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I will make My arrows drunk with blood— As My sword devours flesh— Blood of the slain and the captive From the long-haired enemy chiefs.
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O nations, acclaim God's people! For He'll avenge the blood of His servants, Wreak vengeance on His foes, And cleanse His people's land. * And cleanse His people's land Cf. Num. 35.33. Meaning of Heb. uncertain; Ugaritic 'udm‘t "tears" suggests the rendering "And wipe away His people's tears." Cf. Isa. 25.8.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.32.43",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:43",
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Moses came, together with Hosea son of Nun, and recited all the words of this poem in the hearing of the people.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.32.44",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:44",
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And when Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel,
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{
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"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:45",
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he said to them: Take to heart all the words with which I have warned you this day. Enjoin them upon your children, that they may observe faithfully all the terms of this Teaching.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.32.46",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:46",
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For this is not a trifling thing for you: it is your very life; through it you shall long endure on the land that you are to possess upon crossing the Jordan.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.32.47",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:47",
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That very day יהוה spoke to Moses:
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{
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"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:48",
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Ascend these heights of Abarim to Mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab facing Jericho, and view the land of Canaan, which I am giving the Israelites as their holding.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.32.49",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:49",
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You shall die on the mountain that you are about to ascend, and shall be gathered to your kin, as your brother Aaron died on Mount Hor and was gathered to his kin;
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.32.50",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:50",
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for you both broke faith with Me among the Israelite people, at the waters of Meribath-kadesh in the wilderness of Zin, by failing to uphold My sanctity among the Israelite people.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.32.51",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:51",
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You may view the land from a distance, but you shall not enter it—the land that I am giving to the Israelite people.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.32.52",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 32:52",
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This is the blessing with which Moses, God's agent, * agent Lit. "participant whose involvement defines the depicted situation"; trad. "man"; cf. Exod. 3.10; Num. 12.6–8; 20.16. See the Dictionary under 'ish ; Agent. bade the Israelites farewell before he died.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.1",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:1",
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He said: יהוה came from Sinai, And shone upon them from Seir; [God] appeared from Mount Paran, And approached from Ribeboth-kodesh, * Ribeboth-kodesh Cf. Meribath-kadesh, 32.51. Lightning flashing at them from [God's] right. * Lightning flashing … from [God's] right Meaning of Heb. mi-ymino 'esh dath uncertain, perhaps a place name.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.2",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:2",
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* The meaning of vv. 3–5 is uncertain. An alternative rendering, with v. 3 apostrophizing Moses, is: " 3 Then were, O lover of the people, / All [God's] worshipers in your care; / They followed your lead, / Accepted your precepts. / 4 Moses charged us with the Teaching / As the heritage of the congregation of Jacob. / 5 Thus was he king in Jeshurun…." Lover, indeed, of the people, Their hallowed are all in Your hand. They followed in Your steps, Accepting Your pronouncements,
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.3",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:3",
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When Moses charged us with the Teaching As the heritage of the congregation of Jacob.
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{
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Then [God] became King * King I.e., one who provides protection and caring help. (This poetic figure takes the ancient Near Eastern status and gender hierarchy as a given.) See further the Dictionary under "king." in Jeshurun, When the heads of the people assembled, The tribes of Israel together.
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{
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"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:5",
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May Reuben live and not die, Though few be his numbers.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.6",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:6",
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And this he said of Judah: Hear, יהוה, the voice of Judah And restore him to his people. Though his own hands strive for him, * Though his own hands strive for him Better (vocalizing rab with pathah ) "Make his hands strong for him." Cf. rabbeh , Judg. 9.29. Help him against his foes.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.7",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:7",
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And of Levi he said: Let Your Thummim and Urim Be with Your faithful one, Whom You tested at Massah, Challenged at the waters of Meribah;
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{
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"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:8",
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Who said of his father and mother, "I consider them not." His brothers he disregarded, Ignored his own children. Your precepts alone they observed, And kept Your covenant.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.9",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:9",
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They shall teach Your laws to Jacob And Your instructions to Israel. They shall offer You incense to savor * They shall offer You incense to savor Lit. "They shall place incense in Your nostril." And whole-offerings on Your altar.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.10",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:10",
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Bless, יהוה, his substance, And favor his undertakings. Smite the loins of his foes; Let his enemies rise no more.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.11",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:11",
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Of Benjamin he said: Beloved of יהוה, He rests securely beside [God], Who protects him always, As he rests between God's shoulders. * As he rests between God's shoulders Or "He dwells amid God's slopes."
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.12",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:12",
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And of Joseph he said: Blessed of יהוה be his land With the bounty of dew from heaven, * With the bounty of dew from heaven Targum Onkelos and two Hebrew manuscripts: "With the bounty of heaven above," reading me‘al ("above") for mittal (lit., "from dew"), cf. Gen. 49.25. And of the deep that couches below;
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.13",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:13",
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With the bounteous yield of the sun, And the bounteous crop of the moons;
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.14",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:14",
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With the best from the ancient mountains, And the bounty of hills immemorial;
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.15",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:15",
"versionTitle": "The Contemporary Torah, Jewish Publication Society, 2006",
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With the bounty of earth and its fullness, And the favor of the Presence * Presence Lit. "Dweller"; cf. Exod. 3.1ff. in the Bush. May these rest on the head of Joseph, On the crown of the elect of his brothers.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.16",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:16",
"versionTitle": "The Contemporary Torah, Jewish Publication Society, 2006",
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Like a firstling bull in his majesty, He has horns like the horns of the wild-ox; With them he gores the peoples, The ends of the earth one and all. These * These I.e., one of the wild-ox's horns. are the myriads of Ephraim, Those * Those I.e., the other horn. are the thousands of Manasseh.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.17",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:17",
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And of Zebulun he said: Rejoice, O Zebulun, on your journeys, And Issachar, in your tents.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.18",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:18",
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They invite their kin to the mountain, Where they offer sacrifices of success. For they draw from the riches of the sea And the hidden hoards of the sand.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.19",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:19",
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And of Gad he said: Blessed be the One who enlarges Gad! Poised is he like a lion To tear off arm and scalp.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.20",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:20",
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* Meaning of verse uncertain; cf. vv. 3–5 (with note there), and saphun "esteemed" in post-biblical Heb. He chose for himself the best, For there is the portion of the revered chieftain, Where the heads of the people come. He executed יהוה's judgments And God's decisions for Israel.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.21",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:21",
"versionTitle": "The Contemporary Torah, Jewish Publication Society, 2006",
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And of Dan he said: Dan is a lion's whelp That leaps forth from Bashan.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.22",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:22",
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And of Naphtali he said: O Naphtali, sated with favor And full of יהוה's blessing, Take possession on the west and south.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.23",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:23",
"versionTitle": "The Contemporary Torah, Jewish Publication Society, 2006",
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And of Asher he said: Most blessed of sons be Asher; May he be the favorite of his brothers, May he dip his foot in oil.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.24",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:24",
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* Meaning of verse uncertain. May your doorbolts be iron and copper, And your security last all your days.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.25",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:25",
"versionTitle": "The Contemporary Torah, Jewish Publication Society, 2006",
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O Jeshurun, there is none like God, Riding through the heavens to help you, Through the skies in His majesty.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.26",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:26",
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* Meaning of verse uncertain. The ancient God is a refuge, A support are the arms everlasting. He drove out the enemy before you By His command: Destroy!
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.27",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:27",
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Thus Israel dwells in safety, Untroubled is Jacob's abode, * abode Others "fountain." In a land of grain and wine, Under heavens dripping dew.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.28",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:28",
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O happy Israel! Who is like you, A people delivered by יהוה, Your protecting Shield, your Sword triumphant! Your enemies shall come cringing before you, And you shall tread on their backs.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.33.29",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 33:29",
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Moses went up from the steppes of Moab to Mount Nebo, to the summit of Pisgah, opposite Jericho, and יהוה showed him the whole land: Gilead as far as Dan;
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.1",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:1",
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all Naphtali; the land of Ephraim and Manasseh; the whole land of Judah as far as the Western * Western I.e., Mediterranean; cf. 11.24. Sea;
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.2",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:2",
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the Negeb; and the Plain—the Valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees—as far as Zoar.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.3",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:3",
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And יהוה said to him, "This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, ‘I will assign it to your offspring.' I have let you see it with your own eyes, but you shall not cross there."
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.4",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:4",
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So Moses the servant of יהוה died there, in the land of Moab, at the command of יהוה.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.5",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:5",
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[God] buried him in the valley in the land of Moab, near Beth-peor; and no one knows his burial place to this day.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.6",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:6",
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Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died; his eyes were undimmed and his vigor unabated.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.7",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:7",
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And the Israelites bewailed Moses in the steppes of Moab for thirty days. The period of wailing and mourning for Moses came to an end.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.8",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:8",
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Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands upon him; and the Israelites heeded him, doing as יהוה had commanded Moses.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.9",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:9",
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Never again did there arise in Israel a prophet like Moses—whom יהוה singled out, face to face,
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.10",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:10",
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for the various signs and portents that יהוה sent him to display in the land of Egypt, against Pharaoh and all his courtiers and his whole country,
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.11",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:11",
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and for all the great might and awesome power that Moses displayed before all Israel.
