שיר השירים רבה 5

בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי, אָמַר רַבִּי מְנַחֵם חַתְנֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר אֲבוּנָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵנָה, בָּאתִי לְגַן אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא לְגַנִּי, לְגִנּוּנִי, לְמָקוֹם שֶׁהָיָה עִקָּרִי מִתְּחִלָּה, וְעִקַּר שְׁכִינָה לֹא בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים הָיְתָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (בראשית ג, ח): וַיִּשְׁמְעוּ אֶת קוֹל ה' אֱלֹהִים מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּגָּן, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא מְהַלֵּךְ אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא מִתְהַלֵּךְ, מְקַפֵּץ וְסָלֵיק מְקַפֵּץ וְסָלֵיק, חָטָא אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, וְנִסְתַּלְּקָה הַשְּׁכִינָה לָרָקִיעַ הָרִאשׁוֹן, חָטָא קַיִן נִסְתַּלְּקָה לָרָקִיעַ הַשֵּׁנִי, חָטָא אֱנוֹשׁ נִסְתַּלְּקָה לָרָקִיעַ הַשְּׁלִישִׁי, חָטָא דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל נִסְתַּלְּקָה לָרָקִיעַ הָרְבִיעִי, חָטָא דוֹר הַמִּגְדָּל נִסְתַּלְּקָה לָרָקִיעַ הַחֲמִישִׁי, חָטְאוּ אַנְשֵׁי סְדוֹם נִסְתַּלְּקָה לָרָקִיעַ הַשִּׁשִּׁי, חָטְאוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים בִּימֵי אַבְרָהָם נִסְתַּלְּקָה לָרָקִיעַ הַשְּׁבִיעִי. כְּנֶגְדָּן עָמְדוּ שִׁבְעָה צַדִּיקִים וְהוֹרִידוּהָ לָאָרֶץ, זָכָה אַבְרָהָם הוֹרִידָהּ מִשְּׁבִיעִי לַשִּׁשִּׁי, עָמַד יִצְחָק וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִשִּׁשִּׁי לַחֲמִישִׁי, עָמַד יַעֲקֹב וְהוֹרִידָהּ מֵחֲמִישִׁי לָרְבִיעִי, עָמַד לֵוִי וְהוֹרִידָהּ מֵרְבִיעִי לַשְּׁלִישִׁי, עָמַד קְהָת וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִשְּׁלִישִׁי לַשֵּׁנִי, עָמַד עַמְרָם וְהוֹרִידָהּ מִשֵּׁנִי לָאֶחָד שֶׁהוּא רִאשׁוֹן, עָמַד משֶׁה וְהוֹרִידָהּ לָאָרֶץ. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים לז, כט): צַדִּיקִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וְיִשְׁכְּנוּ לָעַד עָלֶיהָ, הָרְשָׁעִים מַה יַּעֲשׂוּ תְּלוּיִין בָּאֲוִיר כִּי לֹא הִשְׁכִּינוּ שְׁכִינָה לָאָרֶץ, אֲבָל הַצַּדִּיקִים הִשְׁכִּינוּ שְׁכִינָה לָאָרֶץ, מַה טַּעַם צַדִּיקִים יִירְשׁוּ אָרֶץ וְיִשְׁכְּנוּ לָעַד עָלֶיהָ, יַשְׁכִּינוּ לַשְּׁכִינָה עָלֶיהָ (ישעיה נז, טו): שׁוֹכֵן עַד וְקָדוֹשׁ שְׁמוֹ, וְאֵימַת שָׁרַת שְׁכִינָה עָלֶיהָ, בַּיּוֹם שֶׁהוּקַם הַמִּשְׁכָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ז, א): וַיְהִי בְּיוֹם כַּלּוֹת משֶׁה לְהָקִים אֶת הַמִּשְׁכָּן. רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁכָּעַס עַל מַטְרוֹנָה וְהוֹצִיאָהּ מִתּוֹךְ פָּלָטִין שֶׁלּוֹ, לְאַחַר כָּךְ בִּקֵּשׁ לְהִתְרַצּוֹת לָהּ, שָׁלְחָה לוֹ וְאָמְרָה יַעֲשֶׂה לִי הַמֶּלֶךְ דָּבָר חָדָשׁ וְיָבוֹא אֶצְלִי. כָּךְ לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְקַבֵּל הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת מִלְּמַעְלָה, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית ח, כא): וַיָּרַח ה' אֶת רֵיחַ הַנִּיחֹחַ וגו', עַכְשָׁיו מְקַבֵּל מִלְּמַטָּה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה. אָרִיתִי מוֹרִי עִם בְּשָׂמִי, זֶה קְטֹרֶת הַסַּמִּים וְקֹמֶץ הַלְּבוֹנָה, אָכַלְתִּי יַעְרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי, אֵלּוּ אֵבְרֵי עוֹלָה וְאֵמוּרֵי קָדְשֵׁי קָדָשִׁים. שָׁתִיתִי יֵינִי עִם חֲלָבִי, אֵלּוּ הַנְּסָכִים וְאֵמוּרֵי קָדָשִׁים קַלִּים. אִכְלוּ רֵעִים, זֶה משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן. שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים, אֵלּוּ נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא שֶׁנִּשְׁתַּכְּרוּ בְּצָרָתָן. אָמַר רַבִּי אִידֵי בִּקֵּשׁ דָּוִד לְהַקְרִיב קָרְבָּנוֹ כְּקָרְבָּנָן שֶׁל נְשִׂיאִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים סו, טו): עֹלוֹת מֵחִים אַעֲלֶה לָךְ וגו', אֵיזֶהוּ קָרְבָּן שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ פָּרִים וְאֵילִים וְעַתּוּדִים, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר זֶה קָרְבָּן שֶׁל נְשִׂיאִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר ז, יז): וּלְזֶבַח הַשְּׁלָמִים בָּקָר שְׁנַיִם. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹסֵינָא, לָמָה הוּא קוֹרֵא אֶל הַנְּשִׂיאִים רֵעִים, אֶלָּא שֶׁכִּוֵּן לְהַאֲהִיבָן וּלְקָרְבָן, וְאָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹסֵינָא בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֵין הַיָּחִיד מֵבִיא קְטֹרֶת בִּנְדָבָה, וְכָאן קְטֹרֶת בִּנְדָבָה. בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֵין הַיָּחִיד מֵבִיא חַטָּאת נְדָבָה, וְכָאן חַטָּאת נְדָבָה. בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֵין קָרְבַּן יָחִיד דוֹחֶה טֻמְאָה וְשַׁבָּת, וְכָאן קָרְבַּן יָחִיד דּוֹחֶה אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת וְאֶת הַטֻּמְאָה. בְּכָל מָקוֹם אֵין הַיָּחִיד מֵבִיא חַטָּאת אֶלָּא עַל חֵטְא, וְכָאן הַיָּחִיד מֵבִיא חַטָּאת שֶׁלֹא עַל חֵטְא. דָּבָר אַחֵר אִכְלוּ רֵעִים אֵלּוּ הַנְּשִׂיאִים, שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים אֵלּוּ הַנְּסָכִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִכְלוּ רֵעִים, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה סְעוּדָה וְזִמֵּן הָאוֹרְחִין, וְנָפַל הַשֶּׁרֶץ לְתוֹךְ הַתַּמְחוּי, שֶׁאִלּוּ מָשַׁךְ הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת יָדוֹ הָיוּ הַכֹּל מוֹשְׁכִין אֶת יְדֵיהֶם, פָּשַׁט הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת יָדוֹ, וּפָשְׁטוּ הַכֹּל אֶת יְדֵיהֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה סְעוּדָה וְזִמֵּן אוֹרְחִין אֶצְלוֹ, וְהָיָה מַחֲזִיר עֲלֵיהֶם וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם יֶעֱרַב לָכֶם וִיבֻסַּם לָכֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁעָשָׂה סְעוּדָה וְזִמֵּן אוֹרְחִין אֶצְלוֹ, לִכְשֶׁאָכְלוּ וְשָׁתוּ אָמַר טְלוּ מָנָה זוֹ יָפָה וּתְנוּ לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת, אַף הָכָא כֵּן, בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה אָרִיתִי מוֹרִי עִם בְּשָׂמִי אָכַלְתִּי יַעְרִי עִם דִּבְשִׁי, אַף אַתּוּן אִכְלוּן. שָׁתִיתִי יֵינִי עִם חֲלָבִי, אַף אַתּוּן שְׁתוּ וְשִׁכְרוּ דּוֹדִים.

“I came to my garden, my sister, my bride; I gathered my myrrh with my perfume; I ate my honeycomb with my honey; I drank my wine with my milk. Eat, friends; drink abundantly, beloved ones” (Song of Songs 5:1).
“I came to my garden” – Rabbi Menaḥem, son-in-law of Rabbi Elazar bar Avuna, said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Rabbi Yosena: It is not written here, “I came to a garden,” but rather “to my garden [legani]” – to My wedding canopy [leginuni], to the place that was the site of My initial appearance. Was not the first appearance of the Divine Presence in the lower realm? That is what is written: “They heard the voice of the Lord God moving about in the garden” (Genesis 3:8). Rabbi Abba said: It is not written here, “walking [mehalekh],” but rather moving about [mithalekh], leaping and ascending, leaping and ascending.¹It gradually ascended from the lower, earthly realm to the heavens. Adam the first man sinned, and the Divine Presence ascended to the first firmament. Cain sinned, and it ascended to the second firmament. Enosh sinned, and it ascended to the third firmament. The Generation of the Flood sinned, and it ascended to the fourth firmament. The Generation of the Tower sinned, and it ascended to the fifth firmament. The residents of Sodom sinned, and it ascended to the sixth firmament. The Egyptians sinned during the days of Abraham, and it ascended to the seventh firmament. Corresponding to them were seven righteous men who lowered it to earth. Abraham was virtuous, and he lowered it from the seventh [firmament] to the sixth. Isaac arose and lowered it from the sixth to the fifth. Jacob arose and lowered it from the fifth to the fourth. Levi arose and lowered it from the fourth to the third. Kehat arose and lowered it from the third to the second. Amram arose and lowered it from the second to one, which is the first. Moses arose and lowered it to earth.
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: That is what is written: “The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell upon it forever” (Psalms 37:29). What will the wicked do? They will be suspended in the air, because they did not cause the Divine Presence to rest upon the earth. But the righteous caused the Divine Presence to rest upon the earth. What is the source? “The righteous will inherit the earth and dwell [veyishkenu] upon it forever” – they caused the Divine Presence to rest [veyashkinu] upon it; “He dwells forever,²Just as in this verse the reference to dwelling forever is referring to the Divine Presence, the same is true of the verse in Psalms cited above. and Holy is His name” (Isaiah 57:15). When did the Divine Presence rest upon it? It was on the day that the Tabernacle was erected, as it is stated: “It was on the day that Moses finished erecting the Tabernacle” (Numbers 7:1).
Rabbi Azarya said in the name of Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon: This is analogous to a king who was angry at the queen and expelled her from his palace. Later, he sought to appease her. She said: ‘Let the king prepare for me something new³This will serve as an indication that the king is no longer angry. and come to me.’ So too, in the past, the Holy One blessed be He would accept offerings from on high,⁴From heaven, without resting His Presence on earth. as it is written: “The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma…” (Genesis 8:21). Now He accepts them from below.⁵The midrash is stating that “now,” with the establishment of the Tabernacle, the Divine Presence rested on earth. That is what is written: “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride.”
“I gathered my myrrh with my perfume” – this is the incense of the spices and the handful of frankincense. “I ate my honeycomb with my honey” – these are the limbs of the burnt offering and the portions of the offerings of the most sacred order that are burned on the altar. “I drank my wine with my milk” – these are the libations and the portions of the offerings of lesser sanctity that are burned on the altar. “Eat, friends” – these are Moses and Aaron. “Drink abundantly, beloved ones” – these are Nadav and Avihu, who became inebriated to their detriment.
Rabbi Idi said: David sought to sacrifice an offering for himself like the offering of the princes;⁶He sought to build the Temple and to sacrifice offerings similar to those brought by the tribal princes upon the inauguration of the Tabernacle (see Numbers, chap. 7). Rabbi Idi interprets the phrase “eat, friends” as a reference to the princes. that is what is written: “I will sacrifice to You burnt offerings of fattened animals [with the burning of rams; I will sacrifice bulls and goats]” (Psalms 66:15). What offering includes bull, rams, and goats? Say that this is the offering of the princes. That is what is written: “And for the peace offering, two oxen, [five rams, five goats]” (Numbers 7:17). Rabbi Shimon ben Yosena said: Why does he call the princes “friends”? It is because He intended to make them beloved and to draw them close.⁷The midrash questions why the verse in Song of Songs, which states “eat, friends,” and is interpreted as referring to the princes, used the term friends. The answer is that God, by accepting their offerings, sought to make them beloved to the Israelites and draw them near to Him.
Rabbi Shimon ben Yosena said: In every other circumstance, an individual may not bring a voluntary incense offering, but here⁸In the offerings of the tribal princes upon the inauguration of the Tabernacle. there was a voluntary incense offering. In every other circumstance, an individual may not bring a voluntary sin offering, but here there was a voluntary sin offering. In every other circumstance, the offering of an individual does not override impurity and Shabbat, but here the offering of an individual did override Shabbat and impurity. In every other circumstance, an individual brings a sin offering only for a sin, but here an individual brought a sin offering not for a sin. Another matter: “Eat, friends” – these are the princes; “drink abundantly, beloved ones” – these are the libations.⁹The princes were so overjoyed to bring their offerings that it was as though they were inebriated.
Another matter: “Eat, friends” – Rabbi Berekhya said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests, but an insect fell onto the tray. Had the king withdrawn his hand, everyone would have withdrawn his hand. The king extended his hand, so everyone extended his hand.¹⁰Although these offerings were anomalous, since they were accepted by God, the princes could also partake of the parts that were not burned on the altar. “Drink abundantly, beloved ones” – Rabbi Yannai said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests, and he would circulate among them and say to them: ‘May it be pleasant for you and may it be sweet for you.’ Rabbi Abbahu said: [This is analogous] to a king who made a feast and invited guests. After they ate and drank, he said: ‘Take this fine portion and give it to the host.’ Here, too, it was so.¹¹In the analogy, a particular nobleman made the feast for the king and the king’s guests, and did not eat because he was busy ensuring that the king and the guests were satisfied. The king eventually ensured that the host also was able to eat. So too, after parts of the princes’ offerings were burned on the altar and other parts were given to the priests, the princes also partook of the remainder of the offerings. “I came to my garden, my sister, my bride; I gathered my myrrh with my perfume; I ate my honeycomb with my honey” – you, too, eat. “I drank my wine with my milk” – you, too, “eat, friends; drink abundantly, beloved ones.”

אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה, אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה מִן הַמִּצְווֹת, וְלִבִּי עֵר לִגְמִילוּת חֲסָדִים. אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה מִן הַצְּדָקוֹת, וְלִבִּי עֵר לַעֲשׂוֹתָן. אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה מִן הַקָּרְבָּנוֹת, וְלִבִּי עֵר לִקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וּתְפִלָּה. אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה מִבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְלִבִּי עֵר לְבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּבָתֵּי מִדְרָשׁוֹת. אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה מִן הַקֵּץ, וְלִבִּי עֵר לַגְאֻלָּה. אֲנִי יְשֵׁנָה מִן הַגְּאֻלָּה, וְלִבּוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֵר לְגָאֳלֵנִי. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא אֵיכָן מָצִינוּ שֶׁנִּקְרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִבָּן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִן הָדֵין קְרָא, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים עג, כו): צוּר לְבָבִי וְחֶלְקִי אֱלֹהִים לְעוֹלָם.

“I am asleep, but my heart is awake; it is the sound of my beloved knocking: Open for me, my sister, my love, my faultless dove, for my head is filled with dew, my locks, drops of night” (Song of Songs 5:2).
“I am asleep” – the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, “I am asleep” regarding the mitzvot, “but my heart is awake” for acts of kindness. “I am asleep” regarding acts of charity, “but my heart is awake” to perform them.¹²Although I am unable to perform these acts, I have a desire to perform them. “I am asleep” regarding the offerings, “but my heart is awake” for reciting Shema and Amida. “I am asleep” regarding the Temple, “but my heart is awake,” in synagogues and study halls. “I am asleep” regarding the end [of days], “but my heart is awake” for the redemption.¹³This is based on the idea that there is a set time for redemption, by when redemption will occur through natural means, but there is also the possibility that God will bring redemption early through supernatural means. Thus, Israel says: I do not know when the latest time for redemption is, or I am not hopeful that I will experience it because it remains far off, but I am hopeful that God will redeem me early (Rabbi David Luria). “I am asleep” regarding the redemption, but the heart of the Holy One blessed be He is awake to redeem me.¹⁴Although I am not deserving of redemption, God will find reason to redeem me (Yefe Kol). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Where have we found that the Holy One blessed be He is called the heart of Israel? It is from this verse, as it is written: “But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever” (Psalms 73:26).

