צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִמּוֹן, צְדָקָה שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִם נֹחַ בַּתֵּבָה, כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי עַל הָרֵי אֲרָרָט (בראשית ח, ד). וּמִשְׁפָּטִים שֶׁעָשִׂיתָ עִם דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל, שֶׁדִּקְדַּקְתָּ עִמָּהֶם עַד תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: בַּיּוֹם הַזֶּה נִבְקְעוּ כָּל מַעְיְנוֹת תְּהוֹם רַבָּה (שם ז, יא). וּכְשֶׁהִזְכַּרְתּוֹ לֹא זְכַרְתּוֹ לְבַדּוֹ, אֶלָּא וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ וְאֶת כָּל הַחַיָּה וְאֶת כָּל הַבְּהֵמָה אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ בַּתֵּבָה וַיַּעֲבֵר אֱלֹהִים רוּחַ עַל הָאָרֶץ וַיָּשֹׁכּוּ הַמָּיִם (שם ח, א). רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי סְלִיק לְרוֹמִי, רָאָה שָׁם עַמּוּדִים שֶׁל שַׁיִשׁ מְכֹרָכִים בְּקָנִיּוֹת, בַּשָּׁרָב שֶׁלֹּא יִפְקְעוּ, וּבַצִּנָּה שֶׁלֹּא יִקָּרְשׁוּ. וְרָאָה שָׁם עָנִי אֶחָד, מַחְצֶלֶת שֶׁל קָנִים מִתַּחְתָּיו, מַחְצֶלֶת קָנִים עַל גַּבָּיו. עַל הָעַמּוּדִים קָרָא, צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, הֵן דְּאַתְּ יָהִיב אַתְּ מַשְׁפַּע. וְעַל הֶעָנִי קָרָא, מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, הֵן דְּאַתְּ מָחֵי אַתְּ מְדַקְדֵּק. מַהוּ אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ ה'. אַלֶּכְּסַנְדְּרוֹס מֶלֶךְ מוֹקְדֹּן אֲזַל לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא קַצְיָא לַאֲחוֹרֵי הָרֵי חֹשֶׁךְ. אֲזַל לִמְדִינָה חֲדָא דִּשְׁמָא קַרַטִינְדָא, דְּהִיא כֻּלָּהּ דְּנָשִׁים. נְפַקוּ לְקַדְמוּתֵיהּ. אָמְרוּ לֵיהּ, אִי אַתְּ עֲבַדְּתְ עִמָּן קְרָבָא וְנִצַּחְתְּ לָן, שִׁמְךָ נָפִיק בְּעַלְמָא דִּמְחוֹזָא דְּנַשְׁיָא אַתְרִיכַת. וְאִי אֲנַן עַבְדִּין עִמָּךְ קְרָב וְנַצְחָן לָךְ, שִׁמְךָ נָפִיק בְּעַלְמָא, דְּנַשְׁיָא עַבְדִּין עִמָּךְ קְרָב וְנַצְחָן לָךְ, וְתוּב לֵית אַתְּ קָאִים קְדַם מַלְכוּ. כִּי נָפִיק, כָּתַב עַל תָּרַע פִּילֵי, אֲנָא אַלֶּכְּסַנְדְּרוֹס מֻקְדּוֹן שַׁטְיָא הֲוֵינָא עַד דַּאֲתִינָא לְקַרַטִינְדָא מְדִינְתָּא, וְיַלְפִי עֵצָה מִן נַשְׁיָא. אֲזַל לִמְדִינְתָּא אַחְרֵי דִּשְׁמָהּ אַפְרִיקֵי, נְפַקוּ לְקַדְמוּתֵיהּ בְּחִזוּרִין דִּדְהַב וְרִמּוֹנִין דִּדְהַב וְלַחְמָא דִּדְהַב. אֲמַר לְהוֹן, וּמָה, דַּהֲבָא מִתְאַכִיל בְּאַרְעֲכוֹן. אָמְרוּ לֵהּ, וְלָא הֲוֵה לָךְ כְּדוֹן בְּאַרְעָךְ דַּאֲתֵית לְגַבָּן. אֲמַר לְהוּ, לָאו עַתְרֵיכוֹן אֲתִית לְמֶחְזֵי, אֶלָּא דְּיַצִּיבוּן אֲתִית לְמֶחְמֵי. עַד אִינוֹן יַתְבִין, אֲתוֹ תְּרֵי גַּבְרֵי לְדִינָא קְדַם מַלְכָּא. חַד אֲמַר, מָארִי מַלְכָּא, אֲנָא, חוּרְבְּנָא זְבַנִית מֵהַאי גַּבְרָא וּגְרַפְתֵּיהּ וְאַשְׁכְּחִית בֵּיהּ סַמָּא, אֲמַרִית לֵיהּ, סָב סִימָתָךְ, דְּחַרוּבְתָּא זְבַנִית, וְסִימְתָּא לָא זְבַנִית. וְאַחְרִינָא אֲמַר, כְּמָה דְּאַתְּ מִסְתַּפֵי מֵעֹנֶשׁ גֶּזֶל, כָּךְ מִסְתְּפִינָא אֲנָא. כַּד זַבָּנִית לָךְ, חוּרְבָא וְכָל מַה דְּאִית בֵּיהּ זְבִינִית לָךְ. קָרָא מַלְכָּא לְחַד מִנְהוֹן, אֲמַר לֵהּ, אִית לָךְ בַּר דְּכַר. אֲמַר לֵהּ, הֵן. קָרָא לְאַחְרִינָא, אֲמַר לֵהּ, אִית לָךְ בְּרַת נוּקְבָא. אֲמַר לֵהּ, הֵן, אֲמַר לְהוֹן, יִזְלוּן וְיִנְסַב דֵּין לְדֵין וְיֵכְלוּן סַמָּא תַּרְוֵיהוֹן. וְשָׁרֵי אַלֶּכְּסַנְדְּרוֹס מוֹקְדוֹן תָּמַהּ. אֲמַר לֵהּ מַלְכָּא, מַאי תְּמֵהִית, לָא דַּאֲנִית טַבוּת. אֲמַר לֵהּ, אִין. אֲמַר לֵהּ, אִלּוּ הֲוִית הֲדֵין דִּינָא בְּאַרְעֲכוֹן, מַה הֲוֵיתוּן עַבְדִּין בֵּהּ. אֲמַר לֵהּ, מֵרִים רֵישֵׁיהּ דְּדֵין וְרֵישֵׁיהּ דְּדֵין, וְסִימְתָא סַלְקָא לְבֵי מַלְכָּא. אֲמַר לֵהּ, וְשִׁמְשָׁא דַּנְחָא עֲלֵיכוֹן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הֵן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, וּמִטְרָא נָחִית