אַל־תִּתְהַדַּ֥ר לִפְנֵי־מֶ֑לֶךְ וּבִמְק֥וֹם גְּ֝דֹלִ֗ים אַֽל־תַּעֲמֹֽד׃
Huwag kang magmalaki sa harap ng hari, at huwag kang tumayo sa lugar ng mga dakila;
Midrash Tehillim
Another interpretation of “Blessed is the person” (Psalms 1:1): This [relates to] that which is said in the verse: “For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; [God gives grace and glory, and does not withhold good from those who walk with integrity]” (Psalms 84:12). Chezkiah the son of Rabbi Chiyya said, “Blessed are the righteous prophets for they liken the form to He who gives form; and [they liken] the plant to He who plants. Like that which you say, “For the Lord God is a sun and a shield” (Psalm 84:12). And [likewise, Ezekiel] said, “And there, coming from the east with a roar like the roar of mighty waters, was the Presence of the God of Israel, and the earth was lit up by His glory” (Ezekiel 43:2). But [don’t blame the prophets for using these metaphors for describing God because] the ear can only be made to hear what an ear can hear, and an eye can only be shown what an eye can see.” Another interpretation of “For the Lord God is a sun and a shield” (Pslams 84:12). If [you were to say] just as this sun overwhelms [the earth], so too does the Holy One, blessed be He; [the verse continues] to teach us [that, in addition to being like a sun, God is like] “a shield.” Just as a shield protects a person, so too, the Holy One, blessed be He, protects His world. Rabbi Chiyya son of Avin said, “He illuminates [the world] like the sun, and covers [the world] like a shield.” Another interpretation: the shield [in this verse might] refer [only] to a special type of shield called a Persian Targa, which surrounds a person on three sides. So, how do we know to include the fourth side [such that we can rest assured that God protects us from all sides]? [Another verse comes to] teach us: “[For you bless the righteous,] Oh Lord, encompassing them with favour like a shield” (Psalms 5:13). Another interpretation: the sun and the shield allude to Abraham our father. Abraham is likened to the sun, because it is said, “Who raised up one from the east” (Isaiah 41:2). And “shield” [also] alludes to Abraham [because God tells Abraham that He will be his shield], as it is said, “I am a shield to you” (Genesis 15:1). [Even the word] אלוהים [which is a name of God] alludes to Abraham, as it is said, “You are a Prince of אלוהים in our midst” (Genesis 23:6). [Having associated the sun and the shield, and the name אלוהים, with Abraham, we now move on to the next part of Psalms 84:12]: “God gives grace and glory;” this [also] alludes to Abraham, as it is written, “And Abraham was heavily loaded with cattle, silver, and gold” (Genesis 13:2); [the word for heaviness, כבד, in this verse, shares its root with the word for glory כבוד. God] “does not withhold good from those who walk with integrity” (Psalms 84:12), this [also] alludes to Abraham, as it says, “Walk before me, and [do so with] integrity” (Genesis 17:1). But if this Psalm [i.e. Psalm 84] was talking about Abraham, it should have said that [God] “does not withhold good from he who walks with integrity.” Why does it say [in the plural], “those who walk with integrity”? Rather, just as with Abraham, who walked with the Holy One, blessed be He, with integrity, had a shield made for him, so too, anyone who walks with integrity before Him has a shield made for him. And what is written directly after [this verse]? “[Oh God of Hosts,] blessed is the person who trusts in you” (Psalms 84:13). “Abraham” isn’t written here, but “person” is. Any person. David said, ““Blessed [or more accurately, perhaps, “happy”] is the person [who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked...]” (Psalms 1:1). You have given tranquillity [rather than happiness] to the wicked. And there is no pleasantness in their tranquillity. Rather they stand [unlike David’s happy person, who is walking, and unlike those who walk with integrity. The wicked, who might seem to be happy, are – in fact – static].” Rabbi Yuden began [his teaching] and said [the following verse]: “Do not exalt yourself before the King; do not stand in the place of nobles” (Proverbs 25:6). Rabbi Yuden [taught that David wasn’t so arrogant as to bless the Jewish people in a wholly original way, since he would not stand in the place of all of the nobles who had already uttered their own blessings over Israel. Instead,] he read [the texts so as to make it clear that] from the place that this one opened, this one closed. And from the place that this one closed, this one opened. [That is to say, as will become clear later on in this Midrash, Rabbi Yuden recognised a historical chain of blessings uttered by great people in the past. Each person in this chain would begin or end their blessing with the words used by the previous person in the chain to begin or conclude his blessing]. Rabbi Pinchas [expounded, in his discourse, and drew out in a more] lengthy form [what Rabbi Yuden had meant]. He began [his discourse] with the verse: “I have understood more than my elders” (Psalms 119:100). [On a simple reading of that verse, it seems as if David is claiming to know more than his elders. But, as we’ll see, according to Rabbi Pinchas, it means, “I have gained understanding