קוֹל דּוֹדִי דוֹפֵק, עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר (שמות יא, ד): וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה כֹּה אָמַר ה' כַּחֲצֹת הַלַּיְלָה אֲנִי יוֹצֵא בְּתוֹךְ מִצְרָיִם. פִּתְחִי לִי, רַבִּי יַסָּא אָמַר, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּנַי, פִּתְחוּ לִי פֶּתַח אֶחָד שֶׁל תְּשׁוּבָה כְּחֻדָּהּ שֶׁל מַחַט, וַאֲנִי פּוֹתֵחַ לָכֶם פְּתָחִים שֶׁיִּהְיוּ עֲגָלוֹת וּקְרוֹנִיּוֹת נִכְנָסוֹת בּוֹ. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא וְרַבִּי חוּנְיָא וְרַבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְּשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, כְּתִיב (תהלים מו, יא): הַרְפּוּ וּדְעוּ כִּי אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהִים וגו', אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הַרְפּוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂיכֶם הָרָעִים וּדְעוּ כִּי אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהִים. רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר אִלּוּ הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עוֹשִׂין תְּשׁוּבָה אֲפִלּוּ יוֹם אֶחָד, מִיָּד הֵן נִגְאָלִין, וּמִיָּד בֶּן דָּוִד בָּא, מַה טַּעַם (תהלים צה, ז): כִּי הוּא אֱלֹהֵינוּ וַאֲנַחְנוּ עַם מַרְעִיתוֹ וְצֹאן יָדוֹ הַיּוֹם אִם בְּקֹלוֹ תִשְׁמָעוּ, רַבִּי יוּדָן וְרַבִּי לֵוִי אָמְרֵי אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, הַרְפּוּ מִמַּעֲשֵׂיכֶם הָרָעִים וַעֲשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה כְּהֶרֶף עַיִן, וּדְעוּ כִּי אָנֹכִי אֱלֹהִים. אֲחֹתִי, שֶׁנִּתְאֲחוּ לִי בְּמִצְרַיִם בִּשְׁתֵּי מִצְווֹת, בְּדַם הַפֶּסַח וּבְדַם הַמִּילָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (יחזקאל טז, ו): וָאֶעֱבֹר עָלַיִךְ וָאֶרְאֵךְ מִתְבּוֹסֶסֶת בְּדָמָיִךְ וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי זֶה דַּם הַפֶּסַח, וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי זֶה דַּם הַמִּילָה. רַעְיָתִי, שֶׁרִעוּ אוֹתִי בַּיָּם וְאָמְרוּ (שמות טו, ב): זֶה אֵלִי. וְאַנְוֵהוּ, (שמות טו, יח): ה' יִמְלֹךְ לְעֹלָם וָעֶד, יוֹנָתִי, בְּמָרָה, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִצְטַוּוּ וְנִצְטַיְּנוּ בְּכָל הַמִּצְווֹת וּצְדָקוֹת וּמַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים כְּיוֹנָה זוֹ שֶׁמְצֻיֶּנֶת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמות טו, כה): שָׁם שָׂם לוֹ חֹק וּמִשְׁפָּט. תַמָּתִי, תַּמּוּתִי שֶׁנִּתַּמְּמוּ עִמִּי בְּסִינַי, וְאָמְרוּ (שמות כד, ז): כֹּל אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר ה' נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע. רַבִּי יַנַּאי אָמַר תְּאוֹמָתִי, כִּבְיָכוֹל לֹא אֲנִי גְּדוֹלָה מִמֶּנָּהּ וְלֹא הִיא גְּדוֹלָה מִמֶּנִּי. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי תְּאוֹמָתִי מָה הַתְּאוֹמִים הַלָּלוּ אִם חוֹשֵׁשׁ אֶחָד מֵהֶן בְּרֹאשׁוֹ חֲבֵרוֹ מַרְגִּישׁ, כָּךְ כִּבְיָכוֹל אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (תהלים צא, טו): עִמּוֹ אָנֹכִי בְצָרָה. שֶׁרֹאשִׁי נִמְלָא טָל, עַל שֵׁם (תהלים סח, ט): אֶרֶץ רָעָשָׁה אַף שָׁמַיִם נָטְפוּ. קְוֻצּוֹתַי רְסִיסֵי לָיְלָה, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שופטים ה, ד): גַּם עָבִים נָטְפוּ מָיִם.

“It is the sound of my beloved knocking” – by means of Moses when he said: “Moses said: So said the Lord: At about midnight, I will emerge in the midst of Egypt” (Exodus 11:4). “Open for me” – Rabbi Yasa said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: My children, open for Me one opening of repentance like the eye of the needle, and I will open for you openings that wagons and carriages enter through it.
Rabbi Tanḥuma, Rabbi Ḥunya, and Rabbi Abbahu [said] in the name of Reish Lakish: It is written: “Desist, and know that I am God…” (Psalms 46:11) – the Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your evil actions and know that I am God. Rabbi Levi said: Were Israel to repent even one day, they would be redeemed immediately and the son of David would come immediately. What is the reason? “For He is our God, and we are the people of His flock and the sheep under His hand; today, if you heed His voice” (Psalms 95:7). Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Levi say: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: Desist from your wicked actions and repent in the blink of an eye, “and know that I am God.”¹⁵Earnest repentance, even for a very short time, will lead to redemption, which will itself cause widespread recognition of God.
“My sister [aḥoti]” – as they were stitched [nitaḥu] to Me in Egypt with the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision. That is what is written: “I passed you and saw you wallowing in your blood, and I said to you, in your blood you shall live” (Ezekiel 16:6) – this is the blood of the paschal offering. “I said to you, in your blood you shall live” – this is the blood of circumcision (Ezekiel 16:6).
“My love [rayati]” – as they fell in love [sheriu] with Me at the sea and said: “This is my God and I will exalt Him” (Exodus 15:2), “the Lord will reign for ever and ever” (Exodus 15:18). “My dove” – at Mara, as from there they were commanded and became distinctive through all the mitzvot, acts of charity, and good deeds, like the dove that is distinctive.¹⁶A dove recognizes its mate, distinguishing it from among the other doves. That is what is written: “There He instituted for it statutes and ordinances” (Exodus 15:25). “My faultless [tamati]” – My wholehearted ones [tamuti], as they were wholehearted with Me at Sinai, and said: “Everything that the Lord said, we will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7).
Rabbi Yannai said: My twin [teomati], as it were; I am not greater than it and it is not greater that I am.¹⁷God is as assiduous regarding the honor of the righteous of Israel as He is of His own honor. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin [said] in the name of Rabbi Levi: My twin [teomati], just as with twins, if one has a headache his counterpart feels it. So too, as it were, the Holy One blessed be He says: “I am with him in times of trouble” (Psalms 91:15).
“For my head is filled with dew” – on the basis of: “The earth quaked, the heavens dripped” (Psalms 68:9). “My locks, drops of night” – on the basis of what is stated: “The clouds dripped water” (Judges 5:4).

פָּשַׁטְתִּי אֶת כֻּתָּנְתִּי, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֲפִלּוּ תַּמָּה שֶׁבַּתַּמּוֹת יוֹדַעַת לִפְשֹׁט וְלִלְבּשׁ, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ פָּשַׁטְתִּי אֶת כֻּתָּנְתִּי, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמְרֵי יוֹם שֶׁנִּזְדַּוֵּג לָהֶם נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר הָרָשָׁע לְיִשְׂרָאֵל פָּשַׁט מֵהֶם שְׁנֵי לְבוּשִׁים גְּדוֹלִים, לְבוּשׁ כְּהֻנָּה וּלְבוּשׁ מַלְכוּת. רָחַצְתִּי אֶת רַגְלַי, מִטִּנּוּף עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, יוֹדַעַת הָיִיתִי שֶׁאָבָק שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם מַשִּׁיאֵנִי לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הַחוֹר. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא, וְכִי מַה טִּיבוֹ שֶׁל חוֹר זֶה לִהְיוֹת מְגַדֵּל שְׁרָצִים, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם כָּל נִסִּים שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ לִי עַל יְדֵי כּוֹרֶשׁ, לֹא הָיָה מוּטָב לַעֲשׂוֹתָן לִי עַל יְדֵי דָנִיֵּאל, וְעַל יְדֵי אָדָם צַדִּיק, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, מֵעַי הָמוּ עָלָיו. אָמַר רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא גָּזַר טַב אֲנָא, אַתּוּן אָמְרִין וּמֵעַי הָמוּ עָלָיו, גַּם אֲנִי אָמַרְתִּי (ירמיה ד, יט): מֵעַי מֵעַי אוֹחִילָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר פָּשַׁטְתִּי אֶת כֻּתָּנְתִּי, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ, אֲפִלּוּ תַּמָּה שֶׁבַּתַּמּוֹת יוֹדַעַת לִפְשֹׁט וְלִלְבּשׁ, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ פָּשַׁטְתִּי אֶת כֻּתָּנְתִּי אֵיכָכָה אֶלְבָּשֶׁנָּה, אֶלָּא מַהוּ זֶה, לְפִי שֶׁשֵּׁנַת הָעֲצֶרֶת עֲרֵבָה, וְהַלַּיְלָה קְצָרָה, אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן אַף פּוּרְטַעְנָא לֹא עָקְצָה בָהֶם. רָחַצְתִּי אֶת רַגְלַי, מִטִּנּוּף שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, יוֹדַעַת הָיִיתִי שֶׁאָבָק שֶׁל אוֹתוֹ הַמָּקוֹם מַשִּׁיאֵנִי לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן דּוֹדִי שָׁלַח יָדוֹ מִן הַחוֹר. אָמַר רַבִּי אַמֵּי כְּעָנִי שֶׁמְּבַקֵּשׁ צְדָקָה, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן וּמֵעַי הָמוּ עָלָיו וְהוּא אָמַר לִי (ירמיה לא, יט): הָמוּ מֵעַי לוֹ רַחֵם אֲרַחֲמֶנּוּ נְאֻם ה'.

“I have removed my tunic; how can I don it? I have washed my feet; how can I soil them? My beloved extended his hand through the hole, and my core was stirred for him” (Song of Songs 5:3–4).
“I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic”?¹⁸Why does the verse continue, “how can I don it,” when putting on a tunic is a simple act? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yoḥanan say: On the day that the wicked Nebuchadnezzar attacked Israel, he removed from them two great garments: the garment of priesthood and the garment of royalty. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole.¹⁹God extended Himself to Israel in exile by bring about the building of the Second Temple through Cyrus.
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Why is the image of a hole employed, as the hole is a place where creeping animals breed? Rather, this is what the congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: Master of the universe, all the miracles that You performed on my behalf by means of Cyrus, would it not have been preferable to have performed them by means of Daniel, or by means of a righteous person? Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him.”²⁰Even though the redemption was effected in this way, Israel was stirred and excited to have the Temple rebuilt and God’s presence in their midst, despite it being present in a more limited fashion than in the First Temple. Rabbi Azarya said: The Holy One blessed be He said: I bestow kindness. You say: “My core was stirred for him.” I, too, said: “My innards, My innards, I am trembling” (Jeremiah 4:19).²¹God seeks to be close to us just as we seek to be close to Him.
Another matter: “I have removed my tunic” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Reish Lakish: Even the simplest of the simple knows how to undress and dress, and you say: “I have removed my tunic; how can I don it”? Rather, why is this? It is because sleep in the season of Shavuot is pleasant, and the night is short.²²The midrash is interpreting this verse as a reference to the giving of the Torah, which occurred on the festival of Shavuot. The midrash assumes that the Israelites did not awake early enough in the morning for the giving of the Torah (see also Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:12). Rabbi Yudan said: Not even a flea bit them.²³This is during the night before the giving of the Torah, and they slept until the Holy One blessed be He woke them. “I have washed my feet” – from the filth of idol worship. I knew that the dust of that place induces one to idol worship; nevertheless, my beloved extended His hand through the hole.²⁴Despite the fact that the Israelites were not ready to receive the Torah after having spent so much time in Egypt, God approached them to give them the Torah. Rabbi Ami said: Like a poor person who seeks charity. Nevertheless, “my core was stirred for him,” and He said to me: “Therefore My innards yearn for him; I will have mercy on him, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:19).

קַמְתִּי אֲנִי לִפְתֹּחַ לְדוֹדִי, קַמְתִּי אֲנִי וְלֹא אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, תִּרְגֵּם רַבִּי יַעֲקֹב בַּר אֲבוּנָה קַמֵּי רַבִּי יִצְחָק, כְּתִיב (עזרא א, ה): וַיָּקוּמוּ רָאשֵׁי הָאָבוֹת לִיהוּדָה וּבִנְיָמִן וְהַכֹּהֲנִים וְהַלְוִיִּם וגו'. לִיהוּדָה שֶׁהוּא מֶלֶךְ, וּבִנְיָמִן שֶׁבֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ בְּחֶלְקוֹ, לַכֹּהֲנִים מִפְּנֵי הָעֲבוֹדָה, וְלַלְוִיִּם מִפְּנֵי הַדּוּכָן. לִפְתֹּחַ לְדוֹדִי בִּתְשׁוּבָה. וְיָדַי נָטְפוּ מוֹר מְרָרִים, דְּגָזַר כּוֹרֶשׁ וַאֲמַר דַּעֲבַר פְּרָת עֲבַר וּדְלָא עֲבַר לָא יִעְבַּר. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּתִיב (ישעיה יג, י): חָשַׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בְּצֵאתוֹ, לְוַוי הֲוָה קְבֵל הַהוּא יוֹמָא וְלָא דָּנְחָה, יָצָא כֹּרֶשׁ לְטַיֵּל בַּמְּדִינָה וְרָאָה הַמְּדִינָה שׁוֹמֶמֶת, אָמַר מַה טִּיבָהּ שֶׁל מְדִינָה זוֹ שׁוֹמֶמֶת, אֵיכָן הֵם הַזֶּהָבִים, אֵיכָן הֵם הַכַּסָּפִים, אָמְרֵי לֵיהּ וְלָאו אַתְּ הוּא דִּגְזַרְתְּ וַאֲמַרְתְּ כָּל יְהוּדָאִין יִפְקוּן וְיִבְנוּן בֵּית מַקְדְּשָׁא, מִנְּהוֹן דֶּהָבִים וּמִנְּהוֹן כַּסָּפִים, הָא דְסָלְקִין לְמִבְנֵא מַקְדְּשָׁא, בְּהַהִיא שַׁעְתָּא גְּזַר וַאֲמַר, דַּעֲבַר פְּרָת עֲבַר, דְּלָא עֲבַר לָא יִעְבַּר. דָּנִיֵּאל וְסִיעָתוֹ וַחֲבוּרָתוֹ עָלוּ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה אָמְרוּ, מוּטָב שֶׁנֹּאכַל סְעוּדַת אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וּנְבָרֵךְ עַל אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, עֶזְרָא וְסִיעָתוֹ וַחֲבוּרָתוֹ לֹא עָלוּ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה. וְלָמָּה לֹא עָלָה בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה עֶזְרָא, שֶׁהָיָה צָרִיךְ לְבָרֵר תַּלְמוּדוֹ לִפְנֵי בָּרוּךְ בֶּן נֵרִיָּה, וְיַעֲלֶה בָּרוּךְ בֶּן נֵרִיָּה, אֶלָּא אָמְרֵי בָּרוּךְ בֶּן נֵרִיָּה אָדָם גָּדוֹל וְיָשִׁישׁ הָיָה וַאֲפִלּוּ בְּגָלֵקְטִיקָא לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לְהִטָּעֵן. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ מִקֹּדֶשׁ הַבַּיִת שֶׁלֹא עָלָה עֶזְרָא בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, שֶׁאִלּוּ עָלָה עֶזְרָא בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הָיָה לַשָֹּׂטָן לְקַטְרֵג וְלוֹמַר מוּטָב שֶׁיְּשַׁמֵּשׁ עֶזְרָא בִּכְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה, מִלְּשַׁמֵּשׁ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, וִיהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן יְהוֹצָדָק הָיָה כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל בֶּן כֹּהֵן גָּדוֹל, אֲבָל עֶזְרָא עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם צַדִּיק, לֹא הָיָה רָאוּי לְשַׁמֵּשׁ בִּכְהֻנָּה גְדוֹלָה כְּמוֹתוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן קָשָׁה הִיא שַׁלְשֶׁלֶת יוֹחָסִין לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהֵעָקֵר מִמְּקוֹמָהּ. עַל כַּפּוֹת הַמַּנְעוּל, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִנְעַל פְּרָת לִפְנֵיהֶם. דָּבָר אַחֵר קַמְתִּי אֲנִי וְלֹא אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, לִפְתֹּחַ לְדוֹדִי בִּתְשׁוּבָה, וְיָדַי נָטְפוּ מוֹר מְרָרִים, שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי לָעֵגֶל (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֶצְבְּעֹתַי מוֹר עֹבֵר, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן מוֹר עֹבֵר עָבַר עַל מְרָרִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, יד): וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' עַל הָרָעָה וגו'. עַל כַּפּוֹת הַמַּנְעוּל, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם נִנְעַל בִּפְנֵיהֶם שֶׁלֹא יִכָּנְסוּ לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל.

