וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה', הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל, מַהוּ שֶׁיְּהֵא מֻתָּר לוֹ לְהִתְפַּלֵּל בְּקוֹל גָּדוֹל, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים (גמרא ברכות לא-א): הָיָה עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל יָכוֹל יַשְׁמִיעַ קוֹלוֹ, כְּבָר פֵּרְשָׁה חַנָּה (שמואל א א, יג): וְחַנָּה הִיא מְדַבֶּרֶת עַל לִבָּהּ, יָכוֹל יְהֵא מִתְפַּלֵּל שְׁלָשְׁתָּן כְּאַחַת, כְּבָר פֵּרַשׁ בְּדָנִיֵּאל (דניאל ו, יא): וְזִמְנִין תְּלָתָה בְיוֹמָא הוּא בָּרֵךְ עַל בִּרְכוֹהִי וּמְצַלֵּא וּמוֹדֵא קֳדָם אֱלָהֵהּ. יָכוֹל יְהֵא מִתְפַּלֵּל בְּכָל שָׁעָה שֶׁיִּרְצֶה, כְּבָר פֵּרַשׁ דָּוִד (תהלים נה, יח): עֶרֶב וָבֹקֶר וְצָהֳרַיִם אָשִׂיחָה וְאֶהֱמֶה וְיִשְׁמַע קוֹלִי, יָכוֹל יְהֵא תּוֹבֵעַ צְרָכָיו וְיוֹצֵא לוֹ, כְּבָר פֵּרַשׁ שְׁלֹמֹה (מלכים א ח, כח): לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶל הָרִנָּה וְאֶל הַתְּפִלָּה, רִנָּה זוֹ קִלּוּסוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּתְפִלָּה, לִצְרָכָיו שֶׁל אָדָם. אַבָּא שָׁאוּל אוֹמֵר, זֶה סִימָן לִתְפִלָּה, אִם כִּוֵּן אָדָם לִבּוֹ לִתְפִלָּה, יְהֵא מֻבְטָח שֶׁתְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים י, יז): תָּכִין לִבָּם תַּקְשִׁיב אָזְנֶךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן עֲשָׂרָה לְשׁוֹנוֹת נִקְרֵאת תְּפִלָּה, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: שַׁוְעָה, צְעָקָה, נְאָקָה, רִנָּה, פְּגִיעָה, בִּצּוּר, קְרִיאָה, נִפּוּל וּפִלּוּל וְתַחֲנוּנִים. שַׁוְעָה צְעָקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, כג): וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִן הָעֲבֹדָה וַיִּזְעָקוּ וגו'. נְאָקָה, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים י, כד): וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת נַאֲקָתָם. רִנָּה וּפְגִיעָה, דִּכְתִיב (ירמיה ז, טז): אַל תִּתְפַּלֵּל בְּעַד הָעָם הַזֶּה וְאַל תִּשָֹּׂא בַּעֲדָם רִנָּה וּתְפִלָּה וְאַל תִּפְגַּע בִּי. בִּצּוּר וּקְרִיאָה, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים יח, ז): בַּצַּר לִי אֶקְרָא ה'. נִפּוּל, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ט, יח): וָאֶתְנַפַּל לִפְנֵי ה'. פִּלּוּל, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים קו, ל): וַיַּעֲמֹד פִּינְחָס וַיְפַלֵּל. וְתַחֲנוּנִים, דִּכְתִיב: וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה'. וּמִכֻּלָּן לֹא נִתְפַּלֵל משֶׁה אֶלָּא בִּלְשׁוֹן תַּחֲנוּנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן, מִכָּאן אַתָּה לָמֵד, שֶׁאֵין לִבְרִיָה כְּלוּם אֵצֶל בּוֹרְאָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי משֶׁה רַבָּן שֶׁל כָּל הַנְּבִיאִים לֹא בָא אֶלָּא בִּלְשׁוֹן תַּחֲנוּנִים. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי, לָמָּה לֹא בָא משֶׁה אֶלָּא בִּלְשׁוֹן תַּחֲנוּנִים, הַמָּשָׁל אוֹמֵר הֱוֵי זָהִיר שֶׁלֹא תִּתָּפֵס מְקוֹם דִּבּוּרָךְ, כֵּיצַד, כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה (שמות לג, יט): וְחַנֹּתִי אֶת אֲשֶׁר אָחֹן, אָמַר לוֹ, מִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ בְּיָדִי, (שמות לג, יט): וְרִחַמְתִּי, בְּמִדַּת הָרַחֲמִים אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ. וּמִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בְּיָדִי, וְחַנֹּתִי, בְּמַתְּנַת חִנָּם אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ, וּבְשָׁעָה שֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה מְבַקֵּשׁ לִכָּנֵס לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (דברים ג, כו): רַב לָךְ, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם לֹא כָךְ אָמַרְתָּ לִי, כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵין לוֹ בְּיָדִי וְחַנֹּתִי, בְּמַתְּנַת חִנָּם אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה עִמּוֹ, עַכְשָׁו אֵינִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁמִּתְבַּקֵּשׁ לִי אֶצְלְךָ מְאוּמָה, אֶלָּא חִנָּם עֲשֵׂה עִמִּי, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶׁקָּרֵינַן בָּעִנְיָן, וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה'. “I pleaded with the Lord at that time, saying” (Deuteronomy 3:23).
“I pleaded with the Lord” – halakha: If a person of Israel is standing and praying, is it permitted for him to pray in a loud voice? So taught our Sages: If one was standing and praying, may he, perhaps, make his voice heard? Hannah already articulated this: “Hannah, she was speaking in her heart” (I Samuel 1:13). May he, perhaps, recite all three¹All three daily prayers. as one? This was already articulated in Daniel: “And three times a day he knelt on his knees, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God” (Daniel 6:11). May he, perhaps, pray at any time that he wishes? David already articulated: “Evening and morning and noon, I speak and cry aloud, and He hears my voice” (Psalms 55:18). May he, perhaps, demand [that God provide for] his needs and leave? Solomon already articulated: “To hear the cry and the prayer” (I Kings 8:28); “cry” – this is praise of the Holy One blessed be He; “and prayer” – for a person’s needs.
Abba Shaul says: This is an indicator regarding prayer – if a person focused his heart for prayer, he may be certain that his prayer is heard, as it is stated: “You will focus their heart; You will incline Your ear” (Psalms 10:17).
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Prayer is called by ten expressions, and these are: Shava, tze’aka, ne’aka, rina, pegia, bitzur, keria, nipul, pilul, and taḥanunim. Shava and tze’aka, as it is stated: “The children of Israel sighed due to the work, and they cried out [vayizaku] [and their plea [shavatam] rose to God]” (Exodus 2:23). Ne’aka, as it is written: “God heard their groan [naakatam]” (Exodus 2:24). Rina and pegia, as it is written: “Do not pray on behalf of this people, and do not lift up a cry [rina] or a prayer on their behalf, and do not plead [tifga] with Me, [for I am not listening to you]” (Jeremiah 7:16). Bitzur and keria, as it is written: “In my distress [batzar] I called [ekra] to the Lord” (Psalms 18:7). Nipul, as it is written: “I threw myself down [va’etnapal] before the Lord” (Deuteronomy 9:18). Pilul, as it is written: “Pinḥas stood and prayed [vayfalel]” (Psalms 106:30). Taḥanunim, as it is written: “I pleaded [va’etḥanan] with the Lord.” Of all of them Moses prayed only with the expression of plea [taḥanunim].
Rabbi Yoḥanan said: From here you learn that no creature has any claim on its Creator, as Moses, the master of all the prophets, came only with an expression of plea. Rabbi Levi said: Why did Moses come only with an expression of plea [taḥanunim]?²Why did he pray to enter the Land of Israel with the expression va’etḥanan, I pleaded, and not with one of the other terms of prayer? The parable says: Be careful not to be caught in a contradiction. How so? So said the Holy One blessed be He to Moses: “I will favor [veḥanoti] whom I favor” (Exodus 33:19). [God] said to him: ‘Upon one who has [credit] with Me, “I will have mercy” (Exodus 33:19); I will act with him with the attribute of mercy. One who does not have [credit] with Me, “veḥanoti” – I will act [mercifully] with him as a free [ḥinam] gift.’ When Moses sought to enter the Land of Israel, the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “It is enough for you; [do not continue speaking to Me about this matter]” (Deuteronomy 3:26). [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, did You not say this to me: One who does not have [credit] with Me, “veḥanoti” – I will act [mercifully] with him as a free [ḥinam] gift? Now I am not saying that anything is due to me from You, but act with me with grace [ḥinam].’ From where is this derived? From what we read regarding the matter: “I pleaded [va’etḥanan] with the Lord.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה', זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים לט, יב): בְּתוֹכָחוֹת עַל עָוֹן יִסַּרְתָּ אִישׁ וַתֶּמֶס כָּעָשׁ חֲמוּדוֹ אַךְ הֶבֶל כָּל אָדָם, מַהוּ בְּתוֹכָחוֹת עַל עָוֹן, עַל יְדֵי עָוֹן אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה בְּיַד משֶׁה שֶׁהוֹכִיחַ אֶת בָּנֶיךָ וְאָמַר לָהֶם (במדבר כ, י): שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים, יִסַּרְתָּ אוֹתוֹ וְהוֹכַחְתָּ אוֹתוֹ. וְאֵין אִישׁ אֶלָּא משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר יב, ג): וְהָאִישׁ משֶׁה עָנָו מְאֹד. מַהוּ וַתֶּמֶס כָּעָשׁ חֲמוּדוֹ, כָּל חֶמְדָה שֶׁהָיָה מִתְאַוֶּה משֶׁה לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ, הֵמַסְתָּ אוֹתוֹ כָּעָשׁ הַזֶּה שֶׁנִּכְנַס בַּכֵּלִים וּמַרְקִיבָן. וְאֵין חֲמוּדוֹ אֶלָּא אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ג, יט): וְאֶתֶּן לָךְ אֶרֶץ חֶמְדָּה וגו', וְאִם כָּךְ הִגִּיעַ לְמשֶׁה הַצַּדִּיק, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שְׁאָר כָּל הַבְּרִיּוֹת שֶׁהֵם מְתֻקָּנִין לַהֶבֶל וּמְתֻקָּנִין לְיוֹם הַדִּין, אַךְ הֶבֶל כָּל אָדָם, אָמַר רַב אַחָא שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה אֱלוֹהַּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ז, א): רְאֵה נְתַתִּיךָ אֱלֹהִים לְפַרְעֹה, עַכְשָׁו הוּא מִתְחַנֵּן וּמִתְחַבֵּט וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה'. Another matter: “I pleaded with the Lord” – this is what the verse said: “You chastise a man with punishments for iniquity, consuming his delight like a moth. Surely man is mere nothingness” (Psalms 39:12). What is “with punishments for iniquity”? Because of one iniquity that Moses performed, that he chastised Your children and said to them: “Hear now defiant ones” (Numbers 20:10), You afflicted him and rebuked him. “A man” is none other than Moses, as it is stated: “The man Moses was very humble” (Numbers 12:3). What is “consuming his delight like a moth”? All the delight that Moses desired, to enter the Land [of Israel], You caused to be consumed, like a moth that gets into garments and causes them to rot. “His delight” is nothing other than the Land of Israel, like the matter that is stated: “And give you a land of delight…” (Jeremiah 3:19). If that is what befell the righteous Moses, all the more are the rest of the people destined for nothingness and destined for the Day of Judgment. “Surely man is mere nothingness” – Rav Aḥa said: He that became a god [elo’ah], as it is stated: “I have put you as a god [elohim] for Pharaoh” (Exodus 7:1), is now pleading and prostrating himself: “I pleaded with the Lord.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וָאֶתְחַנַּן, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (דניאל ב, כא): וְהוּא מְהַשְּׁנֵא עִדָּנַיָא וְזִמְנַיָא וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי אָבִין לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ אָהוּב וְהוּא מְמַנֶּה דֻּכָּסִין וְאִפַּרְכִין וְאִסְטְרַטְלִיטִין, לְאַחַר יָמִים רָאוּ אוֹתוֹ שֶׁהָיָה מְבַקֵּשׁ מִן הַשּׁוֹעֵר לִכָּנֵס לַפָּלָטִין וְאֵינוֹ מַנִּיחַ לוֹ, הָיוּ הַכֹּל תְּמֵהִין וְאוֹמְרִין אֶתְמוֹל הָיָה מְמַנֶּה דֻּכָּסִין וְאִפַּרְכִין וְאִסְטְרַטְלִיטִין, וְעַכְשָׁו הוּא מְבַקֵּשׁ מִן הַשּׁוֹעֵר לִכָּנֵס לַפָּלָטִין וְאֵינוֹ מַנִּיחַ לוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ שַׁעְתָּא עָבְרַת. כָּךְ משֶׁה גּוֹזֵר עַל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהוּא מְקַיֵּם, (במדבר י, לה): קוּמָה ה', (במדבר י, לו): שׁוּבָה ה', (במדבר טז, ל): וְאִם בְּרִיאָה יִבְרָא ה', אִם נִבְרָא לָהּ פֶּה מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית הֲרֵי מוּטָב וְאִם לָאו יִבְרָא ה', וְעַכְשָׁו מִתְחַנֵּן וּמִתְחַבֵּט לִכָּנֵס לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵינוֹ מִתְקַבֵּל, שַׁעְתָּא עָבְרַת, (דברים ג, כג): בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר. Another matter: “I pleaded” – this is what the verse said: “He changes the times and the seasons…” (Daniel 2:21). Rabbi Avin said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had a close friend who would appoint generals, governors, and commanders. Sometime later, they saw that he was requesting from the gatekeeper to enter the palace, but he would not let him. Everyone was astonished and said: Yesterday he was appointing generals, governors, and commanders, and now he requests from the gatekeeper to enter the palace, and he does not let him? They would say to him [the questioner]: ‘His time has passed.’ So, Moses would issue a decree on the Holy One blessed be He, and He would fulfill it: “Arise Lord” (Numbers 10:35), “return Lord” (Numbers 10:36), “but if the Lord creates a creation [yivra Hashem]” (Numbers 16:30) – if an opening was created for it from the six days of Creation, that is fine, but if not, “may the Lord, create [yivra Hashem].”³Moses asked God to open the ground and have it swallow up Koraḥ, Datan, and Aviram. This in fact occurred. “Yivra Hashem” by itself can be understood as meaning, “Let the Lord create.” But now, he is pleading and prostrating himself [in prayer] to enter the Land of Israel, but his [request]is not accepted; his time has passed: “At that time, saying.”⁴He prayed “at that time,” asking to enter the Land of Israel, but the time in which he had God’s favor had already passed.

וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה', זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי יח, כג): תַּחֲנוּנִים יְדַבֶּר רָשׁ וְעָשִׁיר יַעֲנֶה עַזּוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא תַּחֲנוּנִים יְדַבֶּר רָשׁ, זֶה משֶׁה, שֶׁבָּא אֵצֶל בּוֹרְאוֹ בְּתַחֲנוּנִים. וְעָשִׁיר יַעֲנֶה עַזּוֹת, עֲשִׁירוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, עָנָה אוֹתוֹ עַזּוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ג, כו): אַל תּוֹסֶף דַּבֵּר אֵלַי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן תַּחֲנוּנִים יְדַבֶּר רָשׁ, אֵלּוּ נְבִיאֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְעָשִׁיר יַעֲנֶה עַזּוֹת, אֵלּוּ נְבִיאֵי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אֵין לְךָ צַדִּיק בְּאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם יוֹתֵר מֵאִיּוֹב, וְלֹא בָּא אֶלָּא בְּתוֹכָחוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (איוב כג, ד): אֶעֶרְכָה לְפָנָיו מִשְׁפָּט וּפִי אֲמַלֵּא תוֹכָחוֹת. אֵין לְךָ גָּדוֹל בַּנְּבִיאִים מִמּשֶׁה וִישַׁעְיָה, וּשְׁנֵיהֶם לֹא בָּאוּ אֶלָּא בְּתַחֲנוּנִים, יְשַׁעְיָה אָמַר (ישעיה לג, ב): ה' חָנֵנוּ לְךָ קִוִּינוּ. וּמשֶׁה אָמַר וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וָאֶתְחַנַּן אֶל ה', לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְמַטְרוֹנָה שֶׁיָּלְדָה בֵּן, כָּל יָמִים שֶׁבְּנָהּ קַיָּם הָיְתָה נִכְנֶסֶת בַּפָּלָטִין בִּזְרוֹעַ, מֵת בְּנָהּ, הִתְחִילָה מְבַקֶּשֶׁת לִכָּנֵס בִּתְחִינוֹת. כָּךְ כָּל זְמַן שֶׁהָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל קַיָּמִים בַּמִּדְבָּר, הָיָה משֶׁה נִכְנַס לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּזְרוֹעַ (שמות לב, יא): לָמָּה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ, (במדבר יד, יט): סְלַח נָא לַעֲוֹן הָעָם הַזֶּה וגו'. כֵּיוָן שֶׁמֵּתוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בַּמִּדְבָּר הִתְחִיל מְבַקֵּשׁ לִכָּנֵס בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּתַחֲנוּנִים וָאֶתְחַנַּן. “I pleaded with the Lord” – this is what the verse said: “A poor person speaks with pleas, and a wealthy one responds harshly” (Proverbs 18:23). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: “A poor person speaks with pleas” – this is Moses, who came to his Creator with pleas. “And a wealthy one responds harshly” – the wealthy One of the world, namely the Holy One blessed be He. He answered him harshly, as it is stated: “Do not continue speaking to Me” (Deuteronomy 3:26).
Another matter: Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “A poor person speaks with pleas [taḥanunim]” (Proverbs 18:23) – these are the prophets of Israel. “And a wealthy one responds harshly” (Proverbs 18:23) – these are the prophets of the nations of the world. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: There was no one in the nations of the world more righteous than Job, and he came only with reproaches [tokhaḥot], as it is stated: “I would organize my case before Him and fill my mouth with arguments [tokhaḥot]” (Job 23:4). There were none greater among the prophets than Moses and Isaiah, and both of them came only with pleas. Isaiah said: “Lord, be gracious to us [ḥanenu] ; we have longed for You” (Isaiah 33:2), and Moses said: “I pleaded [va’etḥanan] with the Lord.”
Another matter: “I pleaded with the Lord” – to what is the matter comparable? To a noblewoman who bore a child.⁵Some interpret this to refer to a concubine of the king (see Midrash HaMevo’ar). In any event, the meaning is that because she bore a child to the king or ruler, she could enter the palace whenever she wanted. All the days that her son was alive, she would enter the palace with impunity. When her son died, she began asking to enter with pleas. So, as long as Israel was alive in the wilderness, Moses would enter before the Holy One blessed be He with impunity: “Lord, why will Your wrath be enflamed against Your people” (Exodus 32:11)? “Please pardon the iniquity of this people…” (Numbers 14:19). When Israel died in the wilderness,⁶This refers to the generation that had experienced the exodus from Egypt. he began asking to enter the Land of Israel with pleas – “I pleaded.”

