“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh, his discharge is impure” (Leviticus 15:2). “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh…” That is what is written: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). We learned, Akavya ben Mahalalel says: Consider three matters and you will not come to sin: Know from where you came – from a putrid drop; where you are going – to dust, maggots, and worms; and before Whom you are destined to give a reckoning – before the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He.1Mishna Avot 3:1. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rav Pappi, and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: Rabbi Akiva expounded all three of them from a single verse. “Remember your Creator [bore’ekha]” – your well [be’erekha], putrid liquid. Your pit [borekha], this is maggots and worms. Your Creator [bore’ekha], this is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, before Whom you are destined to give a reckoning. “In the days of your youth,” in the days of your youthfulness, when your strength is still with you. “Before the evil days will come” (Ecclesiastes 12:1), these are the days of dotage. “And the years arrive when you will say, I have no desire in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1), these are the messianic days, in which there is neither merit nor liability.2Some commentaries prefer the version of the text found in Kohelet Rabba (12:1): “this is suffering” (see Maharzu). Others explain that in the messianic era there will be no poor people, and therefore no ability for the rich to earn merit through charity or to incur liability by refusing to contribute to charity (Etz Yosef). “Before the sun, the light, [the moon, and the stars] will darken” (Ecclesiastes 12:2). “The sun,” this is [a person’s] countenance.3A person’s countenance changes in old age. “The light,” this is the forehead. “The moon,” this is the nose. “And the stars,” these are the cheekbones. “The clouds will return after the rain”(Ecclesiastes 12:2). Rabbi Levi said two [explanations], one for the scholars and one for the ignoramuses. One to the scholars: When someone comes to weep, his eyes shed tears [copiously]. One to the ignoramuses: When someone comes to urinate, feces precede it. “On the day that the guards of the house will tremble, [the valiant men will be twisted, the grinders will cease because they have dwindled, it will be dark for the gazers through the windows]” (Ecclesiastes 12:3). “On the day that the guards of the house will tremble,” these are one’s knees. “The valiant men will be bent,” these are one’s ribs. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Naḥman said: These are one’s arms. “The grinders will cease,” this is the stomach. “Because they have dwindled,” these are the teeth. “It will be dark for the gazers through the windows,” these are the eyes. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Naḥman said: These are the nodes of the lungs from which the voice emerges. “The doors to the street will be shut” (Ecclesiastes 12:4), these are a person’s orifices that are like a door that opens and closes. “With the fading of the noise of the mill (Ecclesiastes 12:4), because the stomach no longer grinds. “And one will arise to the voice of a bird” – this elderly man, when he hears the sound of birds chirping, he says in his heart: Robbers are coming to overwhelm me. “And all the sources of music will be lowered” (Ecclesiastes 12:4), these are his lips. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Neḥemya said: These are the kidneys, which think and the heart concludes. 4The midrash presents thought as being initiated by the kidneys and concluded by the heart, before it is expressed by the lips. “They will also be fearful of heights, [and obstacles on the way; the almond tree will blossom, but the grasshopper will be burdened; the caper berry will fail. For the man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners will circle in the streets]” (Ecclesiastes 12:5). “They will also be fearful of heights,” this is the elderly man to whom they call: ‘Go to such and such place,’ and he says: ‘Are there ascents there, are there descents there?’5He is loathe to travel if he will have to go uphill or downhill. “And obstacles [veḥatḥatim] on the way,” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Levi, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: The fear [ḥitita] of the way descends upon him. The other said: He begins to delineate [matve] routes [teva’im]. He says until such and such place I can go, to such and such place I cannot go. “The almond tree will blossom,” these are the ankles. “But the grasshopper will be burdened,” this is the nut-sized bone attached to the spine. Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, he said to him: ‘From where will the Holy One blessed be He cause man to blossom in the future?’6When a person comes back to life at the resurrection of the dead. He said to him: ‘From the nut-sized bone attached to the spine.’ He said to him: ‘From where can you prove this to me?’ He brought one before him. He placed it in water, but it did not dissolve. He ground it in a mill, but it was not ground. He placed it in fire, but it did not burn. He placed it on an anvil and began striking it with a hammer. The anvil divided and the hammer split, but it was to no avail. “The caper berry will fail,” this is the desire that promotes harmony between a man and his wife.7The desire for marital relations. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta would ascend and greet Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] each and every month. When he grew old, he sat and was unable to ascend. One day he ascended. [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi] said to him: ‘With what are you occupied, that you do not ascend to me in the manner that you were accustomed?’ He said: ‘The far have become near, the near have become far, two have become three, and the promoter of harmony in the house is abolished.’ . “For the man goes to his eternal home” – “the eternal home” is not stated, but rather “his eternal home.” This teaches that each and every righteous person has a world to himself. This is analogous to a king who enters the province, and with him are generals, governors, and soldiers. Even though they all enter a single gate, each and every one is accommodated according to his standing. So, too, even though everyone tastes the taste of death, each and every righteous person has a world to himself. “And the mourners will circle in the streets,” these are the worms. “Before the silver cord will be severed” (Ecclesiastes 12:6), this is the spinal column. “The golden bowl will be shattered” (Ecclesiastes 12:6), this is the skull. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Neḥemya said: This is the esophagus that finishes the gold and expends the silver.8A glutton spends much of his resources, represented here as gold and silver, on food. “The pitcher will be broken at the spring” (Ecclesiastes 12:6); Rabbi Ḥiyya son of Rabbi Pappi and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: Three days after [death], a person’s stomach bursts and passes [its contents] to the mouth and says to it: ‘Take for yourself what you robbed and pilfered and gave to me.’ Rabbi Ḥagai in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak cited it from this verse: “I will scatter dung upon your faces, the dung of your festive offerings” (Malachi 2:3). Rabbi Abba son of Rav Pappi and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: For the first three days, the soul hovers over the body, thinking that it will return to it. When it sees that the aura of the countenance has changed, it goes on its way, as it is written: “But his flesh [on him is painful, and his soul mourns over him]” (Job 14:22). Bar Kappara said: The full intensity of mourning remains for three days. Why? Because the form of the face is recognizable, as we learned: One may testify only regarding the countenance of the face with the nose…and one may testify only up to three days.9Mishna Yevamot 16:3. The point is that one can testify that someone has died only if one sees the entire face of the corpse while it is intact, including the nose, and only if one sees it within three days of the person’s death. “The wheel will be smashed into the cistern” (Ecclesiastes 12:6). Two amora’im, one said: Like those wheels of Tzippori.10Tzippori was located in the mountains, and its wells extended deep into the ground. Water was drawn using a long rope attached to a wheel. This is representative of a corpse being lowered into a grave (Etz Yosef). One said: Like the clods in Tiberias, as it is stated: “The clods of the stream are sweet to him” (Job 21:33).11Tiberias is located in an area with many streams of water that flow into the nearby Sea of Galilee. These streams carry with them stones, which are smoothed by the running water and were used to cover graves. Thus, the wheel [galgal] of the verse is understood as referring to the stones covering a grave [golel]. “The dust returns to the earth as it was, [and the spirit returns to God who bestowed it]” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya [said] in the name of Rabbi Simon: When will the spirit return to God who bestowed it? It is when the dust returns to the earth as it was.12If the body, made from the dust of the earth, returns to it free of sin, as it was before the person lived his life, i.e., if the person was righteous and died free of sin. If not, “may He cast away the souls of your enemies …” (I Samuel 25:29).13God will cast away the souls of the sinners. Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman taught in the name of Rabbi Avdimi of Haifa: [This is analogous] to a priest who was meticulous regarding ritual purity, who gave a loaf of teruma bread to a priest who was negligent regarding ritual purity. He said to him: ‘Look, I am pure, my house is pure, and the loaf that I gave you is pure. If you give it [back] to me in the manner that I gave it to you, fine. If not, I will cast it before you.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He says to each person: ‘Look, I am pure, My abode is pure, My attendants are pure, and the soul that I placed in you was pure. If you return it to me in the manner that I give it to you, fine. If not, behold, I will cast it before you.’ All this befalls him in the days of his dotage. But in the days of his youth, if he sins he is afflicted with discharges and leprosy. Therefore, Moses cautions Israel and says to them: “Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh.”