“I arose to open for my beloved; my hands were dripping with myrrh, and my fingers with myrrh passing onto the handles of the latch” (Song of Songs 5:5).
“I arose to open for my beloved” – I arose, and not the nations of the world. Rabbi Yaakov bar Avuna interpreted before Rabbi Yitzḥak: It is written: “[Then arose] the heads of the patrilineal families of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and the Levites…[to go up to build the house of the Lord, which is in Jerusalem]” (Ezra 1:5); “of Judah” – as he is king; “and Benjamin” – as the Temple is in his portion; the priests because of the Temple service; and the Levites because of the platform.²⁵The verse specifies these groups for the reasons mentioned above, but in fact Israelites of all types went up to build the Second Temple. This is in contrast to the adversaries of Judah and Benjamin (see Ezra 4:2), who presented themselves as wanting to assist in building the Temple but in fact had malicious intentions. “To open for my beloved” – in repentance.
“My hands were dripping with myrrh [mor]” – bitterness [merarim]. Cyrus issued a decree: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is written: “The sun will be dark when it rises” (Isaiah 13:10) – if only it had been dark on that day and did not shine. Cyrus emerged to walk in the province, and he saw that the province was deserted. He said: Why is this province deserted? Where are the goldsmiths, where are the silversmiths? They said to him: Are you not the one who decreed and said: Let all the Jews go out and build the Temple? It was they who were the goldsmiths and the silversmiths, and they have ascended to build the Temple. At that moment he decreed: Whoever has crossed the Euphrates has crossed, and whoever has not crossed shall not cross.
Daniel and his associates and his comrades ascended. At that time they said: It is preferable for us to eat a meal of the Land of Israel and recite the blessing of the Land of Israel. Ezra and his associates and his comrades did not ascend at that time. Why did Ezra not ascend at that time? It was because he needed to clarify his studies before Barukh ben Neriya. So let Barukh ben Neriya ascend. Rather, they said: Barukh ben Neriya was a large, elderly man, and he could not even be loaded onto a sedan chair.
Reish Lakish said: It was due to the sanctity of the Temple that Ezra did not ascend at that time, as had Ezra ascended at that time, the accuser would be able to incite strife and say, it would be preferable to have Ezra serve in the High Priesthood rather than have Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak serve as the High Priest.²⁶The heavenly accuser was already accusing Yehoshua (see Zechariah 3:1), and this would have added to his accusations. But Yehoshua ben Yehotzadak was a High Priest son of a High Priest, and although Ezra was a righteous man, he was not as worthy to serve in the High Priesthood as [Yehoshua] was. Rabbi Simon said: Abolishing hereditary rights is problematic before the Holy One blessed be He. “Onto the handles of the latch” – it was from there that the Euphrates was blocked before them.
Another matter: “I arose to open for my beloved” – I arose and not the nations of the world. “To open for my beloved” – in repentance. “My hands were dripping with myrrh [mor]” – bitterness [merarim], this is the sin of the Golden Calf, “this is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). “And my fingers with myrrh passing” – nevertheless “myrrh passing [mor over],” He overlooked my bitterness [avar al merari], as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered the evil…” (Exodus 32:14). “Onto the handles of the latch” – it was from there that it was locked before them so that they would not enter the Land of Israel.

פָּתַחְתִּי אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר, נִתְחַטָּא, נִתְמַלֵּא עָלַי עֶבְרָה. נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ, בְּדִבּוּרוֹ שֶׁל כּוֹרֶשׁ, דְּגָזַר דְּלָא עֲבַר פְּרָת לָא יִעְבַּר. בִּקַּשְׁתִּיהוּ וְלֹא מְצָאתִיהוּ קְרָאתִיו וְלֹא עָנָנִי. דָּבָר אַחֵר פָּתַחְתִּי אֲנִי לְדוֹדִי וְדוֹדִי חָמַק עָבָר, נִתְחַטָּא, נִתְמַלֵּא עָלַי עֶבְרָה כְּאִשָּׁה עֻבֶּרֶת. נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ, בְּדִבּוּרוֹ, מִקּוֹל דִּבּוּרוֹ הָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁאָמַר (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. בִּקַּשְׁתִּיהוּ וְלֹא מְצָאתִיהוּ קְרָאתִיו וְלֹא עָנָנִי.

“I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had slipped away and gone. My soul departed when he spoke. I sought him, but did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me” (Song of Songs 5:6).
“I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had slipped away and gone [avar]” – He was appeased, and then He became filled with wrath [evra] toward me.²⁷The midrash interprets the phrase “I opened for my beloved” as an expression of Israel’s attempt to begin the process of repentance. God initially was appeased with this opening and responded by orchestrating Cyrus’s first decree allowing the building of the Temple. Then, God became angry over the lack of further progress in Israel’s repentance, and the result was Cyrus’s second decree. “My soul departed when he spoke” – upon the speech of Cyrus who decreed: Whoever has not crossed the Euphrates shall not cross. “I sought him, but did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.”²⁸After that second decree, I sought God and called to Him, but the seventy years of the Babylonian exile had not yet been completed, and He did not answer me.
Another matter: “I opened for my beloved, but my beloved had slipped away and gone” – He was appeased, and then He became filled with wrath [evra] toward me like a pregnant [uberet] woman.²⁹The midrash is interpreting this verse as pertaining to the years the Israelites spent in the wilderness. At first God was appeased by them and communicated directly with them at Sinai. After the sin of the Golden Calf, He was filled with anger toward them. My soul departed when he spoke” – with His speech, from the sound of His first commandment, when He said: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2). “I sought him, but did not find him; I called him, but he did not answer me.”³⁰During the thirty-eight years following the sin of the scouts, God refused to allow the Israelites into the Land of Israel and did not communicate with them.

מְצָאֻנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר, זֶה (עזרא ה, ג): תַּתְּנַי פַּחַת עֲבַר נַהֲרָה וַחֲבֵרָיו. הִכּוּנִי פְצָעוּנִי, (עזרא ד, ו): כָּתְבוּ שִׂטְנָה עַל ישְׁבֵי יְהוּדָה וִירוּשָׁלָיִם. נָשְׂאוּ אֶת רְדִידִי מֵעָלַי שֹׁמְרֵי הַחֹמוֹת, חוֹמוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא לְשֶׁעָבַר הָיְתָה נִבְנָה הַחוֹמָה אֶבֶן שְׁמוֹנֶה אַמּוֹת, וְאֶבֶן עֶשֶׂר אַמּוֹת, בְּרַם הָכָא (עזרא ה, ח): וְהוּא מִתְבְּנֵא אֶבֶן גְּלָל, וְאֶבֶן דְּגִלְגּוּל. דָּבָר אַחֵר מְצָאֻנִי הַשֹּׁמְרִים, שִׁבְטוֹ שֶׁל לֵוִי, דִּכְתִיב בְּהוֹ (דברים לג, ט): כִּי שָׁמְרוּ אִמְרָתֶךָ. הַסֹּבְבִים בָּעִיר, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות לב, כז): עִבְרוּ וָשׁוּבוּ מִשַּׁעַר לָשַׁעַר. הִכּוּנִי פְצָעוּנִי, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (שמות לב, כז): וְהִרְגוּ אִישׁ אֶת אָחִיו. נָשְׂאוּ אֶת רְדִידִי מֵעָלַי, זֶה הַזַּיִן. תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי זַיִן שֶׁנָּתַן לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּחוֹרֵב, שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ הָיָה חָקוּק עָלָיו, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁחָטְאוּ נִטַּל מֵהֶם, כֵּיצַד נִטַּל מֵהֶם, רַבִּי אַיְבוּ אָמַר מַלְאָךְ יָרַד וּקְלָפוֹ. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי מֵאֵלָיו הָיָה נִקְלָף. שֹׁמְרֵי הַחֹמוֹת, שׁוֹמְרֵי חוֹמוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.

“The sentries patrolling the city found me, they struck me, they wounded me; the guards of the walls took my mantle from upon me” (Song of Songs 5:7).
“The sentries patrolling the city found me” – these are “Tatenai, the governor of Avar Nahara” (Ezra 5:3) and his associates.³¹They demanded to know who had allowed the Jews to rebuild the Temple. “They struck me, they wounded me” – “they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem” (Ezra 4:6). “The guards of the walls took my mantle from upon me” – the walls of Jerusalem.³²The guards of the walls of Jerusalem, namely the Jews who were rebuilding the walls, “took my mantle” in that they rebuilt the walls in a less impressive manner than the manner in which the walls had originally been built. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: In the past, the wall was built with stones of eight cubits and stones of ten cubits.³³See I Kings 7:10. However, here: “It is built with great [gelal] stones” (Ezra 5:8), stones that are rolled [degilgul].³⁴They were too heavy to carry, but could be rolled. By contrast, the stones in the past were much larger and could not even be rolled.
Another matter: “The sentries…found me” – the tribe of Levi,³⁵This was when the Levites were mobilized by Moses to punish those who worshipped the Golden Calf (Exodus 32:26). in whose regard it is written: “For they observed Your word” (Deuteronomy 33:9). “Patrolling the city” – just as it says: “Pass back and forth from gate to gate” (Exodus 32:27). They struck me, they wounded me” – just as it says: “Each man slay his brother” (Exodus 32:27). They “took my mantle from upon me” – this is weaponry. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: The weapon that was given to Israel at Ḥorev, the ineffable name was etched upon it. When they sinned it was taken from them. How was it taken? Rabbi Aivu said: It was peeled on its own. The Rabbis say: An angel descended and peeled it. “Guards of the walls,” [these are] the guards of the walls of Torah.³⁶The Levites served as teachers of Torah and as sages who enacted decrees to safeguard observance of the Torah.

הִשְׁבַּעְתִּי אֶתְכֶם בְּנוֹת יְרוּשָׁלָיִם, מַה תַּגִּידוּ לוֹ שֶׁחוֹלַת אַהֲבָה אָנִי, מַה חוֹלָה זוֹ מְצַפָּה לִרְפוּאָה, כָּךְ הַדּוֹר שֶׁבְּמִצְרַיִם מְצַפֶּה לַגְאֻלָּה.

“I administer an oath to you, daughters of Jerusalem; if you find my beloved, what shall you tell him? That I am lovesick” (Song of Songs 5:8).
“I administer an oath to you, daughters of Jerusalem…what shall you tell him? That I am lovesick” – just as the ill person yearns for healing, so, the generation that was in Egypt yearned for redemption.

מַה דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד הַיָּפָה בַּנָּשִׁים, אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמְרִים לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מַה דּוֹדֵךְ מִדּוֹד, מָה אֱלוֹהַּ הוּא מֵאֱלוֹהוּת, מַה פַּטְרוֹן הוּא מִפַּטְרוֹנִין. יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים לָהֶם, דּוֹדִי צַח וְאָדוֹם. צַח לִי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וגו', וְאָדוֹם לְמִצְרַיִם. צַח לִי בְּאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יב, יב): וְעָבַרְתִּי בְאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם וגו', וְאָדוֹם לְמִצְרַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כז): וַיְנַעֵר ה' אֶת מִצְרַיִם. צַח לִי בַּיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כט): וּבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל הָלְכוּ בַיַּבָּשָׁה בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם, וְאָדוֹם לִי בַּיָּם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יד, כז): וַיְנַעֵר ה' אֶת מִצְרַיִם בְּתוֹךְ הַיָּם. צַח לִי בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא, וְאָדוֹם לִי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה. רַבִּי לֵוִי בַּר חַיְּתָא אֲמַר בָּהּ תְּלַת, צַח לִי בְּשַׁבָּת, וְאָדוֹם לִי כָּל יְמֵי הַשַּׁבָּת. צַח לִי בְּרֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה, וְאָדוֹם לִי כָּל יְמוֹת הַשָּׁנָה. צַח לִי בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, וְאָדוֹם לִי בָּעוֹלָם הַבָּא. דָּגוּל מֵרְבָבָה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא מֶלֶךְ בָּשָׂר וָדָם מֵעֲטִיפָתוֹ נִכָּר, בְּרַם הָכָא, הוּא אֵשׁ, מְשָׁרְתָיו אֵשׁ, (דברים לג, ב): וְאָתָא מֵרִבְבֹת קֹדֶשׁ, וְאוֹת הוּא בְּתוֹךְ רִבְבוֹת קֹדֶשׁ.

“How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women? How is your beloved more than another beloved, that you administer an oath to us so? My beloved is clear and ruddy, more eminent than ten thousand” (Song of Songs 5:9–10).
“How is your beloved more than another beloved, fairest of women?” – the nations of the world say to Israel: “How is your beloved more than another beloved?” In what way is He God more than other gods, in what way is He a protector more than other protectors? Israel says to them: “My beloved is clear and ruddy” – clear³⁷This is a metaphor for the attribute of mercy. for me in the land of Egypt and red³⁸This is a metaphor for the attribute of justice. for the Egyptians. Clear for me in the land of Egypt, as it is stated: “I will pass through the land of Egypt [on that night, and I will smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.… and I will pass over you]” (Exodus 12:12–13).³⁹This was during the plague of the firstborn. Red for the Egyptians, as it is stated: “The Lord hurled the Egyptians [in the midst of the sea]” (Exodus 14:27). It was clear for me at the sea, as it is stated: “The children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:29). It was red for me⁴⁰The text should state: It was red for the Egyptians (Etz Yosef). at the sea – as it is stated: “The Lord hurled the Egyptians in the midst of the sea” (Exodus 14:27). It is clear for me in the World to Come, and it is red for me in this world.⁴¹God brings hardship upon the righteous in this world in order to punish them for their sins or in order to motivate them to improve, and He rewards them in the World to Come.
Rabbi Levi bar Ḥaita said three [statements] about this: It is clear for me on Shabbat, and it is red for me all the days of the week. It is clear for me on Rosh HaShana, and it is red for me the rest of the year. It is clear for me in this world, and it is red for me in the World to Come.
“More eminent than ten thousand” – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: A king of flesh and blood is identified by his trappings; however, here, He is fire and His servants are fire: “He came [ve’ata] from the holy tens of thousands, [from His right, a fiery law to them]” (Deuteronomy 33:2) – it is a sign [ot] from the midst of the holy tens of thousands.

רֹאשׁוֹ כֶּתֶם פָּז, רֹאשׁוֹ זוֹ הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ח, כב): ה' קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ. רַבִּי חוּנְיָא בְּשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים שָׁנָה קָדְמָה הַתּוֹרָה לִבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מַה טַּעַם (משלי ח, ל): וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וָאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים יוֹם יוֹם, וְיוֹמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶלֶף שָׁנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צ, ד): כִּי אֶלֶף שָׁנִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּיוֹם אֶתְמוֹל כִּי יַעֲבֹר. כֶּתֶם פָּז, אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יט, יא): הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב, קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים, זֶה הַסִּרְגּוּל. שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, אֵלּוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים, תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָם שֶׁהֵם קוֹצִים בַּתּוֹרָה, הֵן קְוֻצֵּי קְוֻצִּים. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמְרִים תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָם שֶׁהֵן קוֹצִין בַּתּוֹרָה, תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים הֵן. בְּמִי הֵן מִתְקַיְּמוֹת, שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁכִּים וּמַעֲרִיב בָּהֶן. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר אֵין גָּרְנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה, מַה טַּעַם (משלי לא, טו): וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה, וּכְתִיב (איכה ב, יט): קוּמִי רֹנִּי בַלַּיְלָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע א, ח): וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ יָפֶה לִמְּדַנִּי רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן שֶׁאֵין גָּרְנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ כַּד הֲוֵינָא לָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא בִּימָמָא, בַּלַּיְלָה הֲוָה מַנְהֲרָא לִי, דִּכְתִיב: וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה.

