“It was on the eighth day; Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel” (Leviticus 9:1). “It was on the eighth day.” Rav Ahava bar Kahana began: “Wisdom has built her house, [has hewed her seven pillars]; She has prepared her meat, [mixed her wine, also set her table]. She has sent her young women; [she will call upon the heights of the city]: Whoever is a simpleton, [let him turn from here; he who lacks heart, she speaks to him]” (Proverbs 9:1–4). Rabbi Yirmeya bar Ilai interpreted the verse regarding the creation of the world. “Wisdom has built her house,” this is the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). “Has hewed her seven pillars,” these are the seven days of Creation, as it is stated: “For in six days [the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in it, and He rested on the seventh day]” (Exodus 20:11), “God blessed the seventh day” (Genesis 2:3). “She has prepared her meat” – “God said: Let the earth produce [living creatures]” (Genesis 1:24). “Mixed her wine” – “God said: Let the water…be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). “Also set her table” – “God said: Let the earth sprout grass, vegetation-yielding seed” (Genesis 1:11). “She has sent her young women; she will call” – this is Adam and Eve. “Upon the heights of the city,” as the Holy One blessed be He elevated them and called them godlike. That is what is written: “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). After all this praise, “whoever is a simpleton, let him turn from here,”– they forsook the will of the Holy One blessed be He and followed the will of the serpent. That is why: “He who lacks heart, she speaks to him” – “you are dust and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
Rabbi Yona, in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Yirmeya, interpreted the verse regarding Gog in the future. “Wisdom has built her house” – this is the Temple. That is what is written: “With wisdom a house is built” (Proverbs 24:3). “Has hewed her seven pillars” – these are the seven years of Gog, as Rabbi Yona said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: All those seven years they will kindle fires with the handles of swords, the handles of spears, and the handles of knives.1In the seven years following the downfall of Gog, those in the Land of Israel will kindle their fires with the handles of the abandoned weapons of Gog’s army. They will not chop firewood because all the trees will bear fruit and it is prohibited to chop down fruit trees (Maharzu). That is what is written: “The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will go out and kindle and burn with weapons, and buckler and shield, with bow and with arrows, with a club and with a spear, and they will kindle fires with them for seven years” (Ezekiel 39:9). Those seven years will be a precursor for the righteous in the future. Your symbol is: One who eats in the pre-wedding feast will eat in the wedding feast.2This was a common saying, inserted here as a mnemonic device for remembering the midrash’s point . “She has prepared her meat” – “the flesh of the mighty you will eat” (Ezekiel 39:18). “Mixed her wine” – “the blood of the princes of the earth you will drink” (Ezekiel 39:18). “Also set her table” – “You will be satiated at My table with horses and chariots” (Ezekiel 39:20). “She has sent her young women; she will call,” this is Ezekiel, as it is stated: “So said the Lord God: Say to every winged bird and all the beasts of the field: [Gather and come, assemble yourselves from all around to My feast that I am preparing for you, a great feast upon the mountains of Israel, and you will eat flesh and drink blood]” (Ezekiel 39:17).
Bar Kappara interpreted the verse regarding the Torah. “Wisdom has built her house” – this is the Torah, as it is written: “For the Lord grants wisdom” (Proverbs 2:6), [and] “The Lord made me at the beginning of His way” (Proverbs 8:22). “Has hewed her seven pillars,” these are the seven books of the Torah. But are they not five? Bar Kappara renders from the beginning of: “And He spoke” (Numbers 1:1) until: “it was when the Ark traveled” (Numbers 10:35),3That is, from the beginning of Numbers through Numbers 10:34 is considered its own unit, referred to here as a separate book. one; from “it was” (Numbers 10:35) until “when it rested” (Numbers 10:36) another; and [from the following verse] until its end, another.4Thus, he divides the book of Numbers into three separate books. That is seven.5With Numbers counting as the three books, the five books of the Torah become seven. “She has prepared her meat” – these are the punishments. “Mixed her wine” – these are the a fortiori inferences and the verbal analogies. “Also set [arkha] her table,” these are the valuations [arakhin]. “She has sent her young women; she will call,” this is Israel. “Upon the heights of the city,” as the Holy One blessed be He elevated them and called them godlike. That is what is written: “I had said: You are godlike…” (Psalms 82:6). After all this praise, “whoever is a simpleton let him turn from here” – they forsook the will of the Holy One blessed be He, and said to the calf: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4).. That is why: “He who lacks heart, she speaks to him” – “indeed, as men you will die” (Psalms 82:7).6Because of their sin, although God had originally said “you are godlike” (Psalms 82:6), in fact, “indeed, as men you will die” (Psalms 82:7).
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana interpreted the verse regarding the Tent of Meeting. “Wisdom has built her house” – this is Betzalel: “I filled him with the spirit of God [with wisdom]…” (Exodus 31:3). “Has hewed her seven pillars” – these are the seven days of the investiture. That is what is written: “For seven days He shall invest you” (Leviticus 8:33). “She has prepared her meat” – these are the offerings. “Mixed her wine” – these are the libations. “Also set her table” – this is the arrangement of the showbread. “She has sent her young women; she will call” – this is Moses. That is what is written: “It was on the eighth day; Moses summoned Aaron and his sons…” (Leviticus 9:1).
That which the verse said: “With the pious, act piously, with a wholehearted man, act wholeheartedly, with the pure, act purely, and with the crooked, act deviously” (Psalms 18:26–27). Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda interpreted the verse regarding Abraham our patriarch. Because he came with piety, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him with piety. When he came uprightly, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him uprightly. When he came indirectly, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him indirectly. When he came to clarify his affairs, the Holy One blessed be He clarified his affairs. When did he come with piety? It was when he said: “Please do not pass from upon Your servant” (Genesis 18:3).7Abraham interrupted his communion with God in order to welcome guests, which was beyond the call of duty. What is written there? “Abraham was still standing before the Lord” (Genesis 18:22). Rabbi Simon said: A scribal emendation; the Divine Presence was awaiting him.8The verse should have stated that the Lord was still standing before Abraham, in that the Divine Presence waited for Abraham to return. However, the verse is phrased as it is in order to preserve the honor of God, as a scribe might emend a text for such purposes (Etz Yosef). When did he come wholeheartedly? It was when he said: “Perhaps the fifty righteous people will lack five” (Genesis 18:28). What is written? “He said: I will not destroy if I find there forty-five” (Genesis 18:28). When did he come indirectly? “I go childless” (Genesis 15:2). What is written there? “This one will not inherit you; [rather, one who shall emerge from your loins, he shall inherit you]” (Genesis 15:4). When did he come to clarify his affairs? It was when he said: “How will I know that I will inherit it?” (Genesis 15:8). What is written there? “Know that your descendants will be strangers [in a land that is not theirs, and they shall be enslaved to them; and they shall oppress them for four hundred years]” (Genesis 15:13). Rabbi Neḥemya interpreted the verse regarding Moses. When he came with piety, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him with piety. When he came uprightly, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him uprightly. When he came indirectly, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him indirectly. When he came to clarify his affairs, the Holy One blessed be He clarified his affairs. When did he come with piety? It was when he said: “Show me, please, Your glory” (Exodus 33:18). What is written there? “He said: “I will pass My goodness before you” (Exodus 33:19). When did he come uprightly? It was when he said: “Why will the bush not burn?” (Exodus 3:3). He said to him: ‘It is because My glory is present within it.’ When did he come indirectly? It was when he said: “They will say to me: What is His name; what shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13). What did He say to him? ‘This is My provisional name: “I will be what I will be”’ (Exodus 3:14). When did he come to clarify his affairs? It was when He said to him: “Now go and I will send you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10), he said to him: “Please…send by means of whom You will send” (Exodus 4:13), [and:] “Since I came to Pharaoh [to speak in Your name he has harmed this people and You have not saved Your people]” (Exodus 5:23). What is written there? “Now you will see [what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a powerful hand he will send them forth and with a powerful hand he will drive them from his land]” (Exodus 6:1).
Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa: All forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, Moses did not refrain from serving in the High Priesthood. That is what is written: “Moses and Aaron among His priests” (Psalms 99:6). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Simon cites it from this verse: “The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn offerings before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His name forever. Moses, the man of God, his sons will be reckoned among the tribe of Levi” (I Chronicles 23:13–14).9The implication is that Moses’ descendants will be considered Levites rather than priests, but Moses himself was a priest. Rabbi Elazar bar Yosei said: It is clear to us that Moses served all seven days of investiture in a white robe. Rabbi Tanḥum taught in the name of Rabbi Yudan: All seven days of investiture Moses served in the High Priesthood, but the Divine Presence did not rest through him. That is what is written: “All the people saw it and they sang out in praise and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:24).10This verse is stated in the aftermath of the service performed on the eighth day. It was only on the eighth day, when Aaron performed the sacrificial service, that the Divine Presence rested on the Tabernacle. Rav Shmuel bar Naḥman said: All seven days at the [burning] bush, the Holy One blessed be He was cajoling Moses to go on His mission to Egypt. That is what is written: “Neither yesterday, nor the day before, nor since You have spoken to Your servant” (Exodus 4:10). Those are six.11The verse explicitly refers to yesterday and the day before, which taken together with the day on which this was said, equal three. Additionally, the word also [gam] appears three times, which is understood to refer to an additional three days. On the seventh, he said to Him: “Please…send by means of whom You will send” (Exodus 4:13). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You say: “Please…send by means of whom You will send,” as you live, I will tie this for you to your hems.’12There will be negative consequences because you made this statement. When did He exact retribution from him? Rabbi Berekhya said: Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Ḥelbo [explained this point]. Rabbi Levi said: All seven days of Adar,13The first seven days of Adar in the fortieth year following the exodus from Egypt. These were the last seven days of Moses’ life. Moses was requesting with prayer and supplications that he enter the Land of Israel. On the seventh, He said to him: “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27). Rabbi Ḥelbo said: All seven days of investiture, he served in the High Priesthood, and he was under the impression that it was his. On the seventh, He said to him: ‘It is not yours, but rather, it is your brother Aaron’s.’ That is what is written: “It was on the eighth day” (Leviticus 9:1).
