[Siman 5]
(Lev. 22:26-27:) “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born.” This text is related (to Ps. 36:7), “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains; Your judgments are like the great deep….”
1 “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” These are the righteous ones, in that they have been compared with mountains, where it is stated (in Micah 6:2), “Hear, O mountains, the claim of the Lord.” (
Ps. 36:7, cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked, since it is stated (in Exod. 15:5), “The depths covered them.” “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” These are the righteous, [for] just as these mountains grow herbs, so the righteous possess good works. (Ibid., cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked, [for] just as the deep does not grow herbs, so the wicked do not possess good works.
(Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” Just as the mountains are suitable for sowing and producing fruit; so do the righteous produce fruit, in that they do good for themselves and do good for others.
2 To what is the matter comparable? To a gold bell with a pearl
3 clapper. Similarly the righteous do good for themselves and do good for others. Thus it is stated (in Is. 3:9), “Tell the righteous that [all is] well for them, for they shall eat the fruit of their works.” (
Ps. 36:7 cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked. Just as the deep is unable to sow and grow fruit, so the wicked do not possess good works and do not grow fruit. Instead they are distressing for themselves and for others. Thus it is stated (in Is. 3:10), “Woe to the bad wicked, as the recompense of his hands will be done to him.” He is bad for himself and bad for others.
(Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains [and Your judgments are like the great deep].” Transpose the text and interpret it:
4 Your righteousness over your judgments is like the mighty mountains over the great deep. Just as these mountains hold down the deep, so that it does not rise up and inundate the earth, so the works of the righteous hold back the divine retributions, so that they will not come into the world.
(Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” Just as these mountains have no end, so there is no end to the reward of the righteous in the world to come. (
Ibid., cont.:) “Your judgments are like the great deep.” Just as the deep has no limit, so there is no limit to the divine retributions of the wicked in the world to come.
(Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains (literally, mountains of God); [Your judgments are like the great deep].” R. Ishmael and R. Aqiva [differ]. R. Ishmael says, “Since the righteous (rt.:
tsdq) carry out the Torah, which was given from the mountains of God, the Holy One, blessed be He, treats them with a charity (rt.:
tsdq) like the mountains of God. But since the wicked do not carry out the Torah, which was given from the mountains of God, the Holy One, blessed be He, deals strictly with them, even unto the great deep.” R. Aqiva says, “The Holy One, blessed be He, is as strict with the former as with the latter. From the righteous he collects in this world for a few evil deeds which they have committed, in order to render them full payment in the world to come; while he gives prosperity in abundance to the wicked and pays them in this world for the few good deeds that they have done, in order to punish them in the world to come.” R. Meir says, “[Scripture] has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, and it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode.
5 It has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, even as stated (in Ezek. 34:14), “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the mountains of the Lofty One of Israel shall be their fold.” And it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode, as stated (in Ezek. 31:15), “Thus says the Lord God, ‘In the day that he went down to Sheol, I caused him to mourn (
he'evalti); I covered him with the deep.’” The written text is "I led" (
hovalti, not “I caused… to mourn [
he'evalti]”).
6 R. Judah bar Ammi told a parable, “One does not make a cover for a vat of silver, gold, bronze or iron, but rather of clay, because that is a material of the same sort. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘
Geihinnom is darkness,’ as stated (in Ps. 35:6), ‘Let their path be darkness and slipperiness, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.’ Moreover, the deep is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2), ‘with darkness upon the face of the deep.’ And the wicked are darkness, as stated (in Is. 29:15), ‘for their works are in darkness; so they say, “Who sees us and who knows about us?”’ So let darkness come and cover darkness, just as you have said (in Eccl. 6:4), ‘For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness; even its name is covered in darkness.’”
[Siman 6]
(Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness (rt.:
tsdq) is like the mighty mountains; [Your judgments are like the great deep].” R. Judah bar Simon said, “The charity (rt.:
tsdq) which You did with Noah in the ark was like the mighty mountains.
7 [Thus it is stated (in Gen. 8:4),] ‘And the ark came to rest in the seventh month on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.’ And the judgments are those which You rendered with [his] generation and carried out strictly with them as far as the great deep. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 7:11), ‘on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth.’ Moreover, when You remembered him, You did not remember him alone, as stated (in Gen. 8:1), ‘Then God remembered Noah, all the beasts, and all the cattle […].’” When R. Joshua ben Levi went away to Rome, he saw there two marble columns covered with bedding
8 so that they would neither be cracked in the burning heat nor frozen in the cold.