“His head is the finest gold; his locks are curls, black as a raven” (Song of Songs 5:11).
“His head [rosho] is the finest gold” – rosho, this is the Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord made me at the beginning [reshit] of His way” (Proverbs 8:22). Rabbi Ḥunya said in the name of Reish Lakish: The Torah preceded the creation of the world by two thousand years. What is the reason? “I was with Him, as a protégé; I was a delight day after day” (Proverbs 8:30), and the day of the Holy One blessed be He is one thousand years, as it is stated: “As one thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday as it passes” (Psalms 90:4). “The finest gold” – these are words of Torah, as it is stated: “They are more desirable than gold, than much fine gold” (Psalms 19:11). “His locks are curls” – these are the ruled lines.⁴²These are scored on the parchment in preparation for writing the verses of the Torah. “Black as a raven” – these are the letters.
Another matter: “His locks [kevutzotav] are curls [taltalim]” – heaps upon heaps [tilei tilim].⁴³The locks and curls are understood to refer to the fine details of the letters in the Torah and their crowns. Heaps and heaps of halakhot are derived even from these details. Another matter: Rabbi Azarya says: Even matters that you consider as thorns [kotzim] of the Torah,⁴⁴Thorns represent unimportant matters. they are like a finely coiffed hairstyle [kevutzei kevutzim]. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua say: Heaps upon heaps.
Another matter: Rabbi Azarya says: Even matters that you consider them as thorns [kotzim] of the Torah, they are heaps upon heaps. Through whom are they sustained? “Black as a raven” – through one who engages in them early and late.⁴⁵One who rises early, while it is still dark, and stays up late into the night, studying Torah.
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The amassing of Torah is only at night. What is the source? “She arises while still night” (Proverbs 31:15), and it is written: “Arise, cry out at night” (Lamentations 2:19).⁴⁶Both verses are understood as referring to the Torah itself or to one who seeks Torah. Rabbi Shimon said: Day and night, based on what is stated: “You shall ponder it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). Reish Lakish said: Rabbi Yoḥanan taught me well that the amassing of Torah is only at night. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: When I would labor in the Torah during the day, at night it would be illuminated for me, as it is written: “You shall ponder it day and night.”

רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּצִפָּרִין פְּתַר קְרָא בִּתְלוּלִיּוֹת שֶׁל עָפָר, מִי שֶׁהוּא טִפֵּשׁ מַהוּ אוֹמֵר מִי יָכוֹל לִקְצוֹת אֶת זֶה, מִי שֶׁהוּא פִּקֵּחַ מַהוּ אוֹמֵר, הֲרֵינִי קוֹצֶה שְׁתֵּי מַשְׁפֵּלוֹת בַּיּוֹם וּשְׁתֵּי מַשְׁפֵּלוֹת בַּלַּיְלָה וּלְמָחָר כֵּן, עַד שֶׁאֲנִי קוֹצֶה אֶת כֻּלָּהּ. כָּךְ מִי שֶׁהוּא טִפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר מִי הוּא יָכוֹל לִלְמֹד כָּל הַתּוֹרָה, נְזִיקִין שְׁלשִׁים פְּרָקִים, כֵּלִים שְׁלשִׁים פְּרָקִים. וְהֶחָכָם אוֹמֵר הֲרֵינִי לוֹמֵד שְׁתֵּי הֲלָכוֹת הַיּוֹם וּשְׁתַּיִם לְמָחָר עַד שֶׁאֲנִי לוֹמְדָהּ כֻּלָּהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי (משלי כד, ז): רָאמוֹת לֶאֱוִיל חָכְמוֹת, לְכִכָּר נָקוּב שֶׁתָּלוּי בַּאֲוִירוֹ שֶׁל בַּיִת, הַטִּפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר מִי יָכוֹל לְהוֹרִיד לָזֶה, וְהַפִּקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר וְלֹא אַחֵר תְּלָאוֹ, אֶלָּא הֲרֵינִי מֵבִיא שְׁנֵי קָנִים וּמְחַבְּרָן זֶה עִם זֶה עַד שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹרִידוֹ. כָּךְ הַטִּפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר מִי יָכוֹל לִלְמֹד הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּלֵב רַבִּי, וְהַפִּקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר וְהוּא לֹא מֵאַחֵר לְמָדָהּ, הֲרֵינִי לוֹמֵד הַיּוֹם שְׁתֵּי הֲלָכוֹת וּשְׁתַּיִם לְמָחָר, עַד שֶׁאֲנִי לוֹמֵד הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל חָכָם זֶה. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לִקְרַסְטָל נָקוּב שֶׁשָֹּׂכְרוּ בְּעָלָיו פּוֹעֲלִים לְמַלְּאוֹתוֹ מַיִם, אוֹמֵר הַטִּפֵּשׁ מָה אֲנִי מוֹעִיל, מַכְנִיס בְּזוֹ וּמוֹצִיא בְּזוֹ, וְהַפִּקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר וְלֹא שְׂכָרִי אֲנִי נוֹטֵל, וְלֹא שְׂכַר כָּל חָבִית וְחָבִית אֲנִי נוֹטֵל מִבַּעַל הַבַּיִת. כָּךְ הַטִּפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר הֲרֵינִי לוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה וּמְשַׁכְּחָהּ מָה אֲנִי מוֹעִיל, וְהַפִּקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר וְלֹא שְׂכַר יְגִיעָה נוֹתֵן לִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתְּ רוֹאֶה קוֹצִין בַּתּוֹרָה, תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים הֵן, יְכוֹלוֹת הֵן לְהַחְרִיב אֶת הָעוֹלָם וְלַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ תֵּל, הָאֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים יג, יז): תֵּל עוֹלָם. כְּתִיב (דברים ו, ז): שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד, אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה מִן הַדל"ת רי"ש, תַּחֲרִיב לְכָל הָעוֹלָם, (שמות לד, יד): לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל אַחֵר, אִם תַּחֲלִיף רי"ש בְּדל"ת, תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם. כְּתִיב (ויקרא כב, ב): וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי, אִם תַּחֲלִיף חי"ת לְה"א תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (ישעיה ח, יז): וְחִכִּיתִי לַה', אִם תַּחֲלִיף חי"ת לְה"א תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (תהלים קנ, ו): כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ, אִם תַּחֲלִיף ה"א לְחי"ת תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (ירמיה ה, יב): כִּחֲשׁוּ בַּה', אִם תַּחֲלִיף בי"ת לְכ"ף תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (הושע ה, ז): בַּה' בָּגָדוּ כִּי בָנִים זָרִים יָלָדוּ, אִם תַּחֲלִיף בי"ת, לְכ"ף תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (שמואל א ב, ב): אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּה' כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ בַּר כַּהֲנָא הַכֹּל בָּלֶה וְאַתְּ לָא בָּלֶה, כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ, אֵין לְבַלּוֹתֶיךָ.

Rabbi Yoḥanan of Tzippori interpreted the verse regarding mounds [teluliyot] of dirt. One who is foolish, what does he say? Who can completely remove this? One who is wise, what does he say? I will remove two containers during the day and two containers at night, and the same tomorrow, until I clear it all. So too, one who is foolish says: Who can study the entire Torah? Nezikin⁴⁷Bava Kama, Bava Metzia, and Bava Batra are each ten chapters long and are considered one integrated tractate (see Bava Kama 102a). is thirty chapters, Kelim is thirty chapters. The wise man says: I will study two halakhot today and two tomorrow, until I learn it all.
Rabbi Yannai said: “Wisdom is lofty to a fool” (Proverbs 24:7) – this is analogous to a perforated loaf that is suspended in the air in a room. The fool says: Who can take this down? The wise man says: Did another not suspend it? I will bring two sticks and attach one to another until I take it down.⁴⁸If one stick is not enough to enable me to reach the loaf, I will tie two sticks together. So too, the fool says: Who can learn all the Torah that is in the heart of my teacher? The wise man says: Did he not learn it from another? I will study two halakhot today and two tomorrow, until I learn all the Torah of this Sage.
Rabbi Levi said: [This is analogous] to a perforated basket whose owner hired workers to fill it with water. The fool says: What am I accomplishing? I fill it from here and it flows out from there. The wise man says: Do I not collect my wage? Do I not collect a wage from my employer for each and every barrel? So too, the fool says: I study Torah and forget it; what am I accomplishing? The wise man says: Does the Holy One blessed be He not give me reward for my effort? As Rabbi Levi said:⁴⁹The text should state: “Another matter: Rabbi Levi said” (Etz Yosef). Even matters that you see as dots [kotzim] in the Torah, they are heaps upon heaps [tilei tilim]; they have the capability to destroy the world and to render it a mound [tel], just as it says: “It shall be an eternal mound” (Deuteronomy 13:17). It is written: “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one [eḥad]” (Deuteronomy 6:4); if you transform the dalet into a resh you will destroy the world.⁵⁰The word one [eḥad] will become other [aḥer], turning this affirmation of faith into a declaration of heresy. This occurs by merely erasing one small dot of the dalet, thereby turning it into a resh. “For you shall not prostrate yourself to another [aḥer] god” (Exodus 34:14) – if you replace the resh with a dalet you will destroy the world.⁵¹The verse would then state: You shall not prostrate yourself to the one [eḥad] God, which is a heretical statement. It is written: “They shall not profane [yeḥalelu] My holy name” (Leviticus 22:2); if you replace the ḥet with a heh, you will destroy the world.⁵²Profane [yeḥalelu] would become praise [yehalelu]. It is written: “I will wait [veḥikiti] for the Lord” (Isaiah 8:17); if you replace the ḥet with a heh, you will destroy the world.⁵³Wait [veḥikiti] would become strike [vehikeiti]. It is written: “Let all who breathe [tehalel] praise the Lord” (Psalms 150:6); if you replace the heh with a ḥet, you will destroy the world.⁵⁴Praise [tehalel] would become profane [teḥalel]. It is written: “They have denied the Lord” (Jeremiah 5:12); if you replace the bet with a kaf, you will destroy the world.⁵⁵“The Lord [baHashem]” would become: Like the Lord [kaHashem], which implies that the Lord also denies truths. It is written: “They have betrayed the Lord for they have begotten foreign children” (Hosea 5:7); if you replace the bet with a kaf, you will destroy the world.⁵⁶“The Lord [baHashem]” will become: Like the Lord [kaHashem], implying that the Lord betrays others. It is written: “There is no one as holy as the Lord, as there is none like You [biltekha]” (I Samuel 2:2) – Rabbi Abbahu bar Kahana said: Everything wears out but You do not wear out, “as there is none like you,” there is none to outlast you [levalotekha].

שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב. רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי בַּר הַדְרִין וְרַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי קָרוֹבָה אָמַר, אֲפִלּוּ אִם מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם לְהַלְבִּין כָּנָף אֶחָד מִן הָעוֹרֵב אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין, כָּךְ אִם מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם לַעֲקֹר יו"ד שֶׁהוּא קְטַן הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין, מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד מִשְּׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲקֹר יו"ד מִן הַתּוֹרָה עָלָה קַטֵּיגוֹרוֹ, וּמִי קִטְרֵג, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר יו"ד שֶׁבְּיַרְבֶּה קִטְרֵג. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אוֹמֵר סֵפֶר מִשְׁנֶה תּוֹרָה עָלָה וְנִשְׁתַּטַּח לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם כָּתַבְתָּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ דְּיָתֵיקֵי שֶׁמִּקְצָתָהּ בְּטֵלָה כֻּלָּהּ בְּטֵלָה, שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ מְבַקֵּשׁ לַעֲקֹר יו"ד שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לֵךְ, הֲרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה בָּטֵל וּמֵאָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ וְיו"ד שֶׁבְּךָ אֵינוֹ בָּטֵל לְעוֹלָם.

“Black as a raven” – Rabbi Alexandri bar Hadrin and Rabbi Alexandri Kerova⁵⁷He was so called because he would serve as a prayer leader and would recite liturgical poems called kerovot (Matnot Kehuna), or simply because he would lead the congregation in coming close [karov] to God. said: Even if all of mankind would come together to whiten one wing of the raven, they would be unable to do so. Likewise, if all mankind would come together to eradicate the yod, which is the smallest of all the letters, they would be unable to do so. From whom do you learn this? From King Solomon, who, because he sought to eradicate yod from the Torah, his accuser arose. Who accused? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It was the yod in the word yarbeh⁵⁸In Deuteronomy 17:16–17 a king is commanded not to amass [lo yarbeh] horses lest he lead the nation back to Egypt, and not to amass wives lest his heart be led astray. Without the yod, it would just say, for example, that if one does not amass wives they will not cause his heart to stray, but that would not mean it is prohibited to amass wives. Solomon amassed horses and wives, thinking that he would avoid the pitfalls the verse warns against, but he did not avoid those pitfalls (Sanhedrin 21b). that accused. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: The book of Deuteronomy ascended and prostrated itself before the Holy One blessed be He and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah that a testament that part of it is null and void, all of it is null and void. King Solomon seeks to eradicate a yod in the Torah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘Go; Solomon and one hundred like him will be null and void, and the yod in you will never be null and void.’

רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר יו"ד שֶׁבְּשָׂרַי עָלָה וְנִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאָמַר, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם עֲקַרְתַּנִי מִשְׁמָהּ שֶׁל צַדֶּקֶת זוֹ. אֵשֶׁת צַדִּיק זֶה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, וְקָרָאתָ שְׁמָהּ שָׂרָה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לֵךְ, מִתְּחִלָּה הָיִיתָ בְּסוֹפָן שֶׁל אוֹתִיּוֹת וּבְשֵׁם נְקֵבָה, עַכְשָׁו אֲנִי נוֹתֶנְךָ בִּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל זָכָר וּבָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל אוֹתִיּוֹת, בְּצַדִּיק שֶׁבָּעוֹלָמִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר יג, טז): וַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר אֲבוּנָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא, לְעֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁשָּׁה דוֹרוֹת הָיָה אל"ף קוֹרֵא תִּגָּר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם נְתַתַּנִי בְּרֹאשׁ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְלֹא בָרָאתָ בִּי הָעוֹלָם אֶלָּא בְּבי"ת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, א): בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹלָמִי וּמְלוֹאוֹ לֹא נִבְרְאוּ אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, יט): ה' בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ, לְמָחָר אֲנִי נִגְלֶה וְנוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲנִי נוֹתֶנְךָ בָּרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל דִּבְּרוֹת, וּבְךָ אֶפְתַּח תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. בַּר חוֹטָא אָמַר לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אל"ף, שֶׁהוּא מַסְכִּים מֵאֶלֶף דּוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קה, ח): דָּבָר צִוָּה לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר.

Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: The yod in Sarai ascended and prostrated itself before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, You eradicated me from the name of this righteous woman, the wife of this righteous individual, Abraham our patriarch, and You called her name Sarah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘Go. At first, you were at the end of the letters and in the name of a female. Now, I am placing you in the name of a male and at the beginning of the letters, and in [the name] of one of the most righteous people in the world.’ That is what is written: “Moses called Hoshe’a bin Nun, Joshua [Yehoshua]” (Numbers 13:16).
Rabbi Elazar bar Avuna [said] in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: For twenty-six generations alef was objecting before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You placed me at the head of the letters, but You created the world not with me but with bet, as it is stated: “In the beginning [bereshit], God created the heavens and the earth”’ (Genesis 1:1). The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘My world and all its contents were created only due to the merit of the Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). Tomorrow, I will reveal Myself and give the Torah to Israel, and I will place you in the first of the commandments, and I will begin with you first, as it is stated: “I [anokhi] am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). Bar Ḥota said: Why is it called alef? Because it endures for one thousand [elef] generations, as it is stated: “He commanded the matter for one thousand generations” (Psalms 105:8).⁵⁹God planned to give the Torah, and to start it with the letter alef, for the one thousand generations before it was given (see Bereshit Rabba 28:4; Kohelet Rabba 7:28).

