וְכַתּוֹתִ֣י מִפָּנָ֣יו צָרָ֑יו וּמְשַׂנְאָ֥יו אֶגּֽוֹף׃
און איך װעל צעשטױסן זײַנע דריקער פֿון פֿאַר אים, און זײַנע שָׂונאים װעל איך שלאָגן.
Bereshit Rabbah
“The Lord turned to Abel and to his offering” – He was contented with him [personally].19Abel and his offering are listed separately, and of both it is stated that God “turned toward” them.
“But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn. Cain was very incensed, and his face became downcast” (Genesis 4:5).
“But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn” – He was not contented with him.
“Cain was very incensed (vayiḥar), and his face became downcast” – it became like fire.20Vayiḥar can also mean “he was burning.”
“The Lord said to Cain: Why are you incensed, and why did your face become downcast?” (Genesis 4:6).
“Truly, if you do good, it will be lifted up, and if you do not do good, sin crouches at the entrance and its desire is for you, but you may rule over it” (Genesis 4:7).
“The Lord said to Cain: Why are you incensed, and why did your face become downcast? Truly, if you do good, it will be lifted up [se’et]” – blessing, as it says: “Aaron raised [vayisa] his hands toward the people, and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22). “And if you do not do good,” there will [also] be se’et – a curse, as it is written: “They will cause them to bear [vehisiu] the iniquity of guilt” (Leviticus 22:16).
Another matter, “if you do good,” I will forgive you all your sins,21Se’et in the sense of noseh avon – bearing iniquity. but if not, the sin of that man will be overflowing.22Se’et in the sense of se’a – a large dry measure.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Ami: “A contemplation by David. Happy is he whose crime is forgiven [nesui], whose sin is pardoned” (Psalms 32:1). Happy is the man who stands above his transgression23Nesui literally means raised. and his transgression does not stand above him,24He subdues the temptation to sin, and not vice versa. as it is stated: “Sin [ḥatat] crouches [rovetz] at the entrance.” Ḥatat rovetzet is not written here, but rather, ḥatat rovetz.25Ḥatat rovetzet – the subject and the verb are both feminine. Ḥatat rovetz – the verb is masculine. Initially, it26The evil inclination. is weak like a female, but then it becomes strong like a male.
Rabbi Akiva said: Initially it is similar to a spider web, but ultimately, it is like a ship’s rope. That is what is written: “Woe to those who pull iniquity with cords of pointlessness, and sin like the rope of a wagon” (Isaiah 5:18).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Initially it has the status of a guest, but ultimately, it becomes the master of the house. That is what is written [in the prophet’s rebuke of David for succumbing to temptation]: “He was loath to take from his flock or his cattle to prepare for the guest who had come to him” (II Samuel 12:4) – this is the guest; “and he took the ewe of the poor man and prepared it for the man who had come to him” (II Samuel 12:4) – this is the master of the house.
Rabbi Tanḥum bar Meryon said: There are dogs in Rome who know how to work at sustaining themselves. They go and sit before the bakery and pretend to be dozing. Then, the owner of the bakery dozes off, and they knock the loaves onto the ground. While he is collecting them, they take a loaf and flee with it.
Rabbi Abba said: The evil inclination is similar to a hunched robber27He feigned weakness, so that people would approach him unaware. who was sitting at a crossroads. To everyone who passed, he would say: ‘Give me what you have with you.’ A certain clever person passed, and he realized that he had no hope of robbing him of anything, and the man began beating him back. So, too, the evil inclination caused the demise of several generations: The generation of Enosh, the generation of the Dispersion, and the generation of the Flood. When Abraham our patriarch stood and [the evil inclination] saw that it had no hope against him, he began beating it back. That is what is written:28Regarding Abraham. “I will beat his foes before him and smite those who hate him” (Psalms 89:24).
Rabbi Ami said: The evil inclination does not walk on the sides of the street but rather in the middle of the highway. When it sees a person beautifying his eyes, fixing his hair, and raising his heels,29All these are conduct indicating that this is a haughty person. it says: ‘This one is mine.’ What is the source? “Have you seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 26:12).
Rabbi Avin said: Anyone who indulges his evil inclination in his youth, it will ultimately become his master in his old age. What is the source? “One who indulges his servant from youth, will have him ultimately become the master” (Proverbs 29:21).
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: If your evil inclination comes to make a fool of you, fend it off with matters of Torah, if you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created peace,30From ‘if you do so’ to ‘created peace’ are extraneous words and should be deleted (Etz Yosef). as it is stated: “If the inclination is near, protect yourself (titzor) with peace, [with peace]” (Isaiah 26:3). If you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created peace. “With peace” is not written here, but rather, “with peace, with peace” (Isaiah 26:3).31Protect yourself with peace, and it is as though you created peace. And if you say it is not under your control, the verse states: “Because you can rely on yourself” (Isaiah 26:3). And I already wrote for you in the Torah: “Its desire is for you, but you may rule over it…” (Genesis 4:7).