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{
"url": "https://www.sefaria.org/Deuteronomy.34.12",
"ref": "Deuteronomy 34:12",
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CHAPTER I THE CHAPTERS OF RABBI ELIEZER THE GREAT 1 Also called "Baraitha of Rabbi Eliezer"; see supra, Introduction, and cf. Zunz, G.V., p. 283, Weiss, Dor Dor veDorshav, iii. p. 290, and Hamburger, Real-Ency. s. 11. i. pp. 162 ff., on the P.R.E. The first two chapters are probably a later addition to the Midrash contained in the rest of the "Chapters." They form a very good introduction to this pseudepigraphic book, which was attributed to the famous teacher, Rabbi Eliezer the Great. The third chapter opens with the name of Rabbi Eliezer. The MS. fragment of our book in the British Museum which Horowitz has edited in his Sammlung Kleiner Midraschim, i. 4 ff., begins with the third chapter. The same fact obtains in some of the fragments contained in the Bodleian Library. For the biography of Rabbi Eliezer ben Hyrkanos see Bacher, T. i. pp. 96 ff., and J.E. v. 113 ff., where a bibliography is added. Our "Chapters" contain about twenty dicta attributed to R. Eliezer; see Bacher, op. cit. pp. 122 f., who considers all these sayings as pseudepigraphic. The subject-matter of the first two chapters of our book is to be found in Aboth d. R. Nathan ( a ) 6 ( b ) xiii., Jalkut, Gen. §72, and Gen. Rab. 42 (in the new edition of Theodor, ch. xli., where further parallels are given in the notes on p. 397). Various recensions of the first two chapters have been published by Horowitz, Beth ‘Eked Ha-Hagadoth, pp. 7 ff. RABBI ELIEZER AND THE TORAH 2 The headings to the chapters have been added by the translator. The numbers in the square brackets after the headings indicate the pages and columns of the MS. [1 B . i.] T HE following befell Rabbi Eliezer, son of Hyrkanos. His father had many ploughmen 3 Gen. Rab. 42:1 and Jalkut, Gen., loc. cit., read: "his brethren were ploughing in the plain, whereas he was ploughing on the mountain." The 1st and 2nd eds. omit the word "many." who were ploughing arable ground, 4 Lit. "were ploughing upon the surface of the furrow ." Cf. Ps. 129:3 for the word "furrows," whereas he was ploughing a stony plot; he sat down and wept. His father said to him: O my son! Why dost thou weep? Art thou perchance distressed because thou dost plough a stony plot? In the past thou hast ploughed a stony plot, 1 These words are omitted in the 1st and 2nd eds. now behold thou shalt plough with us arable soil. 2 This would be easier labour. At this point the MS. adds the second letter of the Hebrew alphabet to signify the beginning of the second paragraph. The 1st and 2nd eds. omit "with us." He sat down on the arable ground and wept. His father said to him: But why dost thou weep? Art thou perchance distressed because thou art ploughing the arable land? He replied to him: No. (Hyrkanos) said to him: Why dost thou weep? He answered him: I weep only because I desire to learn Torah. 3 Torah is not merely the written word of God, but also its oral interpretation. The term sums up all that is implied by Religion and Ethics. (Hyrkanos) said to him: Verily thou art twenty-eight years old 4 Aboth d. R. Nathan ( a ) 6reads "22 years," and cf. ibid. ( b ) xiii. —yet dost thou desire to learn Torah? Nay, go, take thee a wife and beget sons and thou wilt take them to the school. 5 Thy merit will be accounted as though thou didst study the Torah; see T.B. Kiddushin, 30a, for this doctrine. The second paragraph in MS. ends here. He fasted two weeks 6 "He was distressed for three weeks" is the reading in Aboth d. R. Nathan ( b ) xiii. On "weeks" see Krauss, T.A. ii. pp. 422 f.; and note 784. not tasting || anything, until Elijah 7 On Elijah in Rabbinical literature see J.E. v. 122 ff. In our work the Elijah story and legends are treated at considerable length. In Christian books Elijah also appears; see Mark ix. 4 ff. and Matt. xvii. 11. In the Gospel of Barnabas (124a) Elijah rebukes a man for weeping. See also Coptic Apocrypha, ed. Budge, p. 265, for a further parallel. Elijah is the "comforter" in Jewish and Christian literature, and in this capacity he is the forerunner of the Messiah. — may he be remembered for good 8 On this expression see Zunz, Zur Gesch. pp. 321 ff. —appeared to him and said to him: Son of Hyrkanos! Why dost thou weep? He replied to him: Because I desire to learn Torah. (Elijah) said to him: If thou desirest to learn Torah get thee up to Jerusalem to Rabban Jochanan ben Ẓakkai. 9 The greatest teacher of his day, who preserved Judaism in spite of the overthrow of the Jewish State by the Romans, in the year 70 C.E. For his biography see Bacher, T. i. pp. 22 ff., and J.E. vii. 214 ff. Graetz, Geschichte der Juden, iv. pp. 11 ff., Schürer, ii. 366 ff., and Schlatter's biography should be consulted. He arose and went up to Jerusalem to R. Jochanan ben Ẓakkai and sat down and wept. (R. Jochanan) said to him: Why dost thou weep? He answered him: Because I wish to learn Torah. (R. Jochanan) said to him: Whose son art thou? But he did not tell him.
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(R. Jochanan) asked him: Hast thou never learnt 1 Aboth d. R. Nathan ( b ) xiii. reads: "Didst thou never go to school?" to read the Shema', 2 The "Shema'" is the Jewish confession of faith. It is set forth in Deut. 6:4–9, etc.; see Singer, pp. 40 ff., and J.E. xi. 266. or the Tephillah, 3 The "Tephillah" or "Shemoneh ‘ Esreh," the Jewish prayer par excellence, is to be found in Singer, pp. 44 ff.; see R.É.J. xix. pp. 17 ff., and J.E. xi. 270 ff. Our "Chapters" deal with the subject-matter of the "Shemoneh ‘Esreh"; cf. Zunz, G. V., p. 285, and S. Sachs in "Ha-Techiyah," pp. 21 f. On the question as to the relation between Sirach and the "Shemoneh ‘Esreh" see Oesterley's edition of Ecclesiasticus, pp. 232 and 349 f. or the Grace after meals? 4 The Geniẓah Fragment has: "the reading of the Grace after meals." On Grace after meals see Singer, pp. 280 ff., and J.E. vi. 61 f. He replied to him: No. He arose 5 The student stood whilst learning; see T.B. Megillah, 21a. The 1st and 2nd eds. read: "He said, Stand, and I will teach thee the three (prayers)." and (R. Jochanan) taught him the three (prayers). 6 In the MS. the fourth paragraph begins here. (Again) he sat down and wept. (R. Jochanan) said to him: My son, why dost thou weep? He replied: Because I desire to learn Torah. 7 And not merely prayers. He (thereupon) taught him two rules (of the Law) 8 "Halakhoth," i.e. laws to be observed by the Jews, based upon the Torah. Thus, according to Matt. xii. 1–8, Jesus discusses Halakhah. The final decisions become Halakhoth; cf. Mark vii. 5 and Luke xi. 40 f. See Bacher, Terminologie, i. s.v. הלכה , pp. 42 f. every day of the week, and on the Sabbath 9 The first two editions omit "on the Sabbath." (Eliezer) repeated them and assimilated them. 10 In the MS. this is the end of the fourth paragraph. He kept a fast for eight days without tasting anything until the odour of his mouth attracted the attention of R. Jochanan ben Ẓakkai, who directed him to withdraw from his presence. He sat down and wept. (R. Jochanan) said to him: My son, why dost thou weep? He rejoined: Because thou didst make me withdraw from thy presence just as a man makes his fellow withdraw, when the latter is afflicted with leprosy. (R. Jochanan) said to him: My son, just as || the odour of thy mouth has ascended before me, so may the savour of the statutes of the Torah ascend from thy mouth to Heaven. 11 In Aboth d. R. Nathan ( b ) xiii. the reading is: "So may the teaching of thy mouth go forth from one end of the world to the other." He said to him: My son! Whose son art thou? He replied: I am the son of Hyrkanos. Then said (R. Jochanan): Art thou not the son of one of the great men of the world, 1 Hyrkanos was a very wealthy man. and thou didst not tell me? By thy life! he continued, This day shalt thou eat with me. 2 In MS. the sixth paragraph begins here. (Eliezer) answered: I have eaten already with my host. 3 Akhsania ( ξϵvia ), hospitality, lodging, host. According to Aboth d. R. Nathan ( a ) 6 Eliezer was silent when R. Jochanan asked him whether he had partaken of food. (R. Jochanan) asked: Who is thy host? He replied: R. Joshua ben Chananjah 4 See Bacher, T. i. pp. 123 ff., and J.E. vii. 290 ff. and R. José the Priest. 5 See Bacher. T. i. pp. 67 ff., and J.E. vii. 243 ff.
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(R. Jochanan) sent to inquire of his hosts, saying to them: Did Eliezer eat with you this day? They answered: No; moreover has he not fasted eight days without tasting any food? 6 Here begins the seventh paragraph in the MS. The Geniẓah Fragment continues: "Moreover." R. Joshua ben Chananjah and R. José the Priest 7 Aboth d. R. Nathan ( b ) xiii. adds: "R. Simeon ben Nathaniel." went and said 8 Some of the old printed editions read here: "Has he not been without food for the last eight days?" Luria, in loc., thinks that the last clause was spoken by R. Jochanan to the Rabbis who visited him, telling them that Eliezer had not eaten at his table. Aboth d. R. Nathan ( loc. cit. ) refers to R. Jochanan's grief at this neglect, which might have cost Eliezer's life. to R. Jochanan ben kakkai: Verily during the last eight days (Eliezer) has not partaken of any food. 9 The Geniẓah Fragment adds: "And he compelled him to eat and to drink, and on the morrow" (also).
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CHAPTER II R. ELIEZER AND HIS BRETHREN [2 A . i.] T HE sons of Hyrkanos said to their father: Get thee up to Jerusalem and vow that thy son Eliezer should not enjoy any of thy possessions. 1 Lit. "and ban thy son Eliezer from thy possessions." The Geniẓah Fragment reads: "to put him in the ban." The brothers claimed that Eliezer should be disinherited because he had left his old father without permission. For a parallel text see Gen. Rab. 42 (ed. Theodor, p. 398), Aboth d. R. Nathan ( a ) 6Was it the custom to resort to the Synhedrion in order to disinherit one's son? He went up to Jerusalem to disinherit him, and it happened that a festival was being celebrated there by R. Jochanan ben Ẓakkai. All the magnates of the district were dining with him; (such as) Ben Zizith Hakkeseth, 2 See Lam. Rab. 1:5 (31), Eccles. Rab. to Eccles. 7:11, and T.B. Gittin, 56a. According to the Talmud ( loc. cit .) the name Ben Zizith Hakkeseth was due to his intercourse ( Kisê, i.e. seat) with the great men of Rome. Nicodemus ben Gorion, 3 See J.E. ix. 300, where the reference to T.B. Ta‘anith should be emended to 20a. and Ben Kalba S'bu'a. 4 Ben Kalba S'bu‘a, this name is the result of a pun. According to T.B. Gittin, loc. cit., anyone who came to him even as hungry as a dog ( keleb ) was dismissed fully satisfied ( sab‘a ). ||
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Why was his name called Ben Zizith Hakkeseth? Because he reclined at table in a higher position than the other magnates of Jerusalem. 5 T.B. Gittin, loc. cit., gives another explanation of this name, due to the tradition that the fringes ( Zizith ) of the man's garments were hanging over the cushions of his seat. The Arukh (ed. Kohut, vii. 40a, s.v. ) appears to have had a text of our passage in accordance with the Talmudic reading, but unlike our text. Concerning Nicodemus ben Gorion, people said that he had (stored) provisions containing 3 S'ah 6 S'ah, a dry measure, the size of which is held to equal 12 148 litres or 10 696 qts. The Geniẓah Fragment reads "three years" instead of "three S'ah." of fine flour for every inhabitant of Jerusalem. When the zealots 1 On the Zealots or Sicarii see Josephus, Wars, iv. 3. 9 ff. arose and burnt all the storehouses, they measured and found that he had had provisions for three years for every inhabitant in Jerusalem. 2 This passage is missing in the printed editions, but it occurs in the Geniẓah Fragment. Concerning Ben Kalba S'bua it was told that he had a house measuring 4 Kors 3 The Kor is assumed by Gesenius (Oxford ed. p. 499) to be the same as the Chomer, which was thirty times the S'ah. On these measures see Enc. Bib. iv. 5294 ff. with roofs covered with gold. 4 The first printed editions read: "gardens crushed with gold." Luria reads: "he had a palace with an area covering 4 Kors, all the beams were overlaid with gold." He thinks that the text should read: "he had a palace covering 4 Kors with treasuries containing gold." The MS. seems to have preserved the true reading, which is also the reading in the Geniẓah Fragment. The people said (to R. Jochanan): Behold, the father of R. Eliezer has arrived. He bade them saying: Prepare a place for him, and seat him next to us. 5 The 1st and 2nd eds. read: "They prepared a place for him and seated him next to him" ( i.e . R. Jochanan). The Geniẓah Fragment reads: "and seat him next to yourselves; they prepared a place for him and placed him next to him" (R. Jochanan). In the MS. the first paragraph ends here. (R. Jochanan) fixed his gaze 6 For this expression see T.B. Synhedrin, 11a: "the sages fixed their gaze upon Hillel the Elder." on R. Eliezer, saying to him, 7 The Geniẓah Fragment adds: "O my son!" Tell us some words 8 Lit. "One word." of the Torah. (R. Eliezer) answered him saying: Rabbi! 9 Perhaps "Rabban" would be more correct. The MS. uses an abbreviation. I will tell thee a parable. To what is the matter like? To this well which cannot yield more water than the amount which it has drawn (from the earth); likewise am I unable to speak words of the Torah in excess of what I have received from thee. 10 See Aboth 2:10, where Eliezer is described as a "plastered cistern which loses not a drop," and cf. Taylor's note on p. 34 of his (2nd) edition of Aboth. The second paragraph ends here in the MS.
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(R. Jochanan) said to him, I will (also) tell thee a parable. To what is the matter like? To this fountain which is bubbling and sending forth its water, and it is able to effect a discharge more powerful || than what it secretes; in like manner art thou able to speak words of the Torah in excess of what Moses 11 The 1st and 2nd eds. read, "they received." received at Sinai. (R. Jochanan) continued: Lest thou shouldst feel ashamed on my account, behold I will arise and go away from thee. Rabban Jochanan ben Ẓakkai arose and went outside. (Thereupon) R. Eliezer sat down and expounded. 1 According to Gen. Rab. XLII. i., the text of Eliezer's exposition was Ps. 37:14, "The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow; to cast down the poor and needy, to slay such as be upright in the way." The brothers of Eliezer might possibly be described in the terms of this text. His face shone like the light of the sun and his effulgence beamed forth like that of Moses, 2 The reference is to Ex. 34:35, "And the skin of Moses' face shone." See also Eccles. 8:1. so that no one knew whether it was day or night. 3 The third paragraph ends here. They went and said to Rabban Jochanan ben Ẓakkai: Come and see R. Eliezer sitting and expounding, his face shining like the light of the sun and his effulgence beaming like that of Moses, so that no one knows whether it be day or night. 4 This sentence is wanting in the printed editions. There seems to be some confusion in the text. The MS. concludes here the fourth paragraph. He came from (his place) behind him 5 According to Aboth d. R. Nathan ( b ) xiii. R. Jochanan had gone forth from the assembly so as not to embarrass R. Eliezer. While Eliezer is expounding. R. Joshua and R. Simeon ben Nathaniel leave the assembly to find R. Jochanan, to whom they say, "Come and see! R. Eliezer is sitting and expounding things more profoundly than (the things) told to Moses at Sinai." For another instance of kissing by the same teacher see T.B. Chagigah, 14b. and kissed him on his head, saying to him: Happy are ye, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, because this one has come forth from your loins.
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Hyrkanos his father said: To whom does (R. Jochanan) speak thus? The people answered: To Eliezer thy son. He said to them: (R. Jochanan) should not have spoken in that manner, but (in this wise), "Happy am I because he has come forth from my loins." Whilst R. Eliezer was sitting and expounding, his father was standing upon his feet. When || (Eliezer) saw his father standing upon his feet, he became agitated and said to him: My father! be seated, for I cannot utter the words of the Torah when thou art standing on thy feet. 6 It would be disrespectful for a son to sit in the presence of his parent, who would be standing; cf. T.B. Ẓiddushin, 33b, where this theme is discussed. (Hyrkanos) replied to him: My son, it was not for this reason that I came, but my intention was to disinherit thee. Now that I have come and I have witnessed all this praise; behold thy brothers are disinherited and their portion is given to thee as a gift. 1 The fifth paragraph ends here in the MS.
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(Eliezer) replied: Verily I am not equal to one of them. 2 This section to the end of the chapter is to be found in Jalkut Makhiri to Psalms (Ps. 119), § 77, with slight variations in the reading. The last sentence reads: "But I prayed to Him only that I might be found worthy, as it is said, ‘Therefore I esteem all precepts,'" etc. If I had asked the Holy One, blessed be He, for land, it would be possible for Him to give this to me, as it is said, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof" (Ps. 24:1). Had I asked the Holy One, blessed be He, for silver and gold, He could have given them to me, as it is said, "The silver is mine, and the gold is mine" 3 The 1st ed. and subsequent editions continue the rest of the verse, but a strange error has crept into their texts; they read "amar" instead of "n'um," which is the actual reading in Haggai. This error is also in the Talmud (B.) Kiddushin, 82b. (Hag. 2:8). But I asked the Holy One, blessed be He, that I might be worthy (to learn the) Torah only, as it is said, "Therefore I esteem all precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way" (Ps. 119:128).
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CHAPTER III 1 This is probably the beginning of the Baraitha or Pirkê de R. Eliezer. The Chronicles of Jerahmeel begin with this section of our work. The following chapters up to Chapter XI. form a treatise dealing with Ma‘aseh Bereshith (The Work of the Creation) and Ma‘aseh Merkabah (The theme of God's Chariot). Cosmological and theosophical themes were favourite ones in the school of R. Eliezer's famous teacher, R. Jochanan ben Ẓakkai; see T.B. Chagigah, 14b, for the story of R. Jochanan ben Ẓakkai listening to R. Elaẓar ben ‘Arakh expounding the Ma'aseh Merkabah. PREMUNDANE CREATION, AND THE WORK OF THE FIRST DAY [2 B . ii.] R. E LIEZER 2 This gives the title to the book. BEN H YRKANOS opened 3 i.e . explained (the text). (his discourse with the text), "Who can utter the mighty acts of the Lord, or 4 The Venice edition and several later editions are at variance with the actual text of the psalm by adding "and who," which is not in the Biblical quotation. The quotation is correctly given in B.M. MS. and in the first printed text (Constantinople, 1514). shew forth all his praise?" (Ps. 106:2). 5 See Jalkut, in loc. Is there any man 6 The printed editions add: "in the world." who can utter the mighty acts of the Holy One, blessed be He, or who can shew forth all His praise? 7 See T.B. Megillah, 18a, for the view that the one who utters the praise of God to excess will be taken from the world, based on Job 37:20. Cf. Slav. Enoch xxiv. 3. Not even the ministering angels 8 The ministering angels are identified by Siphrê (Deut. § 306, end) with "the sons of Elohim" of Job 1:6, and they are probably to be identified with "the angels of sanctification" mentioned in the Book of Jubilees ii. 2, 18; cf. Eth. Enoch lxi. 10 ff. For "the heavenly host praising God" see Luke ii. 13, and for angelology see J.E. i. 583 ff. are able to narrate (the Divine praise). But to investigate a part of His mighty deeds with reference to what He has done, and what He will do in the future (is permissible), so that His name should be exalted among His creatures, whom He has created, from one end of the world || to the other, as it is said, "One generation to another shall laud thy works" ( ibid. cxlv. 4). 1 Our text has been used by Jalkut, Psalms, § 864. Here ends the first paragraph in MS.