Another matter, “any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh,” this is what the verse said: “It is terrifying and awesome, from it will emerge its justice and its burden” (Habakkuk 1:7).14This verse refers to the Chaldean nation, but in Hebrew the pronouns can be read as either “it” or “he.” The midrash adopts the second reading, and applies the verse to various individuals. “It is terrifying and awesome,” this is Adam the first man. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him such that he filled the whole world in its entirety. [He filled the world] from east to west, as it is stated: “Back and front You shaped me” (Psalms 139:5).15Front [kedem] is also a term used for east (see, e.g., Exodus 27:13). From north to south, as it is stated: “From one end of the heavens to the other end” (Deuteronomy 4:32). From where is it derived that [he filled] even the space of the world?16The space between heaven and earth. The verse states: “You placed Your palm upon me” (Psalms 139:5). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” this is Eve. That is what is written: “The man said: The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me [from the tree, and I ate]” (Genesis 3:12).17That sin brought upon him the “justice and burden” – the punishment of death. Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Esau. That is what is written: “Rebecca took the garments of Esau, her elder [hagadol] son” (Genesis 27:15).18According to the Sages, these garments had belonged to Adam, and then eventually belonged to Nimrod, and Esau killed Nimrod and took them (see Bereshit Rabba 65:16). Since Nimrod himself was described as having been mighty (see Genesis 10:9), Esau must have been “terrifying and awesome” (Etz Yosef). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” this is Obadiah. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Obadiah was an Edomite convert and he prophesied regarding Edom: “There will be no survivor for the house of Esau” (Obadiah 1:18). Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Sennacherib, as it is written: “Who among all the gods of these lands has delivered their land from my hand?” (Isaiah 36:20). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” these are his sons. “It was as he was prostrating himself in the temple of Nisrokh, his god, that Adramelekh and Saretzer, his sons, smote him with the sword” (II Kings 19:37). Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Hiram king of Tyre, as it is written: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: So said the Lord God: Because your heart became haughty” (Ezekiel 28:2). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” this is Nebuchadnezzar. Rabbi Simon said: There is an aggadic tradition that Hiram was the husband of Nebuchadnezzar’s mother. [Nebuchadnezzar] rose against him and killed him. That is what is written: “I took out a fire from your midst; it devoured you” (Ezekiel 28:18). Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Nebuchadnezzar. “You said in your heart: I will ascend to the heavens” (Isaiah 14:13). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” this is Evil Merodakh. They said: For all those seven years that passed for Nebuchadnezzar,19Nebuchadnezzar spent seven years roaming as an animal in the forest; see Daniel 4:22. they took Evil Merodakh and crowned him in his stead. When he returned, he took him20Nebuchadnezzar took Evil Merodakh. and incarcerated him in prison. Anyone who entered prison in the days of [Nebuchadnezzar] would never emerge from there, as it is stated: “Who never released his prisoners homeward” (Isaiah 14:17). When [Nebuchadnezzar] died, they approached Evil Merodakh to crown him. He said to them: ‘I will not heed you. Initially, I heeded you, and he took me and incarcerated me in prison. Now, he will kill me.’ He did not believe them until they dragged [Nebuchadnezzar’s corpse] and cast him before him. That is what is written: “But you were cast from your grave” (Isaiah 14:19). Rabbi Avina said: Moreover, each and every enemy that he had would come and stab his [corpse] with the sword, to realize what was stated: “Clad in the garb of corpses, stabbed with a sword” (Isaiah 14:19). Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Israel, as it is written: “I had said: You are divine” (Psalms 82:6). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” they were afflicted with discharges and leprosy. Therefore, Moses cautions Israel and says to them: “Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh.”
Another matter, “any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh,” that is what the verse said: “On the day of your planting it will flourish, and in the morning your seed will blossom” (Isaiah 17:11). “On the day of your planting,” on the day that I planted you to be My people, you created waste, just as it says: “They have become the dross of silver” (Ezekiel 22:18). “It will flourish [tesagsegi]” – you distorted [shagishtun] the path. That is what is written: “[Ardent lips but an evil heart] are silver dross coating earthenware.” (Proverbs 26:23).21After saying: “Everything that God said we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), they then said, at the sin of the Golden Calf: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). Alternatively, tesagsegi, you deceived [shagishtum] Me. That is what is written: “But they beguiled Him with their mouth and lied to Him with their tongue. Their heart was not steadfast toward Him, and they were not faithful to His covenant” (Psalms 78:36–37). “And in the morning your seed will blossom.” Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina and Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman, Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: This is analogous to one who had a furrow filled with vegetables. He awoke in the morning and found it stricken with chlorosis. Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman said: It is analogous to one who had a furrow filled with flax. He awoke in the morning and found it had become stalks.22It had become hard and ruined. “The harvest will be lost [nad]” (Isaiah 17:11) – you brought [nidnadtem] upon yourselves the travails of the kingdom,23Subjugation to foreign powers. the travails of suffering, and the travails of the angel of death, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Eiezer son of Rabbi Yosei Hagelili: When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that God said we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), at that moment, the Holy One blessed be He summoned the angel of death and said to him: ‘Even though I granted you dominion over people, you have no dealings with this nation. Why? Because they are My children.’ That is what is written: “You are children to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1). And it says: “It was when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness” (Deuteronomy 5:20). Is there darkness On High? But is it not written: “Light rests with Him”? (Daniel 2:22). Rather, this is the angel of death, who is called darkness. That is what is written: “The tablets were the work of God [and the writing was the writing of God, engraved [ḥarut] on the tablets]” (Exodus 32:16). Do not read it as engraved [ḥarut], but rather, freedom [ḥerut]. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda said: Freedom from the angel of death. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Freedom from the kingdoms. The Rabbis say: Freedom from suffering. “On a day of inheritance [naḥala]” (Isaiah 17:11), on the day that I bequeathed [hinḥalti] you the Torah. “And mortal pain” (Isaiah 17:11), Rabbi Yoḥanan and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: You brought upon yourselves an affliction that flows and exhausts. The Rabbis say: You brought upon yourselves an affliction that overwhelms and drains. Which is that? It is discharge and leprosy. Therefore, Moses cautions Israel and says to them: “Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh.”