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַר קְרָא בְּתַלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּרְאִין כְּעוּרִין וּשְׁחֹרִין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא (נחום ב, ה): מַרְאֵיהֶן כַּלַּפִּידִים כַּבְּרָקִים יְרוֹצֵצוּ. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יִצְחָק פָּתַר קְרָא בְּפָרָשִׁיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, אֵלּוּ תַּלְמוּדוֹת שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנִּרְאוֹת כְּעוּרוֹת וּשְׁחֹרוֹת מִלְּאָמְרָן בָּרַבִּים, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲרֵבוֹת הֵן עָלַי, הָאֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (מלאכי ג, ד): וְעָרְבָה לַה' מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהוּא כֵּן הַדָּבָר, שֶׁהֲרֵי פָּרָשַׁת זָב וְזָבָה לֹא נֶאֶמְרוּ שְׁתֵּיהֶן כְּאֶחָד, אֶלָּא זוֹ בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ וְזוֹ בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טו, ב כה): אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ וגו' וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ.

Rabbi Yehuda interpreted the verse regarding Torah scholars: “Curls, black as a raven” – these are Torah scholars, as even though they appear ugly and black in this world, in the future, “their appearance is like torches, they dash like lightning” (Nahum 2:5).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding the portions of the Torah: “Curls, black as a raven” – these are the texts of the Torah that appear too ugly and black to state them in public, and the Holy One blessed be He said: They are pleasant for Me, just as it says: “The offering of Judah [and Jerusalem] will be pleasant” (Malachi 3:4). Know that it is so, as the portion of the zav and the zava were not stated together; rather, this one in and of itself and that one in and of itself, as it is stated: “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh” (Leviticus 15:2), [and separately,] “And a woman, if her bloody discharge shall flow” (Leviticus 15:25).

אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, תּוֹרָה שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיְתָה עוֹרָהּ שֶׁל אֵשׁ לְבָנָה, וּכְתוּבָה בְּאֵשׁ שְׁחוֹרָה, הִיא אֵשׁ וַחֲצוּבָה מֵאֵשׁ, וְהִיא מוּכְלֶלֶת בְּאֵשׁ, וּנְתוּנָה בְּאֵשׁ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים לג, ב): מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ.

Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The Torah that the Holy One blessed be He gave, its parchment was white fire, and it was written with black fire. It is fire, it is hewn from fire, it is completely formed of fire, and was given in fire. That is what is written: “From His right, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2).

עֵינָיו כְּיוֹנִים, עֵינָיו אֵלּוּ סַנְהֶדְּרִין, שֶׁהֵם עֵינַיִם לָעֵדָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טו, כד): וְהָיָה אִם מֵעֵינֵי הָעֵדָה, מָאתַיִם אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנָה אֵבָרִים יֵשׁ בּוֹ בָּאָדָם וְכֻלָּן הוֹלְכִין אַחַר הָעֵינַיִם, כָּךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֵין יְכוֹלִין לַעֲשׂוֹת דָּבָר חוּץ מִסַּנְהֶדְרִין שֶׁלָּהֶן. עַל אֲפִיקֵי מָיִם, שֶׁהֵם אֲפִיקִים עַל מֵימֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, דְּאָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר עוּקְבָא דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה מַגְבִּירִין הֵם לְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא עוֹסֵק בָּם כָּל צָרְכָּן. רֹחֲצוֹת בֶּחָלָב, אֵלּוּ הַהֲלָכוֹת שֶׁהֵן רוֹחֲצִין אוֹתָן בַּשִּׁנַּיִם, עַד שֶׁעוֹשִׂים אוֹתָהּ נְקִיִּים כְּחָלָב. ישְׁבוֹת עַל מִלֵּאת, מְלֵאָתָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה.

“His eyes are like doves beside streams of water; they are bathed in milk, well set” (Song of Songs 5:12).
“His eyes are like doves”; “his eyes” – these are the Sanhedrin, who are the eyes of the congregation, as it is stated: “It shall be if from the eyes of the congregation [it was performed unwittingly]” (Numbers 15:24).⁶⁰This verse presents the law that if the Sanhedrin issued a mistaken ruling that was followed by the congregation, a special sin-offering must be brought (see Horayot 5b). There are two hundred and forty-eight limbs in a person, and all of them follow the eyes. So too, Israel is unable to do anything without its Sanhedrin. “Beside streams of water” – as they⁶¹The Sages of the Sanhedrin. are fortified by the waters of Torah, as Rabbi Ḥama bar Ukva said: Words of Torah fortify all those who engage in them with proper devotion. “They are bathed in milk” – these are the halakhot that they clarify with their teeth until they render them as clean as milk.⁶²They review and clarify the halakhot until they have a clear understanding of them and can explain them in a lucid fashion. The reference to teeth [shinayim] is meant to indicate that the Sages can explain with their mouths the halakhot in a clear manner (Etz Yosef). Alternatively, the statement of the midrash may be translated to mean that the Sages clarify the halakhot by studying together in groups of two [shenayim] until they understand them clearly (Matnot Kehuna). “Well set [al milet]” – with the fullness [mele’atah] of Torah.

דָּבָר אַחֵר, ישְׁבוֹת עַל מִלֵּאת, עַל מְלֵאָתָהּ שֶׁל יְרוּשָׁלַיִם, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (ישעיה א, כא): מְלֵאֲתִי מִשְׁפָּט. רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא רַבָּה אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת וּשְׁמוֹנִים בָּתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת הָיוּ בִּירוּשָׁלַיִם, מִנְיַן מְלֵאֲתִי. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא עַל מִלֵּאת, זֶה מְמַלֵּא מִקְצַת דָּבָר, וְזֶה מְמַלֵּא מִקְצַת דָּבָר, עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא הֲלָכָה יוֹצְאָה כְּמִין לְבָנוֹן. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא זֶה מַלְחִים מִקְצַת דָּבָר, וְזֶה מַלְחִים מִקְצַת דָּבָר עַד שֶׁתְּהֵא הֲלָכָה יוֹצְאָה כְּמִין לְחָיַיִם.

Another matter: “Well set [al milet]” – with the fullness [mele’atah] of Jerusalem, just as it says: “[The faithful city,] full of [mele’ati] justice” (Isaiah 1:21). Rabbi Pinḥas [said] in the name of Rabbi Hoshaya the Great: There were four hundred and eighty synagogues in Jerusalem, the numerical value of mele’ati.⁶³Mem – 40, lamed – 30, alef – one, tav – 400, yod – 10, equals a total of 481, corresponding to the 480 synagogues and the Temple (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: “Well set [al milet]” – this one fills [memaleh] a little and that one fills a little, until the halakha emerges as though from Lebanon.⁶⁴Lebanon is expounded as though it is from the word lavan, white. Together, the students clarify the matter under discussion until it is absolutely clear [melubenet]. As Rabbi Tanḥuma said: This one welds part of the matter and that one welds part of the matter, until the halakha emerges like joined beams.

לְחָיָו כַּעֲרוּגַת הַבֹּשֶׂם, אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי בְּיוֹמוֹי דִּזְמַנְיָין תַּרְתֵּין חַבּוּרָן וַהֲוֵינַן נָפְקִין וְלָעֲיִין בְּאוֹרָיְיתָא בַּהֲדָא אִסְטֵרִין, וְלֹא כְטַעַם שֶׁהָיְתָה זוֹ אוֹמֶרֶת זוֹ אוֹמֶרֶת. מִגְדְּלוֹת מֶרְקָחִים, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא מַה מִּגְדְּלוֹת הָרֶקַח הַזֶּה יֵשׁ בּוֹ מִכָּל מִינֵי בְּשָׂמִים, כָּךְ תַּלְמִיד חָכָם צָרִיךְ לִהְיוֹת מָלֵא מִקְרָא מִשְׁנָה וְתַלְמוּד וַהֲלָכוֹת וְאַגָּדוֹת כְּהֻנָּה וּלְוִיָּה מִיַּעֲקֹב. שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים, זֶה תַּלְמִיד חָכָם הָרָגִיל בְּמִשְׁנָתוֹ, שִׂפְתוֹתָיו שׁוֹשַׁנִּים נֹטְפוֹת מוֹר עֹבֵר, זֶה תַּלְמִיד שֶׁאֵינוֹ רָגִיל בְּמִשְׁנָתוֹ, שֶׁשְֹּׂפָתָיו נוֹטְפוֹת מוֹר, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, עוֹבֵר הוּא, וְחוֹזֵר וּמְבָרֵר תַּלְמוּדוֹ.

“His cheeks are like a bed of spices, growths of spices; his lips are lilies, dripping with flowing myrrh” (Song of Songs 5:13).
“His cheeks are like a bed of spices” – Rabbi Yannai said: In the days of my youth, we were two groups, and we would go out to engage in Torah study in the street. The reasoning said by this [group] would not be said by that [group].⁶⁵Just a bed of spices may contain different kinds of spices, each with its distinctive aroma and taste, so too, the groups of students would see things differently (Etz Yosef). “Growths of spices” – just like in growths of spices there are all kinds of spices, so too, a Torah scholar must be full of Bible, Mishna, Talmud, halakhot, and aggadot. Priests and Levites are from Jacob.⁶⁶The descendants of Jacob fill a variety of roles, just as there are different kinds of spices. “His lips are lilies” – this is a Torah scholar who is well versed in his studies. “His lips are lilies, dripping with flowing [over] myrrh” – this is a Torah scholar who is not well versed in his studies, whose lips are dripping with myrrh.⁶⁷He makes mistakes, or must work hard to determine the correct answer. Myrrh is interpreted as a reference to something bitter [mar] (Matnot Kehuna). Nevertheless, he reviews [over] and then clarifies his studies.

יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב, אֵלּוּ לוּחוֹת הַבְּרִית, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, טז): וְהַלֻּחֹת מַעֲשֵׂה אֱלֹהִים הֵמָּה, גְּלִילֵי זָהָב, אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יט, יא): הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר נְחֶמְיָה, מַעֲשֵׂה נִסִּים הָיוּ נִגְלָלִין הָיוּ שֶׁל סַנְפִּירִינוֹן הָיוּ וְהָיוּ נִגְלָלִין. רַבִּי מְנַחֲמָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אָבוּן אָמַר וַחֲצוּבִין מִגַּלְגַּל חַמָּה הָיוּ. כֵּיצַד הָיוּ כְּתוּבִין, חֲמִשָּׁה עַל לוּחַ זֶה וַחֲמִשָּׁה עַל לוּחַ זֶה, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יָדָיו גְּלִילֵי זָהָב, כְּדִבְרֵי רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בֶּן גַּמְלִיאֵל, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים ד, יג): וַיִּכְתְּבֵם עַל שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִים. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי עֲשָׂרָה עַל לוּחַ זֶה וַעֲשָׂרָה עַל לוּחַ זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד, יג): וַיַּגֵּד לָכֶם אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ אֲשֶׁר צִוָּה אֶתְכֶם עֲשֶׂרֶת הַדְּבָרִים וַיִּכְתְּבֵם עַל שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִים. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אָמַר עֶשְׂרִים עַל לוּחַ זֶה וְעֶשְׂרִים עַל לוּחַ זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּכְתְּבֵם עַל שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִים, עֶשְׂרִים עַל לוּחַ זֶה וְעֶשְׂרִים עַל לוּחַ זֶה. רַבִּי סִימָאי אוֹמֵר אַרְבָּעִים עַל לוּחַ זֶה וְאַרְבָּעִים עַל לוּחַ זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, טו): לֻחֹת כְּתֻבִים מִשְּׁנֵי עֶבְרֵיהֶם מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה, טַטְרוֹגָא.

“His hands are rods of gold set with beryl; his belly is a slab of ivory covered with sapphires” (Song of Songs 5:14).
“His hands are rods [gelilei] of gold” – these are the Tablets of the Covenant, as it is stated: “The tablets were God’s handiwork” (Exodus 32:16). “Rods of gold” – these are the words of Torah, as it is stated: “They are more desirable than gold, than [much] fine gold” (Psalms 19:11). Rabbi Yehoshua bar Neḥemya said: They were a miraculous creation; they were rolled up [niglalin]. They were crafted of sapphires, and they were scrolled. Rabbi Menaḥama said in the name of Rabbi Avun: They were hewn from the orb [migalgal] of the sun.
How were they inscribed? Five on this tablet and five on that tablet, as it is stated: “His hands are rods of gold,”⁶⁸Just as a person has two hands with five fingers on each, there were two tablets with five commandments on each. in accordance with the statement of Rabbi Ḥanina ben Gamliel: That is what is written: “He inscribed them on two tablets of stone” (Deuteronomy 4:13).⁶⁹Since there were ten commandments inscribed on two tablets, presumably there were five commandments on each. The Rabbis say: Ten on this tablet and ten on that tablet, as it is stated: “He told you His covenant that He commanded you [to perform], the Ten Commandments, and He inscribed them on two tablets of stone” (Deuteronomy 4:13).⁷⁰The Rabbis understand this verse to mean that the Ten Commandments were inscribed on each of the two tablets. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai said: Twenty on this tablet and twenty on that tablet, as it is stated: “He inscribed them on two tablets of stone” (Deuteronomy 5:19) – twenty on this tablet and twenty on that tablet.⁷¹Rabbi Shimon accepts the derivation of the Rabbis based on the verse in Deuteronomy 4:13, and since an additional verse (Deuteronomy 5:19) also states that God wrote ten commandments on the tablets, Rabbi Shimon derives that there were twenty commandments on each tablet. Rabbi Simai says: Forty on this tablet and forty on that tablet, as it is stated: “Tablets that were written on both their sides; from this side and from that side they were inscribed” (Exodus 32:15) – fourfold.

חֲנַנְיָה בֶּן אֲחִי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אָמַר בֵּין כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר, פָּרָשִׁיּוֹתֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה הָיוּ כְּתוּבִין. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כַּד הֲוָה פָּשֵׁיט קְרָיָה וַהֲוָה מָטֵי בְּדֵין פְּסוּקָא מְמֻלָּאִים בַּתַּרְשִׁישׁ, הֲוָה אָמַר יָפֶה לִמְּדַנִי בֶּן אֲחִי רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, מַה גַּלִּים הַלָּלוּ בֵּין גַּל גָּדוֹל לְגַל גָּדוֹל גַּלִּים קְטַנִּים, כָּךְ בֵּין כָּל דִּבּוּר וְדִבּוּר פָּרָשִׁיּוֹתֶיהָ וְדִקְדּוּקֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה הָיוּ כְּתוּבִים. מְמֻלָּאִים בַּתַּרְשִׁישׁ, זֶה הַתַּלְמוּד, שֶׁהוּא כַּיָּם הַגָּדוֹל, הֲדָא דְאַתְּ אָמַר (יונה א, ג): תַּרְשִׁישָׁה, הֲדָא מַה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (קהלת א, ז): כָּל הַנְּחָלִים הֹלְכִים אֶל הַיָּם. מֵעָיו עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן, זוֹ תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, מָה הַכָּרֵס הַזֶּה הַלֵּב מִכָּאן וְהַכְּרָעַיִם מִכָּאן וְהוּא בַּתָּוֶךְ, כָּךְ תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים, שְׁנֵי סְפָרִים מִכָּאן וּשְׁנַיִם מִכָּאן וְהוּא בָּאֶמְצַע. עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן, מַה עֶשֶׁת שֵׁן זֶה אַתְּ עוֹשֶׂה מִמֶּנָּהּ כַּמָּה יְתֵדוֹת, כַּמָּה רְמָחִים, כָּךְ תּוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים יֵשׁ בָּהּ כַּמָּה מִצְווֹת, כַּמָּה דִּקְדּוּקִין, כַּמָּה קַלִּים וַחֲמוּרִים, כַּמָּה פִּגּוּלִים, כַּמָּה נוֹתָרוֹת, כְּתוּבִים בְּתוֹרַת כֹּהֲנִים.

