זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלק (דברים כה יז). זה שאמר הכתוב יזכר עון אבותיו אל ה' וגו' (תהלים קט יד), וכי אבותיו של עשו רשעים היו, והלא צדיקים היו, אברהם זקינו, יצחק אביו, ואתה אומר יזכר עון אבותיו, אלא חטא שחטא על אבותיו, ומה חטא על אבותיו, אתה מוצא יצחק מכח אברהם בא, וחיה מאה ושמונים שנה, ואברהם חיה מאה ושבעים וחמש, רבי לוי אמר בתוך חמש שנים שמנעו מחייו של אברהם, עבר עשו שתי עבירות קשות, בא על נערה המאורסה, והרג את הנפש, הדא הוא דכתיב ויבא עשו מן השדה והוא עיף (בראשית כה כט), ואין שדה אלא נערה המאורסה, [שנאמר ואם בשדה ימצא האיש את הנערה המאורשה (דברים כב כה)], ואין עיף אלא הורג, שנאמר אוי נא לי כי עיפה נפשי להורגים (ירמיה ד לא). ר' זכאי [רבה] אמר אף גנב, שנאמר אם גנבים באו לך (עובדיה ה). אמר הקב"ה אני כבר הבטחתי לאברהם אוהבי, ואתה תבוא אל אבותיך בשלום תקבר וגו' (בראשית טו טו), ועתה הוא רואה את בן בנו, שהוא גוזל וחומס, מגלה עריות, ושופך דמים, והדין הוא סבא טבא, טב ליה לההוא צדיקא דמתכניש בשלם, שנאמר כי טוב חסדך מחיים (תהלים סג ד), ומה חטא חטא על אביו, גרם לו שכהו עיניו בחייו, מכאן אמרו כל המעמיד בן רשע או תלמיד רשע גורם לו שיכהו עיניו בחייו, בן רשע מיצחק, דכתיב ותכהין עיניו מראות (בראשית כז א), [למה שהעמיד עשו הרשע], תלמיד רשע מאחיה השלוני, שנאמר ואחיהו (השלוני) לא יכל לראות כי קמו עיניו משיבו (מ"א יד ד), למה שהעמיד לירבעם תמיד רשע. [וחטאת אמו אל תמח (תהלים קט יד)], ומה חטיא על אמו, ר' יהודה ור' נחמיה ורבנן, ר' יהודה אומר כשיצא ממעי אמו חתך מיטרין שלה (פי' שליא), שלא תלד, הה"ד על רדפו בחרב אחיו ושיחת רחמו (עמוס א יא), ור' ברכיה אומר לא תאמר לכשיצא, אלא עם כשהוא יוצא ממעי אמו זירתיה (פי' אגרוף) מתוחה לקיבליה, מה טעם זורו רשעים מרחם (תהלים נח ד), ר' נחמיה אומר גרם לה שלא תעמיד שנים עשר שבטים, דאמר רב הונא ראויה היתה רבקה שתעמיד שנים עשר שבטים, שנאמר ויאמר ה' לה שני גוים [בבטנך (בראשית כה כג), הרי] תרי, ושני לאומים, הרי ארבעה, ולאום מלאום יאמץ, הרי שיתא, ורב יעבוד צעיר, הרי תמניא, והנה תאומים בבטנה, הרי עשרה, ויצא הראשון אדמוני, [הרי אחד עשר], ואחרי כן יצא אחיו, הרי שנים עשר. ואית דמייתו לה מהכא, ותאמר אם כן למה זה אנכי (שם שם כב), ז"ה בגימטריא י"ב, ורבנין אמרו גרם לה שלא תצא מטתה ברבים, אתה מוצא כשמתה רבקה, אמרי מאן יפוק קומה, אברהם מת, יצחק עיניו כהות ויושב בבית, יעקב הלך לפדן ארם, יפוק עשוק רשיעא קומה, ויימרון ברייתא, לייטין בזייה דהדין יינקין, (פי' ארואין שדים שהניקו כזה), מה עשו הוציאו מיטתה בלילה, אמר ר' יוסי בר חנינא לפי שהוציאו מיטתה בלילה, לא פירשה הכתוב אלא מן הצד, דכתיב ותמת דבורה מינקת רבקה וגו' [ויקרא שמו אלון בכות] (שם לה ח), מהו אלון בכות, שתי בכיות, עד שיעקב יושב ומשמר אבלה של (מיניקתו) [מניקתה], באתה לו בשורה של אמו, הה"ד וירא אלהים אל יעקב עוד [וגו'] ויברך אותו (שם שם ט), מה ברכה ברכו, ברכת אבלים ברכו, אמר הקב"ה אבוהי שלים ליה ביש, אימיה שלים ליה ביש, אחוהי שלים ליה ביש, [אבוהי] סבי שלים ליה ביש, אתון שלמין ליה ביש, ואנא אשלים ליה ביש, תהיו אתם מזכירין שמו מלמטה, ואני מוחה שמו מלמעלה. יהיו נגד ה' תמיד (תהלים קט טו), כל מה שעשה לנגדי עשה, שנאמר ויכרת מארץ זכרם (שם), [הוי] זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלק.
(Deut. 25:17:) REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK (Esau's grandson) DID TO YOU. This verse is related (to Ps. 109:14): MAY THE INIQUITY OF HIS FATHERS BE REMEMBERED BEFORE THE LORD…. Were the fathers of Esau wicked?15Tanh., Deut. 6:4; PRK 3:1; cf. 12:4; PR 12:4. In note 16 on PR 12:4, W. G. Braude, Pesikta Rabbati (“Yale Judaica Series”; New Haven; Yale, 1968) p. 221, n. 16, suggests that the verse was understood as referring to Esau, because vs. 17 in the psalm identifies him as one who DID NOT FIND PLEASURE IN A BLESSING. And were they not righteous? His grandfather