rabbah
“God said to Moses: 'I will be what I will be,' and He said: 'So shall you say to the children of Israel: I will be has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:14).
“God said to Moses” – Rabbi Abba bar Mamal said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: You seek to know My name? I am named according to My actions. At [different] times I am named God Almighty [El Shaddai], [Lord of] Hosts [Tzevaot], God [Elohim], the Lord [Y-H-V-H].15The ineffable name, pronounced Adonai. When I judge [My] creatures, I am called Elohim. When I wage war against the wicked, I am called Tzevaot. When I abide a person’s sins, I am called El Shaddai. When I have mercy on My world I am called Y-H-V-H, as Y-H-V-H is nothing other than the attribute of mercy, as it is stated: “Y-H-V-H, Y-H-V-H, merciful and gracious God” (Exodus 34:6). That is, “I will be what I will be,” I am named based on My actions.
Rabbi Yitzḥak says: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Say to them: It is I who have been with you in the past, and it is I now, and it is I in the future;’ therefore, “I will be” is written three times.
Another interpretation: “I will be what I will be,” – Rabbi Yaakov son of Rabbi Avina said in the name of Rabbi Huna of Tzipporin: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Say to them: In this servitude I will be with them and into servitude they are going and I will be with them.’ He said before Him: ‘Is that what I should say to them? The present trouble is sufficient.’16An expression meaning that one should not concern oneself with future troubles that are not in one’s control. He said to him: ‘No, “so shall you say to the children of Israel: I will be has sent me to you.” I am informing you, but I am not informing them.’
Another interpretation: “I will be [ehyeh]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said in the name of Rabbi Ammi: They are standing with mortar and bricks, and to mortar and bricks they are going. Likewise, regarding Daniel: “I, Daniel, was stricken [niyeti]17The verb root is the same as ehyeh. The verse in Daniel serves as a prooftext to the notion that the root heh yod heh can refer to suffering. and became ill” (Daniel 8:27). He [Moses] said before Him: ‘Is that what I should say to them?’ He said to him: ‘No, but rather “Ehyeh has sent me to you.”’18As in the previous opinion, God tells Moses to inform them only that God will help them in the present suffering and not about His help in any future suffering.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: I will be for whom I will be for individuals; but for the masses, even against their will, not for their well-being, while breaking their teeth, I will rule over them, as it is stated: “As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with outpoured fury, I will rule over you” (Ezekiel 20:33).
Another matter, as Rabbi Ananiel ben Rabbi Sason said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘When I wish, one of the angels, who is one-third the size of the world, extends his hand from the heavens and touches the earth, as it is stated: “He19An angel. extended the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head” (Ezekiel 8:3). And when I wished, I made three of them sit under a tree, as it is stated: “And recline under the tree” (Genesis 18:4). And when I wish, My glory fills the entire world, as it is stated: “Don’t I fill the heavens and the earth? – the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24). And when I wished, I spoke to Job from the tempest, as it is stated: “The Lord answered Job from the tempest” (Job 38:1); and when I wish, from the midst of the bush.’
“God said to Moses” – Rabbi Abba bar Mamal said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: You seek to know My name? I am named according to My actions. At [different] times I am named God Almighty [El Shaddai], [Lord of] Hosts [Tzevaot], God [Elohim], the Lord [Y-H-V-H].15The ineffable name, pronounced Adonai. When I judge [My] creatures, I am called Elohim. When I wage war against the wicked, I am called Tzevaot. When I abide a person’s sins, I am called El Shaddai. When I have mercy on My world I am called Y-H-V-H, as Y-H-V-H is nothing other than the attribute of mercy, as it is stated: “Y-H-V-H, Y-H-V-H, merciful and gracious God” (Exodus 34:6). That is, “I will be what I will be,” I am named based on My actions.
Rabbi Yitzḥak says: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Say to them: It is I who have been with you in the past, and it is I now, and it is I in the future;’ therefore, “I will be” is written three times.
Another interpretation: “I will be what I will be,” – Rabbi Yaakov son of Rabbi Avina said in the name of Rabbi Huna of Tzipporin: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Say to them: In this servitude I will be with them and into servitude they are going and I will be with them.’ He said before Him: ‘Is that what I should say to them? The present trouble is sufficient.’16An expression meaning that one should not concern oneself with future troubles that are not in one’s control. He said to him: ‘No, “so shall you say to the children of Israel: I will be has sent me to you.” I am informing you, but I am not informing them.’
Another interpretation: “I will be [ehyeh]” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said in the name of Rabbi Ammi: They are standing with mortar and bricks, and to mortar and bricks they are going. Likewise, regarding Daniel: “I, Daniel, was stricken [niyeti]17The verb root is the same as ehyeh. The verse in Daniel serves as a prooftext to the notion that the root heh yod heh can refer to suffering. and became ill” (Daniel 8:27). He [Moses] said before Him: ‘Is that what I should say to them?’ He said to him: ‘No, but rather “Ehyeh has sent me to you.”’18As in the previous opinion, God tells Moses to inform them only that God will help them in the present suffering and not about His help in any future suffering.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: I will be for whom I will be for individuals; but for the masses, even against their will, not for their well-being, while breaking their teeth, I will rule over them, as it is stated: “As I live, says the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with an outstretched arm, and with outpoured fury, I will rule over you” (Ezekiel 20:33).
