Yalkut Shimoni

In ten articles the world was created, and what is meant to be said, and in one article he could recover, but heal the wicked who destroy the world created in ten sayings and give good reward to the righteous who fulfill the world created in ten sayings.... R. Yochanan said: "Against the ten commandments in which the world was created, and from May, Rabbi Akiva said these twenty-two letters in which all the Torah was given as a bride, and they were engraved with a flame pen on a terrible crown of the Holy One, blessed be He, and when He sought to create the world, they descended and stood before God. In the beginning, the Lord entered his presence and said to him, "Master of the Universe, that you will create in me the world in which you are going to give the Torah to Israel by Moses, as the Torah commanded us to do." The Holy One, blessed be He, replied, "I will make an impression on you, and. He immediately came out in front of him with his mind. And after that, all the signs were entered, and after all of them they entered Bet. The Master of the Universe said to him, "I want you to create in me the world in me, which I say every day, Blessed be the Lord, Amen and Amen." The Creator replied, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord, immediately received the Holy One, blessed be He, and created the world in him, A thousand said to him, "Why are you silent, and you do not say anything to me?" A thousand said to him, "Master of the Universe, because I have no strength to say before you that all the letters are calculated in a large number and I am in a small number. Two at three in the third with three and all in one. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said to him, "Do not be afraid that you are the head of all of them as a king. You are one, and I am one, and the Torah is one, which I will give you to the people of Israel, as it is said: I am the Lord your God:

And from where one is called one, it is said, "How shall one thousand come after them?" And from where the Holy One, blessed be He, is called one, And where the Torah is called one, as it is said, "One Torah will be yours." I am the head of all the commandments and the top of all the letters:... R. Yehuda bar Shalom said, "It is not written here, but in the beginning, in the merit of Israel, which was called first, as it is written," The Holy of Israel is to God, the beginning of its creation. " For example, why does this resemble a king of flesh and blood who did not have a son, and says, "Take him from Lenin and Kalmarin to Livni, and everyone would say, 'He has no son,' and he says: 'Take him out of Lenin and Kalmarin.' Rabbi Yehudah ben Pazi demanded that he inform you that they are the two worlds of this world and the world to come. Another interpretation: Why (does the Torah begin) with the letter Bet? Because it is the language of blessing. And why (did it not begin) with the letter Alef? Because it is the language of cursing. Another reason why not in the first place is not to give an opening here to the Epicurean to say how the world can stand and it was created in the language of Arida, but God said: I create it in the language of blessing that I wish. Another thing is why in the house, according to the fact that she has two poles up and one below, behind him he says to the Creator, "Who created you in the world?" . Rabbi Elazar bar Avina says 26 generations was a challenging challenge before God Almighty said before him, Master of the Universe I am the first of letters and you did not create your world in me God told him the world and its entirety were created only thanks to the Torah says God with wisdom founded I am destined to rest in the Sinai, and I will not open it except to you, as I say, I am the Lord your God. Bar Chunya said why his name is called Aleph that the Holy One, blessed be He, agrees to give the Torah to a thousand generations, as it is commanded by a thousand generations. Rabbi Hoshayah Rabbah I will be the master of the art of God, in the manner in which a king of flesh and blood builds Palatrin and does not build him from his own knowledge but from the knowledge of the artist and the artist does not build from his own knowledge, but rather he is hypocritical and has a knowledge of how he makes rooms And how does he do such a thing? The Holy One, blessed be He, looked at the Torah and created the world. And there is no beginning but Torah as to how the Lord said, "I will begin his journey." Rabbi Brachya says in the merit of Moses that the world was created, as it is stated in the beginning and the writing, and Rabbi Huna saw it first in the name of Rabbi Menahem because of three things the world was created in the merit of Challah and the merit of the tithes. And there is no beginning, but there is a certain portion that says the beginning of your cradles applies. And there is no beginning but a tenth of what you have said, the beginning of your fish. And there is no beginning but the firstborns. How many are the firstborn of your land? Tanna Debi Rabbi Yishmael Do not read Bereshit, but rather, by the beginning of Shitin from the six days of creation, it is said: "My thighs are like those wreaths that will flow from the hollow and descend to the abyss. Made by an artist The work of God's art: Shimon ben Azzai says and your answer is Rabbinic. Flesh and blood mentions his name and then praises Pelan Agusta flan fratata but God is not so but the needs of his world and then mentioned his name is said Genesis God then created:

Another taught: "The holy blessed one said to the Torah: 'Let us make the human...' She [Torah] replied, 'This human will be short of days, full of conflict, and fall into the hands of sin. And even if you are patient with it, it will be as if it never came into the world.' God replied, 'Is it for naught that I am called 'slow to anger and full of compassion?' God gathered the dust [of the first human] from the four corners of the world - red, black, white and green. Red is the blood, black is the entrails and green for the body. Why from the four corners of the earth? So that if one comes from the east to the west and arrives at the end of his life as he neared departing from the world, the land will not say to him, "The dust of your body isn't mine. Go back to where you were created." Rather, every place a person goes, a part of him is from there and a part of him is returning there.

