וַיְדַבֵּר ה' אֶל מֹשֶׁה שׁוֹר אוֹ כֶּשֶׂב אוֹ עֵז כִּי יִוָּלֵד. זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה וְגוֹ' (תהלים לו, ז). צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, אֵלּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁנִּמְשְׁלוּ בֶּהָרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: שִׁמְעוּ הָרִים אֶת רִיב ה' (מיכה ו, ב). מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, אֵלּוּ הָרְשָׁעִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: תְּהוֹמוֹת יְכַסְיֵמוּ (שמות טו, ה). צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, אֵלּוּ הַצַּדִּיקִים. מַה הָרִים הַלָּלוּ מַעֲלִים עֲשָׂבִים, אַף הַצַּדִּיקִים יֵשׁ לָהֶם מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, אֵלּוּ הָרְשָׁעִים. מַה הַתְּהוֹם אֵינוֹ מַעֲלֶה עֲשָׂבִים, אַף הָרְשָׁעִים אֵין לָהֶם מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים. צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל. מַה הֶהָרִים הַלָּלוּ רְאוּיִין לְהַזְרִיעַ וְעוֹשִׂין פֵּרוֹת, כָּךְ הַצַּדִּיקִים עוֹשִׂין פֵּרוֹת, וּמֵטִיבִין לְעַצְמָן וּמֵטִיבִין לָאֲחֵרִים. לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לַפַּעֲמוֹן שֶׁל זָהָב וְהַגּוֹל שֶׁלּוֹ שֶׁל מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת. כָּךְ הֵם הַצַּדִּיקִים מֵטִיבִין לְעַצְמָן וּמֵטִיבִין לָאֲחֵרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב כִּי פְּרִי מַעַלְלֵיהֶם יֹאכֵלוּ (ישעיה ג, י). מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, אֵלּוּ הָרְשָׁעִים. מַה הַתְּהוֹם הַזֶּה אֵינוֹ יָכֹל לְהִזָּרַע וְאֵינוֹ עוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת, כָּךְ הָרְשָׁעִים אֵין לָהֶם מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים וְאֵינָן עוֹשִׂין פֵּרוֹת. אֶלָּא מְצֵרִין לְעַצְמָן וְלָאֲחֵרִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אוֹי לְרָשָׁע רָע כִּי גְמוּל יָדָיו יֵעָשֶׂה לוֹ (שם פסוק יא), רַע לְעַצְמוֹ וְרַע לָאֲחֵרִים. צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל. סָרֵס הַמִּקְרָא וְדָרְשֵׁהוּ, צִדְקָתְךָ עַל מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל עַל תְּהוֹם רַבָּה. מַה הֶהָרִים הַלָּלוּ כּוֹבְשִׁין אֶת הַתְּהוֹם שֶׁלֹּא יַעֲלֶה וְיָצִיף אֶת הָעוֹלָם, כָּךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים כּוֹבְשִׁין אֶת הַפֻּרְעָנִיּוּת שֶׁלֹּא תָּבֹא לָעוֹלָם. צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל. מַה הֶהָרִים הַלָּלוּ אֵין לָהֶם סוֹף, כָּךְ אֵין סוֹף לְמַתַּן שְׂכָרָן שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה. מַה הַתְּהוֹם אֵין לוֹ חֵקֶר, כָּךְ אֵין חֵקֶר לְפֻרְעָנוּתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁהֵן עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מֵהַרְרֵי אֵל, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹשֶׂה עִמָּהֶן צְדָקָה כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל. וְהָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁאֵין עוֹשִׂין אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מֵהַרְרֵי אֵל, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְדַקְדֵּק עִמָּהֶם עַד תְּהוֹם רַבָּה. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר, אֶחָד אֵלּוּ וְאֶחָד אֵלּוּ, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְדַקְדֵּק עִמָּהֶן. וְגוֹבֶה מִן הַצַּדִּיקִים מִעוּט מַעֲשִׂים רָעִים שֶׁעָשׂוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, כְּדֵי לְשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם שָׁכָר מֻשְׁלָם לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. וּמַשְׁפִּיעַ שַׁלְוָה לָרְשָׁעִים וּמְשַׁלֵּם לָהֶם מִעוּט מַעֲשִׂים טוֹבִים שֶׁעָשׂוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, לִפְרֹעַ לָהֶם לְעוֹלָם הַבָּא. רַבִּי מֵאִיר אוֹמֵר, מָשַׁל אֶת הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּדִירָתָן, וּמָשַׁל אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים בְּדִירָתָן. מָשַׁל אֶת הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּדִירָתָן, כְּמוֹ שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בְּמִרְעֶה טוֹב אֶרְעֶה אוֹתָם וּבְהָרֵי מְרוֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה נְוֵהֶם (יחזקאל לד, יד). וּמָשַׁל אֶת הָרְשָׁעִים בְּדִירָתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כֹּה אָמַר אֲדֹנָי ה' בְּיוֹם רִדְתּוֹ שְׁאֹלָה הֶאֱבַלְתִּי כִּסֵּתִי עָלָיו אֶת תְּהוֹם, הֵבַלְתִּי כְּתִיב. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי אַמִּי, מָשָׁל, אֵין עוֹשִׂין כִּסּוּי לַגִּיגִית, לֹא שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְלֹא שֶׁל זָהָב וְלֹא שֶׁל נְחֹשֶׁת וְלֹא שֶׁל בַּרְזֶל, אֶלָּא שֶׁל חֶרֶשׂ, מִפְּנֵי שֶׁהוּא מִין בְּמִינוֹ. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, גֵּיהִנָּם חֹשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: יְהִי דַּרְכָּם חֹשֶׁךְ וַחֲלַקְלַקּוֹת וּמַלְאַךְ ה' רוֹדְפָם (תהלים לה, ו). וְהַתְּהוֹם חֹשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְחֹשֶׁךְ עַל פְּנֵי תְּהוֹם (בראשית א, ב). וְהָרְשָׁעִים חֹשֶׁךְ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְהָיָה בְּמַחְשַׁךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מִי רֹאֵנוּ וּמִי יֹדְעֵנוּ (ישעיה כט, טו), יָבֹא חֹשֶׁךְ וִיכַסֶּה חֹשֶׁךְ, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ אֲמַר: כִּי בַּהֶבֶל בָּא וּבַחֹשֶׁךְ יֵלֵךְ וּבַחֹשֶׁךְ שְׁמוֹ יְכֻסֶּה (קהלת ו, ד). (Lev. 22:26-27:) “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, ‘When a bull or a sheep or a goat is born.” This text is related (to Ps. 36:7), “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains; Your judgments are like the great deep….”27See above, Gen. 2:8; below, Numb. 1:1. “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” These are the righteous ones, in that they have been compared with mountains, where it is stated (in Micah 6:2), “Hear, O mountains, the claim of the Lord.” (Ps. 36:7, cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked, since it is stated (in Exod. 15:5), “The depths covered them.” “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” These are the righteous, [for] just as these mountains grow herbs, so the righteous possess good works. (Ibid., cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked, [for] just as the deep does not grow herbs, so the wicked do not possess good works. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” Just as the mountains are suitable for sowing and producing fruit; so do the righteous produce fruit, in that they do good for themselves and do good for others.28Lev. 27:1. To what is the matter comparable? To a gold bell with a pearl29Gk.: margarites, margaritis, margaritarion, or margellion. clapper. Similarly the righteous do good for themselves and do good for others. Thus it is stated (in Is. 3:9), “Tell the righteous that [all is] well for them, for they shall eat the fruit of their works.” (Ps. 36:7 cont.:) “And Your judgments are like the great deep.” These are the wicked. Just as the deep is unable to sow and grow fruit, so the wicked do not possess good works and do not grow fruit. Instead they are distressing for themselves and for others. Thus it is stated (in Is. 3:10), “Woe to the bad wicked, as the recompense of his hands will be done to him.” He is bad for himself and bad for others. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains [and Your judgments are like the great deep].” Transpose the text and interpret it:30See also Gen. R. 33:1; PRK 9:1; M. Pss. 36:5. Your righteousness over your judgments is like the mighty mountains over the great deep. Just as these mountains hold down the deep, so that it does not rise up and inundate the earth, so the works of the righteous hold back the divine retributions, so that they will not come into the world. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains.” Just as these mountains have no end, so there is no end to the reward of the righteous in the world to come. (Ibid., cont.:) “Your judgments are like the great deep.” Just as the deep has no limit, so there is no limit to the divine retributions of the wicked in the world to come. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains (literally, mountains of God); [Your judgments are like the great deep].” R. Ishmael and R. Aqiva [differ]. R. Ishmael says, “Since the righteous (rt.: tsdq) carry out the Torah, which was given from the mountains of God, the Holy One, blessed be He, treats them with a charity (rt.: tsdq) like the mountains of God. But since the wicked do not carry out the Torah, which was given from the mountains of God, the Holy One, blessed be He, deals strictly with them, even unto the great deep.” R. Aqiva says, “The Holy One, blessed be He, is as strict with the former as with the latter. From the righteous he collects in this world for a few evil deeds which they have committed, in order to render them full payment in the world to come; while he gives prosperity in abundance to the wicked and pays them in this world for the few good deeds that they have done, in order to punish them in the world to come.” R. Meir says, “[Scripture] has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, and it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode.31Above, Gen. 2:8, and the note there. It has spoken metaphorically of the righteous in their abode, even as stated (in Ezek. 34:14), “I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the mountains of the Lofty One of Israel shall be their fold.” And it has spoken metaphorically of the wicked in their abode, as stated (in Ezek. 31:15), “Thus says the Lord God, ‘In the day that he went down to Sheol, I caused him to mourn (he'evalti); I covered him with the deep.’” The written text is "I led" (hovalti, not “I caused… to mourn [he'evalti]”).32Gen. R. 33:1; Exod. R. 14:2. So interpreted the verse means: “I led him [into Geihinnom]. R. Judah bar Ammi told a parable, “One does not make a cover for a vat of silver, gold, bronze or iron, but rather of clay, because that is a material of the same sort. Similarly, the Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘Geihinnom is darkness,’ as stated (in Ps. 35:6), ‘Let their path be darkness and slipperiness, with the angel of the Lord pursuing them.’ Moreover, the deep is darkness, as stated (in Gen. 1:2), ‘with darkness upon the face of the deep.’ And the wicked are darkness, as stated (in Is. 29:15), ‘for their works are in darkness; so they say, “Who sees us and who knows about us?”’ So let darkness come and cover darkness, just as you have said (in Eccl. 6:4), ‘For it comes in vanity and goes in darkness; even its name is covered in darkness.’”