9 He [also] saw there a certain pauper with a reed mat under him and a reed mat over him. With reference to the columns, he read
(Ps. 36:7), “Your righteousness (i.e., your charity) is like the mighty mountains.” Indeed, when You give, You bestow abundantly. But with reference to the pauper, he read (ibid., cont.), “and Your judgments are like the great deep.” [Indeed,] when You are striking, you deal strictly. What is the meaning of (
Ps. 36:7, cont.), “You save man and beast, O Lord.” Alexander of Macedon went off to the king of Qatsia beyond the mountains of darkness.
10 He arrived at the province named Carthage, which was entirely [inhabited by] women. They came out to meet him. They said to him, “If you wage war with us and are victorious against us, your name will go forth in the world as one who destroyed [a province of] women; and if we wage war with you and conquer you, your name will go forth in the world for having women wage war with you and conquer you. Then you will never again stand up to [another] kingdom.” When he went away, he wrote over the entrance
11 gate, “I, King Alexander of Macedon, was a fool until I came to the province of Carthage and learned [to take] counsel from women.” He went to another province named Africa. They came out to meet him with golden apples, with golden pomegranates and with golden bread. He said to them, “Is gold eaten in your land?” They said to him, “Was it not like this for you in your own country, why did you come to us?”
12 He said to them, “I have not come to see your wealth. Rather I have come to see your laws.” While they were sitting [there], two men came before the king for judgment. One said, “Your majesty, I bought a deserted building from this man; and when I cleaned it out, I found a treasure in it. So I said to him, ‘Take your treasure, because I [only] bought a deserted building. I did not buy a treasure.’” But the other said, “Just as you are afraid of a punishment for robbery, so likewise am I afraid of punishment for robbery; for when I sold you the deserted building, I [also] sold you whatever was in it.” The king summoned one of them. He said to him, “Do you have a son?” He said, “Yes.” He called the other one. He said to him, “Do you have a daughter?” He told him, “Yes.” [The king] said to them, “Let them go and marry one another. Then both of them will use up the treasure.” Now Alexander began to be amazed. The king said to him, “What reason do you have to be amazed? For did I not judge well?” He told him, “Yes.” He said to him, “If this case had arisen in your land, what would you have done about it?” He said to him, “We would have taken the head off of this one and off the other one. Then the treasure would go to the house of the king.” He said to him, “But does the sun shine upon you?” He told him, “Yes.” “And does the rain come down upon you?” He told him, “Yes.” “Are there perhaps [some] sheep and goats in your land?” He told him, “Yes.” He said to him, “[Woe to] that man! It is for the sake of the sheep and the goats that the sun shines for you and that the rain comes down upon you. So it for the sake of the [flocks] that you are saved.” Thus it is written (in Ps. 36:7, cont.), “You save human and beast, O Lord.” For the sake of the beast does the Lord save man. Israel said, “Master of the world, we are like man; [but] save us like beasts,
13 since we are drawn after You like beasts, as stated (in Cant. 1:4), “Draw me after you […].” Where are we drawn after You? To the Garden of Eden, as stated (in Ps. 36:9), “They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You have them drink at the river of Your Edens.” R. Eleazar bar Menahem said, “’Your Eden’ (in the singular) is not written here, but ‘Your Edens,’ because each and every righteous person has an Eden for himself.” (
Ps. 36:7, cont.:) “You save human and beast, O Lord.” R. Isaac said, “The ordinance for humanity and the ordinance for the beast are one. An ordinance for humanity is
(Lev. 12:3), ‘And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.’ And an ordinance for the beast is
(Lev. 22:27), ‘and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable.’”