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Before the world was created, the Holy One, blessed be He, with His Name 2 On the Tetragrammaton see Nestle, Z.D.M.G. xxxii.; Fürst, ibid. xxxiii.; and Nager, ibid. xxxv. The printed editions read here: "The Holy One, blessed be He, and His great Name." On "God and His Name" see D. H. Joel's die Religionsphilosophie des Sohar, p. 235. alone existed, and the thought arose in Him to create the world. He began to trace (the foundations of) 3 The words in brackets are based on B.M. MS., which reads: "He traced its foundations, its exits and entrances, on the earth, but it did not stand firm until He created repentance, because seven (things) were created before the world." the world before Himself, but it would not stand. They 4 i.e. the Rabbis. told a parable, To what is the matter like? To a king who wishes to build a palace 5 Paltin = παλáτιov, palatium , palace. for himself. If he had not traced in the earth its foundations, its exits and its entrances, 6 The phraseology is based on Ezek. 43:11. The printed editions reverse the order and read: "its entrances and its exits." he does not begin to build. 7 The architect's plans must be prepared prior to the erection of the building. What holds good for our earthly experience is assumed to have its counterpart in the experience of the Creator. Philo ( de Mundi opific . 4. i. M. 4, C.W. i. p. 4, § 19) offers a good parallel to the idea of preparing plans prior to the Creation; see also Gen. Rab. I. i. and my Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 4. Likewise the Holy One, blessed be He, was tracing (the plans of) the world before Himself, but it did not remain standing until He created repentance. 8 Repentance is the sole condition whereby harmony, divine and human, can obtain, cf. Wisdom xii. 10, 19. On the subject of Repentance see J.E. x. 376 ff. Lazarus, Ethik, i. pp. 44 f., and Schechter, Aspects, see index, s.v. "Repentance" and "Penitence," and cf. my Grace of God, pp. 30 ff. The second paragraph in the MS. ends here.
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Seven things 9 This passage is borrowed from T.B. Pesachim, 54a, or T.B. Nedarim, 39b, the order being varied by Repentance coming after the Torah. See also Jalkut on Jeremiah, § 298, and cf. Gen. Rab. 1:4 (Theodor, p. 6 note, in loc .) and Tanna de bê Elijahu Rab. 31 p. 160, where only six subjects are enumerated. Friedmann (note 33, in loc. ) points out that by comparing the various readings in Talmud and Midrash we find that there were nine premundane things, cf. Ẓohar, Lev. 34b. It is important to bear in mind, in reading Gen. Rab. 1:4. that of the six premundane things some were actually created and some were only ideally present in the mind of the Creator. The Torah and the Throne of Glory were created, but the patriarchs, Israel, the Temple, and the Name of the Messiah were only in the thought of God. In the Book of Enoch (Ethiopic) xlviii. 3, the Messiah is said to have had his name named before the sun and the signs were created; see my Hellenism and Christianity, pp. 15 ff., on the question of the pre-existence of the Messiah, and cf. Assumption of Moses i. 14. were created before the world was created. They are: The Torah, Gehinnom, the Garden of Eden, 1 "The Garden of Eden" is usually rendered by the term Paradise. The fact that Gehenna is in juxtaposition to "Gan Eden" would lead one to infer that Paradise was referred to in this context. Our author is probably opposing the view that the Garden of Eden was created on the "third day"; see Jubilees ii. 7. the Throne of Glory, the Temple, Repentance, and the Name of the Messiah.
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Whence do we know that this applies to the Torah? Because it is said, "The Lord possessed me 2 The verse might be rendered: "The Lord formed me as the beginning of his way." The reference is to Wisdom, which is here personified; see Hellenism and Christianity, pp. 64 ff. Christianity under the influence of Alexandrian Jewish thought identified Wisdom with its Messiah, whilst Palestinian Judaism identified Wisdom with the Torah. in the beginning of his way, before his works of old " (Prov. 8:22). "Of old" 3 The 1st ed. and later editions derive the inference from the word " before ." means before the world was created. 4 "Whence do we know this with reference to Gehinnom? Because it is said, ‘For a Topheth is prepared of old ‘ (Isa. 30:33). ‘Of old' means whilst yet the world had not been created." This paragraph is omitted by the MS., but it occurs in the 1st ed. Topheth was a place in the Hinnom Valley ( i.e. Ge-henna or Ge-Hinnom) where the hateful and cruel Moloch abominations had been perpetrated; see W. R. Smith, Religion of the Semites, p. 357. The Tanna de bê Elijahu Rab., loc. cit., says: "Topheth is nought else but Gehinnom." See also Schwally, Z.A.T.W., 1890, pp. 212 ff. Whence do we know this with regard to the Garden of Eden? Because it is said, "And the Lord God planted a garden of old " 5 See R.V. in loc. Our Midrashic passage occurs as follows in the Pal. Targum of Gen. 2:8: "And a garden from the Eden of the just was planted by the Word of the Lord God before the creation of the world." This Haggadah appears also in Jerome; see Diestel, Geschichte des A.T. in der Christlichen Kirche, p. 102, and Rahmer, Die Hebräischen Traditionen in den Werken des Hieronymus, p. 17. See also 4 Ezra 3:6, which states: "And thou leddest him (Adam) into Paradise, which thy right hand did plant before ever the earth came forward." On Paradise see J.E. ix. pp. 516 f. (Gen. 2:8). " Of old ," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence do we know this with reference to the Throne of Glory? 6 The Throne of Glory as premundane occurs in Slavonic Enoch xxv. 4, where God says, "And I made for myself a throne… and I said to the light," etc.; see LXX Prov. 8:27. Because it is said, "Thy throne is established of old " (Ps. 93:2). "Of old," whilst as yet the world had not been created. Whence do we know that Repentance (was premundane)? Because it is said, " Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world" ( ibid. xc. 2); 1 The translation in the Revised Version might be consulted, in order to see how the Midrashic point of view, based on a literal translation, agrees with or differs from the ordinary interpretation. In the 1st ed. this section follows that dealing with the Temple. and then in close proximity (we read), "Thou turnest man to contrition" ( ibid. 3). "Before," i.e. before || the world was created. Whence do we know this with regard to the Temple? Because it is said, "A glorious throne, set on high from the beginning , is the place of our sanctuary " (Jer. 17:12). "From the beginning," whilst as yet the world had not been created. 2 The premundane or Heavenly Temple was known to the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews, ix. 11, who speaks of the "greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation." See Wisdom ix. 8, and Odes of Solomon iv. 3. Maimonides, Guide 1. ix., discusses our theme. See also Menorath Ha-Maor, Introduction to the fourth book, where we are cautioned not to take the words in this passage in their literal meaning. Whence we do know that the name of the Messiah (was premundane)? Because it is said, "His name shall endure for ever; before the sun Yinnôn was his name" (Ps. 72:17). 3 The R.V. reads: "His name shall be continued as long as (or, "before") the sun." For Yinnôn as a Messianic name see T.B. Synhedrin, 98b, and infra, p. 233. The Midrashic interpretation in our text occurs already in LXX, in loc .: "His name endures before the sun." "Yinnôn," before the world had been created. Another verse says, "But thou, Bethlehem Ephrathah, 4 The rest of the quotation is missing in the MS. which art to be least among the thousands of Judah, from thee shall he come forth unto me who is to be ruler over Israel; whose ancestry belongs to the past , even to the days of old 5 This quotation, a second one to justify the idea that the name of the Messiah was premundane, is omitted by the Menorath Ha-Maor, loc. cit. It is not given by the Talmud. On this verse in Micah see Hellenism and Christianity, pp. 5 f. " (Mic. 5:2). "The past," 6 "The past" is the same word which was rendered "of old" (Gen. 2:8) quoted above. whilst as yet the world had not been created.
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Forthwith 7 In the MS. the fourth paragraph begins here. On the theme see Wisdom ix. 9 f. the Holy One, blessed be He, took counsel with the Torah whose name is Tushijah (Stability or Wisdom) with reference to the creation of the world. (The Torah) replied and said to Him: Sovereign of the worlds ! if there be no host for the king 1 This is quoted in Ginzberg's Geonica, ii. p. 88. and if there be no camp for the king, over whom does he rule? If there be no people to praise the king, where is the honour of the king? The Holy One, blessed be He, heard this and it pleased Him. The Torah spake: The Holy One, blessed be He, took counsel with me concerning the creation of the world, as it is said, "Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge; 2 The idea of Wisdom or the Torah being with God prior to the Creation is generally assumed to be expressed in the famous passage verses 22-31 of this eighth chapter of Proverbs. This is, however, a mistaken view; see Hellenism and Christianity, pp. 65 ff. The source is rather to be found in the LXX Prov. 8:30. Our Midrashic passage is based on Gen. Rab. 1. 1Prov. 8:14, § 941, and see Bacher, P. i. p. 107 (note), who refers to the parallel in Philo. I am understanding; I have might" (Prov. 8:14). Hence they 3 The 1st ed. reads: "The wise men." say, Every government which has no counsellors is not a proper government. 4 Might one infer from this passage that the writer of P.R.E. was living in a land where the régime was not conducted in accordance with the rule laid down? Perhaps the reference is to the rule of the Mohammedans in Palestine, Egypt, or Babylon. Whence do we know this? From the government of the House of David which employed counsellors, as it is said, "And Jonathan David's uncle 5 The 1st and 2nd eds. have the reading "the son of David." This is an error. was a counsellor, a man of understanding, and a scribe" (1 Chron. 27:32). If the government of the House of David had counsellors, how much more so should other people act likewise. This is of benefit to them, as it is said, "But he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise" (Prov. 12:15), || and (Scripture) says, "But in the multitude of counsellors there is safety" ( ibid. xi. 14).
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Eight 6 The fifth paragraph in the MS. begins here. These eight things are almost identical with the seven things enumerated in Jubilees ii. 2, if "the abysses" of the latter correspond to the "Chaos and Void" of our text. See Jerahmeel i. 3, which is based on our text. This suggested identification seems to be warranted by the fact that Philo ( loc . cit. 7) agrees with the enumeration in our text and Jubilees in the following six objects of creation: heaven, earth, darkness, water, spirit, and light. As the seventh object created on the first day he gives the abyss. This is also the reading in the Midrash Tadsheh vi., where Tehomoth = abyss. It seems that Philo knew a cosmology which was known to Jubilees, to Midrash Tadsheh, and to our author; see Charles, Jubilees, pp. 11 f. T.B. Chagigah, 12a, which gives appropriate quotations to support the view enunciated, enumerates ten things as being created on the first day. Neither the Talmud nor P.R.E. mention Tehomoth, which is the equivalent to abyss, but they both have Tohu and Bohu. things were created on the first day, namely, Heaven, Earth, Light, Darkness, Tohu (Chaos), Bohu (Void), Wind (or Spirit), and Water, as it is said, "And the wind of God was moving upon the face of the waters " (Gen. 1:2). 1 רוח can mean wind or spirit ; Gen. 1:2 might be rendered, "And a mighty wind." Is there any ancient Rabbinic authority for the translation in the R.V., "the spirit of God"? See Bacher, T. i. p. 424, and cf. Philo, ed. Cohn, G.T. i. p. 36. n. 3. The following section first appeared in the 2nd ed. (Venice, 1544) of P.R.E .: "Some (wise men) say that day and night also, as it is said, ‘And there was evening and morning, one day' (Gen. 1:5). "Eight things were created on the second day, namely, the Well, the Manna, the Rod, the Rainbow, the art of writing, the written characters, the Garments, and the destroying spirits. "Ten things arose in the thought (of the Creator), namely, Jerusalem, the spirits of the patriarchs. the paths of the righteous, Gehinnom, the waters of the Flood, the second tables of the Law, the Sabbath, the Temple, the Ark, and the light of the world to come." This reading occurs in Jerahmeel i. 3, 4, but not in the B.M. MS. of P.R.E. The latter continues: "Whence was the water created? From the light of the garment of the Holy One, blessed be He. Light signifies nought else but water, as it is said, ‘He spreadeth abroad the cloud of his light'" (Job 37:11).