was Abraham. His father was Isaac. Yet are you saying (in Ps. 109:14): MAY THE INIQUITY OF HIS FATHERS BE REMEMBERED! <The verse is> simply <referring to> a sin that he sinned against his fathers.16The Hebrew of Ps. 109:14 can also be understood in this sense. And how did he sin against his fathers?17Above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 6:3; Gen. R. 63:12. You find that Isaac got his vitality from Abraham; yet he lived a hundred and eighty years, while Abraham <only>18The “only” is found in the parallel account of Tanh., Deut. 6:4. lived a hundred and seventy-five years.19The Tanh. parallel adds here: “Why so? Because he did not foresee Esau’s shame.” Rabbi Levi said: During the five years that were withheld from Abraham's life, Esau committed two serious transgressions. He violated a betrothed maiden, and he took a life. The one is what is written about (in Gen. 25:29): THEN ESAU CAME FROM THE FIELD, AND HE WAS EXHAUSTED. Now FIELD can only be a reference to a BETROTHED MAIDEN [of whom it is stated (in Deut. 22:25): IF IN THE FIELD THE MAN FINDS A MAIDEN WHO IS BETROTHED, <AND THE MAN SEIZES HER AND LIES WITH HER….>] Moreover, EXHAUSTED can only be a reference to a murderer, of whom it is stated (in Jer. 4:31): WOE TO ME, NOW! FOR MY LIFE IS EXHAUSTED BEFORE THOSE WHO KILL. Rabbi Zakkay [the Elder] said: He also stole, as stated (in Obad. 5): IF THIEVES HAVE COME TO YOU.20The Midrash, of course, is identifying the Edom of Obadiah with Esau. The Holy One said: I had already promised my beloved Abraham (in Gen. 15:15): YOU SHALL GO UNTO YOUR ANCESTORS IN PEACE; YOU SHALL BE BURIED <AT A GOOD OLD AGE>. But now he would see his grandson, when he was robbing with violence, practicing seduction, and shedding blood. At that time he was a good grandfather; <so> it was better for him as a righteous man to be gathered (to his ancestors) in peace, as stated in Ps. 63:4 [3]): FOR STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE. And what sin did he commit against his father? He caused his eyes to become dim during his lifetime. Hence they have said: Whoever produces a wicked son or a wicked disciple causes his eyes to grow dim during his lifetime. A wicked son came from Isaac, as written (in (Gen. 27:1): <AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN ISAAC WAS OLD> AND HIS EYES WERE TOO DIM TO SEE. [Why? Because he produced Esau the Wicked.] In regard to a wicked disciple, <there was a disciple> from Ahijah the Shilonite, as stated (in I Kings 14:4): NOW AHIJAH {THE SHILONITE} COULD NOT SEE, BECAUSE HIS EYES WERE DIM FROM OLD AGE. Why? Because he produced a wicked disciple in Jeroboam. [(Ps. 109:14:) AND LET NOT THE SIN OF HIS MOTHER BE BLOTTED OUT.] But how had he sinned against his mother? R. Judah, R. Nehemiah, and <our> masters <differ>. R. Judah says: When he left his mother's belly, he severed her uterus21Metrin: Gk.: metra; cf. Lat.: matrix. {i.e., placenta}, with the result that she would not bear <any more children>. This is what is written (in Amos 1:11): BECAUSE HE (i.e., Edom, which is Esau) PURSUED HIS BROTHER WITH THE SWORD AND DESTROYED HIS WOMB.22I.e., the womb from which he had been born. The Masoretic text here reads WOMB in the plural. As such, an idiomatic reading of the text would be rendered: BECAUSE HE PURSUED HIS BROTHER WITH THE SWORD AND REPRESSED ALL PITY. Moreover, R. Berekhyah says: You should not say <this> in reference to when he had left <his mother's uterus>.23Gen. R. 63:6. Rather, as