Ḥananya, the nephew of Rabbi Yehoshua, said: Between each commandment and [the next] commandment the portions and the details of the Torah were inscribed. Rabbi Yoḥanan, when he was explaining verses and would arrive at this verse: “Set with beryl,” would say: The nephew of Rabbi Yehoshua taught me well. Just as regarding waves [galim],⁷²This is expounded from the phrase “rods of [gelilei] gold.” between one large wave and another large wave there are small waves, so too, between each commandment and [the next] commandment, the portions and the details of the Torah were inscribed. “Set with beryl [tarshish]” – this is the Talmud, which is like the Great Sea, just as it says: “To Tarshish” (Jonah 1:3),⁷³Jonah attempted to flee to Tarshish, which was a significant sea voyage away. just as it says: “All the streams go to the sea” (Ecclesiastes 1:7).⁷⁴All the other disciplines of Torah flow into the sea of Talmud.
“His belly is a slab of ivory” – this is the book of Leviticus. Just as regarding the belly, the heart is on this side and the legs are on the other side and it is in the middle, so too the book of Leviticus, there are two [books] on this side and two on that side and it is in the middle. “A slab of ivory” – just as a slab of ivory, you can craft from it several pegs and javelins, so too the book of Leviticus contains several mitzvot, several details, several a fortiori inferences, several instances of pigul,⁷⁵Pigul refers to an offering disqualified by the fact that in the course of the four sacrificial rites one has the intent to sprinkle the blood or eat the flesh of the offering beyond its appointed time. and several instances of notar⁷⁶This is an offering that is left over after the appointed time for its consumption. written in the book of Leviticus.

מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים, מְעוֹלֶפֶת כֹּחָן שֶׁל בְּנֵי אָדָם, שֶׁהִיא קָשָׁה כַּסַּפִּיר הַזֶּה. רַבִּי יוּדָן וְרַבִּי פִּנְחָס, רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר אִי תֵימַר שֶׁהַסַּפִּיר הַזֶּה רַךְ הוּא, בּוֹא וּרְאֵה מַעֲשֶׂה שֶׁהָיָה בְּאָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁהֵבִיא סַפִּיר אֶחָד בְּרוֹמִי לְמָכְרוֹ, אָמַר הַלּוֹקֵחַ עַל מְנָת לִבְדֹּק אוֹתוֹ נַבְחִין אוֹתוֹ לִשְׁבֹּר מִמֶּנּוּ חֲתִיכָה קְטַנָּה, נְתָנוֹ עַל הַסַּדָּן, הִתְחִיל מַכֶּה עָלָיו בַּפַּטִּישׁ, נִבְקַע הַסַּדָּן וְנֶחְלַק הַפַּטִּישׁ וְהַסַּפִּיר בִּמְקוֹמוֹ וְלֹא חָסַר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר מַמָּל אִם נִתְעַלֵּף אָדָם בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה וַהֲלָכָה, סוֹף שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה בָּהֶם קֶסֶם. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין כָּל מִי שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה קֶסֶם בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, סוֹף שֶׁהוּא נַעֲשָׂה בָהֶם מֶלֶךְ, הֵיאַךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (משלי טז, י): קֶסֶם עַל שִׂפְתֵי מֶלֶךְ. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אֲתוֹי חַמָּרַיָּיא גַּבֵּי אֲבוּי לְמִזְבַּן עִבּוּר מִן קִרְיָיתָא הִמוֹנַיָא, יָתֵיב גַּבֵּי תַּנּוּרָא, אִמֵּיהּ נָסְחָא וְהוּא אָכֵיל, אִמֵּיהּ נָסְחָא וְהוּא אָכֵיל, עַד דַּאֲכֵיל כָּל אַצְוָותָא, אָמְרִין וַוי חֵיוָוא בִּישָׁא שָׁרְיָא בְּמֵיעָנֵי דְּהָדֵין, דּוֹמֶה שֶׁזֶּה מֵבִיא רְעָבוֹן לָעוֹלָם, שְׁמַע קָלְהוֹן, מִדִּנְפַקּוּן לְמִזְבַּן טֻעֲנֵיהוֹן, נְסַב חֲמָרֵיהוֹן וַאֲסִיקוֹן לְאִגְּרָא. אֲתוֹן תְּבַעוּן חֲמָרֵיהוֹן וְלֹא אַשְׁכְּחוּן יַתְהוֹן, תָּלוֹן עֵינֵיהוֹן וַחֲמוֹן יַתְהוֹן יְהִיבִין בְּאִגְרָא, אֲזִילוּ גַבֵּי אֲבוּי תְּנוֹן לֵיהּ עוֹבָדָא. אֲמַר לוֹן דִּלְמָא מִלָּה בִּישָׁא אַשְׁמַעְתּוּנֵיהּ, אָמְרִין לֵיהּ לָא מָרֵי אֶלָּא כֵּן וְכֵן הֲוָה עוֹבָדָא, אֲמַר לוֹן וְלָמָּה הִכְנַסְתֶּם בּוֹ עַיִן רָעָה וְצָרָה, אִיפְשָׁר דְּמִן דִּדְכוֹן הֲוָה אָכֵיל, אוֹ עֲלֵיכוֹן אִינוּן מְזוֹנוֹי, לָא, הַהוּא דְּבָרְיֵיהּ בְּרָא לֵיהּ מְזוֹנֵי, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן, אֲזִילוּ וְאִמְרוּן לֵיהּ מִן שְׁמִי וְהוּא מַחֵית לְכוֹן. הַנֵּס הָאַחֲרוֹן הָיָה קָשֶׁה מִן הָרִאשׁוֹן, מִן מַסְּקָן לְהוֹן הֲוָה מַסֵּיק לְהוֹן חַד חַד, מִן נָחֵית לְהוֹן הֲוָה מָחֵית לְהוֹן תְּרֵי תְּרֵי, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בַּתּוֹרָה, אֲפִלּוּ טַלִּיתוֹ לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים. בֶּן בַּיִת אֶחָד הָיָה לוֹ לְרַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל וְהָיָה לָמוּד לִהְיוֹת נוֹטֵל קֻפָּה שֶׁל אַרְבָּעִים סְאָה וּמוֹלִיכָהּ אֵצֶל הַנַּחְתּוֹם, אֲמַר לֵיהּ כָּל הָדֵין חֵילָא טָבָא אִית בָּךְ וְלֵית אַתְּ עָסֵיק בְּאוֹרַיְתָא, כֵּיוָן שֶׁנִּתְעַסֵּק בַּתּוֹרָה הִתְחִיל לִהְיוֹת נוֹטֵל שֶׁל שְׁלשִׁים, שֶׁל עֶשְׂרִים, שֶׁל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר, שֶׁל שְׁמוֹנָה סְאִים, כֵּיוָן דִּגְמַר סִפְרָא, אֲפִלּוּ קֻפָּה שֶׁל סְאָה לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל לִסְבֹּל, וְאִית דְּאַמְרֵי אֲפִלּוּ סַבְנֵיהּ לָא הֲוָה יָכוֹל לְמִסְבַּל, אֶלָּא אָחֳרָנִין מַעְבְּרִין לֵיהּ מֵעִלָּווֹי, דְּהוּא לֹא הָיָה יָכוֹל, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: מְעֻלֶּפֶת סַפִּירִים.

“Covered [me’ulefet] with sapphires” – it⁷⁷The Torah saps [me’olefet] the strength of people, as it is as hard as the sapphire. Rabbi Yudan and Rabbi Pinḥas: Rabbi Yudan said: If you say that the sapphire was soft, come and see an incident involving a certain person who brought a certain sapphire to Rome to sell it. The purchaser said: In order to assess it, we will test it by breaking a small piece from it. He placed it on the anvil and began striking it with a hammer. The anvil cracked and the hammer split, but the sapphire remained intact in its place. That is what is written: “Covered with sapphires.”
Rabbi Abba bar Mamal said: If a person weakens from [his exertion] in Torah and halakha, ultimately he becomes a magician through them.⁷⁸He arrives at clear solutions to seemingly intractable problems. The Rabbis say: Anyone who becomes a magician through the words of Torah, ultimately he will become king through them, just as it says: “There is magic on the lips of a king” (Proverbs 16:10).
Donkey drivers came to Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon’s father to purchase produce, from the city of Himonaya. He was sitting near the oven; his mother removed bread [from the oven] and he ate it, his mother removed bread [from the oven] and he ate it, until he ate all the loaves. They said: Alas, there is an evil snake in this one’s intestines, it appears that this one is bringing famine to the world. He heard their voices. When they left to purchase their loads, he took their donkeys and brought them up to the roof. They came and sought their donkeys but did not find them. They lifted their eyes and saw them placed on the roof. They went to his father and related the incident to him. He said to them: ‘Perhaps you said something offensive to him.’ They said to him: ‘No, sir, but rather, such and such was the incident.’ He said to them: ‘Why did you relate to him begrudgingly and negatively? Was he eating from your [food]; is his sustenance your responsibility? No, it is He who created him, who creates his sustenance. Nevertheless, go and tell him in my name [to return the donkeys], and he will take them down for you. The latter miracle was more difficult than the first. When he took them up, he took them up one at a time, but when he took them down he took them down two at a time. But once he [concluded] his Torah studies, he could not carry even his cloak, to realize what is stated: “Covered with sapphires.”⁷⁹Rabbi Elazar was so strong that he could carry donkeys down from the roof two at a time. But his exertion in his studies was so intense that when he finished he could not carry even his cloak. This demonstrates the previous statement of the midrash that Torah weakens a person, meaning that proper Torah study requires such exertion that the person will emerge exhausted.
There was a member of Rabban Gamliel’s household who was able to pick up a box containing forty se’a and take it to the baker.⁸⁰He would carry a box containing forty se’a of grain, a measurement of volume greater than thirty liters. [Rabban Gamliel] said to him: You have all this great strength and you do not engage in Torah study? Once he began engaging in Torah study, he began carrying thirty, twenty, twelve, eight se’a. When he finished the Sifra,⁸¹The Sifra is the compendium of halakhic midrash on Leviticus, and finishing it was a significant achievement. he could not carry even a box containing one se’a. Some say, he was unable to carry even the scarf with which he wrapped his head. Rather, others would remove it from upon him, as he was unable to do so, to realize what is stated: “Covered with sapphires.”

שׁוֹקָיו עַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ, שׁוֹקָיו זֶה הָעוֹלָם, עַמּוּדֵי שֵׁשׁ, שֶׁהוּא מְיֻסָּד לְשִׁשָּׁה יָמִים, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לא, יז): כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה' וגו'. מְיֻסָּדִים עַל אַדְנֵי פָז, אֵלּוּ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹתֶיהָ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנִּדְרָשׁוֹת לִפְנֵיהֶם וּלְאַחֲרֵיהֶם, וּלְמָה הֵם דּוֹמוֹת לְעַמּוּד זֶה שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בָּסִיס מִלְּמַטָּן וְקִיפְלוֹרוֹסִים מִלְּמַעְלָן, כָּךְ פָּרָשִׁיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה נִדְרָשׁוֹת לִפְנֵיהֶם וּלְאַחֲרֵיהֶם. לִפְנֵיהֶם מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט, כ): וְאִישׁ כִּי יִשְׁכַּב אֶת אִשָּׁה שִׁכְבַת זֶרַע, מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: וְכִי תָבֹאוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ וּנְטַעְתֶּם כָּל עֵץ מַאֲכָל, וְכִי מָה עִנְיָן זֶה לָזֶה, אֶלָּא מִשֶּׁהוּא מְנַכֵּישׁ הוּא אָזֵיל וּמִתְעֲבֵיד בַּרְבֵּיי, מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהוּא נִכְנַס וְיוֹצֵא לְתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ הוּא נֶחְשַׁד עַל שִׁפְחָתוֹ, אָמַר לֹא חַטָּאת אֲנִי חַיָּב וְלֹא אָשָׁם אֲנִי חַיָּב, חַטָּאת אֲנִי מֵבִיא אָשָׁם אֲנִי מֵבִיא. רַבִּי יוּדָן אָמַר בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אֵלּוּ שֶׁנּוֹהֲגִין הֶתֵּר בַּשְּׁפָחוֹת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, עֲתִידִים הֵן לְהִתָּלוֹת בְּקָדְקָדֵי רָאשֵׁיהֶן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים סח, כב): אַךְ אֱלֹהִים יִמְחַץ רֹאשׁ אֹיְבָיו קָדְקֹד שֵׂעָר מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲשָׁמָיו, מַהוּ מִתְהַלֵּךְ בַּאֲשָׁמָיו, עִמֵּיהּ חוֹבוֹי, אָמַר יֵזִיל הַאי גַבְרָא בְּחוֹבוֹי. וְנִדְרָשׁוֹת לְאַחֲרֵיהֶן כֵּיצַד, דִּכְתִיב (ויקרא יט, כג): שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים יִהְיֶה לָכֶם עֲרֵלִים לֹא יֵאָכֵל, מַה כְּתִיב בַּתְרֵיהּ: לֹא תֹאכְלוּ עַל הַדָּם לֹא תְנַחֲשׁוּ וגו', אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְעָרְלָה אַתָּה מַמְתִּין שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים, וּלְאִשְׁתְּךָ אִי אַתָּה מַמְתִּין עַד שֶׁהִיא מִטַּהֶרֶת מִנִּדָּתָהּ. לְעָרְלָה אַתָּה מַמְתִּין שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים, וְלִבְהֶמְתְּךָ אִי אַתָּה מַמְתִּין שֶׁיִּתְמַצֶּה דָּמָהּ. וּמִי קִיֵּם מִצְוַת הַדָּם, שָׁאוּל הִתְחִיל לְקַיֵּם מִצְוַת הַדָּם, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שמואל א יד, לג): וַיַּגִּידוּ לְשָׁאוּל לֵאמֹר הִנֵּה הָעָם חֹטִאים לַה' לֶאֱכֹל עַל הַדָּם (שמואל א יד, לג): וַיֹּאמֶר שָׁאוּל פֻּצוּ בָעָם וַאֲמַרְתֶּם לָהֶם הַגִּישׁוּ אֵלַי אִישׁ שׁוֹרוֹ וְאִישׁ שְׂיֵהוּ וּשְׁחַטְתֶּם בָּזֶה וַאֲכַלְתֶּם, מַהוּ בָּזֶה, רַבָּנָן אָמְרִין סַכִּין בַּר אַרְבַּע עֶשְׂרֵה הֶרְאָה לָהֶם, הַבֵּי"ת תַּרְתֵּי, זיי"ן שִׁבְעָה, ה"א חֲמִשָּׁה, הֲרֵי אַרְבָּעָה עָשָׂר. אָמַר לָהֶם כַּסֵּדֶר הַזֶּה הֱיוּ שׁוֹחֲטִין וְאוֹכְלִים, וְאֵימָתַי פְּרָעוֹ לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בְּמִלְחֶמֶת פְּלִשְׁתִּים, דִּכְתִיב (שמואל א יג, כב): וְהָיָה בְּיוֹם מִלְחֶמֶת וְלֹא נִמְצָא חֶרֶב וַחֲנִית בְּיַד כָּל הָעָם אֲשֶׁר אֶת שָׁאוּל וְאֶת יוֹנָתָן וַתִּמָּצֵא לְשָׁאוּל, וגו', וְלֹא נִמְצָא, וְאַתְּ אֲמַרְתְּ וַתִּמָּצֵא, וּמִי הִמְצִיאָהּ לוֹ, רַבִּי חַגַּי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִצְחָק מַלְאָךְ הִמְצִיאָהּ לוֹ, וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הִמְצִיאָהּ לוֹ. כְּתִיב (שמואל א יד, לה): וַיִּבֶן שָׁאוּל מִזְבֵּחַ לַה' אֹתוֹ הֵחֵל לִבְנוֹת וגו', וְכַמָּה מִזְבְּחוֹת בָּנוּ רִאשׁוֹנִים, נֹחַ בָּנָה מִזְבֵּחַ, אַבְרָהָם בָּנָה מִזְבֵּחַ, יִצְחָק בָּנָה מִזְבֵּחַ, יַעֲקֹב בָּנָה מִזְבֵּחַ, משֶׁה בָּנָה מִזְבֵּחַ, יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בָּנָה מִזְבֵּחַ, וְאַתְּ אֲמַר אֹתוֹ הֵחֵל לִבְנוֹת, אֶלָּא אוֹתוֹ הֵחֵל לִהְיוֹת רֹאשׁ לַמְּלָכִים, אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן לְפִי שֶׁנָּתַן נַפְשׁוֹ עַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה, הֶעֱלָה עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב כְּאִלּוּ אוֹתוֹ הֵחֵל לִבְנוֹת מִזְבֵּחַ לַה'.