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Whence were the heavens created? From the light of the garment with which He was robed. 1 See Ex. Rab. L . i. The idea of this Midrash is that God created the heavens without any help from any intermediary. God alone is the Creator. "The light of His robe" means His will or favour. The world has been created by Divine love and favour for the benefit of mankind, the children of the Heavenly Father. He took (of this light) and stretched it like a garment and (the heavens) began to extend continually until He caused them to hear, "It is sufficient." 2 See T.B. Chagigah, loc. cit ., "This is what Resh Lakish also said: What is the meaning of the words ‘I am God Almighty' ( Shaddai )? It means I am He who ( Sha ) said to the world, ‘ It is sufficient' ( dai )." Therefore is He called God Almighty ( El Shaddai ), who said to the world: 3 The printed editions read: "to the heavens." " It is sufficient ," and it stood (firm). Whence do we know that the heavens were created from the light of His garment? Because it is said, "Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment; who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain" (Ps. 104:2). 4 The second half of the verse is omitted in the MS. The fifth paragraph ends here. Cf. also Ps. 102:25, 26. The Church Fathers discussed the creation narrative in much the same way as our author: thus Athanasius in his exposition of the 103rd Psalm (corresponding to the Hebrew 104th Psalm) refers to the formation of the heavens in the terms of the Old Testament writers; see also Basil, Hexœmeron, iii.
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Whence was the earth created? He took of the snow 5 See D. H. Joel, op. cit. pp. 321 ff., where a full discussion of this passage is given and the views of Maimonides and the theories of the Cabbalists are examined. (or ice) which was beneath His Throne of Glory and threw it upon the waters, and the waters became congealed so that the dust of the earth was formed, as it is said, "He saith to the snow, Be thou earth" (Job 37:6). 1 See Tanchuma (Buber) Mikez, 16. Our text seems to be based upon T.J. Chagigah, 2:1. 77a, according to which the world was originally "Water in water." Then God made the water into snow (or ice); see Ps. 147:16, 17. This psalm in verse 15 speaks of God sending out"his commandment upon (the) earth; his word runneth very swiftly"—pointing to the word of creation. See Bacher, P. iii. 218. The verse quoted from Job (37:6) is rendered by the R.V., "He saith to the snow, Fall thou on the earth." See also Sepher Jezirah i. 11 for a parallel. See Isa. 40:12 for the reference to the "dust of the earth," and cf. T.B. Joma, 54b; Maimonides, Guide, ii., xxvi., and Midrash Kônen, ed. Jellinek, B.H.M. ii. p. 24. This concludes the seventh paragraph. The sixth paragraph is not marked in the MS.
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The hooks 2 Kurkos ( κίρκοѕ ), ring or hook. The heavens being compared with a curtain are assumed to have hooks or rings wherewith they may be fastened; see Tosaphoth Chagigah, 12a, catchword "From the end." The ‘Arukh (ed. Kohut, vii. 215b) quotes our text. of the heavens are fixed in the waters of the ocean. 3 Okeanos ( ὠκ∊ανόѕ ). The Church Fathers dwell on the relation between the Ocean and the world; thus Chrysostomus, Homilies on the Epistle to the Romans (xxviii.), quotes Ps. 104:6 in this connection. Cf. Augustine, de Civitate Dei, xii. 12. John of Damascus, On the Orthodox Faith, ii. 9, tells us, "The Ocean flows around the entire earth like a river." See Test. Levi ii. 7, "And I entered from the first heaven, and I saw there a great sea hanging." Cf. also Jubilees ii. 4. The waters of the ocean are situated between the ends of the heavens and the ends of the earth. The ends of the heavens are spread out over the waters of the ocean, as it is said, "Who layeth the beams of his chambers 4 i.e. the heavens. in the waters" (Ps. 104:3). 5 The eighth paragraph ends here.
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The dome (or inside shape) of the heavens ascends upwards like a tub, 6 Or, basket. The MS. uses the word denda (tent), which occurs again, infra, p. 323; this points to Spain as the home of the scribe who wrote our MS. On the "tent" see T.J. Berakhoth, 2c, d, and Baraitha d. Shemuel, i. The word which is translated by "tub" occurs only in our MS. (that is to say) like a tent ( denda ) which is spread out 7 The MS. adds: "like a tent." with its extremities (fixed) || downwards 8 The 1st ed. reads "upwards"; in this paragraph there are several variants in the MSS. and the printed texts. and its dome stretching upwards so that people can sit beneath it and their feet stand on the earth, whilst all of them are inside the tent; in like wise are the heavens, their extremities are (fixed) downwards and their dome stretches upwards and all creatures dwell beneath them as in a tent, as it is said, "And he spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in" (Isa. 40:22). 1 This verse is also applied by Basil, op. cit. i. 8, in his account of the form of the heavens.
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Four quarters 2 רוח (as in Ezek. 42:16–20) = direction or quarter of the world; wind would not be appropriate here. Gaster, Jerahmeel i. 7, renders the word "wind" and also "corner." On the four quarters see Ethiopic Enoch lxxvii. 1, Num. Rab. 2:10, and Pesikta Rabbathi, § xlvi. p. 188a. have been created in the world; the quarter facing the east, that facing the south, that facing the west and that facing the north. From the quarter facing the east the light goeth forth to the world. 3 See T.B. Baba Bathra, 25a, b. From the quarter facing south the dews of blessing and the rains of blessing 4 See Ezek. 34:26. go forth to the world. 5 The rains which are not a blessing come from the north; see infra, note 9. From the quarter facing west 6 Eth. Enoch lxxvii. 2: "And the west quarter is named the diminished, because there all the luminaries of the heaven wane and go down." In Num. Rab., loc. cit., the reading is slightly different: "In the west are the treasuries of snow, and the treasuries of hail, cold, and heat go forth to the world… from the north cometh forth darkness to the world." where are the treasuries 7 See T.B. Chagigah, 12b, and cf. Eth. Enoch xli. 3 ff. The conception rests on Job 38:22. All the powers of nature were supposed to dwell in their respective chambers or to be stored up in treasuries. of snow and the treasuries of hail, and thence come forth into the world cold and heat and rains. From the quarter facing north darkness goeth forth into the world. The quarter facing north He created, but He did not complete it, for He said, Anyone who says: I am a God, let him come and complete this quarter which I have left (incomplete) and all will know that he is a God. 8 This seems to point to polemics. Probably the Gnostic doctrine of the Demiurge is attacked here. For other polemics in our book, see infra, pp. 79, 85 f., and 252. See also Ascension of Isaiah 4:6.
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There (in the north) is the abode of the destroying spirits, earthquakes, winds, demons, lightnings and thunders; thence evil issues forth into the world, as it is said, "Out of the north evil shall break forth upon all the inhabitants of the earth" (Jer. 1:14). 9 In the MS. the tenth paragraph ends here. Cf. Jubilees ii. 2. Origen, de Principiis, ii. viii. 3, quotes Jer. 1:14, and identifies the "north" with "the cold north wind," which is the "Devil." For Rabbinic references to the winds see T.B. Baba Bathra, loc. cit. ; and cf. Num. Rab., loc. cit., as a parallel to our text. Jerahmeel MS. omits the rest of this chapter. Some say by ten Sayings was the world created 1 Our text reappears in the Ẓohar. Lev. 11a. See Pirkê Aboth 5:1, and Taylor's note, p. 78 of his 2nd edition. Cf. T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, 32a, where the first verse of Genesis is reckoned as one of the ten sayings owing to verse 6 of Ps. 33 The Venice edition adds the following, namely: (1) "And God said, Let there be light" (Gen. 1:3). (2) "And God said, Let there be a firmament" ( ibid. 6). (3) "And God said, Let the waters be gathered together" ( ibid. 9). (4) "And God said, Let the earth put forth grass" ( ibid. 11). (5) "And God said, Let there be luminaries" ( ibid. 14). (6) "And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly" ( ibid. 20). (7) "And God said, Let the earth bring forth" ( ibid. 24). (8) "And God said, Let us make man" ( ibid. 26). (9) "And God said, Behold. I have given you" ( ibid. 29). (10) "And God said, It is not good that the man should be alone" ( ibid. ii. 18). || and in three (Divine attributes) are these (ten Sayings) comprised, 2 Perhaps the translation should be: By three (Divine attributes) were (the works of creation) completed. The Venice edition adds: "And they are, Wisdom, Understanding, and Knowledge." On these three attributes see T.B. Berakhoth, 55a, and Midrash Shocher Tob, Ps. 50:1, and Buber's note (4), where the sources are given. This Midrash may help us to understand our text: "With three names did the Holy One, blessed be He, create His world, corresponding to the three good attributes through which the world was created." as it is said, "The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; by understanding he established the heavens, by his knowledge the depths were broken up" (Prov. 3:19, 20). By these three (attributes) was the Tabernacle made, as it is said, "And I have filled him with the spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, and with knowledge" (Ex. 31:3). Likewise with these three (attributes) was the Temple made, as it is said, "He 3 Hiram, the builder of Solomon's Temple. was the son of a widow woman of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in brass; and he was filled with wisdom and understanding and knowledge" (1 Kings 7:14). By these three attributes it will be rebuilt in the future, as it is said, "Through wisdom is an house 4 The House is a common designation of the Temple, see Jastrow, Targum Dictionary, p. 168a. builded; and by understanding it is established; and by knowledge are the chambers filled" (Prov. 24:3, 4).