... “YHVH Elohim” – a parable to a king . . . who poured hot and cold mixed into his [glass] cups and they withstood (didn’t break). Thus says the Holy One: If I create with the quality of judgment (Elohim), how will the world stand? With the quality of mercy (YHVH), then won’t sin spread? Rather here I will create it with the quality of judgment and the quality of mercy – may it only be that the world will stand!

... ... “And every growth/si’ach of the field” [Gn 2:5]—All the trees as it were /k’ilu are conversing/m’sichin, these with these. All the trees as it were are conversing with the creatures / `im hab’riyot. All the trees were created to give pleasure to the creatures . . . All the conversations of the creatures are about nothing except the land . . . All the prayers of Israel are about nothing except the Temple/ beyt hamiqdash.

Another thing, the Book of Adam's Descendants was passed before him. He saw David's portion of life would be three hours. He said, "Master of the world, this should not be decreed! A thought has come to me." He [Adam] said to him, "How many are my years?" God said, "1,000 years." Adam said, "Can I give some as a gift?" God said, "Yes." Adam said, "I will give him 70 years to be his fate." What did Adam do? He brought a contract and wrote on it a contract of gift; and it was executed by God, Metatron, and Adam. Adam said, "Master of the World, good looks are his, kingship, and songs of praise have I given him in my gift of 70 years of his life; and he will sing before you. And this is written where it says "behold I have come" in the book I have written [Tehillim 92].

... Said the Holy One [to Avram]: Up until now you have not been whole beforeme, but circumcise the flesh of your foreskin ‘and be whole/tamim’ [Gn 17:1].

The field that Abraham bought from the children of Chet etc --- R Tanchuma said: from the burial of Sarah to the burial of Abraham was 38 years...... it comes to teach you that all who gave kindness with Sarah merited to give kindness with Abraham. R Shmuel bar Nachman said Shem and Ever were proceeding before [Abraham's] deathbed and the saw which place to direct Abraham our father and they buried him in his [specific] compartment. And it was after death of Abraham, Elokim blessed Isaac.

And he arrived at the place – Why do we use a pseudonym and call the Holy One ‘place’ (makom)? Because He is the place of the world and the world is not His place. R’ Yosi ben Halifta said ‘we don’t know whether the Holy One is the place of the world or if the world is His place. From that which is written “…Behold, there is a place with Me…” (Shemot 33:21) it appears that He is the place of the world and the world is not His place.’ R’ Yitzchak said ‘from that which is written “…which are the abode for the God Who precedes all…” (Devarim 33:21) we cannot know whether the Holy One is the abode of the world or whether the world is His abode. From that which is written “O Lord, You have been our dwelling place throughout all generations.” (Tehillim 90:1) we see that the Holy One is the abode of the world and the world is not His abode. This is like a mighty mounted warrior, whose armor and garments hang down around his steed. The horse is secondary to the rider, the rider is not secondary to the horse. This is that which is written “Only that You rode on Your steeds with Your chariots of salvation.” (Habakuk 3:8)

and he lay down in that place – R’ Yehudah says ‘here he lay down, but all fourteen years that he was hidden away in the land serving Ever he never laid down.’ R’ Nechemia says ‘here he lay down, but all twenty years that he was in the House of Lavan he never laid down.’ And what would he say? Fifteen songs of ascent which are in the Book of Tehillim. And why the songs of ascent? As it says “…Had it not been for the Lord Who was with us, let Israel declare now,” (Tehillim 124:1) this refers to grandfather Yisrael (Yisrael Saba). R’ Shmuel bar Nachman said ‘he would say the whole Book of Tehillim, and for what reason? As it says “But You are holy; You await the praises of Israel,” (Tehillim 22:4) this refers to grandfather Yisrael (Yisrael Saba). Yaakov was seventy-seven when he left his house, and the well went before him two day’s travel all the way from Be’er Sheva to Mount Moriah. He reached there at midday and the Holy One encountered him there, as it says “And he arrived at the place…” (Bereshit 28:11) Why is the Holy One known as ‘place’ (makom) Because in every place where the righteous stand, there the Holy One is found, as it says “Wherever I allow My name to be mentioned, I will come to you and bless you.” (Shemot 20:21) The Holy One said to him ‘Yaakov, the bread is in your bag and the well is before you to eat and drink. Lay down in this place.’ He replied ‘Master of the world, right now when the sun is only a fifth down, should I lay down in the place at the wrong time?!’ The sun moved into the west and Yaakov looked and saw the sun and lay down there, as it says “…and he lodged there because the sun had set…” (Bereshit 28:11) Yaakov took twelve stones from the stones of the altar upon which Yitzchak was bound and placed them under his head. The place (hamakom) came to make known to him that in the future twelve tribes would rise out of him, and they were made into one rock in order to make known to him that they would all in the future be one nation in the land.