[Siman 7]
R. Tanhuma opened [his discourse] (with Job 41:3), “Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him; everything under the heavens is Mine.”14 This refers to a bachelor who dwells in a province and gives an allowance to scribes and Mishnah teachers.15 The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “It is for me to pay him the compensation of a male child.” R. Jeremiah bar Eleazar said, “There is going to be a heavenly voice (bat qol) that shall explode on the tops of the mountains and say, ‘Whoever has done [something] along with God, let him come and receive his reward.’” The holy spirit also proclaims (in Job 41:3), “’Who has advanced Me anything that I shall repay him?’ Who offered Me praise16 before I gave him breath? Who has performed circumcision for Me before I gave him a male child? Who made a tassel for Me before I gave him a prayer shawl? Who made a parapet (in accord with Deut. 22:8) for Me before I gave him a roof? Who made a sukkah for Me before I gave him room? Who set aside pe'ah before I gave him a field? Who set aside the priestly tithe and the [other] tithes before I gave him a threshing floor? Who offered a sacrifice before I gave him a beast?” Ergo (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat [is born…].”
[Siman 8]
(Lev. 22:27) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat.” R. Jacob bar Zavday in the name of R. Abbahu opened [his discourse] (with Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity (i.e., the iniquity of the golden calf) […].”
17 It is also written (in Is. 6:2), “Above Him stood the seraphim, six wings to each one… with two he covered his face,” so as not to look at the Divine Presence, “with two he covered his feet,” so that the face of the Divine Presence would not see them, since it is written (in Ezek. 1:7), “and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot.”
18 [This is] because (according to Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity.”
19 (Is 6:2:) “And with two he flew,” for praise. We are taught there (in
RH 3:2), “All the shofars are valid except that of a cow, since it is from a calf; for (according to Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity.” We have been taught there
20 (in Lev. 20:16): “You shall kill the woman and the beast.” If a woman sins, what is the beast’s sin? It is simply because a stumbling block came to the woman on account of [the beast]. Therefore the Scripture said, “So that the beast will not pass through the market, where they will say, ‘This is the beast on account of which such and such a woman was killed.’” [This is] because (according to Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity.” Now we have been taught: For what reason did they say, “A suspected adulteress (
sotah) is not to drink from the cup of her colleague (i.e., another suspected adulteress)?”
21 [It is] so that the people will not say, “When such and such a woman drank of this cup, she died.” [This is] because (according to Ezek. 29:16), “And it shall no more be a source of satisfaction against the House of Israel to recall iniquity.” So also here (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born.” Is a bull born? Is not a calf born? It is simply because of what is written (in Exod. 32:8), “they have made themselves a golden calf.” Hence the Scripture called it a “bull”, and did not call it a "calf.”
[Siman 9]
(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related] (to Eccl. 3:15), “That which is has already happened.” R. Judah and R. Nehemiah [differ].
22 R. Judah says, “If someone says to you that if the first Adam had not sinned, he would have remained alive forever, you say to him, ‘Look at Elijah. Since he did not sin, he has remained alive forever.’ (Ibid., cont.:) ‘And that which is to be has already happened.’ If someone says to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, will be raising the dead, say to him, ‘Look, He has already done so through Elijah, through Elisha, and through Ezekiel.’” [But] Rabbi Nehemiah says, “If someone says to you that the whole world was water within water, you say to him, ‘The ocean is all water within water.’ (Ibid., cont.:) ‘And that which is to be has already happened.’ If someone says to you that the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to make the sea into dry ground, say to him, ‘He has already done so in the days of Moses, as stated (in Exod. 14:29), “But the Children of Israel went through the sea on dry ground, and the waters were a wall for them to the right and to the left.”’” [Moreover,] R. Aha said in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman, “Everything that the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to do in the world to come He has already anticipated and partly done at the hands of the righteous in this world. In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to raise the dead; He has already done so at the hands of Elijah, at the hands of Elisha, and at the hands of Ezekiel. In the future, He is going to make the sea into dry ground; He has already done so (ibid.), “But the Children of Israel went through the sea on dry ground.” In the future, He is going to open the eyes of the blind; He has already done so, as stated (in II Kings 6:17), ‘so the Lord opened the eyes of the servant [and he saw].’ In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to going visit barren women; He has already done so through Abraham and Sarah, as stated (in Gen. 21:1), ‘Then the Lord visited Sarah […].’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, (in Is. 49:23), ‘Kings shall be your guardians [… they shall bow down before you, nose to the ground, and lick the dust of your feet].’ It has already happened at the hands of Daniel, when the wicked Nebuchadnezzar bowed down to Daniel, as stated (in Dan. 2:46), ‘Then king Nebuchadnezzar fell on his face, [paid homage to Daniel].’” This is what Scripture stated (in Eccl. 3:15, cont.), “then God seeks the pursued.” R. Huna said in the name of R. Joseph, “In the future, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to claim the blood of the pursued from the hand of those who pursue them.