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With these three attributes will the Holy One, blessed be He, give three good gifts to Israel in the future, as it is said, "For the Lord will give 1 The next sentence should precede the rest of the quotation if we follow the order of the words in the MS. It is omitted in the printed editions. wisdom, out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding" ( ibid. ii. 6). 2 See Jalkut, Prov. § 935, where attention is drawn to the verb "will give" in the imperfect tense indicating the future. This point is lost sight of in the R.V.; see also Ex. Rab. xli. 3, and cf. T.B. Berakhoth, 5a. It is not said, "The Lord has given wisdom." These three attributes will be given 3 The 1st ed. adds "in double measure"; this has been adopted by later editions. to King Messiah, as it is said, "And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord" (Isa. 11:2). 4 This famous passage from Isaiah is quoted by Justin Martyr in his Dialogue with Trypho, lxxxvii., as referring to the Messiah.
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CHAPTER IV THE CREATION ON THE SECOND DAY [4 A . i.] O N the second day 1 See Jalkut, Gen. §5, and Jalkut, Ezek. § 338. the Holy One, blessed be He, created the firmament, 2 According to Jubilees ii. 4, the firmament only was created on the second day; see Slav. Enoch xxvi.–xxvii. the angels, 3 In Gen. Rab. 1:3 and iii. 8, the question is discussed as to which day of the week of creation were the angels called into being. According to R. Jochanan it was the second day, as in our text, whereas according to R. Chanina it was the fifth day. Theodor ( in loc. ) gives the various parallel sources in notes 7 and 8. See also Pal. Targum on Gen. 1:26, where the creation of the angels is also assigned to the second day, as in Slavonic Enoch xxix. 1 ff. In Jubilees ii. 2 this event is said to have been on the first day; see Charles' note 2 on pp. 12 f. Our book opposes this view. The Church Fathers sometimes held this view; see Epiphanius, adv. Hœr. lxv. 4. The Rabbis were fully aware of the teaching that God was assisted at the creation by angels or the Messiah, and in order to oppose such doctrine the creation of the angels was fixed on the second or fifth day; cf. Ex. Rab. xv. 22. fire for flesh and blood, 4 See T.B. Pesachim, 54a, and Gen. Rab. 11:2 for the view that this fire was created at the termination of the first Sabbath. As the angels are often of fire (cf. Rev. xiv. 18), both angels and fire are held by our author to have been created on the second day. This view is held in spite of the statement that light was created on the first day. and the fire of Gehinnom. 5 The fire of Gehenna is mentioned in the New Testament; see Matt, v. 22, and cf. Rev. xx. 10. See also Eth. Enoch xc. 24 and 26, the Apocalypse of Baruch lix. 10, 11, and the Apocalypse of Peter for an account of Gehenna. The 21st book of Augustine s de Civitate Dei is devoted to this theme. The Rabbis came to the conclusion that the fire of Gehenna must have been created on the second day, because the Scripture does not say with reference to this day "and it was good," which, however, does occur in the story of the other five days of creation; see T.B. Pesachim, 54a, Ex. Rab. xv. 22, and Jalkut, Gen. § 15. Were not heaven and earth created on the first day, as it is said, "In the beginning God created 6 The MS. omits the rest of the verse; it is given in the 1st ed. and subsequent editions. the heaven and the earth" (Gen. 1:1)? Which firmament was created on the second day? Rabbi Eliezer said: || It was the firmament which is above the heads of the four Chajjôth (living creatures), 1 On the Chajjôth, see T.B. Chagigah, 13a, and Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, iii. 128 f. The Chajjôth are to be identified with the "creature" of Rev. iv. 7. Do they correspond with the angels of the presence of Jubilees ii. 2? The firmament implies the division between the upper and lower waters; see Midrash Kônen (Jellinek, B.H.M. ii. p. 25). (as it is said 2 "As it is said" occurs in the printed texts. ), "And over the head of the Chajjôth there was the likeness of a firmament, like the colour of the terrible crystal" 3 Or "ice." (Ezek. 1:22). What is the meaning of (the expression), "like the colour of the terrible crystal"? It means like precious stones and pearls; it illuminates all the heavens like a lamp which is illuminating 4 This is also the reading in B.M. MS. See also Jalkut to Ezek. loc. cit., and cf. Eth. Enoch xiv. 9 ff. the whole house and like the sun which is shining with maximum intensity at noonday, as it is said, "The light dwelleth with him" (Dan. 2:22); 5 The second paragraph in MS. begins here. and like this in the future will the righteous shed light, 6 Cf. Matt. xiii. 43, Eth. Enoch xxxix. 7 f., and Ascension of Isaiah 8:22. as it is said, "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament" ( ibid. xii. 3). 7 This section is quoted by Tosapboth, T.B. Baba Bathra, 8b, catchword, "Umazdikê." Were it not for that firmament the world would be engulfed by the waters above it and below it; 8 Perhaps the translation should be: "by the waters, for above it are waters and beneath it are waters." This is practically the text in the printed editions. See Pal. Targum, Gen. 1:6. but (the firmament) divides the waters (above) from the waters (below), as it is said, "And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, (and let it divide the waters from the waters)" 9 This part of the verse in brackets is wanting in the MS. (Gen. 1:6), it illuminates 10 The 1st ed. reads: "it divides." between the waters above and the waters below. 11 The second paragraph ends here.
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(As for) the angels created on the second 12 B.M. MS. reads: "first day." day, when they are sent (as messengers) by His word they are changed into winds, and when they minister before Him they are changed into fire, as it is said, "Who maketh his angels winds; his ministers a flaming fire" (Ps. 104:4). 1 This verse is quoted by many of the Church Fathers in order to describe the nature of the angels; see John of Damascus, op. cit. ii. 3. The MS. quotes only the first half of the verse. The entire verse is given by the first editions. The third paragraph ends here.
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Four 2 The New Testament refers to the four living creatures before God's throne; see Rev. iv. 6. The whole of this chapter is a parallel to our text. classes of ministering angels minister and utter praise 3 The printed texts omit "minister and." before the Holy One, blessed be He: the first camp (led by) Michael 4 The Midrash here has given rise to a passage in the Hebrew prayer-book; see Singer, p. 297. See also Num. Rab. 2:10, Midrash Kônen, p. 27, and Pesikta Rabbathi, § xlvi. p. 188a. On Michael see the valuable monograph by Leuken, and J.E. viii. 535 ff. As parallels to our text see Targum to Job 25:2, and Eth. Enoch xl. 9 and lxxi. 8f., which mentions the four archangels in the following order: Michael, Raphael, Gabriel, and Phanuel; in this Book of Enoch (ix. 1) the angel Uriel appears to be the same as Phanuel. In the N.T. we find Michael and Gabriel mentioned. The B.M. MS. reads here Gabriel in place of Michael, and Michael instead of Gabriel. on His right, the second camp (led by) Gabriel 5 See J.E. v. 540 f. on His left, the third camp || (led by) Uriel 6 See J.E. xii. 383. before Him, and the fourth camp (led by) Raphael 7 See J.E. x. 317 f. behind Him; and the Shekhinah of the Holy One, blessed be He, is in the centre. He 8 i.e. God. is sitting on a throne high and exalted. 9 This sentence is omitted by the B.M. MS. The words are found in the Sabbath Morning Liturgy, Singer, p. 126, last two lines. See Eth. Enoch xiv. 18. His throne is high and suspended above in the air. The appearance of His Glory is like the colour of amber. 10 The B.M. MS. adds: "One-half thereof is fire and the other half is hail." In our MS. the fourth paragraph ends here. The 1st ed., followed by subsequent editions, adds: "As it is said: ‘And I saw as the colour of amber'" (Ezek. 1:27). And the adornment of a crown is on His head, and the Ineffable Name 11 The 1st ed. reads: "A crown is set on His head, and the diadem of the Ineffable Name is upon His forehead." On the Shem Hammephorash or "Ineffable Name" see G. Klein, Der älteste Christliche Katechismus, pp. 44 ff., and supra, p. 10, note 2. is upon His forehead. 12 This passage is the source for the words: "Upon His forehead is impressed the glory of His holy name" in the Hymn of Glory; see Singer, p. 79. The Venice edition adds: "and His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth." One half (of His glory) is fire the other half is hail, 13 Fire and hail represent the two divine attributes of justice and love; see Ẓohar, Gen. 186a, and cf. Eth. Enoch xiv. 20. The B.M. MS. omits these words in this context. at His right hand is life and at His left is death. He has a sceptre of fire in His hand and a veil 1 See Coptic Apocrypha, p. 90, and Eth. Enoch xiv. 21. is spread before Him, and His eyes run to and fro throughout the whole earth, 2 Cf. 2 Chron. 16:9. and the seven angels, 3 The seven angels or archangels are referred to in the Book of Enoch (Eth.), ch. xx.; see Charles' notes, in loc., for further references. which were created first, 4 The printed texts read: "Since the beginning." Does our book here agree with Jubilees ii. 2? minister before Him within the veil, and this (veil) is called Pargod. 5 פרגוד ; see T.B. Berakhoth, 18b, and T.B. Chagigah, 15a, the veil which separates the Shekhinah from the angels; see Rashi on T.B. Jebamoth, 63b, catchword, נוף (body). The B.M. MS. reads here: "The seven angels which were created at the beginning, minister before the veil which is spread before Him." See Coptic Apoc., p. 254. Eth. Enoch xc. 21; Rev. iv. 5; and T.B. Baba Mezi'a, 59a. His footstool is like fire and hail. 6 The Footstool of God represents Divine Justice and Love, which in their turn are symbolised by fire and hail; cf. Lam. 2:1, "He did not remember his footstool in the day of his anger ." The 1st ed. of our text reads: "His footstool is fire and hail flashing around His throne." See Slav. Enoch xxxvii. 1. Fire is flashing continually around His throne, 7 See Ps. 97:3. Origen, contra Celsum, iv. 13, discusses the fiery nature of God. righteousness and judgment are the foundation of His throne. 8 The Venice and Sabbioneta editions insert the following: "and the seven clouds of glory surround it. And the whirling Ophan and the Cherub and the Chajjah (living creature) are uttering praise before Him." And the likeness of His throne is like a sapphire throne with four legs, 9 Cf. T.B. Chagigah, 13a. and the four holy Chajjôth are fixed to each leg, each one 10 See Ezek. 10:14. On the Cherubim see Maimonides, Guide, iii. 1 ff. and cf. ibid. ch. xlv., and Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, i. 377 ff., where the N.T. and Patristic references are given. Speaking generally, the Patristic literature has much more to say concerning angels, good and bad, than Rabbinic literature. This can be easily seen by comparing the references in Eisenmenger's Entdecktes Judentum or in Weber's Jüdische Theologie on the one hand and the index to Thalhofer's Bibliothek der Kirchenväter, i. pp. 226–229, on the other. The statement on the subject in Hastings' Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, i. 57, "The Jews believed all that the N.T. says of angels, but they also believed much more," needs revision. The Church is more concerned with angels in its liturgy and ritual than the Synagogue. has four faces and each one has four wings, as it is said, "And every one had four faces and four wings" (Ezek. 1:6), and these (Chajjôth) are the Cherubim.
