וַיהוָ֞ה חָפֵ֤ץ דַּכְּאוֹ֙ הֶֽחֱלִ֔י אִם־תָּשִׂ֤ים אָשָׁם֙ נַפְשׁ֔וֹ יִרְאֶ֥ה זֶ֖רַע יַאֲרִ֣יךְ יָמִ֑ים וְחֵ֥פֶץ יְהוָ֖ה בְּיָד֥וֹ יִצְלָֽח׃
אָבער גאָט האָט אים געװאָלט צעדריקן מיט קראַנקשאַפֿט, צו זען אױב זײַן זעל װעט זיך מאַכן פֿאַר אַ קרבן; כּדי ער זאָל זען זאָמען, דערלענגערן זײַנע טעג, און דער רָצון פֿון גאָט דורך זײַן האַנט זאָל געלינגען.
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Simon b. Lakish said: "Whoever studies the Torah will prevent affliction from coming upon him, for it is said (Job 5, 7.), And the sons of fire take up their flight. By Uf (flight) is meant nothing else but the Torah, as it is said (Pr. 23, 5.) When thou letteth merely thine eye fly over it (i.e., if you study the Torah by merely glancing over it with your eyes), it is no more, (you will easily forget it). And Reshef (fire) means nothing else but affliction, as it is said (Deu. 32, 24.) Devoured with evil spirits." "Aye." exclaimed R. Jochanan, "even the school children know this! for it is said, (Ex. 15. 2.5.) And he said, if thou wilt deligently hearken unto the voice of the Lord and wilt do what is riqht in His eyes, etc. But it means thus: Upon him who is capable of studying the Torah, but does not do so the Holy One, praised be He! will bring repulsive suffering which will greatly disturb him; for it is said (Ps. 39, 3.) I was dumb in deep silence, I was quite still even from speaking good, but my pain greatly disturbed me. By tob (good) is meant nothing else but the Torah, for it is said (Pr. 4, 2.) For good doctrine do I give, etc." R. Zeira, and some say, R. Chanina b. Papa, said: "Come and see that the custom of the Holy One. praised be He! is not like the custom of mortal men. The custom of mortal men is that if a man sell a valuable thing to his fellow-man, the seller is sorry and only the buyer is happy; but the custom of the Holy One, praised be He! is not so. He bestowed the Torah on Israel and He rejoiced, for it is said (Ib. 4, 2.) For good doctrine do I give thee." Raba, and according to others R. Chisda, said: "If a man see that troubles are coming unto him, let him search his deeds, for it is said, (Lam. 3, 40) Let us search through and examine our ways and let us return unto the Lord. If he has investigated and found nothing wrong, then let him attribute it to a neglect of the study of the Torah. for it is said (Ps. 94, 12.) Happy is the man whom Thou admonisheth, O Lord, and teacheth out of Thy Torah. But if he investigated and did not find [neglect of the study of the Torah] then it is known that his affliction is the cause of God's love, for it is said (Pr. 3, 12.) Because whomsoever the Lord loveth He admonisheth." Raba, in the name of R. Sechorah, who quoted R. Huna, said: "Whomsover the Holy One, praised be He! loveth. He afflicteth, for it is said (Is. 53, 10.) But the Lord was pleased to crush him through disease. We might think that, even if he does not accept the affliction with resignation. It is therefore said (Ib.) When his soul hath brought the trespass-offering, i. e., just as a guilt offering must come with his acknowledgement, so also must this be accepted with resignation. And if he accept it with love what will be his reward? Then shall he see (his) seed live many days, (Ib.) and moreover his learning shall endure with him, as is said (Ib.) And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand." As to affliction, there is a difference of opinion between R. Jacob b. Ide and R. Acha b. Chanina. One holds that all such affliction which does not prevent one from studying the Torah is one of love, for it is said (Ps. 94, 12.) Happy is the man whom Thou admonisheth, O Lord, and teacheth from Thy Torah; and the other holds that such affliction which does not prevent one from praying is one which comes from love, for it is said (Ps. 66, 20.) Blessed he God who hath not removed my prayer nor His kindness from me. R. Abba, the son of R. Chiya b. Abba, said: "Thus said my father (R. Chiya) in the name of R. Jochanan; 'Both of these afflictions are the kind which come from love, for it is written (Pr. 3, 12.) Because whomsoever the Lord loveth He admonisheth; But what do we learn [from the passage] Thou teacheth him of the Torah. Do not read Tlamdenu (that he should be able to study the Torah); but read it Tlamdainu (Out of Thy Torah, Thou teacheth us) i. e., we learn from thine Torah [that one who is punished by God should be happy] namely, through the rule of a fortiori concerning the tooth and the eye; that if the loss of a tooth or an eye [stricken out by the master] which affects only one member of the human body, frees the slave, how much more then are afflictions, which affect the whole human body, capable of cleaning one of evil.'" And that is meant by R. Simon b. Lakish, for he said: "It is said Convenant (Brith) in connection with the word salt, and it is said Convenant (Brith) in connection with the word affliction. Covenant by salt — as it is written (Lev. 2, 13.) Thou shalt not suffer the salt of the covenant (Brith)! Covenant by affliction — as it is written (Deu. 28, 49.) These are the words of the covenant. (Brith) Just as the covenant of the salt was made to sweeten meat, so the covenant of affliction was made to cleanse man of all iniquities."