he was leaving his mother's uterus, his zerta'24The Aramaic word means “fist” or “hand,” as the bracketed explanation correctly translates. The reason for this rather unusual word here is to play on the word zoru from Ps. 58:4, which he is about to cite. {i.e., fist} was stretched out against him (i.e., against his brother Jacob). What is the reasoning? (Ps. 58:4 [3]:) THE WICKED GO ASTRAY (zoru) FROM THE WOMB. R. Nehemiah says: He was the cause of her not producing twelve tribes, since Rav Huna has said: Rebekah was worthy of producing twelve tribes, as stated (in Gen. 25:23): AND THE LORD SAID TO HER: TWO NATIONS ARE [IN YOUR WOMB.25See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 12:16. Here] are two. (Ibid., cont.:) AND TWO PEOPLES. Here are four. (Ibid., cont.:) AND ONE PEOPLE SHALL BE STRONGER THAN THE OTHER. Here are six. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE ELDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER. Here are eight. (vs. 24:) AND BEHOLD THERE WERE TWINS IN HER WOMB. Here are ten. (vs. 25:) THE FIRST CAME OUT RUDDY. [Here are eleven.] (vs. 26:) AND AFTERWARD HIS BROTHER CAME OUT. Here are twelve. There are also some who apply a passage to her (from vs. 22): AND SHE SAID: IF SO, WHY AM I HERE (ZH)? By gematria26Gk.: geometria. Z (=7) + H (=5) <for a total of> twelve. But <our> masters have said: He was the cause of her bier not going forth publicly <to her funeral>. You find that when Rebekah died, they were saying: Who will go before her? Abraham is dead. Isaac's eyes are dim, and he is sitting at home. Jacob has gone to Paddan-aram. Should Esau the Wicked go before her? Then people would say <in Aramaic>:27Much of this paragraph is in Aramaic. Cursed be her breasts for suckling this man {i.e., <in Hebrew>: cursed be the breasts that have suckled one like this man}. What did they do? They brought out her bier at night. R. Jose bar Hanina said: Because they brought out her bier at night, the text only explained about her obliquely. Thus it is written (in Gen. 35:8): THEN REBEKAH'S NURSE, DEBORAH, DIED <AND WAS BURIED UNDER THE OAK BELOW BETHEL> [AND ITS NAME WAS CALLED WEEPING OAK (Allon-bacuth)]. What is the meaning of Allon-bacuth? Two weepings.28Bacuth, of course, means “weeping,” and allon can be understood as a Greek adjective in the neuter that means “other” or “another.” Thus the name can be read as “another weeping” and imply a second weeping. So PRK 3:1; Gen. R. 81:5; cf. Eccl. R. 7:2:3. While Jacob was seated in observance of mourning for {his} [her] nurse, the news about his mother came to him. This is related (to Gen. 35:9): NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN […,] AND BLESSED HIM. With what blessing did he bless him? He blessed him with the blessing <of consolation given to> mourners.29The blessing informed Jacob that his mother was dead. The Holy One said: Did his father pay him (i.e. Esau) back with evil? Did his mother pay him back with evil? Did his brother pay him back with evil? Did his grand[father] pay him back with evil? Did you pay him back with evil? So should I pay him back with evil? When you mention his name below, I shall blot out his name above. (Ps. 109:15:) LET THEM (the iniquity against his fathers and the sin against his mother) ALWAYS BE BEFORE THE LORD. Whatever he has done, he has done against me. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): AND MAY HE HAVE THEIR MEMORY CUT OFF FROM THE EARTH. [Ergo] (in Deut. 25:17): REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK (Esau's grandson) DID TO YOU.
זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלק (דברים כה יז). זה שאמר הכתוב יזכר עון אבותיו אל ה' וגו' (תהלים קט יד), וכי אבותיו של עשו רשעים היו, והלא צדיקים היו, אברהם זקינו, יצחק אביו, ואתה אומר יזכר עון אבותיו, אלא חטא שחטא על אבותיו, ומה חטא על אבותיו, אתה מוצא יצחק מכח אברהם בא, וחיה מאה ושמונים שנה, ואברהם חיה מאה ושבעים וחמש, רבי לוי אמר בתוך חמש שנים שמנעו מחייו של אברהם, עבר עשו שתי עבירות קשות, בא על נערה המאורסה, והרג את הנפש, הדא הוא דכתיב ויבא עשו מן השדה והוא עיף (בראשית כה כט), ואין שדה אלא נערה המאורסה, [שנאמר ואם בשדה ימצא האיש את הנערה המאורשה (דברים כב כה)], ואין עיף אלא הורג, שנאמר אוי נא לי כי עיפה נפשי להורגים (ירמיה ד לא). ר' זכאי [רבה] אמר אף גנב, שנאמר אם גנבים באו לך (עובדיה ה). אמר הקב"ה אני כבר הבטחתי לאברהם אוהבי, ואתה תבוא אל אבותיך בשלום תקבר וגו' (בראשית טו טו), ועתה הוא רואה את בן בנו, שהוא גוזל וחומס, מגלה עריות, ושופך דמים, והדין הוא סבא טבא, טב ליה לההוא צדיקא דמתכניש בשלם, שנאמר כי טוב חסדך מחיים (תהלים סג ד), ומה חטא חטא על אביו, גרם לו שכהו עיניו בחייו, מכאן אמרו כל המעמיד בן רשע או תלמיד רשע גורם לו שיכהו עיניו בחייו, בן רשע מיצחק, דכתיב ותכהין עיניו מראות (בראשית כז א), [למה שהעמיד עשו הרשע], תלמיד רשע מאחיה השלוני, שנאמר ואחיהו (השלוני) לא יכל לראות כי קמו עיניו משיבו (מ"א יד ד), למה שהעמיד לירבעם תמיד רשע. [וחטאת אמו אל תמח (תהלים קט יד)], ומה חטיא על אמו, ר' יהודה ור' נחמיה ורבנן, ר' יהודה אומר כשיצא ממעי אמו חתך מיטרין שלה (פי' שליא), שלא תלד, הה"ד על רדפו בחרב אחיו ושיחת רחמו (עמוס א יא), ור' ברכיה אומר לא תאמר לכשיצא, אלא עם כשהוא יוצא ממעי אמו זירתיה (פי' אגרוף) מתוחה לקיבליה, מה טעם זורו רשעים מרחם (תהלים נח ד), ר' נחמיה אומר גרם לה שלא תעמיד שנים עשר שבטים, דאמר רב הונא ראויה היתה רבקה שתעמיד שנים עשר שבטים, שנאמר ויאמר ה' לה שני גוים [בבטנך (בראשית כה כג), הרי] תרי, ושני לאומים, הרי ארבעה, ולאום מלאום יאמץ, הרי שיתא, ורב יעבוד צעיר, הרי תמניא, והנה תאומים בבטנה, הרי עשרה, ויצא הראשון אדמוני, [הרי אחד עשר], ואחרי כן יצא אחיו, הרי שנים עשר. ואית דמייתו לה מהכא, ותאמר אם כן למה זה אנכי (שם שם כב), ז"ה בגימטריא י"ב, ורבנין אמרו גרם לה שלא תצא מטתה ברבים, אתה מוצא כשמתה רבקה, אמרי מאן יפוק קומה, אברהם מת, יצחק עיניו כהות ויושב בבית, יעקב הלך לפדן ארם, יפוק עשוק רשיעא קומה, ויימרון ברייתא, לייטין בזייה דהדין יינקין, (פי' ארואין שדים שהניקו כזה), מה עשו הוציאו מיטתה בלילה, אמר ר' יוסי בר חנינא לפי שהוציאו מיטתה בלילה, לא פירשה הכתוב אלא מן הצד, דכתיב ותמת דבורה מינקת רבקה וגו' [ויקרא שמו אלון בכות] (שם לה ח), מהו אלון בכות, שתי בכיות, עד שיעקב יושב ומשמר אבלה של (מיניקתו) [מניקתה], באתה לו בשורה של אמו, הה"ד וירא אלהים אל יעקב עוד [וגו'] ויברך אותו (שם שם ט), מה ברכה ברכו, ברכת אבלים ברכו, אמר הקב"ה אבוהי שלים ליה ביש, אימיה שלים ליה ביש, אחוהי שלים ליה ביש, [אבוהי] סבי שלים ליה ביש, אתון שלמין ליה ביש, ואנא אשלים ליה ביש, תהיו אתם מזכירין שמו מלמטה, ואני מוחה שמו מלמעלה. יהיו נגד ה' תמיד (תהלים קט טו), כל מה שעשה לנגדי עשה, שנאמר ויכרת מארץ זכרם (שם), [הוי] זכור את אשר עשה לך עמלק.
(Deut. 25:17:) REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK (Esau's grandson) DID TO YOU. This verse is related (to Ps. 109:14): MAY THE INIQUITY OF HIS FATHERS BE REMEMBERED BEFORE THE LORD…. Were the fathers of Esau wicked?15Tanh., Deut. 6:4; PRK 3:1; cf. 12:4; PR 12:4. In note 16 on PR 12:4, W. G. Braude, Pesikta Rabbati (“Yale Judaica Series”; New Haven; Yale, 1968) p. 221, n. 16, suggests that the verse was understood as referring to Esau, because vs. 17 in the psalm identifies him as one who DID NOT FIND PLEASURE IN A BLESSING. And were