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When 1 The first editions add the following: "when He speaks towards the east He speaks between the two Cherubim with the face of a man, and when He speaks towards the south He speaks between the two Cherubim with the face of a lion." See Ezek. 1:10. The scheme indicated seems to be as follows:— He || speaks towards the west He speaks between the two Cherubim with the face of the ox, when He speaks towards the north He speaks between the two Cherubim with the face of an eagle.
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Over against them 2 The Cherubim. are the Ophanim (Wheels) and the Whirling Wheels of the Chariot, 3 The Merkabah ( מרכבה ) or Chariot is described in Ezek. 1 and x. See T.B. Chagigah, 14b, Maimonides, Guide, iii. 1–7, and cf. Ecclus. xlix. 8, and J.E. viii. 498 ff. The mystery of the Chariot is also referred to by Eth. Enoch xiv. 18, and Origen, contra Celsum, vi. 18. See also Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible, i. 377 f. and v. 644. The Venice edition adds: "When He sits He is upon the throne high and exalted." and when He looketh upon the earth His chariots are upon the Ophanim, and owing to the noise caused by the whirling wheels of the Chariot—lightnings and thunder go forth into the world. 1 See Ps. 77:18. When He dwells 2 This is omitted in the Cambridge Geniẓah and in the first editions. in heaven He rideth upon a swift cloud. 3 The Venice edition adds: "as it is said, ‘And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly'" (Ps. 18:10). A more appropriate quotation would be: "Behold, the Lord rideth upon a swift cloud" (Isa. 19:1). When He hastens He flies upon the wings of the wind, as it is said, "And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, he flew swiftly upon the wings of the wind" (Ps. 18:10).
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The Chajjôth stand next to the throne of His glory and they do not know the place of His glory. 4 This is wanting in the Oxford MS. (d. 35). The Chajjôth stand in awe and dread, 5 A parallel text with deviations occurs in Singer, pp. 38 and 130. See also Liturgy, Second Day of New Year, ed. Heidenheim, p. 36a. in fear and trembling, and from the perspiration of their faces a river of fire arises and goes forth 6 See T.B. Chagigah, 13b; cf. Eth. Enoch lxxi. 6 and xiv. 18 f.: "And I looked and saw a lofty throne; its appearance was as crystal, and the wheels thereof as the shining sun, and there was the vision of cherubim. And from underneath the throne came streams of flaming fire, so that I could not look thereon." The N.T. speaks of the heavenly throne; see Rev. i. 4, iii. 21, iv. 2; cf. Gen. Rab. 78:1. before Him, as it is said, "A fiery stream issued and came forth from before him…"(Dan. 7:10). And the wings of Gallizur 7 The whole of this sentence is missing in the printed texts. Gallizur, as the name of an angel, occurs in Pesikta Rabbathi, § xx. p. 97b; Jerahmeel, lii. 8; and Liturgy, Eighth Day of Solemn Assembly, ed. Heidenheim, p. 20b. the angel, who stands next to the Chajjôth, (are spread forth) so that the fire which consumes the fire of the angels should not burn (them). Two Seraphim stand, one on His right and one on His left, each one has six wings, 8 The B.M. MS. adds here: "as it is said, ‘Above him stood the Seraphim; each one had six wings'" (Isa. 6:2). with twain they cover their face 9 Our text agrees with the B.M. MS., and this reading has been preserved in Jalkut on Isaiah, § 404; see also Lev. Rab. 27:3, and Tanchuma, Emor, § viii. The 1st and 2nd eds. read: "With twain does each one cover his face." so as not to behold the presence of the Shekhinah, with twain they cover their feet so that they should not be seen before the presence of the Shekhinah, || so that the standing of the foot of the calf 10 The foot of the Cherub was like that of the calf (see Ezek. 1:7); this might recall the sin of the Golden Calf. See T.B. Chagigah, loc. cit. might be forgotten. With twain do they fly, praising and reverencing, and they sanctify. 1 These words are similar to the first words of the Kedushah (Sanctification); see Singer, p. 160, and cf. Ps. 89:7. The Sephardic Liturgy is somewhat different, its phraseology for this part of the Prayer Book being probably based on Isa. 29:23. For the Kedushah see Ezek. 36:23; Isa. 6:3; Ex. Rab. xv. 6, and Lev. Rab. 2:8. The Venice edition adds: "His Great Name." The B.M. MS. reads here: "And they stand near the throne of His glory and do not know the place of His glory, as it is said. ‘Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place' (Ezek. 3:12), and the Chajjôth stand in awe and dread," etc., as above. One answers and another calls, 2 See Jalkut on Isaiah, loc. cit., and T.B. Chullin, 91b, for the angelic sanctification. The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: "One calls and they all reply and say." one calls and another answers, and they say, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of Hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory" (Isa. 6:3). 3 This is the end of the 7th section in the MS. On the theme see Slav. Enoch xxi. 1.
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The Chajjôth stand at the side of the throne of His glory and they do not know the place of His glory; 4 The reading seems to be corrupt, and should run: "The Chajjôth respond and say," etc. The first part of the sentence has already been given at the beginning of the preceding paragraph. they respond and say in every place where His glory 5 On the "Glory" see Abelson, The Immanence of God in Rabbinic Literature, p. 380 ff. The Place of God's glory is identified by P.R.E. with the Shekhinah; see infra, p. 225, note 9, and cf. Eth. Enoch xxxix. 12–14. is, "Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place" (Ezek. 3:12). Israel, 6 The 9th section in the MS. begins here. a nation unique on the earth, 7 These words occur in the Amidah for Sabbath afternoon; see Singer, p. 175. declares daily 8 The Oxford MS. (d. 35) adds: "continually every day twice." the unity of His great Name, saying, "Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is one" (Deut. 6:4). He answers His people Israel and says to them, I am the Lord your God who has delivered 9 The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: "who redeems." you from every trouble. 10 The many parallels in our text to Eth. Enoch xiv. 9–22, and Slav. Enoch xxi. 1 and xxii. 1–3 are noteworthy, and point to the influence which the pseudepigraphic books have had upon our author. The latter part of this chapter is of importance in connection with the liturgy of the Synagogue. We note how the threefold responses of the Kedushah are set forth here as the responses of (1) the angels, (2) Israel, and (3) God; compare Singer, pp. 160 f. The writer of the MS. did not end the chapter here, but continued with the next chapter. A later scribe has added in the margin, "Chapter V.," thus agreeing with other MSS. and the printed editions. Our chapter should be compared with the Merkabah Midrashim in the first two volumes of Wertheimer's Bottê Midrashoth .
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CHAPTER V THE GATHERING OF THE WATERS [5 A. i.] O N the third day 1 Of the week of creation. Our Book agrees here with the Book of Jubilees, which states: "And on the third day He commanded the waters to pass from off the face of the whole earth" (ii. 5). Cf. Ps. 104:6, according to which the mountains were beneath the water, the surface of which was like a plain. all the earth was flat like a plain and the waters covered the surface of all the earth. When the word of the Almighty 2 Jalkut, Gen. § 8, reads: "The Holy One, blessed be He." was uttered, "Let the waters be gathered together" (Gen. 1:9), the mountains and hills arose from the ends of the earth and they were scattered 3 The gathering of the waters revealed the hills and valleys which had hitherto been covered by the water. over the surface of all the earth, and valleys were formed over the inner parts of the earth; and the waters were rolled together and gathered into the valleys, as it is said, "And the gathering together of the waters he called seas" ( ibid. 10). 4 In the MS. the tenth paragraph (of the fourth chapter) is marked here. For a parallel text see Wertheimer, op. cit., i. p. 6. Forthwith the waters became proud 5 The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: "The waters became insolent and attempted to ascend to Heaven as at first until He rebuked and subdued them and placed them beneath the soles of His feet, as it is said: ‘ Who maketh a way in the sea, and a path in the mighty waters'" (Isa. 43:16). The first editions agree with our MS. and they arose to cover the earth as at first, when the Holy One, blessed be He, rebuked them || and subdued them, 6 See Ps. 104:7, Job 38:8–10, and Prov. 8:29. Eth. Enoch offers a parallel: "the sea was created, and as its foundation He set for it the sand against the time of anger, and it dare not pass beyond it from the creation of the world unto eternity" (lxix. 18). and placed them beneath the soles of His feet, 7 See Job 9:8, Ps. 77:19, and Shocher Tob, Ps. 93:5, where our text is preserved; cf. Midrash Kônen, p. 25. The 1st ed. ( P.R.E .) reads: "and He subdued them beneath the ends of His feet." The Midrash should be compared with Tanchuma, Chukkath. § 1, and see T.B. Baba Bathra, 74b. The subject has been discussed by Jampel in the Monatsschrift , 1912, p. 148. and measured them with the hollow of His hand 1 See Isa. 40:12. that they should neither decrease nor increase. He made the sand as the boundary of the sea, just like a man who makes a fence for his vineyard. When they rise and see the sand before them they return to their former place, 2 See Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics , p. 10. as it is said, "Fear ye not me? saith the Lord 3 The second half of the verse is not given in the MS., which reads "etc." : will ye not tremble at my presence, which have placed the sand for the bound of the sea?" (Jer. 5:22).
