“Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them: Draw, and take for yourselves lambs for your families, and slaughter the paschal offering” (Exodus 12:21). “Moses called all the elders of Israel” – that is what is written: “With the aged is wisdom and with the length of days understanding” (Job 12:12). Why did the elders merit that Israel was redeemed through them? When the Holy One blessed be He appeared to Moses at the bush, He said to him: “Go, and gather the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:16). When Moses came, immediately: “Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel” (Exodus 4:29), and it says: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will repay the elders for causing Israel to believe in My name. When Moses said: “And I say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:13), had the elders not accepted Moses’ statement, all of Israel would not have accepted it either. Rather, the elders accepted it first, and drew all of Israel after them, and caused them to believe in the name of the Holy One blessed be He. I, too, will accord them honor, and the redemption of Israel will be through them, as Israel will slaughter their paschal offering through them, as it is stated: “Moses called all the elders of Israel.” Therefore, the verse praises them: “With the aged is wisdom.”
“Draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “With stillness and pleasantness you will be saved” (Isaiah 30:15). We learned: One may heal himself with anything except for idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. How so? If they will say to a person: ‘Come and kill a person and you will be healed,’ he may not heed them, as it is written: “One who sheds the blood of a man, his blood will be shed by man” (Genesis 9:6). Since “one who sheds the blood of a man, his blood will be shed by man,” how could the ill person be healed by means of bloodshed? Forbidden sexual relations, how so? If they will say to a person: ‘Engage in forbidden sexual relations and you will be healed,’ he may not heed them, as it is prohibited for a person to engage in forbidden sexual relations. You find two adjacent Torah portions, the portion of the nazirite, and the portion of the sota.1The laws of the sota appears in Numbers 5:11–31. The laws of the nazirite appear in Numbers 6:1–21. The nazirite vows not to drink wine. The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘You vowed not to drink wine in order to distance yourself from transgression. Do not say: I will eat grapes and it will not be a sin.’ The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘Since you vowed to refrain from wine, I will teach you not to sin before Me.’ He said to Moses: ‘Teach Israel the laws of naziriteship, as it is stated: “If a man explicitly vows…from wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain…he shall not eat anything that is made of the grapevine” (Numbers 6:2–4). When he does so, he is like an angel, “all the days of his naziriteship, he is holy to the Lord” (Numbers 6:8), as you say: “A watcher and a holy one [came down from Heaven]” (Daniel 4:10). Likewise, a woman is called a grapevine, as it is stated: “Your wife is like a fruitful vine” (Psalms 128:3). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Do not say: Since it is prohibited for me to engage in relations with the woman, I will grab her and it will not be a sin for me, I will fondle her and it will not be a sin for me, or I will kiss her and it will not be a sin for me.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Just as if a nazirite has vowed not to drink wine, it is prohibited [for him] to eat moist and dry grapes, and food that is soaked in wine, and anything that emerges from the grapevine; so, too, a woman who is not your wife, you may not touch her at all, as Solomon says: “Can a man stoke fire in his bosom and his garments not be burned…so one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; anyone who touches her will not be absolved” (Proverbs 6:27–9). This is why the Holy One blessed be He [wrote] the portion of the nazirite adjacent to the portion of the sota, because they are similar to one another. And anyone who touches a woman who is not his wife brings death upon himself, as it is stated: “For she has felled many corpses” (Proverbs 7:26), and it is written: “Her feet descend to death; her steps support one to the grave” (Proverbs 5:5). Since she has all these attributes, how can she give life to the ill? Therefore, one may not heal himself through her. Idol worship, how so? If a person of Israel is ill and they say to him: ‘Go to such and such idol and be healed,’ it is prohibited to go, as it says: “One who sacrifices to gods shall be destroyed, except to the Lord alone” (Exodus 22:19). Since everyone who worships idols shall be destroyed, it is preferable for him to die from the illness than to perform an act for which he will be destroyed in this world.2In addition to suffering in the next world. Not only that [act of idol worship] is prohibited, but it is prohibited to heal oneself with anything associated with idol worship. If they say to a person: ‘Take from what they are burning to idols, or take from a tree worshipped as idolatry and make it into an amulet and be healed,’ do not take it, as it is written: “Nothing of the banned items shall cleave to your hand” (Deuteronomy 13:18). This [prohibition] is [referring to anything used for] idolatry. And it says: “You shall not bring an abomination into your home and become banned like it” (Deuteronomy 7:26). Why? It is because they have no substance and they are to no avail, as it is stated: “Do not fear them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good” (Jeremiah 10:5). Likewise, you find that Jeremiah said to his generation: ‘I am going to enter into a confrontation with idol worship, and I will state its actions and the actions of God, and the differences between the Holy One blessed be He and idol worship will be known.’ You find four times on one page that Jeremiah demonstrated the denigration of idol worship and praise of God, as it is stated: “So said the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations…as the customs of the peoples are vanity” (Jeremiah 10:2–3); “they beautify it with silver and with gold… they are like a date palm, a block of wood, [and they do not speak; they are carried because they do not walk]” (Jeremiah 10: 4–5). You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “There is no one like You, Lord” (Jeremiah 10:6); “who would not fear You, king of nations” (Jeremiah 10:7). You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “But they are altogether brutish and foolish…silver beaten into plates will be brought from Tarshish…” (Jeremiah 10:8–9). You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord God is true” (Jeremiah 10:10). You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “So you shall say to them: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens” (Jeremiah 10:11). You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “He made the earth with His power…at the sound of His giving a multitude of water in the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:12–13). You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “Every man is proved to be foolish, without knowledge… they are vanity, a work of delusion” (Jeremiah 10:14–15). You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Not like these is the portion of Jacob; for He is the Maker of all things…” (Jeremiah 10:16). The Holy One blessed be He said: Since it is like an inanimate stone and lacks substance, and others guard it so it will not be stolen, how can it give life to an ill person? Therefore, it is prohibited to heal oneself with anything associated with it. Likewise you find regarding Israel when they were in Egypt, they would worship idols and they would not forsake them, as it is stated: “Each man did not cast away the abominations of their eyes” (Ezekiel 20:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘As long as Israel is worshipping the gods of Egypt they will not be redeemed. Go and say to them that they should abandon their evil deeds and repudiate idol worship.’ That is what is written: “Draw, and take for yourselves” (Exodus 12:21), meaning draw your hands away from idol worship and “take for yourselves lambs” and slaughter the gods of Egypt and perform [the rite of] the paschal offering, as thereby, the Holy One blessed be He will pass over you; that is: “With stillness and pleasantness you will be saved” (Isaiah 30:15).
Another interpretation, “draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “All who serve graven images shall be shamed” (Psalms 97:7). When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses to slaughter the paschal offering, Moses said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, how can I do so? Do You not know that lambs are the gods of Egypt?’ As it is stated: “Behold, were we to sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, would they not stone us?” (Exodus 8:22). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life, Israel will not depart from here until they slaughter the god of Egypt before their eyes, as I will thereby inform them that their gods are nothing.’ And we find that He did so, as on that night He smote the firstborn of Egypt, on that night Israel slaughtered their paschal offerings and ate them, and the Egyptians saw their firstborn killed and their gods slaughtered and they were unable to do anything, as it is stated: “The Egyptians were burying they whom the Lord had smitten among them, all their firstborn, and upon their gods the Lord administered punishments” (Numbers 33:4); that is: “All who serve graven images shall be shamed.”
Another interpretation, “draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's” (Proverbs 16:11), and likewise we find that Moses and Samuel are equal, and it is stated: “Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who call His name” (Psalms 99:6). Come and see how many differences there are between Moses and Samuel. Moses would enter before the Holy One blessed be He to hear the [divine] speech, while with Samuel, the Holy One blessed be He would come [to him], as it is stated: “The Lord came and stood” (I Samuel 3:10). Why was it so? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘With justice and righteousness I interact with the person.’ Moses would sit, and anyone who had a case would come before him and be judged, as it is stated: “It was on the next day that Moses sat to judge the people” (Exodus 18:13). But Samuel would take the trouble to go to each and every province and judge, so they would not need to inconvenience themselves to come to him, as it is stated: “He would go each and every year […and he judged Israel in all those places]” (I Samuel 7:16). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Moses, who would sit in one place and judge Israel, will come to Me to the Tent of Meeting to hear the [divine] speech. But Samuel, who would go to Israel in the towns and judge them, I will go and speak to him, to fulfill what is stated: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's.”’ Likewise, we found regarding Judah; because he saved three lives, Tamar and her two sons, from the fire, the Holy One blessed be He saved three of his descendants from the fire. Who were they? Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. That is, “a just balance and scales are the Lord's.” Likewise in Egypt, Israel was enslaved for eighty years.3This is referring to the harshest period of enslavement, beginning from the decree to kill the baby boys, which was issued shortly before the birth of Moses. Moses was eighty when Israel was redeemed from Egypt (Midrash HaMevoar). An Egyptian would go into the wilderness, catch a deer or gazelle and slaughter it, place the pot on the fire, cook and eat, and Israel would see and would not taste it, as it is stated: “When we sat by the fleshpot, when we ate bread to satiation” (Exodus 16:3). It does not say: When we ate from the fleshpot, but rather, “when we sat [by the fleshpot],” as they would eat their bread without meat. The Holy One blessed be He said to them [the Egyptians]: ‘You caused My children to drool [from hunger] with the meat that you would eat, and you would not give them any; I, too, will arrange for My children to slaughter the lambs to which you prostrate yourselves. They will eat and you will be envious. Why? Because I am the true judge.’ That is: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's.” That is why it is stated: “Draw, and take for yourselves lambs.”
וַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה לְכָל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (איוב יב, יב): בִּישִׁישִׁים חָכְמָה וְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים תְּבוּנָה, לָמָה זָכוּ הַזְּקֵנִים שֶׁיִּגָּאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵיהֶן, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁנִּגְלָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל משֶׁה בַּסְּנֶה, אָמַר לוֹ (שמות ג, טז): לֵךְ וְאָסַפְתָּ אֶת זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּא משֶׁה, מִיָּד (שמות ד, כט): וַיֵּלֶךְ משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וַיַּאַסְפוּ אֶת כָּל זִקְנֵי בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאוֹמֵר (שמות ד, לא): וַיַּאֲמֵן הָעָם. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֲרֵינִי פּוֹרֵעַ לַזְּקֵנִים, עַל שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְהַאֲמִין בִּשְׁמִי, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר משֶׁה (שמות ג, יג): וְאָמַרְתִּי לָהֶם אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם שְׁלָחַנִּי אֲלֵיכֶם, אִלּוּ לֹא קִבְּלוּ הַזְּקֵנִים אֶת דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל משֶׁה, אַף כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא הָיוּ מְקַבְּלִים, אֶלָּא הַזְּקֵנִים קִבְּלוּ תְּחִלָּה וּמָשְׁכוּ כָּל יִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרֵיהֶם וְעָשוּ אוֹתָן לְהַאֲמִין לִשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַף אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה לָהֶם כָּבוֹד, וְיִהְיֶה גְּאֻלַּת יִשְׂרָאֵל עַל יְדֵיהֶן, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹחֲטִים פִּסְחֵיהֶם עַל יְדֵיהֶן שֶׁל זְקֵנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה לְכָל זִקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, לְפִיכָךְ הַכָּתוּב מְשַׁבְּחָן: בִּישִׁישִׁים חָכְמָה.
“Moses called all the elders of Israel, and said to them: Draw, and take for yourselves lambs for your families, and slaughter the paschal offering” (Exodus 12:21).
“Moses called all the elders of Israel” – that is what is written: “With the aged is wisdom and with the length of days understanding” (Job 12:12). Why did the elders merit that Israel was redeemed through them? When the Holy One blessed be He appeared to Moses at the bush, He said to him: “Go, and gather the elders of Israel” (Exodus 3:16). When Moses came, immediately: “Moses and Aaron went and gathered all the elders of the children of Israel” (Exodus 4:29), and it says: “The people believed” (Exodus 4:31). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will repay the elders for causing Israel to believe in My name. When Moses said: “And I say to them: The God of your fathers has sent me to you” (Exodus 3:13), had the elders not accepted Moses’ statement, all of Israel would not have accepted it either. Rather, the elders accepted it first, and drew all of Israel after them, and caused them to believe in the name of the Holy One blessed be He. I, too, will accord them honor, and the redemption of Israel will be through them, as Israel will slaughter their paschal offering through them, as it is stated: “Moses called all the elders of Israel.” Therefore, the verse praises them: “With the aged is wisdom.”
מִשְׁכוּ וּקְחוּ לָכֶם צֹאן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה ל, טו): בְּשׁוּבָה וָנַחַת תִּוָּשֵׁעוּן, תְּנִינַן בַּכֹּל מִתְרַפְּאִין חוּץ מֵעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, וְגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, וּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. כֵּיצַד שֶׁאִם יֹאמְרוּ לוֹ לְאָדָם בּוֹא וַהֲרֹג אֶת הַנֶּפֶשׁ וְאַתָּה מִתְרַפֵּא, אַל יִשְׁמַע לָהֶן, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (בראשית ט, ו): שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ, הוֹאִיל וְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ, הֵיאַךְ יָכוֹל הַחוֹלֶה לְהִתְרַפּאוֹת בִּשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים. גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת כֵּיצַד, אִם יֹאמְרוּ לוֹ לְאָדָם עֲסֹק בְּגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת וְאַתָּה מִתְרַפֵּא, לֹא