זֹאת אוֹת הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נֹתֵן הַמַּשְׁמָע מִן הָאוֹת הַזֶּה שֶׁלֹּא הָיָה קֶשֶׁת בֶּעָנָן מִמַּעֲשֵׂה בְּרֵאשִׁית, וְעַתָּה בָּרָא ה' חֲדָשָׁה לַעֲשׂוֹת קֶשֶׁת בַּשָּׁמַיִם בְּיוֹם עָנָן. וְאָמְרוּ בְּטַעַם הָאוֹת הַזֶּה, כִּי הַקֶּשֶׁת לֹא עֲשָׂאוֹ שֶׁיִּהְיוּ רַגְלָיו לְמַעְלָה, שֶׁיֵּרָאֶה כְּאִלּוּ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם מוֹרִים בּוֹ וְיִשְׁלַח חֶצְיוֹ וִיפִיצֵם בָּאָרֶץ (תהלים יח טו), אֲבָל עֲשָׂאוֹ בְּהֶפֶךְ מִזֶּה, לְהַרְאוֹת שֶׁלֹּא יוֹרוּ בּוֹ מִן הַשָּׁמַיִם. וְכֵן דֶּרֶךְ הַנִּלְחָמִים לַהֲפֹךְ אוֹתוֹ בְּיָדָם כָּכָה כַּאֲשֶׁר יִקְרְאוּ לְשָׁלוֹם לְמִי שֶׁכְּנֶגְדָּם. וְעוֹד שֶׁאֵין לַקֶּשֶׁת יֶתֶר לְכוֹנֵן חִצִּים עָלָיו. וַאֲנַחְנוּ עַל כָּרְחֵנוּ נַאֲמִין לְדִבְרֵי הַיְּוָנִים, שֶׁמִּלַּהַט הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ בַּאֲוִיר הַלַּח יִהְיֶה הַקֶּשֶׁת בַּתּוֹלָדָה, כִּי בִּכְלִי מַיִם לִפְנֵי הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ יֵרָאֶה כְּמַרְאֵה הַקֶּשֶׁת. וְכַאֲשֶׁר נִסְתַּכֵּל עוֹד בִּלְשׁוֹן הַכָּתוּב נָבִין כֵּן, כִּי אָמַר "אֶת קַשְׁתִּי נָתַתִּי בֶּעָנָן" וְלֹא אָמַר "אֲנִי נוֹתֵן בֶּעָנָן" כַּאֲשֶׁר אָמַר "זֹאת אוֹת הַבְּרִית אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי נוֹתֵן". וּמִלַּת קַשְׁתִּי מוֹרָה שֶׁהָיְתָה לוֹ הַקֶּשֶׁת תְּחִלָּה. וְלָכֵן נְפָרֵשׁ הַכָּתוּב, הַקֶּשֶׁת אֲשֶׁר נָתַתִּי בֶּעָנָן מִיּוֹם הַבְּרִיאָה תִּהְיֶה מִן הַיּוֹם הַזֶּה וָהָלְאָה לְאוֹת בְּרִית בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם, שֶׁכָּל זְמַן שֶׁאַרְאֶנָּה אַזְכִּיר כִּי בְּרִית שָׁלוֹם בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם. וְאִם תְּבַקֵּשׁ מָה טַעַם בַּקֶּשֶׁת לִהְיוֹת אוֹת, הִנֵּה הוּא כְּטַעַם "עֵד הַגַּל הַזֶּה וְעֵדָה הַמַּצֵּבָה" (בראשית ל"א:נ"ב), וְכֵן "כִּי אֶת שֶׁבַע כְּבָשֹׂת תִּקַּח מִיָּדִי בַּעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה לִּי לְעֵדָה" (בראשית כ"א:ל'), כִּי כָל הַדָּבָר הַנִּרְאֶה שֶׁיּוּשַׁם לִפְנֵי שְׁנַיִם לְהַזְכִּירָם עִנְיָן נָדוּר בֵּינֵיהֶם יִקָּרֵא אוֹת, וְכָל הַסְכָּמָה – בְּרִית. וְכֵן בַּמִּילָה אָמַר "וְהָיָה לְאוֹת בְּרִית בֵּינִי וּבֵינֵיכֶם" (בראשית י"ז:י"א) בַּעֲבוּר הַהַסְכָּמָה שֶׁיִּמּוֹלוּ כָּל זֶרַע אַבְרָהָם לְעָבְדוֹ שְׁכֶם אֶחָד. וְעוֹד כִּי כַּאֲשֶׁר תֵּרָאֶה בַּהִפּוּךְ הַנִּזְכָּר יִהְיֶה זֵכֶר לְשָׁלוֹם כַּאֲשֶׁר כָּתַבְנוּ. וּבֵין שֶׁתִּהְיֶה הַקֶּשֶׁת עַתָּה בֵּין שֶׁהָיְתָה מֵעוֹלָם בַּטֶּבַע, הַטַּעַם בָּאוֹת שֶׁבָּהּ אֶחָד הוּא. אֲבָל יֵשׁ לְרַבּוֹתֵינוּ בַּפָּרָשָׁה הַזֹּאת סוֹד נֶעֱלָם, אָמְרוּ בִּבְרֵאשִׁית רַבָּה (בראשית רבה ל"ה:ג'), "אֶת קַשְׁתִּי נָתַתִּי בֶּעָנָן", קַשּׁוֹתִי, דָּבָר שֶׁהוּא מוֹקֵשׁ לִי. אֶפְשָׁר כֵּן, אֶלָּא קָשִׁין דְּפִרְיָא. "וְהָיָה בְּעַנְנִי עָנָן", רַבִּי יוּדָן בְּשֵׁם ר' יְהוּדָה בֵּר' סִימוֹן אוֹמֵר, מָשָׁל לְאֶחָד שֶׁבְּיָדוֹ סֹלֶת רוֹתֵחַ וּבִקֵּשׁ לִתְּנוֹ עַל בְּנוֹ, וּנְתָנוֹ עַל עַבְדּוֹ. וְשָׁם עוֹד, "וְהָיְתָה הַקֶּשֶׁת בֶּעָנָן וּרְאִיתִיהָ לִזְכֹּר בְּרִית עוֹלָם בֵּין אֱלֹהִים", זוֹ מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה, "וּבֵין כָּל נֶפֶשׁ חַיָּה בְּכָל בָּשָׂר אֲשֶׁר עַל הָאָרֶץ", זוֹ מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַטָּה, מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה קָשָׁה, וּמִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַטָּה רָפָה. וּכְבָר יָדַעְתָּ מַאֲמָרָם (חגיגה טז) בַּמִּסְתַּכֵּל