23 When a righteous person pursues a righteous person, God seeks the pursued. When a wicked person pursues a wicked person and when a wicked person pursues a righteous person, then God seeks the pursued. It comes out that you will say that even when a righteous person pursues a wicked person, in any case, then God seeks the pursued.”
24 You know that this is so. Note that Abel was pursued by Cain; and therefore (in Gen. 4:4), “and the Lord paid heed unto Abel and unto his offering.” Noah was pursued by his generation, but (according to Gen. 6:8), “Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Abraham was pursued by Nimrod; and it is written
(Neh. 9:7) “You are the Lord, the God who chose Abraham […].” Isaac was pursued by the Philistines; and it is written
(Gen. 26:28), “And [they] said, ‘We see plainly that the Lord has been with you […].’” Jacob was pursued by Esau; and it is written
(Ps. 135:4) “For the Lord has chosen Jacob for Himself.” Joseph was pursued by his brothers; and it is written
(Gen. 39:2) “And the Lord was with Joseph […].” Moses was pursued by Pharaoh; and it is written
(Ps. 106:23), “therefore He said He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen [stood in the breach before Him…].” Israel is being pursued by the nations of the world; and it is written
(Deut. 7:6), “the Lord your God has chosen you […].” R. Judah bar Simon said in the name of R. Nehoray, “Here also (in the case of sacrificial animals), the bull is pursued by the lion; the sheep is pursued by the wolf; the goat is pursued by the leopard. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘You shall not bring me a sacrifice from the pursuer but from the pursued.’ [Thus it is stated]
(Lev. 22:27), ‘When a bull or a sheep or a goat […].’”
[Siman 10]
(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat […].” This text is related (to Micah 6:3), “My people, what have I done to you and how have I wearied you; testify against Me.”
25 R. Aha said, “Testify against Me (i.e., prove me wrong by keeping the commandments), and receive a reward. And do not testify (against your neighbor falsely), and receive a settlement of accounts.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “On three occasions the Holy One, blessed be He, came to dispute with Israel, when the nations of the world rejoiced: At that time, when He said to them (in Is. 1:18), ‘Please come and let us dispute together,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’ When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that they were rejoicing, He reversed [the punishment] for the better. He said (ibid.), ‘though your sins be as scarlet, they shall become as white as snow […].’ When the nations of the world heard this, they were astonished and said, ‘Is this an answer; is this a rebuke? He has only come to amuse Himself with His children (and not to dispute with them seriously).’ In the second [occasion], when He said to them (in Micah 6:2), ‘[Hear, O mountains, the claim of the Lord …] for the Lord has a claim with His people, and He will dispute with Israel,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’ When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that, He reversed [the punishment] for the better and said (in Micah 6:5), ‘My people, please remember what King Balak of Moab plotted and what Balaam answered him….’
26 When the nations of the world heard this, they were astonished and said, ‘Is this an answer; is this a rebuke? He has only come to amuse Himself with His children.’ The third [occasion] when He said (in Hos. 12:3), ‘The Lord has a claim with Judah,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’ When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that, He reversed [the punishment] for the better and said (in Hos. 12:4) ‘In the womb he grabbed his brother by the heel […].’” [The situation] is similar to a woman who complained to the judge about her son and brought him for trial. Everyone came to see. They said, one to another, “See that this woman has brought her son to be killed in the case.” When the woman saw this and heard what they said, she reversed [her mind] to speak with different words. When she came before the judge, he said to her, “What has your son done to you?” She said to him, “When he was in my womb, he kicked me.” He said to her, “Has he done anything else to you?” She said, “No.” He said to her, “There is no legal offense at all.” Everyone was astonished and said, “Is this an answer; is this a rebuke? She only came to amuse herself with her son.” So they left with embarrassment on their faces. So too did the Holy One, blessed be He, go back and reverse His rebuke to love, and the nations of the world left confounded.
(Micah 6:3:) “And how have I wearied you?” R. Berekhyah said, “[The situation] is similar to a king who sent his proclamation
27 to a province. What did the people of the province do? When they received it, they uncovered their heads, and read it in fear, in awe and in trembling. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel, ‘The reading of the Shema is My proclamation. I did not burden you and I did not tell you that you were to read it either standing upon your feet or with your heads uncovered, but (according to Deut. 6:7) “when you are sitting in your house, when you are walking on the road, when you are lying down, and when you are getting up.”’” Another interpretation (of Micah 6:3), “and how have I wearied you”: R. Judah bar Simon said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have delivered ten [kinds of] beasts to you (for food).