בָּעֵת הַהִוא (דברים ג, כג), בְּאֵיזֶה עֵת, בְּאוֹתוֹ עֵת שֶׁנִּתְמַנָּה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ג, כא): וְאֶת יְהוֹשׁוּעַ צִוֵּיתִי. אָמַר רַב הוּנָא כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה הִגִּיעַ אַרְכִי לִיהוֹשֻׁעַ, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הִתְחִיל לְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאִיפַרְכוֹס שֶׁהָיָה בָּאַרְכִי שֶׁלּוֹ, וְהָיָה גּוֹזֵר עַל הַמֶּלֶךְ וְהוּא עוֹשֶׂה, הָיָה פּוֹדֶה לְמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה, וְחוֹבֵשׁ לְמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּתְחַלֵּף וְנִתְמַנָּה אַחֵר תַּחְתָּיו, הִתְחִיל לְבַקֵּשׁ מִן הַשּׁוֹעֵר לִכָּנֵס וְלֹא הָיָה מַנִּיחַ לוֹ. כָּךְ משֶׁה, כָּל יָמִים שֶׁהָיָה בָּאַרְכִי שֶׁלּוֹ, הָיָה חוֹבֵשׁ לְמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר טז, לג): וַיֵּרְדוּ הֵם וְכָל אֲשֶׁר לָהֶם חַיִּים וגו', וּפוֹדֶה לְמִי שֶׁרוֹצֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג, ו): יְחִי רְאוּבֵן וְאַל יָמֹת, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁנִּתְחַלֵּף וְנִתְמַנָּה יְהוֹשֻׁעַ תַּחְתָּיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כז, יח): קַח לְךָ אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן, הִתְחִיל לְהִתְחַנֵּן לִכָּנֵס לָאָרֶץ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (דברים ג, כו): רַב לָךְ. “At that time” – at what time? It was at the time that Joshua was appointed, as it is stated: “I commanded Joshua [at that time]” (Deuteronomy 3:21). Rav Huna said: When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Joshua’s tenure has arrived,’ at that moment Moses began asking for mercy to enter the land. To what is the matter comparable? To a governor who, during his tenure, would issue decrees and the king would fulfill them. He would redeem whom he wanted and imprison whom he wanted. When he was replaced and another was appointed in his stead, he began asking the gatekeeper to enter, but he would not let him. So, Moses, all the days of his tenure he would imprison whom he wanted, as it is stated: “They, and everything that was theirs, descended alive [into the abyss]” (Numbers 16:33). He redeemed whom he wanted, as it is stated: “Let Reuben live and not die” (Deuteronomy 33:6). When he was replaced and Joshua was appointed in his stead, as it is stated: “Take to you Joshua son of Nun” (Numbers 27:18), he began pleading to enter the land. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “It is enough for you” (Deuteronomy 3:26).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר, מַהוּ לֵאמֹר, אָמַר רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה לֵאמֹר לַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁיִּהְיוּ מִתְפַּלְּלִין בִּשְׁעַת הַצָּרָה, שֶׁהֲרֵי משֶׁה אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר לוֹ (דברים ג, כז): לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה, הִתְחִיל מִתְחַנֵּן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ לֵאמֹר, אָמַר רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הֲשִׁיבֵנִי עַל דְּבָרַי אִם אֲנִי נִכְנָס לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל אִם אֵינִי נִכְנָס. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ לֵאמֹר, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם תִּכָּתֵב חֲטָיָה שֶׁלִּי לְדוֹרוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁגָּזַר וְאָמַר כָּל מִי שֶׁיְלַקֵּט וְיֹאכַל מִפֵּרוֹת שְׁבִיעִית מַחֲזִירִין אוֹתוֹ בְּקוֹמְפִּין, הָלְכָה אִשָּׁה אַחַת וְלִקְטָה וְאָכְלָה, הִתְחִילוּ לְחַזֵּר אוֹתָהּ בַּקּוֹמְפִּין, אָמְרָה לוֹ אֲדוֹנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ בְּבַקָּשָׁה מִמְּךָ יִתָּלוּ הַפַּגִּין הַלָּלוּ בְּצַוָּארִי, שֶׁלֹא יְהוּ בְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה אוֹמְרִים נִמְצָא בָהּ דְּבַר כְּשָׁפִים אוֹ דְּבַר נִאוּף, וּמִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהֵן רוֹאִים אֶת הַפַּגִּים בְּצַוָּארִי יוֹדְעִים שֶׁבִּשְׁבִילָם אֲנִי מְחַזֶּרֶת בַּקּוֹמְפִּין. כָּךְ אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם תִּכָּתֵב חֲטָיָה שֶׁלִּי לְדוֹרוֹת, שֶׁלֹא יִהְיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים זִיֵּף משֶׁה בַּתּוֹרָה אוֹ אָמַר דָּבָר שֶׁלֹא נִצְטַוָּה, וְיֵדְעוּ שֶׁלֹא הָיָה אֶלָּא עַל הַמַּיִם, הֲרֵי בָּעֵת הַהִוא לֵאמֹר. Another matter: “At that time saying” – what is “saying [lemor]”?⁷The term “saying [lemor],” which literally means “to say,” generally implies that the speaker asks the listener to repeat what he says to others. This meaning is not relevant in this verse. Rabbi Azarya said: It is to say [lemor] to [all future] generations that they should pray in times of trouble. As Moses, although it was stated to him: “You will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27), he began pleading.
Another matter: What is “saying”? Rabbi Akiva said: Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, answer me regarding my words, whether I will be entering the Land of Israel or I will not be entering.’
Another matter: What is “saying”? He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, write my sin for the generations.’ Rabbi Shmuel said: To what is the matter comparable? It is to a king who decreed that anyone who gathers and eats Sabbatical Year produce⁸The reference is to unripe produce. During the Sabbatical Year, it is forbidden to pick produce until it ripens (see Etz Yosef). will be circulated [in disgrace] before a public assembly. A certain woman went, gathered, and ate. They began circulating her around the public assembly. She said to him: ‘My lord the king, if you please, let these unripe fruits be suspended from my neck, so the residents of the city will not say: They discovered that she had performed an act of sorcery or adultery. From the fact that they see the unripe fruit around my neck, they will know that it is due to them that I am being circulated around the public assembly.’ So, Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, let my sin be written for the generations, so Israel will not say: Moses falsified the Torah or said something that he was not commanded, and they will know that it was for nothing other than the water.’⁹The reference is to Moses’ sin at the incident of the waters of dispute [Mei Meriva] (see Numbers 20:7–13). That is, “at that time saying.”

ה' אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה הַחִלֹּותָ (דברים ג, כד), מַהוּ ה' אֱלֹהִים, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה בִּשְׁנֵי מְקוֹמוֹת דִּמָּה משֶׁה אֶת עַצְמוֹ לְאַבְרָהָם וְלֹא הוֹעִיל לוֹ כְּלוּם, כֵּיצַד, אַבְרָהָם קָרָא לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר הִנֵּנִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כב, א): וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אַבְרָהָם וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי, מַהוּ הִנֵּנִי, הִנֵּנִי לִכְהֻנָּה, הִנֵּנִי לְמַלְכוּת, וְזָכָה לִכְהֻנָּה וְזָכָה לְמַלְכוּת, זָכָה לִכְהֻנָּה מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קי, ד): נִשְׁבַּע ה' וְלֹא יִנָּחֵם אַתָּה כֹהֵן לְעוֹלָם עַל דִּבְרָתִי מַלְכִּי צֶדֶק, וְזָכָה לְמַלְכוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יד, יז): אֶל עֵמֶק שָׁוֵה הוּא עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ. וְאַף משֶׁה בִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, ד): וַיֹּאמֶר משֶׁה משֶׁה וַיֹּאמֶר הִנֵּנִי, הִנֵּנִי לִכְהֻנָּה הִנֵּנִי לְמַלְכוּת, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (משלי כה, ו): אַל תִּתְהַדַּר לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ וּבִמְקוֹם גְּדֹלִים אַל תַּעֲמֹד. (שמות ג, ה): וַיֹּאמֶר אַל תִּקְרַב הֲלֹם, אֵין לְךָ עֵסֶק בַּכְּהֻנָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר ג, י): וְהַזָּר הַקָּרֵב יוּמָת. אֵין לְךָ עֵסֶק בַּמַּלְכוּת, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל ב ז, יח): כִּי הֲבִאֹתַנִי עַד הֲלֹם. אַבְרָהָם אָמַר (בראשית טו, ב): ה' אֱלֹהִים מַה תִּתֶּן לִי, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אִם מִתְבַּקֵּשׁ בַּדִּין שֶׁיִּהְיוּ לִי בָנִים תֵּן לִי, וְאִם לָאו בְּרַחֲמִים תִּתֵּן לִי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיֶּיךָ בַּדִּין מִתְבַּקֵּשׁ לְךָ (בראשית טו, ד): וְהִנֵּה דְּבַר ה' אֵלָיו, וְאַף משֶׁה כָּךְ אָמַר: ה' אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה הַחִלֹּותָ, אִם מִתְבַּקֵּשׁ בַּדִּין שֶׁאֶכָּנֵס לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֶכָּנֵס, וְאִם לָאו אֶכָּנֵס בְּרַחֲמִים. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַל תִּתְהַדַּר לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ וגו', (דברים ג, כז): כִּי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה משֶׁה הֵיאַךְ הַדְּבָרִים חֲזָקִים, הִתְחִיל מְדַבֵּר דְּבָרִים קָשִׁים. “Lord God, You have begun to show Your servant Your greatness and Your mighty hand, for what god is in the heavens or on the earth who can act in accordance with Your actions and according to Your mighty deeds” (Deuteronomy 3:24).
“Lord God, You have begun” – what is “Lord God”? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: In two places, Moses likened himself to Abraham, but it was to no avail for him. How so? The Holy One blessed be He called to Abraham, and he said: “I am here,” as it is stated: “And said to him: Abraham; and he said: I am here” (Genesis 22:1). What is “I am here”? I am here for priesthood, I am here for kingship; and he merited priesthood and kingship. From where is it derived that he merited priesthood? As it is stated: “The Lord has taken an oath, and He will not renounce it; you are priest forever by My decree, like Malkitzedek” (Psalms 110:4).¹⁰Malkitzedek was a priest (see Genesis 14:18). He merited kingship, as it is stated: “To the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king” (Genesis 14:17).¹¹The midrash understands this as an allusion to the fact that the kings of the region elected Abraham as their king (see Bereshit Rabba 42:5).
Moses, too, sought to do so, as it is stated: “He said: Moses, Moses; and he said: I am here” (Exodus 3:4). I am here for priesthood; I am here for kingship. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not glorify yourself before a king, and do not stand in the place of the great” (Proverbs 25:6). “Do not approach [tikrav] here [halom]” (Exodus 3:5). You have no involvement with the priesthood, as it is stated: “The stranger who approaches [hakarev] shall be put to death” (Numbers 3:10). You have no involvement with the kingship, as it is stated: “That You have brought me here [halom]” (II Samuel 7:18).¹²David used the term halom in reference to the kingship.
Abraham said: “Lord God, what will You give to me?” (Genesis 15:2). Rabbi Levi said: He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if through justice¹³The name “God” represents the attribute of justice. I deserve to have children, give them to me; if not, give them to me through mercy.¹⁴The name “the Lord” represents the attribute of mercy. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘As you live, you deserve them’: “And, behold, the word of the Lord was to him…[one who will emerge from your loins, he will be your heir]” (Genesis 15:4). Moses, too, said so: “Lord God, You have begun” – if through justice I deserve to enter the Land of Israel, let me enter; if not, let me enter through mercy. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Do not glorify yourself before a king…” “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27) – when Moses saw how resolute the matters were, he began speaking harsh words.¹⁵He began praying in a more forceful manner, as the midrash will detail in the next section.

ה' אֱלֹהִים אַתָּה הַחִלֹּותָ, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם לָמָּה אֵינִי נִכְנַס לָאָרֶץ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַרְתִּי (במדבר כ, י): שִׁמְעוּ נָא הַמֹּרִים, אַתָּה הוּא שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ תְּחִלָּה (במדבר יז, כה): לְמִשְׁמֶרֶת לְאוֹת לִבְנֵי מֶרִי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אַתָּה הַחִלֹּותָ, אָמַר רַבִּי רְאוּבֵן אָמַר משֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לָמָּה אַתְּ עוֹשֶׂה לִי כָּךְ, אַתָּה הִתְחַלְתָּ לָבוֹא אֶצְלִי, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, ב): וַיֵּרָא מַלְאַךְ ה' אֵלָיו בְּלַבַּת אֵשׁ מִתּוֹךְ הַסְּנֶה, אָמַר לוֹ מִשֶּׁגִּדַּלְתָּ אוֹתִי אַתָּה מוֹרִידֵנִי מִגְדֻלָּתִי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וַהֲרֵי נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אַתָּה הַחִלֹּותָ, כְּשֶׁבִּקַּשְׁתָּ לֹא חִלַּלְתָּ הַשְּׁבוּעָה, לֹא נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ שֶׁאַתָּה מְכַלֶּה אֶת בָּנֶיךָ בָּעֵגֶל וְחָזַרְתָּ בְּךָ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, יד): וַיִּנָּחֶם ה'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם עַצְמוֹתָיו שֶׁל יוֹסֵף נִכְנְסוּ לָאָרֶץ, וַאֲנִי אֵינִי נִכְנַס לָאָרֶץ. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִי שֶׁהוֹדָה בְּאַרְצוֹ נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצוֹ וּמִי שֶׁלֹא הוֹדָה בְּאַרְצוֹ אֵינוֹ נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצוֹ, יוֹסֵף הוֹדָה בְּאַרְצוֹ, מִנַּיִן, גְּבִרְתּוֹ אוֹמֶרֶת (בראשית לט, יד): רְאוּ הֵבִיא לָנוּ אִישׁ עִבְרִי וגו' וְלֹא כָפַר, אֶלָּא (בראשית מ, טו): גֻּנֹּב גֻּנַּבְתִּי מֵאֶרֶץ הָעִבְרִים, נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצוֹ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע כד, לב): וְאֶת עַצְמוֹת יוֹסֵף אֲשֶׁר הֶעֱלוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם קָבְרוּ בִשְׁכֶם, אַתְּ שֶׁלֹא הוֹדֵיתָ בְּאַרְצְךָ אֵין אַתָּה נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצֶךָ, כֵּיצַד בְּנוֹת יִתְרוֹ אוֹמְרוֹת (שמות ב, יט): אִישׁ מִצְרִי הִצִּילָנוּ מִיַּד הָרֹעִים, וְהוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ וְשׁוֹתֵק, לְפִיכָךְ לֹא נִקְבַּר בְּאַרְצוֹ. “Lord God, You have begun” – he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, why am I not entering the land? Is it because I said: “Hear now, defiant ones”? It was You who said first: “As a safekeeping, as a sign for the defiant ones”’ (Numbers 17:25).
Another matter: “Lord God, You have begun” – Rabbi Reuven said: Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Why are You doing this to me? It was You who first approached me.’ From where is this derived? It is as it is stated: “An angel of the Lord appeared to him in a flame of fire from inside the bush” (Exodus 3:2). He said to Him: ‘After You elevated me, You are demoting me from my elevated stature?’
The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘But I took an oath.’ [Moses] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, when I requested, did You not break an oath? Did You not take an oath that You would eradicate Your children, and You reconsidered, as it is stated: “The Lord reconsidered”’ (Exodus 32:14)?
Another matter: Rabbi Levi said: He said before Him: ‘Joseph’s bones will enter the land, but I will not enter the land?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘The one who acknowledged his land will be buried in his land, and the one who did not acknowledge his land will not be buried in his land.’ Joseph acknowledged his land; from where is this derived? His master’s wife said: “See, he brought us a Hebrew man…” (Genesis 39:14), and he did not deny it; rather, “I was stolen from the land of the Hebrews” (Genesis 40:15). He was buried in his land. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The bones of Joseph, which the children of Israel took up from Egypt, they buried in Shekhem” (Joshua 24:32). ‘You, who did not acknowledge your land, will not be buried in your land.’ How so? Yitro’s daughters said: “An Egyptian man rescued us from the shepherds” (Exodus 2:19), and he heard and was silent. That is why he was not buried in his land.

כִּי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה (דברים ג, כז), אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, אִם אַתָּה נִקְבַּר כָּאן אֶצְלָן, בִּזְכוּתְךָ הֵן בָּאִין עִמָּךְ. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְאֶחָד שֶׁנִּתְפַּזְּרוּ מְעוֹתָיו בִּמְקוֹם אֲפֵלָה, אָמַר אִם אוֹמֵר אֲנִי הָאִירוּ לִי שֶׁאֲקַבֵּץ מְעוֹתַי, אֵין בְּרִיָה מַשְׁגַּחַת עָלַי, מֶה עָשָׂה נָטַל זָהוּב אֶחָד וְהִשְׁלִיךְ בְּתוֹכָם, וְהִתְחִיל צוֹוֵחַ וְאוֹמֵר הָאִירוּ לִי, זָהוּב אֶחָד הָיָה לִי וְנָפַל מִמֶּנִּי כָּאן, וְהֵאִירוּ לוֹ. מֶה עָשָׂה, מִשֶּׁנָּטַל אֶת הַזָּהוּב אָמַר לָהֶן, בְּחַיֵּיכֶם הַמְתִּינוּ לִי שֶׁאֲלַקֵּט אֶת הַמָּעוֹת, וְלִקְטָן, בִּזְכוּת הַזָּהוּב נִתְלַקְטוּ הַמָּעוֹת. כָּךְ אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, אִם נִקְבַּר אַתָּה אֶצְלָם בַּמִּדְבָּר הֵן בָּאִים בִּזְכוּתְךָ וְאַתְּ בָּא בְּרֹאשָׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג, כא): וַיַּרְא רֵאשִׁית לוֹ וגו' וַיֵּתֵא רָאשֵׁי עָם. “Ascend to the top of the peak, and lift your eyes to the west, and to the north, and to the south, and to the east, and see with your eyes, as you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27).
“As you will not cross this Jordan” – the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘If you are buried here with them, by your merit, they will come with you.’¹⁶All those who died in the wilderness will merit to enter the Land of Israel with him after the Revival of the Dead. Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? It is to one whose copper coins were scattered in a dark place. He said: If I say: Illuminate for me so I will gather my copper coins, no person will pay attention to me. What did he do? He took one gold coin and cast it in their midst and began shouting: ‘Illuminate for me. I had one gold coin, and it fell from me here,’ and they illuminated for him. What did he do? After taking the gold coin, he said to them: ‘Wait for me so that I can gather the copper coins,’ and he gathered them. Thanks to the gold coin, the copper coins were gathered. So the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘If you are buried with them in the wilderness, they will all come by your merit, and you will come at their head,’ as it is stated: “He saw the first for himself, [as there the plot of the lawgiver is hidden;] he came at the head of the people” (Deuteronomy 33:21).