יִשְׁמַע לָהֶן, שֶׁאָסוּר לוֹ לְאָדָם לַעֲסֹק בְּגִלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שְׁתֵּי פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת סְמוּכוֹת, פָּרָשַׁת נָזִיר וּפָרָשַׁת סוֹטָה, הַנָּזִיר נוֹדֵר שֶׁלֹא לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נָדַרְתָּ שֶׁלֹא לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן כְּדֵי לְהַרְחִיק עַצְמְךָ מִן הָעֲבֵרָה, אַל תֹּאמַר הֲרֵינִי אוֹכֵל עֲנָבִים וְאֵין לִי עָווֹן, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוֹאִיל וְנָדַרְתָּ מִן הַיַּיִן הֲרֵינִי מְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁלֹא תֶחֱטָא לְפָנַי, אָמַר לְמשֶׁה לַמֵּד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הִלְכוֹת נְזִירוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ו, ב ד): אִישׁ כִּי יַפְלִא לִנְדֹּר וגו' מִיַּיִן וְשֵׁכָר יַזִּיר, מִכֹּל אֲשֶׁר יֵעָשֶׂה מִגֶּפֶן הַיַּיִן, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיַּעֲשֶׂה כָּךְ הֲרֵי הוּא כְּמַלְאָךְ. (במדבר ו, ח): כֹּל יְמֵי נִזְרוֹ קָדוֹשׁ הוּא לַה', כְּמָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דניאל ד, י): וַאֲלוּ עִיר וְקַדִּישׁ. וְכֵן הָאִשָּׁה נִקְרֵאת גֶּפֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכח, ג): אֶשְׁתְּךָ כְּגֶפֶן פֹּרִיָּה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַל תֹּאמַר הוֹאִיל וְאָסוּר לִי לְהִשְׁתַּמֵּשׁ בָּאִשָּׁה הֲרֵינִי תוֹפְשָׂהּ וְאֵין לִי עָווֹן אוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי מְגַפְּפָהּ וְאֵין לִי עָווֹן, אֲנִי נוֹשְׁקָהּ וְאֵין לִי עָווֹן. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאִם נָדַר נָזִיר שֶׁלֹא לִשְׁתּוֹת יַיִן אָסוּר לֶאֱכֹל עֲנָבִים לַחִים וִיבֵשִׁים וּמִשְׁרַת עֲנָבִים וְכָל הַיּוֹצֵא מִגֶּפֶן הַיַּיִן, אַף אִשָּׁה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁלְּךָ אָסוּר לִגַּע בָּהּ כָּל עִקָּר, שֶׁכֵּן שְׁלֹמֹה אוֹמֵר (משלי ו, כז כט): הֲיַחְתֶּה אִישׁ אֵשׁ בְּחֵיקוֹ וּבְגָדָיו לֹא תִשָֹּׂרַפְנָה, כֵּן הַבָּא אֶל אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ לֹא יִנָּקֶה כָּל הַנֹּגֵעַ בָּהּ, לְכָךְ סָמַךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פָּרָשַׁת נָזִיר לְפָרָשַׁת סוֹטָה שֶׁהֵן דּוֹמוֹת זוֹ לָזוֹ, וְכָל מִי שֶׁנּוֹגֵעַ בְּאִשָּׁה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁלּוֹ מֵבִיא מִיתָה עַל עַצְמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ז, כו): כִּי רַבִּים חֲלָלִים הִפִּילָה, וּכְתִיב (משלי ה, ה): רַגְלֶיהָ יֹרְדוֹת מָוֶת שְׁאוֹל צְעָדֶיהָ יִתְמֹכוּ, הוֹאִיל וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ כָּל הַמִּדּוֹת הַלָּלוּ הֵיאַךְ יְכוֹלָה הִיא לִתֵּן חַיִּים לַחוֹלֶה, לְכָךְ אֵין מִתְרַפְּאִין בָּהּ. עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים כֵּיצַד, שֶׁאִם הָיָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל חוֹלֶה וְיֹאמְרוּ לוֹ לֵךְ אֵצֶל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים פְּלוֹנִית וְאַתָּה מִתְרַפֵּא, אָסוּר לֵילֵךְ, שֶׁכֵּן הוּא אוֹמֵר (שמות כב, יט): זֹבֵחַ לָאֱלֹהִים יָחֳרָם בִּלְתִּי לַה' לְבַדּוֹ, וְהוֹאִיל שֶׁכָּל מִי שֶׁעוֹבֵד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים יָחֳרַם, מוּטָב לוֹ לָמוּת בַּחֹלִי וְאַל יֵעָשֶׂה חֵרֶם בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. וְלֹא זֶה בִּלְבַד אָסוּר, אֶלָּא כָּל דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים אָסוּר לְהִתְרַפְּאוֹת בּוֹ, שֶׁאִם יֹאמְרוּ לוֹ לְאָדָם טֹל מִמַּה שֶּׁמַּקְטִירִין לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אוֹ טֹל מִן הָאֲשֵׁרָה וַעֲשֵׂה מֵהֶן קָמֵיעַ וְהִתְרַפֵּא, אַל תִּטֹּל, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (דברים יג, יח): וְלֹא יִדְבַּק בְּיָדְךָ מְאוּמָה מִן הַחֵרֶם, זוֹ עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים. וְאוֹמֵר (דברים ז, כו): וְלֹא תָבִיא תוֹעֵבָה אֶל בֵּיתֶךָ וְהָיִיתָ חֵרֶם כָּמֹהוּ, לָמָּה, שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם מַמָּשׁ וְאֵין מוֹעִילִין כְּלוּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, ה): אַל תִּירְאוּ מֵהֶם כִּי לֹא יָרֵעוּ וְגַם הֵיטֵיב אֵין אוֹתָם, וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁיִּרְמְיָהוּ אוֹמֵר לְדוֹרוֹ, הֲרֵינִי נִכְנַס עִם עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים לְדִין וְאוֹמֵר מַעֲשֶׂיהָ וּמַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים וְיִוָּדַע מַה בֵּין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אַרְבַּע פְּעָמִים בְּדַף אֶחָד הֶרְאָה יִרְמְיָה גְּנוּתָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְשִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל אֱלֹהִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, ב ג): כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֶל דֶּרֶךְ הַגּוֹיִם אַל תִּלְמָדוּ כִּי חֻקּוֹת הָעַמִּים הֶבֶל הוּא. (ירמיה י, ד ה): בְּכֶסֶף וּבְזָהָב יְיַפֵּהוּ, כְּתֹמֶר מִקְשָׁה הֵמָּה. שְׁמַעְתֶּם גְּנוּתָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים בּוֹאוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, ו): מֵאֵין כָּמוֹךָ ה'. (ירמיה י, ז): מִי לֹא יִרָאֲךָ מֶלֶךְ הַגּוֹיִם. שְׁמַעְתֶּם שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בּוֹאוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ גְּנוּתָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, ח ט): וּבְאַחַת יִבְעֲרוּ וְיִכְסָלוּ וגו' כֶּסֶף מְרֻקָּע מִתַּרְשִׁישׁ יוּבָא וגו'. שְׁמַעְתֶּם גְּנוּתָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים בּוֹאוּ וְאַגִּיד לָכֶם שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, י): וַה' אֱלֹהִים אֱמֶת. שְׁמַעְתֶּם שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם בּוֹאוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ גְּנוּתָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, יא): כִּדְנָה תֵּאמְרוּן לְהוֹם אֱלָהַיָא דִי שְׁמַיָא וְאַרְקָא לָא עֲבַדוּ יֵאבַדוּ מֵאַרְעָא וּמִן תְּחוֹת שְׁמַיָּא אֵלֶּה, שְׁמַעְתֶּם גְּנוּתָהּ שֶׁל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים בּוֹאוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, יב יג): עֹשֵׂה אֶרֶץ בְּכֹחוֹ וגו' לְקוֹל תִּתּוֹ הֲמוֹן מַיִם בַּשָּׁמַיִם. שְׁמַעְתֶּם שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם בּוֹאוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ גְּנוּתָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, יד טו): נִבְעַר כָּל אָדָם מִדַּעַת וגו' אַךְ הֶבֶל הֵמָּה מַעֲשֵׂה תַּעְתֻּעִים. שְׁמַעְתֶּם גְּנוּתָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים בּוֹאוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ שִׁבְחוֹ שֶׁל מָקוֹם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה י, טז): לֹא כְאֵלֶּה חֵלֶק יַעֲקֹב כִּי יוֹצֵר הַכֹּל הוּא. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוֹאִיל וְהִיא כְּאֶבֶן דּוֹמֵם וְאֵין בָּהּ מַמָּשׁ וַאֲחֵרִים שׁוֹמְרִים אוֹתָהּ שֶׁלֹא יִגְנְבוּ אוֹתָהּ הֵיאַךְ יְכוֹלָה הִיא לִתֵּן חַיִּים לְחוֹלֶה, לְכָךְ אָסוּר לְהִתְרַפְּאוֹת מִכָּל אֲשֶׁר לָהּ. וְכֵן אַתָּה מוֹצֵא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁהָיוּ בְּמִצְרַיִם הָיוּ עוֹבְדִין עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וְלֹא הָיוּ עוֹזְבִין אוֹתָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כ, ח): אִישׁ אֶת שִׁקּוּצֵי עֵינֵיהֶם לֹא הִשְׁלִיכוּ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה כָּל זְמַן שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל עוֹבְדִין לֵאלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם לֹא יִגָּאֵלוּ, לֵךְ וֶאֱמֹר לָהֶן שֶׁיַּנִּיחוּ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶן הָרָעִים וְלִכְפֹּר בַּעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות יב, כא): מִשְׁכוּ וּקְחוּ לָכֶם, כְּלוֹמַר מִשְׁכוּ יְדֵיכֶם מֵעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, וּקְחוּ לָכֶם צֹאן, וְשַׁחֲטוּ אֱלֹהֵיהֶם שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם וַעֲשׂוּ הַפֶּסַח, שֶׁבְּכָךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא פּוֹסֵחַ עֲלֵיכֶם, הֱוֵי (ישעיה ל, טו): בְּשׁוּבָה וָנַחַת תִּוָּשֵׁעוּן.
“Draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “With stillness and pleasantness you will be saved” (Isaiah 30:15). We learned: One may heal himself with anything except for idol worship, forbidden sexual relations, and bloodshed. How so? If they will say to a person: ‘Come and kill a person and you will be healed,’ he may not heed them, as it is written: “One who sheds the blood of a man, his blood will be shed by man” (Genesis 9:6). Since “one who sheds the blood of a man, his blood will be shed by man,” how could the ill person be healed by means of bloodshed?