Bereshit Rabbah
“And thorns and thistles it will grow for you, and you shall eat the vegetation of the field” (Genesis 3:18).
“And thorns [kotz] and thistles [dardar] it will grow for you.” Kotz – this is artichoke; dardar – this is cardoon.41Both plants have thorns on them. Some transpose it, kotz – this is cardoon; dardar – this is artichoke, as it is constituted of rows upon rows [darin darin].
“And you shall eat the vegetation of the field” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda said: [God said to him:] ‘Had you merited, it [the ground] would have caused all the trees of the Garden of Eden to grow for you. Now that you did not merit, “thorns and thistles it will grow for you.”’
Rabbi Neḥemya said: [God said:] ‘Had you merited, you would have taken plants from inside the Garden of Eden and tasted in them all the delicacies of the world. Now that you did not merit, “you shall eat the vegetation of the field.”’42Without experiencing any delectable taste.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is regarding these generations [the present time] that it says: “and you shall eat the vegetation of the field,” when a person plucks from his field and eats it while it is still vegetation. When Adam the first man heard [this curse], his face began perspiring. He said: ‘What, am I to be tied to a trough like an animal?’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since your face perspired, you will eat bread.’43This is the meaning of “by the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Rabbi Levi said: It would have been preferable for him had he remained with his original curse.44Had man’s diet been limited to plants, he would not have to toil so much to make bread.
“By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
“By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” – this is one of five phenomena that are good omens for the ill.45They are indications that their health is taking a turn for the better. They are: A sneeze, perspiration, sleep, a dream, and a seminal emission. A sneeze, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “Its sneezes flash light” (Job 41:10). Perspiration, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.” Sleep, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “I would sleep; then I would be relieved” (Job 3:13). A dream [ḥalom], as it is stated: “You will heal me [vataḥlimeni] and revive me” (Isaiah 38:16). A seminal emission, from where is it derived? As it is written: “He will see seed and live long” (Isaiah 53:10). The Rabbis of Caesarea say: A regular bowel movement as well. What is the source? “The wanderer [tzo’e]46This is expounded as tzo’a – excrement. will be quickly released [and he will not die]” (Isaiah 51:14). Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Provided that “his bread will not be lacking” (Isaiah 51:14).47If after the bowel movement he is able to eat, it is a good omen.
“Until you return to the ground, for from it…” He said to him: That handful of dust from which you were created, is it not stolen in your hand?48You were created with a certain destiny, and you failed to live up to that destiny. As a thief, you must “return” the dust to its place.
“For you are dust, and to dust you will return” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: From here there is an allusion to the revival of the dead from the Torah. “For you are dust, and to dust you will go” is not written, but rather, “you will return.”
“And thorns [kotz] and thistles [dardar] it will grow for you.” Kotz – this is artichoke; dardar – this is cardoon.41Both plants have thorns on them. Some transpose it, kotz – this is cardoon; dardar – this is artichoke, as it is constituted of rows upon rows [darin darin].
“And you shall eat the vegetation of the field” – Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda said: [God said to him:] ‘Had you merited, it [the ground] would have caused all the trees of the Garden of Eden to grow for you. Now that you did not merit, “thorns and thistles it will grow for you.”’
Rabbi Neḥemya said: [God said:] ‘Had you merited, you would have taken plants from inside the Garden of Eden and tasted in them all the delicacies of the world. Now that you did not merit, “you shall eat the vegetation of the field.”’42Without experiencing any delectable taste.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is regarding these generations [the present time] that it says: “and you shall eat the vegetation of the field,” when a person plucks from his field and eats it while it is still vegetation. When Adam the first man heard [this curse], his face began perspiring. He said: ‘What, am I to be tied to a trough like an animal?’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Since your face perspired, you will eat bread.’43This is the meaning of “by the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” (Genesis 3:19). Rabbi Levi said: It would have been preferable for him had he remained with his original curse.44Had man’s diet been limited to plants, he would not have to toil so much to make bread.
“By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread, until you return to the ground, for from it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
“By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread” – this is one of five phenomena that are good omens for the ill.45They are indications that their health is taking a turn for the better. They are: A sneeze, perspiration, sleep, a dream, and a seminal emission. A sneeze, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “Its sneezes flash light” (Job 41:10). Perspiration, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “By the sweat of your brow you shall eat bread.” Sleep, from where is it derived? As it is stated: “I would sleep; then I would be relieved” (Job 3:13). A dream [ḥalom], as it is stated: “You will heal me [vataḥlimeni] and revive me” (Isaiah 38:16). A seminal emission, from where is it derived? As it is written: “He will see seed and live long” (Isaiah 53:10). The Rabbis of Caesarea say: A regular bowel movement as well. What is the source? “The wanderer [tzo’e]46This is expounded as tzo’a – excrement. will be quickly released [and he will not die]” (Isaiah 51:14). Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: Provided that “his bread will not be lacking” (Isaiah 51:14).47If after the bowel movement he is able to eat, it is a good omen.
“Until you return to the ground, for from it…” He said to him: That handful of dust from which you were created, is it not stolen in your hand?48You were created with a certain destiny, and you failed to live up to that destiny. As a thief, you must “return” the dust to its place.
“For you are dust, and to dust you will return” – Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: From here there is an allusion to the revival of the dead from the Torah. “For you are dust, and to dust you will go” is not written, but rather, “you will return.”