כִּי מִי גּוֹי גָדוֹל וגו' (דברים ד, ז), הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁהָיָה קוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע מַהוּ שֶׁיְהֵא לוֹ מֻתָּר לְהַמְתִּין אַחַר קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְאַחַר כָּךְ יִתְפַּלֵּל, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים, שְׁלשָׁה תְּכִיפוֹת הֵן, תֵּכֶף לִסְמִיכָה שְׁחִיטָה, תֵּכֶף לִנְטִילַת יָדַיִם בְּרָכָה, תֵּכֶף לִגְאֻלָּה תְּפִלָּה, וּמִי שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה כֵן מַהוּ מַתַּן שְׂכָרוֹ, אָמַר רַבָּה בַּר אַבָּהוּ, אִם סָמַךְ וְשָׁחַט יְהֵא מֻבְטָח שֶׁקָּרְבָּנוֹ נִתְקַבֵּל. וְאִם נָטַל יָדָיו וּבֵרַךְ מִיָּד, יְהֵא מֻבְטָח שֶׁלֹא יְהֵא שָׂטָן מְקַטְרֵג בִּסְעוּדָתוֹ. וְאִם קָרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְנִתְפַּלֵּל מִיָּד, יְהֵא מֻבְטָח שֶׁתְּפִלָּתוֹ נִשְׁמַעַת. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן אַתְּ מוֹצֵא עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים קְרוֹבָה וּרְחוֹקָה, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רָחוֹק וְקָרוֹב. כֵּיצַד עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים קְרוֹבָה, עוֹבֵד כּוֹכָבִים עוֹשֶׂה עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים וּמַעֲמִידָהּ בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתוֹ אֶצְלוֹ, הֲרֵי קָרוֹב. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהִיא רְחוֹקָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מו, ז): אַף יִצְעַק אֵלָיו וְלֹא יַעֲנֶה וגו', הֲרֵי רְחוֹקָה, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רָחוֹק וְקָרוֹב, כֵּיצַד, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר' סִימוֹן מִכָּאן וְעַד לָרָקִיעַ מַהֲלַךְ ת''ק שָׁנָה, הֲרֵי רָחוֹק, וְקָרוֹב מִנַּיִן, שֶׁאָדָם עוֹמֵד וּמִתְפַּלֵּל וּמְהַרְהֵר בְּתוֹךְ לִבּוֹ וְקָרוֹב הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׁמֹעַ אֶת תְּפִלָּתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סה, ג): שֹׁמֵעַ תְּפִלָּה עָדֶיךָ כָּל בָּשָׂר יָבֹאוּ, אָמַר דָּוִד לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם כְּשֶׁיִּהְיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בָּאִים לְהִתְפַּלֵּל לְפָנֶיךָ, אַל תַּעֲנֶה אוֹתָן, שֶׁאֵין בָּאִין אֶצְלְךָ בְּלֵב שָׁלֵם, אֶלָּא הוֹלְכִין אֵצֶל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁלָּהֶן וְאֵינָהּ עוֹנָה אוֹתָן, וְהֵן רוֹאִין צָרָתָן צָרָה, וּבָאִין לָהֶן אֶצְלְךָ, אַף אַתָּה לֹא תַעֲנֶה אוֹתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יח, מב): יְשַׁוְּעוּ וְאֵין מוֹשִׁיעַ עַל ה' וְלֹא עָנָם, מַהוּ יְשַׁוְּעוּ, יְשַׁוְּעוּ לַעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁלָּהֶן, וְלִכְשֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ אֶצְלְךָ, עַל ה' וְלֹא עָנָם. אֲבָל כְּשֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל קוֹרְאִין אֶצְלְךָ, מִיָּד שְׁמַע תְּפִלָּתֵנוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים ד, ב): בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי אֱלֹהֵי צִדְקִי, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מָה אָמַרְתָּ בְּקָרְאִי עֲנֵנִי, חַיֶּיךָ עַד שֶׁלֹא תִקְרָאֵנִי אֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סה, כד): טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה, שֶׁאֵין לִי אֻמָּה אַחֶרֶת אֶלָּא אַתֶּם, מִנַיִן, מִמַּה שֶׁקָּרֵינַן בָּעִנְיָן כִּי מִי גּוֹי גָדוֹל. “For who is a great nation that has God near it, as is the Lord our God in all of our calling to Him” (Deuteronomy 4:7).
“For who is a great nation…” – halakha: If a person of Israel recited Shema, is it permitted for him to pause after reciting Shema and then to pray? So taught the Sages: There are three acts that must be performed immediately [following another act]: Immediately following placing of the hands [on an animal that is about to be sacrificed] is its slaughter; immediately following redemption is prayer;¹⁷Redemption is the last of the blessings after Shema in the morning, and it is to be immediately followed by the Amida prayer. and immediately following washing the hands is the blessing.¹⁸The blessing recited over the bread. One who does so, what is his reward? Rabba bar Abbahu said: If he placed hands and slaughtered, he may be certain that his offering will be accepted. If he washed his hands and immediately recited the blessing, he may be certain that the Accuser will not denounce him during his meal. If he recited Shema and immediately prayed, he may be certain that his prayer will be heard.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: You find idols that are near but distant, but the Holy One blessed be He is distant but near. How are idols near? An idolater crafts an idol and stands it in his house with him; it is near. From where is it derived that it is distant? As it is stated: “Even if one will call to it, it will not answer…” (Isaiah 46:7); that is distant. The Holy One blessed be He is distant and near. How so? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: From here to the heaven is a walking distance of five hundred years; that is distant. And from where is it derived that He is near? As a person stands and prays and contemplates within his heart, and the Holy One blessed be He is near, such that He hears his prayer, as it is stated: “You, who hear prayer, all flesh comes to You” (Psalms 65:3).
David said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, when the nations of the world come to pray before You, do not answer them, as they do not come to You wholeheartedly. Rather, they go to their idol, and it does not answer them. They see that their trouble is severe, and they come to You. You, too, should not answer them,’ as it is stated: “They cried out, but there was no savior; to the Lord, who did not answer them” (Psalms 18:42). What is “they cried out”? They cried out to their idol. ‘And when they come to You, “to the Lord, who did not answer them.”¹⁹The word “to [al]” is written with an ayin. The midrash here expounds it as though it were written al with an alef, such that it means “do not.” The verse can then be translated: “Lord, do not answer them.” But when Israel calls to you, immediately, hear our prayer, as it is stated: “When I call, answer me, God of my righteousness”’ (Psalms 4:2). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘What did you say, “when I call, answer me”? As you live, I will answer you before you call Me, as it is stated: “Before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24), as I do not have another nation other than you.’ From where is this derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “For who is a great nation.”

יַעַנְךָ ה' בְּיוֹם צָרָה (תהלים כ, ב), רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְבֶן מֶלֶךְ שֶׁיָּצָא לְתַרְבּוּת רָעָה וְהָיוּ לוֹ שְׁלשָׁה פַּדְגוֹגִין, הָרִאשׁוֹן אָמַר יֵעָשֶׂה לוֹ כְּבָלִים שֶׁל מֵאָה לִיטְרִין, וְהַשֵּׁנִי אָמַר אֵינוֹ יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בִּכְבָלִים שֶׁל מֵאָה לִיטְרִין אֶלָּא יֵעָשֶׂה לוֹ כְּבָלִים שֶׁל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לִיטְרִין, בָּא הַשְּׁלִישִׁי וְאָמַר הֵיאַךְ הוּא יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד בִּכְבָלִים שֶׁל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לִיטְרִין יֵעָשֶׂה לוֹ כְּבָלִים שֶׁל לִיטְרָא אַחַת. כָּךְ אָמַר משֶׁה יֵעָשׂוּ לוֹ כְּבָלִים שֶׁל מֵאָה לִיטְרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לא, יז): וּמְצָאֻהוּ רָעוֹת רַבּוֹת וְצָרוֹת, דָּוִד אָמַר יֵעָשֶׂה לוֹ כְּבָלִים שֶׁל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר לִיטְרִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יַעַנְךָ ה' בְּיוֹם צָרָה, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַיּוֹם שְׁתֵּים עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁעוֹת. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד יִרְמְיָה אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֵין בָּהֶם כֹּחַ לִסְבֹּל כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאָמַר דָּוִד בְּיוֹם צָרָה, אֶלָּא יֵעָשֶׂה לָהֶם כְּבָלִים שֶׁל לִיטְרָא אַחַת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ל, ז): וְעֵת צָרָה הִיא לְיַעֲקֹב וּמִמֶּנָּה יִוָּשֵׁעַ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, יַעַנְךָ ה' בְּיוֹם צָרָה, מַהוּ בְּיוֹם צָרָה, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאִשָּׁה שֶׁיָּשְׁבָה עַל הַמַּשְׁבֵּר לֵילֵד וְהָיְתָה מִצְטַעֶרֶת לֵילֵד, אָמְרוּ מִי שֶׁעָנָה אֶת אִמֵּךְ הוּא יַעֲנֶה אוֹתָךְ, כָּךְ אָמַר דָּוִד לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מִי שֶׁעָנָה לְיַעֲקֹב הוּא יַעֲנֶה אֶתְכֶם, מַה הִתְפַּלֵּל יַעֲקֹב (בראשית לה, ג): וְאֶעֱשֶׂה שָׁם מִזְבֵּחַ לָאֵל הָעֹנֶה אֹתִי בְּיוֹם צָרָתִי, אַף אַתָּה יַעַנְךָ ה' בְּיוֹם צָרָה יְשַׂגֶּבְךָ שֵׁם אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב, אָמַר משֶׁה לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם כְּשֶׁתְּהֵא רוֹאֶה בָּנֶיךָ בְּצַעַר וְאֵין מִי שֶׁיְבַקֵּשׁ רַחֲמִים עֲלֵיהֶם, מִיָּד עֲנֵה אוֹתָן, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, משֶׁה, חַיֶּיךָ בְּכָל שָׁעָה שֶׁיִּקְרְאוּ אוֹתִי אֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה אוֹתָם, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ד, ז): כַּה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו. “May the Lord answer you on a day of trouble” (Psalms 20:2) – the Rabbis said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king’s son who took to evil ways. He had three tutors. The first said: ‘Let us make for him chains [that weigh] one hundred litra.’ The second said: ‘He will not be able to withstand chains of one hundred litra. Instead, make for him chains [weighing] twelve litra.’ The third came and said: ‘How will he be able to withstand chains of twelve litra? Make for him chains [weighing] one litra.’ So, Moses said: Let chains of one hundred litra be made for them, as it is stated: “Many evils and troubles will find them” (Deuteronomy 31:17). David said: Let chains of twelve litra be made for them, as it is stated: “May the Lord answer you on a day of trouble” – just as the day is twelve hours. When Jeremiah arose, he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, they do not have the strength to withstand what David said: “May the Lord answer you on a day of trouble.” Instead, make for them chains of one litra,’ as it is stated: “It is a time of trouble for Jacob, but from it he will be saved” (Jeremiah 30:7).
Another matter: “May the Lord answer you on a day of trouble” (Psalms 20:2) – Reish Lakish said: To what is the matter comparable? To a woman who was sitting on the birthing stool and she was in distress as she was about to give birth. They said: ‘May He who answered your mother answer you.’ So, David said to Israel: ‘May He who answered Jacob answer you. What prayer did Jacob offer? “I will craft there an altar to God who answers me on the day of my trouble” (Genesis 35:3). You too, “may the Lord answer you at a time of trouble; may the name of the God of Jacob fortify you”’ (Psalms 20:2). Moses said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, when You see Your children in distress and there is no one to ask for mercy for them, answer them immediately.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, as you live, whenever they call Me I will answer them,’ as it is stated: “As is the Lord our God in all of our calling to Him.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, כַּה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים סט, יד): וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ ה' עֵת רָצוֹן, רַבִּי חֲנִינָא בַּר פָּפָּא שָׁאַל לְרַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן מַהוּ דִּכְתִיב וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ ה' עֵת רָצוֹן, אָמַר לוֹ שַׁעֲרֵי תְּפִלָּה פְּעָמִים פְּתוּחִים פְּעָמִים נְעוּלִים, אֲבָל שַׁעֲרֵי תְּשׁוּבָה לְעוֹלָם פְּתוּחִים, אָמַר לוֹ מִנַּיִן, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים סה, ו): נוֹרָאוֹת בְּצֶדֶק תַּעֲנֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ מִבְטָח כָּל קַצְוֵי אֶרֶץ וְיָם רְחוֹקִים, מַה הַמִּקְוֶה הַזֶּה פְּעָמִים פָּתוּחַ פְּעָמִים נָעוּל, אַף שַׁעֲרֵי תְּפִלָּה פְּעָמִים פְּתוּחִים פְּעָמִים נְעוּלִים, אֲבָל הַיָּם הַזֶּה לְעוֹלָם פָּתוּחַ, כָּךְ יָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְעוֹלָם פְּתוּחָה לְקַבֵּל שָׁבִים. אָמַר רַב עָנָן אַף שַׁעֲרֵי תְּפִלָּה אֵינָן נִנְעָלִים לְעוֹלָם, דִּכְתִיב כַּה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו. וְאֵין קְרִיאָה אֶלָּא תְּפִלָּה, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סה, כד): וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּיא רַבָּה, כְּתִיב (תהלים כז, יד): קַוֵּה אֶל ה' חֲזַק וְיַאֲמֵץ לִבֶּךָ וְקַוֵּה אֶל ה', הֱוֵי מִתְפַּלֵּל וְחוֹזֵר וּמִתְפַּלֵּל, וְיֵשׁ שָׁעָה שֶׁיִּתְּנוּ לְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי וגו', דָּוִד בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁהָיָה יְחִידִי אָמַר עֵת רָצוֹן, אֲבָל תְּפִלָּתָן שֶׁל צִבּוּר אֵינָהּ חוֹזֶרֶת לְעוֹלָם רֵיקָם, הֱוֵי כַּה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו. Another matter: “As is the Lord our God” – this is what the verse said: “But as for me, let my prayer come to You, Lord, at a time of favor” (Psalms 69:14). Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa asked Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman: ‘What is [the meaning of] that which is written: “But as for me, let my prayer come to You, Lord, at a time of favor”?’ He said to him: ‘The gates of prayer are sometimes open and sometimes locked, but the gates of repentance are always open.’ [Rabbi Ḥanina] said to him: ‘From where is this derived?’ [He answered:] ‘As it is written: “You answer us justly with awesome deeds, God of our salvation, shelter of all ends of the earth and the farthest sea” (Psalms 65:6) – just as a ritual bath is sometimes open and sometimes locked, so, the gates of prayer are sometimes open and sometimes locked. But just as the sea is always open, so, the hand of the Holy One blessed be He is always open to accept penitents.’ Rav Anan said: The gates of prayer, too, are never locked, as it is written: “As is the Lord our God in all of our calling [korenu] to Him.” Calling is nothing other than prayer, as it is stated: “It will be, before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24). Rabbi Ḥiyya Rabba said: It is written: “Put your hope in the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage, and put your hope in the Lord” (Psalms 27:14) – pray, and pray again, and there will be a time when it will be granted to you.
Another matter: “But as for me, let my prayer [come to You, Lord, at a time of favor]” (Psalms 69:14) – David, because he was an individual, said: “A time of favor.” But the prayer of the community never returns unanswered. That is, “as is the Lord our God in all of our calling to Him.”