Forbidden sexual relations, how so? If they will say to a person: ‘Engage in forbidden sexual relations and you will be healed,’ he may not heed them, as it is prohibited for a person to engage in forbidden sexual relations. You find two adjacent Torah portions, the portion of the nazirite, and the portion of the sota.1The laws of the sota appears in Numbers 5:11–31. The laws of the nazirite appear in Numbers 6:1–21. The nazirite vows not to drink wine. The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘You vowed not to drink wine in order to distance yourself from transgression. Do not say: I will eat grapes and it will not be a sin.’ The Holy One blessed be He says to him: ‘Since you vowed to refrain from wine, I will teach you not to sin before Me.’ He said to Moses: ‘Teach Israel the laws of naziriteship, as it is stated: “If a man explicitly vows…from wine and intoxicating drink he shall abstain…he shall not eat anything that is made of the grapevine” (Numbers 6:2–4). When he does so, he is like an angel, “all the days of his naziriteship, he is holy to the Lord” (Numbers 6:8), as you say: “A watcher and a holy one [came down from Heaven]” (Daniel 4:10).
Likewise, a woman is called a grapevine, as it is stated: “Your wife is like a fruitful vine” (Psalms 128:3). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Do not say: Since it is prohibited for me to engage in relations with the woman, I will grab her and it will not be a sin for me, I will fondle her and it will not be a sin for me, or I will kiss her and it will not be a sin for me.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Just as if a nazirite has vowed not to drink wine, it is prohibited [for him] to eat moist and dry grapes, and food that is soaked in wine, and anything that emerges from the grapevine; so, too, a woman who is not your wife, you may not touch her at all, as Solomon says: “Can a man stoke fire in his bosom and his garments not be burned…so one who goes in to his neighbor's wife; anyone who touches her will not be absolved” (Proverbs 6:27–9).
This is why the Holy One blessed be He [wrote] the portion of the nazirite adjacent to the portion of the sota, because they are similar to one another. And anyone who touches a woman who is not his wife brings death upon himself, as it is stated: “For she has felled many corpses” (Proverbs 7:26), and it is written: “Her feet descend to death; her steps support one to the grave” (Proverbs 5:5). Since she has all these attributes, how can she give life to the ill? Therefore, one may not heal himself through her.
Idol worship, how so? If a person of Israel is ill and they say to him: ‘Go to such and such idol and be healed,’ it is prohibited to go, as it says: “One who sacrifices to gods shall be destroyed, except to the Lord alone” (Exodus 22:19). Since everyone who worships idols shall be destroyed, it is preferable for him to die from the illness than to perform an act for which he will be destroyed in this world.2In addition to suffering in the next world. Not only that [act of idol worship] is prohibited, but it is prohibited to heal oneself with anything associated with idol worship. If they say to a person: ‘Take from what they are burning to idols, or take from a tree worshipped as idolatry and make it into an amulet and be healed,’ do not take it, as it is written: “Nothing of the banned items shall cleave to your hand” (Deuteronomy 13:18). This [prohibition] is [referring to anything used for] idolatry. And it says: “You shall not bring an abomination into your home and become banned like it” (Deuteronomy 7:26). Why? It is because they have no substance and they are to no avail, as it is stated: “Do not fear them, for they cannot do evil, neither is it in them to do good” (Jeremiah 10:5).
Likewise, you find that Jeremiah said to his generation: ‘I am going to enter into a confrontation with idol worship, and I will state its actions and the actions of God, and the differences between the Holy One blessed be He and idol worship will be known.’ You find four times on one page that Jeremiah demonstrated the denigration of idol worship and praise of God, as it is stated: “So said the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations…as the customs of the peoples are vanity” (Jeremiah 10:2–3); “they beautify it with silver and with gold… they are like a date palm, a block of wood, [and they do not speak; they are carried because they do not walk]” (Jeremiah 10: 4–5).
You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “There is no one like You, Lord” (Jeremiah 10:6); “who would not fear You, king of nations” (Jeremiah 10:7).
You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “But they are altogether brutish and foolish…silver beaten into plates will be brought from Tarshish…” (Jeremiah 10:8–9).
You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “The Lord God is true” (Jeremiah 10:10).
You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “So you shall say to them: The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens” (Jeremiah 10:11).
You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “He made the earth with His power…at the sound of His giving a multitude of water in the heavens” (Jeremiah 10:12–13).
You have heard the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, come and hear the denigration of idol worship, as it is stated: “Every man is proved to be foolish, without knowledge… they are vanity, a work of delusion” (Jeremiah 10:14–15).
You have heard the denigration of idol worship, come and hear the praise of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “Not like these is the portion of Jacob; for He is the Maker of all things…” (Jeremiah 10:16).