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that God said we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), at that moment there were not among them one who experienced a discharge, or [one who was] a leper, nor lame, nor blind, nor mute, nor deaf, nor imbecile. Regarding that moment it says: “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7). Once they sinned, not even a brief time passed until those who experienced a discharge and lepers were found among them. Regarding that moment it says: “They shall expel from the camp every leper, and anyone with a discharge…” (Numbers 5:2). From what did Israel incur liability to [be struck with] discharge and leprosy? Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: It is because they would cast aspersions on their prominent leaders and say: ‘Does the family of so-and-so not include lepers?’ This is to teach you that leprosy comes only for slander. That is why Israel was liable for discharge and leprosy. Rabbi Tanḥuma says: It is because they would cast aspersions on the Ark and say: ‘This Ark kills its bearers.’ Leprosy comes only for slander; that is why Israel was liable for discharge and leprosy. The Rabbis say: It was because of the calf, as it is written: “Moses saw the people, that it was exposed [farua]” (Exodus 32:25), that leprosy blossomed in them, just as it says: “The hair of his head shall grow unchecked [farua]” (Leviticus 13:45).24This is stated in regard to the leper. Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: It was because of the complainers, as it is stated: “Until it comes out of your nose, and it shall be loathsome [lezara] for you” (Numbers 11:20). What is [the meaning of] loathsome [lezara]? Rabbi Huna said: It shall be for vomit [lezarna] and excrement. Reish Lakish said: It shall be for diphtheria [askera]. Rabbi Abba said: As a warning [azhara]. Rabbi Evyatar said: For ticks [lekarda].25Insects that are attracted to flesh as it begins to disintegrate. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It is just that you distance it more than you [now] seek to draw it near. Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: From here they became strangers [zarim] to the Tent of Meeting.26They experienced discharges and became lepers, and therefore were unable to approach the Tent of Meeting.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: A flesh and blood [king] imposes exile, and the Holy One blessed be He imposes exile, as it is stated: “Command the children of Israel and they shall expel from the camp” (Numbers 5:2). A flesh and blood [king] incarcerates in prison and the Holy One blessed be He incarcerates in prison, as it is stated: “The priest shall quarantine the leprous mark” (Leviticus 13:4). A flesh and blood [king] decrees banishment and the Holy One blessed be He decrees banishment: “He shall dwell in isolation, outside the camp is his dwelling” (Leviticus 13:46). A flesh and blood [king] administers flogging and the Holy One blessed be He administers flogging: “Forty he shall flog him, he shall not add” (Deuteronomy 25:3). A flesh and blood [king] collects fines and the Holy One blessed be He collects fines, “they shall penalize him one hundred silver pieces” (Deuteronomy 22:19). A flesh and blood [king] provides provisions and the Holy One blessed be He provides provisions, “behold I am raining food for you from the heavens” (Exodus 16:4). A flesh and blood [king] grants promotions and the Holy One blessed be He grants promotions, “take a census…” (Numbers 1:2).27“Se’u et rosh” literally “raise the head,” promote them. A flesh and blood [king] provides rations and the Holy One blessed be He provides rations, “an omer per person according to the number of your people” (Exodus 16:16). A flesh and blood [king] strikes a person due to [testimony] of witnesses, but the Holy One blessed be He strikes him Himself, “I crushed and I will heal” (Deuteronomy 32:39). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: A flesh and blood [king] strikes with a blade and heals with a bandage, but the Holy One blessed be He heals with that with which He strikes, as it is stated: “For I will bring a remedy for you, and from your wounds I will heal you” (Jeremiah 30:17).28The healing will arise from the wound.
דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ וגו' (ויקרא טו, ב), הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (קהלת יב, א): וּזְכֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶיךָ בִּימֵי בְּחוּרֹתֶיךָ, תְּנַן (משנה אבות ג-א): עֲקַבְיָא בֶּן מַהַלַּלְאֵל אוֹמֵר הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאֵין אַתָּה בָּא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה, דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, לֶעָפָר רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה, וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וכו', רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר בְּשֵׁם רַב פַּפֵּי וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי שְׁלָשְׁתָּן דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מִתּוֹךְ פָּסוּק אֶחָד, וּזְכֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶךָ, בְּאֵרְךָ זוֹ לֵיחָה סְרוּחָה, בּוֹרְךָ זוֹ רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה, בּוֹרְאֶךָ זֶה מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁעָתִיד לִתֵּן לְפָנָיו דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן. בִּימֵי בְּחוּרֹתֶיךָ, בְּיוֹמֵי טַלְיוּתָךְ עַד דְּחֵילָךְ עֲלָךְ. (קהלת יב, א): עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָבֹאוּ יְמֵי הָרָעָה, אֵלּוּ יְמֵי זִקְנָה, (קהלת יב, א): וְהִגִּיעוּ שָׁנִים אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר אֵין לִי בָהֶם חֵפֶץ, אֵלּוּ יְמֵי הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם לֹא זְכוּת וְלֹא חוֹבָה, (קהלת יב, ב): עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֶחְשַׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהָאוֹר וגו', הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ זֶה קְלַסְתֵּר פָּנִים, וְהָאוֹר זֶה הַמֵּצַח, וְהַיָּרֵחַ זֶה הַחוֹטֶם, וְהַכּוֹכָבִים אֵלּוּ רָאשֵׁי לְסָתוֹת, (קהלת יב, ב): וְשָׁבוּ הֶעָבִים אַחַר הַגָּשֶׁם, רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר תַּרְתֵּי חָדָא לְחַבְרַיָיא וְחָדָא לְבוּרַיָא. חָדָא לְחַבְרַיָא, בָּא לִבְכּוֹת זָלְגוּ עֵינָיו דְּמָעוֹת. חָדָא לְבוּרַיָא, בָּא לְהַטִּיל מַיִם הַגְּלָלִין מְקַדְּמִין אוֹתוֹ. (קהלת יב, ג): בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיָּזֻעוּ שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת וגו', בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיָּזֻעוּ שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת אֵלּוּ אַרְכֻּבּוֹתָיו, (קהלת יב, ג): וְהִתְעַוְתוּ אַנְשֵׁי הֶחָיִל אֵלּוּ צְלָעוֹתָיו. רַבִּי חִיָא בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר אֵלּוּ זְרוֹעוֹתָיו, (קהלת יב, ג): וּבָטְלוּ הַטֹּחֲנוֹת זֶה הַמַּסָּס, (קהלת יב, ג): כִּי מִעֵטוּ אֵלּוּ הַשִּׁנַּיִם, (קהלת יב, ג): וְחָשְׁכוּ הָרֹאוֹת בָּאֲרֻבּוֹת אֵלּוּ הָעֵינַיִם. רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר אֵלּוּ כַּנְפֵי הָרֵאָה, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם יוֹצֵא הַקּוֹל, (קהלת יב, ד): וְסֻגְּרוּ דְלָתַיִם בַּשּׁוּק אֵלּוּ נְקָבָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, שֶׁהֵן כְּמוֹ דֶּלֶת הַפּוֹתֵחַ וְהַסּוֹגֵר, (קהלת יב, ד): בִּשְׁפַל קוֹל הַטַּחֲנָה בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֵין הַמַּסָּס טוֹחֵן, (קהלת יב, ד): וְיָקוּם לְקוֹל הַצִּפּוֹר, הָדֵין סָבָא כַּד שָׁמַע קוֹל צִפֳּרִין מְצַיְצִין אֲמַר בְּלִיבֵּיהּ לִיסְטִין אָתָאן לִמְקַפְּחָא יָתִי, (קהלת יב, ד): וְיִשַּׁחוּ כָּל בְּנוֹת הַשִּׁיר אֵלּוּ שִׂפְתוֹתָיו, רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר אֵלּוּ הַכְּלָיוֹת, שֶׁהֵן חוֹשְׁבוֹת וְהַלֵּב גּוֹמֵר, (קהלת יב, ה): גַּם מִגָּבֹהַּ יִרָאוּ וגו', גַּם מִגָּבֹהַּ יִרָאוּ הָדֵין סָבָא דְּצָוְחִין לֵיהּ זִיל לַאֲתַר פְּלַן וְהוּא שָׁאֵיל וַאֲמַר אִית תַּמָּן מַסְּקִין, אִית תַּמָּן מַחֲתִין, (קהלת יב, ה): וְחַתְחַתִּים בַּדֶּרֶךְ, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא וְרַבִּי לֵוִי, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא חִתִּיתָא שֶׁל דֶּרֶךְ נוֹפֵל עָלָיו, וָחֳרָנָא אֲמַר הִתְחִיל מַתְוֶוה תְּוָואִים, אֲמַר עַד אֲתַר פְּלַן אִית לִי מַהֲלַךְ בַּאֲתַר פְּלַן לֵית לִי מַהֲלַךְ. (קהלת יב, ה): וְיָנֵאץ הַשָּׁקֵד אִילֵּין קַרְסוּלוֹת, (קהלת יב, ה): וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב זֶה לוּז שֶׁל שִׁדְרָה. אַדְרִיָּנוּס שְׁחִיק עֲצָמוֹת שָׁאַל אֶת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר חֲנַנְיָא אָמַר לוֹ מֵהֵיכָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵצִיץ אֶת הָאָדָם לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, אָמַר לוֹ מִלּוּז שֶׁל שִׁדְרָה, אָמַר לוֹ מִן הֵן אַתְּ מוֹדַע לִי, אַיְיתֵי יָתֵיהּ קוֹמוֹי נְתָנוֹ בַּמַּיִם וְלֹא נִמְחָה, טְחָנוֹ בָּרֵיחַיִם וְלֹא נִטְחַן, נְתָנוֹ בָּאֵשׁ וְלֹא נִשְׂרַף, נְתָנוֹ עַל הַסַּדָּן הִתְחִיל מַכֶּה עָלָיו בַּפַּטִּישׁ, נֶחְלַק הַסַּדָּן וְנִבְקַע הַפַּטִּישׁ וְלֹא הוֹעִיל מִמֶּנּוּ כְּלוּם. (קהלת יב, ה): וְתָפֵר הָאֲבִיּוֹנָה זוֹ הַתַּאֲוָה שֶׁהִיא מַטִּילָה שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא הֲוָה סָלֵיק שָׁאֵיל בִּשְׁלָמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי בְּכָל יֶרַח וְיֶרַח, כֵּיוָן דְּסָב יָתֵיב לֵיהּ וְלָא יָכוֹל לְמֵיסַק, יוֹם חַד סָלֵיק אֲמַר לֵיהּ מָה עִסְקָךְ דְּלֵית אַתְּ סָלֵיק לְגַבִּי הֵיךְ דַּהֲוֵית יָלֵיף, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רְחוֹקוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ קְרוֹבוֹת, קְרוֹבוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ רְחוֹקוֹת, שְׁתַּיִם נַעֲשׂוּ שָׁלשׁ, וּמֵטִיל שָׁלוֹם בַּבַּיִת בָּטֵל, [ופרושו: רחוקות נעשו קרובות, אילין עיניא דהוו חמיין מרחוק כדו אפלו מקרוב לית אינון חמיין. קרובות נעשו רחוקות, אילין אודני דהוו שמעין בחד זמן בתרי זמני, כדו אפלו במאה זימנין לית אינון שמעין. שתים נעשו שלש, חוטרא ותרתין ריגלי. ומטיל שלום בבית בטל, זו התאוה שמטיל שלום בין איש לאשתו]. (קהלת יב, ה): כִּי הֹלֵךְ הָאָדָם אֶל בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ, בֵּית הָעוֹלָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק יֵשׁ לוֹ עוֹלָם בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנִּכְנַס לַמְּדִינָה וְעִמּוֹ דֻּכָּסִין וְאִפַּרְכִין וְאִיסְטְרַטְיוֹטִין, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַכֹּל נִכְנָסִין בְּפוֹלִין אֶחָד, כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד שָׁרוּי לְפִי כְבוֹדוֹ, כָּךְ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַכֹּל טוֹעֲמִין טַעַם מִיתָה, כָּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק יֵשׁ לוֹ עוֹלָם בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. (קהלת יב, ה): וְסָבְבוּ בַשּׁוּק הַסּוֹפְדִים אֵלּוּ הַתּוֹלָעִים, (קהלת יב, ו): עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵרָתֵק חֶבֶל הַכֶּסֶף זֶה חוּט הַשִּׁדְרָה, (קהלת יב, ו): וְתָרֻץ גֻּלַּת הַזָּהָב זוֹ גֻּלְגֹּלֶת. רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר נְחֶמְיָא אָמַר זוֹ גַּרְגֶּרֶת שֶׁמְכַלָּה אֶת הַזָּהָב וּמֵרִיקָה אֶת הַכָּסֶף. (קהלת יב, ו): וְתִשָּׁבֶר כַּד עַל הַמַּבּוּעַ זוֹ כָּרֵס. רַבִּי חִיָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי פַּפֵּי וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי לְאַחַר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים כְּרֵיסוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם נִבְקַעַת וּמוֹסֶרֶת לַפֶּה וְאוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ הֵילָךְ מַה שֶּׁגָּזַלְתָּ וְחָמַסְתָּ וְנָתַתָּ לִי. רַבִּי חַגַּי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִצְחָק מַיְיתֵי לָהּ מִן הָדֵין קְרָיָא (מלאכי ב, ג): וְזֵרִיתִי פֶרֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם פֶּרֶשׁ חֲגֵיכֶם. רַבִּי אַבָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב פַּפֵּי וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי כָּל תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין נַפְשָׁא טָיְיסָא עַל גּוּפָה סָבְרָה דְּהִיא חָזְרָה לֵיהּ, וְכֵיוָן דְּהִיא חָמְיָא לֵיהּ דְּאִישְׁתַּנֵּי זִיוְהוֹן דְּאַפּוֹי, הִיא אָזְלַת לָהּ, דִּכְתִיב (איוב יד, כב): אַךְ בְּשָׂרוֹ וגו'. בַּר קַפָּרָא אָמַר עַד שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים תָּקְפּוֹ שֶׁל אֵבֶל קַיָּם, לָמָּה שֶׁצּוּרַת הַפָּנִים נִכֶּרֶת, דִּתְנַן אֵין מְעִידִין אֶלָּא עַל פַּרְצוּף פָּנִים עִם הַחֹטֶם, וְאֵין מְעִידִין לְאַחַר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים. (קהלת יב, ו): וְנָרֹץ הַגַּלְגַּל אֶל הַבּוֹר, תְּרֵין אֲמוֹרָאִין, חַד אָמַר כְּאִילֵּין גַּלְגְּלַיָא דְצִפּוֹרִי, וְחוֹרָנָא אֲמַר כְּאִילֵּין רִגְבַיָּיא דִּטְבֶרְיָא, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (איוב כא, לג): מָתְקוּ לוֹ רִגְבֵי נָחַל. (קהלת יב, ז): וְיָשֹׁב הֶעָפָר עַל הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהָיָה וגו', רַבִּי פִּנְחָס וְרַבִּי חִלְקִיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן אֵימָתַי הָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ, כְּשֶׁשָּׁב הֶעָפָר אֶל הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהָיָה, וְאִם לָאו (שמואל א כה, כט): וְאֶת נֶפֶשׁ אֹיְבֶיךָ יְקַלְּעֶנָּה וגו'. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּר נַחְמָן מַתְנֵי לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבְדִּימֵי דְמִן חֵיפָא לְכֹהֵן חָבֵר שֶׁמָּסַר לְכֹהֵן עַם הָאָרֶץ כִּכָּר שֶׁל תְּרוּמָה, אָמַר לוֹ רְאֵה שֶׁאֲנִי טָהוֹר וּבֵיתִי טָהוֹר וְכִכָּר שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ טָהוֹר, אִם אַתָּה נוֹתְנָהּ לִי כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו הֲרֵינִי זוֹרְקָהּ לְפָנֶיךָ. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאָדָם זֶה, רְאֵה שֶׁאֲנִי טָהוֹר וּמְעוֹנִי טָהוֹר וּמְשָׁרְתַי טְהוֹרִים וּנְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ טְהוֹרָה, אִם אַתָּה מַחֲזִירָהּ לִי כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹתְנָהּ לְךָ, מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו הֲרֵינִי טוֹרְפָהּ לְפָנֶיךָ, כָּל אֵלּוּ בִּימֵי זִקְנוּתוֹ אֲבָל בִּימֵי בַּחֲרוּתוֹ אִם חָטָא לוֹקֶה בְּזִיבוּת וּבְצָרַעַת, לְפִיכָךְ משֶׁה מַזְהִיר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם: אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ.
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh, his discharge is impure” (Leviticus 15:2)..
“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh…” That is what is written: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). We learned, Akavya ben Mahalalel says: Consider three matters and you will not come to sin: Know from where you came – from a putrid drop; where you are going – to dust, maggots, and worms; and before Whom you are destined to give a reckoning – before the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He.1Mishna Avot 3:1. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said in the name of Rav Pappi, and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: Rabbi Akiva expounded all three of them from a single verse. “Remember your Creator [bore’ekha]” – your well [be’erekha], putrid liquid. Your pit [borekha], this is maggots and worms. Your Creator [bore’ekha], this is the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, before Whom you are destined to give a reckoning.