כִּי מִי גוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו. שָׁאֲלוּ הַמִּינִים אֶת רַבִּי שִׂמְלָאי כַּמָּה רְשׁוּיוֹת בָּרְאוּ אֶת הָעוֹלָם, אָמַר לָהֶם אֲנִי וְאַתֶּם נִשְׁאַל לְשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית. אָמְרוּ לוֹ מִי כְּתִיב בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלוֹהַּ (בראשית א, א): בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים כְּתִיב. אָמַר לָהֶן מִי כְּתִיב בָּרְאוּ, בָּרָא כְּתִיב, וּמִי כְתִיב וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֱלֹהִים יְהִי רָקִיעַ, יִקָּווּ הַמַּיִם, יְהִי מְאֹרֹת, וַיֹּאמֶר כְּתִיב. כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ לְמַעֲשֵׂה יוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי הָיוּ שְׂמֵחִים, אָמְרוּ לוֹ הֲרֵי כְּתִיב (בראשית א, כו): נַעֲשֶׂה אָדָם בְּצַלְמֵנוּ, אָמַר לָהֶם מִי כְתִיב וַיִּבְרְאוּ אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמֵיהֶם, אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן אֶלָּא (בראשית א, כז): וַיִּבְרָא אֶת הָאָדָם בְּצַלְמוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ וְהָא כְתִיב כִּי מִי גוֹי גָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו, אָמַר לָהֶם מִי כְתִיב כַּה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֲלֵיהֶם, בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו כְּתִיב. “For who is a great nation that has God near it, as is the Lord our God in all of our calling to Him.” The heretics asked Rabbi Simlai: ‘How many authorities created the world?’ He said to them: ‘Let you and me inquire into the six days of Creation.’ They said to him: ‘Is it written: “In the beginning God [Elo’ah]²⁰Singular created”? It is written: “In the beginning God [Elohim]²¹Plural created”’ (Genesis 1:1). He said to them: ‘Is created [baru]”²²Plural written? “Created [bara]”²³Singular is written. And is it written: “God said [vayomeru]²⁴Plural let there be a firmament” (Genesis 1:7); “[God said:] Let the water…be gathered” (Genesis 1:9); “[God said:] Let there be lights” (Genesis 1:14)? “Said [vayomer]”²⁵Singular is written.’ When they reached the action of the sixth day, they rejoiced. They said to him: ‘But is it not written: “Let us make man in our image” (Genesis 1:26)?’ He said to them: ‘It is not written here, “They created man in their images,” but rather, “God created man in His image”’ (Genesis 1:27). They said to him: ‘But is it not written: “For who is a great nation that has God near [kerovim]²⁶Plural it”?’ He said to them: ‘But is it written: “As is the Lord our God in all of our calling to them”? It is written, “[As is the Lord our God] in all of our calling to Him.”’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּשֶׁמִּתְכַּנְסִין מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לוֹמַר אֵימָתַי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁנָה וְאֵימָתַי יוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לָהֶם, לִי מָה אַתֶּם שׁוֹאֲלִים, אֲנִי וְאַתֶּם נֵלֵךְ אֵצֶל בֵּית דִּין שֶׁל מַטָּה, מִנַּיִן דִּכְתִיב אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו, אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֻמָּה קְרוֹבָה אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו, הוּא וְכָל פָּמַלְיָא שֶׁלּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַד שֶׁלֹא נַעֲשֵׂית אֻמָּה שֶׁלִּי (ויקרא כג, ב): מוֹעֲדֵי ה', מִכָּאן וָאֵילָךְ (ויקרא כג, ב): אֲשֶׁר תִּקְרְאוּ אֹתָם. Another matter: “That has God near it” – Rabbi Yoḥanan said: When the ministering angels gather before the Holy One blessed be He, saying: ‘When is Rosh HaShana and when is Yom Kippur,’ the Holy One blessed be He says to them: ‘Why are you asking Me? Let us, I and you, go to the earthly court.’ From where is this derived? As it is written: “That has God near [kerovim]²⁷Plural it” – it is not written here [of God]: “Who has a nation near [Him]” but rather [it is written of Israel]: “That has God near it” – He and His entire entourage.²⁸The fact that God is described as close to Israel rather than the other way around indicates that, to a certain extent, Israel is primary. The midrash interprets this to refer to the fact that it is Israel who determines when the new month occurs, and, consequently, when the holidays occur (but see Maharzu, who suggests a textual emendation to this passage). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Until you became My nation – “the appointed times of the Lord” (Leviticus 23:2).²⁹It was God who determined the calendar. From then on – “that you shall proclaim them”’ (Leviticus 23:2).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו, אָדָם אִם יְהֵא לוֹ קָרוֹב עָשִׁיר הוּא מוֹדֶה בּוֹ, וְאִם עָנִי הוּא כּוֹפֵר בּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר שֶׁאֵינוֹ קְרוֹבוֹ, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל יִשְׂרָאֵל הָיוּ נְתוּנִים בְּמִצְרַיִם בְּשִׁעְבּוּד, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר קְרוֹבֵיהֶן אֲנִי, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קמח, יד): לִבְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל עַם קְרֹבוֹ, וְאִם קְרוֹבוֹ עָנִי הוּא עוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ עִקָּר וְאוֹתוֹ טְפֵלָה, מַהוּ אוֹמֵר פְּלוֹנִי מִתְקָרֵב לִי, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל עוֹשֶׂה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל עִקָּר, אֲשֶׁר לוֹ גּוֹי קָרוֹב אֵין כְּתִיב כָּאן, אֶלָּא אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי מִי גּוֹי גָּדוֹל, אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר רַבִּי חֲנִינָא, אֵיזֶה אֻמָּה שֶׁגִּדְּלָהּ אֱלֹהֶיהָ כְּאֻמָּה זוֹ, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם אֻמָּה מְבַקֶּשֶׁת לַעֲשׂוֹת מִלְחָמָה וְאֵינָן יוֹדְעִין אִם נוֹצְחִין וְאִם אֵין נוֹצְחִין, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל וַדַּאי נוֹצְחִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי מִי גוֹי גָדוֹל וגו'. Another matter: “That has God near it” – if a person has a wealthy relative, he acknowledges him; but if [his relative] is poor, he disowns him and says that he is not his relative. But the Holy One blessed be He, as it were, [is different]. Israel were enslaved in Egypt; the Holy One blessed be He said: I am their relative. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The children of Israel, the people who are near [kerovo] to Him” (Psalms 148:14).³⁰Kerovim, literally “near ones,” is the Hebrew term for relatives. If [a man’s] relative is poor,³¹And the individual is unable to deny relation to him. he renders himself primary and [the relative] secondary. What does he say: So-and so-seeks to be close to me. But the Holy One blessed be He, as it were, renders Israel primary – it is not written here, “who has a nation that is near,” but rather, “that has God near it.”
Another matter: “For who is a great nation” – Rabbi Ḥama bar Rabbi Ḥanina said: Which is the nation that is exalted by its gods like this nation? The way of the world is that a nation seeks to wage war and they do not know whether they will win or they will not win; but Israel certainly wins, as it is stated: “For who is a great nation [that has God near it].”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא, מַעֲשֶׂה בִּסְפִינָה אַחַת שֶׁהָיְתָה כֻּלָּהּ שֶׁל עוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְהָיָה בְּתוֹכָהּ יְהוּדִי אֶחָד, הִגִּיעוּ לְנֵס אֶחָד, אָמְרוּ לְאוֹתוֹ יְהוּדִי פְּלוֹנִי טוֹל מָעוֹת וַעֲלֵה לַנֵּס הַזֶּה וְקַח לָנוּ מִשָּׁם מְאוּמָה, אָמַר לָהֶם לֹא אַכְסְנַאי אֲנִי מַכִּיר אֲנִי לְהֵיכָן אֵלֵךְ, אָמְרוּ וְיֵשׁ אַכְסְנַאי יְהוּדִי, בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁאַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ אֱלֹהֶיךָ עִמָּךְ, הֲרֵי אֲשֶׁר לוֹ אֱלֹהִים קְרֹבִים אֵלָיו. Another matter: Rabbi Tanḥuma said: There was an incident involving a certain ship on which all [the passengers] were idolaters, and there was one Jew among them. They reached a certain island. They said to that Jew: ‘Take money, go up onto this island and purchase something for us from there.’ He said to them: ‘Am I not a stranger? Do I know where I am going?’ They said: ‘Is there a Jew who is a stranger? Everywhere you go, your God is with you.’³²According to the Jerusalem Talmud (Berakhot 9:1), this incident occurred after the ship had been in dangerous seas, and all the idolators called out to their idols to save them and it was all to no avail, and then the Jew prayed to God and they were saved (Maharzu). That is, “that has God near it.”

מַהוּ בְּכָל קָרְאֵנוּ אֵלָיו, אָמְרוּ רַבָּנָן יֵשׁ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁנַּעֲנֵית לְאַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד מִמּשֶׁה, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ט, יח): וָאֶתְנַפַּל לִפְנֵי ה' כָּרִאשֹׁנָה אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם וגו', וְיֵשׁ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁנַּעֲנֵית לְעֶשְׂרִים יוֹם, מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד מִדָּנִיֵּאל, דִּכְתִיב (דניאל י, ג): לֶחֶם חֲמֻדוֹת לֹא אָכַלְתִּי וגו' עַד מְלֹאת שְׁלשֶׁת שָׁבֻעִים יָמִים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ אָמַר (דניאל ט, יט): ה' שְׁמָעָה ה' סְלָחָה וגו'. וְיֵשׁ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁנַּעֲנֵית לִשְׁלשָׁה יָמִים, מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד, מִיּוֹנָה, דִּכְתִיב (יונה ב, א): וַיְהִי יוֹנָה בִּמְעֵי הַדָּג וגו', וְאַחַר כָּךְ (יונה ב, ב): וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל יוֹנָה אֶל ה' אֱלֹהָיו מִמְּעֵי הַדָּגָה. וְיֵשׁ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁנַּעֲנֵית לְיוֹם אֶחָד, מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד, מֵאֵלִיָּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב (מלכים א יח, לו): וַיִּגַּשׁ אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא וַיֹּאמַר וגו'. וְיֵשׁ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁנַּעֲנֵית לְעוֹנָה, מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד, מִדָּוִד, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים סט, יד): וַאֲנִי תְפִלָּתִי לְךָ ה' עֵת רָצוֹן. וְיֵשׁ תְּפִלָּה שֶׁעַד שֶׁלֹא יִתְפַּלֵּל אוֹתָהּ מִפִּיו, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יַעֲנֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סה, כד): וְהָיָה טֶרֶם יִקְרָאוּ וַאֲנִי אֶעֱנֶה. What is, “in all of our calling to Him”? The Rabbis said: There is prayer that is answered after forty days. From whom do you derive this? From Moses, as it is written: “I fell before the Lord, as at the first, forty days…” (Deuteronomy 9:18).³³The following verse concludes: “And the Lord heeded me that time as well” (Deuteronomy 9:19). There is prayer that is answered after twenty days. From whom do you derive this? From Daniel, as it is written: “I ate no tasty bread…until the completion of three weeks of days” (Daniel 10:3), and then he said: “Lord, hear; Lord, forgive…” (Daniel 9:19). There is prayer that is answered after three days. From whom do you derive this? From Jonah, as it is written: “Jonah was in the innards of the fish [for three days and three nights]” (Jonah 2:1). And then: “Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the innards of the fish” (Jonah 2:2). There is prayer that is answered after one day. From whom do you derive this? From Elijah, as it is written: “[It was at the time of offering up the afternoon offering] that Elijah the prophet approached, and he said…[Today it will be known that You are God in Israel]” (I Kings 18:36). There is prayer that is answered after one time period.³⁴This is one twelve-hour period, either one day or one night. From whom do you derive this? From David, as it is written: “But as for me, let my prayer come to You, Lord, at a time of favor” (Psalms 69:14). There is a prayer that even before it is expressed from his mouth, the Lord will answer, as it is stated: “It will be, before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24).

כִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים, הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַהוּ שֶׁיְהֵא מֻתָּר לוֹ לְהַקִּיף פְּאַת רֹאשׁוֹ, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים, אֵלּוּ דְבָרִים אֲסוּרִים מִפְּנֵי דַרְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי, הַמְסַפֵּר קוֹמֵי וְהָעוֹשֶׂה בְּלוֹרִית. מַהוּ הַמְסַפֵּר קוֹמֵי, זֶה הַמְסַפֵּר פְּאַת רֹאשׁוֹ וְעוֹשֶׂה תְּפִיסוֹת קוֹרְצִין, מַהוּ חַיָּב, סוֹפֵג אֶת הָאַרְבָּעִים, אֲבָל הָעוֹשֶׂה בְּלוֹרִית אֵינוֹ מְגַדְּלָהּ אֶלָּא לִשְׁמָהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, וְאֵין עֹנֶשׁ קָשֶׁה מִשֶּׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁהֲרֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ מְקַנֵא אֶלָּא בָּהּ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, ג): לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים עַל פָּנָי וגו', וּכְתִיב (דברים ד, כד): כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֵשׁ אֹכְלָה הוּא אֵל קַנָּא. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי הוֹאִיל וְאֵין בַּעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים מַמָּשׁ, לָמָּה קוֹרֵא אוֹתָן אֱלֹהוֹת, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בַּר חָמָא כְּדֵי לִתֵּן שָׂכָר לְכָל מִי שֶׁפּוֹרֵשׁ מִמֶּנָּה. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהּ מַמָּשׁ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁפּוֹרֵשׁ אָדָם מִמֶּנָּה מַעֲלֶה אֲנִי עָלָיו כְּאִלּוּ הוּא עוֹבֵד לְמִי שֶׁיֵּשׁ בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ וּבָא לוֹ אֶצְלִי. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הוֹאִיל וְכָךְ הוּא עָנְשָׁהּ שֶׁל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים קָשֶׁה, צָרִיךְ אֲנִי לְהַזְהִיר אוֹתָם עָלֶיהָ, שֶׁלֹא יֹאמְרוּ אִלּוּ הִזְהִירָנוּ עָלֶיהָ פָּרַשְׁנוּ מִמֶּנָּה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִישַׁעְיָה לֹא תְהֵא סָבוּר שֶׁמָּא לֹא הִזְהַרְתִּי אוֹתָם עַל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, תְּחִלָּה עַד שֶׁלֹא בָּאוּ לְסִינַי לְקַבֵּל אֶת הַתּוֹרָה הִזְהַרְתִּי אוֹתָן עַל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (ישעיה מח, ה): וָאַגִּיד לְךָ מֵאָז בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ, בְּטֶרֶם תָּבוֹא לְסִינַי הִשְׁמַעְתִּיךָ בְּרָכוֹת וּקְלָלוֹת, לָמָּה (ישעיה מח, ה): פֶּן תֹּאמַר עָצְבִּי עָשָׂם וּפִסְלִי וְנִסְכִּי צִוָּם, לְפִיכָךְ הִזְהַרְתִּי אוֹתָם עָלֶיהָ, וְעַל יְדֵי מִי הִזְהַרְתִּי אוֹתָן, עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה עַבְדִּי, מִנַּיִן מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן כִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים וּבְנֵי בָנִים. “When you will beget children, and children’s children, and you will have been long in the land, and you will act corruptly and craft an idol, the image of anything, and you will perform evil in the eyes of the Lord your God, to anger Him” (Deuteronomy 4:25).
“When you will beget children” – halakha: Is it permitted for a person of Israel to round the corners of his head? So taught the Sages: These are the matters that are prohibited due to the ways of the Amorite: One who cuts [his hair] in the komi style and one who grows a forelock. What is cutting [one’s hair] in the komi style? This is one who cuts the corners of his head and leaves a handle of locks.³⁵The haircut being described here is one in which the sides of the head are shaved and hair is left growing in the middle. This is described as a “handle of locks” of hair. Alternatively, some translate the word kurtzin here to mean “ears” and explain that the absence of hair near the ears makes them look like handles (Etz Yosef). For what is he liable? He incurs forty lashes. But one who grows a forelock grows it only for the sake of idol worship, and there is no punishment harsher than that for idol worship, as the Holy One blessed be He is zealous only in its regard. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “You shall have no other gods before Me…” (Exodus 20:3).³⁶And it says in the continuation of this passage: “Because I am the Lord your God, a zealous God” (Exodus 20:5). And it is written: “For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a zealous God” (Deuteronomy 4:24).
The Rabbis said: Since there is no substance to idols, why does it call them deities? Rabbi Pinḥas bar Ḥama said: In order to give a reward to everyone who forsakes it. The Holy One blessed be He said: Even though it has no substance, since a person forsakes it, I ascribe to him as though he had been worshipping something that had substance and came to Me.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He said: Since the punishment for idol worship is that harsh, I must caution them about it, so they will not say: Had He cautioned us we would have forsaken it. The Holy One blessed be He said to Isaiah: ‘Do not think that perhaps I did not caution them against idol worship. Initially, before they came to Sinai to receive the Torah, I cautioned them against idol worship.’ From where is this derived? It is written as follows: “I told you beforehand; before you came, I announced it to you” (Isaiah 48:5) – before you came to Sinai I announced blessings and curses to you. Why? “Lest you say: My graven image made them; my idol and my cast image commanded them” (Isaiah 48:5) – that is why I cautioned them about it. Through whom did I caution them? Through Moses My servant. From where is this derived? It is from what we read regarding the matter: “When you will beget children, and children’s children.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (הושע ד, ז): כְּרֻבָּם כֵּן חָטְאוּ לִי כְּבוֹדָם בְּקָלוֹן אָמִיר, מַהוּ כְּרֻבָּם, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָנִי שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁהַגְּדוֹלִים עוֹשִׂין הַדּוֹר עוֹשֶׂה, כֵּיצַד הַנָּשִׂיא מַתִּיר וְאַב בֵּית דִּין אוֹסֵר, הַנָּשִֹּׂיא מַתִּיר, וַאֲנִי אוֹסֵר, וְהַדַּיָּנִים אוֹמְרִים אַב בֵּית דִּין מַתִּיר וְאָנוּ אוֹסְרִים, וּשְׁאָר הַדּוֹר אוֹמְרִים הַדַּיָּנִין מַתִּירִין וְאָנוּ אוֹסְרִים, מִי גָרַם לְכָל הַדּוֹר לַחֲטוֹא הַנָּשִׂיא שֶׁחָטָא תְּחִלָּה. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׂמְלָאי כְּתִיב (הושע ב, ז): כִּי זָנְתָה אִמָּם הֹבִישָׁה הוֹרָתָם, שֶׁהֵן מְבַיְּשִׁין דִּבְרֵיהֶם בִּפְנֵי עַמֵּי הָאָרֶץ, כֵּיצַד, הֶחָכָם יוֹשֵׁב וְדוֹרֵשׁ בַּצִּבּוּר לֹא תַלְוֶה בְּרִבִּית, וְהוּא מַלְוֶה בְּרִבִּית. אוֹמֵר לֹא תִגְזֹל, וְהוּא גוֹזֵל. אוֹמֵר לֹא תִגְנֹב, וְהוּא גוֹנֵב. אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁנִּגְנְבָה טַלִּיתוֹ וְהָלַךְ לִקְבֹּל לַדַּיָּן עָלֶיהָ, וּמְצָאָהּ פְּרוּשָׂה עַל מִטָּתוֹ. וְאָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁנִּגְנְבָה קוּמְקְמוֹס שֶׁלּוֹ וְעָלָה לִקְבֹּל עָלָיו לַדַּיָּן וּמְצָאוֹ עַל הַכִּירָה שֶׁלּוֹ, הֱוֵי כְּרֻבָּם כֵּן חָטְאוּ לִי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כְּרֻבָּם כֵּן חָטְאוּ לִי, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא כָּל שֶׁהִרְבֵּיתִי לָהֶם אֲרָצוֹת כֵּן חָטְאוּ לִי, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע יב, יב): גַּם מִזְבְּחוֹתָם כְּגַלִּים עַל תַּלְמֵי שָׂדָי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל שֶׁהִרְבֵּיתִי לָהֶן עשֶׁר כֵּן חָטְאוּ לִי, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ח, ד): כַּסְפָּם וּזְהָבָם עָשׂוּ לָהֶם עֲצַבִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל שֶׁהִרְבֵּיתִי לָהֶם מְלָכִים כֵּן חָטְאוּ לִי, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ז, ז): כָּל מַלְכֵיהֶם נָפָלוּ אֵין קֹרֵא בָהֶם אֵלָי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כָּל שֶׁהִרְבֵּיתִי לָהֶן בָּנִים כֵּן חָטְאוּ לִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים וגו'. Another matter: This what the verse said: “As they increased, so they sinned against Me; I will change their honor into shame” (Hosea 4:7). What is “as they increased”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: It means that everything that the prominent individuals perform, the generation performs.³⁷The term “as they increased [kerubam]” is thus understood in the sense of “like their leader [kerabam].” How so? If the Nasi permits something and the president of the court prohibits it, [the president of the court will say:] ‘If the Nasi permits should I prohibit? The judges will say: If the president of the court permits, shall we prohibit? The rest of the generation says: If the judges permit, shall we prohibit? Who caused the entire generation to sin? It was the Nasi, who sinned first.
Rabbi Simlai said: It is written: “For their mother committed harlotry; she who conceived them acted shamefully” (Hosea 2:7) – as they put their own words to shame before the masses. How so? The Sage sits and lectures in public: ‘Do not lend with interest,’ and he lends with interest. He says: ‘Do not rob,’ and he robs. He says: ‘Do not steal,’ and he steals. Rabbi Berekhya said: There was an incident involving a certain person whose garment was stolen, and he went to file a complaint about it with the judge, and he found it spread on his bed. And Rabbi Berekhya said: There was an incident involving a certain person whose kettle was stolen, and he went to file a complaint about it with the judge, and he found it on his stove. That is, “as they increased, so they sinned against Me.”
Another matter: “As they increased, so they sinned against Me” (Hosea 4:7) – Rabbi Tanḥuma said: The more lands I provided for them, the more they sinned against Me. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Their altars too will be as heaps on the furrows of the field” (Hosea 12:12).³⁸They built altars for idol worship on the furrows of all the fields that they had.
Another matter: The more I increased their wealth, the more they sinned against Me. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Their silver and gold they made into idols for themselves” (Hosea 8:4).
Another matter: The more I increased their kings, the more they sinned against Me. From where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “All their kings have fallen; no one among them calls to Me” (Hosea 7:7).
Another matter: The more I increased their children, the more they sinned against Me, as it is stated: “When you will beget children…”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי י, טז): פְּעֻלַּת צַדִּיק לְחַיִּים תְּבוּאַת רָשָׁע לְחַטָּאת. פְּעֻלַּת צַדִּיק לְחַיִּים, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּם זֶה אֱלִיפַז שֶׁגָּדַל בְּחֵיקוֹ שֶׁל יִצְחָק, וּתְּבוּאַת רָשָׁע לְחַטָּאת, זֶה עֲמָלֵק שֶׁגָּדַל בְּחֵיקוֹ שֶׁל עֵשָׂו. דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּעֻלַּת צַדִּיק לְחַיִּים, כָּל מַה שֶּׁפָּעַל דָּוִד וּשְׁלֹמֹה בְּנוֹ לְחַיִּים שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל. מַהוּ תְּבוּאַת רָשָׁע לְחַטָּאת, בְּבִיאָה אַחַת שֶׁנִּכְנַס מְנַשֶּׁה לְבֵית קָדְשֵׁי הַקֳּדָשִׁים, הָיְתָה חֲטָיָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁעָשָׂה צֶלֶם שֶׁל אַרְבַּע פָּנִים וְהִכְנִיסוֹ לַהֵיכָל, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל ח, ה): וְהִנֵּה מִצָּפוֹן לְשַׁעַר הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סֵמֶל הַקִּנְאָה הַזֶּה בַּבִּאָה. אָמַר רַבִּי אַחָא הָא בִּיָּיא רַבָּה לְעַלְמָא הַתּוֹשָׁב מְפַנֶּה לְבַעַל הַבַּיִת. וְלָמָּה עָשָׂה צֶלֶם שֶׁל אַרְבַּע פָּנִים, כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבַּע חַיּוֹת שֶׁהֵן סוֹבְלוֹת כִּסְאוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לָמָּה אַרְבַּע פָּנִים, כְּנֶגֶד אַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם, אָמַר כָּל מִי שֶׁיָּבוֹא מֵאַרְבַּע רוּחוֹת הָעוֹלָם יְהֵא מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְצֶלֶם זֶה, וּמֶה עָשָׂה לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְסָרוֹ בְּיַד שׂוֹנְאָיו, מִנַיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לג, יא): וַיָּבֵא ה' עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת שָׂרֵי הַצָבָא אֲשֶׁר לְמֶלֶךְ אַשּׁוּר, וַיַּאַסְרֻהוּ בַּנְחֻשְׁתַּיִם, וְעָשׂוּ לוֹ מוֹלָן שֶׁל נְחשֶׁת וְהִכְנִיסוּ אוֹתוֹ לְתוֹכוֹ וְהָיוּ מַדְלִיקִין תַּחְתָּיו וְהוּא הָיָה נִשְׂרַף מִבִּפְנִים, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה קָרָא מְנַשֶּׁה לְכָל אֱלֹהוּת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם שֶׁהָיָה מְזַבֵּחַ לָהֶם וְלֹא עָנוּ אוֹתוֹ אֶחָד מֵהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה מו, ז): אַף יִצְעַק אֵלָיו וְלֹא יַעֲנֶה מִצָּרָתוֹ לֹא יוֹשִׁיעֶנּוּ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה מְנַשֶּׁה צָרָתוֹ צָרָה, שֶׁלֹא עָנָה אוֹתוֹ אֶחָד מֵהֶם, הִתְחִיל קוֹרֵא לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, הֲרֵי קָרָאתִי לְכָל אֱלֹהוּת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם וְיָדַעְתִּי שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם מַמָּשׁ, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אַתְּ הוּא אֱלוֹהַּ עַל כָּל אֱלֹהִים, וְאִם אִי אַתָּה עוֹנֶה אוֹתִי אֲנִי אוֹמֵר שֶׁמָּא חַס וְשָׁלוֹם כָּל הַפָּנִים שָׁווֹת, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָא רָשָׁע בַּדִּין הוּא שֶׁלֹא אֶעֱנֶה אוֹתְךָ שֶׁהִכְעַסְתָּ אוֹתִי, אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹא לִנְעֹל דֶּלֶת לִפְנֵי הַשָּׁבִים שֶׁלֹא יְהוּ אוֹמְרִים הֲרֵי מְנַשֶּׁה בִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה וְלֹא נִתְקַבֵּל, לְפִיכָךְ הֲרֵינִי עוֹנֶה אוֹתְךָ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים ב לג, יג): וַיִּתְפַּלֵּל אֵלָיו וַיֵּעָתֶר לוֹ, וַיַּחְתֹּר לוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁהָיוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת מְסַתְּמִין אֶת חַלּוֹנוֹת שֶׁל רָקִיעַ שֶׁלֹא תַעֲלֶה תְּפִלָּתוֹ לַשָּׁמַיִם, מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, חָתַר אֶת הָרָקִיעַ מִתַּחַת כִּסֵּא הַכָּבוֹד וְקִבֵּל אֶת תְּפִלָּתוֹ, (דברי הימים ב לג, יג): וַיְשִׁיבֵהוּ יְרוּשָׁלָיִם לְמַלְכוּתוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר אוּנְיָא בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא בָּרוּחַ הִשִּׁיבוֹ, כְּמָה דְּתֵימָא מַשִּׁיב הָרוּחַ, בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יָדַע מְנַשֶּׁה כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּעֻלַּת צַדִּיק לְחַיִּים, אֵלּוּ בָּאֵי הָאָרֶץ הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁהָיוּ בִּימֵי משֶׁה, תְּבוּאַת רָשָׁע לְחַטָּאת, כִּי תוֹלִיד בָּנִים וּבְנֵי בָנִים וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם בָּאָרֶץ וגו'. Another matter: “When you will beget children” – this what the verse said: “The act of the righteous brings life; the yield of the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 10:16). “The act of the righteous brings life” – Rabbi Tanḥum said: This is Elifaz, who grew up on Isaac’s lap.³⁹Elifaz was a son of Esau. Because of the influence of his grandfather Isaac, Elifaz did not kill Jacob even though Esau commanded him to do so (see Rashi on Genesis 29:11). “The yield of the wicked is sin” – this is Amalek, who grew up on Esau’s lap.
Another matter: “The act of the righteous brings life” (Proverbs 10:16) – everything that David and Solomon his son did was to give life to Israel. What is “the yield of [tevuat] the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 10:16) – with one entry [bevia] that Menashe made into the Holy of Holies, he brought about sin for Israel, as he crafted a four-faced idol and took it into the Sanctuary. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “And behold, north of the gate of the altar was this image of infuriation in the entrance [babia]” (Ezekiel 8:5). Rabbi Aḥa said: This is a great cry of injustice [biya] for the world; the temporary resident ousts the landlord.⁴⁰The idol, as it were, ousted God’s Presence. Why did he craft a four-faced idol? It was corresponding to the four beasts that bear the throne of the Holy One blessed be He.⁴¹See Ezekiel 1:5–10. Another matter: Why four faces? It was corresponding to the four directions of the world. Anyone who would come from the four directions of the world would prostrate himself to this idol.
What did the Holy One blessed be He do to [Menashe]? He delivered him into the hand of his enemies. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The Lord brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria. [They captured Menashe…] and bound him with fetters” (II Chronicles 33:11). They crafted for him a bronze cauldron, placed him inside it, and they kindled a fire beneath it, and he was being burned in it. At that moment, Menashe cried out to all the deities in the world to whom he would sacrifice, but not even one of them answered him, as it is stated: “Even if one will call to it, it will not answer, it will not save him from his trouble” (Isaiah 46:7).
When Menashe saw that his trouble was severe, as not even one of them answered him, he began crying out to the Holy One blessed be He. He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I cried out to all the deities in the world, although I knew that they lacked substance. Master of the universe, You are the God over all gods, and if You do not answer me, I will say: Perhaps, God forbid, that all beings are alike.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Wicked one, by right I should not answer you, as you have angered Me; however, in order not to slam the door before penitents, so they will not say: Menashe sought to repent and was not accepted, I will answer you.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He prayed to Him, and He acceded to his entreaty [vaye’ater lo]” (II Chronicles 33:13) – He excavated on his behalf [vayaḥtor lo].⁴²The Midrash elsewhere (Vayikra Rabba 30:3) explains this with the following statement: Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Shimon said: In Arabia, they call digging [ḥatirata] atirata. This teaches that the ministering angels were sealing the windows of the firmament so that his prayer would not ascend to Heaven. What did the Holy One blessed be He do? He excavated beneath the Throne of Glory and accepted his prayer. “And returned him to Jerusalem to his kingdom” (II Chronicles 33:13) – Rabbi Shmuel bar Unya said in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: He returned him with the wind, just as it is said: He causes the wind to blow. At that moment, Menashe acknowledged that the Lord is God.
Another matter: “The act of the righteous is life” (Proverbs 10:16) – these are the righteous ones who came into the land, who had lived in the days of Moses. “The yield of the wicked is sin” (Proverbs 10:16) – “when you will beget children, and children’s children, and you will have been long in the land…”