בַּקֶּשֶׁת, כָּל שֶׁלֹּא חָס עַל כְּבוֹד קוֹנוֹ רָאוּי לוֹ שֶׁלֹּא בָּא לָעוֹלָם. וְאִם זָכִיתָ לְהָבִין דִּבְרֵיהֶם תֵּדַע כִּי פֵּרוּשׁ הַכָּתוּב כֵּן, אֶת קַשְׁתִּי שֶׁהִיא מִדַּת הַדִּין הַנְּתוּנָה בֶּעָנָן בְּעֵת הַדִּין תִּהְיֶה לְאוֹת בְּרִית: THIS IS THE SIGN OF THE COVENANT WHICH I MAKE. It would appear from this sign that the rainbow in the cloud was not part of creation and that now G-d created a new thing by making a rainbow in the heavens on a cloudy day. Now commentators have said213I have found this opinion in Chizkuni. concerning the meaning of this sign that He has not made the rainbow with its feet bent upward because it might have appeared that arrows were being shot from heaven, as in the verse, And He sent out his arrows and scattered them214Psalms 18:15. on the earth. Instead He made it the opposite of this — [with the feet bent downward] — in order to show that they are not shooting at the earth from the heavens. It is indeed the way of warriors to invert the instruments of war which they hold in their hands when calling for peace from their opponents. Moreover, [with the feet of the bow being turned downward towards the earth, it can be seen] that the bow has no rope upon which to bend the arrows.
We must perforce believe the words of the Greek [philosophers who maintain] that the rainbow is a natural result of the heat of the sun falling upon damp air for even in a vessel containing water which stands in the sun there is the appearance of the rainbow. When contemplating the language of Scripture we will understand that it is so, for He said, I have set My bow in the cloud,215Verse 13 here. [the use of the past tense indicating that He had already set it so from the beginning and it is not a new creation]. He did not say, “I set in the cloud,” even as He said, This is the sign of the covenant which I make. Moreover, the word kashti (My bow) — [in the possessive form] — indicates that He possessed the bow previously. Therefore, we shall explain the verse thus: “The rainbow which I have set in the clouds from the day of creation will be from this day on a sign of covenant between Me and you; whenever I will see it I will remember that there is a covenant of peace between Me and you.”
And should you want to know how the rainbow can be a sign, the answer is that it has the same meaning as the verse, This stone-heap be witness, and this pillar be witness;216Genesis 31:52. likewise, For these seven ewe-lambs shalt thou take of my hand, that it may be a witness unto me.217Ibid., 21:30. Every visible object that is set before two parties to remind them of a matter that they have vowed between them is called a “sign,” and every agreement is called a “covenant.” Similarly, in the case of circumcision, He said, And it shall be a token of a covenant between Me and you,218Ibid., 17:11. because of the agreement that all seed of Abraham be circumcised to serve Him with one consent.219Zephaniah 3:9. Moreover, when the above-mentioned rainbow is seen in its inverted form, [namely, with the feet of the bow turned downward], it is a reminder of peace, as we have written. Thus, whether the bow was a newly established phenomenon or one that always existed in nature, the significance thereof as a sign is the same.