28 Three are in your possession, and seven are not in your possession. Now these are those which are in your possession (according to Deut. 14:4), “the bull, the sheep, and the goat.” And these are those which are not in your possession (according to Deut. 14:5), “The deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.” I did not burden you, nor did I tell you to go up into the mountains or tire yourselves out in the fields in order to bring Me a sacrifice from those [which are not in your possession]. Rather [your sacrifices come] from those which are in your possession, which grew up at your feeding trough. This is what is stated (in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.”’”
[Siman 11]
(Lev. 22:27:) “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related (to Is. 41:24), “Behold (
hen), you are nothing (
me'ayin), and your work is naught (
me’afa’); an abomination shall He choose among you.”
29 “Behold, you are nothing,” full of nothing, from a putrid liquid. “Naught (
me’afa’)”; from the hundred screams (
meah puot), that a woman screams when she sits on the birthing chair, ninety-nine are for death and [only] one is for life. “An abomination shall He choose among you.” What is the meaning of, “an abomination shall He choose among you?” [It is] speaking about this baby; even though it comes out from its mothers womb dirty, defiled and full of mucous, everyone kisses it and everyone hugs it, and especially if it is a male. Another interpretation: That (
hen) is Greek. Hen [in Greek] means "one." You (Israel) are the one for Me, from (
min) the nations of the world, who are called "nothing (
'ayin),"
30 as stated (in Is. 40:17), “All the nations are as nothing ('
ayin) before Him.” (Is. 41:24, cont.:) “And your work is naught.” R. Levi said, “All the good works and consolations which the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to bring about with Israel are only as reward for a single shout which they shouted on Sinai, when they said (according to Exod. 24:7), ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will carry out and obey.’” (Is. 41:24, cont.:) “An abomination shall He choose among you.” That is the abomination which you made as a molten calf. Of that very abomination, bring Me sacrifice, and I will choose you. And what is it? (As in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” [This text is related (to Hos. 7:3),] “They make a king glad with their evil.”
31 What did He see in the bull for making it first among the sacrifices? R. Levi said, “[The situation] is similar to a matron
32 concerning whom there went forth an evil report in connection with one of the notables in the kingdom. The king looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. What did the king do? He made a great banquet and sat him at the head of those reclining in order to show that the king had looked into the rumors and found no substance in them. [Similarly,] because the nations of the world were saying to Israel, “You made the calf,” the Holy One, blessed be He, examined the rumors and found no substance in them. Therefore the bull was made first among the sacrifices. How is this shown? From that which they read about the matter (in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.” R. Huna and R. Idi [said] in the name of R. Samuel bar Nahman, “Israel was saved from that act. Because if they had made the calf, it would have been [natural] for them to say (in Exod. 32:8), ‘These are our Gods, O Israel.’ However, it was the proselytes who came up with them from Egypt that made it, and they directed Israel [by saying] (in Exod. 32:8), ‘These are your Gods, O Israel.’” R. Judah bar Simon said, “It is written (in Isaiah 1:3), ‘An ox knows its owner, and an ass..., Israel does not know [...].’ And did they not know? It is simply that they trampled [the notion] with their heel.” And similar to it is
(Hos. 2:10) “And she did not know that it was I who bestowed on her the grain....” And did she not know? It is simply that she trampled it with her heel.
[Siman 12]
The bull was due to the merit of Abraham of whom it is stated (in Gen. 18:7), “Then Abraham ran unto the herd [...] (for a calf to feed his heavenly visitors).”
33 The sheep was due to the merit of Isaac, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 22:13), “And Abraham lifted his eyes and he saw, and behold there was a ram [...] (to replace an obedient Isaac as a sacrifice).” The goat was due to the merit of Jacob, of whom it is stated (in Gen. 27:9), “Please go unto the flock, and bring me two good kids of the goats from there.” What is the meaning of “good” (in reference to the two kids)? R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Helbo, “[They are] good for you and good for your children.