מַהוּ לְהַכְעִיסוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר הָיוּ יוֹשְׁבִין וּמְחַשְּׁבִין אֵיזוֹ עֶרְוָה חֲמוּרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל כב, יא): וְאִישׁ אֶת אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ וגו' טִמֵּא בְזִמָּה, מַאי בְזִמָּה, בְּמַחֲשָׁבָה, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים מִי שֶׁבָּא עַל אֵשֶׁת אִישׁ בְּחֶנֶק, וּמִי שֶׁבָּא עַל כַּלָּתוֹ בִּסְקִילָה, הֲרֵי הַכַּלָּה חֲמוּרָה מֵאֵשֶׁת אִישׁ. תָּנֵי רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל (עמוס ב, ז): אִישׁ וְאָבִיו יֵלְכוּ אֶל הַנַּעֲרָה, יָכוֹל לְתַאֲוָה, תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר (עמוס ב, ז): לְמַעַן חַלֵּל אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי, הֱוֵי אוֹמֵר לְהַכְעִיסוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לֹא גָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשׂוּ שִׁבְעָה בָּתֵּי אָבוֹת רְשָׁעִים, בָּנִים תְּרֵי, בְּנֵי בָנִים תְּרֵי, וְנוֹשַׁנְתֶּם וְהִשְׁחַתֶּם וַעֲשִׂיתֶם, הֲרֵי שִׁבְעָה. What is “to anger Him”? Rabbi Elazar said: They would sit and calculate which forbidden relation is more egregious,⁴³This calculation was made so that they could violate the most egregious prohibition and thereby anger God (Etz Yosef). as it is stated: “One [committed an abomination] with his neighbor’s wife, and [one] defiled [his daughter-in-law] with lewdness” (Ezekiel 22:11). What is “with lewdness”? With forethought. They would say: One who consorts with a married woman is executed with strangulation, and one who consorts with his daughter-in-law is executed with stoning. The daughter-in-law is more egregious than the married woman.
Rabbi Yishmael taught: “A man and his father go to the same young woman [in order to profane My holy name]” (Amos 2:7). Could it be for lust? The verse states: “In order to profane My holy name” – that is “to anger Him.” Rabbi Levi said: Israel were not exiled until seven patrilineal houses became wicked: “Children” – two; “children’s children” – two; “and you will have been long in the land, and you will act corruptly and craft,” that is seven.⁴⁴The plural term “children” indicates two, and the various verbs employed in the verse indicating sinful activity refer to an additional wicked household. The Gemara (Gittin 88a) indicates that these seven patrilineal houses refer to seven dynasties of wicked kings of Israel: (1) Yerovam ben Nevat and his household; (2) Baasha ben Aḥiya and his household; (3) Omri and his household; (4)Yehu and his household; (5) Menaḥem and his household; (6) Pekaḥ and his household; and (7) Hoshea and his household.

רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי, יִתְבָּרַךְ שְׁמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁיּוֹדֵעַ מֶה הָיָה וּמֶה עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת, דִּכְתִיב (ישעיה מו, י): מַגִּיד מֵרֵאשִׁית אַחֲרִית וגו', כֵּיצַד בְּפָרָשָׁה זוֹ הֶרְאָה משֶׁה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִם חָטְאוּ הֵיאַךְ הֵם עֲתִידִים לִגְלוֹת, וְהֵיאַךְ הֵן עוֹשִׂין תְּשׁוּבָה, וְהֵיאַךְ הֵן נִגְאָלִים. הֵיאַךְ הֵם עֲתִידִים לַחֲטֹא, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ד, כה): וַעֲשִׂיתֶם הָרַע בְּעֵינֵי ה', וְאַחַר כָּךְ (דברים ד, כז): וְהֵפִיץ ה' אֶתְכֶם בָּעַמִּים, וְאַחַר כָּךְ (דברים ד, ל): בַּצַּר לְךָ וּמְצָאוּךָ. מַהוּ בַּצַּר לְךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, כָּל צָרָה שֶׁהִיא שֶׁל יָחִיד צָרָה, וְכָל צָרָה שֶׁאֵינָהּ שֶׁל יָחִיד אֵינָהּ צָרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר בַּצַּר לְךָ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דִּידֵיהּ אָמַר כָּל צָרָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל וְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים שֻׁתָּפִין בָּהּ צָרָה, וְכָל צָרָה שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל עַצְמָן אֵינָהּ צָרָה. דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן כְּגוֹן צָרָתָן בְּשׁוּשַׁן הַבִּירָה שֶׁלֹא הָיְתָה אֶלָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (אסתר ד, ג): אֵבֶל גָּדוֹל לַיְהוּדִים, מִיָּד הִצְמִיחַ לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יְשׁוּעָה, מִנַּיִן (אסתר ח, טז): לַיְּהוּדִים הָיְתָה אוֹרָה וְשִׂמְחָה. “The Lord will disperse you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations where the Lord will lead you” (Deuteronomy 4:27).
“When you are in distress, and all these matters befall you in the end of days, you will return to the Lord your God, and you will heed His voice” (Deuteronomy 4:30).
The Rabbis said: May the name of the Holy One blessed be He be blessed, as He knows what was and what is destined to be, as it is written: “Telling the outcome from the outset…” (Isaiah 46:10). How so? In this portion, Moses showed Israel how they are destined to be exiled if they sin, and how they repent, and how they are redeemed. How are they destined to [be exiled if they] sin? As it is written: “You will perform evil in the eyes of the Lord” (Deuteronomy 4:25), and then: “The Lord will disperse you among the peoples.” And then, “when you are in distress, [and all these matters] befall you…[you will return to the Lord your God]. What is, “when you are in distress”? Rabbi Yoḥanan said in the name of Rabbi Akiva: Any distress that is experienced by an individual is distress, and any distress that is not experienced by an individual is not distress.⁴⁵If the entire public is in distress, God will not allow the distress to continue for too long. This is based on the fact that the verse states “when you [lekha] are in distress” with the singular term lekha rather than the plural lakhem.
Another matter: “When you are in distress” – Rabbi Yoḥanan himself said: Any distress in which Israel and the idolaters are partners is distress, and any distress that is of Israel themselves is not distress. Rabbi Yoḥanan expounded: Like their distress in Shushan the citadel, which was confined to Israel, as it is stated: “Great mourning for the Jews” (Esther 4:3). The Holy One blessed be He immediately caused their salvation to develop. From where is this derived? “For the Jews there was light and joy” (Esther 8:16).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר, כְּשֶׁנִּגְאֲלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם לֹא נִגְאֲלוּ אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ חֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים אֵלּוּ, מִתּוֹךְ צָרָה, וּמִתּוֹךְ תְּשׁוּבָה, וּמִתּוֹךְ זְכוּת אָבוֹת, וּמִתּוֹךְ רַחֲמִים, וּמִתּוֹךְ הַקֵּץ. מִתּוֹךְ צָרָה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ב, כג): וַיֵּאָנְחוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. מִתּוֹךְ תְּשׁוּבָה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ב, כג): וַתַּעַל שַׁוְעָתָם. מִתּוֹךְ זְכוּת אָבוֹת, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ב, כד): וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ. וּמִתּוֹךְ רַחֲמִים, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ב, כה): וַיַּרְא אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל. מִתּוֹךְ הַקֵּץ (שמות ב, כה): וַיֵּדַע אֱלֹהִים. וְאַף לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אֵין נִגְאָלִים אֶלָּא מִתּוֹךְ חֲמִשָּׁה דְבָרִים הַלָּלוּ, מִתּוֹךְ צָרָה, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ד, ל): בַּצַּר לְךָ, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ צָרָה. (דברים ד, ל): וְשַׁבְתָּ עַד ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ תְּשׁוּבָה. (דברים ד, לא): כִּי אֵל רַחוּם ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ רַחֲמִים. (דברים ד, לא): וְלֹא יִשְׁכַּח אֶת בְּרִית אֲבֹתֶיךָ, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ זְכוּת אָבוֹת. (דברים ד, ל): וּמְצָאוּךָ כֹּל הַדְּבָרִים הָאֵלֶּה בְּאַחֲרִית הַיָּמִים, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ הַקֵּץ. וְדָוִד פֵּרַשׁ אוֹתָן (תהלים קו, מד): וַיַּרְא בַּצַּר לָהֶם, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ צָרָה, (תהלים קו, מד): בְּשָׁמְעוֹ אֶת רִנָּתָם, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ תְּשׁוּבָה, (תהלים קו, מה): וַיִּזְכֹּר לָהֶם בְּרִיתוֹ, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ זְכוּת אָבוֹת, (תהלים קו, מו): וַיִּתֵּן אוֹתָם לְרַחֲמִים, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ רַחֲמִים, (תהלים קו, מז): הוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׁעֵנוּ וְקַבְּצֵנוּ וְהַצִּילֵנוּ מִן הַגּוֹיִם, הֲרֵי מִתּוֹךְ הַקֵּץ. Another matter: Rabbi Elazar said: When Israel was redeemed from Egypt, they were redeemed only due to these five matters: Due to distress, due to repentance, due to the merit of the patriarchs, due to mercy, and due to the end.⁴⁶According to this view, God had decreed that Abraham’s descendants would be “strangers in a land that is not theirs…four hundred years” (Genesis 15:13), and that this period began from the birth of Isaac. Therefore, once that time period ended, it was time for Israel to be redeemed (Etz Yosef). Due to distress, as it is written: “The children of Israel sighed” (Exodus 2:23). Due to repentance, as it is written: “Their plea rose to God” (Exodus 2:23).⁴⁷The fact that their pleas rose to God and were accepted indicates that they had repented. Alternatively, see Etz Yosef based on the Jerusalem Talmud. Due to the merit of the patriarchs, as it is written: “God remembered His covenant [with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob]” (Exodus 2:24). Due to mercy, as it is written: “God saw the children of Israel” (Exodus 2:25).⁴⁸He saw their plight and had mercy on them. And due to the end, as it is written: “And God knew” (Exodus 2:25).⁴⁹He knew that the time had come to fulfill His promise to Abraham (see Shemot Rabba 1:36).
In the future, too, they will be redeemed only due to those five matters: Due to distress, as it is written: “When you are in distress” – that is due to distress. “You will return to the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 4:30) – that is due to repentance. “As the Lord your God is a merciful God” (Deuteronomy 4:31) – that is due to mercy. “Nor forget the covenant of your fathers” (Deuteronomy 4:31) – that is due to the merit of the patriarchs. “And all these matters befall you by the end of days” (Deuteronomy 4:30) – this is due to the end.
David articulated them: “He saw their distress” (Psalms 106:44) – that is due to distress. “When He heard their cry” (Psalms 106:44) – that is due to repentance. “He remembered His covenant for them” (Psalms 106:45) – that is due to the merit of the patriarchs. “He caused them to receive mercy” (Psalms 106:46) – that is due to mercy. “Save us, Lord our God, and gather us in and save us from the nations” (I Chronicles 16:35)⁵⁰See also Psalms 106:47. – this is due to the end.