...... “…that he did not obey her…” (Bereshit 39:10) Rebbe said: he listened to her but the Holy One brought the likeness of his father and he was embarrassed and fled. The second time he went in (to her) the Holy One lifted up the foundation stone and said to him, ‘if you touch her, behold I will throw it down and destroy the world!’ This is what is written, “…and his arms were gilded from the hands of the Mighty One of Jacob; from there he sustained the rock of Israel.” (Bereshit 49:24) R’ Shmuel bar Nachmani said in the name of R’ Yochanan: anyone who does one commandment in this world, it precedes him and goes before home in the World to Come as it says, “…and your righteousness shall go before you…” (Isaiah 58:8) and anyone who transgresses one transgression in this world it clings to him and goes before him to the Day of Judgement as it says, “The paths of their way are held [by them]; they go up in waste and are lost.” (Job 6:18)

... "Until he comes to Shiloh" - as in the future all of the nations of the world will bring a present to (shai le) the Messiah, the son of David, as it is stated (Isaiah 18:7), "at that time, a present shall be brought to the Lord of hosts" ...

"So the Egyptians enslaved the children of Israel with back breaking labor [b'farech]" (Ex. 1:13). R. Elazar says, "B'pe rach—with a soft mouth." R. Shmuel says, "B'frichah—With rigor." "And they embittered their lives with hard work[, with clay and with bricks and with all kinds of labor in the fields...]" (Ex. 1:14). Rava said, "At first with mortar and bricks, and ultimately with all field work." "[...] all their work that they worked with them with was back breaking labor." To the one who says b'frichah—for they exchanged the work of the men with that of women, and the work of the women with that of men. To the one who says there b'pe rach—certainly that was [also] with rigor. At the time that he said (Ex. 1:10), "Get ready, let us be clever with it," Pharaoh gathered all Israel and said to them, "Please, let some of you work with me today for wages," which is as written, "b'farech—b'pe rach, with a soft mouth." He took a sack and a rake, and whoever saw Pharaoh taking a sack and a rake and working with bricks, would do [likewise]. Right away Israel went with alacrity and worked at the craft all day according to their strength (for they were strong and mighty). When it got dark, overseers were set over them, and they said to them, "Count the bricks." They right away stood and counted them, and he said to them, "Make me the same [amount] every day." He appointed Egyptian overseers over Jewish officers. The overseers would come and count the bricks and find a number missing, and the officers were beaten in place of the rest of the people, [for] they would not betray them to the overseers. They said, "Better that we should be beaten than that the rest of the people be hurt." Therefore, when the Omnipresent said (Num. 11:16), "Gather for Me seventy men," Moses said, "Master of the universe, I do not know who is worthy and who is unworthy." He said to him (ibid.), " '[...W]hom you know'–for these are the elders of the people and their officers who gave themselves up to be beaten in their place in Egypt. They should come and take this greatness." From this you may learn that anyone who gives themselves up for Israel merits honor and greatness. "And with all manner of labor in the field" (Ex. 1:14)—For is it possible that they worked in the field and not the city? Rather, they decreed upon them, that the men should lie in the field, and the women in the city, in order to reduce their fertility. The women would warm up heated food for them and bring to their husbands all kinds of food and drink and reassure them, saying, "They did not subjugate us. Ultimately the Holy One blessed be He will redeem us." From this, they had relations and were fruitful and multiplied. What was their reward? They merited the spoils of Egypt and the spoils of the Sea [of Reeds], as it says (Ps. 68:14), "If you lie between the borders—the feathers of a dove covered with silver...." And it is written (Song 4:12), "A locked garden"—these are the women, who were modest like a garden without a breach. "[A] locked up spring" (ibid.)—these are the men, who were laid like springs upon the field.