The Holy One blessed be He said: Since it is like an inanimate stone and lacks substance, and others guard it so it will not be stolen, how can it give life to an ill person? Therefore, it is prohibited to heal oneself with anything associated with it. Likewise you find regarding Israel when they were in Egypt, they would worship idols and they would not forsake them, as it is stated: “Each man did not cast away the abominations of their eyes” (Ezekiel 20:8). The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘As long as Israel is worshipping the gods of Egypt they will not be redeemed. Go and say to them that they should abandon their evil deeds and repudiate idol worship.’ That is what is written: “Draw, and take for yourselves” (Exodus 12:21), meaning draw your hands away from idol worship and “take for yourselves lambs” and slaughter the gods of Egypt and perform [the rite of] the paschal offering, as thereby, the Holy One blessed be He will pass over you; that is: “With stillness and pleasantness you will be saved” (Isaiah 30:15).
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִשְׁכוּ וּקְחוּ לָכֶם צֹאן, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (תהלים צז, ז): יֵבשׁוּ כָּל עֹבְדֵי פֶסֶל, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה לִשְׁחֹט הַפֶּסַח, אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָם הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה הֵיאַךְ אֲנִי יָכוֹל לַעֲשׂוֹת, אִי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַצֹּאן אֱלֹהֵיהֶן שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם הֵן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ח, כב): הֵן נִזְבַּח אֶת תּוֹעֲבַת מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵיהֶם וְלֹא יִסְקְלֻנוּ. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיֶּיךָ אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל יוֹצְאִין מִכָּאן עַד שֶׁיִּשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת אֱלֹהֵי מִצְרַיִם לְעֵינֵיהֶם, שֶׁאוֹדִיעַ לָהֶם שֶׁאֵין אֱלֹהֵיהֶם כְּלוּם. וְכֵן מָצִינוּ שֶׁעָשָׂה, שֶׁבְּאוֹתָהּ הַלַּיְלָה הִכָּה בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם שֶׁל מִצְרַיִם וּבוֹ בַּלַּיְלָה שָׁחֲטוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל פִּסְחֵיהֶן וְאָכְלוּ, וְהָיוּ הַמִּצְרִים רוֹאִים בְּכוֹרֵיהֶם הֲרוּגִים וֵאלֹהֵיהֶן שְׁחוּטִין וְלֹא הָיוּ יְכוֹלִין לַעֲשׂוֹת כְּלוּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר לג, ד): וּמִצְרַיִם מְקַבְּרִים אֵת אֲשֶׁר הִכָּה ה' בָּהֶם כָּל בְּכוֹר וּבֵאלֹהֵיהֶם עָשָׂה ה' שְׁפָטִים, הֱוֵי: יֵבשׁוּ כָּל עֹבְדֵי פֶסֶל.
Another interpretation, “draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “All who serve graven images shall be shamed” (Psalms 97:7). When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses to slaughter the paschal offering, Moses said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, how can I do so? Do You not know that lambs are the gods of Egypt?’ As it is stated: “Behold, were we to sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before their eyes, would they not stone us?” (Exodus 8:22). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘By your life, Israel will not depart from here until they slaughter the god of Egypt before their eyes, as I will thereby inform them that their gods are nothing.’
And we find that He did so, as on that night He smote the firstborn of Egypt, on that night Israel slaughtered their paschal offerings and ate them, and the Egyptians saw their firstborn killed and their gods slaughtered and they were unable to do anything, as it is stated: “The Egyptians were burying they whom the Lord had smitten among them, all their firstborn, and upon their gods the Lord administered punishments” (Numbers 33:4); that is: “All who serve graven images shall be shamed.”
דָּבָר אַחֵר, מִשְׁכוּ וּקְחוּ לָכֶם צֹאן, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב (משלי טז, יא): פֶּלֶס וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַה', וְכֵן מָצִינוּ משֶׁה וּשְׁמוּאֵל שָׁוִין כְּאַחַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צט, ו): משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן בְּכֹהֲנָיו וּשְׁמוּאֵל בְּקֹרְאֵי שְׁמוֹ, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה כַּמָּה בֵּין משֶׁה לִשְׁמוּאֵל, משֶׁה הָיָה נִכְנַס וּבָא אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׁמֹעַ הַדִּבּוּר, וְאֵצֶל שְׁמוּאֵל הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א ג, י): וַיָּבֹא ה' וַיִּתְיַצֵּב, לָמָּה כָּךְ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּדִין וּבִצְדָקָה אֲנִי בָּא עִם הָאָדָם. משֶׁה הָיָה יוֹשֵׁב וּמִי שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ דִּין בָּא אֶצְלוֹ וְנִדּוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יח, יג): וַיֵּשֶׁב משֶׁה לִשְׁפֹּט אֶת הָעָם, אֲבָל שְׁמוּאֵל הָיָה טוֹרֵחַ בְּכָל מְדִינָה וּמְדִינָה וְשׁוֹפֵט, כְּדֵי שֶׁלֹא יִצְטָעֲרוּ לָבוֹא אֶצְלוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א ז, טז): וְהָלַךְ מִדֵּי שָׁנָה בְּשָׁנָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא משֶׁה שֶׁהָיָה יוֹשֵׁב בְּמָקוֹם אֶחָד לָדוּן אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל יָבוֹא אֶצְלִי לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד לִשְׁמֹעַ הַדִּבּוּר, אֲבָל שְׁמוּאֵל שֶׁהָלַךְ אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּעֲיָרוֹת וְדָן אוֹתָם, אֲנִי הוֹלֵךְ וּמְדַבֵּר עִמּוֹ, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי טז, יא): פֶּלֶס וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַה': וְכֵן מָצִינוּ בִּיהוּדָה עַל שֶׁהִצִּיל שָׁלשׁ נְפָשׁוֹת, תָּמָר וּשְׁנֵי בָּנֶיהָ מִן הָאֵשׁ, הִצִּיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שְׁלשֶׁת בָּנָיו מִן הָאֵשׁ, וּמִי הֵם חֲנַנְיָה מִישָׁאֵל וַעֲזַרְיָה, הֱוֵי, פֶּלֶס וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַה': וְכֵן בְּמִצְרַיִם הָיוּ מְשֻׁעְבָּדִים יִשְׂרָאֵל שְׁמוֹנִים שָׁנָה וְהָיָה הַמִּצְרִי הוֹלֵךְ בַּמִּדְבָּר וְתוֹפֵס אַיָּל אוֹ צְבִי וְשׁוֹחֲטוֹ, וְשׂוֹפֵת אֶת הַסִּיר וּמְבַשֵּׁל וְאוֹכֵל, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל רוֹאִין וְלֹא טוֹעֲמִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טז, ג): בְּשִׁבְתֵּנוּ עַל סִיר הַבָּשָׂר בְּאָכְלֵנוּ לֶחֶם לָשׂבַע, לֹא כְתִיב בְּאָכְלֵנוּ מִסִּיר הַבָּשָׂר, אֶלָּא בְּשִׁבְתֵּנוּ, שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹכְלִין לַחְמָם בְּלֹא בָשָׂר, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתֶּם זִנַּקְתֶּם אֶת בָּנַי בַּבָּשָׂר שֶׁהֱיִיתֶם אוֹכְלִין וְלֹא הֱיִיתֶם נוֹתְנִין לָהֶם, אַף אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה לְבָנַי שֶׁיִּשְׁחֲטוּ אֶת הַצֹּאן שֶׁאַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לָהֶן וְהֵן אוֹכְלִין וְאַתֶּם נְמֵסִים, לָמָה, שֶׁאֲנִי דַּיָּן אֱמֶת, הֱוֵי: פֶּלֶס וּמֹאזְנֵי מִשְׁפָּט לַה', לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: מִשְׁכוּ וּקְחוּ לָכֶם צֹאן.
Another interpretation, “draw, and take for yourselves lambs” – that is what is written: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's” (Proverbs 16:11), and likewise we find that Moses and Samuel are equal, and it is stated: “Moses and Aaron among His priests, and Samuel among those who call His name” (Psalms 99:6). Come and see how many differences there are between Moses and Samuel. Moses would enter before the Holy One blessed be He to hear the [divine] speech, while with Samuel, the Holy One blessed be He would come [to him], as it is stated: “The Lord came and stood” (I Samuel 3:10).
Why was it so? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘With justice and righteousness I interact with the person.’ Moses would sit, and anyone who had a case would come before him and be judged, as it is stated: “It was on the next day that Moses sat to judge the people” (Exodus 18:13). But Samuel would take the trouble to go to each and every province and judge, so they would not need to inconvenience themselves to come to him, as it is stated: “He would go each and every year […and he judged Israel in all those places]” (I Samuel 7:16). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Moses, who would sit in one place and judge Israel, will come to Me to the Tent of Meeting to hear the [divine] speech. But Samuel, who would go to Israel in the towns and judge them, I will go and speak to him, to fulfill what is stated: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's.”’
Likewise, we found regarding Judah; because he saved three lives, Tamar and her two sons, from the fire, the Holy One blessed be He saved three of his descendants from the fire. Who were they? Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. That is, “a just balance and scales are the Lord's.”
Likewise in Egypt, Israel was enslaved for eighty years.3This is referring to the harshest period of enslavement, beginning from the decree to kill the baby boys, which was issued shortly before the birth of Moses. Moses was eighty when Israel was redeemed from Egypt (Midrash HaMevoar). An Egyptian would go into the wilderness, catch a deer or gazelle and slaughter it, place the pot on the fire, cook and eat, and Israel would see and would not taste it, as it is stated: “When we sat by the fleshpot, when we ate bread to satiation” (Exodus 16:3). It does not say: When we ate from the fleshpot, but rather, “when we sat [by the fleshpot],” as they would eat their bread without meat. The Holy One blessed be He said to them [the Egyptians]: ‘You caused My children to drool [from hunger] with the meat that you would eat, and you would not give them any; I, too, will arrange for My children to slaughter the lambs to which you prostrate yourselves. They will eat and you will be envious. Why? Because I am the true judge.’ That is: “A just balance and scales are the Lord's.” That is why it is stated: “Draw, and take for yourselves lambs.”