R. Isaac expounded here the verse: He who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, that divided the water before him to make himself an everlasting name (Is. 63, 12). ‘In these words’, he said, ‘is a reference to the merit of Abraham, which was the “right hand” and the “glory” of Moses and divided the water before him, in order that he might “make himself an everlasting name”.’
Observe the difference between Moses and other men. When God said to Moses, “now therefore let me alone… and I will make of thee a great nation, etc.” (Ex. 32, 10), Moses said immediately, “Shall I abandon Israel for my own advantage? The world will say that I killed Israel and did to them as Noah did to his generation.’
For when God bade Noah save himself and his household in the ark from the universal destruction at the time of the Flood, he did not intercede on behalf of his generation, but let them perish. It is for this reason that the waters of the Flood are named after him, as it is written, “for this is as the waters of Noah unto me” (Is. 54, 9).
Moses thus said: “Everyone will think that I killed them because the Lord promised to make me a great nation. It is therefore better that I should die and that Israel should not be destroyed.” Immediately, therefore, he besought mercy for his people, and mercy was indeed vouchsafed to them.’
R. Isaac said further: ‘How come Moses to begin his intercession with the words, “Why, O Lord, doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people?” (Ex. 32, 11) How could Moses ask such a question, knowing as he did that they had worshipped a strange god, as we read “they have made them a molten calf and have worshipped it, etc.” (Ibid. 8)? In truth we are taught here that when endeavouring to appease a man who is angry with his neighbour for an offence committed against him, one should not magnify the offence, but, on the contrary, should seek to minimise it: whereas subsequently, when speaking to the offending person himself, one should emphasise the enormity of the offence, as Moses did when he said to Israel, “Ye have sinned a great sin” (Ibid. 30).
Moses went so far in his intercession as to offer his own life, as it is written, “and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written” (Ibid. 32), with the result that the Holy One, blessed be He, forgave them, as it is written, “and the Lord repented of the evil” (Ibid. 14). But Noah did not do so, but was intent on saving himself only, leaving the world to its fate.
Thus, whenever the world is called to strict account, the Holy One, blessed be He, says, “Alas that there is no one to be found like Moses, as it is written, ‘and his people remember… the days of Moses; where is he that brought us up out of the sea, etc.?’ ” (Is. 63, 11). Moses is called “he that brought them up out of the sea” because their deliverance at that time was due to his prayer, as we read, “and the Lord said to Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me?” (Ex. 14, 15).
So, too, the words which follow, “where is he that put his holy spirit in the midst of them?” refer to Moses who planted the Shekinah in the midst of Israel. So, too, the words, “Who led them through the deeps”, when the waters were cleft, and they went through the deeps on dry land. The whole achievement is ascribed to Moses because he risked his life for Israel.’
Said R. Judah: ‘Although Noah was a righteous man, he was not so pious that God should think fit to save the world for his sake. Observe that Moses pleaded not his own merit, but that of the ancient patriarchs. Noah, however, did not possess this resource.
Nevertheless, after God had said to him “and I will establish my covenant with thee”, he should have entreated mercy for his fellow men, and should then have offered up the sacrifice which he brought later, in order to appease God’s anger against the world.’
Said R. Judah: ‘What could he do? He was in fear for his own life, lest he should perish along with the wicked, whose iniquities and provocations he had observed for so long.’
R. Isaac said: ‘When the wicked spread, it is the righteous man in their midst who first suffers for their sins, as it is written, “and from my sanctuary ye should commence” (Ez. 9, 6), where the word mimiqdashi (my sanctuary) may be read-so tradition tells us-as mimqudashai (my saintly ones). How is it, then, that God saved Noah from the midst of the sinners? It was in order to people the world anew through him, as he was a righteous man, meet for this purpose;
and further, he daily warned the people, who, however, disregarded his warning, so that to him may be applied the words, “yet if thou warn the wicked… but thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezek. 3, 19). From this we learn that he who warns the wicked, even if his warning is disregarded, saves himself and is not involved in the punishment which befalls them. If it is asked, how long should one go on warning, the answer is, till he is peremptorily forbidden. This is the point fixed by the colleagues.’
When R. Jose was studying regularly with R. Simeon, he one day said to him: ‘What was the motive of the Almighty in extirpating all the animals of the field and the birds of the air along with the wicked among men? If men sinned, what wrong had the animals and birds and other creatures committed? ‘R. Simeon answered: ‘The reason is given in the words, “For all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.” This indicates that the whole of the animal world had become corrupted and had confounded their species.