they not righteous? His grandfather was Abraham. His father was Isaac. Yet are you saying (in Ps. 109:14): MAY THE INIQUITY OF HIS FATHERS BE REMEMBERED! <The verse is> simply <referring to> a sin that he sinned against his fathers.16The Hebrew of Ps. 109:14 can also be understood in this sense. And how did he sin against his fathers?17Above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 6:3; Gen. R. 63:12. You find that Isaac got his vitality from Abraham; yet he lived a hundred and eighty years, while Abraham <only>18The “only” is found in the parallel account of Tanh., Deut. 6:4. lived a hundred and seventy-five years.19The Tanh. parallel adds here: “Why so? Because he did not foresee Esau’s shame.” Rabbi Levi said: During the five years that were withheld from Abraham's life, Esau committed two serious transgressions. He violated a betrothed maiden, and he took a life. The one is what is written about (in Gen. 25:29): THEN ESAU CAME FROM THE FIELD, AND HE WAS EXHAUSTED. Now FIELD can only be a reference to a BETROTHED MAIDEN [of whom it is stated (in Deut. 22:25): IF IN THE FIELD THE MAN FINDS A MAIDEN WHO IS BETROTHED, <AND THE MAN SEIZES HER AND LIES WITH HER….>] Moreover, EXHAUSTED can only be a reference to a murderer, of whom it is stated (in Jer. 4:31): WOE TO ME, NOW! FOR MY LIFE IS EXHAUSTED BEFORE THOSE WHO KILL. Rabbi Zakkay [the Elder] said: He also stole, as stated (in Obad. 5): IF THIEVES HAVE COME TO YOU.20The Midrash, of course, is identifying the Edom of Obadiah with Esau. The Holy One said: I had already promised my beloved Abraham (in Gen. 15:15): YOU SHALL GO UNTO YOUR ANCESTORS IN PEACE; YOU SHALL BE BURIED <AT A GOOD OLD AGE>. But now he would see his grandson, when he was robbing with violence, practicing seduction, and shedding blood. At that time he was a good grandfather; <so> it was better for him as a righteous man to be gathered (to his ancestors) in peace, as stated in Ps. 63:4 [3]): FOR STEADFAST LOVE IS BETTER THAN LIFE. And what sin did he commit against his father? He caused his eyes to become dim during his lifetime. Hence they have said: Whoever produces a wicked son or a wicked disciple causes his eyes to grow dim during his lifetime. A wicked son came from Isaac, as written (in (Gen. 27:1): <AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT WHEN ISAAC WAS OLD> AND HIS EYES WERE TOO DIM TO SEE. [Why? Because he produced Esau the Wicked.] In regard to a wicked disciple, <there was a disciple> from Ahijah the Shilonite, as stated (in I Kings 14:4): NOW AHIJAH {THE SHILONITE} COULD NOT SEE, BECAUSE HIS EYES WERE DIM FROM OLD AGE. Why? Because he produced a wicked disciple in Jeroboam. [(Ps. 109:14:) AND LET NOT THE SIN OF HIS MOTHER BE BLOTTED OUT.] But how had he sinned against his mother? R. Judah, R. Nehemiah, and <our> masters <differ>. R. Judah says: When he left his mother's belly, he severed her uterus21Metrin: Gk.: metra; cf. Lat.: matrix. {i.e., placenta}, with the result that she would not bear <any more children>. This is what is written (in Amos 1:11): BECAUSE HE (i.e., Edom, which is Esau) PURSUED HIS BROTHER WITH THE SWORD AND DESTROYED HIS WOMB.22I.e., the womb from which he had been born. The Masoretic text here reads WOMB in the plural. As such, an idiomatic reading of the text would be rendered: BECAUSE HE PURSUED HIS BROTHER WITH THE SWORD AND REPRESSED ALL PITY. Moreover, R. Berekhyah says: You should not say <this> in reference to when he had left <his mother's uterus>.23Gen. R. 