Our Rabbis however have a profound secret in this section. They have said in Bereshith Rabbah:22035:3. “I have set ‘kashti’ (My bow) in the cloud.215Verse 13 here. This means, ‘My likeness, that which resembles Me.’ But is that possible? It is possible only as the straw resembles the fruit.
And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth.221Verse 14 here. Rabbi Yudan said in the name of Rabbi Yehudah the son of Rabbi Shimon, ‘This is like one who had in his hand some heated flour which he wanted to cast upon his son, but [because of his compassion for him] he cast it upon his servant.’”222In the same way, when the generation is wicked and deserves destruction, G-d instead punishes the fruit of the earth. There in Bereshith Rabbah it also says:22335:4. “And the bow shall be in the cloud, and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between G-d224Verse 16 here. — this alludes to the attribute of Justice on high. And every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth224Verse 16 here. — this alludes to the attribute of justice on earth. The heavenly attribute of justice is stern; the earthly one is sparing.” And you already know the saying of the Rabbis concerning one who gazes at the rainbow:225Chagigah 16a. “Whosoever takes no thought for the honor of his Maker would have been better off had he not come into the world.” And if you will be worthy to understand the words of the Rabbis, you will know that the explanation of the verses is as follows: My bow — [kashti shares a common root with the word kasheh (hard, stern)] — which is symbolic of the attribute of justice, set in the cloud, shall be at the time of judgment for a token of the covenant.215Verse 13 here.
וְהָיָה בְּעַנְנִי עָנָן עַל הָאָרֶץ שֶׁלֹּא יָאֵר ה' פָּנָיו אֵלֶיהָ מֵחַטֹּאות יוֹשְׁבֶיהָ, וְנִרְאֲתָה מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁלִּי בֶּעָנָן, וְאֶזְכֹּר אֶת הַבְּרִית בְּזֵכֶר הָרַחֲמִים, וְאֶחְמֹל עַל הַטַּף אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ. וְהִנֵּה הָאוֹת הַזֶּה וְהַבְּרִית הוּא אוֹת הַמִּילָה וְהַבְּרִית שֶׁבָּהּ, וּלְשׁוֹן הַמִּקְרָאוֹת נָאוֹת מְאֹד לָעִנְיָן. וְהִנֵּה פֵּרְשׁוּ בֵּין אֱלֹהִים מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה, שֶׁהִיא הַגְּבוּרָה, וַאֲשֶׁר עַל הָאָרֶץ מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַטָּה, שֶׁהִיא מִדָּה נוֹחָה מַנְהֶגֶת הָאָרֶץ עִם הָרַחֲמִים, כִּי לֹא אָמַר אֲשֶׁר בָּאָרֶץ רַק "אֲשֶׁר עַל הָאָרֶץ", וּכְבָר רָמַזְתִּי (רמב"ן על בראשית ו':י"ג) סוֹדָם בְּשֵׁם הָאָרֶץ. וְרַשִׁ"י כָּתַב (רש"י על בראשית ט':ט"ז) בֵּין מִדַּת הַדִּין שֶׁל מַעְלָה וּבֵינֵיכֶם. אֲבָל רַבּוֹתֵינוּ לֹא לְכָךְ נִתְכַּוְּנוּ: And it shall come to pass when I bring clouds over the earth221Verse 14 here. — meaning that when G-d will not make His countenance shine upon226See Numbers 6:25. the earth on account of the sins of its inhabitants— “My attribute of justice will be seen in the cloud, and I will remember the covenant in a remembrance of mercy, and I will have compassion on the little ones that are on the earth.” Thus, this token and the covenant are like the token of circumcision and the covenant thereof,227See Ramban further, 17:13. and the language of the verses is very appropriate for the subject. And thus the Rabbis in the above Midrash have explained the expression between G-d224Verse 16 here. as referring to the attribute of justice on high, which is gevurah (strength), and that which is upon the earth224Verse 16 here. as being the attribute of justice on earth, which is a kindly attribute, conducting the world together with the attribute of mercy, for Scripture does not say “that which is in the earth,” [which would have alluded to “the earth above”], but only “that which is on the earth.” I have already hinted228See Ramban above, 6:13. at the secret of the Rabbis concerning the name “earth.” But Rashi wrote, “Between G-d224Verse 16 here.— between the attribute of justice on high and you.” But our Rabbis did not intend to imply this interpretation in their Midrash.