Observe that it was the wicked among mankind who brought about the unnatural intercourse in the animal world, and who sought thereby to undo the work of creation: they made the rest of creation pervert their ways in imitation of themselves. Said God to them: “You seek to undo the work of my hands; your wish shall be fully granted, for every living thing that I have made will I blot out from the face of the earth. I will reduce the world to water, to its primitive state, and then I will form other creatures more worthy to endure.” ‘
רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (ישעיהו ס״ג:י״ב) מוֹלִיךְ לִימִין משֶׁה זְרוֹעַ תִּפְאַרְתּוֹ בּוֹקֵעַ מַיִם מִפְּנֵיהֶם לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ שֵׁם עוֹלָם. (נ"א זרוע תפארתו) דָּא זְכוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם דְּאִיהוּ יָמִינָא מִמּשֶׁה. תִּפְאֶרֶת דְּמשֶׁה. וּבְגִין כָּךְ בּוֹקֵעַ מַיִם מִפְּנֵיהֶם. דְּהָא זְכוּתָא דְאַבְרָהָם בּוֹקֵעַ מַיִם אִיהוּ. וְכָל דָּא לָמָה לַעֲשׂוֹת לוֹ שֵׁם עוֹלָם.
R. Isaac expounded here the verse: He who caused his glorious arm to go at the right hand of Moses, that divided the water before him to make himself an everlasting name (Is. 63, 12). ‘In these words’, he said, ‘is a reference to the merit of Abraham, which was the “right hand” and the “glory” of Moses and divided the water before him, in order that he might “make himself an everlasting name”.’
תָּא חֲזֵי, מַה בֵּין משֶׁה לִשְׁאָר בְּנֵי עָלְמָא. בְּשַׁעֲתָא דְאֲמַר לָהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה (שמות ל״ב:י׳) וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִי וְגו'. וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל וְגו'. מִיָּד אָמַר משֶׁה וְכִי אֶשְׁבּוֹק דִּינְהוֹן דְּיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּגִינִי. הַשְׁתָּא יֵימְרוּן כָּל אִנּוּן בְּנֵי עָלְמָא דְּאֲנָא קַטְלִית לוֹן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. כְּמָה דְּעֲבַד נֹחַ.
Observe the difference between Moses and other men. When God said to Moses, “now therefore let me alone… and I will make of thee a great nation, etc.” (Ex. 32, 10), Moses said immediately, “Shall I abandon Israel for my own advantage? The world will say that I killed Israel and did to them as Noah did to his generation.’
דְּכֵיוָן דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא דִּישֵׁזִיב לֵיהּ בְּתֵיבוּתָא (כמה דאתמר) דִּכְתִיב וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵבִיא אֶת הַמַּבּוּל מַיִם וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וּמָחִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה וַאֲנִי הִנְנִי מֵקִים אֶת בְּרִיתִי וְגו' וּבָאתָ אֶל הַתֵּבָה כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ דְּיִשְׁתְּזִיב הוּא וּבְנוֹי לָא בָּעָא רַחֲמִין עַל עָלְמָא וְאִתְאֲבִידוּ. וּבְגִין כָּךְ אִקְרוּן מֵי הַמַּבּוּל עַל שְׁמֵיהּ כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר, (ישעיהו נ״ד:ט׳) כִּי מֵי נֹחַ זֹאת לי אשׁר נשׁבָּעַתִּי מעָבוֹר מֵי נֹחַ.
For when God bade Noah save himself and his household in the ark from the universal destruction at the time of the Flood, he did not intercede on behalf of his generation, but let them perish. It is for this reason that the waters of the Flood are named after him, as it is written, “for this is as the waters of Noah unto me” (Is. 54, 9).
אָמַר משֶׁה הַשְׁתָּא יֵימְרוּן בְּנִי עָלְמָא דְּאֲנָא קְטִילַת לוֹן בְּגִין דְּאָמַר לִי וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל. הַשְׁתָּא טַב לִי דְּאֵימוּת וְלָא יִשְׁתֵּצוּן יִשְׂרָאֵל. מִיָּד וַיְחַל משֶׁה אֶת פְּנֵי יְיָ אֱלֹהָיו. בָּעָא רַחֲמִין עֲלַיְיהוּ וְאִתְעַר רַחֲמֵי עַל עָלְמָא.
Moses thus said: “Everyone will think that I killed them because the Lord promised to make me a great nation. It is therefore better that I should die and that Israel should not be destroyed.” Immediately, therefore, he besought mercy for his people, and mercy was indeed vouchsafed to them.’
וְאָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק שֵׁירוּתָא דְּבָעָא רַחֲמֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ מַאי קָאֲמַר. לָמָּה יְיָ יֶחרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ. וְכִי מִלָּה דָא אֵיךְ אָמַר לֵיהּ משֶׁה לָמָּה. וְהָא עֲבָדוּ כּוֹכָבִים וּמַזָּלוֹת כְּמָא דְאַתְּ אָמֵר עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֵגֶל מַסֵּכֶה וַיִּשְׁתַּחֲווּ לוֹ וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלֶּה וְגו'. וּמשֶׁה אָמַר לָמָּה. אֶלָּא הָכִי אוֹלִיפְנָא מַאן דִּמְרַצֶּה לְאָחֳרָא לָא בָּעֵי לְמֶעְבַּד הַהוּא חוֹבָא (דאיהו) רַב, אֶלָּא יַזְעִיר לֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ. וּלְבָתַר יַסְגֵּי לֵיהּ קַמֵּיהּ אָחֳרָא (ד"א ל"ג חייבא) דִּכְתִיב אַתֶּם חֲטָאתֶם חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה.
R. Isaac said further: ‘How come Moses to begin his intercession with the words, “Why, O Lord, doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people?” (Ex. 32, 11) How could Moses ask such a question, knowing as he did that they had worshipped a strange god, as we read “they have made them a molten calf and have worshipped it, etc.” (Ibid. 8)? In truth we are taught here that when endeavouring to appease a man who is angry with his neighbour for an offence committed against him, one should not magnify the offence, but, on the contrary, should seek to minimise it: whereas subsequently, when speaking to the offending person himself, one should emphasise the enormity of the offence, as Moses did when he said to Israel, “Ye have sinned a great sin” (Ibid. 30).
וְלָא שָׁבִיק לֵיהּ לְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא עַד דְּמָסַר גַּרְמֵיהּ לְמוֹתָא דִּכְתִיב וְעַתָּה אִם תִּשָּׂא חֲטָאתָם וְאִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ. וְקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא מָחִיל לוֹן דִּכְתִיב וַיִּנָּחֶם יְיָ עַל הָרָעָה וְגו'. וְנֹחַ לָא עֲבַד כֵּן אֶלָּא בָּעָא לְאִשְׁתְּזָבָא וְשָׁבִיק כָּל עָלְמָא.
Moses went so far in his intercession as to offer his own life, as it is written, “and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written” (Ibid. 32), with the result that the Holy One, blessed be He, forgave them, as it is written, “and the Lord repented of the evil” (Ibid. 14). But Noah did not do so, but was intent on saving himself only, leaving the world to its fate.
וּבְכָל זִמְנָא דְדִינָא שַׁרְיָא עַל עָלְמָא, רוּחַ קוּדְשָׁא אָמַר וַוי דְּלָא אִשְׁתְּכַח כְּמשֶׁה דִּכְתִיב (ישעיהו ס״ג:י״א) וַיִּזְכּוֹר (ימי עולם משה עמו) (וגו) אַיֵּה הַמַּעֲלֵם מִיָּם וְגו'. דִּכְתִיב (שמות י״ד:ט״ו) וַיֹּאמֶר יְיָ אֶל משֶׁה מַה תִּצְעַק אֵלָי. דְּהָא אִיהוּ בִּצְלוֹתָא סָלִיק לוֹן מִן יַמָּא. וּבְגִין דְּשַׁוֵּי גַּרְמֵיהּ בִּצְלוֹתָא עֲלַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּיַמָּא. אִיקְרֵי (על שמיה) הַמַּעֲלֵם מִיָּם. דְּאִיהוּ אַסִּיק לוֹן מִן יַמָּא.
Thus, whenever the world is called to strict account, the Holy One, blessed be He, says, “Alas that there is no one to be found like Moses, as it is written, ‘and his people remember… the days of Moses; where is he that brought us up out of the sea, etc.?’ ” (Is. 63, 11). Moses is called “he that brought them up out of the sea” because their deliverance at that time was due to his prayer, as we read, “and the Lord said to Moses, Wherefore criest thou unto me?” (Ex. 14, 15).