34 [They are] good for you, because through them you are to receive the blessings;
35 and they are good for your children, because through them atonement is granted to your children on the Day of Atonement.” (
Lev. 22:27, cont.:) “It shall remain seven days with its mother.” R. Joshua of Sikhnin says in the name of R. Levi, “[The situation] is similar to a king who entered a province
36 where he issued a proclamation and said, ‘Let no strangers
37 who are here see my face before they first see the face of [my] matron.’
38 Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, ‘My children shall not approach me with an offering until the Sabbath [queen] has passed over it. For there are no seven [days] without a Sabbath, and there is no circumcision without [the passing of] a Sabbath.’” R. Isaac said, “An ordinance for humanity and an ordinance for beasts [are on a par].
39 An ordinance for humanity is
(Lev. 12:3), ‘And on the eighth day [the flesh of his foreskin] shall be circumcised.’ And an ordinance for beasts is
(Lev. 22:27), ‘and from the eighth day on, it shall be acceptable [for an offering by fire to the Lord].’”
[Siman 15]
(Lev. 22:27), “And from the eighth day on [it shall be acceptable for an offering by fire to the Lord].” So that your [evil] drive not lead you astray by saying that there is eating and drinking in front of Him. Who sacrificed to Him before Israel arose? David said (in Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (
ya'arokh) to the Lord?” [This is to mean], who offered sacrifices to Him? R. Abbin the Levite said, “[This verse means,] who is like unto the Holy One, blessed be He, in sustaining orphans and feeding the hungry? After all, this word (
ya'arokh) can only be a word concerning sustenance, since it is stated (in Lev. 24:8), ‘On [every] Sabbath day he shall [regularly] arrange (
ya'arokh) it (i.e., the bread).’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (
ya'arokh) to the Lord”: Who is like unto the Holy One, blessed be He, in bringing light to the eyes of those in the dark?
40 After all, this word (
ya'arokh) can only be a word denoting light, since it is stated
(Lev. 24:4), “He shall set up (
ya'arokh) the lamps upon the unalloyed lampstand.” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable (rt.: '
rk) to the Lord”: Who is like unto the Holy One, blessed be He, in clothing the naked? After all, this word (rt.: '
rk) can only be a word denoting a garment, since it is stated (in Jud. 17:10), “a suit (rt.: '
rk) of clothes and [your] maintenance.” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies [is comparable (
ya'arokh) to the Lord]”: Who is like unto the Holy One, blessed be He, in waging war for Israel? After all, the word,
ya'arokh, can only be a word denoting war, since it is stated (in Gen. 14:8), “and they marshalled (
ya'arokh in the plural) for battle with them.” Another interpretation (of Ps. 89:7), “For who in the skies is comparable to the Lord”: The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “If your [evil] drive comes and says to you, ‘Who sacrificed to (fed) the Holy One, blessed be He, before the world was created,’
41 say to him, ‘Consider that Moses ascended to the sky and spent a hundred and twenty days there. Let him tell you whether they were sacrificing to the Holy One, blessed be He. And in addition he was accustomed to eat; but when he ascended to Me, he saw that there is no eating and drinking in front of Me, and so he also did not eat, as stated (in Exod. 34:28), “And he was there with the Lord [forty days and forty nights; he neither ate bread nor drank water].”’” R. Simeon ben Laqish said, “If your [evil] drive comes to say to you, ‘If there were no eating and drinking before Him, He would not have told me to sacrifice and offer libations to Him’; [then ponder] what is written (in Numb. 28:6), ‘The continual burnt offering instituted at Mount Sinai’: Did they offer sacrifices on Mount Sinai? [No.] Rather observe that it was Moses who went up onto Mount Sinai. Let him tell you whether there were food and drink before Me. And so why did I trouble you and tell you to bring a daily sacrifice? In order to benefit you.” R. Hiyya bar Abba said, “When a mighty man who is walking on the road is thirsty and goes to drink water, how much does he drink with his hands? Ten handfuls? Six handfuls? Four handfuls? Less than two he does not drink. Now all the water that is in the world would be a filling for the hollow of the Holy One, blessed be He's, hand, as stated (in Is. 40:12), ‘Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand?’ [It is so written] in order to make known that for Him there is no eating or drinking. [Then] why did He tell me to offer a sacrifice? In order to benefit you.” Ergo (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat [is born… and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable for an offering by fire to the Lord].”