from my elders;” since David learnt how to bless the Jews from his predecessors.] You find that, at first, the Holy One, blessed be He, was in the habit of blessing His world, as it is said: “And God blessed them” (Genesis 1:28). Once Noah arose, He blessed him, as it said, “And God blessed Noah and his sons” (Genesis 9:1). Abraham arose, and He blessed him, as it is said, “And God blessed Abraham in everything” (Genesis 24:1). What is the meaning of “you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2)? Rav Nachman said, [it means] that he passed the blessings over to him and told him, “Until now, I was required to bless my world, but from now on, the blessings are passed over to you, and whoever you bless will be blessed.” When Isaac arose, [Abraham] blessed him. What [does it mean when it is] written, “And he gave all that he had to Isaac” (Genesis 25:5)? What did he give to him? [There is a three-way debate about this between] Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Nechemia, and the Rabbis. Rabbi Yehuda said, [he gave him the entitlements of] the first born. Rabbi Nechemia said it was a blessing. And the Rabbis said it was burial [rights] and a document of inheritance [for the cemetery in Hebron]. Rabbi Levi said, in the name of Rabbi Chamma, “He didn’t bless him. He only gave him gifts. And why didn’t he bless him? It can be compared to a king who had an orchard, and he gave it to a tenant farmer. And he had all sorts of trees within it, intertwined with one another; one with the elixir of life, and one with the elixir of death. The tenant said, “If I water [the tree] that contains the elixir of life within it, [the tree] that contains the elixir of death within it will live alongside it. And if I don’t water it, how will [the tree] that contains the elixir of life [continue] to live?” That tenant turned around and said [to himself], “I’ll complete my tenancy this year and go elsewhere. And let the owner of the orchard do what he sees fit with whatever benefit I have provided.” So too, Abraham said, “I will not bless Isaac [because that would mean that] the children of Ishmael and the children of Ketura are now being blessed.” He said, “I am flesh and blood. Today I am here, and tomorrow in the grave. And that which needs to be done in this world, will be done.” When Abraham died, the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed himself to Isaac and blessed him, as it is said, “It was after Abraham died that God blessed Isaac his son” (Genesis 25:11). And so, He did to Jacob, as it is said, “And God appeared to Jacob again, as he came from Padam Aram, and He blessed him” (Genesis 35:9). And Isaac arose and blessed Jacob with [a gift of] giving, as it is said, "May God give you of the dew of heaven” (Genesis 27:28). And he sealed it with a calling: “And Isaac called unto Jacob and blessed him” (Genesis 28:1). Jacob arose to bless the tribes and he began where Isaac left off. As it is written, “And Jacob called unto his children” (Genesis 49:1). And he sealed his blessing with [the word] זאת [meaning, this], as it is said, “And this [זאת] is what their father said to them” (Genesis 49:28). When Moses rose to bless the Israelites, he said, “Jacob the firstborn of the Omnipresent opened with calling and sealed with this, behold, I will open [my blessing] where my elder left off, and he opened [his blessing] with “this is the blessing” (Deuteronomy 33:1). And he sealed [his blessing with the phrase] “Blessed are you – אשריך.” When David arose, he opened [his blessings] with [the phrase] with which Moses sealed [his blessing], and he said, “Also I will bless Israel with [the word] אשרי [i.e., the first word of Psalms 1:1].”
Shir HaShirim Rabbah
Rabbi Elazar bar Avina in the name of Rabbi Aḥa and the Rabbis. Rabbi Elazar said [in the name of Rabbi Aḥa]: “He spoke three thousand proverbs” regarding each and every matter. “His songs were one thousand and five”—one thousand and five reasons for each and every matter. The Rabbis say: “He spoke three thousand proverbs” on each and every verse. “His songs were one thousand and five”—one thousand and five reasons for each and every proverb. “His proverbs were” is not written here, but rather, “his songs were one thousand and five”—the song of the proverb, the reason for the matter, [and another] reason for the matter.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: We reviewed the entire book of Proverbs and we found written in it only nine hundred and fifteen verses, and you say three thousand proverbs? Rather, you do not have any verse that does not have two or three thoughts, like: “A nose ring of gold and an adornment of fine gold” (Proverbs 25:12), “a nose ring of gold in the snout of a pig” (Proverbs 11:22). 49The first verse equates “a nose ring of gold and an adornment of fine gold.” The second verse mentions only the nose ring of gold, but it also applies to an adornment of fine gold. “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the great” (Proverbs 25:6). It goes without saying do not sit; do not sit, and it goes without saying, do not speak.50By teaching that one should not stand in the place of the great, by corollary Solomon is also teaching that one should not sit in their place, and that one should not speak there.