“His calves are pillars of marble, set on sockets of fine gold; his appearance is like Lebanon, choice like cedars” (Song of Songs 5:15).
“His calves are pillars of marble”; “his calves” – this is the world; “pillars of marble [shesh]” – as it was established in six [shisha] days, as it is written: “For in six days the Lord made…” (Exodus 31:17). “Set on sockets of fine gold” – these are the portions of the Torah that are expounded with what precedes them and are expounded with what follows them. To what are they comparable? To a pillar that has a base beneath it and a capital above it. So too, the portions of the Torah are expounded with what precedes them and what follows them. From where [is it derived that they are expounded with] what precedes them? As it is stated: “If a man lies carnally with a woman” (Leviticus 19:20).⁸²This is written in the context of a maidservant who has been designated for a Hebrew slave. What is written thereafter? “When you will come into the land and plant any food tree [you shall consider its fruit forbidden; three years it shall be forbidden for you, it shall not be eaten]” (Leviticus 19:23). What does one have to do with the next? Rather, when [a laborer] hoes he gradually becomes a member of the household, and because he enters and exits [the homeowner’s] house, he becomes suspected regarding his maidservant. He says: Am I not liable to bring a sin offering, am I not liable to bring a guilt offering? I will bring a sin offering, I will bring a guilt offering.⁸³The laborer downplays the significance of his sin with the maidservant. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Levi: Those who practice leniency regarding maidservants in this world are destined to be hung by the crowns of their heads in the future. That is what is written: “Indeed, God will crush the heads of His enemies, hairy skulls of those walking in their guilt” (Psalms 68:22). What is “walking in their guilt”? His liability is with him. [People] say: Let this man go in his liability.⁸⁴People will realize that the individual will die without atonement for the sins that he downplayed during his life. This is alluded to by the fact that the verse prohibiting fruit in the first three years of a tree’s life is preceded by the verse requiring a guilt offering for one who has relations with a designated maidservant. Just as it is prohibited to benefit from the fruit, it is prohibited to have relations with the maidservant with the intention of bringing the guilt offering.
They are expounded with what follows them; how so? As it is written: “Three years it shall be forbidden for you, it shall not be eaten” (Leviticus 19:23). What is written thereafter? “You shall not eat over the blood; you shall not practice divination…” (Leviticus 19:26). The Holy One blessed be He said: For orla you wait three years, but for your wife, you do not wait until she purifies from her menstruation? For orla you wait three years, but for your animal, you do not wait until its blood is completely squeezed out?⁸⁵The midrash interprets the phrase “you shall not eat over the blood” as alluding to the prohibition of having relations with a woman who has not been purified from her menstruation (see Etz Yosef), and to the prohibition of eating meat if the blood of the animal was not fully drained. Thus, the midrash derives from the juxtaposition of the verses that just as one waits for the fruit of the fourth year, he must wait in order to avoid these prohibitions, despite the fact that people might be less inclined to wait for them (see Etz Yosef; Midrash HaMevo’ar).
Who upheld the mitzva of blood? Saul began to uphold the mitzva of blood.⁸⁶Saul brought the people to observe the mitzva. That is what is written: “They told Saul, saying: Behold, the people are sinning to the Lord by eating with the blood” (I Samuel 14:33). “Saul said: Spread out among the people and say to them: Let each man bring to me his ox and each man his sheep, and you shall slaughter here [bazeh] and eat” (I Samuel 14:34). What is bazeh? The Rabbis say: He showed them a knife fourteen fingerbreadths long: bet – two, zayin – seven, heh – five; that is fourteen. He said to them: Slaughter and eat in accordance with this protocol.
When did the Holy One blessed be He reward him? In the Philistine war, as it is written: “It was on the day of war that there was not to be found sword or spear in the possession of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan; but they could be found with Saul…” (I Samuel 13:22). “It was not found,” and you say: “It was found”? Who provided it to him? Rabbi Ḥagai [said] in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak: An angel provided it for him. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He provided it for him.
It is written: “Saul built an altar to the Lord; he was the first to begin building [altars to the Lord]” (I Samuel 14:35). The members of the early generations built numerous altars: Noah built an altar, Abraham built an altar, Isaac built an altar, Jacob built an altar, Moses built an altar, Joshua built an altar, and you say “he was the first to begin building [altars]”? Rather, he was the first of the kings to do so. Rabbi Yudan said: Because he devoted himself to this matter,⁸⁷He ensured that the people observed the laws of ritual slaughter. the verse ascribes to him as though he were the first to build an altar to the Lord.

רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בְּרַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר לָקוֹנְיָא לְפִי שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה אָדָם בּוֹנֶה בִּנְיָן וְאַחֵר מְכַלֶּה אוֹתוֹ. אָדָם נוֹטֵעַ נְטִיעָה, וְאַחֵר יֹאכַל אוֹתָהּ. אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא מַה כְּתִיב (ישעיה סה, כב): לֹא יִבְנוּ וְאַחֵר יֵשֵׁב לֹא יִטְּעוּ וְאַחֵר יֹאכַל וגו' לֹא יִגְעוּ לָרִיק וְלֹא יֵלְדוּ לַבֶּהָלָה כִּי זֶרַע בְּרוּכֵי ה' הֵמָּה וגו', (ישעיה סא, ט): וְנוֹדַע בַּגּוֹיִם זַרְעָם וְצֶאֱצָאֵיהֶם בְּתוֹךְ הָעַמִּים כָּל רֹאֵיהֶם יַכִּירוּם כִּי הֵם זֶרַע בֵּרֵךְ ה'.

Rabbi Shimon ben Rabbi Yosei bar Lakoneya [said]: In this world one person builds a building and another demolishes it, one person plants a sapling and another eats from it. However in the future, what is written? “They will not build and have another inhabit, they will not plant and have another eat.… they will not exert themselves in vain, and they will not give birth to panic; for they are the descendants of the blessed of the Lord…” (Isaiah 65:22–23). “Their descendants will be known among the nations and their offspring among the peoples; all who see them will recognize them, for they are the descendants of the blessed of the Lord” (Isaiah 61:9).

חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים, כְּתִיב (עמוס ה, ד): כִּי כֹה אָמַר ה' לְבֵית יִשְׂרָאֵל דִּרְשׁוּנִי וִחְיוּ, יֵשׁ לְךָ חֵךְ גָּדוֹל מָתוֹק מִזֶּה, כְּתִיב (יחזקאל לג, יא): חַי אָנִי נְאֻם ה' אֱלֹהִים אִם אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הָרָשָׁע וגו', יֵשׁ לְךָ חֵךְ גָּדוֹל מָתוֹק מִזֶּה. (יחזקאל יח, לב): כִּי לֹא אֶחְפֹּץ בְּמוֹת הַמֵּת נְאֻם ה' אֱלֹהִים וְהָשִׁיבוּ וִחְיוּ, יֵשׁ לְךָ חֵךְ גָּדוֹל מָתוֹק מִזֶּה. (יחזקאל יח, כז): וּבְשׁוּב רָשָׁע מֵרִשְׁעָתוֹ וַיַּעַשׂ מִשְׁפָּט וּצְדָקָה הוּא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ יְחַיֶּה, יֵשׁ לְךָ חֵךְ גָּדוֹל מָתוֹק מִזֶּה. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ וּבִלְבַד בְּתוֹהֶה עַל הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת, הָא כֵיצַד, תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי הֲרֵי שֶׁהָיָה אָדָם רָשָׁע גָּמוּר כָּל יָמָיו וּבַסּוֹף נַעֲשָׂה צַדִּיק גָּמוּר, עָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר (יחזקאל לג, יב): וְרִשְׁעַת הָרָשָׁע לֹא יִכָּשֶׁל בָּהּ בְּיוֹם שׁוּבוֹ מֵרִשְׁעוֹ וגו'. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּל עֲבֵרוֹת שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹנֶה אוֹתָן לוֹ זְכוּת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים מה, ט): מֹר וַאֲהָלוֹת קְצִיעוֹת כָּל בִּגְדֹתֶיךָ, כָּל הַבְּגִידוֹת שֶׁבָּגַדְתָּ בִּי, הֲרֵי הֵן כְּמוֹר וַאֲהָלוֹת לְפָנַי. תָּנֵי בֶּן כַּמָּה שָׁנִים הִכִּיר אַבְרָהָם אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא וְרַבִּי יוֹחָנָן תַּרְוֵיהוֹן אָמְרִין בֶּן אַרְבָּעִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה שָׁנָה הִכִּיר אַבְרָהָם אֶת בּוֹרְאוֹ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ אָמַר בֶּן שָׁלשׁ שָׁנִים הָיָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כו, ה): עֵקֶב אֲשֶׁר שָׁמַע אַבְרָהָם בְּקֹלִי, מִנְיַן עֵקֶב. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי כַּד אֲתָא מִיתְלֵי עִקְבָא מִן אַרְעָא.

“His palate is sweet and all of him is delightful. This is my beloved, and this is my companion, daughters of Jerusalem” (Song of Songs 5:16).
“His palate is sweet” – it is written: “For so said the Lord to the house of Israel: Seek Me and live” (Amos 5:4). Is there a palate that is greater and sweeter than that?⁸⁸Is there any statement sweeter than this statement by God? It is written: “As I live – the utterance of the Lord God – I do not desire the death of the wicked, [but that the wicked repent from his way and live]” (Ezekiel 33:11). Is there a palate that is greater and sweeter than that? “For I do not desire the death of the one who dies, the utterance of the Lord God; facilitate repentance and live” (Ezekiel 18:32). Is there a palate that is greater and sweeter than that? “If the wicked man turns away from his wickedness [that he did] and performs justice and righteousness, he will cause his soul to live” (Ezekiel 18:27). Is there a palate that is greater and sweeter than that?
Reish Lakish said: This is only if one has remorse for his previous actions. How so? Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: If there was a person who was completely wicked all his days and ultimately he became completely righteous, in his regard the verse states: “The wickedness of the wicked person, he will not stumble over it on the day of his repentance from his wickedness…” (Ezekiel 33:12). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Moreover, all the transgressions that he performed, the Holy One blessed be He tallies them for him as merits. That is what is written: “Myrrh, aloe, and cassia were on all your garments [bigdotekha]” (Psalms 45:9). All the betrayals [begidot] that you betrayed Me, they are like myrrh and aloe before Me.
It is taught: How old was Abraham when he recognized his Creator? Rabbi Ḥanina and Rabbi Yoḥanan both say: At the age of forty-eight Abraham recognized his Creator. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: He was three years old, as it is stated: “Because [ekev] Abraham heeded My voice” (Genesis 26:5) – the numerical value of ekev.⁸⁹Ayin – 70, kof –100, bet – 2 = 172. He died at the age of one hundred and seventy-five and heeded God’s voice for one hundred and seventy-two of them. Thus, he recognized God at the age of three. Rabbi Levi said: When he was able to lift his heel [ikva] off the ground.

אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, בִּשְׁלשָׁה מְקוֹמוֹת נִתְוַכֵּחַ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עִם יִשְׂרָאֵל וְשָׂמְחוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שִׂמְחָה גְדוֹלָה, וּלְבַסּוֹף יָצְאוּ בְּבשֶׁת פָּנִים, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר לָהֶם הַנָּבִיא (ישעיה א, יח): לְכוּ נָא וְנִוָּכְחָה יֹאמַר ה', שָׂמְחוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, אָמְרוּ הֵיאַךְ יְכוֹלִין לְהִתְוַכֵּחַ עִם בּוֹרְאָן, וּמִי יוּכַל לְוַכֵּחַ עִם בּוֹרְאוֹ, עַכְשָׁו הוּא מְכַלֶּה אוֹתָם מִן הָעוֹלָם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שְׂמֵחִים, הֲפָכָהּ לָהֶם לְטוֹבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה א, ח): אִם יִהְיוּ חֲטָאֵיכֶם כַּשָּׁנִים כַּשֶּׁלֶג יַלְבִּינוּ אִם יַאְדִּימוּ כַתּוֹלָע כַּצֶּמֶר יִהְיוּ, תָּמְהוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם וְאָמְרוּ זוֹ תְּשׁוּבָה וְזוֹ תּוֹכֵחָה, אֶלָּא לָא אֲתָא אֶלָּא לְהִתְפּוֹגְגָה עִם בְּנוֹי. בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (מיכה ו, ב): שִׁמְעוּ הָרִים אֶת רִיב ה' וְהָאֵתָנִים מֹסְדֵי אָרֶץ וגו' וְעִם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִתְוַכָּח, שָׂמְחוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, אָמְרוּ הֵיאַךְ הֵן יְכוֹלִין לְהִתְוַכֵּחַ עִם בּוֹרְאָן, וּמִי יוּכַל לְוַכֵּחַ עִם בּוֹרְאוֹ, עַכְשָׁו הוּא מְכַלֶּה אוֹתָם מִן הָעוֹלָם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שִׂמְחָתָן שֶׁל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, הֲפָכָהּ לָהֶם לְטוֹבָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (מיכה ו, ג): עַמִּי מֶה עָשִׂיתִי לְךָ וּמָה הֶלְאֵתִיךָ עֲנֵה בִּי, (מיכה ו, ה): עַמִּי זְכָר נָא מַה יָּעַץ וגו', תָּמְהוּ הָאֻמּוֹת וְאָמְרוּ הֵיאַךְ הוּא זֶה לָא אֲתָא אֶלָּא לְהִתְפּוֹגְגָה עִם בְּנוֹי. וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁאָמַר הַנָּבִיא (הושע יב, ג): וְרִיב לַה' עִם יְהוּדָה וְלִפְקֹד עַל יַעֲקֹב וגו' שָׂמְחוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, אָמְרוּ הֵיאַךְ הֵן יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמֹד בִּפְנֵי בּוֹרְאָן, וּמִי יָכוֹל לָרִיב עִם בּוֹרְאוֹ, עַכְשָׁו הוּא מְכַלֶּה אוֹתָם מִן הָעוֹלָם, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שִׂמְחָתָן שֶׁל אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, הָפַךְ לָהֶם לְטוֹבָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע יב, ג): בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת אָחִיו וגו'. אָמַר רַבִּי יוּדָן לְאִשָּׁה אַלְמָנָה שֶׁהָיְתָה קוֹבֶלֶת עַל בְּנָהּ לַדַּיָּן, כֵּיוָן דְּחָמְאָה דַּיָּינָא דְּהוּא דָּאִין בְּנוּר וּבְזֶפֶת בְּדִינִין וּמַגְלְבִין, אָמְרָה אִין אֲנָא מוֹדַע לֵיהּ לְדַיָּינָא סוּרְחָנִין דִּבְרִי קָטֵיל לֵיהּ, כֵּיוָן דְּאַחְסַל אֲמַר לָהּ אַיְינוֹי בְּרִיךְ, אֲמַר לָהּ מַה סְּרַח עֲלָיךְ הָדֵין בְּרִיךְ, אֲמַרָה לֵיהּ מָרִי כַּד הֲוָה בְּמֵעַיי הֲוָה בָּעֵט בִּי, אֲמַר לָהּ לָאו דִּינָא הוּא, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: בַּבֶּטֶן עָקַב אֶת אָחִיו. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר רַבִּי סִימוֹן אָמַר אֱלוֹהוֹ שֶׁל יַעֲקֹב אָבִינוּ חָלַק לוֹ כָּבוֹד.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: On three occasions, the Holy One blessed be He entered into a dispute [nitvake’aḥ] with Israel, and the nations of the world rejoiced with great joy but ultimately departed shamefacedly. When the prophet said to them: “Let us go now and reason together [venivakheḥa], says the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18) – the nations of the world rejoiced and said: How can they enter into a dispute with their Creator? Who can enter into a dispute with his Creator? Now He will eliminate them from the world. When the Holy One blessed be He saw that the nations of the world were joyful, he transformed it for [Israel] into good, as it is stated: “If your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:8). The nations of the world were astounded and said: Is that a response, is that rebuke; rather, He came only to amuse Himself with His children.
When the Holy One blessed be He said: “Hear, mountains, the Lord’s quarrel, and the strong foundations of the earth, [the Lord has a quarrel with His people,] and with Israel He will contend” (Micah 6:2), the nations of the world rejoiced and said: How can they enter into a dispute with their Creator? Who can enter into a dispute with his Creator? Now He will eliminate them from the world. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the joy of the nations of the world, he transformed it for them into good. That is what is written: “My people, what did I do to you and how did I tire you? Testify against Me” (Micah 6:3). “My people, remember now what [Balak king of Moav] counseled” (Micah 6:5) – the nations of the world were astounded and said: How can this be; He came only to amuse Himself with His children.
When the prophet said: “The Lord has a quarrel with Judah and will reckon with Jacob” (Hosea 12:3), the nations of the world rejoiced and said: How can they stand before their Creator? Who can enter into a dispute with his Creator? Now He will eliminate them from the world. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the joy of the nations of the world, he transformed it for them into good, as it is stated: “In the womb he was at his brother’s heels, [and in his strength he strove with God]” (Hosea 12:4).
Rabbi Yudan said: This is analogous to a widowed woman who was complaining about her son to a judge. Once she saw that the judge sentences people with fire and tar, with punishments and rods, she said: If I inform the judge of my son’s misdeeds, he will kill him. When the previous trial ended, he said to her: ‘Is this your son?’ He said to her: ‘How did this son of yours mistreat you?’ She said to him: ‘Sir, when he was in my womb he kicked me.’ He said to her: ‘This is not [cause for] a trial.’ That is what is written: “In the womb he was at his brother’s heels” (Hosea 12:4). Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Simon said: The God of Jacob our patriarch accorded him honor.⁹⁰The conclusion of the verse in Hosea is: “And in his strength he strove [sara] with God.” Rabbi Shimon interprets the word sara as related to serara, authority, and asserts that God accorded Jacob honor by granting him authority.

חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים, רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה וְרַבִּי אַחָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמְרוּ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁשָּׁמְעוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּסִינַי אָנֹכִי, פָּרְחָה נִשְׁמָתָן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים ה, כב): אִם יֹסְפִים אֲנַחְנוּ לִשְׁמֹעַ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ה, ו): נַפְשִׁי יָצְאָה בְדַבְּרוֹ, חָזַר הַדִּבּוּר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אַתָּה חַי וְקַיָּם וְתוֹרָתְךָ חַיָּה וְקַיֶּמֶת וּשְׁלַחְתַּנִי אֵצֶל מֵתִים, כֻּלָּם מֵתִים, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה חָזַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהִמְתִּיק לָהֶם אֶת הַדִּבּוּר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים כט, ד): קוֹל ה' בַּכֹּחַ קוֹל ה' בֶּהָדָר, אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, קוֹל ה' בַּכֹּחַ לְבַחוּרִים, קוֹל ה' בֶּהָדָר לִתְשִׁישִׁין. תָּנֵי רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי תּוֹרָה שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל הֶחֱזִירָה לָהֶם נַפְשׁוֹתֵיהֶן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים יט, ח): תּוֹרַת ה' תְּמִימָה מְשִׁיבַת נָפֶשׁ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁדִּבֵּר כְּנֶגֶד בְּנוֹ, וְנִתְיָרֵא וְנִשְׁמְטָה נַפְשׁוֹ מִמֶּנּוּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַמֶּלֶךְ כָּךְ שֶׁנִּשְׁמְטָה נַפְשׁוֹ, הִתְחִיל מְגַפֵּף וּמְנַשֵּׁק אוֹתוֹ וּמְפַתֵּהוּ וְאוֹמֵר לוֹ, מַה לְּךָ לֹא בְּנִי יְחִידִי אַתָּה, לֹא אֲנִי אָבִיךָ. כָּךְ כְּשֶׁדִּבֵּר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, מִיָּד פָּרְחָה נִשְׁמָתָן, כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּתוּ הִתְחִילוּ הַמַּלְאָכִים מְגַפְּפִין וּמְנַשְּׁקִין אוֹתָם וְאוֹמְרִין לָהֶם מַה לָּכֶם, אַל תִּירָאוּ, (דברים יד, א): בָּנִים אַתֶּם לַה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַמְתִּיק בְּחִכּוֹ הַדִּבּוּר וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם לֹא בָּנַי אַתֶּם, אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, עַמִּי אַתֶּם, חֲבִיבִין אַתֶּם לְפָנַי, וְהִתְחִיל מְפַתֶּה אוֹתָן עַד שֶׁחָזְרָה נִשְׁמָתָן וְהִתְחִילוּ מְבַקְּשִׁין מִלְּפָנָיו, הֱוֵי: חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים. הִתְחִילָה הַתּוֹרָה מְבַקֶּשֶׁת רַחֲמִים עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמְרָה לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם יֵשׁ מֶלֶךְ מַשִֹּׂיא בִּתּוֹ וְהוֹרֵג אֶת בֶּן בֵּיתוֹ, כָּל הָעוֹלָם כֻּלּוֹ שָׂמֵחַ בִּשְׁבִילִי וּבָנֶיךָ מֵתִים, מִיָּד חָזְרָה נִשְׁמָתָן, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (תהלים יט, ח): תּוֹרַת ה' תְּמִימָה מְשִׁיבַת נָפֶשׁ.

“His palate is sweet” – Rabbi Azarya and Rabbi Aḥa said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: When Israel heard at Sinai: “I am [the Lord your God]” (Exodus 20:2), their souls departed. That is what is written: “If we continue to hear [the voice of the Lord our God we shall die]” (Deuteronomy 5:22). That is what is written: “My soul departed when he spoke” (Song of Songs 5:6). The spoken word returned before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe: You are alive and enduring, and Your Torah is alive and enduring, and You send me to the dead? They are all dead.’ At that moment, the Holy One blessed be He then sweetened the spoken word for them. That is what is written: “The voice of the Lord is mighty; the voice of the Lord is majestic” (Psalms 29:4). Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: “The voice of the Lord is mighty” – for the lads; “the voice of the Lord is majestic” – for the elderly. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai taught: The Torah that the Holy One blessed be He sent to Israel restored their souls to them. That is what is written: “The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul” (Psalms 19:8).
Another matter: “His palate is sweet” – [this is analogous] to a king who spoke harshly to his son, and [the son] was afraid and he fainted. When the king saw that he had fainted, he began embracing and kissing him, appeasing him, and saying to him: ‘What is it with you, are you not my only son and am I not your father?’ So too, when the Holy One blessed be He said: “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2), their souls immediately departed. When they died, the angels began embracing and kissing them, and saying to them: ‘What is it with you? Fear not, “you are children to the Lord your God”’ (Deuteronomy 14:1), and the Holy One blessed be He sweetened the speech on His palate and said to them: ‘Are you not My children? “I am the Lord your God.” You are My people, you are beloved to Me.’ He began appeasing them until their souls were restored and they began requesting of Him.⁹¹They began requesting that He not speak with them directly any longer. That is: “His palate is sweet.” The Torah began requesting mercy for Israel from the Holy One blessed be He. It said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, is there any king who marries off his daughter and kills a member of his household? The whole world in its entirety is joyful for me, and your children are dying?’ Immediately, their souls were restored. That is what is written: “The Torah of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul” (Psalms 19:8).

רַבִּי אַחָא וְרַבִּי תַּנְחוּם בַּר רַבִּי חִיָּא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן (יחזקאל כ, כ): וְאֶת שַׁבְּתוֹתַי קַדֵּשׁוּ, בַּמֶּה אַתְּ מְקַדְּשׁוֹ, קַדְּשֵׁהוּ בְּמַאֲכָל וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה וּבִכְסוּת נְקִיָּה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לא, יג): כִּי אוֹת הִיא בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם לָדַעַת כִּי אֲנִי ה' וגו', אֲנִי ה' נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם שָׂכָר טוֹב לָכֶם. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה מְלָאכָה עִם בַּעַל הַבַּיִת וְעַל יְדֵי שֶׁהוּא מְנַבֵּל אֶת עַצְמוֹ בְּטִיט הוּא נוֹתֵן לוֹ שְׂכָרוֹ, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן, אֶלָּא מַזְהִיר לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם אַל תְּנַבְּלוּ עַצְמְכֶם בְּדָבָר רָע וַאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָכֶם שָׂכָר טוֹב, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ויקרא יא, מג): אַל תְּשַׁקְּצוּ אֶת נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶם, (ויקרא יט, כח): וְשֶׂרֶט לָנֶפֶשׁ לֹא תִּתְּנוּ בִּבְשַׂרְכֶם וגו' אֲנִי ה'. אֲנִי ה' נֶאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם לָכֶם שָׂכָר טוֹב לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Rabbi Aḥa and Rabbi Tanḥum bar Rabbi Ḥiyya [said] in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: “Sanctify my Sabbaths” (Ezekiel 20:20) – in what way do you sanctify it? Sanctify it with food, with drink, and with clean garments, as it is written: “For it is a sign between Me and you, to know that I am the Lord…” (Exodus 31:13). “I am the Lord” – reliable to pay you a good reward.
Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: In the way of the world, a person performs labor with his employer, and because he sullies himself with mortar, [his employer] gives him his wages. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not so; rather, He says to Israel: ‘Do not sully yourselves with anything bad, and I will give you a good reward.’ That is what is written: “Do not make yourselves detestable” (Leviticus 11:43); “You shall not make a cut in your flesh for the dead…I am the Lord” (Leviticus 19:28). “I am the Lord” – reliable to pay you a good reward in the World to Come.

רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא וְרַבִּי בְּרֶכְיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ כְּתִיב (ויקרא כ, כו): וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים וגו', אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר וָאַבְדִּיל אֶת הָעַמִּים מִכֶּם, לֹא הָיְתָה תְּקוּמָה לְשׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים, כָּזֶה שֶׁהוּא מְבָרֵר הָרָעָה מֵהַיָּפֶה שׁוּב אֵינוֹ חוֹזֵר וּמְבָרֵר, אֲבָל הַמְבָרֵר הַיָּפֶה מִן הָרָעָה, שׁוּב חוֹזֵר וּמְבָרֵר. כָּךְ אִלּוּ נֶאֱמַר וָאַבְדִּיל אֶת הָעַמִּים מִכֶּם, לֹא הָיְתָה תְּקוּמָה לְשׂוֹנְאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶלָּא נֶאֱמַר וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים לִהְיוֹת לִי לִשְׁמִי לְעוֹלָם. אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא מִכָּאן שֶׁאָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ תְּשׁוּבָה וִיקָרְבֵם תַּחַת כְּנָפָיו. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי, כָּל מַעֲשֵׂיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל מְשֻׁנִּין מֵאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם, בַּחֲרִישָׁתָן, בִּזְרִיעָתָן, בִּנְטִיעָתָן, בִּקְצִירָתָן, בְּעִמּוּרָן, בְּדִישָׁן, בְּגָרְנֵיהֶן, בְּיִקְבֵיהֶן, בְּגַגּוֹתֵיהֶן, בִּבְכוֹרוֹתֵיהֶן, בִּבְשָׂרָן, בְּתִגְלַחְתָּן, בְּמִנְיָנָן. בַּחֲרִישָׁתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב, י): לֹא תַחֲרשׁ בְּשׁוֹר וּבַחֲמֹר. בִּזְרִיעָתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב, ט): לֹא תִזְרַע כַּרְמְךָ כִּלְאָיִם. בִּנְטִיעָתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט, כג): וַעֲרַלְתֶּם עָרְלָתוֹ אֶת פִּרְיוֹ. בִּקְצִירָתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט, ט): וּבְקֻצְרְכֶם אֶת קְצִיר אַרְצְכֶם. בְּעִמּוּרָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כד, יט): וְשָׁכַחְתָּ עֹמֶר בַּשָֹּׂדֶה. בְּדִישָׁן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כה, ד): לֹא תַחְסֹם שׁוֹר בְּדִישׁוֹ. בְּגָרְנֵיהֶם בְּיִקְבֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כב, כח): מְלֵאָתְךָ וְדִמְעֲךָ לֹא תְאַחֵר, וּכְתִיב (במדבר יח, ל): כִּתְבוּאַת גֹּרֶן וְכִתְבוּאַת יָקֶב. בְּגַגּוֹתֵיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כב, ח): וְעָשִׂיתָ מַּעֲקֶה לְגַגֶּךָ. בְּתִגְלַחְתֵּיהֶן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יט, כז): וְלֹא תַשְׁחִית אֵת פְּאַת זְקָנֶךָ. בְּמִנְיָנָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ל, יב): כִּי תִשָֹּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וגו'. יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹנִין לַלְּבָנָה וְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם לַחַמָּה.

Rabbi Yudan [said] in the name of Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina, and Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Abbahu: It is written: “I have separated you from the peoples…” (Leviticus 20:26) – had it been stated: “I have separated the peoples from you,” there would not have been any revival for the enemies of Israel.⁹²It would have been impossible for members of other nations to convert to Judaism. Rather, “I have separated you from the peoples” – for one who separates the bad from the good, does not return to separate again;⁹³If one separates undesirable material from a mixture, he does not have to do so again, because he never returns that undesirable material to the mixture. however, one who separates the good from the bad, he must again separate.⁹⁴If one separates desirable material from a mixture, he may later separate more of the desirable material from the mixture. So too, had it been stated: “I have separated the peoples from you,” there would not have been any revival for the enemies of Israel. Rather, it is stated: “I have separated you from the peoples” – to be for Me, for My name forever. Rabbi Aḥa said: From here [it may be demonstrated] that the Holy One blessed be He said to the nations of the world that they should repent and He would bring them near, under His wings.
Rabbi Levi said: All the actions of Israel are different from the nations of the world, in their plowing, in their sowing, in their planting, in their reaping, in their gathering, in their threshing, on their threshing floors and in their winepresses, on their roofs, regarding their firstborn, regarding their flesh, in their shaving, and in their counting. In their plowing, as it is stated: “You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey” (Deuteronomy 22:10). In their sowing, as it is stated: “You shall not sow your vineyard with diverse kinds” (Deuteronomy 22:9). In their planting, as it is stated: “You shall consider its fruit forbidden” (Leviticus 19:23). In their reaping, as it is stated: “When you reap the harvest of your land” (Leviticus 19:9). In their gathering, as it is stated: “And you forget a sheaf in the field” (Deuteronomy 24:19). In their threshing, as it is stated: “You shall not muzzle an ox in its threshing” (Deuteronomy 25:4). On their threshing floors and in their winepresses, as it is stated: “The fullness of your harvest and the outflow of your presses you shall not delay” (Exodus 22:28), and it is written: “Like the produce of the threshing floor, and like the produce of the winepress” (Numbers 18:30). On their roofs, as it is stated: “You shall make a guardrail for your roof” (Deuteronomy 22:8). In their shaving, as it is stated: “You shall not mar the edge of your beard” (Leviticus 19:27). In their counting, as it is stated: “When you take a census of the children of Israel…” (Exodus 30:12).⁹⁵The census is to be conducted by each individual donating a half-shekel and the total sum being counted, rather than by counting the people. Israel counts by the moon⁹⁶The lunar calendar and the nations of the world count by the sun.⁹⁷The solar calendar

רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה אָמַר תַּרְתֵּי, חָדָא בְּשֵׁם כַּהֲנָא, וְחָדָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי. חָדָא בְּשֵׁם כַּהֲנָא, הִיא קִלְּסַתּוּ, וְהוּא קִלְּסָהּ. הִיא קִלְּסַתּוּ מִלְּמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה, וְהוּא קִלְּסָהּ מִלְּמַטָּה לְמַעְלָה. הִיא קִלְּסַתּוּ מִלְּמַעְלָה לְמַטָּה, שֶׁהָיָה בָּעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהִשְׁרָה שְׁכִינָתוֹ בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים, וְהוּא קִלְּסָהּ מִלְּמַטָּה לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁהִיא בַּמַּדְרֵגָה הַתַּחְתּוֹנָה, וְהוּא עָתִיד לְהַעֲלוֹתָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים כח, א): וּנְתָנְךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ עֶלְיוֹן. וְחָדָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ אֶת מַטְרוֹנָה וְאָמַר מְבַקֵּשׁ אֲנִי לִרְאוֹתָהּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה אוֹתָהּ הִתְחִיל מְשַׁבְּחָהּ וּמְקַלְּסָהּ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ז, ח): זֹאת קוֹמָתֵךְ דָּמְתָה לְתָמָר, גַּם הִיא אָמְרָה רוֹצָה אֲנִי לִרְאוֹתוֹ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאֲתָה אוֹתוֹ הִתְחִילָה בְּקִלּוּס, שֶׁקִּלְּסַתּוּ חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים וְכֻלּוֹ מַחֲמַדִּים.

Rabbi Berekhya said two, one in the name of Kahana and one in the name of Rabbi Levi. One in the name of Kahana: She⁹⁸The congregation of Israel lauded Him and He lauded her. She lauded Him from top to bottom, and He lauded her from bottom to top. She lauded him from top to bottom, because He was On High and rested His Divine Presence on earth. He lauded her from bottom to top, as she is on the lowest level and He is destined to elevate her, as it is stated: “The Lord your God will set you on high” (Deuteronomy 28:1).
One in the name of Rabbi Levi: [This is analogous] to a king who betrothed a noblewoman and said: I request to see her. When he saw her, he began to praise her and to laud her. That is what is written: “This, your stature, is likened to a date palm” (Song of Songs 7:8). She too said, I wish to see him. When she saw him, she began with lauding, as she lauded him: “His palate is sweet and all of him is delightful.”