Rabbi Tanḥuma and Rabbi Ḥiyya say, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i: This midrash came up from the Diaspora in our possession. Wherever it is stated, “it was in the days,” it is nothing other than trouble. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says: They are five. “It was in the days of Amrafel” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war, etc.” (Genesis 14:2). This is analogous to the friend of a king who entered a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. Barbarians came and confronted him. When they came and confronted him, everyone said: ‘Woe unto us, for the king will not attend to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “[All the families of the earth] shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:3). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the entire world. The Chaldeans came and confronted him. [People] said: ‘Woe unto us that the Holy One blessed be He will not attend to His world the way that He once did.’ That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: They sought to confront only the eyeball [galgal eino] of the world.14Abraham was as precious to the world as the eyeball is to a person. They sought to blind the eye [ayin] that confronted the attribute of justice in the world.15The name Ein Mishpat is interpreted as a reference to eye [ayin] and justice [mishpat]. “Which [hi] is Kadesh,” Rabbi Aḥa says: Hu16The word “which” is pronounced hi, but written hey-vav-aleph, such that it can be read hu, which literally means “he.” is written, [indicating that] it was he who sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One blessed be He, and descended into the fiery furnace. When the kings came to confront him, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai]; “it was [vayhi] in the days of Amrafel the king of [Shinar].” “It was during the days of Aḥaz” (Isaiah 7:1). What trouble was there? “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west; [they devour Israel with an open mouth]” (Isaiah 9:11). This is analogous to a king who entrusted his son to a steward, but the steward hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will become liable to be executed by the king. Rather, I will withhold his wet nurse from him and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats, there is no flock, and if there is no flock, there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, there is no world. So said Aḥaz: If there are no children, there are no students,17If there are no children at the beginning stages of their studies there will be no students at the intermediate level. and if there are no students, there are no scholars, if there are no scholars, there is no Torah, if there is no Torah, there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One blessed be He will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16). Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was his name called Aḥaz? Because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: You may derive it from this [verse]: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim as this time, in whose regard it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day” (Deuteronomy 31:18). From that moment “I sought Him” (Isaiah 8:17), as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord gave me [are to become signs and wonders in Israel]” (Isaiah 8:18).18This is stated by the prophet Isaiah. Despite the attempts of Aḥaz, Torah would not be forgotten from Israel. But were they his children? Were they not merely his students? Rather, it is derived from here that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.” “It was during the days of Yehoyakim son of Josiah” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder, [and the heavens, and their light is not]” (Jeremiah 4:23). This is analogous to letters of a king that entered a province. In each and every province that his letters would reach, the residents of the province would stand on their feet, bare their heads, and read them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. But when they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, when Yehudi read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23). When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). When they saw this, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.” “It was during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). This is analogous to a king who had a vineyard and three enemies confronted him. The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written:“Every son who is born [you shall cast him into the Nile]” (Exodus 1:22). Nebuchadnezzar began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “And the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:16).19This is a reference to the social elites, who were exiled in the exile of Yehoyakhin, eleven years before the destruction of the Temple. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda and the Rabbi, Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda says: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths, and the Rabbis say: Both together were one thousand. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon says: These are Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak says: These are the benefactors. The Rabbis say: These are the counselors. The wicked Haman began uprooting the vines. That is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel. He sought to purchase every foundation.20A literal translation of the Hebrew is: “He sought to purchase every egg,” meaning to control and extinguish all future potential before it could be developed. When everyone saw that Aḥashverosh was selling and Haman purchasing, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.” “It was during the days when the judges judged” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). This is analogous to a province that owed a tribute to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did residents of the province do? They arose and hung him and appropriated it from him. They [then] said: ‘Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters, that we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us.’ So too, when one of the people of Israel would do something improper, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You demean your judges; as you live, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to withstand.’ What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). Shimon bar Rav Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: Wherever [the term] vayhi is stated, it refers to trouble or joy; if trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if joy, unparalleled joy. Rabbi Yishmael came and suggested a different distinction: Wherever vayhi is stated there is no joy; wherever vehaya is stated, there is no trouble. They raised an objection: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light” (Genesis 1:3). He said to them: That too, is not joy, as the world was not privileged to utilize that light, as Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: With the light that the Holy One blessed be He created on the first day a person could observe and see from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One blessed be He saw that the actions of the generation of Enosh and the actions of the generation of the Flood were corrupt, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “The light is withheld from the wicked” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11). They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] evening [and it was morning, one day]” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to come to an end. That is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth [will be tattered like a garment]” (Isaiah 51:6). They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day” (Genesis 1:8), [and] third, fourth, fifth, the sixth.21The same phrasing is used in the descriptions of the creation of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth days. See Genesis 1:13, 19, 23, 31. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation require completion; wheat requires grinding, mustard requires sweetening, and lupines require sweetening. They raised an objection: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph and he was a successful man” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, for as a result, that wicked woman confronted him. They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day [Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel]” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, was not joy, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died. They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses concluded [erecting the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, was not joy, as on the day of the Temple’s construction, it was sequestered.22The Tabernacle was not permanent, and was hidden when the Temple was completed. They raised an objection: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as Ya’ir, who was equivalent [in stature] to the majority of the Sanhedrin, was killed. That is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, approximately thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather approximately, or like, thirty-six; that is Ya’ir ben Menashe, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin. They raised an objection: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it is written there: “Saul was hostile to David” (I Samuel 18:9). They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him respite” (II Samuel 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who will build [Me] a house” (I Chronicles 17:4). They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours.23We have stated our objections; now you state the proofs to your position. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep alive a calf of the herd [and two sheep]” (Isaiah 7:21). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge [from Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 14:8). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water” (Psalms 1:3). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, [in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the flocks of sheep]” (Micah 5:7). They raised an objection to him: “It was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: That, too, is not trouble, as on that day, Israel received retribution for its sins, as Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Naḥman said: Israel received great retribution on the day that the Temple was destroyed.24Israel was punished for its sins through the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Were it not for that, the entire populace would have been killed as a result of their sins (Etz Yosef). That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion, and He will not continue to exile you” (Lamentations 4:22).
“And the elders of Israel”(Leviticus 9:1). Rabbi Akiva said: Israel is likened to a bird. Just as a bird cannot fly without wings, so too, Israel is unable to do anything without its elders. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: Great is Torah scholarship [zikna],25The term zikna, literally old age, is often interpreted by the Sages to refer to Torah scholarship (see, e.g., Kiddushin 32b). for if they are elders, they are cherished, and if they are young men, their childishness is secondary for them,26Their childishness is not their most blatant characteristic. as Rabbi Shimon ban Yoḥai taught: Not in one place and not in two places have we found that the Holy One blessed be He accords honor to the elders, but rather in several places. At the bush, “go and gather the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:16). In Egypt, “and you shall go, you and the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:18). At Sinai, “ascend to the Lord; you, Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel” (Exodus 24:1). In the wilderness, “gather for me seventy men [of the elders of Israel]” (Numbers 11:16). At the Tent of Meeting, “and the elders of Israel” (Numbers 11:16). In the future as well, the Holy One blessed be He will accord honor to the elders. That is what is written: “The moon will be disgraced and the sun will be ashamed, [for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem]” (Isaiah 24:23), and it is written: “and before His elders, glory” (Isaiah 24:23). Rabbi Yishmael bar Beivai, Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Reuven said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to appoint an academy of elders of His own: That is what is written: “For the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders, glory” (Isaiah 24:23). “Before elders” is not written here, but rather, “before His elders, glory.” Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yehoshua: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to sit as on a threshing floor, and the righteous will sit before Him, like this: “The king of Israel and Yehoshafat king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, dressed in garb, on the threshing floor [at the entrance of the gate of Samaria]” (I Kings 22:10). Were they sitting on a threshing floor? Rather, it is like what we learned: The Sanhedrin was arranged like half of a circular threshing floor, so that they would see each other.27Mishna Sanhedrin 4:3. Solomon said: I saw Him constricting Himself in their midst. That is what is written: “Her husband is renowned at the gates, as he sits with the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:23).28The entire chapter is an allegory of the relationship between a husband – God, and his wife – the congregation of Israel.
Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, Ulla Bira’a, and Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to be at the head of a dance circle [ḥola] for the righteous in the future. That is what is written: “Pay attention to its ramparts [leḥeila]” (Psalms 48:14); leḥola is written.29The word leḥeila, its ramparts, should grammatically have been written with a dot in the heh, indicating the possessive form. The fact that it is written without the dot makes the heh appear to be part of the word itself rather than a suffix. If so, the word would be similar to ḥola, a dance circle (Rabbi David Luria). They ascend to Him be’almut, and they point to Him, as it were, with a finger, and say: “For this is God, our God, forever and ever, [He will guide us beyond death [al mut]]” (Psalms 48:15); be’almut [means] with alacrity. Almut, like those young women [ulemta], as it is written: “Amid the young women [alamot] playing timbrels” (Psalms 68:26). Aquilas translated: Immortality, a world in which there is no death.30Aquilas translated the Bible into Greek. He translated al with an ayin as though it was al written with an alef; al mut: no death. Al mut, in two worlds [olamot]; He will guide us in this world and He will guide us in the World to Come.
וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי (ויקרא ט, א), רַב אַהֲבָה בַּר כַּהֲנָא פָּתַח (משלי ט, א ד): חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ, טָבְחָה טִבְחָהּ וגו' שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ וגו' מִי פֶתִי וגו', רַבִּי יִרְמְיָה בַּר אִלְעָאי פָּתַר קְרָא בִּבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא דִּכְתִיב בֵּיהּ (משלי ג, יט): ה' בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ. (משלי ט, א): חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה, אֵלּוּ שִׁבְעָה יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, יא): כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים וגו' (בראשית ב, ג): וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי. טָבְחָה טִבְחָה, (בראשית א, כד): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תּוֹצֵא הָאָרֶץ. מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ, (בראשית ב, ט): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם. אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ, (בראשית ב, יא): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים תַּדְּשֵׁא הָאָרֶץ דֶּשֶׁא עֵשֶׂב מַזְרִיעַ זֶרַע. שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא, זֶה אָדָם וְחַוָּה. (משלי ט, ג): עַל גַּפֵּי מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת, שֶׁהֱסִיטָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְקָרָא אוֹתָן אֱלָהוּת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ג, ה): וִהְיִיתֶם כֵּאלֹהִים, אַחַר כָּל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה מִי פֶּתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה, הֵן הִנִּיחוּ דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהָלְכוּ אַחַר דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל נָחָשׁ, בִּשְׁבִיל כָּךְ (משלי ט, ד): חֲסַר לֵב אָמְרָה לוֹ (בראשית ג, יט): כִּי עָפָר אַתָּה וְאֶל עָפָר תָּשׁוּב.
“It was on the eighth day; Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel” (Leviticus 9:1).
“It was on the eighth day.” Rav Ahava bar Kahana began: “Wisdom has built her house, [has hewed her seven pillars]; She has prepared her meat, [mixed her wine, also set her table]. She has sent her young women; [she will call upon the heights of the city]: Whoever is a simpleton, [let him turn from here; he who lacks heart, she speaks to him]” (Proverbs 9:1–4). Rabbi Yirmeya bar Ilai interpreted the verse regarding the creation of the world. “Wisdom has built her house,” this is the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). “Has hewed her seven pillars,” these are the seven days of Creation, as it is stated: “For in six days [the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is in it, and He rested on the seventh day]” (Exodus 20:11), “God blessed the seventh day” (Genesis 2:3). “She has prepared her meat” – “God said: Let the earth produce [living creatures]” (Genesis 1:24). “Mixed her wine” – “God said: Let the water…be gathered” (Genesis 1:9). “Also set her table” – “God said: Let the earth sprout grass, vegetation-yielding seed” (Genesis 1:11). “She has sent her young women; she will call” – this is Adam and Eve. “Upon the heights of the city,” as the Holy One blessed be He elevated them and called them godlike. That is what is written: “You will be like God” (Genesis 3:5). After all this praise, “whoever is a simpleton, let him turn from here,”– they forsook the will of the Holy One blessed be He and followed the will of the serpent. That is why: “He who lacks heart, she speaks to him” – “you are dust and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19).
רַבִּי יוֹנָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר יִרְמְיָה פָּתַר קְרָיָא בְּגוֹג לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ, זֶה בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי כד, ג): בְּחָכְמָה יִבָּנֶה בָּיִת. חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה, אֵלּוּ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁל גּוֹג, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא כָּל אוֹתָן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים מַסִּיקִין יְדוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל חֲרָבוֹת וִידוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל רְמָחִים וִידוֹתֵיהֶן שֶׁל סַכִּינִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יחזקאל לט, ט): וְיָצְאוּ ישְׁבֵי עָרֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִעֲרוּ וְהִשִּׂיקוּ בְּנֶשֶׁק וּמָגֵן וְצִנָה בְּקֶשֶׁת וּבְחִצִּים וּבְמַקֵּל יָד וּבְרֹמַח וּבִעֲרוּ בָהֶם אֵשׁ שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים, וְאוֹתָן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הֵן הֵן פְּרָטָגַמְיָא שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, וְסִימָנָךְ דַּעֲבֵיד פְּרָטָגַמְיָא אָכֵיל מַשְׁתּוֹתָא. טָבְחָה טִבְחָה, (יחזקאל לט, יח): בְּשַׂר גִּבּוֹרִים תֹּאכֵלוּ. מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ (יחזקאל לט, יח): וְדַם נְשִׂיאֵי הָאָרֶץ תִּשְׁתּוּ. אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ (יחזקאל לט, כ): וּשְׂבַעְתֶּם עַל שֻׁלְחָנִי סוּס וָרֶכֶב. שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא, זֶה יְחֶזְקֵאל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לט, יז): כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהִים אֱמֹר לְצִפֹּר כָּל כָּנָף וּלְכֹל חַיַּת הַשָּׂדֶה.
Rabbi Yona, in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Yirmeya, interpreted the verse regarding Gog in the future. “Wisdom has built her house” – this is the Temple. That is what is written: “With wisdom a house is built” (Proverbs 24:3). “Has hewed her seven pillars” – these are the seven years of Gog, as Rabbi Yona said in the name of Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: All those seven years they will kindle fires with the handles of swords, the handles of spears, and the handles of knives.1In the seven years following the downfall of Gog, those in the Land of Israel will kindle their fires with the handles of the abandoned weapons of Gog’s army. They will not chop firewood because all the trees will bear fruit and it is prohibited to chop down fruit trees (Maharzu). That is what is written: “The inhabitants of the cities of Israel will go out and kindle and burn with weapons, and buckler and shield, with bow and with arrows, with a club and with a spear, and they will kindle fires with them for seven years” (Ezekiel 39:9). Those seven years will be a precursor for the righteous in the future. Your symbol is: One who eats in the pre-wedding feast will eat in the wedding feast.2This was a common saying, inserted here as a mnemonic device for remembering the midrash’s point . “She has prepared her meat” – “the flesh of the mighty you will eat” (Ezekiel 39:18). “Mixed her wine” – “the blood of the princes of the earth you will drink” (Ezekiel 39:18). “Also set her table” – “You will be satiated at My table with horses and chariots” (Ezekiel 39:20). “She has sent her young women; she will call,” this is Ezekiel, as it is stated: “So said the Lord God: Say to every winged bird and all the beasts of the field: [Gather and come, assemble yourselves from all around to My feast that I am preparing for you, a great feast upon the mountains of Israel, and you will eat flesh and drink blood]” (Ezekiel 39:17).
בַּר קַפָּרָא פָּתַר קְרָיָא בַּתּוֹרָה, חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ, זוֹ תּוֹרָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי ב, ו): כִּי ה' יִתֵּן חָכְמָה (משלי ח, כב): ה' קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ. חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה, אֵלּוּ שִׁבְעָה סִפְרֵי תּוֹרָה. וְלֹא חֲמִשָּׁה הֵן, בַּר קַפָּרָא עָבֵיד מֵרֵישֵׁיהּ דְּוַיְדַבֵּר (במדבר א, א): עַד (במדבר י, לה): וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן חַד. מִן וַיְהִי עַד (במדבר י, לו): וּבְנֻחֹה חַד. וְעַד סֵיפֵיהּ, חַד, הֲרֵי שִׁבְעָה. טָבְחָה טִבְחָהּ, אֵלּוּ הָעֳנָשִׁים. מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ, אֵלּוּ קַלִּין וַחֲמוּרִין וּגְזֵרוֹת שָׁווֹת. אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ, אֵלּוּ הָעֲרָכִין. שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל. עַל גַּפֵּי מְרֹמֵי קָרֶת, שֶׁהֱסִיטָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְקָרָא אוֹתָן אֱלָהוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים פב, ו): אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם וגו', אַחַר כָּל הַשֶּׁבַח הַזֶּה (משלי ט, ד): מִי פֶּתִי יָסֻר הֵנָּה, הֵן הִנִּיחוּ דַּעְתּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמְרוּ לָעֵגֶל (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, בִּשְׁבִיל כֵּן חֲסַר לֵב אָמְרָה לוֹ (תהלים פב, ז): אָכֵן כְּאָדָם תְּמוּתוּן.
Bar Kappara interpreted the verse regarding the Torah. “Wisdom has built her house” – this is the Torah, as it is written: “For the Lord grants wisdom” (Proverbs 2:6), [and] “The Lord made me at the beginning of His way” (Proverbs 8:22). “Has hewed her seven pillars,” these are the seven books of the Torah. But are they not five? Bar Kappara renders from the beginning of: “And He spoke” (Numbers 1:1) until: “it was when the Ark traveled” (Numbers 10:35),3That is, from the beginning of Numbers through Numbers 10:34 is considered its own unit, referred to here as a separate book. one; from “it was” (Numbers 10:35) until “when it rested” (Numbers 10:36) another; and [from the following verse] until its end, another.4Thus, he divides the book of Numbers into three separate books. That is seven.5With Numbers counting as the three books, the five books of the Torah become seven. “She has prepared her meat” – these are the punishments. “Mixed her wine” – these are the a fortiori inferences and the verbal analogies. “Also set [arkha] her table,” these are the valuations [arakhin]. “She has sent her young women; she will call,” this is Israel. “Upon the heights of the city,” as the Holy One blessed be He elevated them and called them godlike. That is what is written: “I had said: You are godlike…” (Psalms 82:6). After all this praise, “whoever is a simpleton let him turn from here” – they forsook the will of the Holy One blessed be He, and said to the calf: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4).. That is why: “He who lacks heart, she speaks to him” – “indeed, as men you will die” (Psalms 82:7).6Because of their sin, although God had originally said “you are godlike” (Psalms 82:6), in fact, “indeed, as men you will die” (Psalms 82:7).
רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא פָּתַר קְרָיָא בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, חָכְמוֹת בָּנְתָה בֵיתָהּ, זֶה בְּצַלְאֵל (שמות לא, ג): וָאֲמַלֵּא אֹתוֹ רוּחַ אֱלֹהִים וגו'. חָצְבָה עַמּוּדֶיהָ שִׁבְעָה, אֵלּוּ שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ויקרא ח, לג): כִּי שִׁבְעַת יָמִים יְמַלֵּא אֶת יֶדְכֶם. טָבְחָה טִבְחָהּ, אֵלּוּ הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת. מָסְכָה יֵינָהּ, אֵלּוּ הַנְּסָכִים. אַף עָרְכָה שֻׁלְחָנָהּ, זֶה סִדּוּר לֶחֶם הַפָּנִים. שָׁלְחָה נַעֲרֹתֶיהָ תִקְרָא, זֶה משֶׁה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי קָרָא משֶׁה לְאַהֲרֹן וּלְבָנָיו וגו'.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana interpreted the verse regarding the Tent of Meeting. “Wisdom has built her house” – this is Betzalel: “I filled him with the spirit of God [with wisdom]…” (Exodus 31:3). “Has hewed her seven pillars” – these are the seven days of the investiture. That is what is written: “For seven days He shall invest you” (Leviticus 8:33). “She has prepared her meat” – these are the offerings. “Mixed her wine” – these are the libations. “Also set her table” – this is the arrangement of the showbread. “She has sent her young women; she will call” – this is Moses. That is what is written: “It was on the eighth day; Moses summoned Aaron and his sons…” (Leviticus 9:1).
זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים יח, כו כז): עִם חָסִיד תִּתְחַסָּד עִם גְבַר תָּמִים תִּתַּמָּם, עִם נָבָר תִּתְבָּרָר וְעִם עִקֵּשׁ תִּתְפַּתָּל, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַר קְרָא בְּאַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא בַּחֲסִידוּת, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא עִמּוֹ בַּחֲסִידוּת. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא בִּתְמִימוּת, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא עִמּוֹ בִּתְמִימוּת. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא בְּעַקְמָנוּת, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא עִמּוֹ בְּעַקְמָנוּת. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵר עַל עֲסָקָיו, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בֵּרַר לוֹ עֲסָקָיו. אֵימָתַי בָּא בַּחֲסִידוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (בראשית יח, ג): אַל נָא תַעֲבֹר מֵעַל עַבְדֶּךָ, מַה כְּתִיב תַּמָּן (בראשית יח, כב): וְאַבְרָהָם עוֹדֶנוּ עֹמֵד לִפְנֵי ה', אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן תַּקָּנַת סוֹפְרִים, שְׁכִינָה הָיְתָה מַמְתֶּנֶת לוֹ. אֵימָתַי בָּא בִּתְמִימוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (בראשית יח, כח): אוּלַי יַחְסְרוּן חֲמִשִּׁם הַצַּדִּיקִם חֲמִשָּׁה, מַה כְּתִיב (בראשית יח, כח): וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אַשְׁחִית אִם אֶמְצָא שָׁם אַרְבָּעִים וַחֲמִשָּׁה. אֵימָתַי בָּא בְּעַקְמָנוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (בראשית טו, ב): וְאָנֹכִי הוֹלֵךְ עֲרִירִי, מַה כְּתִיב תַּמָּן (בראשית טו, ד): לֹא יִירָשְׁךָ זֶה. אֵימָתַי נִתְבָּרֵר עַל עֲסָקָיו, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (בראשית טו, ח): בַּמָּה אֵדַע כִּי אִירָשֶׁנָּה, מַה כְּתִיב תַּמָּן (בראשית טו, יג): יָדֹעַ תֵּדַע כִּי גֵר יִהְיֶה זַרְעֲךָ. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה פָּתַר קְרָא בְּמשֶׁה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא בַּחֲסִידוּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא עִמּוֹ בַּחֲסִידוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא בִּתְמִימוּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא עִמּוֹ בִּתְמִימוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּא בְּעַקְמָנוּת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא עִמּוֹ בְּעַקְמָנוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּתְבָּרֵר עַל עֲסָקָיו הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בֵּרַר עֲסָקָיו. אֵימָתַי בָּא בַּחֲסִידוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (שמות לג, יח): הַרְאֵנִי נָא אֶת כְּבֹדֶךָ, מַה כְּתִיב תַּמָּן (שמות לג, יט): אֲנִי אַעֲבִיר כָּל טוּבִי וגו'. אֵימָתַי בָּא בִּתְמִימוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (שמות ג, ג): מַדּוּעַ לֹא יִבְעַר הַסְּנֶה, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִן דִּיקָרִי קָאֵים בְּגַוֵּיהּ. אֵימָתַי בָּא בְּעַקְמָנוּת, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (שמות ג, יג): וְאָמְרוּ לִי מַה שְּׁמוֹ מָה אֹמַר אֲלֵהֶם, מָה אָמַר לוֹ, זֶה שְׁמִי לְפִי שָׁעָה (שמות ג, יד): אֶהְיֶה אֲשֶׁר אֶהְיֶה. אֵימָתַי נִתְבָּרֵר עַל עֲסָקָיו, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ (שמות ג, י): וְעַתָּה לְכָה וְאֶשְׁלָחֲךָ אֶל פַּרְעֹה, אָמַר לוֹ (שמות ד, יג): שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח, (שמות ה, כג): וּמֵאָז בָּאתִי אֶל פַּרְעֹה, מַה כְּתִיב תַּמָּן (שמות ו, א): עַתָּה תִרְאֶה.
That which the verse said: “With the pious, act piously, with a wholehearted man, act wholeheartedly, with the pure, act purely, and with the crooked, act deviously” (Psalms 18:26–27). Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda interpreted the verse regarding Abraham our patriarch. Because he came with piety, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him with piety. When he came uprightly, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him uprightly. When he came indirectly, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him indirectly. When he came to clarify his affairs, the Holy One blessed be He clarified his affairs. When did he come with piety? It was when he said: “Please do not pass from upon Your servant” (Genesis 18:3).7Abraham interrupted his communion with God in order to welcome guests, which was beyond the call of duty. What is written there? “Abraham was still standing before the Lord” (Genesis 18:22). Rabbi Simon said: A scribal emendation; the Divine Presence was awaiting him.8The verse should have stated that the Lord was still standing before Abraham, in that the Divine Presence waited for Abraham to return. However, the verse is phrased as it is in order to preserve the honor of God, as a scribe might emend a text for such purposes (Etz Yosef). When did he come wholeheartedly? It was when he said: “Perhaps the fifty righteous people will lack five” (Genesis 18:28). What is written? “He said: I will not destroy if I find there forty-five” (Genesis 18:28). When did he come indirectly? “I go childless” (Genesis 15:2). What is written there? “This one will not inherit you; [rather, one who shall emerge from your loins, he shall inherit you]” (Genesis 15:4). When did he come to clarify his affairs? It was when he said: “How will I know that I will inherit it?” (Genesis 15:8). What is written there? “Know that your descendants will be strangers [in a land that is not theirs, and they shall be enslaved to them; and they shall oppress them for four hundred years]” (Genesis 15:13).
Rabbi Neḥemya interpreted the verse regarding Moses. When he came with piety, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him with piety. When he came uprightly, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him uprightly. When he came indirectly, the Holy One blessed be He engaged with him indirectly. When he came to clarify his affairs, the Holy One blessed be He clarified his affairs. When did he come with piety? It was when he said: “Show me, please, Your glory” (Exodus 33:18). What is written there? “He said: “I will pass My goodness before you” (Exodus 33:19). When did he come uprightly? It was when he said: “Why will the bush not burn?” (Exodus 3:3). He said to him: ‘It is because My glory is present within it.’ When did he come indirectly? It was when he said: “They will say to me: What is His name; what shall I say to them?” (Exodus 3:13). What did He say to him? ‘This is My provisional name: “I will be what I will be”’ (Exodus 3:14). When did he come to clarify his affairs? It was when He said to him: “Now go and I will send you to Pharaoh” (Exodus 3:10), he said to him: “Please…send by means of whom You will send” (Exodus 4:13), [and:] “Since I came to Pharaoh [to speak in Your name he has harmed this people and You have not saved Your people]” (Exodus 5:23). What is written there? “Now you will see [what I will do to Pharaoh; for with a powerful hand he will send them forth and with a powerful hand he will drive them from his land]” (Exodus 6:1).
רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה, כָּל אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר לֹא נִמְנַע משֶׁה מִלְּשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּכְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (תהלים צט, ו): משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן מַיְיתֵי לָהּ מִן הָדֵין קְרָא (דברי הימים א כג, יג): בְּנֵי עַמְרָם אַהֲרֹן וּמשֶׁה וַיִּבָּדֵל אַהֲרֹן לְהַקְדִּישׁוֹ קֹדֶשׁ קָדָשִׁים הוּא וּבָנָיו עַד עוֹלָם לְהַקְטִיר לִפְנֵי ה' לְשָׁרְתוֹ וּלְבָרֵךְ בִּשְׁמוֹ עַד עוֹלָם [לעמד ולשרת בשם ה']. (דברי הימים א כג, יד): וּמשֶׁה אִישׁ הָאֱלֹהִים בָּנָיו יִקָּרְאוּ עַל שֵׁבֶט הַלֵּוִי. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר יוֹסֵי פָּשׁוּט הוּא לָן שֶׁבְּחָלוּק לָבָן שִׁמֵּשׁ משֶׁה כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוּדָן תָּנֵי כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים הָיָה משֶׁה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּכְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה וְלֹא שָׁרְתָה שְׁכִינָה עַל יָדוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ויקרא ט, כד): וַיַּרְא כָּל הָעָם וַיָּרֹנוּ וַיִּפְּלוּ עַל פְּנֵיהֶם, אָמַר רַב שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַסְּנֶה הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְפַתֶּה אֶת משֶׁה שֶׁיֵּלֵךְ בִּשְׁלִיחוּתוֹ לְמִצְרַיִם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות ד, י): גַּם מִתְּמוֹל גַּם מִשִּׁלְשֹׁם גַּם מֵאָז דַּבֶּרְךָ אֶל עַבְדֶּךָ, הֲרֵי שִׁשָּׁה, וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי אָמַר לוֹ (שמות ד, יג): שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, משֶׁה, אַתְּ אוֹמֵר שְׁלַח נָא בְּיַד תִּשְׁלָח, חַיֶּיךָ שֶׁאֲנִי צוֹרְרָה לְךָ בִּכְנָפֶיךָ, אֵימָתַי פָּרַע לוֹ, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי וְרַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ, רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי אֲדָר הָיָה משֶׁה מְבַקֵּשׁ תְּפִלָּה וְתַחֲנוּנִים שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וּבַשְּׁבִיעִי אָמַר לוֹ (דברים ג, כז): כִּי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה. רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ אָמַר כָּל שִׁבְעַת יְמֵי הַמִּלּוּאִים הָיָה מְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּכְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה וְכַסָּבוּר שֶׁלּוֹ הִיא, בַּשְּׁבִיעִי אָמַר לוֹ, לֹא שֶׁלְךָ הִיא אֶלָּא שֶׁל אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ הִיא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי.
Rabbi Yudan in the name of Rabbi Yosei bar Yehuda, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa: All forty years that Israel was in the wilderness, Moses did not refrain from serving in the High Priesthood. That is what is written: “Moses and Aaron among His priests” (Psalms 99:6). Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Simon cites it from this verse: “The sons of Amram: Aaron and Moses; Aaron was set apart to sanctify him as most holy, he and his sons forever, to burn offerings before the Lord, to serve Him, and to bless in His name forever. Moses, the man of God, his sons will be reckoned among the tribe of Levi” (I Chronicles 23:13–14).9The implication is that Moses’ descendants will be considered Levites rather than priests, but Moses himself was a priest.
Rabbi Elazar bar Yosei said: It is clear to us that Moses served all seven days of investiture in a white robe. Rabbi Tanḥum taught in the name of Rabbi Yudan: All seven days of investiture Moses served in the High Priesthood, but the Divine Presence did not rest through him. That is what is written: “All the people saw it and they sang out in praise and fell on their faces” (Leviticus 9:24).10This verse is stated in the aftermath of the service performed on the eighth day. It was only on the eighth day, when Aaron performed the sacrificial service, that the Divine Presence rested on the Tabernacle.
Rav Shmuel bar Naḥman said: All seven days at the [burning] bush, the Holy One blessed be He was cajoling Moses to go on His mission to Egypt. That is what is written: “Neither yesterday, nor the day before, nor since You have spoken to Your servant” (Exodus 4:10). Those are six.11The verse explicitly refers to yesterday and the day before, which taken together with the day on which this was said, equal three. Additionally, the word also [gam] appears three times, which is understood to refer to an additional three days. On the seventh, he said to Him: “Please…send by means of whom You will send” (Exodus 4:13). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You say: “Please…send by means of whom You will send,” as you live, I will tie this for you to your hems.’12There will be negative consequences because you made this statement. When did He exact retribution from him? Rabbi Berekhya said: Rabbi Levi and Rabbi Ḥelbo [explained this point]. Rabbi Levi said: All seven days of Adar,13The first seven days of Adar in the fortieth year following the exodus from Egypt. These were the last seven days of Moses’ life. Moses was requesting with prayer and supplications that he enter the Land of Israel. On the seventh, He said to him: “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27). Rabbi Ḥelbo said: All seven days of investiture, he served in the High Priesthood, and he was under the impression that it was his. On the seventh, He said to him: ‘It is not yours, but rather, it is your brother Aaron’s.’ That is what is written: “It was on the eighth day” (Leviticus 9:1).
רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא וְרַבִּי חִיָּא אָמְרִין וְרַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הַמּוֹדָעִי, הַמִּדְרָשׁ הַזֶּה עָלָה בְּיָדֵינוּ מִן הַגּוֹלָה, בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אֵינוֹ אֶלָּא צָרָה, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן וַחֲמִשָּׁה הֵן (בראשית יד, א): וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אַמְרָפֶל, מַה צָּרָה הָיְתָה שָׁם, (בראשית יד, ב): עָשׂוּ מִלְחָמָה וגו', מָשָׁל לְאוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁנִּכְנַס לַמְדִינָה בִּשְׁבִילוֹ הָיָה הַמֶּלֶךְ נִזְקָק בַּמְּדִינָה, בָּאוּ בַּרְבָּרִיִּים נִזְדַּוְּוגוּ לוֹ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ וְנִזְדַּוְּוגוּ אָמְרוּ הַכֹּל וַוי שֶׁאֵין הַמֶּלֶךְ נִזְקָק לַמְּדִינָה כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָיָה, כָּךְ אַבְרָהָם אוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיָה, וּכְתִיב בּוֹ (בראשית יב, ג): וְנִבְרְכוּ בְךָ, וּבִשְׁבִילוֹ הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִזְקָק לְכָל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ, בָּאוּ כַּשְׂדִּיִים וְנִזְדַּוְּוגוּ לוֹ, אָמְרוּ וַוי שֶׁאֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִזְקָק בְּעוֹלָמוֹ כְּמוֹת שֶׁהָיָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית יד, ז): וַיָּשֻׁבוּ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל עֵין מִשְׁפָּט הִוא קָדֵשׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא לֹא בִּקְּשׁוּ לְהִזְדַּוֵּג אֶלָּא לְתוֹךְ גַלְגַּל עֵינוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, עַיִן שֶׁעָשְׂתָה מִדַּת הַדִּין בָּעוֹלָם בִּקְשׁוּ לְסוֹתְמָהּ [לסמותה]. הִוא קָדֵשׁ. אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא הוּא כְּתִיב, הוּא שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְיָרַד לְכִבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּאוּ הַמְלָכִים וְנִזְדַּוְּגוּ לוֹ, הִתְחִילוֹ צוֹוְחִין וַוי וַוי, וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אַמְרָפֶל מֶלֶךְ. (ישעיה ז, א): וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אָחָז בֶּן יוֹתָם, מַה צָּרָה הָיְתָה, (ישעיה ט, יא): אֲרָם מִקֶּדֶם וּפְלִשְׁתִּים מֵאָחוֹר וגו', מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁמָּסַר אֶת בְּנוֹ לְפַדְגוֹג וְהָיָה הַפַּדְגוֹג שׂוֹנֵא אוֹתוֹ, אָמַר אִם אֲנִי הוֹרֵג אוֹתוֹ עַכְשָׁיו נִמְצֵאתִי מְחַיֵּיב רֹאשִׁי לַמֶּלֶךְ, אֶלָּא הֲרֵינִי מוֹשֵׁךְ אֶת יוֹנַקְתּוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ וְהוּא מֵת מֵאֵלָיו, כָּךְ אָמַר אָחָז אִם אֵין גְּדָיִים אֵין תְּיָשִׁים, אִם אֵין תְּיָשִׁים אֵין צֹאן, אִם אֵין צֹאן אֵין רוֹעֶה, אִם אֵין רוֹעֶה אֵין עוֹלָם. כָּךְ אָמַר אָחָז, אִם אֵין קְטַנִּים אֵין תַּלְמִידִים, אִם אֵין תַּלְמִידִים אֵין חֲכָמִים, אִם אֵין חֲכָמִים אֵין תּוֹרָה, אִם אֵין תּוֹרָה אֵין בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת, אִם אֵין בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַשְׁרֶה שְׁכִינָתוֹ בָּעוֹלָם. מֶה עָשָׂה עָמַד וְנָעַל בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת, הֲדָא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה ח, טז): צוֹר תְּעוּדָה חֲתוֹם תּוֹרָה בְּלִמֻּדָי. רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר, לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אָחָז, שֶׁאָחַז בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת. רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא אָמַר, שְׁמַעְתְּ לָהּ מִן הֲדָא (ישעיה ח, יז): וְחִכִּיתִי לַה' הַמַּסְתִּיר פָּנָיו וגו', אֵין לְךָ שָׁעָה קָשָׁה כְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר בָהּ (דברים לא, יח): וְאָנֹכִי הַסְתֵּר אַסְתִּיר פָּנַי בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא, מֵאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה (ישעיה ח, יז): וְקִוֵּיתִי לוֹ, (דברים לא, כא): כִּי לֹא תִשָּׁכַח מִפִּי זַרְעוֹ, וּמַה הוֹעִיל לוֹ (ישעיה ח, יח): הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי וְהַיְלָדִים אֲשֶׁר נָתַן לִי ה', וְכִי יְלָדָיו הָיוּ וַהֲלוֹא תַּלְמִידָיו הָיוּ, אֶלָּא מִכָּאן לְתַלְמִידוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם שֶׁנִּקְרָא בְּנוֹ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ הַכֹּל שֶׁאָחַז בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת, הִתְחִילוּ הַכֹּל צוֹוְחִין וַוי וַוי, וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אָחָז. (ירמיה א, ג): וַיְהִי בִּימֵי יְהוֹיָקִים בֶּן יֹאשִׁיָּהוּ, מַה צָּרָה הָיְתָה שָׁם, (ירמיה ד, כג): רָאִיתִי אֶת הָאָרֶץ וְהִנֵּה תֹהוּ וָבֹהוּ, מָשָׁל לִכְתָבִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לַמְּדִינָה וְכָל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה שֶׁהָיוּ כְּתָבִין מַגִּיעִין הָיוּ בְּנֵי הַמְּדִינָה עוֹמְדִין עַל רַגְלֵיהֶן וּפָרְעִין אֶת רָאשֵׁיהֶן וְקוֹרְאִין אוֹתָם בְּאֵימָה בְּיִרְאָה בִּרְתֵת בְּזִיעַ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּכְנְסוּ לִמְדִינָתוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, עָמְדוּ וְקָרְעוּ אוֹתָן וְשָׂרְפוּ אוֹתָן, אָמְרוּ אוֹי לָנוּ כְּשֶׁיַּרְגִּישׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּכָךְ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ירמיה לו, כג): וַיְהִי כִּקְרוֹא יְהוּדִי שָׁלשׁ דְּלָתוֹת וְאַרְבָּעָה וגו', וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ לַפָּסוּק הַחֲמִשִּׁי (איכה א, ה): הָיוּ צָרֶיהָ לְרֹאשׁ (ירמיה לו, כג): יִקְרָעֶהָ בְּתַעַר הַסֹּפֵר וְהַשְּׁלֵךְ אֶל הָאֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר אֶל הָאָח, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ כֵּן הִתְחִילוּ צוֹוְחִין וַוי וַוי, וַיְהִי בִּימֵי יְהוֹיָקִים. (אסתר א, א): וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ, מַה צָּרָה הָיְתָה שָׁם, שֶׁגָּזַר (אסתר ג, יג): לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרֹג וּלְאַבֵּד, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ כֶּרֶם וְנִזְדַּוְּגוּ לוֹ שְׁלשָׁה שׂוֹנְאִים, הִתְחִיל אֶחָד מְקַטֵּף בָּעוֹלֵלוֹת, וְאֶחָד הִתְחִיל לְזַנֵּב בָּאֶשְׁכֹּלוֹת, וְאֶחָד מְעַקֵּר בַּגְּפָנִים. פַּרְעֹה הִתְחִיל מְקַטֵּף בָּעוֹלֵלוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות א, כב): כָּל הַבֵּן הַיִּלּוֹד. נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הִתְחִיל מְזַנֵּב בָּאֶשְׁכֹּלוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (מלכים ב כד, טז): הֶחָרָשׁ וְהַמַּסְגֵּר אֶלֶף. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר חָרָשׁ אֶלֶף וּמַסְגֵּר אֶלֶף. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין זֶה וָזֶה אָלֶף. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר אֵלּוּ הַבּוֹלְיוּתוּס. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אֵלּוּ הַיּוֹעֲצִים. הָמָן הָרָשָׁע הִתְחִיל לְעַקֵּר בַּגְּפָנִים וּבִקֵּשׁ לְקַעְקֵעַ בֵּיצָתָן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּעָא לְמִזְבַּן בְּכָל בֵּיעָתָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (אסתר ג, יג): לְהַשְׁמִיד לַהֲרֹג וּלְאַבֵּד, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ הַכֹּל אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ מוֹכֵר וְהָמָן לוֹקֵחַ, הִתְחִילוּ הַכֹּל צוֹוְחִין וַוי וַוי, וַיְהִי בִּימֵי אֲחַשְׁוֵרוֹשׁ. (רות א, א): וַיְהִי בִּימֵי שְׁפֹט הַשֹּׁפְטִים, מַה צָּרָה הָיְתָה שָׁם (רות א, א): וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ, מָשָׁל לִמְדִינָה שֶׁהָיְתָה חַיֶּבֶת לִיפָס לַמֶּלֶךְ, וְשָׁלַח הַמֶּלֶךְ גַּבָּאי טַמְיוֹן לִגְבּוֹת, מֶה עָשׂוּ בְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה עָמְדוּ וְתָלוּ אוֹתוֹ וְגָבוּ אוֹתוֹ, אָמְרוּ וַוי כְּשֶׁיַּרְגִּישׁ הַמֶּלֶךְ בַּדְּבָרִים הַלָּלוּ מַה שֶּׁשְּׁלוּחוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ מְבַקֵּשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת לָנוּ עָשִׂינוּ לוֹ. כָּךְ כְּשֶׁהָיָה אֶחָד מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשֶׂה דָּבָר שֶׁלֹּא כַּהֹגֶן הָיוּ מוֹלִיכִין אוֹתוֹ אֵצֶל הַדַּיָּן, מַה שֶּׁהַדַּיָּן צָרִיךְ לַעֲשׂוֹת לַנִּשְׁפָּט הָיָה הַנִּשְׁפָּט עוֹשֶׂה לַדַּיָּן, אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתֶּם מְבַזִּין אֶת שׁוֹפְטֵיכֶם, הִנְנִי מֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם דָּבָר שֶׁאִי אַתֶּם יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמֹד בּוֹ, וְאֵיזֶה זֶה, רָעָב, וַיְהִי רָעָב בָּאָרֶץ, שִׁמְעוֹן בַּר רַב אַבָּא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי מְשַׁמֵּשׁ צָרָה וְשִׂמְחָה, אִם צָרָה אֵין צָרָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ, אִם שִׂמְחָה אֵין שִׂמְחָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בָּהּ, אָתָא רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל עָבְדָהּ פַּלְגָא, כָּל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיְהִי אֵין שִׂמְחָה, וְהָיָה אֵין צָרָה, אֵיתִיבוּן (בראשית א, ג): וַיֹּאמֶר אֱלֹהִים יְהִי אוֹר וַיְהִי אוֹר, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה לְפִי שֶׁלֹּא זָכָה הָעוֹלָם לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בְּאוֹתוֹ הָאוֹר, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן אוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן אָדָם צוֹפֶה וּמַבִּיט בָּהּ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲשֵׂה דוֹר אֱנוֹשׁ וּמַעֲשֵׂה דוֹר הַמַּבּוּל שֶׁהֵן מְקֻלְקָלִין, עָמַד וּגְנָזוֹ מֵהֶן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב לח, טו): וְיִמָּנַע מֵרְשָׁעִים אוֹרָם, וְהֵיכָן גְּנָזוֹ, בַּגַּן עֵדֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צז, טו): אוֹר זָרֻעַ לַצַּדִּיק וּלְיִשְׁרֵי לֵב שִׂמְחָה, אֵיתִיבוּן (בראשית א, ה): וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וגו', אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁנִּבְרָא בְּיוֹם רִאשׁוֹן עָתִיד לִכְלוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה נא, ו): כִּי שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ וְהָאָרֶץ וגו'. אֵיתִיבוּן (בראשית א, ח) (בראשית א, יג) (בראשית א, יט) (בראשית א, כג) (בראשית א, לא): וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם שֵׁנִי, שְׁלִישִׁי, רְבִיעִי, חֲמִישִׁי, הַשִּׁשִּׁי, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁנִּבְרָא בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית צְרִיכִין עֲשִׂיָּה, הַחִטִּין צְרִיכִין לִטְחֹן, הַחַרְדָּל צָרִיךְ לְמַתְקָהּ, וְתוּרְמוּסִין צְרִיכִין לְהַמְתִּיק. אֵיתִיבוּן (בראשית לט, ב): וַיְהִי ה' אֶת יוֹסֵף וַיְהִי אִישׁ מַצְלִיחַ, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁמִּתּוֹךְ כָּךְ נִזְדַּמְּנָה לוֹ אוֹתָהּ רְשָׁעָה. אֵיתִיבוּן (ויקרא ט, א): וַיְהִי בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם מֵתוּ נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא. אֵיתִיבוּן (במדבר ז, א): וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם כַּלּוֹת משֶׁה, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁבּוֹ בַּיּוֹם שֶׁנִּבְנָה בִּנְיָנוֹ שֶׁל בַּיִת נִגְנָז. אֵיתִיבוּן (יהושע ו, כז): וַיְהִי ה' אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג יָאִיר שֶׁשָּׁקוּל כְּרֻבָּהּ שֶׁל סַנְהֶדְּרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ז, ה): וַיַּכּוּ מֵהֶם אַנְשֵׁי הָעַי כִּשְׁלשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה אִישׁ, שְׁלשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא כִּשְׁלשִׁים וְשִׁשָּׁה אִישׁ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן זֶה יָאִיר בֶּן מְנַשֶּׁה שֶׁשָּׁקוּל כְּרֻבָּהּ שֶׁל סַנְהֶדְּרִין. אֵיתִיבוּן (שמואל א יח, יד): וַיְהִי דָוִד לְכָל דְּרָכָיו מַשְׂכִּיל וַה' עִמּוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (שמואל א יח, ט): וַיְהִי שָׁאוּל עוֹיֵן אֶת דָּוִד. אֵיתִיבוּן (שמואל ב ז, א): וַיְהִי כִּי יָשַׁב הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּבֵיתוֹ וַה' הֵנִיחַ לוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ שִׂמְחָה, שֶׁבְּאוֹתוֹ הַיּוֹם בָּא נָתָן הַנָּבִיא וְאָמַר לוֹ (מלכים א ח, יט): רַק אַתָּה לֹא תִבְנֶה הַבָּיִת. אֲמַרִין לֵיהּ אַמְרִינַן דִּילָן אֱמֹר דִּילָךְ, אָמַר לָהֶם (יואל ד, יח): וְהָיָה בַיּוֹם הַהוּא יִטְּפוּ הֶהָרִים עָסִיס. (ישעיה ז, כא): וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יְחַיֶּה אִישׁ עֶגְלַת בָּקָר וגו'. (זכריה יד, ח): וְהָיָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא יֵצְאוּ מַיִם חַיִּים וגו'. (תהלים א, ג): וְהָיָה כְּעֵץ שָׁתוּל עַל פַּלְגֵי מָיִם. (מיכה ה, ו): וְהָיָה שְׁאֵרִית יַעֲקֹב בַּגּוֹיִם. מְתִיבִין לֵיהּ וְהָא כְתִיב (ירמיה לח, כח): וְהָיָה כַּאֲשֶׁר נִלְכְּדָה יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, אָמַר לָהֶן אַף הִיא אֵינָהּ צָרָה, שֶׁבּוֹ בַּיּוֹם נָטְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִיפּוֹפָסִין עַל עֲווֹנוֹתֵיהֶם, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן רַבִּי נַחְמָן אִיפּוֹפָסִין שְׁלֵמָה נָטְלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל עֲוֹנוֹתֵיהֶם בַּיּוֹם שֶׁחָרַב בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איכה ד, כב): תַּם עֲוֹנֵךְ בַּת צִיּוֹן לֹא יוֹסִיף לְהַגְלוֹתֵךְ.