We learned:51Mishna Yadayim 3:5. Rabbi Akiva said: God forbid, not even one person in Israel disagreed regarding Song of Songs, claiming that it does not impurify the hands,52There is a rabbinic decree that any sacred scroll renders teruma or one’s hands impure. (This decree was enacted so that people would not store their teruma with those scrolls; that could result in vermin attracted by the teruma gnawing at the scrolls and causing them damage.) Thus, if one were to hold that a scroll of the Song of Songs does not render one’s hands impure, that would mean it is not part of the Bible. as there is no day in the entire history of the world like the day that Song of Songs was given. Why? It is because all the Writings are holy, and this is the holy of holies. Regarding what did they disagree? It is regarding Ecclesiastes. Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Rabbi Yehoshua son of Rabbi Akiva’s father-in-law said in accordance with the statement of ben Azai: So they disagreed, so they concluded.53There was a dispute regarding both Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes, but the conclusion was that both are part of the Bible and therefore render one’s hands impure.
Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya stated a parable for it. [It is comparable] to one who took a se’a of wheat to the baker [and] said to him: ‘Produce for me from it flour, fine flour.54Grind the wheat into flour, and then sift it repeatedly to produce fine flour. Produce for me from it one loaf, from the fine flour, [produced from] the flour.’ So, of all of Solomon’s wisdom, only Song of Songs is fine flour for Israel. Song of Songs, the best of songs, the finest of songs, the most excellent of songs; we will recite songs to the One who has made us into a song in the world, just as you say: “Wail, songs of the palace” (Amos 8:3); the praises of the Temple.55The verse addresses songs as if they are people, alluding to the fact that the people of Israel are like a song in that they represent the glory of God.
Another matter, Song of Songs, the best of songs, the finest of songs, the most excellent of songs; we will recite songs [shirim] to the One who rendered us the remnants [shiyurim] of the world, just as it is stated: “The Lord alone will lead him” (Deuteronomy 32:12).56The verse is expounded to mean that the Lord will lead him alone, meaning that the people of Israel will remain alone in tranquility at the end of days. Rabbi Yoḥanan [said] in the name of Rabbi Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Abba: We will recite songs and praise to the One who is destined to rest the Divine Spirit upon us. We will recite many songs before Him.
In all the songs, either He lauds them, or they laud Him. In the song of Moses, they laud Him and say: “This is my Lord and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). And in the song of Moses, He lauds them: “He would mount him on the elevations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 32:13). However, here, they laud Him and He lauds them. He lauds them, “Behold, you are fair, my love” (Song of Songs 1:15) and they laud Him: “Behold you are fair my beloved, pleasant, too” (Song of Songs 1:16).
Rabbi Shimon in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori said, it is a double song.57God and Israel praise each other. Rabbi Simon said: Doubled and redoubled.58In many verses, the praise is doubled even from the perspective of one speaker, such as: “Behold, you are fair, my love, behold, you are fair” (1:15).
Rabbi Levi said: The numerical value of shir corresponds to the years of the patriarchs and the Ten Commandments.59Song of Songs is a tribute to Israel, as implied by the fact that the numerical value of the word shir, song, corresponds to the number of years of the lives of the patriarchs, plus the Ten Commandments given to Israel at Sinai. Shir is five hundred and ten.60Shin 300, yod 10, reish 200, equal 510. If you say that there is a surplus in them,61Abraham lived 175 years, Isaac, 180, and Jacob, 147, plus 10 commandments, equal 512, not 510. deduct from them the years of famine62One year during the lifetime of Abraham, and one year during the lifetime of Isaac. that are not included in the tally.
Another matter, Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan [said]: Every place that “King Solomon” is mentioned in this scroll, the verse is speaking of King Solomon. [Whenever it says] simply “the king,” the verse is speaking of the Holy One blessed be He. The Rabbis say: Every place that “King Solomon” [Shelomo] is mentioned in this scroll, the verse is speaking of the King, [of Whom it may be said that] peace is His. [Whenever it says] simply “the king,” the verse is speaking of the congregation of Israel.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: We reviewed the entire book of Proverbs and we found written in it only nine hundred and fifteen verses, and you say three thousand proverbs? Rather, you do not have any verse that does not have two or three thoughts, like: “A nose ring of gold and an adornment of fine gold” (Proverbs 25:12), “a nose ring of gold in the snout of a pig” (Proverbs 11:22). 49The first verse equates “a nose ring of gold and an adornment of fine gold.” The second verse mentions only the nose ring of gold, but it also applies to an adornment of fine gold. “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the great” (Proverbs 25:6). It goes without saying do not sit; do not sit, and it goes without saying, do not speak.50By teaching that one should not stand in the place of the great, by corollary Solomon is also teaching that one should not sit in their place, and that one should not speak there.