“In the days of your youth,” in the days of your youthfulness, when your strength is still with you. “Before the evil days will come” (Ecclesiastes 12:1), these are the days of dotage. “And the years arrive when you will say, I have no desire in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1), these are the messianic days, in which there is neither merit nor liability.2Some commentaries prefer the version of the text found in Kohelet Rabba (12:1): “this is suffering” (see Maharzu). Others explain that in the messianic era there will be no poor people, and therefore no ability for the rich to earn merit through charity or to incur liability by refusing to contribute to charity (Etz Yosef).
“Before the sun, the light, [the moon, and the stars] will darken” (Ecclesiastes 12:2). “The sun,” this is [a person’s] countenance.3A person’s countenance changes in old age. “The light,” this is the forehead. “The moon,” this is the nose. “And the stars,” these are the cheekbones. “The clouds will return after the rain” (Ecclesiastes 12:2). Rabbi Levi said two [explanations], one for the scholars and one for the ignoramuses. One to the scholars: When someone comes to weep, his eyes shed tears [copiously]. One to the ignoramuses: When someone comes to urinate, feces precede it.
“On the day that the guards of the house will tremble, [the valiant men will be twisted, the grinders will cease because they have dwindled, it will be dark for the gazers through the windows]” (Ecclesiastes 12:3). “On the day that the guards of the house will tremble,” these are one’s knees. “The valiant men will be bent,” these are one’s ribs. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Naḥman said: These are one’s arms. “The grinders will cease,” this is the stomach. “Because they have dwindled,” these are the teeth. “It will be dark for the gazers through the windows,” these are the eyes. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Naḥman said: These are the nodes of the lungs from which the voice emerges.
“The doors to the street will be shut” (Ecclesiastes 12:4), these are a person’s orifices that are like a door that opens and closes. “With the fading of the noise of the mill (Ecclesiastes 12:4), because the stomach no longer grinds. “And one will arise to the voice of a bird” – this elderly man, when he hears the sound of birds chirping, he says in his heart: Robbers are coming to overwhelm me. “And all the sources of music will be lowered” (Ecclesiastes 12:4), these are his lips. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Neḥemya said: These are the kidneys, which think and the heart concludes. 4The midrash presents thought as being initiated by the kidneys and concluded by the heart, before it is expressed by the lips.
“They will also be fearful of heights, [and obstacles on the way; the almond tree will blossom, but the grasshopper will be burdened; the caper berry will fail. For the man goes to his eternal home, and the mourners will circle in the streets]” (Ecclesiastes 12:5). “They will also be fearful of heights,” this is the elderly man to whom they call: ‘Go to such and such place,’ and he says: ‘Are there ascents there, are there descents there?’5He is loathe to travel if he will have to go uphill or downhill. “And obstacles [veḥatḥatim] on the way,” Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Levi, Rabbi Abba bar Kahana: The fear [ḥitita] of the way descends upon him. The other said: He begins to delineate [matve] routes [teva’im]. He says until such and such place I can go, to such and such place I cannot go. “The almond tree will blossom,” these are the ankles. “But the grasshopper will be burdened,” this is the nut-sized bone attached to the spine.
Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, asked Rabbi Yehoshua ben Ḥananya, he said to him: ‘From where will the Holy One blessed be He cause man to blossom in the future?’6When a person comes back to life at the resurrection of the dead. He said to him: ‘From the nut-sized bone attached to the spine.’ He said to him: ‘From where can you prove this to me?’ He brought one before him. He placed it in water, but it did not dissolve. He ground it in a mill, but it was not ground. He placed it in fire, but it did not burn. He placed it on an anvil and began striking it with a hammer. The anvil divided and the hammer split, but it was to no avail.
“The caper berry will fail,” this is the desire that promotes harmony between a man and his wife.7The desire for marital relations. Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta would ascend and greet Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] each and every month. When he grew old, he sat and was unable to ascend. One day he ascended. [Rabbi Yehuda HaNasi] said to him: ‘With what are you occupied, that you do not ascend to me in the manner that you were accustomed?’ He said: ‘The far have become near, the near have become far, two have become three, and the promoter of harmony in the house is abolished.’
“For the man goes to his eternal home” – “the eternal home” is not stated, but rather “his eternal home.” This teaches that each and every righteous person has a world to himself. This is analogous to a king who enters the province, and with him are generals, governors, and soldiers. Even though they all enter a single gate, each and every one is accommodated according to his standing. So, too, even though everyone tastes the taste of death, each and every righteous person has a world to himself. “And the mourners will circle in the streets,” these are the worms.
“Before the silver cord will be severed” (Ecclesiastes 12:6), this is the spinal column. “The golden bowl will be shattered” (Ecclesiastes 12:6), this is the skull. Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Neḥemya said: This is the esophagus that finishes the gold and expends the silver.8A glutton spends much of his resources, represented here as gold and silver, on food. “The pitcher will be broken at the spring” (Ecclesiastes 12:6); Rabbi Ḥiyya son of Rabbi Pappi and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: Three days after [death], a person’s stomach bursts and passes [its contents] to the mouth and says to it: ‘Take for yourself what you robbed and pilfered and gave to me.’ Rabbi Ḥagai in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak cited it from this verse: “I will scatter dung upon your faces, the dung of your festive offerings” (Malachi 2:3).
Rabbi Abba son of Rav Pappi and Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: For the first three days, the soul hovers over the body, thinking that it will return to it. When it sees that the aura of the countenance has changed, it goes on its way, as it is written: “But his flesh [on him is painful, and his soul mourns over him]” (Job 14:22). Bar Kappara said: The full intensity of mourning remains for three days. Why? Because the form of the face is recognizable, as we learned: One may testify only regarding the countenance of the face with the nose…and one may testify only up to three days.9Mishna Yevamot 16:3. The point is that one can testify that someone has died only if one sees the entire face of the corpse while it is intact, including the nose, and only if one sees it within three days of the person’s death. “The wheel will be smashed into the cistern” (Ecclesiastes 12:6). Two amora’im, one said: Like those wheels of Tzippori.10Tzippori was located in the mountains, and its wells extended deep into the ground. Water was drawn using a long rope attached to a wheel. This is representative of a corpse being lowered into a grave (Etz Yosef). One said: Like the clods in Tiberias, as it is stated: “The clods of the stream are sweet to him” (Job 21:33).11Tiberias is located in an area with many streams of water that flow into the nearby Sea of Galilee. These streams carry with them stones, which are smoothed by the running water and were used to cover graves. Thus, the wheel [galgal] of the verse is understood as referring to the stones covering a grave [golel].
“The dust returns to the earth as it was, [and the spirit returns to God who bestowed it]” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya [said] in the name of Rabbi Simon: When will the spirit return to God who bestowed it? It is when the dust returns to the earth as it was.12If the body, made from the dust of the earth, returns to it free of sin, as it was before the person lived his life, i.e., if the person was righteous and died free of sin. If not, “may He cast away the souls of your enemies …” (I Samuel 25:29).13God will cast away the souls of the sinners. Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman taught in the name of Rabbi Avdimi of Haifa: [This is analogous] to a priest who was meticulous regarding ritual purity, who gave a loaf of teruma bread to a priest who was negligent regarding ritual purity. He said to him: ‘Look, I am pure, my house is pure, and the loaf that I gave you is pure. If you give it [back] to me in the manner that I gave it to you, fine. If not, I will cast it before you.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He says to each person: ‘Look, I am pure, My abode is pure, My attendants are pure, and the soul that I placed in you was pure. If you return it to me in the manner that I give it to you, fine. If not, behold, I will cast it before you.’
All this befalls him in the days of his dotage. But in the days of his youth, if he sins he is afflicted with discharges and leprosy. Therefore, Moses cautions Israel and says to them: “Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh.”
דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (חבקוק א, ז): אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא. אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא, זֶה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן מְלֹא כָל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ בְּרָאוֹ, מִמִּזְרַח לְמַעֲרָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קלט, ה): אָחוֹר וָקֶדֶם צַרְתָּנִי, מִן הַצָּפוֹן לְדָרוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד, לב): וּלְמִקְצֵה הַשָּׁמַיִם וְעַד קְצֵה הַשָּׁמָיִם, וּמִנַּיִן אַף כַּחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (תהלים קלט, ה): וַתָּשֶׁת עָלַי כַּפֶּכָה. מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא, זוֹ חַוָּה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ג, יב): וַיֹּאמֶר הָאָדָם הָאִשָּׁה אֲשֶׁר נָתַתָּה עִמָּדִי הִוא נָתְנָה לִּי וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא, זֶה עֵשָׂו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים כז, טו): וַתִּקַּח רִבְקָה אֶת בִּגְדֵי עֵשָׂו בְּנָהּ הַגָּדֹל. מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא, זֶה עֹבַדְיָה, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק עֹבַדְיָה גֵּר אֲדוֹמִי הָיָה, וְהָיָה מִתְנַבֵּא עַל אֱדוֹם (עובדיה א, יח): וְלֹא יִהְיֶה שָׂרִיד לְבֵית עֵשָׂו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא, זֶה סַנְחֵרִיב, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה לו, כ): מִי בְּכָל אֱלֹהֵי הָאֲרָצוֹת הָאֵלֶּה אֲשֶׁר הִצִילוּ אֶת אַרְצָם מִיָּדִי. מִמֶּנוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא, אֵלּוּ בָּנָיו (מלכים ב יט, לז): וַיְהִי הוּא מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה בֵּית נִסְרֹךְ אֱלֹהָיו וְאַדְרַמֶּלֶךְ וְשַׁרְאֶצֶר בָּנָיו הִכֻּהוּ בַחֶרֶב. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא, זֶה חִירָם מֶלֶךְ צוֹר, דִּכְתִיב (יחזקאל כח, ב): בֶּן אָדָם אֱמֹר לִנְגִיד צֹר כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהִים יַעַן גָּבַהּ לִבְּךָ. מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא, זֶה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן מָסֹרֶת אַגָּדָה הִיא חִירָם בַּעַל אִמּוֹ שֶׁל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הָיָה, עָמַד עָלָיו וַהֲרָגוֹ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יחזקאל כח, יח): וָאוֹצִיא אֵשׁ מִתּוֹכְךָ הִיא אֲכָלַתְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא, זֶה נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר (ישעיה יד, יג): וְאַתָּה אָמַרְתָּ בִלְבָבְךָ הַשָּׁמַיִם אֶעֱלֶה וגו'. מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא, זֶה אֱוִיל מְרֹדַךְ, אָמְרוּ כָּל אוֹתָן שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים שֶׁעָבְרוּ עַל נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר, נָטְלוּ אֶת אֱוִיל מְרֹדַךְ וְהִמְלִיכוּהוּ תַּחְתָּיו, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁחָזַר נְטָלוֹ וַחֲבָשׁוֹ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, וְכָל מִי שֶׁהָיָה נִכְנַס בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים בְּיָמָיו לֹא הָיָה יוֹצֵא מִשָּׁם לְעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה יד, יז): אֲסִירָיו לֹא פָתַח בָּיְתָה. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמֵּת חָזְרוּ עַל אֱוִיל מְרֹדַךְ לְהַמְלִיכוֹ, אָמַר לָהֶם אֵינִי שׁוֹמֵעַ לָכֶם, בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה שָׁמַעְתִּי לָכֶם נְטָלַנִּי וַחֲבָשַׁנִי בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, וְעַכְשָׁיו הֲרֵי הוּא הוֹרְגֵנִי, וְלֹא הֶאֱמִין לָהֶם עַד שֶׁגְּרָרוּהוּ וְהִשְׁלִיכוּהוּ לְפָנָיו, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה יד, יט): וְאַתָּה הָשְׁלַכְתָּ מִקִּבְרְךָ וגו'. אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִינָא וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא כָּל שׂוֹנֵא וְשׂוֹנֵא שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ הָיָה בָּא וְדוֹקְרוֹ בַּחֶרֶב, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה יד, יט): לְבֻשׁ הֲרֻגִים מְטֹעֲנֵי חָרֶב. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָיֹם וְנוֹרָא הוּא, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים פב, ו): אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי אֱלֹהִים אַתֶּם. מִמֶּנּוּ מִשְׁפָּטוֹ וּשְׂאֵתוֹ יֵצֵא, שֶׁלָּקוּ בְּזִיבוּת וּבְצָרַעַת, לְפִיכָךְ משֶׁה מַזְהִיר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶן: אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ.
Another matter, “any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh,” this is what the verse said: “It is terrifying and awesome, from it will emerge its justice and its burden” (Habakkuk 1:7).14This verse refers to the Chaldean nation, but in Hebrew the pronouns can be read as either “it” or “he.” The midrash adopts the second reading, and applies the verse to various individuals. “It is terrifying and awesome,” this is Adam the first man. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: When the Holy One blessed be He created Adam the first man, He created him such that he filled the whole world in its entirety. [He filled the world] from east to west, as it is stated: “Back and front You shaped me” (Psalms 139:5).15Front [kedem] is also a term used for east (see, e.g., Exodus 27:13). From north to south, as it is stated: “From one end of the heavens to the other end” (Deuteronomy 4:32). From where is it derived that [he filled] even the space of the world?16The space between heaven and earth. The verse states: “You placed Your palm upon me” (Psalms 139:5). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” this is Eve. That is what is written: “The man said: The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me [from the tree, and I ate]” (Genesis 3:12).17That sin brought upon him the “justice and burden” – the punishment of death.
Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Esau. That is what is written: “Rebecca took the garments of Esau, her elder [hagadol] son” (Genesis 27:15).18According to the Sages, these garments had belonged to Adam, and then eventually belonged to Nimrod, and Esau killed Nimrod and took them (see Bereshit Rabba 65:16). Since Nimrod himself was described as having been mighty (see Genesis 10:9), Esau must have been “terrifying and awesome” (Etz Yosef). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” this is Obadiah. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Obadiah was an Edomite convert and he prophesied regarding Edom: “There will be no survivor for the house of Esau” (Obadiah 1:18).
Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Sennacherib, as it is written: “Who among all the gods of these lands has delivered their land from my hand?” (Isaiah 36:20). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” these are his sons. “It was as he was prostrating himself in the temple of Nisrokh, his god, that Adramelekh and Saretzer, his sons, smote him with the sword” (II Kings 19:37).
Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Hiram king of Tyre, as it is written: “Son of man, say to the prince of Tyre: So said the Lord God: Because your heart became haughty” (Ezekiel 28:2). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” this is Nebuchadnezzar. Rabbi Simon said: There is an aggadic tradition that Hiram was the husband of Nebuchadnezzar’s mother. [Nebuchadnezzar] rose against him and killed him. That is what is written: “I took out a fire from your midst; it devoured you” (Ezekiel 28:18).
Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Nebuchadnezzar. “You said in your heart: I will ascend to the heavens” (Isaiah 14:13). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” this is Evil Merodakh. They said: For all those seven years that passed for Nebuchadnezzar,19Nebuchadnezzar spent seven years roaming as an animal in the forest; see Daniel 4:22. they took Evil Merodakh and crowned him in his stead. When he returned, he took him20Nebuchadnezzar took Evil Merodakh. and incarcerated him in prison. Anyone who entered prison in the days of [Nebuchadnezzar] would never emerge from there, as it is stated: “Who never released his prisoners homeward” (Isaiah 14:17). When [Nebuchadnezzar] died, they approached Evil Merodakh to crown him. He said to them: ‘I will not heed you. Initially, I heeded you, and he took me and incarcerated me in prison. Now, he will kill me.’ He did not believe them until they dragged [Nebuchadnezzar’s corpse] and cast him before him. That is what is written: “But you were cast from your grave” (Isaiah 14:19). Rabbi Avina said: Moreover, each and every enemy that he had would come and stab his [corpse] with the sword, to realize what was stated: “Clad in the garb of corpses, stabbed with a sword” (Isaiah 14:19).