אַיֵּה הַשָּׂם בְּקִרְבּוֹ אֶת רוּחַ קָדְשׁוֹ דָּא אִיהוּ משֶׁה דְּאַשְׁרֵי שְׁכִינְתָּא בֵּינַיְיהוּ דְיִשְׂרָאֵל. מוֹלִיכָם בַּתְּהֹמוֹת כַּד אִתְבָּקְעוּ מַיָא וְאֲזְלוּ בְּגוֹ תְּהוֹמֵי בְּיַבֶּשְׁתָּא דִּגְלִידוּ מַיָא (וכלא אתמר על משה). (נ"א ועל דא אקרי משה עמו) בְּגִין דְּאַמְסַר גַּרְמֵיהּ עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל.
So, too, the words which follow, “where is he that put his holy spirit in the midst of them?” refer to Moses who planted the Shekinah in the midst of Israel. So, too, the words, “Who led them through the deeps”, when the waters were cleft, and they went through the deeps on dry land. The whole achievement is ascribed to Moses because he risked his life for Israel.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אַף עַל גַּב דְּזַכָּאָה הֲוָה נֹחַ לָאו אִיהוּ כְּדַאי (בגין) דְּקוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא יָגִין עַל עָלְמָא בְּגִינֵיהּ. תָּא חֲזֵי, משֶׁה לָא תָּלָה מִלָּה בִּזְכוּתֵיהּ אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת אֲבָהָן קַדְמָאֵי. אֲבָל נֹחַ לָא הֲוָה לֵיהּ בְּמַאן דְּיִתְלֵי בִּזְכוּתָא כְּמשֶׁה.
Said R. Judah: ‘Although Noah was a righteous man, he was not so pious that God should think fit to save the world for his sake. Observe that Moses pleaded not his own merit, but that of the ancient patriarchs. Noah, however, did not possess this resource.
אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק וְעִם כָּל דָּא כֵּיוָן דְּאָמַר לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וַהֲקִמֹתִי אֶת בְּרִיתִי אִתָּךְ הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמִבְעֵי רַחֲמֵי עֲלַיְיהוּ. וְקָרְבָּנָא דְּאַקְרִיב לְבָתַר, דְּיַקְרִיב לֵיהּ מִן קַדְמַת דְּנָא דִּלְמָא יִשָּׁכֵךְ רוּגְזָא מֵעָלְמָא.
Nevertheless, after God had said to him “and I will establish my covenant with thee”, he should have entreated mercy for his fellow men, and should then have offered up the sacrifice which he brought later, in order to appease God’s anger against the world.’
אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה מַאי הֲוָה לֵיהּ לְמֶעְבַּד דְּהָא חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא הֲווּ מַרְגִּיזִין קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא וְאִיהוּ יַקְרִיב קָרְבָּנָא. אֶלָּא וַדַּאי נֹחַ דָּחִיל עַל גַּרְמֵיהּ הֲוָה, בְּגִין דְּלָא יֶעֱרַע בֵּיהּ מוֹתָא בְּגוֹ חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא דְּהֲוָה חָמֵי עוֹבָדֵיהוֹן בִּישָׁא כָּל יוֹמָא, וְהֵיךְ מַרְגְזָן קַמֵּי קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא כָּל יוֹמָא.
Said R. Judah: ‘What could he do? He was in fear for his own life, lest he should perish along with the wicked, whose iniquities and provocations he had observed for so long.’
רַבִּי (אלעזר פתח) יִצְחָק אָמַר כָּל זִמְנָא דְּחַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא אַסְגִּיאוּ, זַכָּאָה דְּאִשְׁתְּכַח בֵּינַיְיהוּ הוּא אִתְפַּס בְּקַדְמִיתָא. דִּכְתִיב, (יחזקאל ט׳:ו׳) וּמִמִּקְדָּשִׁי תָּחֵלּוּ. וְתָנִינָן אַל תִּקְרֵי מִמִּקְדָּשִׁי אֶלָּא מִמְּקוּדָשִׁי. וְנֹחַ הֵיךְ שֵׁזִיב לֵיהּ קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא בֵּין כָּל אִנּוּן חַיָּיבַיָא. אֶלָּא בְּגִין דְּיִפְקוּן מִנֵּיהּ תּוֹלָדִין בְּעָלְמָא דְּהֲוָה צַדִּיק כְּדְקָא יְאוּת.