We learned:51Mishna Yadayim 3:5. Rabbi Akiva said: God forbid, not even one person in Israel disagreed regarding Song of Songs, claiming that it does not impurify the hands,52There is a rabbinic decree that any sacred scroll renders teruma or one’s hands impure. (This decree was enacted so that people would not store their teruma with those scrolls; that could result in vermin attracted by the teruma gnawing at the scrolls and causing them damage.) Thus, if one were to hold that a scroll of the Song of Songs does not render one’s hands impure, that would mean it is not part of the Bible. as there is no day in the entire history of the world like the day that Song of Songs was given. Why? It is because all the Writings are holy, and this is the holy of holies. Regarding what did they disagree? It is regarding Ecclesiastes. Rabbi Yoḥanan bar Rabbi Yehoshua son of Rabbi Akiva’s father-in-law said in accordance with the statement of ben Azai: So they disagreed, so they concluded.53There was a dispute regarding both Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes, but the conclusion was that both are part of the Bible and therefore render one’s hands impure.
Rabbi Elazar ben Azarya stated a parable for it. [It is comparable] to one who took a se’a of wheat to the baker [and] said to him: ‘Produce for me from it flour, fine flour.54Grind the wheat into flour, and then sift it repeatedly to produce fine flour. Produce for me from it one loaf, from the fine flour, [produced from] the flour.’ So, of all of Solomon’s wisdom, only Song of Songs is fine flour for Israel. Song of Songs, the best of songs, the finest of songs, the most excellent of songs; we will recite songs to the One who has made us into a song in the world, just as you say: “Wail, songs of the palace” (Amos 8:3); the praises of the Temple.55The verse addresses songs as if they are people, alluding to the fact that the people of Israel are like a song in that they represent the glory of God.
Another matter, Song of Songs, the best of songs, the finest of songs, the most excellent of songs; we will recite songs [shirim] to the One who rendered us the remnants [shiyurim] of the world, just as it is stated: “The Lord alone will lead him” (Deuteronomy 32:12).56The verse is expounded to mean that the Lord will lead him alone, meaning that the people of Israel will remain alone in tranquility at the end of days. Rabbi Yoḥanan [said] in the name of Rabbi Aḥa in the name of Rabbi Shimon bar Abba: We will recite songs and praise to the One who is destined to rest the Divine Spirit upon us. We will recite many songs before Him.
In all the songs, either He lauds them, or they laud Him. In the song of Moses, they laud Him and say: “This is my Lord and I will glorify Him” (Exodus 15:2). And in the song of Moses, He lauds them: “He would mount him on the elevations of the earth” (Deuteronomy 32:13). However, here, they laud Him and He lauds them. He lauds them, “Behold, you are fair, my love” (Song of Songs 1:15) and they laud Him: “Behold you are fair my beloved, pleasant, too” (Song of Songs 1:16).
Rabbi Shimon in the name of Rabbi Ḥanin of Tzippori said, it is a double song.57God and Israel praise each other. Rabbi Simon said: Doubled and redoubled.58In many verses, the praise is doubled even from the perspective of one speaker, such as: “Behold, you are fair, my love, behold, you are fair” (1:15).
Rabbi Levi said: The numerical value of shir corresponds to the years of the patriarchs and the Ten Commandments.59Song of Songs is a tribute to Israel, as implied by the fact that the numerical value of the word shir, song, corresponds to the number of years of the lives of the patriarchs, plus the Ten Commandments given to Israel at Sinai. Shir is five hundred and ten.60Shin 300, yod 10, reish 200, equal 510. If you say that there is a surplus in them,61Abraham lived 175 years, Isaac, 180, and Jacob, 147, plus 10 commandments, equal 512, not 510. deduct from them the years of famine62One year during the lifetime of Abraham, and one year during the lifetime of Isaac. that are not included in the tally.
Another matter, Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Levi in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan [said]: Every place that “King Solomon” is mentioned in this scroll, the verse is speaking of King Solomon. [Whenever it says] simply “the king,” the verse is speaking of the Holy One blessed be He. The Rabbis say: Every place that “King Solomon” [Shelomo] is mentioned in this scroll, the verse is speaking of the King, [of Whom it may be said that] peace is His. [Whenever it says] simply “the king,” the verse is speaking of the congregation of Israel.