Rabbi Simon said: Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: If your evil inclination comes to make a fool of you, cause it to rejoice with matters of Torah, as it is stated: “If the inclination is near, protect yourself (titzor) with peace.” If you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created (yatzarta) two worlds.32Interpreting titzor as “create” rather than “protect yourself.” “Titzor peace” alone is not written here, but rather, “peace, peace. And if you say it is not under your control, I already wrote in the Torah: “Its desire is for you, [but you may rule over it].”
“But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn. Cain was very incensed, and his face became downcast” (Genesis 4:5).
“But to Cain and to his offering He did not turn” – He was not contented with him.
“Cain was very incensed (vayiḥar), and his face became downcast” – it became like fire.20Vayiḥar can also mean “he was burning.”
“The Lord said to Cain: Why are you incensed, and why did your face become downcast?” (Genesis 4:6).
“Truly, if you do good, it will be lifted up, and if you do not do good, sin crouches at the entrance and its desire is for you, but you may rule over it” (Genesis 4:7).
“The Lord said to Cain: Why are you incensed, and why did your face become downcast? Truly, if you do good, it will be lifted up [se’et]” – blessing, as it says: “Aaron raised [vayisa] his hands toward the people, and blessed them” (Leviticus 9:22). “And if you do not do good,” there will [also] be se’et – a curse, as it is written: “They will cause them to bear [vehisiu] the iniquity of guilt” (Leviticus 22:16).
Another matter, “if you do good,” I will forgive you all your sins,21Se’et in the sense of noseh avon – bearing iniquity. but if not, the sin of that man will be overflowing.22Se’et in the sense of se’a – a large dry measure.
Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Ami: “A contemplation by David. Happy is he whose crime is forgiven [nesui], whose sin is pardoned” (Psalms 32:1). Happy is the man who stands above his transgression23Nesui literally means raised. and his transgression does not stand above him,24He subdues the temptation to sin, and not vice versa. as it is stated: “Sin [ḥatat] crouches [rovetz] at the entrance.” Ḥatat rovetzet is not written here, but rather, ḥatat rovetz.25Ḥatat rovetzet – the subject and the verb are both feminine. Ḥatat rovetz – the verb is masculine. Initially, it26The evil inclination. is weak like a female, but then it becomes strong like a male.
Rabbi Akiva said: Initially it is similar to a spider web, but ultimately, it is like a ship’s rope. That is what is written: “Woe to those who pull iniquity with cords of pointlessness, and sin like the rope of a wagon” (Isaiah 5:18).
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Initially it has the status of a guest, but ultimately, it becomes the master of the house. That is what is written [in the prophet’s rebuke of David for succumbing to temptation]: “He was loath to take from his flock or his cattle to prepare for the guest who had come to him” (II Samuel 12:4) – this is the guest; “and he took the ewe of the poor man and prepared it for the man who had come to him” (II Samuel 12:4) – this is the master of the house.
Rabbi Tanḥum bar Meryon said: There are dogs in Rome who know how to work at sustaining themselves. They go and sit before the bakery and pretend to be dozing. Then, the owner of the bakery dozes off, and they knock the loaves onto the ground. While he is collecting them, they take a loaf and flee with it.
Rabbi Abba said: The evil inclination is similar to a hunched robber27He feigned weakness, so that people would approach him unaware. who was sitting at a crossroads. To everyone who passed, he would say: ‘Give me what you have with you.’ A certain clever person passed, and he realized that he had no hope of robbing him of anything, and the man began beating him back. So, too, the evil inclination caused the demise of several generations: The generation of Enosh, the generation of the Dispersion, and the generation of the Flood. When Abraham our patriarch stood and [the evil inclination] saw that it had no hope against him, he began beating it back. That is what is written:28Regarding Abraham. “I will beat his foes before him and smite those who hate him” (Psalms 89:24).
Rabbi Ami said: The evil inclination does not walk on the sides of the street but rather in the middle of the highway. When it sees a person beautifying his eyes, fixing his hair, and raising his heels,29All these are conduct indicating that this is a haughty person. it says: ‘This one is mine.’ What is the source? “Have you seen a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (Proverbs 26:12).
Rabbi Avin said: Anyone who indulges his evil inclination in his youth, it will ultimately become his master in his old age. What is the source? “One who indulges his servant from youth, will have him ultimately become the master” (Proverbs 29:21).
Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: If your evil inclination comes to make a fool of you, fend it off with matters of Torah, if you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created peace,30From ‘if you do so’ to ‘created peace’ are extraneous words and should be deleted (Etz Yosef). as it is stated: “If the inclination is near, protect yourself (titzor) with peace, [with peace]” (Isaiah 26:3). If you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created peace. “With peace” is not written here, but rather, “with peace, with peace” (Isaiah 26:3).31Protect yourself with peace, and it is as though you created peace. And if you say it is not under your control, the verse states: “Because you can rely on yourself” (Isaiah 26:3). And I already wrote for you in the Torah: “Its desire is for you, but you may rule over it…” (Genesis 4:7).
Rabbi Simon said: Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa said: If your evil inclination comes to make a fool of you, cause it to rejoice with matters of Torah, as it is stated: “If the inclination is near, protect yourself (titzor) with peace.” If you do so, I will ascribe to you as though you created (yatzarta) two worlds.32Interpreting titzor as “create” rather than “protect yourself.” “Titzor peace” alone is not written here, but rather, “peace, peace. And if you say it is not under your control, I already wrote in the Torah: “Its desire is for you, [but you may rule over it].”
Pesikta Rabbati
Arise, my light, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you [For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and thick darkness will cover the nations, and the Lord will rise upon you, and His glory will be seen upon you] (Isaiah 60:1-2): This is what was said by the Holy Spirit through David, king of Israel, for your people are a fountain of life. In your light, light will be seen (Psalms 36:10). Against whom does David say this verse? They did not say it, but against the assembly of Israel. They said before the Holy One, blessed be He, the Lord of the world, because of the Torah that you gave me, which is called the fountain of life, I will delight in your light in the future to come. What is it in your light that light will be seen? What light is it that the assembly of Israel expects? This is the light of the Messiah, as it is said, And God saw the light, that it was good (Genesis 1:4). This teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, anticipated the Messiah and his works before the creation of the world (and also) [and] reserved it for his anointed for his generation under the throne of his glory. Satan said before the Holy One, blessed be He, [Lord of the world, the light that was reserved under the throne of your glory, to whom is God, to whom is he to return you and to disgrace you with shame. [God] The Lord of the world, show him to me, he said to him, "Come and see him." And when he saw him, he was shocked and fell on his face and said, "Surely this is the Messiah who is destined to cast me and all the rulers of the nations of the world into hell, as it is said, "And he will swallow up death forever, and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces" (Isaiah 25:8). [At that time the nations were moved.] They said before him, "The Lord of the world, who is this that we fall into his hand? What is his name? What is his nature?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them, "He is the Messiah, and his name is Ephraim, the Messiah of righteousness (from the height of the heavens)." His stature and the stature of his generation, and the light of the eyes of Israel and the Savior of his people, and no nation or tongue can withstand him," as it is said, "No enemy will triumph over him, and the son of a foreigner will not answer him." (Psalms 59:23) And all his enemies and his adversaries flee, as it is said, "And I will crush his adversaries before him" (Psalms 24), and even the rivers of the sea, as it is said, "And I will set his hand in the sea and in the rivers of our right hand" (Psalms 25:8). 26) The Blessed One began a gift with him and said, "These are the ones whose sins are hidden with you. They will put you in a yoke of iron and make you like this calf whose eyes are closed and who strangle your spirit with a yoke. And with the sins of these ones, your tongue will stick to your jaws. Your desire for this is that the Messiah said before the Holy One, Blessed be He, that perhaps that sorrow will last for many years. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him, "Your life and the life of the first week (you) [one] that I have decreed for you. If your soul is sad, I will trouble you from now on. The Lord of the worlds said before him, "In the joy of my soul and in the joy of my heart, I accept it upon me, so that not one of Israel will perish, nor will the living alone (be saved) [saved] in my days [but also those who are hidden in the dust, and not only the dead will be saved in my days, but also those who have died from the days of Adam until now], and not only those who have fallen, and not only those who have died in my days, but (for) [all] that you have thought of creating, and they were not created (in them)." In this I want in this I accept upon me At that time, the Blessed One appointed four living creatures to bear the throne of the glory of the Messiah At that time, his enemies and the princes of the kingdoms said, Come, let us argue about the generation of the Messiah that will never be created The Blessed One said to them, How do you argue about that generation that is lovely and beautiful and I am happy in it and I desire it and I will support it and I want it as it is said, "Behold, my servant, I will support him [my chosen one, whom my soul desires, I have put my spirit upon him, etc.]" (Isaiah 42:1) And how do you argue about him? I will destroy you all, fiery furnaces from the lights of kinship and not one soul will I lose. For this it is said that with you is a source of life in the light of which light is seen: [They said] A week