Rabbi Tanḥuma and Rabbi Ḥiyya say, and Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Elazar HaModa’i: This midrash came up from the Diaspora in our possession. Wherever it is stated, “it was in the days,” it is nothing other than trouble.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman says: They are five. “It was in the days of Amrafel” (Genesis 14:1). What was the trouble there? “They waged war, etc.” (Genesis 14:2). This is analogous to the friend of a king who entered a province and, for his sake, the king attended to that province. Barbarians came and confronted him. When they came and confronted him, everyone said: ‘Woe unto us, for the king will not attend to the province the way that he once did.’ So too, Abraham our patriarch, the beloved of the Holy One blessed be He, in whose regard it is written: “[All the families of the earth] shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:3). For his sake, the Holy One blessed be He attended to the entire world. The Chaldeans came and confronted him. [People] said: ‘Woe unto us that the Holy One blessed be He will not attend to His world the way that He once did.’ That is what is written: “They returned and came to Ein Mishpat, which is Kadesh” (Genesis 14:7). Rabbi Ḥiyya said: They sought to confront only the eyeball [galgal eino] of the world.14Abraham was as precious to the world as the eyeball is to a person. They sought to blind the eye [ayin] that confronted the attribute of justice in the world.15The name Ein Mishpat is interpreted as a reference to eye [ayin] and justice [mishpat]. “Which [hi] is Kadesh,” Rabbi Aḥa says: Hu16The word “which” is pronounced hi, but written hey-vav-aleph, such that it can be read hu, which literally means “he.” is written, [indicating that] it was he who sanctified [kiddesh] the name of the Holy One blessed be He, and descended into the fiery furnace. When the kings came to confront him, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai]; “it was [vayhi] in the days of Amrafel the king of [Shinar].”
“It was during the days of Aḥaz” (Isaiah 7:1). What trouble was there? “Aram from the east and the Philistines from the west; [they devour Israel with an open mouth]” (Isaiah 9:11). This is analogous to a king who entrusted his son to a steward, but the steward hated him. He said: If I kill him, I will become liable to be executed by the king. Rather, I will withhold his wet nurse from him and he will die on his own. So too, Aḥaz said: If there are no kids, there are no goats, and if there are no goats, there is no flock, and if there is no flock, there is no shepherd, and if there is no shepherd, there is no world. So said Aḥaz: If there are no children, there are no students,17If there are no children at the beginning stages of their studies there will be no students at the intermediate level. and if there are no students, there are no scholars, if there are no scholars, there is no Torah, if there is no Torah, there are no synagogues and study halls, if there are no synagogues and study halls, the Holy One blessed be He will not rest His Divine Presence in the world. What did he do? He arose and locked all the synagogues and study halls. That is what is written: “Bind the testimony, seal the Torah in my disciples” (Isaiah 8:16).
Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Elazar: Why was his name called Aḥaz? Because he seized [aḥaz] the synagogues and study halls. Rabbi Yaakov said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: You may derive it from this [verse]: “I will wait for the Lord, who conceals His face” (Isaiah 8:17). There was no time that was as grim as this time, in whose regard it is stated: “I will conceal My face on that day” (Deuteronomy 31:18). From that moment “I sought Him” (Isaiah 8:17), as it is written: “As it will not be forgotten from the mouths of their descendants” (Deuteronomy 31:21). What did [Aḥaz] accomplish? “Behold, I and the children whom the Lord gave me [are to become signs and wonders in Israel]” (Isaiah 8:18).18This is stated by the prophet Isaiah. Despite the attempts of Aḥaz, Torah would not be forgotten from Israel. But were they his children? Were they not merely his students? Rather, it is derived from here that a person’s student is called his son. Once everyone saw that he seized the synagogues and study halls, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥaz.”
“It was during the days of Yehoyakim son of Josiah” (Jeremiah 1:3). What was the trouble there? “I saw the land, and behold, it is emptiness and disorder, [and the heavens, and their light is not]” (Jeremiah 4:23). This is analogous to letters of a king that entered a province. In each and every province that his letters would reach, the residents of the province would stand on their feet, bare their heads, and read them with reverence, fear, quaking, and trembling. But when they reached the king’s province, they read them, ripped them, and burned them. That is what is written: “It was, when Yehudi read three columns or four,” (Jeremiah 36:23). When they reached the fifth verse: “Its besiegers are ascendant” (Lamentations 1:5), immediately: “He cut it with a scribe’s razor and cast it into the fire that was in the fireplace” (Jeremiah 36:23). When they saw this, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Yehoyakim.”
“It was during the days of Aḥashverosh” (Esther 1:1). What was the trouble there? It was “to destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). This is analogous to a king who had a vineyard and three enemies confronted him. The first began picking unripe grapes, the second began trimming the clusters, and the third began uprooting vines. Pharaoh began picking unripe grapes; that is what is written: “Every son who is born [you shall cast him into the Nile]” (Exodus 1:22). Nebuchadnezzar began trimming the clusters; that is what is written: “And the artisans and the smiths, one thousand” (II Kings 24:16).19This is a reference to the social elites, who were exiled in the exile of Yehoyakhin, eleven years before the destruction of the Temple. Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda and the Rabbi, Rabbi Berekhya in the name of Rabbi Yehuda says: One thousand artisans and one thousand smiths, and the Rabbis say: Both together were one thousand. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon says: These are Torah scholars. Rabbi Shmuel bar Rabbi Yitzḥak says: These are the benefactors. The Rabbis say: These are the counselors. The wicked Haman began uprooting the vines. That is what is written: “To destroy, to kill, and to eliminate” (Esther 3:13). He sought to undermine the foundation of Israel. He sought to purchase every foundation.20A literal translation of the Hebrew is: “He sought to purchase every egg,” meaning to control and extinguish all future potential before it could be developed. When everyone saw that Aḥashverosh was selling and Haman purchasing, they began screaming: Woe, woe [vai, vai] – “it was [vayhi] during the days of Aḥashverosh.”
“It was during the days when the judges judged” (Ruth 1:1). What was the trouble there? “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1). This is analogous to a province that owed a tribute to the king, and the king sent a tax collector to collect it. What did residents of the province do? They arose and hung him and appropriated it from him. They [then] said: ‘Woe unto us when the king becomes aware of these matters, that we did to the emissary of the king what he sought to do to us.’ So too, when one of the people of Israel would do something improper, they would take him to the judge, and what the judge sought to do to the defendant, the defendant would do to the judge. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘You demean your judges; as you live, I will bring upon you a matter that you are unable to withstand.’ What is that? It is famine, as it is stated: “There was a famine in the land” (Ruth 1:1).
Shimon bar Rav Abba said in the name of Rabbi Yonatan: Wherever [the term] vayhi is stated, it refers to trouble or joy; if trouble, it is unparalleled trouble, if joy, unparalleled joy. Rabbi Yishmael came and suggested a different distinction: Wherever vayhi is stated there is no joy; wherever vehaya is stated, there is no trouble.
They raised an objection: “God said: Let there be light, and there was [vayhi] light” (Genesis 1:3). He said to them: That too, is not joy, as the world was not privileged to utilize that light, as Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: With the light that the Holy One blessed be He created on the first day a person could observe and see from one end of the world to the other. When the Holy One blessed be He saw that the actions of the generation of Enosh and the actions of the generation of the Flood were corrupt, He arose and concealed it from them. That is what is written: “The light is withheld from the wicked” (Job 38:15). Where did He conceal it? In the Garden of Eden; that is what is written: “Light is sown for the righteous and joy for the upright” (Psalms 97:11).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] evening [and it was morning, one day]” (Genesis 1:5). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created on the first day is destined to come to an end. That is what is written: “As the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth [will be tattered like a garment]” (Isaiah 51:6).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] evening and it was morning, a second day” (Genesis 1:8), [and] third, fourth, fifth, the sixth.21The same phrasing is used in the descriptions of the creation of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth days. See Genesis 1:13, 19, 23, 31. He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as everything that was created during the six days of Creation require completion; wheat requires grinding, mustard requires sweetening, and lupines require sweetening.
They raised an objection: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joseph and he was a successful man” (Genesis 39:2). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, for as a result, that wicked woman confronted him.
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] on the eighth day [Moses summoned Aaron and his sons, and the elders of Israel]” (Leviticus 9:1). He said to them: That, too, was not joy, as on that day, Nadav and Avihu died. They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] on the day that Moses concluded [erecting the Tabernacle]” (Numbers 7:1). He said to them: That, too, was not joy, as on the day of the Temple’s construction, it was sequestered.22The Tabernacle was not permanent, and was hidden when the Temple was completed.
They raised an objection: “The Lord was [vayhi] with Joshua” (Joshua 6:27). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as Ya’ir, who was equivalent [in stature] to the majority of the Sanhedrin, was killed. That is what is written: “The men of Ai smote them, approximately thirty-six men” (Joshua 7:5). Thirty-six men is not written, but rather approximately, or like, thirty-six; that is Ya’ir ben Menashe, who was equivalent to the majority of Sanhedrin.
They raised an objection: “David was [vayhi] successful in all his ways” (I Samuel 18:14). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as it is written there: “Saul was hostile to David” (I Samuel 18:9).
They raised an objection: “It was [vayhi] when the king had settled in his house, and the Lord had given him respite” (II Samuel 7:1). He said to them: That, too, is not joy, as on that day, Natan the prophet came and said to him: “It will not be you who will build [Me] a house” (I Chronicles 17:4).
They said to him: We said ours, now you say yours.23We have stated our objections; now you state the proofs to your position. He said to them, it is written: “It will be [vehaya] on that day, the mountains will drip with nectar” (Joel 4:18). “It will be [vehaya] on that day, each man shall keep alive a calf of the herd [and two sheep]” (Isaiah 7:21). “It will be [vehaya] on that day that spring water will emerge [from Jerusalem]” (Zechariah 14:8). “He will be [vehaya] like a tree planted near streams of water” (Psalms 1:3). “The remnant of Jacob will be [vehaya] among the nations, [in the midst of many peoples, as a lion among the flocks of sheep]” (Micah 5:7).
They raised an objection to him: “It was [vehaya] when Jerusalem was captured” (Jeremiah 38:28). He said to them: That, too, is not trouble, as on that day, Israel received retribution for its sins, as Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Naḥman said: Israel received great retribution on the day that the Temple was destroyed.24Israel was punished for its sins through the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Were it not for that, the entire populace would have been killed as a result of their sins (Etz Yosef). That is what is written: “Your sin is completed, daughter of Zion, and He will not continue to exile you” (Lamentations 4:22).
וּלְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (ויקרא ט, א), אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא נִמְשְׁלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹף, מַה הָעוֹף הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ פּוֹרֵחַ בְּלֹא כְנָפַיִם, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין יְכוֹלִים לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר חוּץ מִזְּקֵנֵיהֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲלַפְתָּא גְּדוֹלָה זִקְנָה, אִם זְקֵנִים הֵם חֲבִיבִין הֵם, אִם נְעָרִים הֵם נִטְפְּלָה לָהֶן יַלְדוּת, דְּתָנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי לֹא בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד וְלֹא בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת מָצִינוּ שֶׁחָלַק הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּבוֹד לַזְּקֵנִים, אֶלָּא בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת, בַּסְּנֶה (שמות ג, טז): לֵךְ וְאָסַפְתָּ אֶת זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּמִצְרַיִם (שמות ג, יח): וּבָאתָ אַתָּה וְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. בְּסִינַי (שמות כד, א): עֲלֵה אֶל ה' אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא וְשִׁבְעִים מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. בַּמִּדְבָּר (במדבר יא, טז): אֶסְפָה לִי שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ. בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד, וּלְזִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. אַף לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חוֹלֵק כָּבוֹד לַזְּקֵנִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה כד, כג): וְחָפְרָה הַלְּבָנָה וּבוֹשָׁה הַחַמָּה, וּכְתִיב (ישעיה כד, כג): וְנֶגֶד זְקֵנָיו כָּבוֹד. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּר בֵּיבַי וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן וְרַבִּי רְאוּבֵן בְּשֵׁם חֲנִינָא אָמַר, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמַנּוֹת לוֹ יְשִׁיבָה שֶׁל זְקֵנִים מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה כד, כג): כִּי מָלַךְ ה' צְבָאוֹת בְּהַר צִיּוֹן וּבִירוּשָׁלַיִם וְנֶגֶד זְקֵנָיו כָּבוֹד, נֶגֶד זְקֵנִים אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא נֶגֶד זְקֵנָיו כָּבוֹד. רַבִּי אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בְּרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אָמַר עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֵישֵׁב כְּגֹרֶן וְצַדִּיקִים יוֹשְׁבִין לְפָנָיו, כְּהַהוּא (מלכים א כב, י): וּמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל וִיהוֹשָׁפָט מֶלֶךְ יְהוּדָה ישְׁבִים אִישׁ עַל כִּסְאוֹ מְלֻבָּשִׁים בְּגָדִים בְּגֹרֶן, וְכִי בְּגֹרֶן הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִים, אֶלָּא כְּהָא דְּתָנִינַן סַנְהֶדְרִין כַּחֲצִי גֹרֶן עֲגֻלָּה, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּרְאוּ זֶה אֶת זֶה. אָמַר שְׁלֹמֹה אֲנִי חֲמִיתֵּיהּ מְצֻמְצָם בֵּינֵיהוֹן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי לא, כג): נוֹדָע בַּשְּׁעָרִים בַּעֲלָהּ בְּשִׁבְתּוֹ עִם זִקְנֵי אָרֶץ.
“And the elders of Israel”(Leviticus 9:1). Rabbi Akiva said: Israel is likened to a bird. Just as a bird cannot fly without wings, so too, Israel is unable to do anything without its elders. Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥalafta said: Great is Torah scholarship [zikna],25The term zikna, literally old age, is often interpreted by the Sages to refer to Torah scholarship (see, e.g., Kiddushin 32b). for if they are elders, they are cherished, and if they are young men, their childishness is secondary for them,26Their childishness is not their most blatant characteristic. as Rabbi Shimon ban Yoḥai taught: Not in one place and not in two places have we found that the Holy One blessed be He accords honor to the elders, but rather in several places. At the bush, “go and gather the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:16). In Egypt, “and you shall go, you and the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:18). At Sinai, “ascend to the Lord; you, Aaron, Nadav and Avihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel” (Exodus 24:1). In the wilderness, “gather for me seventy men [of the elders of Israel]” (Numbers 11:16). At the Tent of Meeting, “and the elders of Israel” (Numbers 11:16). In the future as well, the Holy One blessed be He will accord honor to the elders. That is what is written: “The moon will be disgraced and the sun will be ashamed, [for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem]” (Isaiah 24:23), and it is written: “and before His elders, glory” (Isaiah 24:23).
Rabbi Yishmael bar Beivai, Rabbi Shimon, and Rabbi Reuven said in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to appoint an academy of elders of His own: That is what is written: “For the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before His elders, glory” (Isaiah 24:23). “Before elders” is not written here, but rather, “before His elders, glory.”
Rabbi Avin said in the name of Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yehoshua: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to sit as on a threshing floor, and the righteous will sit before Him, like this: “The king of Israel and Yehoshafat king of Judah were sitting, each on his throne, dressed in garb, on the threshing floor [at the entrance of the gate of Samaria]” (I Kings 22:10). Were they sitting on a threshing floor? Rather, it is like what we learned: The Sanhedrin was arranged like half of a circular threshing floor, so that they would see each other.27Mishna Sanhedrin 4:3. Solomon said: I saw Him constricting Himself in their midst. That is what is written: “Her husband is renowned at the gates, as he sits with the elders of the land” (Proverbs 31:23).28The entire chapter is an allegory of the relationship between a husband – God, and his wife – the congregation of Israel.
רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה וְרַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ וְעוּלָא בִּירָאָה וְרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, עָתִיד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִהְיוֹת רֹאשׁ חוֹלָה לַצַּדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים מח, יד): שִׁיתוּ לִבְּכֶם לְחֵילָה, לְחוֹלָה כְּתִיב, וְהֵן עוֹלִין עָלָיו בְּעַלְמוּת, וּמַרְאִין עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ בְּאֶצְבַּע, וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים מח, טו): כִּי זֶה אֱלֹהִים אֱלֹהֵינוּ עוֹלָם וָעֶד וגו', בְּעַלְמוּת, בִּזְרִיזוּת. עַלְמוּת כְּאִלֵּין עוּלֵמְתָּא, כְּדִכְתִיב (תהלים סח, כו): בְּתוֹךְ עֲלָמוֹת תּוֹפֵפוֹת, תִּרְגֵּם עֲקִילַס, אַתְנִיסָאָה, עוֹלָם שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מוּת, עַלְמוּת, בִּשְׁנֵי עוֹלָמוֹת, יְנַהֲגֵנוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וִינַהֲגֵנוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא.
Rabbi Berekhya, Rabbi Ḥelbo, Ulla Bira’a, and Rabbi Elazar in the name of Rabbi Ḥanina: The Holy One blessed be He is destined to be at the head of a dance circle [ḥola] for the righteous in the future. That is what is written: “Pay attention to its ramparts [leḥeila]” (Psalms 48:14); leḥola is written.29The word leḥeila, its ramparts, should grammatically have been written with a dot in the heh, indicating the possessive form. The fact that it is written without the dot makes the heh appear to be part of the word itself rather than a suffix. If so, the word would be similar to ḥola, a dance circle (Rabbi David Luria). They ascend to Him be’almut, and they point to Him, as it were, with a finger, and say: “For this is God, our God, forever and ever, [He will guide us beyond death [al mut]]” (Psalms 48:15); be’almut [means] with alacrity. Almut, like those young women [ulemta], as it is written: “Amid the young women [alamot] playing timbrels” (Psalms 68:26).
Aquilas translated: Immortality, a world in which there is no death.30Aquilas translated the Bible into Greek. He translated al with an ayin as though it was al written with an alef; al mut: no death. Al mut, in two worlds [olamot]; He will guide us in this world and He will guide us in the World to Come.