Devarim Rabbah
“Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is in the heavens or on the earth who can act in accordance with Your actions and according to Your mighty deeds” (Deuteronomy 3:24).
“Lord God, You have begun” – what is “Lord God”? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: In two places, Moses likened himself to Abraham, but it was to no avail for him. How so? The Holy One blessed be He called to Abraham, and he said: “I am here,” as it is stated: “And said to him: Abraham; and he said: I am here” (Genesis 22:1). What is “I am here”? I am here for priesthood, I am here for kingship; and he merited priesthood and kingship. From where is it derived that he merited priesthood? As it is stated: “The Lord has taken an oath, and He will not renounce it; you are priest forever by My decree, like Malkitzedek” (Psalms 110:4).10Malkitzedek was a priest (see Genesis 14:18). He merited kingship, as it is stated: “To the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king” (Genesis 14:17).11The midrash understands this as an allusion to the fact that the kings of the region elected Abraham as their king (see Bereshit Rabba 42:5).
Moses, too, sought to do so, as it is stated: “He said: Moses, Moses; and he said: I am here” (Exodus 3:4). I am here for priesthood; I am here for kingship. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the great” (Proverbs 25:6). “Do not approach [tikrav] here [halom]” (Exodus 3:5). You have no involvement with the priesthood, as it is stated: “The stranger who approaches [hakarev] shall be put to death” (Numbers 3:10). You have no involvement with the kingship, as it is stated: “That You have brought me here [halom]” (II Samuel 7:18).12David used the term halom in reference to the kingship.
Abraham said: “Lord God, what will You give to me?” (Genesis 15:2). Rabbi Levi said: He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if through justice13The name “God” represents the attribute of justice. I deserve to have children, give them to me; if not, give them to me through mercy.14The name “the Lord” represents the attribute of mercy. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘As you live, you deserve them’: “And, behold, the word of the Lord was to him…[one who will emerge from your loins, he will be your heir]” (Genesis 15:4). Moses, too, said so: “Lord God, You have begun” – if through justice I deserve to enter the Land of Israel, let me enter; if not, let me enter through mercy. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not glorify yourself before a king…” “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27) – when Moses saw how resolute the matters were, he began speaking harsh words.15He began praying in a more forceful manner, as the midrash will detail in the next section.
“Lord God, You have begun” – what is “Lord God”? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: In two places, Moses likened himself to Abraham, but it was to no avail for him. How so? The Holy One blessed be He called to Abraham, and he said: “I am here,” as it is stated: “And said to him: Abraham; and he said: I am here” (Genesis 22:1). What is “I am here”? I am here for priesthood, I am here for kingship; and he merited priesthood and kingship. From where is it derived that he merited priesthood? As it is stated: “The Lord has taken an oath, and He will not renounce it; you are priest forever by My decree, like Malkitzedek” (Psalms 110:4).10Malkitzedek was a priest (see Genesis 14:18). He merited kingship, as it is stated: “To the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king” (Genesis 14:17).11The midrash understands this as an allusion to the fact that the kings of the region elected Abraham as their king (see Bereshit Rabba 42:5).
Moses, too, sought to do so, as it is stated: “He said: Moses, Moses; and he said: I am here” (Exodus 3:4). I am here for priesthood; I am here for kingship. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the great” (Proverbs 25:6). “Do not approach [tikrav] here [halom]” (Exodus 3:5). You have no involvement with the priesthood, as it is stated: “The stranger who approaches [hakarev] shall be put to death” (Numbers 3:10). You have no involvement with the kingship, as it is stated: “That You have brought me here [halom]” (II Samuel 7:18).12David used the term halom in reference to the kingship.
Abraham said: “Lord God, what will You give to me?” (Genesis 15:2). Rabbi Levi said: He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if through justice13The name “God” represents the attribute of justice. I deserve to have children, give them to me; if not, give them to me through mercy.14The name “the Lord” represents the attribute of mercy. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘As you live, you deserve them’: “And, behold, the word of the Lord was to him…[one who will emerge from your loins, he will be your heir]” (Genesis 15:4). Moses, too, said so: “Lord God, You have begun” – if through justice I deserve to enter the Land of Israel, let me enter; if not, let me enter through mercy. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not glorify yourself before a king…” “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27) – when Moses saw how resolute the matters were, he began speaking harsh words.15He began praying in a more forceful manner, as the midrash will detail in the next section.