אָז יַבְדִּיל משֶׁה (דברים ד, מא), הֲלָכָה עַל כַּמָּה דְּבָרִים נִצְטַוָּה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים עַל שִׁשָּׁה דְּבָרִים נִצְטַוָּה אָדָם הָרִאשׁוֹן: עַל עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, וְעַל חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם, וְעַל הַדַּיָּנִים, וְעַל שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, וְעַל גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, וְעַל הַגָּזֵל. אָמַר רַבִּי כֻּלָּן בְּפָסוּק אֶחָד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ב, טז): וַיְצַו ה' אֱלֹהִים עַל הָאָדָם וגו', וַיְצַו, זֶה עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ה, יא): הוֹאִיל הָלַךְ אַחֲרֵי צָו. ה', זֶה חִלּוּל הַשֵּׁם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא כד, טז): וְנֹקֵב שֵׁם ה'. אֱלֹהִים, אֵלּוּ הַדַּיָּנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כב, ח): עַד הָאֱלֹהִים יָבֹא דְּבַר שְׁנֵיהֶם, עַל הָאָדָם, זֶה שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ט, ו): שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם. לֵאמֹר, זֶה גִּלּוּי עֲרָיוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה ג, א): לֵאמֹר הֵן יְשַׁלַּח אִישׁ אֶת אִשְׁתּוֹ. מִכֹּל עֵץ הַגָּן אָכֹל תֹּאכֵל, וְלֹא מִן הַגָּזֵל, מְצַוֶּה אוֹתוֹ עַל הַגָּזֵל. וְעַל כֻּלָּן יֵשׁ סְלִיחָה חוּץ מִשְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: שׁוֹפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי וַהֲרֵי כַּמָּה בְּנֵי אָדָם שֶׁהָרְגוּ וּמֵתוּ עַל מִטּוֹתֵיהֶן, הֵשִׁיבוּ אוֹתוֹ מַהוּ בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ, כְּשֶׁיָּבוֹאוּ כָּל בְּנֵי אָדָם לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ. אָמְרוּ מַעֲשֶׂה בִּשְׁנֵי אַחִים שֶׁהָרַג אֶחָד מֵהֶן אֶת חֲבֵרוֹ, מֶה עָשְׂתָה אִמָּן נָטְלָה כּוֹס אֶחָד וּמִלְּאַתּוּ מִדָּמוֹ, וְהִנִּיחָה אוֹתוֹ בַּמִּגְדָּל, וְהָיְתָה נִכְנֶסֶת כָּל יוֹם וָיוֹם וּמָצְאָה אוֹתוֹ הַדָּם תּוֹסֵס, פַּעַם אַחַת נִכְנְסָה וְהִבִּיטָה אוֹתוֹ וּמְצָאַתּוּ שֶׁשָּׁתַק, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה יָדְעָה שֶׁנֶּהֱרַג בְּנָה הָאַחֵר, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ. “You shall know this day and restore to your heart that the Lord, He is the God in Heaven above and upon earth below; there is no other” (Deuteronomy 4:39)
“Then, Moses designated three cities beyond the Jordan toward the rising sun” (Deuteronomy 4:41).
“Then, Moses designated” – halakha: Regarding how many matters was Adam the first man commanded? So the Sages taught: Adam the first man was commanded regarding six matters: Regarding idol worship, regarding profaning the Name, regarding judges, regarding bloodshed, regarding illicit relations, and regarding robbery. Rabbi [Yehuda HaNasi] said: All of them are [alluded to] in one verse, as it is stated: “The Lord God commanded the man, [saying: From every tree of the garden you may eat]” (Genesis 2:16). “Commanded [vaytzav]” – this is idol worship, as it is stated: “[Ephraim is exploited…] because he willingly followed an order [tzav]” (Hosea 5:11).⁵⁶Ephraim followed the orders of the prophets of idols, or Yerovam, and they worshipped idols. “The Lord” – this is profaning the Name, as it is stated: “And one who blasphemes the name of the Lord [shall be put to death]” (Leviticus 24:16). “God [Elohim]” – this is the judges, as it is stated: “The statement of both parties shall come to the judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:8). “The man” – this is bloodshed, as it is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, [by man shall his blood be shed]” (Genesis 9:6). “Saying” – these are illicit relations, as it is stated: “Saying, behold, if a man sent his wife away…[but you acted licentiously]” (Jeremiah 3:1). “From every tree of the garden you may eat” – but not from what has been obtained through robbery⁵⁷Adam was permitted to eat only from the trees of the Garden, implying that if he were to eat from anything else, that would be considered stealing (Maharzu). – [God thereby] commanded him regarding robbery. For all of them there is forgiveness, except for bloodshed, as it is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed.” Rabbi Levi said: But there are many men who killed, and died in their beds. They answered him: What is “by man shall his blood be shed”? When all people will come [back to life] in the future, at that time, his blood will be shed.
They said: There was an incident involving two brothers, one of whom killed the other. What did their mother do? She took a cup and filled it with [her son’s] blood and placed it in a tower. She would enter each day and find that blood effervescent. One time, she entered, looked at it, and found that it had settled. At that moment, she knew that her other son had been killed, to realize what is stated: “One who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6).

אָז יַבְדִּיל משֶׁה. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת ה, ט): אֹהֵב כֶּסֶף לֹא יִשְׂבַּע כֶּסֶף, אֵין אָנוּ יוֹדְעִים שֶׁאֵין אָדָם מְמַלֵּא אֶת נַפְשׁוֹ, מַהוּ בְּכֶסֶף, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים שֶׁאוֹהֲבִין דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ בְּכֶסֶף, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי טז, טז): וּקְנוֹת בִּינָה נִבְחָר מִכָּסֶף. אָמַר רַב נַחְמָן מִי שֶׁאוֹהֵב תּוֹרָה אֵינוֹ שָׂבֵעַ תּוֹרָה, וּמַהוּ (קהלת ה, ט): וּמִי אֹהֵב בֶּהָמוֹן לֹא תְבוּאָה, מִי שֶׁהוֹמֶה וּמְהַמֶּה אַחַר תּוֹרָה, לֹא תְבוּאָה, וְאֵינוֹ מַעֲמִיד תַּלְמִידִים, (קהלת ה, ט): גַּם זֶה הָבֶל, אָמַר רַב אַחָא מִי שֶׁהוּא לוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה וְאֵינוֹ מְלַמֵּד אֵין לוֹ הֶבֶל גָּדוֹל מִזֶּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֹהֵב כֶּסֶף, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק מִי שֶׁהוּא אוֹהֵב מִצְווֹת, אֵינוֹ שָׂבֵעַ מִן הַמִּצְווֹת, כֵּיצַד, אַתְּ מוֹצֵא שְׁנֵי גְדוֹלֵי עוֹלָם דָּוִד וּמשֶׁה וְלֹא שָׂבֵעוּ, דָּוִד אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא [עפ''י (דברי הימים ב ו, ט)]: רַק אַתָּה לֹא תִבְנֶה לִי אֶת הַבָּיִת הַזֶּה, הָיָה דָּוִד אוֹמֵר לְעַצְמוֹ וְכִי מִפְּנֵי שֶׁאָמַר לִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה לֹא תִבְנֶה לִי הַבַּיִת אֲנִי יוֹשֵׁב, מֶה עָשָׂה זֵרַז אֶת עַצְמוֹ וְהִתְקִין כָּל צְרָכָיו עַד שֶׁלֹא מֵת, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א כב, יד): וְהִנֵּה בְעָנְיִי הֲכִינוֹתִי לְבֵית אֱלֹהָי, וְכֵן משֶׁה, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (דברים ג, כז): כִּי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵן הַזֶּה, אָמַר משֶׁה אֲנִי עוֹבֵר מִן הָעוֹלָם וְאֵינִי מַפְרִישׁ לָהֶם עָרֵי מִקְלָט, מִיָּד אָז יַבְדִּיל משֶׁה. ⁵⁸These sections are printed together in the Vilna edition of Midrash Rabba. “Then, Moses designated” – this is what the verse said: “One who loves silver will never be satisfied with silver [nor one who loves abundance with produce]” (Ecclesiastes 5:9). Do we not know that a person never satisfies himself? What is “with silver”? The Rabbis say: These are Torah scholars who love matters of Torah, which were compared to silver, as it is stated: “The acquisition of understanding is choicer than silver” (Proverbs 16:16). Rav Naḥman said: One who loves Torah is never satisfied with Torah. What is “nor one who loves abundance with produce”? One who avidly longs for Torah, “nor…with produce” – but he does not produce students – “this, too, is futility” (Ecclesiastes 5:9). Rav Aḥa said: One who studies Torah and does not teach, he has no futility greater than that.
Another matter: “One who loves silver” (Ecclesiastes 5:9) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: One who loves mitzvot is never satisfied with mitzvot. How so? You find two greats of the world, David and Moses, who were not satisfied. David, although the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “However, you will not build this House for Me” (see II Chronicles 6:9), David would say to himself: Just because the Holy One blessed be He said to me: “You will not build the House,” will I sit idle? What did he do? He hurried himself and prepared all its needs before he died.⁵⁹He prepared the materials for the construction of the Temple. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Behold, in my affliction, I have prepared for the House of my Lord [one hundred thousand talents of gold, and one million talents of silver…]” (see I Chronicles 22:14). Likewise, Moses, although the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “As you will not cross this Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27), Moses said: Will I pass from the world and not designate cities of refuge? Immediately, “then Moses designated.”

מַה כְּתִיב לְמַעְלָה מִן הָעִנְיָן (דברים ד, לט): וְיָדַעְתָּ הַיּוֹם וַהֲשֵׁבֹתָ אֶל לְבָבֶךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אַתְּ וְלִבְּךָ יוֹדְעִים מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ, וְיִסּוּרִין שֶׁהֵבֵאתִי עָלֶיךָ שֶׁלֹא כְּנֶגֶד מַעֲשֶׂיךָ הֵבֵאתִי עָלֶיךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר (דברים ד, לט): כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי יִתְרוֹ נָתַן מַמָּשׁ בַּעֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יח, יא): עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל ה' מִכָּל הָאֱלֹהִים. נַעֲמָן הוֹדָה בְּמִקְצָת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלכים ב ה, טו): הִנֵּה נָא יָדַעְתִּי כִּי אֵין אֱלֹהִים בְּכָל הָאָרֶץ כִּי אִם בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. רָחָב שָׂמַתְהוּ בַּשָּׁמַיִם וּבָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע ב, יא): כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הוּא אֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת. משֶׁה שָׂמוֹ אַף בַּחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר כִּי ה' הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים בַּשָּׁמַיִם מִמַּעַל וְעַל הָאָרֶץ מִתָּחַת אֵין עוֹד. מַהוּ אֵין עוֹד, אֲפִלּוּ בַּחֲלָלוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם. אָמַר רַבִּי הוֹשַׁעְיָא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (משלי לא, לא): תְּנוּ לָהּ מִפְּרִי יָדֶיהָ, אַתָּה הֲעֵדוֹתָ עָלַי אֵין עוֹד, וְאַף אֲנִי מֵעִיד עָלֶיךָ (דברים לד, י): וְלֹא קָם נָבִיא עוֹד בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּמשֶׁה. מַה כְּתִיב (דברים כב, ז): לְמַעַן יִיטַב לָךְ וְהַאֲרַכְתָּ יָמִים, אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם זוֹ הִיא אֲרִיכוּת יָמִים, אָדָם הוֹרֵג נֶפֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָה וְגוֹאֵל הַדָּם רוֹדֵף אַחֲרָיו לְהָרְגוֹ, וְהַכֹּל מֵתִים שֶׁלֹא בְּעוֹנָתָם, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה חַיֶּיךָ יָפֶה הֵן מְדַבְּרִין, לֵךְ וְתַפְרִישׁ לָהֶן עָרֵי מִקְלָט, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אָז יַבְדִּיל משֶׁה. What is written prior to the matter? “You shall know this day, and restore to your heart” (Deuteronomy 4:39) – Rabbi Meir said: The Holy One blessed be He said: You and your heart know the actions that you performed, and that the suffering that I brought upon you did not correspond to [the severity of] your actions.
Another matter: “That the Lord, He is the God” – the Rabbis said: Yitro ascribed substance to idol worship, as it is stated: “Now I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods” (Exodus 18:11).⁶⁰The implication of this statement is that there are other gods (Etz Yosef). Naaman partially acknowledged, as it is stated: “Behold, now I know that there is no God in all the earth, except in Israel” (II Kings 5:15).⁶¹Naaman acknowledged that there are no other gods on earth, but did not specify that there are no other gods in Heaven (Etz Yosef). Raḥav placed Him in Heaven and on earth,⁶²She acknowledged that there is only one God in Heaven and on earth. as it is stated: “Because the Lord your God, He is God in Heaven above and on earth below” (Joshua 2:11). Moses placed Him even in the empty space of the world, as it is stated: “That the Lord, He is the God in Heaven above and upon earth below; there is no other.” What is, “there is no other”? Even in the empty space of the world.
Rabbi Hoshaya said: The Holy One blessed be He said: “Give her from the fruit of her hands” (Proverbs 31:31) – you [Moses] attested in My regard: “There is no other”; I too attest in your regard: “There has not risen another prophet in Israel like Moses” (Deuteronomy 34:10). What is written? “So that it will be good for you, and you will extend your days” (Deuteronomy 22:7). Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, is this extended days? A person kills a person unwittingly, the blood redeemer pursues him to kill him, and everyone dies before his time.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘As you live, they are speaking correctly. Go and designate cities of refuge for them,’ as it is stated: “Then, Moses designated.”