En esos tiempos hubo una guerra entre Kush y los Bnei Kedem. Salió Konkos Rey de Kush a la guerra contra Aram y los Bnei Kedem, dejando a Bilam -que es Laban el Arameo de Petor- el brujo y sus dos hijos Inus y Iamberus, al cuidado de la ciudad. Mientras tanto, Bilam fue hablando con la gente simple del pueblo acerca de rebelarse contra el Konkos el Rey para que no volviese a la ciudad, y el pueblo lo escuchó y lo aceptó, le juraron y lo nombraron a Bilam como Rey sobre ellos y a sus hijos como generales del ejército. Levantaron los muros por dos de sus lados. Por el tercer lado cavaron un sinnúmero de pozos entre la ciudad y el río que rodea toda la tierra de Kush y lo desviaron para inundarlos. Y por el cuarto lado, reunieron serpientes encantadas y venenosas. No había forma de salir ni de entrar. Cuando volvieron el Rey y todo su ejército de la guerra, alzaron sus ojos vieron los muros de la ciudad mucho más altos y dijeron “vieron que tardamos, y levantaron más las murallas de la ciudad y las fortalecieron en defensa por si atacaban los reyes de Kenaan” Cuando se acercaron a los portones de la ciudad y he aquí que estaban cerrados, llamaron a los guardianes diciendo “Ábrannos para que vengamos a la ciudad”, pero se los impidieron por orden de Bilam el brujo, y les declararon la guerra ahí mismo en la puerta, donde cayeron aquel día 130 soldados de Konkos. Al día siguiente, pelearon por el lado del río, pero se hundieron y murieron. Intentaron hacer puentes con maderas, pero al cruzar y llegar a las fosas se empantanaron y murieron 200 soldados más. Al tercer día trataron de entrar por el lado de las serpientes, muriendo ciento setenta hombres, y así dejaron de luchar. Ocurrió durante el sitio de Kush, “Moshé escapó de Mitzraim”, y vino hasta el campamento de Konkos Rey de Kush, y Moshé tenía 18 años cuando escapó, y ya habían sido 19 años que Konkos estaba sitiando Kush. Y el joven iba y venía con ellos. El Rey, sus generales y todos los soldados de su ejército apreciaban mucho al joven porque era grande y querible, era alto como un cedro y su rostro brillaba como el sol, tenía la fuerza y la valentía de un león y era fiel consejero del Rey. Ocurrió tras nueve años, enfermó el Rey gravemente, y al séptimo día murió. Lo momificaron y lo enterraron frente a la puerta de la ciudad que mira en dirección a Mitzraim, y construyeron sobre él un gran mausoleo, alto y hermoso, e inscribieron en él todas sus guerras y proezas. Cuando terminaron de construir, se dijeron unos a otros: ¿Ahora qué haremos? Si hacemos la guerra contra la ciudad, morirán muchos de nuestros soldados. Pero si nos quedamos sitiando, se enterarán los reyes de Aram que murió nuestro Rey y vendrán de pronto a atacarnos y nos matarán a todos. Mejor nombremos para nosotros un Rey y sentémonos en sitio hasta que nos entreguen la ciudad. Entonces, rápidamente se quitaron cada uno sus trajes, los apilaron en el piso, y sobre esa montaña lo alzaron a Moshé. Tocaron los Shofarot y dijeron: “¡Que viva el Rey, que viva el Rey!”. Juraron todos los generales y todo el pueblo darle a la dama Kushita, mujer de Konkos, por mujer, y lo nombraron a Moshé Rey para ellos. Moshé tenía 27 años cuando fue Rey de Kush. Al segundo día de su reinado, todos dijeron ante Moshé: Si al Rey le parece bien, que nos aconseje qué hacer, ya que hemos pasado 9 años sin ver a nuestras mujeres y nuestros hijos mientras sitiamos la ciudad. El Rey contestó al pueblo diciendo: Si ustedes escuchan mi voz, sepan que la ciudad será entregada en nuestras manos. Si hacemos la guerra, caeremos como ya ocurrió, y lo mismo si decidimos entrar por nuestros medios. El plan es: vayan al bosque y traigan cada uno un pichón de cigüeña. Así hicieron, como dijo el Rey. Y ocurrió al crecer los pichones de cigüeña, el Rey ordenó hacerlos pasar hambre dos días, y así hizo el pueblo. Ocurrió al tercer día que el Rey les dijo: que cada soldado tome sus armas y monte su caballo, y que tome el pichón de cigüeña en su mano, levantémonos y hagamos la guerra contra la ciudad, por el lugar donde están las serpientes. Así hicieron, como dijo el Rey. Y fue al llegar al lugar de las serpientes, que [los pichones de cigüeñas] se las comieron y las eliminaron [a las serpientes] de ese lugar. Al ver el Rey y el pueblo la desaparición de las serpientes, alzaron un gran grito de guerra y conquistaron la ciudad. Entonces cada hombre vino a su casa, a su mujer y a lo que sus pertenencias. Cuando Bilam el brujo vio que la ciudad fue conquistada, abrió la puerta, montó su caballo junto a sus dos hijos, y escaparon a Mitzraim y vinieron a Faraón Rey de Mitzraim, que estaba junto a los magos y hechicero que están descritos en el Sefer Hayashar, consejeros de Faraón, para borrar el nombre de Yaakov de la faz de la Tierra. Moshé conquistó la ciudad con su sabiduría, y lo sentaron en el trono real, le pusieron la corona real en su cabeza, y también le dieron por esposa a la dama Kushita. Pero Moshé era reverente y temeroso del Dios de sus padres y no se allegó a ella, porque recordó el juramento que hizo jurar Abraham a Eliezer su siervo diciendo “No tomarás una mujer de las hijas de Kenaan”. Así también había hecho Itzjak al escapar Yaakov de Esav, cuando le ordenó no casarse con las hijas de Jam, porque recordamos los hijos de Jam fueron dados como esclavos a los hijos de Shet y los hijos de Yefet. Por eso Moshé temió a Hashem su Dios, y anduvo ante Él con verdad y con todo su corazón, y no se apartó del camino que anduvieron Abraham, Itzjak y Yaakov. Se fortaleció el reino de los hijos de Kush, hicieron guerra contra Edom, los hijos de Kedem y Aram, todos ellos se rindieron ante los hijos de Kush. Los días que reinó [Moshé] sobre los hijos de Kush fueron 40 años. Tuvo éxito en todas sus guerras, porque Hashem el Dios de sus padres estaba con él. Era el año 40 de su reinado, él estaba sentado en su trono real y su Reina sentada a su derecha. Entonces la Reina les dijo a los ministros y al pueblo: He aquí que 40 años ha reinado este sobre Kush, y a mí no se me ha acercado, y a los dioses de los hijos de Kush no ha adorado. Ahora, escuchen hijos de Kush, y que no reine este. Mi hijo Munjam reinará sobre ustedes, porque es mejor para ustedes servir al hijo de su señor antes que a un extraño, siervo del Rey de Egipto. Todo el pueblo debatió hasta el anochecer. A la mañana siguiente se levantaron temprano, y coronaron a Munjam hijo de Konkos como Rey sobre ellos. Pero tuvieron miedo los hijos de Kush de cómo destronar a Moshé, porque recordaban lo que habían jurado. Entonces le dieron importantes regalos y lo despidieron con grandes honores. Así Moshé salió de allí y dejó de reinar sobre Kush. Moshé tenía 67 cuando salió de Kush, y fue cosa de Dios, porque ya estaba por llegar el fin previsto desde el principio, de sacar a los Bnei Israel.

... Turn yourself back (away from) what you asked and don’t continue in this matter, as it’s written: ‘Who watches/shomer his mouth and his tongue, keeps/shomer his soul from trouble’ [Pr 21:23].”

...Rabi Pinchas and Rabi Chilkiyah said in the name of Rabi Simon: the ministering angels gathered to Hashem and said before Him: Master of the world, when is the beginning of the year? And He said: Why do you ask Me? I and you should ask the Court Below. And what is the meaning of "like Hashem our G-d whenever we call upon Him,"--calling upon Him is by the festivals, as it is said, "These are the festivals of Hashem, a holy calling." Rav Krispa said in the name of Rav Yochanan: in the past, these were the festivals of Hashem; from now on, it is as you call them. If you call them, they are My festivals, and if not, they are not My festivals. "This month is for you"--you count according to it and the nations of the world do not count according to it. Rebbi said in the name of Rabi Yehuda bar Ilai: the way of the world is that the greater count according to the greater, and the smaller count according to the smaller. Eisav, who is greater, counts according to the sun, which is greater, and Yaakov, who is smaller, counts according to the moon, which is smaller. Rav Nachman said: it's a good sign; the greater one rules during the day and does not rule at night, so too the wicked Eisav rules in This World and does not rule in the World to Come. The smaller one rules by day and by night, so too Yaakov rules in This World and in the World to Come. Rav Nachman said: all the time that the light of the greater one shines, the light of the smaller one is not noticed; when the light of the greater one sets, the light of the smaller one is noticed. So too as long as the light of Eisav is shining, the light of Yaakov is not noticed; once Eisav's light sets, the light of Yaakov is noticed, as it is said: "Arise and give light..." This month [is the first of months:] Rav Shmuel bar Abba said, every month that is begun from six hours or less, the eye has power to see it. From six hours or more, eyes have no power to see it. And the month that Hashem said to Moshe [Nisan 2448] was begun from above six hours, and no eye could see it; but Hashem showed it to him with a finger and said to him, "this month....". Rav Acha said in the name of Rav Shmuel bar Nachmani: the year that Yisrael left Egypt, the months of the year and the months of the period were equal. Rav Chiyya said in the name of Rav Yochanan: Hashem wrapped Himself in a talis with tzitzis and stood Moshe here and Aharon here, and called to Michael and Gavriel, and He made them as if they were the witnesses of the new moon. He said to them: how did you see the moon? Before the sun or after the sun? To its north or to its south? How much was it tilted, and how wide was it?--He said to them, according to this order [of questioning] your children will be sanctifying the month Below; through an elder and through witnesses and through a talis with tzitzis...