Another matter, “it is terrifying and awesome,” this is Israel, as it is written: “I had said: You are divine” (Psalms 82:6). “From it will emerge its justice and its burden,” they were afflicted with discharges and leprosy. Therefore, Moses cautions Israel and says to them: “Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh.”
דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (ישעיה יז, יא): בְּיוֹם נִטְעֵךְ תְּשַׂגְשֵׂגִי וּבַבֹּקֶר זַרְעֵךְ תַּפְרִיחִי. בְּיוֹם נִטְעֵךְ, בַּיּוֹם שֶׁנָּטַעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם לִי לְעָם עֲשִׂיתֶם פְּסֹלֶת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יחזקאל כב, יח): סִיגִים כֶּסֶף הָיוּ. תְּשַׂגְשֵׂגִי, שַׁגִּשְׁתּוּן אוֹרְחָא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי כו, כג): כֶּסֶף סִיגִים מְצֻפֶּה עַל חָרֶשׂ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, תְּשַׂגְשֵׂגִי, שַׁגִּשְׁתּוּן בִּי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים עח, לו לז): וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם וּבִלְשׁוֹנָם יְכַזְּבוּ לוֹ, וְלִבָּם לֹא נָכוֹן עִמּוֹ וְלֹא נֶאֶמְנוּ בִּבְרִיתוֹ. וּבַבֹּקֶר זַרְעֵךְ תַּפְרִיחִי, רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא וְרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּר נַחְמָן, רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אָמַר מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ עֲרוּגַת יָרָק מְלֵאָה, הִשְׁכִּים בַּבֹּקֶר וּמְצָאָהּ שֶׁהוֹרִיקָה. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ עֲרוּגָה מְלֵאָה פִּשְׁתָּן, הִשְׁכִּים בַּבֹּקֶר וּמְצָאָהּ גִּבְעוֹלִין. (ישעיה יז, יא): נֵד קָצִיר, נִדְנַדְתֶּם עֲלֵיכֶם קְצִירִין שֶׁל מַלְכוּת, קְצִירִין שֶׁל יִסּוּרִים, קְצִירוֹ שֶׁל מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּנוֹ שֶׁל רַבִּי יוֹסֵי הַגְּלִילִי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָמְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַר סִינַי וְאָמְרוּ (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת וְאָמַר לוֹ, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי אוֹתְךָ קוֹזְמָקְרָטוֹר עַל הַבְּרִיּוֹת אֵין לְךָ עֵסֶק בְּאֻמָּה זוֹ, לָמָּה, שֶׁהֵן בָּנַי, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים יד, א): בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם. וְאוֹמֵר (דברים ה, כ): וַיְהִי כְּשָׁמְעֲכֶם אֶת הַקּוֹל מִתּוֹךְ הַחשֶׁךְ, וְכִי יֵשׁ חשֶׁךְ לְמַעְלָה, וְהָכְתִיב (דניאל ב, כב): וּנְהוֹרָא עִמֵּהּ שְׁרֵא, אֶלָּא זֶה מַלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת שֶׁקָּרוּי חשֶׁךְ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות לב, טז): וְהַלֻּחֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה וגו', אַל תִּקְרֵי חָרוּת אֶלָּא חֵרוּת. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה וְרַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אָמַר חֵירוּת מִמַּלְאַךְ הַמָּוֶת, רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר חֵירוּת מִן הַמַּלְכֻיּוֹת, וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי חֵירוּת מִן הַיִּסּוּרִין. (ישעיה יז, יא): בְּיוֹם נַחֲלָה, בַּיּוֹם שֶׁהִנְחַלְתִּי לָכֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, (ישעיה יז, יא): וּכְאֵב אָנוּשׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבָּנָן, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר הֵבֵאתֶם עֲלֵיכֶם מַכָּה מַגֶּרֶת וּמַתֶּשֶׁת. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר הֵבֵאתֶם עֲלֵיכֶם מַכָּה גְבַרְתָּנִית וּמַתֶּשֶׁת, וְאֵי זוֹ זוֹ זִיבוּת וְצָרַעַת, לְפִיכָךְ משֶׁה מַזְהִיר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶן: אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ.
Another matter, “any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh,” that is what the verse said: “On the day of your planting it will flourish, and in the morning your seed will blossom” (Isaiah 17:11). “On the day of your planting,” on the day that I planted you to be My people, you created waste, just as it says: “They have become the dross of silver” (Ezekiel 22:18). “It will flourish [tesagsegi]” – you distorted [shagishtun] the path. That is what is written: “[Ardent lips but an evil heart] are silver dross coating earthenware.” (Proverbs 26:23).21After saying: “Everything that God said we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), they then said, at the sin of the Golden Calf: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). Alternatively, tesagsegi, you deceived [shagishtum] Me. That is what is written: “But they beguiled Him with their mouth and lied to Him with their tongue. Their heart was not steadfast toward Him, and they were not faithful to His covenant” (Psalms 78:36–37).
“And in the morning your seed will blossom.” Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina and Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman, Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina said: This is analogous to one who had a furrow filled with vegetables. He awoke in the morning and found it stricken with chlorosis. Rabbi Yishmael bar Naḥman said: It is analogous to one who had a furrow filled with flax. He awoke in the morning and found it had become stalks.22It had become hard and ruined.
“The harvest will be lost [nad]” (Isaiah 17:11) – you brought [nidnadtem] upon yourselves the travails of the kingdom,23Subjugation to foreign powers. the travails of suffering, and the travails of the angel of death, as Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Eiezer son of Rabbi Yosei Hagelili: When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that God said we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), at that moment, the Holy One blessed be He summoned the angel of death and said to him: ‘Even though I granted you dominion over people, you have no dealings with this nation. Why? Because they are My children.’ That is what is written: “You are children to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 14:1). And it says: “It was when you heard the voice from the midst of the darkness” (Deuteronomy 5:20). Is there darkness On High? But is it not written: “Light rests with Him”? (Daniel 2:22). Rather, this is the angel of death, who is called darkness. That is what is written: “The tablets were the work of God [and the writing was the writing of God, engraved [ḥarut] on the tablets]” (Exodus 32:16). Do not read it as engraved [ḥarut], but rather, freedom [ḥerut]. Rabbi Yehuda, Rabbi Neḥemya, and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yehuda said: Freedom from the angel of death. Rabbi Neḥemya said: Freedom from the kingdoms. The Rabbis say: Freedom from suffering.
“On a day of inheritance [naḥala]” (Isaiah 17:11), on the day that I bequeathed [hinḥalti] you the Torah. “And mortal pain” (Isaiah 17:11), Rabbi Yoḥanan and the Rabbis, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: You brought upon yourselves an affliction that flows and exhausts. The Rabbis say: You brought upon yourselves an affliction that overwhelms and drains. Which is that? It is discharge and leprosy. Therefore, Moses cautions Israel and says to them: “Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh.”
תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָמְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל הַר סִינַי וְאָמְרוּ (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה לֹא הָיָה בָּהֶן זָב וּמְצֹרָע וְלֹא חִגְרִין וְלֹא סוּמִין וְלֹא אִילְמִים וְלֹא חֵרְשִׁים וְלֹא שׁוֹטִים, עַל אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הוּא אוֹמֵר (שיר השירים ד, ז): כֻּלָּךְ יָפָה רַעְיָתִי וּמוּם אֵין בָּךְ, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁחָטְאוּ לֹא עָבְרוּ יָמִים קַלִּים עַד שֶׁנִּמְצְאוּ בָּהֶן זָבִין וּמְצֹרָעִים, עַל אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הוּא אוֹמֵר (במדבר ה, ב): וִישַׁלְּחוּ מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה כָּל צָרוּעַ וְכָל זָב וגו', מֵהֵיכָן נִתְחַיְּבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּזִיבוּת וְצָרַעַת, רַב הוּנָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא אָמַר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ מַלִּיזִין אַחַר גְּדוֹלֵיהֶן וְאוֹמְרִים מִשְׁפָּחָה זוֹ שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי לָאו שֶׁל מְצֹרָעִים הִיא, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁאֵין הַנְּגָעִים בָּאִים אֶלָּא עַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא אוֹמֵר עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיוּ מַלִּיזִין אַחֲרֵי הָאָרוֹן וְאוֹמְרִים אָרוֹן זֶה הוֹרֵג אֶת נוֹשְׂאָיו, וְאֵין נְגָעִים בָּאִים אֶלָּא עַל לָשׁוֹן הָרָע, לְכָךְ נִתְחַיְּבוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּזִיבוּת וְצָרַעַת. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מִן הָעֵגֶל, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לב, כה): וַיַּרְא משֶׁה אֶת הָעָם כִּי פָרֻעַ הוּא, שֶׁפָּרְחָה בָּהֶן צָרַעַת, כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (ויקרא יג, מה): וְרֹאשׁוֹ יִהְיֶה פָרוּעַ. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר מִמִּתְאוֹנְנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יא, כ): עַד אֲשֶׁר יֵצֵא מֵאַפְּכֶם וְהָיָה לָכֶם לְזָרָא, מַהוּ לְזָרָא רַבִּי הוּנָא אָמַר לְזַרְנָא וּלְבוּטְנָא, וְרֵישׁ לָקִישׁ אָמַר לְאַסְכָּרָא, רַבִּי אַבָּא אָמַר לְאַזְהָרָה. רַבִּי אֶבְיָתָר אָמַר לְקַרְדָּא. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אָמַר וּבִלְבָד שֶׁתִּהְיוּ מְרַחֲקִין בְּיוֹתֵר מִמַּה שֶּׁאַתֶּם מְקָרְבִין בּוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בֶּן רַבִּי סִימוֹן מִכָּאן נַעֲשׂוּ זָרִים לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: When Israel stood at Mount Sinai and said: “Everything that God said we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7), at that moment there were not among them one who experienced a discharge, or [one who was] a leper, nor lame, nor blind, nor mute, nor deaf, nor imbecile. Regarding that moment it says: “All of you is fair, my love, and there is no blemish in you” (Song of Songs 4:7). Once they sinned, not even a brief time passed until those who experienced a discharge and lepers were found among them. Regarding that moment it says: “They shall expel from the camp every leper, and anyone with a discharge…” (Numbers 5:2).
From what did Israel incur liability to [be struck with] discharge and leprosy? Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya: It is because they would cast aspersions on their prominent leaders and say: ‘Does the family of so-and-so not include lepers?’ This is to teach you that leprosy comes only for slander. That is why Israel was liable for discharge and leprosy.
Rabbi Tanḥuma says: It is because they would cast aspersions on the Ark and say: ‘This Ark kills its bearers.’ Leprosy comes only for slander; that is why Israel was liable for discharge and leprosy.
The Rabbis say: It was because of the calf, as it is written: “Moses saw the people, that it was exposed [farua]” (Exodus 32:25), that leprosy blossomed in them, just as it says: “The hair of his head shall grow unchecked [farua]” (Leviticus 13:45).24This is stated in regard to the leper.
Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: It was because of the complainers, as it is stated: “Until it comes out of your nose, and it shall be loathsome [lezara] for you” (Numbers 11:20). What is [the meaning of] loathsome [lezara]? Rabbi Huna said: It shall be for vomit [lezarna] and excrement. Reish Lakish said: It shall be for diphtheria [askera]. Rabbi Abba said: As a warning [azhara]. Rabbi Evyatar said: For ticks [lekarda].25Insects that are attracted to flesh as it begins to disintegrate. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: It is just that you distance it more than you [now] seek to draw it near. Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: From here they became strangers [zarim] to the Tent of Meeting.26They experienced discharges and became lepers, and therefore were unable to approach the Tent of Meeting.
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי בָּשָׂר וָדָם נוֹתֵן אַכְּסִירְיָה וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן אַכְּסִירְיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ה, ב): צַו אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וִישַׁלְּחוּ מִן הַמַּחֲנֶה, בָּשָׂר וָדָם חוֹבֵשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חוֹבֵשׁ בְּבֵית הָאֲסוּרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יג, ד): וְהִסְגִּיר הַכֹּהֵן אֶת הַנֶּגַע. בָּשָׂר וָדָם גּוֹזֵר טֵירוּדָא וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹזֵר טֵירוּדָא, (ויקרא יג, מו): בָּדָד יֵשֵׁב מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה מוֹשָׁבוֹ, בָּשָׂר וָדָם נוֹתֵן קָטָפֹרָס וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן קָטָפֹרָס (דברים כה, ג): אַרְבָּעִים יַכֶּנּוּ לֹא יֹסִיף. בָּשָׂר וָדָם גּוֹבֶה קַטִירְקִי וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גּוֹבֶה קַטִּירְקִי (דברים כב, יט): וְעָנְשׁוּ אֹתוֹ מֵאָה כֶסֶף. בָּשָׂר וָדָם נוֹתֵן דּוֹנָטִיבָה וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן דּוֹנָטִיבָה (שמות טז, ד): הִנְּנִי מַמְטִיר לָכֶם לֶחֶם מִן הַשָּׁמָיִם. בָּשָׂר וָדָם נוֹתֵן פְּרוֹקִיפִי וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן פְּרוֹקִיפִי (במדבר א, ב): שְׂאוּ אֶת רֹאשׁ וגו'. בָּשָׂר וָדָם נוֹתֵן אֲנוֹנָס וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן אֲנוֹנָס (שמות טז, טז): עֹמֶר לַגֻּלְגֹלֶת מִסְפַּר נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם. בָּשָׂר וָדָם מַכֶּה אָדָם עַל יְדֵי עֵדִים וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַכֶּה אוֹתוֹ עַל יְדֵי עַצְמוֹ (דברים לב, לט): מָחַצְתִּי וַאֲנִי אֶרְפָּא. רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר בָּשָׂר וָדָם מַכֶּה בְּאִזְמֵל וּמְרַפֵּא בִּרְטִיָּה, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּמֶּה שֶׁהוּא מַכֶּה הוּא מְרַפֵּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ל, יז): כִּי אַעֲלֶה אֲרֻכָה לָךְ וּמִמַּכּוֹתַיִךְ אֶרְפָּאֵךְ.
Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin in the name of Rabbi Levi: A flesh and blood [king] imposes exile, and the Holy One blessed be He imposes exile, as it is stated: “Command the children of Israel and they shall expel from the camp” (Numbers 5:2). A flesh and blood [king] incarcerates in prison and the Holy One blessed be He incarcerates in prison, as it is stated: “The priest shall quarantine the leprous mark” (Leviticus 13:4). A flesh and blood [king] decrees banishment and the Holy One blessed be He decrees banishment: “He shall dwell in isolation, outside the camp is his dwelling” (Leviticus 13:46). A flesh and blood [king] administers flogging and the Holy One blessed be He administers flogging: “Forty he shall flog him, he shall not add” (Deuteronomy 25:3). A flesh and blood [king] collects fines and the Holy One blessed be He collects fines, “they shall penalize him one hundred silver pieces” (Deuteronomy 22:19). A flesh and blood [king] provides provisions and the Holy One blessed be He provides provisions, “behold I am raining food for you from the heavens” (Exodus 16:4). A flesh and blood [king] grants promotions and the Holy One blessed be He grants promotions, “take a census…” (Numbers 1:2).27“Se’u et rosh” literally “raise the head,” promote them. A flesh and blood [king] provides rations and the Holy One blessed be He provides rations, “an omer per person according to the number of your people” (Exodus 16:16). A flesh and blood [king] strikes a person due to [testimony] of witnesses, but the Holy One blessed be He strikes him Himself, “I crushed and I will heal” (Deuteronomy 32:39). Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Levi: A flesh and blood [king] strikes with a blade and heals with a bandage, but the Holy One blessed be He heals with that with which He strikes, as it is stated: “For I will bring a remedy for you, and from your wounds I will heal you” (Jeremiah 30:17).28The healing will arise from the wound.