מַה רָאָה משֶׁה לִתֵּן נַפְשׁוֹ עַל עָרֵי מִקְלָט, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי מִי שֶׁאָכַל אֶת הַתַּבְשִׁיל הוּא יוֹדֵעַ טַעְמוֹ, כֵּיצַד כְּשֶׁהָרַג משֶׁה אֶת הַמִּצְרִי יָצָא בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וּמָצָא לְדָתָן וַאֲבִירָם מְרִיבִין זֶה עִם זֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, יג): וַיֵּצֵא בַּיּוֹם הַשֵּׁנִי וגו', רַבִּי אַיְּבוּ אָמַר זֶה דָּתָן, הִתְחִיל מְבַזֶּה אוֹתוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ (שמות ב, יד): הַלְּהָרְגֵנִי אַתָּה אֹמֵר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע פַּרְעֹה כָּךְ, אָמַר כַּמָּה דְבָרִים שָׁמַעְתִּי וְשָׁתַקְתִּי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִגִּיעַ עַד שְׁפִיכוּת דָּמִים תָּפְסוּ אוֹתוֹ. וְהֵיאַךְ בָּרַח מִלִפְנֵי פַּרְעֹה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ב, טו): וַיִּבְרַח משֶׁה מִפְּנֵי פַרְעֹה, אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי בָּא הַקּוֹסְטִינָר לִתֵּן אֶת הַחֶרֶב עַל צַוָּארוֹ וְקָהֲתָה הַחֶרֶב מֵעַל צַוָּארוֹ שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ, וּשְׁלֹמֹה מְקַלֵּס אוֹתוֹ (שיר השירים ז, ה): צַוָּארֵךְ כְּמִגְדַּל הַשֵּׁן. אָמַר רַבִּי אֶבְיָתָר וְלֹא עוֹד אֶלָּא שֶׁקָּהֲתָה הַחֶרֶב מִצַּוָּארוֹ וְהִיא נֶהֶפְכָה עַל הַקּוֹסְטִינָר, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יח, ד): וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה, אָמַר משֶׁה לִי הִצִּיל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲבָל לֹא לַקּוֹסְטִינֵר. אָמַר בַּר קַפָּרָא מַלְאָךְ יָרַד בִּדְמוּת משֶׁה וְהִבְרִיחוֹ, וְהָיוּ סְבוּרִין בַּמַּלְאָךְ שֶׁמּשֶׁה הוּא. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ רְאֵה נִסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה, כָּל אַסְכּוּלֵי פַּרְעֹה, מֵהֶן נַעֲשׂוּ אִלְּמִים, מֵהֶן נַעֲשׂוּ חֵרְשִׁים, וּמֵהֶן נַעֲשׂוּ סוּמִין, וּבָרַח משֶׁה וְלֹא רָאוּ אוֹתוֹ, תֵּדַע לְךָ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לִשְׁלֹחַ אוֹתוֹ בִּשְׁלִיחוּת הִתְחִיל מְעַכֵּב, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אִי אַתָּה זָכוּר מַה שֶּׁעָשִׂיתִי לְאַסְכּוּלֵי פַרְעֹה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ד, יא): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֵלָיו מִי שָׂם פֶּה לָאָדָם וגו', וְאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה עָמַדְתִּי לְךָ וְעַכְשָׁו אֵינִי עוֹמֵד לְךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בּוֹא וּרְאֵה שֶׁאֵין מַעֲשָׂיו שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּמַעֲשֶׂה בָּשָׂר וָדָם, בְּנֹהַג שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם בָּשָׂר וָדָם עוֹשֶׂה לוֹ פַּטְרוֹן שֶׁהוּא מִתְקַיֵּם עָלָיו, וְהוּא נִתְפַּס בְּאַנְקְלִיטוֹן, הָלְכוּ וּמָצְאוּ לְפַטְרוֹנוֹ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ נִתְפַּס בֶּן בֵּיתְךָ, אָמַר לָהֶם אֲנִי מִתְקַיֵּם עָלָיו, יָצָא לֵהָרֵג, הֵיכָן הוּא וְהֵיכָן פַּטְרוֹנוֹ. אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן, אָמְרוּ לְפָנָיו מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת נִתְפַּס משֶׁה בֶּן בֵּיתֶךָ, אָמַר לָהֶם אֲנִי מִתְקַיֵּם עָלָיו, אָמְרוּ לוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי פַּרְעֹה, הֲרֵי אִיפוֹמְנִיטָא שֶׁלּוֹ נִקְרִין, הֲרֵי הוּא יוֹצֵא לֵהָרֵג, אָמַר לָהֶם אֲנִי מִתְקַיֵּם עָלָיו, יָצָא לֵהָרֵג, וְהִצִּילוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וַיַּצִּלֵנִי מֵחֶרֶב פַּרְעֹה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָדָם יֵשׁ לוֹ פַּטְרוֹן וְהוּא נִתְפַּס בַּחֲטָיָה שֶׁלּוֹ וְהֻשְּׁלַךְ לִמְקוֹם חַיּוֹת, הֵיכָן הוּא וְהֵיכָן פַּטְרוֹנוֹ, דָּנִיֵּאל הֻשְּׁלַךְ לְגוֹב אֲרָיוֹת וְהִצִּילוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דניאל ו, כג): אֱלָהִי שְׁלַח מַלְאֲכֵהּ וּסֲגַר פֻּם אַרְיָוָתָא. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה לוֹ פַּטְרוֹן וְהוּא עוֹשֶׂה חֲטָּיָה וְהַדַּיָּן גּוֹזֵר עָלָיו שֶׁיִּשָֹּׂרֵף, הֵיכָן הוּא וְהֵיכָן פַּטְרוֹנוֹ, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן, אָמְרוּ מַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִתְפַּס אַבְרָהָם בֶּן בֵּיתֶךָ, אָמַר לָהֶם אֲנִי מִתְקַיֵּם עָלָיו, אָמְרוּ לוֹ הֲרֵי הוּא עוֹמֵד לִפְנֵי אַמְרָפֶל, הֲרֵי אִיפוֹמְנִיטָא שֶׁלּוֹ נִקְרִין, הֲרֵי הוּא עוֹמֵד לִשָֹּׂרֵף, אָמַר לָהֶם אֲנִי מִתְקַיֵּם עָלָיו, הֻשְּׁלַךְ לְכִבְשַׁן הָאֵשׁ, יָרַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְהִצִּילוֹ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו, ז): וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו אֲנִי ה' אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתִיךָ מֵאוּר כַּשְׂדִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה לוֹ פַּטְרוֹן וְהוּא נִתְפַּס בַּחֲטָיָה שֶׁלוֹ, וְהַדַּיָּן גּוֹזֵר עָלָיו שֶׁיֻּשְּׁלַךְ בַּיָּם הֵיכָן הוּא וְהֵיכָן פַּטְרוֹנוֹ, אֲבָל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵינוֹ כֵן, יוֹנָה הֻשְּׁלַךְ לַיָּם וְהִצִּילוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יונה ב, יא): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' לַדָּג וַיָּקֵא אֶת יוֹנָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָז יַבְדִּיל משֶׁה, אָמַר רַבִּי אַיְּבוּ כֵּיוָן שֶׁבָּרַח משֶׁה, הִתְחִיל אוֹמֵר שִׁירָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ב, טו): וַיֵּשֶׁב בְּאֶרֶץ מִדְיָן וַיֵּשֶׁב עַל הַבְּאֵר, מַה יִּשְׂרָאֵל אָמְרוּ שִׁירָה עַל הַבְּאֵר אַף משֶׁה אָמַר שִׁירָה עַל הַבְּאֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לְפִי שֶׁאֵרְעָה פָּרָשַׁת רוֹצֵחַ עַל יָדוֹ בְּעָרֵי מִקְלָט. What did Moses see that led him to devote himself to [designating] the cities of refuge? Rabbi Levi said: One who ate the dish knows its taste. How so? When Moses killed the Egyptian, he went out on the second day and found Datan and Aviram quarreling with one another, as it is stated: “He emerged on the second day, [and behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the wicked one: Why do you strike your neighbor?]” (Exodus 2:13). Rabbi Aivu said: This [wicked one] was Datan. [Datan] began demeaning him: “Do you propose to kill me?” (Exodus 2:14). When Pharaoh heard this, he said: ‘How many things have I heard and been silent. Now that he has arrived at bloodshed, apprehend him.’ How did he flee from Pharaoh, as it is written: “Moses fled from Pharaoh” (Exodus 2:15)? Rabbi Yannai said: The executioner came to place the sword on his neck; the sword was blunted on his neck, which turned into marble. Solomon lauded him: “Your neck is like an ivory tower” (Song of Songs 7:5). Rabbi Evyatar said: Moreover, the sword caromed off his neck and it turned onto the executioner. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4) – Moses said: The Holy One blessed be He delivered me but not the executioner. Bar Kappara said: An angel descended in Moses’s image and facilitated his flight. They thought the angel was Moses. Rabbi Yehoshua said: See the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on behalf of Moses: All of Pharaoh’s scholars, some of them became mute, some of them became deaf, some of them became blind, and Moses fled and they did not see him. Know that when the Holy One blessed be He sought to send him on a mission, he began hesitating. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Do you not recall what I did to Pharaoh’s scholars,’ as it is stated: “The Lord said to him: Who gives a mouth to a person, [or who renders one mute, or deaf, or sighted, or blind]” (Exodus 4:11)? ‘At that time I stood with you, and now, will I not stand with you?’
Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Come and see that the actions of the Holy One blessed be He are not like the actions of mortal man. The way of the world is that mortal man procures himself a patron who protects him. If he is apprehended and placed on trial, [his friends] go and find his patron and say to him: ‘A member of your household has been apprehended.’ He says to them: ‘I will protect him.’ But if he is taken out to be executed, where is he and where is his patron? But the Holy One blessed be He is not so. The ministering angels said to Him: ‘A member of your household, Moses, has been apprehended.’ He said to them: ‘I will protect him.’ They said to Him: ‘He is standing before Pharaoh; his sentence is being read; he is being taken out for execution.’ He said to them: ‘I will protect him.’ He was taken out for execution, and the Holy One blessed be He delivered him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh” (Exodus 18:4).
Another matter: A person who has a patron and he is apprehended in his sin and cast to a place of beasts – where is he and where is his patron? Daniel was cast into the lions’ den, and the Holy One blessed be He delivered him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “My God sent His angel, and he shut the lions’ mouths” (Daniel 6:23).
Another matter: If a person procures himself a patron and performs a sin, and the judge decrees upon him that he is to be burned, where is he and where is his patron? But the Holy One blessed be He is not so. The ministering angels said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘A member of Your household, Abraham, was apprehended.’ He said to them: ‘I will protect him.’ They said to Him: ‘He is standing before Amrafel, his sentence is being read, and he is about to be burned.’ He said to them: ‘I will protect him.’ [Abraham] was cast into the fiery furnace, and the Holy One blessed be He descended and delivered him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He said to him: I am the Lord, who took you out of Ur of the Chaldeans” (Genesis 15:7).⁶³The word Ur can also be translated “fire,” as in Isaiah 47:14.
Another matter: If a person procures himself a patron and he is apprehended in his sin, and the judge decrees upon him that he is to be cast into the sea, where is he and where is his patron? But the Holy One blessed be He is not so. Jonah was cast into the sea, and the Holy One blessed be He delivered him. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The Lord spoke to the fish, and it spewed Jonah [upon the dry land]” (Jonah 2:11).
Another matter: “Then Moses designated” – Rabbi Aivu said: When Moses fled, he began to sing a song [of praise], as it is stated: “And he settled in the land of Midian, and he sat at the well” (Exodus 2:15). Just as Israel sang a song at the well,⁶⁴See Numbers 21:17. so Moses sang a song at the well. Rabbi Levi said: [He sang] because the portion of the murderer in the city of refuge took effect through him.⁶⁵The portion begins: “Then [az] Moses designated,” indicating that he sang, just as the song at the sea begins: “Then [az] Moses and the children of Israel sang” (Exodus 15:1). The reason he sang is that he himself had been rescued after having killed someone.

אָז יַבְדִּיל משֶׁה שָׁלשׁ עָרִים מִזְרְחָה שָׁמֶשׁ, מַהוּ מִזְרְחָה שָׁמֶשׁ, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה הַזְרַח שֶׁמֶשׁ לָרוֹצֵחַ וְנָתַתָּ לוֹ מִקְלָט שֶׁיִּגְלֶה לְשָׁם שֶׁלֹא יֹאבַד בַּעֲוֹן הָרְצִיחָה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהַשֶּׁמֶשׁ הַזֶּה מֵאִיר לָעוֹלָם. דָּבָר אַחֵר (דברים ד, מב): לָנֻס שָׁמָּה רוֹצֵחַ, רַבָּנָן אָמְרִין לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְחָרָשׁ שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה אִיקוֹנִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, מִתּוֹךְ שֶׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה בָהּ נִשְׁבְּרָה לְתוֹךְ יָדָיו, אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אִלּוּ בְּטוֹבָתוֹ שְׁבָרָהּ, הָיָה נֶהֱרָג, עַכְשָׁו שֶׁשְׁבָרָהּ שֶׁלֹא בְטוֹבָתוֹ יִטָּרֵד לְמֵטָלוֹן, כָּךְ גָּזַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (בראשית ט, ו): שֹׁפֵךְ דַּם הָאָדָם בָּאָדָם דָּמוֹ יִשָּׁפֵךְ, אֲבָל מִי שֶׁהוֹרֵג נֶפֶשׁ בִּשְׁגָגָה שֶׁלֹא בְּטוֹבָתוֹ, גּוֹלֶה מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ד, מב): וְנָס אֶל אַחַת מִן הֶעָרִים הָאֵל וָחָי. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה עַל יְדֵי שֶׁהָיָה יֵצֶר הָרָע מָצוּי הָיוּ הוֹרְגִים אֵלּוּ אֶת אֵלּוּ וּמֵתִים, אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא אֲנִי עוֹקֵר יֵצֶר הָרָע מִכֶּם, וְאֵין מִיתָה בָּעוֹלָם (ישעיה כה ל): בִּלַּע הַמָּוֶת לָנֶצַח: “Then, Moses designated three cities beyond the Jordan toward the rising sun” – what is “toward the rising sun”? Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘Cause the sun to shine for the murderer and give him refuge where he can be exiled, so that he will not be eradicated due to the iniquity of murder, just as the sun illuminates the world.’⁶⁶Just as the sun brings light to the world and rises each day even after having set the previous day, the unintentional murderer will have hope for a new life.
“For the murderer to flee there, who kills his neighbor unintentionally and he did not hate him previously; he shall flee to one of these cities and live” (Deuteronomy 4:42).
Another matter: “For the murderer to flee there” – the Rabbis said: To what is the matter comparable? To a craftsman who was crafting a statue of the king. As he was crafting it, it broke in his hands. The king said: ‘Had he done so intentionally, he would be killed. Now that he broke it unintentionally, he shall be exiled and sentenced to hard labor.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He decreed: “One who sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed” (Genesis 9:6). But one who kills another unwittingly, unintentionally, will be exiled from his place, as it is stated: “He shall flee to one of these cities and live.” The Holy One blessed be He said: In this world, because the evil inclination is there, [people] kill one another and die.⁶⁷The Sages state that an unintentional killing may occur when one individual committed murder and was not prosecuted, and another killed unintentionally and was not forced into exile. God will arrange for the second individual to unintentionally kill the first, and have to go into exile, such that both suffer the appropriate consequences (Makkot 10b). But in the future, I will uproot the evil inclination from you, and there will be no death in the world – “He will eliminate death forever” (Isaiah 25:308).

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁקָּרָא קְרִיאַת שְׁמַע וְלֹא דִּקְדֵּק בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתֶיהָ, מַהוּ שֶׁיֵּצֵא יְדֵי חוֹבָתוֹ, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים קָרָא וְלֹא דִּקְדֵּק בְּאוֹתִיּוֹתֶיהָ רַבִּי יוֹסֵי אוֹמֵר יָצָא, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר לֹא יָצָא. וְאֵיזֶהוּ דִּקְדּוּק אוֹתִיּוֹת לִמְדוּנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ (דברים יא, יג): בְּכָל לְבַבְכֶם, צָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִישׁ בֵּין לָמֶ''ד לְלָמֶ''ד, (דברים יא, יז): וַאֲבַדְתֶּם מְהֵרָה, צָרִיךְ לְהַפְרִישׁ בֵּין מֶ''ם לְמֶ''ם. וְאָמַר רַב יְהוּדָה בְּשֵׁם רַב וְאִם הָיָה קוֹרֵא אֶת שְׁמַע וּמְהַלֵּךְ, צָרִיךְ הוּא לְקַבֵּל מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם מְעֻמָּד, וְאֵיזֶהוּ מַלְכוּת שָׁמַיִם ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. וּמֵהֵיכָן זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרוֹת שְׁמַע, אָמַר רַבִּי פִּנְחָס בַּר חָמָא מִמַּתַּן תּוֹרָה זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרוֹת שְׁמַע, כֵּיצַד, אַתְּ מוֹצֵא לֹא פָּתַח הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּסִינַי תְּחִלָּה אֶלָּא בְּדָבָר זֶה, אָמַר לָהֶם: שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ, נַעֲנוּ כֻּלָּן וְאָמְרוּ: ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. וּמשֶׁה אָמַר: בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּנַי, כָּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָאתִי בָּרָאתִי זוּגוֹת, שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ זוּגוֹת, חַמָּה וּלְבָנָה זוּגוֹת, אָדָם וְחַוָּה זוּגוֹת, הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא זוּגוֹת, אֲבָל כְּבוֹדִי אֶחָד וּמְיֻחָד בָּעוֹלָם, מִנַּיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. “Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4) – halakha: If a person of Israel recited Keriat Shema but was not precise in enunciating its letters, has he fulfilled his obligation? So taught the Sages: If one recited [Shema] and was not precise in his enunciation of its letters, Rabbi Yosei says: He fulfilled his obligation. Rabbi Yehuda says: He did not fulfill his obligation. What is precise enunciation of the letters? Our Rabbis taught us: “Bekhol levavkhem” (Deuteronomy 11:13) – one must separate between one lamed and the other lamed.⁶⁸Since one word ends with a lamed and the next word begins with a lamed, one must be careful to separate them so that they will not sound like one word. “Vaavadtem mehera” (Deuteronomy 11:17) – one must separate between one mem and the other mem. Rav Yehuda said in the name of Rav: If one is reciting Shema and walking, he must stand still while accepting the kingdom of Heaven. What is [the acceptance of] the kingdom of Heaven? “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”
From when did Israel merit to recite Shema? Rabbi Pinḥas bar Ḥama said: Israel merited to recite Shema from the giving of the Torah. How so? You find that the Holy One blessed be He began [to speak] at Sinai only with this matter. He said to them: “Hear Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4), “I am the Lord your God” (Exodus 20:2).⁶⁹The expression “hear Israel” does not appear in the passage of the giving of the Torah, but it is derived from the verses in Psalms that relate this event, where it states: “Hear, My people.… I am the Lord your God” (Psalms 81:9–11). All of them answered and said: “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4). Moses said: Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever. The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: My children, everything that I created, I created in pairs. The heavens and the earth are a pair; the sun and moon are a pair; Adam and Eve are a pair; this world and the World to Come are a pair. But My glory is singular and unique in the world. From where is this derived? From what we read regarding this matter: “Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים עג, כה): מִי לִי בַשָּׁמָיִם וְעִמְּךָ לֹא חָפַצְתִּי בָאָרֶץ. רַב אָמַר שְׁנֵי רְקִיעִים הֵן: שָׁמַיִם, וּשְׁמֵי שָׁמַיִם. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אָמַר שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִים הֵן: שָׁמַיִם, וּשְׁמֵי שָׁמַיִם, רָקִיעַ, שְׁחָקִים, מָעוֹן, זְבוּל, עֲרָפֶל. וְכֻלְּהוּ פָּתַח הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לְהוֹדִיעָן שֶׁאֵין אֱלוֹהַּ אַחֵר אֶלָּא הוּא. אָמְרָה כְּנֶסֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם מִי לִי בַשָּׁמָיִם חוּץ מִכְּבוֹדֶךָ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁאֵין לִי בַּשָּׁמַיִם אֶלָּא אַתָּה כָּךְ לֹא חָפַצְתִּי אַחֵר בָּאָרֶץ, כְּשֵׁם שֶׁלֹא שִׁתַּפְתִּי עִמְּךָ אֱלוֹהַּ אַחֵר בַּשָּׁמַיִם, כָּךְ לֹא שִׁתַּפְתִּי עִמְךָ אֱלוֹהַּ אַחֵר בָּאָרֶץ, אֶלָּא נִכְנֶסֶת אֲנִי בְּכָל יוֹם לְבָתֵּי כְנֵסִיּוֹת וּמְעִידָה עָלֶיךָ שֶׁאֵין אֱלוֹהַּ אַחֵר אֶלָּא אַתָּה, וְאוֹמֵר שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. Another matter: “Hear Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4) – this is what the verse said: “Whom else do I have in heaven? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth” (Psalms 73:25). Rav said: There are two firmaments: The heavens and the heavens of the heavens. Rabbi Elazar said: There are seven firmaments: The heavens, the heavens of heavens, Rakia, Sheĥakim, Maon, Zevul, Arafel. The Holy One blessed be He opened them all for Israel, to inform them that there is no God other than He. The Assembly of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, who do I have in Heaven other than [You, in] Your glory? Just as I have no one in heaven other than You, so I have not desired another [god] on earth; just as I have not associated any other god with You in Heaven, so I did not associate any other god with You on earth. Rather, each day I enter synagogues and attest that there is no god other than You, and I say: “Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one”’ (Deuteronomy 6:4).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי כד, כא): יְרָא אֶת ה' בְּנִי וָמֶלֶךְ וגו', מַהוּ וָמֶלֶךְ, אַבְרָהָם, שֶׁיָּרֵא אוֹתִי לֹא הִמְלַכְתִּיו בָּעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יד, יז): אֶל עֵמֶק שָׁוֵה הוּא עֵמֶק הַמֶּלֶךְ. יוֹסֵף שֶׁיָּרֵא אוֹתִי, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית מב, יח): אֶת הָאֱלֹהִים אֲנִי יָרֵא, לֹא הִמְלַכְתִּיו בָּעוֹלָם (בראשית מב, ו): וְיוֹסֵף הוּא הַשַּׁלִּיט עַל הָאָרֶץ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, יְרָא אֶת ה' בְּנִי וָמֶלֶךְ, וּמְלֹךְ עַל יִצְרֶךָ. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעִיר אַחַת בַּדָּרוֹם וְנִכְנַס לְבֵית הַכְּנֶסֶת וְשָׁאַל לְסוֹפֵר אָמַר לוֹ בְּחַיֶּיךָ יֵשׁ כָּאן יַיִן לִמְכֹּר, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי הָעִיר הַזֹּאת שֶׁל כּוּתִים וְאֵין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַיַּיִן בְּטָהֳרָה כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהָיוּ אֲבוֹתַי עוֹשִׂין אוֹתוֹ. אֲמַר אִית אַנְתְּ לְנַפְשָׁךְ מֻתָּר, תֵּן לִי וַאֲנִי לוֹקֵחַ לָךְ, אָמַר וְאַנְתְּ אִם מָרָא דְּנַפְשָׁךְ אַתְּ אַל תִּטְעֹם יָתֵיהּ. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר אֲנָא מָרֵי דְנַפְשִׁי אֲנָא, הֱוֵי וָמֶלֶךְ, וּמְלֹךְ עַל יִצְרְךָ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, יְרָא אֶת ה' בְּנִי וָמֶלֶךְ, מַהוּ וָמֶלֶךְ, וְאַל לַמֹּלֶךְ, כָּעִנְיָן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא יח, כא): וּמִזַרְעֲךָ לֹא תִתֵּן לְהַעֲבִיר לַמֹּלֶךְ, דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַהוּ וָמֶלֶךְ, הַמְלִיכֵהוּ עָלֶיךָ. (משלי כד, כא): עִם שׁוֹנִים אַל תִּתְעָרָב, עִם אֵלּוּ שֶׁאוֹמְרִים יֵשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ שֵׁנִי, אַל תִּתְעָרָב. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן (זכריה יג, ח): וְהָיָה בְכָל הָאָרֶץ נְאֻם ה' פִּי שְׁנַיִם בָּהּ יִכָּרְתוּ יִגְוָעוּ. הַפִּיּוֹת שֶׁאוֹמְרִים שְׁתֵּי רְשׁוּיוֹת הֵן יִכָּרְתוּ וְיִגְוָעוּ, וּמִי עָתִיד לִהְיוֹת קַיָּם (זכריה יג, ח): וְהַשְּׁלִשִׁית יִוָּתֶר בָּהּ, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ שָׁלִישִׁין, שֶׁהֵם מְשֻׁלָּשִׁין, כֹּהֲנִים, לְוִיִּם וְיִשְׂרְאֵלִים, שֶׁהֵן מִשְּׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, אַבְרָהָם, יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שֶׁהֵן מְקַלְּסִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשָׁלשׁ קְדֻשּׁוֹת (ישעיה ו, ג): קָדוֹשׁ, קָדוֹשׁ, קָדוֹשׁ, אָמַר רַב אַחָא כָּעַס הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עַל שְׁלֹמֹה כְּשֶׁאָמַר הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה, אָמַר לוֹ דָּבָר שֶׁל קֹדֶשׁ שֶׁמָּא הָיִיתָ אוֹמְרוֹ בִּלְשׁוֹן נוֹטָרִיקוֹן וְעִם שׁוֹנִים אַל תִּתְעָרָב, מִיָּד חָזַר וּפֵרַשׁ אֶת הַדָּבָר (קהלת ד, ח): יֵשׁ אֶחָד וְאֵין שֵׁנִי גַּם בֵּן וָאָח אֵין לוֹ. אֵין לוֹ לֹא אָח וְלֹא בֵּן אֶלָּא שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. Another matter: “Hear Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4) – this is what the verse said: “Fear the Lord, my son, and the king…” (Proverbs 24:21). What is “and the king”? Abraham, who feared Me, did I not crown him king over the world, as it is stated: “To the valley of Shaveh, which is the valley of the king” (Genesis 14:17). Joseph, who feared Me, as it is written: “I fear God” (Genesis 42:18), did I not crown him king over the world? “Joseph was the ruler over the land” (Genesis 42:6).⁷⁰Thus, the midrash understands the verse to mean “fear the Lord…and you will be a king.”
Another matter: “Fear the Lord, my son, and the king [vamelekh]” (Proverbs 24:21) – and rule [umlokh] over your inclination. There was an incident involving Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar who went to a certain city in the South, and he entered a synagogue and asked a scribe; he said to him: ‘As you live, is there wine for sale here?’ He said to him: ‘Rabbi, this city is [inhabited by] Samaritans, and they do not prepare wine in ritual purity in the way that my ancestors would prepare it.’ [Rabbi Shimon] said: ‘If you have any extra [wine] of your own, give it to me, and I will purchase it from you.’⁷¹Rabbi Shimon did not believe the scribe’s claim that the wine in town was not ritually pure, and he offered to buy any wine that the scribe had (Matnot Kehuna; cf. Etz Yosef). He said: ‘If you are master of your desires do not taste it.’ Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: ‘I am the master of my desires.’ That is, “and the king [vamelekh]” – rule [umlokh] over your inclination.
Another matter: “Fear the Lord, my son, and the king [vamelekh]” (Proverbs 24:21) – what is vamelekh? But not Molekh [ve’al lamolekh], as it is stated: “You shall not give of your offspring to pass to Molekh” (Leviticus 18:21). Alternatively, what is vamelekh? Crown Him King [hamlikhehu] over you.
“Do not mix with those who are different [shonim]” (Proverbs 24:21) – do not mix with those who say there is a second [sheni] god. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon said: “It will be in all the land, the utterance of the Lord, that two portions [pi] of it will be eliminated and expire” (Zechariah 13:8) – the mouths [piyot] that say that they are two authorities will be eliminated and expire. Who is destined to survive? “And the third will remain in it” (Zechariah 13:8) – this is Israel, who are called “threes” because they are tripartite – priests, Levites, and Israelites; and they are from three patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Alternatively, because they laud the Holy One blessed be He with three sanctifications: “Holy, holy, holy” (Isaiah 6:3). Rav Aḥa said: The Holy One blessed be He became angry at Solomon when he said this verse.⁷²The verse in Proverbs (24:21) cited above. He said to him: Is it proper to express a matter of sanctity with an obscure expression: “Do not mix with those who are different”? He⁷³Solomon, who wrote Ecclesiastes after having written Proverbs (see Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:1:10). immediately came and stated the matter explicitly: “There is one and no other, without even a son or a brother” (Ecclesiastes 4:8) – [God] has no brother or son; rather, “hear, Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