Another Explanation "And first born of your children you shall redeem" (Exodus 13:13) Where [is this law sourced:] If his father did not redeem him, he should redeem himself. [We are] taught to say: "And all first born of my sons I will redeem" (Exodus 13:15). Rabbi Yosei the Galilean says since the Torah said "Redeem your sons" and "Teach your sons Torah", if you learn regarding the study of Torah that if his father did not teach him he teaches himself. So to if [his father] did not redeem him he is obligated to redeem himself. [This is] not [so] if you said regarding the study of Torah that it is equal in weight to everything such that if his father did not teach him [Torah] he teaches himself. You should say regarding redemption that it is not equal in weight to everything therefore if his father did not redeem him he should not redeem himself. Behold circumcision will prove that it is not equal in weight to everything for if his father did not circumcise him he circumcises himself. So to if his father did not redeem him he should redeem himself. [This is] not [so] if you said regarding circumcision [that one who is not circumcised] is cut off [from the Jewish people] that if his father did not circumcise him he circumcises himself. You should say regarding redemption that [one who is not redeemed] is cut off [from the Jewish people] therefore if he was not redeemed he should not redeem himself. You said explain. [From] a general principal all three can be understood. Circumcision is not like Torah study and Torah study is not like circumcision and neither of them are like redemption and redemption is like neither of them. The common element between them is that they are all a command for the father to do for his son [but] if the father did not do for his son the son shall do for himself. Accordingly anything that is a command for the father to do for his son [but] if the father did not do for his son the son shall do for himself. From here they said a person is obligated from the Torah to circumcise his son, to redeem him, to teach him Torah, to teach him a craft and to marry him off. Rabbi Akiva says even to teach him to swim. Rebbi says even manners. "It will be when your son will ask you tomorrow saying" (Exodus 13:14) there is 'tomorrow' now [literally the next day] and there is 'tomorrow' after a [long] time. "Tomorrow the sign shall come to pass" (Exodus 8:19) this is tomorrow now. "Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill" (Exodus 17:9) This is 'tomorrow' now. "Tomorrow your children will say to our children" (Joshua 22:24) This is 'tomorrow' after a [long] time. "What mean the decrees, laws and rules" (Deuteronomy 6:20) is found to be saying they are four sons: one wise, one simple, one wicked, and one who does not know to ask. The wise one what does he say? "What are the decrees, laws and rules etc." Accordingly you say to him about the laws of Passover and say to him "We do not have desert after the Passover sacrifice" (Mishna Pesachim 10:8). The simple one What does he say? "What is this?" You shall say to him "With a strong hand he took us out" (Exodus 13:14). The wicked one What does he say? What is this work for you? For you and not for him and because he takes himself out of the collective his is a heretic Accordingly you take him out of the collective and say to him "It is because of what the LORD did for me when I went free from Egypt." (Exodus 13:8) for me and not for him if he was there [in Egypt] he would not have been freed. And the one who does not know to ask you open for him as it says "You shall tell your son on that day" (ibid).

"And the waters will came back and cover the chariot and the horsemen" (Exodus 14:26) And even Par'oh, according to Rabi Yehuda, as it says "the chariots of Phar'oh and his army" (15:4). Rabi Natan says Par'oh was the exception, since we have this verse about him: "maybe for this I made you stand up"(Exodus 9:16). And there are those who say that at the end Par'oh went down and drowned, as it says "and the horse of Par'oh came" (Exodus 15:19). "And the children of Israel went into the sea in dry ground" - the angels of service were astounded, saying: 'the children of Israel, idolaters that they are, are coming on dry land?!' And from where do we know that even the sea was filled with rage from Above? Because the text says "and the waters were like rage to them" [since the vav is missing to the word chomah, wall, it can be read as chema, rage; so you can re-read the verse as "the water was like anger on their right and on their left"]. And what caused them to be saved from their right and their left? From the right, it was Torah, which they would receive later on, as it says "From His right, [He gave] a fiery law to them". And left? This is tefilin.

... R’ Yehoshua of Sachnin said in the name of R’ Levi: “And I placed My words into your mouth…” This refers to the Torah. “…and with the shadow of My hand I covered you…” (Isaiah 51:16) This refers to acts of loving kindness. This comes to teach you that anyone who occupies himself with Torah and acts of kindness merits to take shelter in the shadow of the Holy One. This is what is written “How precious is Your kindness, O God, and the sons of man will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.” (Psalms 36:8) “…to plant the heavens and to found the earth…” this refers to the offerings, as it says “…and to say to Zion – you are My people.” (Isaiah 51:16) R’ Huna bar Pappa said: we went over all of the Scripture and could not find anywhere that Israel was called Zion. Where did we find it? “…and to say to Zion – you are My people.”

... Said R' Levi: The Holy One Blessed Be He appeared to them like a picture which is visible form all angles. A thousand people may gaze on it and it gazes on all of them. So is the Holy One Blesses Be He. When He spoke, every individual Yisrael maintained: "He spoke to me!" "I am Hashem your (plural) G-d" is not written here, rather " I am Hashem your (singular) G-d". Said R' Yosi: In accordance with each and everyone's personal capacities did the word speak to him. Do not be astonished at the Manna which came down on Yisrael - each one tasting the flavour that he was capable of tasting - the infants in accordance with their capacities... the young men in accordance with their capacities... and the old in accordance with their capacities. If that was so in the case of the Manna, that everyone tasted the flavour that he could appreciate, the word (the word of Hashem at the receiving of the Torah), all the more so! Said (King) David (Psalm 29:4): " The Voice of Hashem is in strength". It does not say "In HIS strength", but just strength - in the strength (capacities) of each man. ..

...And the tables were the work of God. the tablets were not created from earth (i.e. this physical world) rather from heaven

When the Holy One came to give the Torah to Moshe, he said over the order of the Readings, the Mishna, the aggadah and the Talmud as it says "And God spoke all these words..." (Shemot 20:1) - even what an experienced student would ask his teacher. The Holy One said to him go and "teach it to the Children of Israel..." (Devarim 31:19) Moshe replied 'Master of the world, you write it down for your children!' Gd said to him, 'I want to give it to them in writing, but it is revealed before me that in the future the nations of the world will rule over them and take it away from them. Then my children will be like the nations!' So Moshe said 'give them the Readings in written form and the aggadah, Mishna and Talmud orally.' "And the LORD said to Moses: Write down these..." (Shemot 34:27) this refers to the Readings, "...for in accordance with these..." (ibid.) refers to the Mishna and Talmud which make the distinction between Israel and the nations of the world.