R. Isaac said: ‘When the wicked spread, it is the righteous man in their midst who first suffers for their sins, as it is written, “and from my sanctuary ye should commence” (Ez. 9, 6), where the word mimiqdashi (my sanctuary) may be read-so tradition tells us-as mimqudashai (my saintly ones). How is it, then, that God saved Noah from the midst of the sinners? It was in order to people the world anew through him, as he was a righteous man, meet for this purpose;
וְתוּ דְּאִיהוּ אַתְרֵי בְּהוּ כָּל יוֹמָא וְיוֹמָא וְלָא קַבִּילוּ מִנֵּיהּ, וְקִיֵּים בְּנַפְשֵׁיהּ קְרָא דִּכְתִיב, (יחזקאל ג׳:י״ט) וְאַתָּה כִּי הִזְהַרְתָּ רָשָׁע וְגו'. וּכְתִיב וְאַתָּה אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ הִצַּלְתָּ. מִכָּאן כָּל מַאן דְּאַזְהַר לְחַיָּיבָא אַף עַל גַּב דְּלָא קַבִּיל מִנֵּיהּ הוּא שֵׁזִיב לֵיהּ לְגַרְמֵיהּ וְהַהוּא חַיָּיבָא אִתְפַּס בְּחוֹבֵיהּ. וְעַד כַּמָּה יַזְהַר לֵיהּ עַד דְּיִמְחֵי לֵיהּ הָא אוּקְמוּהָ חַבְרַיָא.
and further, he daily warned the people, who, however, disregarded his warning, so that to him may be applied the words, “yet if thou warn the wicked… but thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezek. 3, 19). From this we learn that he who warns the wicked, even if his warning is disregarded, saves himself and is not involved in the punishment which befalls them. If it is asked, how long should one go on warning, the answer is, till he is peremptorily forbidden. This is the point fixed by the colleagues.’
רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הֲוָה שְׁכִיחַ קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן יוֹמָא חַד, אָמַר לֵיהּ מַאי חָמָא קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא לְשֵׁיצָאָה כָּל חֵיוַת בְּרָא וְעוֹף שְׁמַיָא עִמְּהוֹן דְּחַיָיבַיָא. אִי בְּנֵי נָשָׁא חָטָאן בְּעִירֵי וְעוֹפֵי שְׁמַיָא וּשְׁאָר בְּרִיָין מַה חָטוּ. אָמַר לֵיהּ בְּגִין דִּכְתִיב כִּי הִשְׁחִית כָּל בָּשָׂר אֶת דַּרְכּוֹ עַל הָאָרֶץ. כֻּלְהוּ הֲווּ מְחַבְּלֵי אָרְחַיְיהוּ. שַׁבְקֵי זִינַיְהוּ וְדָבְקוּ בְּזִינָא אָחֳרָא.
When R. Jose was studying regularly with R. Simeon, he one day said to him: ‘What was the motive of the Almighty in extirpating all the animals of the field and the birds of the air along with the wicked among men? If men sinned, what wrong had the animals and birds and other creatures committed? ‘R. Simeon answered: ‘The reason is given in the words, “For all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.” This indicates that the whole of the animal world had become corrupted and had confounded their species.
תָּא חֲזֵי, אִנּוּן חַיָּיבֵי עָלְמָא גָּרְמוּ הָכִי לְכָל בִּרְיָין. וּבָעוֹן (לאשכחא) לְאַכְּחָשָׁא עוֹבָדָא דִבְרֵאשִׁית. וְאִנּוּן גָּרְמוּ לְכָל בִּרְיָין לְחַבְּלָא אָרְחַיְיהוּ כְּמָה דְאִנּוּן מְחַבְּלָן. אָמַר קוּדְשָׁא בְּרִיךְ הוּא אַתּוּן בְּעִיתוּ (לאשכחא) לְאַכְּחָשָׁא עוֹבָדֵי יְדַי, אֲנָא אַשְׁלִים רְעוּתָא דִּלְכוֹן וּמָחִיתִי אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם אֲשֶׁר עָשִׂיתִי מֵעַל פְּנִי הָאֲדָמָה. אַהֲדַר עָלְמָא לְמַיִין כְּמָה דְּהֲוָה בְּקַדְמִיתָא מַיִין בְּמַיִין וְהָא אִתְּמָר. מִכָּאן וּלְהָלְאָה אַעֲבִיד בִּרְיָין אָחֳרָנִין בְּעָלְמָא כְּדְקָא יְאוּת:
Observe that it was the wicked among mankind who brought about the unnatural intercourse in the animal world, and who sought thereby to undo the work of creation: they made the rest of creation pervert their ways in imitation of themselves. Said God to them: “You seek to undo the work of my hands; your wish shall be fully granted, for every living thing that I have made will I blot out from the face of the earth. I will reduce the world to water, to its primitive state, and then I will form other creatures more worthy to endure.” ‘