Another matter, as Rabbi Ananiel ben Rabbi Sason said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘When I wish, one of the angels, who is one-third the size of the world, extends his hand from the heavens and touches the earth, as it is stated: “He19An angel. extended the form of a hand and took me by a lock of my head” (Ezekiel 8:3). And when I wished, I made three of them sit under a tree, as it is stated: “And recline under the tree” (Genesis 18:4). And when I wish, My glory fills the entire world, as it is stated: “Don’t I fill the heavens and the earth? – the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 23:24). And when I wished, I spoke to Job from the tempest, as it is stated: “The Lord answered Job from the tempest” (Job 38:1); and when I wish, from the midst of the bush.’
Bereshit Rabbah
A certain Samaritan asked Rabbi Meir, saying to him: ‘Is it possible that the upper waters are suspended by the word of God?’ He said to him: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘Bring me a tube with water.’ He brought him a tube with water. He placed a gold plate on top if it, and the water did not stay in place;7It spilled out of the bottom of the tube. [he placed] a silver plate, and the water did not stay in place. When he put his finger on top of it, the water stayed in place. He said to him: ‘You are placing your finger there.’ He said to him: ‘If I am flesh and blood and my finger can suspend the water, the finger of the Holy One blessed be He, all the more so.’ Thus, the upper waters are suspended by the word of God.
He [the Samaritan] said to him: ‘Is it possible that the One in whose regard it is written: “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth” (Jeremiah 23:24), would speak to Moses from between the two staves of the Ark [in the Tabernacle]?’ He said to him: ‘Bring me large mirrors.’ He said to him: ‘Look at your reflection in them.’ He saw that it [his reflection] was large. He said to him: ‘Bring me small mirrors.’ He brought him small mirrors. He said to him: ‘Look at your reflection in them.’ He saw that it was small. He said to him: ‘If you, who are flesh and blood, are able to change yourself into anything you wish, the One who spoke and made the world come into being, blessed be He, all the more so.’ Thus, when He wishes, “do I not fill the heavens and the earth,” and when he wishes He speaks to Moses from between the two staves of the Ark.
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Isi said: At times, the world and its contents cannot contain the glory of his Godliness; at other times He speaks with a person from between the hairs of his head.8Sometimes God’s presence is concentrated into such a small area that it is comparable to the space between hairs. That is what is written: “The Lord answered Job from the tempest [hase’ara]” (Job 38:1) – from between the hairs [saarot] of his head.
He further asked him, saying to him: ‘“The stream of God9The source of rainwater. is full of water” (Psalms 65:10) – [it has rained] since the six days of Creation and yet nothing is missing?10The stream is still called “full.” This is bewildering.’ He said to him: ‘Go take a bath, and weigh yourself before you go in [to the bathhouse] and after you have gone in.’11After you have bathed. He went. When he came out and weighed himself he was missing nothing. He said to him: ‘All the perspiration that you excreted, did it not come out of you?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘If you, who are flesh and blood, nothing was missing from your fount, from the fount of the Holy One blessed be He, all the more so.’ Thus, “the stream of God is full of water” – [it has rained] since the six days of Creation and nothing is missing.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He took all of the primordial waters and situated them half in the firmament and half in the ocean. That is, “the stream [peleg] of God is full of water” – half [palga].
He [the Samaritan] said to him: ‘Is it possible that the One in whose regard it is written: “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth” (Jeremiah 23:24), would speak to Moses from between the two staves of the Ark [in the Tabernacle]?’ He said to him: ‘Bring me large mirrors.’ He said to him: ‘Look at your reflection in them.’ He saw that it [his reflection] was large. He said to him: ‘Bring me small mirrors.’ He brought him small mirrors. He said to him: ‘Look at your reflection in them.’ He saw that it was small. He said to him: ‘If you, who are flesh and blood, are able to change yourself into anything you wish, the One who spoke and made the world come into being, blessed be He, all the more so.’ Thus, when He wishes, “do I not fill the heavens and the earth,” and when he wishes He speaks to Moses from between the two staves of the Ark.
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Isi said: At times, the world and its contents cannot contain the glory of his Godliness; at other times He speaks with a person from between the hairs of his head.8Sometimes God’s presence is concentrated into such a small area that it is comparable to the space between hairs. That is what is written: “The Lord answered Job from the tempest [hase’ara]” (Job 38:1) – from between the hairs [saarot] of his head.
He further asked him, saying to him: ‘“The stream of God9The source of rainwater. is full of water” (Psalms 65:10) – [it has rained] since the six days of Creation and yet nothing is missing?10The stream is still called “full.” This is bewildering.’ He said to him: ‘Go take a bath, and weigh yourself before you go in [to the bathhouse] and after you have gone in.’11After you have bathed. He went. When he came out and weighed himself he was missing nothing. He said to him: ‘All the perspiration that you excreted, did it not come out of you?’ He said: ‘Yes.’ He said to him: ‘If you, who are flesh and blood, nothing was missing from your fount, from the fount of the Holy One blessed be He, all the more so.’ Thus, “the stream of God is full of water” – [it has rained] since the six days of Creation and nothing is missing.
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He took all of the primordial waters and situated them half in the firmament and half in the ocean. That is, “the stream [peleg] of God is full of water” – half [palga].