[Ed.: "Menorah" down below should probably be Menuda. "Chazar l'Suro", is the only time in Chazal that that form appears. It appears frequently, also in regard to converts, as Chazar M'suro. Perhaps its a mistake here, or perhaps it is actually meant as some kind of opposite. This translation begins in the middle, at a really cool part.] At that moment (while the people were mourning their punishment) God said to Moshe, go and bring some satisfaction to those poor ones, whose hearts have left them. Moshe said: Master of the Universe! With what can I give them satisfaction? God said back to him: Go and bring them satisfaction, with words of Torah. Which is what it means: “Speak to the Children of Israel, When you come to the land of your settlement, which I am giving to you, and you make a fire-offering to the Lord ..." (Num 15:2,3). At that moment there was a great quarrel between the Children of Israel and the converts. Such that God had to ask Moshe: Why are they making this quarrel?! Did I not write for you all, in My Torah, “The congregation shall have one law and the stranger residing among you the same law … one Torah and one justice” (15:15,16). From here, they taught: There are three kinds of converts. There is a convert that is completely like a non-Jew, a convert that is similar to a donkey, and there is a convert just like Abraham our forefather. What kind of convert is completely like a non-Jew? He has improperly killed meat and unkosher meat in his home, but he says, I’ll go and convert so I can be amongst them. Because they have good food and they’ve got holidays and Sabbaths, and I’ll still eat these in my house. So he twists [misrepresents? pushes?] himself and goes and converts. When he then turns from the proper path, he receives punishment, for his own good, to save him from what he is doing. The Holy One said to Israel: My children, just as he loved you, so you must love him. As it says, “And you shall love the convert” (Deut 10:19). What kind of convert is similar to a donkey? He goes to marry a Jewish woman, and they say to him, we won’t allow you to be with her unless you convert. So he twists himself and goes and converts. When he then turns from the proper path, he receives punishment, for his own good, to save him from what he is doing. The Holy One said to Israel: My children, just as he sought comfort from you, so shall give him comfort. As it says, “And the convert you shall not oppress” (Ex 22:20). What kind of convert is just like Abraham our forefather? He goes and searches out all the nations in the world. When he sees that they too tell of the goodness of the Jewish people, he says, I will go and convert, and thus bring myself under the wings of the Shechina. As it says, “Let no convert who has joined himself to the LORD say, ‘The LORD will surely exclude me from his people.’ (Isa 56:3).

“Take the staff…” (Bamidbar 20:8) This is what the scripture says “The staff of your might the Lord will send from Zion…” (Psalms 110:2) This is the staff which was in the hand of our father Yaakov, as it says “…for with my staff I crossed…” (Genesis 32:11) And it is the staff which was in the hand of Yehudah, as it says “Your signet, your cloak, and the staff that is in your hand.” (Genesis 38:18) And it was in the hand of Moshe, as it says “And you shall take this staff in your hand…” (Exodus 4:17) And it was in the hand of Aharon, as it says “Aaron cast his staff…” (Exodus 7:10) And it was in the hand of David, as it says “And he took his staff in his hand…” (Samuel I 17:40) And it was in the hand of every king until the Holy Temple was destroyed, and so in the future that very staff will be given to the King Messiah and with it he will rule over the nations of the world in the future. Therefore it says “The staff of your might the Lord will send from Zion…” (Psalms 110:2)…

A parable: Once there was a king who sought to build a palace. He began to dig, going further down, to lay a foundation, but he found only swampy soil. And so it was in many places. He was not able to build until he dug in one place, and there he found a bed of rock. Thus he said, “I am building and placing foundations here,” and he built. So too, the Holy One, blessed be He, sought to create the world. He was sitting and scrutinizing the generation of Enosh and the generation of the flood, and He said, “For what shall I create the world and let those wicked men arise and vex me?” But when the Holy One, blessed be He, saw Abraham arise in the future, he said, “Behold, I have found the rock (petra) to build upon and to lay the foundation of the world.” Thus he called Abraham “Rock,”⁠a as it says in Isaiah, “Look to the rock from which you were hewn,” and he called Israel “rocks.”

