[ויהי רעב בארץ] (בראשית כו א). זש"ה הנה עין ה' אל יראיו (תהלים לג יח), מדבר באברהם שנקרא ירא אלהים, שנאמר כי ירא אלהים אתה (בראשית כב יב), למיחלים לחסדו (תהלים שם) שהיה מיחל להקב"ה על פי. להציל ממות נפשם (שם), ממיתתו של נמרוד ולחיותם ברעב (שם) שבא בימיו, שנאמר ויהי רעב בארץ (בראשית יב י). [(Gen. 26:1:) NOW THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND.] This text is related (to Ps. 33:18): BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD IS ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.19Gen. R. 40:1. It is speaking about Abraham, of whom it is read that he feared God. Thus it is stated (of Abraham in Gen. 22:12): THAT YOU FEAR GOD. (Ps. 33:18, cont.:) ON THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIS STEADFAST LOVE, since < Abraham > was waiting for the Holy One, for this reason: (Ps. 33:19:) TO DELIVER THEIR LIFE FROM DEATH, < i.e., > from his execution by Nimrod. (Ibid., cont.:) TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN THE FAMINE, the one which came in his days, as stated (in Gen. 26:1): NOW THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND.
ד"א הנה עין ה', זה יעקב, למיחלים לחסדו, שהיה יעקב מיחל להקב"ה, להציל ממות נפשם, ממיתתו של עשו, שהיה אומר יקרבו ימי [אבל אבי ואהרגה את יעקב אחי] (שם כז מא), לחיותם ברעב, שבא בימיו. Another interpretation (of Ps. 33:18): BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD < IS ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM >. This < refers to > Jacob. (Ps. 33:18, cont.:) ON THOSE WHO WAIT FOR HIS STEADFAST LOVE, since Jacob waited for the Holy One.20Yalqut Shim‘oni, Pss., 720, explains that Jacob’s patient waiting took place after he had been told that Joseph was dead. (Ps. 33:19:) TO DELIVER THEIR SOUL FROM DEATH, < i.e., > from his execution by Esau, who said (in Gen. 27:41): LET THE DAYS OF [MOURNING FOR MY FATHER COME, AND I WILL KILL MY BROTHER JACOB]. (Ps. 33:19, cont.:) TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN THE FAMINE, the one which came in his days.
ד"א הנה עין ה', זה שבטו של לוי, שנאמר ואתנם לי מורא [וייראני] (מלאכי ב ה), למיחלים שהיו מיחלים להקב"ה בכל עת, להציל ממות נפשם, כשהן נכנסין להקריב קרבן, לחיותם ברעב, שנתן להם אחד מעשרה, שנאמר ואל הלוים (במדבר יח כו). Another interpretation (of Ps. 33:18): BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD < IS ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM >. This < refers to > the tribe of Levi, of whom it is stated (in Mal. 2:5): AND I GAVE THEM (i.e., life and peace) TO HIM21Buber’s reading, TO ME, is surely in error. (i.e., Levi) AS WELL AS FEAR, [AND HE FEARED ME]. (Ps. 33:18, cont.:) ON THOSE WHO WAIT, since they were always waiting for the Holy One. (Ps. 33:19:) TO DELIVER THEIR SOUL FROM DEATH, when they enter < the Sanctuary > to offer sacrifice. (Ps. 33:19, cont.:) TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN THE FAMINE, since he has given them a tithe, as stated (in Numb. 18:26): NOW < YOU SHALL SPEAK > UNTO THE LEVITES < AND SAY UNTO THEM: WHEN YOU RECEIVE THE TITHES FROM THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL >.
ד"א הנה עין ה', לפי שהוא אומר ברח דודי ודמה לך לצבי (שה"ש ח יד), מה הצבי הזה כשהוא ישן עין אחת קמוצה ואחת פתוחה, ואף את ודמה לך לצבי, לכך אמר דוד הנה עין ה' אל יראיו. Another interpretation (of Ps. 33:18): BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD < IS ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM >, because it says (in Cant. 8:14): FLEE, MY BELOVED, AND BECOME LIKE A GAZELLE. Just as this gazelle sleeps with one eye open and one closed, so also < let it be with > you: AND BECOME LIKE A GAZELLE. Therefore David has said (in Ps. 33:18): BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD (like that of a gazelle) IS ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
[ד"א הנה עין ה'], זה יצחק, למיחלים שהיה מיחל להקב"ה, להציל ממות נפשם, שבקש ישמעאל להורגו, שנאמר ותרא שרה את בן הגר המצרית מצחק (בראשית כא ט), ואין מצחק אלא הריגה, שנאמר יקומו נא הנערים וישחקו לפנינו (ש"ב ב יד), ולחיותם ברעב, שבא בימיו הרעב, שבא בימיו הרעב, שנאמר ויהי רעב בארץ. [Another interpretation (of Ps. 33:18): BEHOLD, THE EYE OF THE LORD < IS ON THOSE WHO FEAR HIM >.] This is Isaac. (Ibid., cont.:) ON THOSE WHO WAIT, since he was waiting for the Holy One. (Ps. 33:19:) TO DELIVER THEIR SOUL FROM DEATH, when Ishmael sought to kill him, as stated (in Gen. 21:9): THEN SARAH SAW THE SON OF HAGAR THE EGYPTIAN PLAYING. Now PLAYING can only mean "killing." Thus it is stated (in II Sam. 2:14): PLEASE LET THE YOUNG MEN ARISE AND PLAY BEFORE US.22The result of their “playing” was that they all killed each other. See below, Exod. 1:24. (Ps. 33:19, cont.:) TO KEEP THEM ALIVE IN THE FAMINE, since the famine did come in his days, as stated (in Gen. 26:1): NOW THERE WAS A FAMINE IN THE LAND.