that the son of David came, in which they brought iron beams and put them on his neck until his stature was bowed down (and it was) [and he] cried and wept and his voice ascended to heaven. He said before him, "The Lord of the universe, how much is my power and how much is my spirit and how much is my soul, how much will be my life?" My limbs are not flesh and blood. I am at that time David was weeping and saying, "My strength is as dry as clay" (Psalms 22:16). At that time, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "Ephraim, the Messiah of my righteousness, you have already received upon you from the six days of the beginning. Now let your sorrow be like my sorrow, from the day that the wicked Nebuchadnezzar came up and destroyed my house and burned my temple and exiled my children among the nations of the world. Your life and the life of my head that I have not entered into my throne. And if you do not believe, see the dew that has come upon my head, as it is said, "My head is filled with dew, my extremities with the drops of the night" (Song of Songs 5:2). At that time, he said before Him, "Master of the world," now my mind has settled down enough for a servant to be like his master. Rabbi Levi, when the Blessed One said to the Knesset of Israel, "Arise, my light, for your light has come," she said before Him, "Master of the world (future)," you are at our head at that time. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to her, my daughter (Jephti), you say as it is said (My uncle answered and said to me, Arise, my wife Jephti, and go to you) [From the groaning of the poor, now will I arise, says the Lord, etc.] (Psalms 12:6). Another thing: Why is the assembly of Israel in this world like a girdle that cannot go and come, and the nations of the world despise them and say to them every day, "Where is your God? Why does he not save you?" She said (to him) [to them], "I have one day that my king will come upon me, and he will hold me and set me on my feet," as it is said (From the groaning of the poor, now will I arise, says the Lord, I will make him stand in salvation) [My uncle answered and said to me, Arise, my wife Jephti, and go to you] (Song of Songs 2:10). Rabbi Isaac said, "In the year that the King of the Messiah will appear, all the kings of the nations of the world will taunt one another. The king of Persia will taunt the king of Arabia. The king of Arabia will go to Edom to seek advice from them. The king of Persia will return and destroy the entire world. All the nations of the world will tremble and be terrified and fall on their faces. He will seize them with labor pains like the labor pains of a woman in labor. Israel will tremble and be terrified, saying, 'Where shall we go? Where shall we come?' And he will say to them, 'My sons, do not be afraid.' The time for your redemption has come. Not like the first redemption, so the last redemption. For the first redemption was for you sorrow and the bondage of (other) kingdoms.' But the last redemption is for you no sorrow and the bondage of (other) kingdoms.' Our sages taught that when the King of the Messiah will appear, he will stand on the roof of the Temple. He will make Israel hear and say to them, 'What shall we do?' Humble ones, the time of your redemption has come. If you do not believe, see (in its light) [in its light] that has shone upon you, as it is said, "Arise, my light, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has shone upon you, and upon you alone has it shone, and not upon the nations of the world, as it is said, "For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the nations; and upon you shall the Lord shine, and His glory shall be seen upon you." At that hour, the Holy One, blessed be He, will shine forth the light of the King of the Messiah and of Israel, and all the nations of the world will walk in darkness and gloom, and all will walk in the light of the Messiah and of Israel, as it is said, "And the nations shall walk along the kings to the star of your rising" (Isaiah 60:3). And they will come and shake the dust from under the feet of the King of the Messiah, as it is said, "And they shall tremble before him, and they shall shake the dust from his feet" (Isaiah 49:23). And they will all come and fall on their faces before the Messiah and before Israel, and say to them, "We will be your servants and Israel's servants, and each one of Israel will have two thousand and eight hundred servants," as it is said, "And it shall come to pass in that day that ten men will hold ten men." From all the languages of the nations, and they took hold of the wing of a Jew, saying, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you" (Zechariah 8:23).
Midrash Tehillim
I have known, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous, and that You afflicted me with faithfulness. So said David: all the judgments and afflictions that You brought upon me, and the sufferings that You inflicted upon me, You did so with righteousness. I did not cry out in protest at that time, but I knew, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous. Similarly, it is said of David in 2 Samuel 15:30: "And David went up by the ascent of the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went up." It is possible that he cried out in protest or lament, but he only said a psalm, as it is said in Psalm 3: "A psalm of David, when he fled from Absalom his son." Therefore it is said, "I have known, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous." David said to God, "You afflicted me, now comfort me. Just as You afflicted me, may Your mercy comfort me, as You have promised Your servant." What statement is this that Ethan the Ezrahite made, "And I am crushed before Him because of His foes?" Therefore it is said, "As You have said to Your servant, so may Your mercy come to me, that I may live." David brought upon himself the mercy that was present when You created the world, with mercy. As it is said, "Remember Your mercy, O Lord." Therefore it is said, "May Your mercy come upon me, and I will live."