this good mountain and the Lebanon. Everyone called it ‘mountain.’ Avraham called it mountain, as it says “On the mountain, the Lord will be seen.” (Bereshit 22:14) David called it mountain, as it says “Who will ascend upon the Lord's mountain…” (Tehillim 24:3) Isaiah called it mountain, as it says “And it shall be at the end of the days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established at the top of the mountains…” (Yeshayahu 2:2) The nations called it mountain, as it says “And many peoples shall go, and they shall say, "Come, let us go up to the Lord's mountain…” (ibid 2:3) Levanon refers to the Holy Temple, as it says “You are [as] Gilead to me, O head of the Levanon…” (Yirmiyahu 22:6) and it says “…and the Levanon shall fall through a mighty one.” (Yeshayahu 10:34) And why is it called Levanon? Because it bleaches (malbin) the sins of Israel like snow, as it says “If your sins prove to be like crimson, they will become white as snow…” (Yeshayahu 1:18) Pray let me cross over. The word nah indicates that this is a request. the good land that is on the other side of the Jordan. This is what R’ Yehudah meant when he said that the land of Canaan is good, but not the portion of the children of Reuven and Gad (which was on the east side of the Jordan river). this good mountain. This refers to Jerusalem. And the Lebanon. This refers to the Holy Temple, as it says “Open your doors, O Lebanon…” (Zechariah 11:1) There are those who say that the Lebanon refers to the appointing of a king. Pray let me cross over (e’evrah nah) and see. Everything which Moshe requested he did with a language of supplication (nah) - “Please forgive…” (Bamidbar 14:19), “…I beseech you, God, please heal her.” (Bamidbar 12:13) “Pray let me cross over…” (Devarim 3:25) the mountain. This refers to the Holy Temple, as it says “…for the mountain that God desired…” (Tehillim 68:17) Good. This refers to Jerusalem, as it says “…let us be sated with the goodness of Your house…” (Tehillim 65:5) The Lebanon. This refers to the Holy of Holies, as it says “Open your doors, O Lebanon…” (Zechariah 11:1) R’ Simlai expounded: why did Moshe our teacher desire to enter into the land of Israel, did he need to eat its fruits or be sated from its goodness? Rather, this is what Moshe said ‘I gave many commandments to Israel which cannot be fulfilled except in the land. I will go in in order that they all be fulfilled at my hands.’ The Holy One said to him ‘if all you are asking for is to receive the reward for these actions, I will consider it as if you had done all of these commandments, as it says “Therefore, I will allot him a portion in public…” (Yeshayahu 53:12) I will give him his full reward.’ Maybe you will say this is like the latter ones and not the earlier ones? The verse continues “…and with the strong he shall share plunder…” (ibid.) Like Avraham, Yitzchak and Yaakov who were strong in Torah and fulfilling commandments. “…because he poured out his soul to death…” (ibid.) He gave himself over to death, as it says “…if not, erase me now from Your book, which You have written.” (Shemot 32:32) “…and with transgressors he was counted…” (Yeshayahu 53:12) He was counted with the generation that died in the wilderness. “…and he bore the sin of many…” (ibid.) He gained atonement for the sin of the Golden Calf. “…and interceded for the transgressors.” (ibid.) He pleaded for mercy on the behalf of the sinners in Israel that they should repent. Intercession (pegiya) refers to prayer, as its says “And you, pray not on behalf of this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer, and entreat Me not for I will not hear you.” (Yirmiyahu 7:16)

... “For you have not yet come…” (Devarim 12:9) this was said in order to permit private altars between the ‘resting place’ and the ‘inheritance’, because the resting place refers to Shiloh and the inheritance is Jerusalem. Why did the verse mention them separately? To permit private altars between the two. Inheritance refers to Jerusalem, as its says “My inheritance was to Me like a lion in the forest…” (Yirmiyahu 12:8) and it says “Is My inheritance to Me a speckled bird of prey?” (Yirmiyahu 12:9) These are the words of R’ Yehudah. R’ Shimon says the resting place is Jerusalem and the inheritance is Shiloh, as it says “This is My resting place forever; here I shall dwell for I desired it,” (Tehillim132:14) and it says “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He desired it for His habitation.” (Tehillim 132:13) The opinion that the resting place is Shiloh makes sense, that is why the verse says ‘to the resting place and to the inheritance.’ But according to the opinion that says that the inheritance is Shiloh and the resting place Jerusalem, it should have said ‘to the inheritance and to the resting place’! That is a difficulty. The opinion that both refer to Shiloh makes sense, because ‘the resting place’ where they ceased from the conquest and ‘the inheritance’ is where they divided tribal portions, as it is written “And Yehoshua cast lots at Shiloh before the Lord; and there Yehoshua divided the land…” (Yehoshua 18:10) But according to the opinion that both refer to Jerusalem ‘the inheritance’ is the eternal inheritance, but ‘the resting place’…? What does the resting refer to? The resting of the ark, as it is written “And now, arise, O Lord God to Your resting place, You and the Ark of Your might…” (Divre HaYamim II 6:41) The opinion that both refer to Jerusalem makes sense, because while the Tabernacle was at Shiloh private altars were permitted, as it is written “And Manoah took the kid goat and the meal-offering, and offered it upon the rock to the Lord…” (Shoftim 13:19) But the according to the opinion that both refer to Shiloh, then private altars were forbidden while the Tabernacle was there and how do we understand Manoah’s act? It was a temporary injunction. The House of R’ Yishmael taught like the opinion of R’ Shimon bar Yochai that both refer to Jerusalem, and your sign is: one man pulled many to him…