(Lev. 22:27), “And from the eighth day.” This text is related (to Eccl. 3:19), “As for the fate of humans and the fate of beasts, [they have the same fate; as the one dies, so does the other die. They all have the same lifebreath, but the superiority of the human over the beast is nil ('
yn)].”
42 It is written concerning the human (in Deut. 22:11), “You shall not wear interwoven stuff, wool and flax together.” It is also written concerning the beast (ibid., vs. 10), “You shall not plough with an ox and an ass together.” (Eccl. 3:19:) “[They] all have the same fate.” Just as the human contracts uncleanness, the beast also contracts uncleanness. It is written concerning the human (in Numb. 19:11), “One who touches the corpse of any human being shall be unclean.” Also concerning the beast (in Lev. 11:39), “whoever touches its carcass shall be unclean [...].” (Eccl. 3:19:) “As the one dies, so does the other die.” Concerning the human (in Lev. 20:16), “you shall kill the woman”; and concerning the beast (in vs. 15), “and you shall kill the beast.” (Eccl. 3:21:) “Who knows the lifebreath of a human that rises upward and the lifebreath of a beast that goes down into the earth?”
43 Because the lifebreath of the human is given from above, concerning it, a rising up is written. And because the beast is given from below, concerning it, a going down is written. (Eccl. 3:19, cont.:) “But the superiority of the human over the beast is '
yn (i.e., nil).” What is the meaning of '
yn?
44 That [the human] speaks, but [the beast] does not ('
yn) speak. And moreover, while there is knowledge in the human, in the beast there is no ('
yn) knowledge. And moreover, while the human knows the difference between good and evil, the beast does not ('
yn) know the difference between good and evil. And moreover, the human gets a reward for his works, but the beast does not ('
yn) get a reward for its work. And moreover, when the human dies they care for him and he is buried, while the beast is not ('
yn) buried. Ergo (in Eccl. 3:19), “but the superiority of the human over the beast is '
yn.” What is written concerning the human (in Lev. 12:2-3)? “When a woman emits her seed…. And on the eighth day [the flesh of his foreskin] shall be circumcised.” But about the beasts it is written (in Lev. 22:27), “When a bull or a sheep or a goat… and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable [for an offering by fire to the Lord].”
[Siman 16]
(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat.” This text is related (to Ps. 27:6), “And now shall my head be lifted up over my enemies round about me and I will offer sacrifice in His tent with a loud cry.” When Israel carried out that deed (of the golden calf), the nations of the world said, “There will be no recovery for them, and He will never return to them.” When Israel heard that they would sacrifice a bull, their head was lifted up, as stated (ibid.), “And now shall my head be lifted up […].” Then they said, “Now we know that the Holy One, blessed be He, has been reconciled to us, as stated (ibid., cont.), “and I will offer sacrifice in his tent with a loud cry; I will sing and chant praise to the Lord.”
(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat [is born].” Is there a bull that is born? Or a calf born to become a bull, that it should be stated, “to sacrifice a bull.” [So] why did [the Holy One, blessed be He], say to sacrifice a bull? To atone for the image of the bull, as stated (in Ps. 103:3), “Who forgives all your sins [...].” You should know this on your own. See what is written (in Ezek. 1:6), “Each had four faces, and each of them had four wings.” What is written there (in vs. 7), “And their legs became a straight leg, and the sole of their feet was like the sole of a calf's foot.” Now it was for the atonement of Israel that He added two [more] wings to them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 6:2), “[each] of them had six wings.” Why? So that their feet would be covered, because they resembled the calf. [It was] so that, as it were, He would not see them and recall the incident of the calf. [Hence (in Is. 6:2, cont.),] “with two he covered his feet.” And why all this? Simply to atone for Israel. This is the meaning of
(Ps. 103:3), “Who forgives all your sins.” You have no larger fowl than the eagle, so it became a face for the living angel, as stated (in Ezek. 1:10), “and the face of an eagle.” The largest among the animals is the lion, so it [also] became a face for the living angel, as stated (in Ezek. 10:14), “and the face of a lion.” And the bull is the largest among the beasts, so that He made it a face for the living angel, as stated (in Ezek. 1:10), “and the face of a bull on the left.” (Ibid.:) “And the face of a human.” But for the sake of Israel, the Holy One, blessed be He, blotted out the bull and put a cherub in its place. As you find that it only mentions a cherub there, as stated (in Ezek. 10:14), “the face of the one was the face of a cherub.” And why all this? To atone for Israel. Ergo (in Ps. 103:3), “Who forgives all your sins.” Why did the Holy One, blessed be He, remove the calf? So that Israel would be innocent before Him. And not only that, but when someone from Israel thinks about a transgression or something evil in his heart, the Holy One, blessed be He, does not connect it to a deed (to punish him for it). As therefore David says (in Ps. 66:18), “If I had perceived iniquity in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” Now what does the Holy One, blessed be He, hear? [What is thought] when a person stands up to meditate in prayer. It is so stated (in Ps. 31:223) “truly God has listened; He has hearkened to the sound of my prayer.” And not only that, but when two people sit and occupy themselves with the Torah, the Holy One, blessed be He, hearkens and listens, as stated (in mal. 3:16), “Then those who feared the Lord spoke with one another; the Lord has hearkened and listened.”