רַבִּי יִצְחָק פָּתַח (איכה ג, כד): : חֶלְקִי ה' אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי עַל כֵּן אוֹחִיל לוֹ, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנִּכְנַס לִמְדִינָה וְנִכְנְסוּ עִמּוֹ דֻּכָּסִין וְאִפַּרְכִין וְאִסְטְרַטְלִיטִין, יֵשׁ מִבְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה שֶׁבָּרְרוּ דֻּכּוֹס שֶׁיִּהְיֶה מִתְקַיֵּם עֲלֵיהֶם, וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן שֶׁבָּרְרוּ לָהֶן אִפַּרְכּוּס, וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן שֶׁבָּרְרוּ לָהֶן אִסְטְרַטְלִיטִין, אָמַר אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה פִּקֵּחַ אֵינִי בּוֹרֵר אֶלָּא הַמֶּלֶךְ, לָמָּה, שֶׁכֻּלָּן מִתְחַלְּפִין וְהַמֶּלֶךְ אֵין מִתְחַלֵּף. כָּךְ כְּשֶׁיָּרַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְסִינַי יָרְדוּ עִמּוֹ חֲבוּרוֹת חֲבוּרוֹת שֶׁל מַלְאָכִים, מִיכָאֵל וַחֲבוּרָתוֹ, גַּבְרִיאֵל וַחֲבוּרָתוֹ. יֵשׁ מֵאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם שֶׁבָּרְרוּ לָהֶן מִיכָאֵל, וְיֵשׁ מֵהֶן שֶׁבָּרְרוּ לָהֶן גַּבְרִיאֵל, אֲבָל יִשְׂרָאֵל בָּרְרוּ לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, אָמְרוּ חֶלְקִי ה' אָמְרָה נַפְשִׁי, הֲרֵי שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “The Lord is my portion, says my soul; therefore I will await Him” (Lamentations 3:24) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who entered a province, and generals, rulers, and governors entered with him. Some of the residents of the province selected a general who would protect them;⁷⁴They decided to support the general and establish a relationship with him, so that he would protect them. some of them selected a ruler; and some of them selected a governor. One who was clever said: ‘I am choosing only the king. Why? Because all of them can be replaced, but the king cannot be replaced.’ So, when the Holy One blessed be He descended to Sinai, many groups of angels descended with Him – Mikhael and his group, Gavriel and his group. Some of the nations selected Mikhael, and some of them selected Gavriel, but Israel chose the Holy One blessed be He. They said: “The Lord is my portion, says my soul”; that is, “hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל. מֵהֵיכָן זָכוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִקְרִיאַת שְׁמַע, מִשָּׁעָה שֶׁנָּטָה יַעֲקֹב לְמִיתָה קָרָא לְכָל הַשְּׁבָטִים וְאָמַר לָהֶן שֶׁמָּא מִשֶּׁאֲנִי נִפְטַר מִן הָעוֹלָם אַתֶּם מִשְׁתַּחֲוִים לֵאלוֹהַּ אַחֵר, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (בראשית מט, ב): הִקָּבְצוּ וְשִׁמְעוּ בְּנֵי יַעֲקֹב וגו', מַהוּ (בראשית מט, ב): וְשִׁמְעוּ אֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲבִיכֶם, אָמַר לָהֶן, אֵל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אֲבִיכֶם הוּא. אָמְרוּ לוֹ, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר בִּלְחִישָׁה בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי וּמַה יִּשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים עַכְשָׁו, שְׁמַע אָבִינוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹתוֹ הַדָּבָר שֶׁצִּוִּיתָנוּ נוֹהֵג בָּנוּ ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד. Another matter: “Hear, Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4) – from when did Israel merit to recite Shema? It was from the time when Jacob was about to die. He summoned all the tribes⁷⁵Jacob’s sons, the progenitors of the tribes. and said to them: ‘Will you perhaps prostrate yourselves to another god after I pass from the world?’ From where is this derived? For so it is written: “Assemble and hear, sons of Jacob [and heed Israel your father]” (Genesis 49:2). What is “and heed Israel [el Yisrael] your father”? He said to them: ‘The God of Israel [El Yisrael] is your Father.’ They said to him: “Hear, Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one” (Deuteronomy 6:4), and he said in a whisper: ‘Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.’ Rabbi Levi said: What does Israel say now? ‘Hear, our father Israel; the same matter that you commanded us, we continue to observe: “The Lord is our God, the Lord is one.”’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, רַבָּנָן אָמְרִין, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָלָה משֶׁה לַמָּרוֹם שָׁמַע לְמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת שֶׁהָיוּ אוֹמְרִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד, וְהוֹרִיד אוֹתָהּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלָמָּה אֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי אַסֵּי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאֶחָד שֶׁגָּנַב קוֹזְמִין מִתּוֹךְ פָּלָטִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, נְתָנָהּ לָהּ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ וְאָמַר לָהּ אַל תִּתְקַשְׁטִי בָּהּ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא אֶלָּא בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתֵךְ, אֲבָל בְּיוֹם הַכִּפּוּרִים שֶׁהֵן נְקִיִּים כְּמַלְאֲכֵי הַשָּׁרֵת, הֵן אוֹמְרִים אוֹתוֹ בְּפַרְהֶסְיָא, בָּרוּךְ שֵׁם כְּבוֹד מַלְכוּתוֹ לְעוֹלָם וָעֶד. Another matter: “Hear, Israel” (Deuteronomy 6:4) – the Rabbis said: When Moses ascended on high, he heard the ministering angels, who were saying to the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever,’ and he took it down to Israel. Why does Israel not recite it for all to hear?⁷⁶It is customary to recite this sentence in a whisper after reciting the verse: “Hear, Israel…” Rabbi Asi said: To what is the matter comparable? To one who stole jewelry from a king’s palace. He gave it to his wife and said to her: ‘Do not adorn yourself with these in public, but only in the house.’ But on Yom Kippur, when they are as pure as ministering angels, they recite it for all to hear: Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.

וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ (דברים ו, ה), מַהוּ בְּכָל לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל נַפְשְׁךָ, בְּכָל נֶפֶשׁ וְנֶפֶשׁ שֶׁבָּרָא בְּךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי מֵאִיר עַל כָּל נְשִׁימָה וּנְשִׁימָה שֶׁאָדָם מַעֲלֶה חַיָּב לְקַלֵּס אֶת יוֹצְרוֹ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קנ, ו): כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן, חֲמִשָּׁה שֵׁמוֹת נִקְרְאוּ לַנֶּפֶשׁ, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: רוּחַ, נֶפֶשׁ, נְשָׁמָה, חַיָּה, יְחִידָה. רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי בּוֹא וּרְאֵה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְמַלֵּא אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַזּוֹ מְמַלְּאָה אֶת הַגּוּף, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא סוֹבֵל אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַזּוֹ סוֹבֶלֶת אֶת הַגּוּף, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יָחִיד בְּעוֹלָמוֹ וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ יְחִידָה בַּגּוּף, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵין לְפָנָיו שֵׁנָה וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ אֵינָהּ יְשֵׁנָה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא טָהוֹר בְּעוֹלָמוֹ וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַזּוֹ טְהוֹרָה בַּגּוּף, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רוֹאֶה וְאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה וְהַנֶּפֶשׁ הַזּוֹ רוֹאָה וְאֵינָהּ נִרְאֵית, תָּבֹא הַנֶּפֶשׁ שֶׁהִיא רוֹאָה וְאֵינָהּ נִרְאֵית וּתְקַלֵּס לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא רוֹאֶה וְאֵינוֹ נִרְאֶה. אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הַנֶּפֶשׁ הַזּוֹ שֶׁמְקַלֶּסֶת אוֹתְךָ עַד מָתַי הִיא נְתוּנָה בֶּעָפָר (תהלים מד, כו): כִּי שָׁחָה לֶעָפָר נַפְשֵׁנוּ, אָמַר לָהֶן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא חַיֵּיכֶם יַגִּיעַ הַקֵּץ וְנַפְשׁוֹתֵיכֶם שְׂמֵחוֹת, לְפִיכָךְ יְשַׁעְיָה מְנַחֵם אוֹתָן וְאוֹמֵר (ישעיה סא, י): שׂוֹשׂ אָשִׂישׂ בַּה' תָּגֵל נַפְשִׁי בֵּאלֹהַי, אָמַר רַבִּי בֶּרֶכְיָה, בַּעֲשָׂרָה מְקוֹמוֹת קָרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כַּלָּה, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן (שיר השירים ד, ח): אִתִּי מִלְּבָנוֹן כַּלָּה, (שיר השירים ה, א): בָּאתִי לְגַנִּי אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה, (שיר השירים ד, ט): לִבַּבְתִּנִּי אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה, (שיר השירם ד, י): מַה יָּפוּ דֹּדַיִךְ אֲחֹתִי כַלָּה, (שיר השירים ד, יא): נֹפֶת תִּטֹּפְנָה שִׂפְתוֹתַיִךְ כַּלָּה, (ישעיה סב, ה): כִּמְשׂוֹשׂ חָתָן עַל כַּלָּה, (ירמיה לג, יא): קוֹל חָתָן וְקוֹל כַּלָּה, (ישעיה מט, יח): כִּי כֻלָּם כָּעֲדִי תִלְבָּשִׁי וּתְקַשְּׁרִים כַּכַּלָּה, (ישעיה סא, י): וְכַכַּלָּה תַּעְדֶּה כֵלֶיהָ, וּכְנֶגְדָּן יִשְׂרָאֵל מְעַטְּרִים אֶת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּעֲשָׂרָה לְבוּשִׁין, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן (איוב כט, יד): צֶדֶק לָבַשְׁתִּי וַיִּלְבָּשֵׁנִי, הֲרֵי שְׁנַיִם, (ישעיה נט, יז): וַיִּלְבַּשׁ צְדָקָה כַּשִּׁרְיָן, (ישעיה נט, יז): וַיִּלְבַּשׁ בִּגְדֵי נָקָם תִּלְבּשֶׁת, הֲרֵי חֲמִשָּׁה, (דניאל ז, ט): לְבוּשֵׁהּ כִּתְלַג חִוָּר, (ישעיה סג, ב): מַדּוּעַ אָדֹם לִלְבוּשֶׁךָ, (תהלים צג, א): ה' מָלָךְ גֵּאוּת לָבֵשׁ לָבֵשׁ ה' עֹז הִתְאַזָּר, (תהלים קד, א): הוֹד וְהָדָר לָבָשְׁתָּ, הֲרֵי עֲשָׂרָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, שׂוֹשׂ אָשִׂישׂ בַּה', לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְאִשָּׁה שֶׁהָלַךְ בַּעְלָהּ וּבְנָה וַחֲתָנָהּ לִמְדִינַת הַיָּם כו', כְּדִכְתִיב בִּפְסִיקְתָּא עַד שׂוֹשׂ אָשִׂישׂ. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5). What is “with all your heart, with all your soul” – with each and every soul that He created for you.⁷⁷Every aspect of the soul, represented by the five names mentioned below (Etz Yosef). Alternatively, with all of a person’s inclinations and energy (see Maharzu). Rabbi Meir said: For each and every breath that a person takes, he is obligated to laud his Creator. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Let everyone who breathes praise the Lord” (Psalms 150:6).⁷⁸Rabbi Meir interprets the phrase “everyone who breathes [kol haneshama]” to mean “for every breath [kol neshima].” Rabbi Simon said: The soul is called the following five names: Ruaḥ, nefesh, neshama, ḥaya, yeḥida. The Rabbis say: Come and see that the Holy One blessed be He fills His world, and [a person’s] soul fills his body. The Holy One blessed be He bears His world, and the soul bears the body. The Holy One blessed be He is One in His world, and the soul is one in the body. The Holy One blessed be He does not sleep, and the soul does not sleep. The Holy One blessed be He is the pure One in His world, and the soul is the pure one in the body. The Holy One blessed be He sees but is not seen, and the soul sees but it is not seen. Let the soul that sees but is not seen come and laud the Holy One blessed be He, who sees but is not seen.
Israel said: ‘Master of the universe, this soul that lauds you, until when will it be placed in the dust⁷⁹Until when will the soul have to endure the physical body; alternatively, until when will the soul be held back from achieving its potential due to the hardships of life (see Etz Yosef; Anaf Yosef). [as it is written:] “Our soul is stooped in the dust”’ (Psalms 44:26)? The Holy One blessed be He said to them: As you live, the End will come, and your souls will rejoice. That is why Isaiah comforts them and says: “I will be gladdened in the Lord; my soul will exult in my God” (Isaiah 61:10).
Rabbi Berekhya said: In ten places the Holy One blessed be He called Israel “bride.”⁸⁰The midrash here proceeds to list only nine such instances, but elsewhere (Shir HaShirim Rabba 4:8:3) it lists the tenth: “A locked garden is my sister, my bride” (Song of Songs 4:12), which should be included here as well. They are: “With Me from Lebanon, My bride” (Song of Songs 4:8); “I came to My garden, My sister, My bride” (Song of Songs 5:1); “you have charmed Me, My sister, My bride” (Song of Songs 4:9); “how fair is your loving, My sister, My bride” (Song of Songs 4:10); “your lips drip nectar, My bride” (Song of Songs 4:11); “like the gladness of a groom with a bride” (see Isaiah 62:5); “the sound of a groom and the sound of a bride” (Jeremiah 33:11); “that you will don all of them like jewelry and you will tie them like a bride” (Isaiah 49:18); “and like a bride who bedecks herself with her ornaments” (Isaiah 61:10). Corresponding to them, Israel adorns the Holy One blessed be He with ten garments [levushin].⁸¹The reference is to ten instances in which Israel praises God with metaphors involving forms of the word garments [levushin]. They are: “I donned [lavashti] righteousness, and it clothed me [vayilbasheni]”; “like a robe and a mitre was my justice” (Job 29:14) – these make two. “He donned [vayilbash] righteousness like armor” (Isaiah 59:17); “He donned [vayilbash] garments of vengeance as His costume [tilboshet]” (Isaiah 59:17) – these make five. “His garment was like white snow” (Daniel 7:9); “why is there red on your garment” (Isaiah 63:2); “The Lord reigns; He is clothed [lavesh] in grandeur. The Lord is clothed [lavesh], girded with strength” (Psalms 93:1); “You are clothed [lavashta] in splendor and glory” (Psalms 104:1) – these make ten.
Another matter: “I will be gladdened in the Lord” (Isaiah 61:10) – to what is the matter comparable? It is to a woman whose husband, son, and son-in-law went to a country overseas…, as it is written in the Pesikta⁸²The midrash here does not provide the full account of this analogy, but it is provided in Pesikta deRav Kahana 22:3 and Shir HaShirim Rabba 1:4:8. until: “I will be gladdened.”

Another idea: "Hear O Israel" The rabbis said: When Moshe went up to the heavens, he heard the ministering angels saying to the Holy Blessed One, "Blessed is the name of the glory of God's sovereignty for all time" and brought it down to Israel. And why doesn't Israel say it in public (aloud)? Rabbi Asi said: To what is it similar? To one who stole jewelry from the King's palace and gave it to his wife and said to her, "Don't adorn yourself with it in public, rather (wear it) in your house." However, on Yom Kippur when they are as clean as the ministering angels, they say it publicly, "Blessed is the name of the glory of God's sovereignty for all time."