63:6. Rather, as he was leaving his mother's uterus, his zerta'24The Aramaic word means “fist” or “hand,” as the bracketed explanation correctly translates. The reason for this rather unusual word here is to play on the word zoru from Ps. 58:4, which he is about to cite. {i.e., fist} was stretched out against him (i.e., against his brother Jacob). What is the reasoning? (Ps. 58:4 [3]:) THE WICKED GO ASTRAY (zoru) FROM THE WOMB. R. Nehemiah says: He was the cause of her not producing twelve tribes, since Rav Huna has said: Rebekah was worthy of producing twelve tribes, as stated (in Gen. 25:23): AND THE LORD SAID TO HER: TWO NATIONS ARE [IN YOUR WOMB.25See above, Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 12:16. Here] are two. (Ibid., cont.:) AND TWO PEOPLES. Here are four. (Ibid., cont.:) AND ONE PEOPLE SHALL BE STRONGER THAN THE OTHER. Here are six. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE ELDER SHALL SERVE THE YOUNGER. Here are eight. (vs. 24:) AND BEHOLD THERE WERE TWINS IN HER WOMB. Here are ten. (vs. 25:) THE FIRST CAME OUT RUDDY. [Here are eleven.] (vs. 26:) AND AFTERWARD HIS BROTHER CAME OUT. Here are twelve. There are also some who apply a passage to her (from vs. 22): AND SHE SAID: IF SO, WHY AM I HERE (ZH)? By gematria26Gk.: geometria. Z (=7) + H (=5) <for a total of> twelve. But <our> masters have said: He was the cause of her bier not going forth publicly <to her funeral>. You find that when Rebekah died, they were saying: Who will go before her? Abraham is dead. Isaac's eyes are dim, and he is sitting at home. Jacob has gone to Paddan-aram. Should Esau the Wicked go before her? Then people would say <in Aramaic>:27Much of this paragraph is in Aramaic. Cursed be her breasts for suckling this man {i.e., <in Hebrew>: cursed be the breasts that have suckled one like this man}. What did they do? They brought out her bier at night. R. Jose bar Hanina said: Because they brought out her bier at night, the text only explained about her obliquely. Thus it is written (in Gen. 35:8): THEN REBEKAH'S NURSE, DEBORAH, DIED <AND WAS BURIED UNDER THE OAK BELOW BETHEL> [AND ITS NAME WAS CALLED WEEPING OAK (Allon-bacuth)]. What is the meaning of Allon-bacuth? Two weepings.28Bacuth, of course, means “weeping,” and allon can be understood as a Greek adjective in the neuter that means “other” or “another.” Thus the name can be read as “another weeping” and imply a second weeping. So PRK 3:1; Gen. R. 81:5; cf. Eccl. R. 7:2:3. While Jacob was seated in observance of mourning for {his} [her] nurse, the news about his mother came to him. This is related (to Gen. 35:9): NOW GOD APPEARED UNTO JACOB AGAIN […,] AND BLESSED HIM. With what blessing did he bless him? He blessed him with the blessing <of consolation given to> mourners.29The blessing informed Jacob that his mother was dead. The Holy One said: Did his father pay him (i.e. Esau) back with evil? Did his mother pay him back with evil? Did his brother pay him back with evil? Did his grand[father] pay him back with evil? Did you pay him back with evil? So should I pay him back with evil? When you mention his name below, I shall blot out his name above. (Ps. 109:15:) LET THEM (the iniquity against his fathers and the sin against his mother) ALWAYS BE BEFORE THE LORD. Whatever he has done, he has done against me. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): AND MAY HE HAVE THEIR MEMORY CUT OFF FROM THE EARTH. [Ergo] (in Deut. 25:17): REMEMBER WHAT AMALEK (Esau's grandson) DID TO YOU.