45 The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Through the merit of the Torah, when you occupy yourselves with it, I am hearkening and listening to your prayers; but in the future, before you [even] call to Me, I will answer you.” It is so stated (in Is. 65:24), “And it shall come to pass that before they cry out, I will answer.”
1. See above, Gen. 2:8; below, Numb. 1:1.
2. Lev. 27:1.
3. Gk.: margarites, margaritis, margaritarion, or margellion.
4. See also Gen. R. 33:1; PRK 9:1; M. Pss. 36:5.
5. Above, Gen. 2:8, and the note there.
6. Gen. R. 33:1; Exod. R. 14:2. So interpreted the verse means: “I led him [into Geihinnom].
7. Lev. R. 27:1.
8. Gk.: koitai (“beds”).
9. Above, Gen. 2:8; Gen. R. 33:1; PRK 9:1.
10. Lev. R. 27:1; PRK 9:1; Tamid 32ab.
11. Gk.: pylai.
12. Cf. Tamid 32b: “If you wanted [regular] bread, did you have no bread in your own place to eat that you should have taken [to the road] and come here?”
13. Unlike humans, cattle are not responsible for what they do wrong.
14. Lev. R. 27:2; PRK 9:2.
15. In elementary school one studied Bible under a sopher, or scribe. Secondary school involved the study of Oral Torah. Since a bachelor has no children, the money he gives is an act of charity.
16. Qilles. Cf. the Greek, kalos (“beautiful”).
17. Lev. R. 27:3; PRK 9:3.
18. Cf. Hag. 13b.
19. In other words, the seraphim covered their calf feet, lest they recall the sin of the golden calf.
20. See Sanh. 7:4.
21. According to Sot. 2:2, a new earthenware dish was to be used for each such trial by ordeal.
22. PRK 9:4; Lev. R. 27:4; Eccl. R. 3:15 (1).
23. Lev. R. 27:5.
24. Cf. PR 48:2.
25. PRK 9:5; Lev. R. 27:6; Numb. R. 10:1.
26. Cf. PR 48:1.
27. Gk.: prostagma.
28. See also PR 16:1; Numb. R. 20:5; 21:16.
29. Lev. R. 27:7; PRK 9:6.
30. Since min is commonly abbreviated to me, me’ayin is understood to mean “as compared to nothing” (literally: “than nothing.”)
31. Lev. R. 27:8; PRK 9:7–8.
32. Lat.: matrona.
33. Lev. R. 17:9; PRK 9:9.
34. Gen. R. 65:14; PR 47:4.
35. When Jacob brought the meat from the goats to his father, he received a blessing.
36. Lev. R. 27:10; PRK 9:10.
37. Gk.: xenoi.
38. Lat.: matrona.
39. Above, 8:9.
40. Below, 10:6.
41. See PR 48:3.
42. This is the translation required by the latter part of this section. A more traditional translation would be AND THE HUMAN IS NO BETTER THAN THE BEAST.
43. This translation is required by the midrash. A more traditional translation in the biblical context would be this: WHO KNOWS WHETHER IT IS THE LIFEBREATH OF A HUMAN THAT RISES UPWARD, WHILE IT IS THE LIFEBREATH OF A BEAST THAT GOES DOWN INTO THE EARTH?
44. Eccl. R. 3:19(1).
45. Avot 3:2, 6; Mekhilta deRabbi Ishmael, Bahodesh 1; Ber. 62; ARN, A, 8.