עֲלֵיכוֹן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הֵן. אֲמַר לֵהּ, דִּילְמָא אִית בְּאַרְעֲכוֹן בְּעִיר דְּקִיק. אֲמַר לֵיהּ, הֵן. אֲמַר לֵהּ, זִיל תִּפַּח רוּחֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גַּבְרָא, בִּזְכוּת בְּעִירָא דְּקִיק אִי שִׁמְשָׁא דַּנְחָא עֲלֵיכוֹן וּמִטְרָא נָחִית עֲלֵיכוֹן, וּבִזְכוּת בְּעִירָא דְּקִיקָא אַתּוּן מִשְׁתַּזְבוּן. הֱוֵי, אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ ה', אָדָם בִּזְכוּת בְּהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ ה'. אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, כְּאָדָם אֲנַחְנוּ, כִּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעֵנוּ, לְפִי שֶׁאֲנַחְנוּ נִמְשָׁכִין אַחֲרֶיךָ כִּבְהֵמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: מָשְׁכֵנִי אַחֲרֶיךָ נָרוּצָה, הֱבִיאַנִי הַמֶּלֶךְ חֲדָרָיו, נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בָּךְ, נַזְכִּירָה דֹּדֶיךָ מִיַּיִן, מֵישָׁרִים אֲהֵבוּךָ (שה״ש א, ד). לְהֵיכָן אָנוּ נִמְשָׁכִין אַחֲרֶיךָ, לְגַן עֵדֶן. הָדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: יִרְוְיֻן מִדֶּשֶׁן בֵּיתֶךָ וְנַחַל עֲדָנֶיךָ תַשְׁקֵם (תהלים לו, ט). אָמַר רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר מְנַחֵם, עֲדָנְךָ אֵין כְּתִיב, אֶלָּא עֲדָנֶיךָ. מְלַמֵּד, שֶׁכָּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק יֵשׁ לוֹ עֵדֶן בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ ה'. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק, מִשְׁפַּט אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה, אֶחָד. מִשְׁפַּט אָדָם, וּבַיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי יִמּוֹל. וּמִשְׁפַּט בְּהֵמָה, וּמִיּוֹם הַשְּׁמִינִי וָהָלְאָה יֵרָצֶה. (Ps. 36:7:) “Your righteousness (rt.: tsdq) is like the mighty mountains; [Your judgments are like the great deep].” R. Judah bar Simon said, “The charity (rt.: tsdq) which You did with Noah in the ark was like the mighty mountains.33Lev. R. 27:1. [Thus it is stated (in Gen. 8:4),] ‘And the ark came to rest in the seventh month on the seventeenth day of the month, upon the mountains of Ararat.’ And the judgments are those which You rendered with [his] generation and carried out strictly with them as far as the great deep. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 7:11), ‘on that day all the springs of the great deep burst forth.’ Moreover, when You remembered him, You did not remember him alone, as stated (in Gen. 8:1), ‘Then God remembered Noah, all the beasts, and all the cattle […].’” When R. Joshua ben Levi went away to Rome, he saw there two marble columns covered with bedding34Gk.: koitai (“beds”). so that they would neither be cracked in the burning heat nor frozen in the cold.35Above, Gen. 2:8; Gen. R. 33:1; PRK 9:1. He [also] saw there a certain pauper with a reed mat under him and a reed mat over him. With reference to the columns, he read (Ps. 36:7), “Your righteousness (i.e., your charity) is like the mighty mountains.” Indeed, when You give, You bestow abundantly. But with reference to the pauper, he read (ibid., cont.), “and Your judgments are like the great deep.” [Indeed,] when You are striking, you deal strictly. What is the meaning of (Ps. 36:7, cont.), “You save man and beast, O Lord.” Alexander of Macedon went off to the king of Qatsia beyond the mountains of darkness.36Lev. R. 27:1; PRK 9:1; Tamid 32ab. He arrived at the province named Carthage, which was entirely [inhabited by] women. They came out to meet him. They said to him, “If you wage war with us and are victorious against us, your name will go forth in the world as one who destroyed [a province of] women; and if we wage war with you and conquer you, your name will go forth in the world for having women wage war with you and conquer you. Then you will never again stand up to [another] kingdom.” When he went away, he wrote over the entrance37Gk.: pylai. gate, “I, King Alexander of Macedon, was a fool until I came to the province of Carthage and learned [to take] counsel from women.” He went to another province named Africa. They came out to meet him with golden apples, with golden pomegranates and with golden bread. He said to them, “Is gold eaten in your land?” They said to him, “Was it not like this for you in your own country, why did you come to us?”38Cf. Tamid 32b: “If you wanted [regular] bread, did you have no bread in your own place to eat that you should have taken [to the road] and come here?” He said to them, “I have not come to see your wealth. Rather I have come to see your laws.” While they were sitting [there], two men came before the king for judgment. One said, “Your majesty, I bought a deserted building from this man; and when I cleaned it out, I found a treasure in it. So I said to him, ‘Take your treasure, because I [only] bought a deserted building. I did not buy a treasure.’” But the other said, “Just as you are afraid of a punishment for robbery, so likewise am I afraid of punishment for robbery; for when I sold you the deserted building, I [also] sold you whatever was in it.” The king summoned one of them. He said to him, “Do you have a son?” He said, “Yes.” He called the other one. He said to him, “Do you have a daughter?” He told him, “Yes.” [The king] said to them, “Let them go and marry one another. Then both of them will use up the treasure.” Now Alexander began to be amazed. The king said to him, “What reason do you have to be amazed? For did I not judge well?” He told him, “Yes.” He said to him, “If this case had arisen in your land, what would you have done about it?” He said to him, “We would have taken the head off of this one and off the other one. Then the treasure would go to the house of the king.” He said to him, “But does the sun shine upon you?” He told him, “Yes.” “And does the rain come down upon you?” He told him, “Yes.” “Are there perhaps [some] sheep and goats in your land?” He told him, “Yes.” He said to him, “[Woe to] that man! It is for the sake of the sheep and the goats that the sun shines for you and that the rain comes down upon you. So it for the sake of the [flocks] that you are saved.” Thus it is written (in Ps. 36:7, cont.), “You save human and beast, O Lord.” For the sake of the beast does the Lord save man. Israel said, “Master of the world, we are like man; [but] save us like beasts,39Unlike humans, cattle are not responsible for what they do wrong. since we are drawn after You like beasts, as stated (in Cant. 1:4), “Draw me after you […].” Where are we drawn after You? To the Garden of Eden, as stated (in Ps. 36:9), “They feast on the abundance of Your house, and You have them drink at the river of Your Edens.” R. Eleazar bar Menahem said, “’Your Eden’ (in the singular) is not written here, but ‘Your Edens,’ because each and every righteous person has an Eden for himself.” (Ps. 36:7, cont.:) “You save human and beast, O Lord.” R. Isaac said, “The ordinance for humanity and the ordinance for the beast are one. An ordinance for humanity is (Lev. 12:3), ‘And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.’ And an ordinance for the beast is (Lev. 22:27), ‘and from the eighth day on it shall be acceptable.’”