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Before the waters were gathered together the depths 4 The Venice edition adds the words "the luminaries" before the words "the depths." This is clearly a mistake. were created. These are the depths which are beneath the earth; for the earth is spread 5 Jalkut Makhiri to Psalms (Ps. 136:11) reads: "the earth floats upon the depths." The text of this section in the Jalkut is more correct than the printed editions of P.R.E. upon the water like a ship which floats in the midst of the sea, so likewise is the earth spread out over the water, as it is said, "To him that spread forth the earth above the waters…" (Ps. 136:6). He opened an entrance to the Garden of Eden 6 This agrees with the Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan) 1. i.: "And to the north of the garden there is a sea of water." See Jalkut Makhiri ( loc. cit. ) for a parallel to our text. The Venice edition differs slightly from the 1st ed. and reads: "The entrance to the Garden of Eden opened therein and He brought forth thence plants upon the face of all the earth." This 5th chapter is devoted to the account of the creation on the third day. Thus far we find the following things enumerated: (1) the gathering of the waters, (2) the appearance of the mountains and hills, (3) the transference of the plants and trees from the Garden of Eden, and we shall have (4) an account of the mists and clouds which water the face of the earth. The Book of Jubilees seems to offer a parallel: (1) "And the dry land appeared, and on that day He created for them (2) all the seas according to their separate gathering-places, and all the rivers, and the gathering of the waters in the mountains and on all the earth and all the lakes, (3) and all the dew of the earth, (4) and the seed which is sown, and all sprouting things, and fruit-bearing trees, and trees of the wood, and the Garden of Eden in Eden, and all (plants after their kind). These four great works God created on the third day" (ii. 6, 7). It seems strange that both books in connection with the third day refer to the Garden of Eden, especially as our book has already dealt with this as one of the pre-mundane creations. According to Gen. Rab. 15:3 the Garden of Eden was created before the creation of man, who was created on the sixth day, whereas Eden was created on the third day. This tradition is preserved in Slavonic Enoch (A and B) xxx. 1 and in the Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Malan), loc. cit. because thence were planted upon the face of all the earth all kinds of trees yielding fruit according to their kind, and all kinds of herbs and grass 1 The Venice edition adds: "He planted thereof, and in them was their seed upon the earth." thereof, and in them (was seed), as it is said, "Wherein is the seed thereof, upon the earth" (Gen. 1:11). He prepared a table for the creatures whilst as yet they were not created, 2 The reading in the first editions is: "whilst as yet the world was not created." This "table" is not one of the premundane creations; see T.B. Synhedrin, 38a, based on Prov. 9:1–3, and cf. Lev. Rab. 11:1. Gregory, Bishop of Nyssa in the fourth century C.E ., has a similar Midrash in his work de Hominis opificio , 2; see also Slav. Enoch (B) XXX. 1. as it is said, "Thou preparest a table before me" (Ps. 23:5). All the fountains arise from the depths to give water to all creatures. 3 See Ps. 104:10–13.
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Rabbi Joshua said: The diameter 4 On this theme see T.B. Pesachim, 94a, and Gen. Rab. 4:5, and see Theodor's notes on p. 29 of his edition for further parallels. of the earth is equal to a journey of sixty years, 5 Oxford MS. (2835, c. 27) reads "five hundred years"; cf. T.J. Berakhoth, 2c; T.B. Chagigah, 12a, and Gen. Rab. 6:6. and one of the depths which is near to Gehinnom bubbles with water and produces water 6 The 1st ed. reads: "and produces delight for the sons of man." On the subject referred to in the text see T.B. Sabbath, 39a. for the delight of the sons of man.
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Rabbi Jehudah || said: Once every month ducts 7 Our text is preserved in Jalkut to Psalms (Ps. 42 § 744). On "Silonoth" (ducts) see Jastrow, T.D. 979b. Gaster, Jerahmeel ii. 5, renders here "rivulets ascend from the depths," etc. rise from the depths to irrigate the face of all the earth, as it is said, "And there went up a mist from the earth and watered 8 The rest of the verse is not given by the MS., which reads "etc." the whole face of the ground" (Gen. 2:6). 9 The LXX renders this verse: "But a fountain ascended out of the earth"; see Hellenism and Christianity, p. 25 note. The clouds cause the seas to hear the sound of their waterspouts, 10 See Jalkut Makhiri, Psalms (Ps. 42:16), where our text occurs with variant readings; thus, instead of "Zinôrôthiham," which means "their splashing," or "duct," or "spout," we find "Kinôrôthiham" ("their harps"). and the seas cause the depths to hear the sound of their waterspouts, and the deep calls to the deep to bring up waters to give them to the clouds, as it is said, "Deep calleth unto deep at the sound of thy waterspouts" (Ps. 42:7). 1 See T.B. Ta‘anith, 25b, for the application of this verse in connection with the water ceremonies on the Feast of Tabernacles.
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The clouds draw water from the depths, as it is said, "He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends 2 Where originally the water was. of the earth" ( ibid. cxxxv. 7), and in every place where the King commands them, 3 See Job 37:11–13. The rain illustrates the working of Divine Providence; cf. Jer. 14:22. there they cause rain (to fall), and forthwith the earth becomes fruitful and yields produce like a widow who becomes pregnant through debauchery. 4 This rain would not be the rain of blessing, cf. T.B. Ta'anith, 6b. But when the Holy One, blessed be He, desires to bless the produce of the earth, 5 See Ps. 65:9, 10, and cf. T.B. Ta‘anith, 8b. and to give provision to the creatures, 6 This phrase does not occur in the 1st ed. See Ps. 132:15. He opens the good treasuries in heaven and sends rain upon the earth, namely, the fructifying rain, 7 The rain from heaven is full of vitalizing power; see infra, pp. 63 and 167. The actual expression in our context is "the masculine waters." Eth. Enoch liv. 8 offers a parallel: "And all the waters shall be joined with the waters, that which is above the heavens is the masculine, and the water which is beneath the earth is feminine." See Charles' interesting note (8) on p. 107 of his edition, where he quotes T.J. Berakhoth, 9:2, "the upper water is male and the lower water is female." and forthwith the earth becomes fruitful like a bride who conceives from her first husband and produces offspring of blessing, as it is said, "The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasury the heaven" 8 The verse continues: "To give the rain of thy land in its season and to bless all the work of thy hand." This is given in the B.M. MS. The 1st ed. and later editions add: "and it is written, ‘For as a young man marrieth a virgin, so shall thy sons marry thee ‘ (Isa. 62:5), and it is written, ‘ For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven. … and watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater'" ( ibid. lv. 10). (Deut. 28:12).
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CHAPTER VI 1 In our MS. the fifth chapter begins here. THE PLANETS; THE COURSE OF THE SUN [5 B . i.] O N the fourth day He connected together 2 The B.M. MS. reads here "created." The word in the printed texts means "associated" or "joined." On the legend see Gen. Rab. 6:3 and T.B. Chullin, 60b, which is translated in Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, pp. 12 f.; and see Pal. Targum, Gen. 1:16. the two luminaries, 3 The first editions read: "the two great luminaries." of which one was not greater (in size) than the other. 4 This legend occurs in Eth. Enoch lxxii. 37, "but as regards size they are both equal," and cf. Slavonic Enoch xvi. 7. Our text reads (if taken quite literally): "This one was not greater than that one, and that one was not greater than this one." They were equal 5 The equality was implied in the words of the Scripture, "the two great lights." The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: "but the two of them were equal as though they were one." as regards their height, 6 Above the earth, or firmament. || qualities, 7 e.g. they have the same shape. and illuminating powers, 8 The Pal. Targ. Gen. 1:16 offers a parallel here. as it is said, "And God made the two great lights" (Gen. 1:16). Rivalry ensued between them, one said to the other, I am bigger than thou art. The other rejoined, I am bigger than thou art.
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What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do, 9 The B.M. MS. adds: "to restore peace between them. He made the one smaller because it had slandered its companion." See Gen. Rab. 6:3. so that there should be peace between them? He made the one larger and the other smaller, 10 See T.B. Chullin, loc. cit., and cf. 3 Baruch ix. 7. The Midrash is also preserved in the Machẓor Vitry, p. 154, reading of the Sabbath morning liturgy. Cf. Singer, p. 129. See also Baer's ‘ Abodath Israel, p. 212, note, for the reading in the Tur: "and He diminished ( והקטין ) the figure of the moon." as it is said, "The greater light to rule the day, 11 The MS. does not give the second half of the verse, it merely reads "etc." and the lesser light to rule the night and the stars he also made" ( ibid. ). 12 See Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics , pp. 12 f.
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All the stars minister 1 The word in the text may mean serve , or minister to the needs of, or to be in attendance on others , or to be placed over , hence to influence, or rule. to the seven planets, 2 Lit. "Stars of the hours." The 1st ed. reads, "the seven stars and all the hours," but subsequent editions read, "the seven stars of the hours." The first editions give the names in the following order: Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sun, and Venus. These editions continue: "And they minister to the seven days of the week." The idea implied is that each planet influences the world for one hour by day and by night. Thus— The Jewish day begins at 6 p.m. ( i.e. six hours earlier than the usual time in vogue in this country). For full explanation see Rashi on T.B. Berakhoth, 59b, and on T.B. ‘Erubin, 56a. The seven planets are mentioned in the Sepher Jezirah iv. 7 by the same names as in our text. See also Baraitha d. Shemuel, ch. iii. and their names are: Sun, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars. 3 The seven planets in the order of the text are represented by the following letters: Ch (Sun), N (Venus), K (Mercury), L (Moon), Sh (Saturn), Z (Jupiter), M (Mars). The letters represent the Hebrew names of the planets. The mnemonic of their service is KZNSh ChLM, by night; ChLM KZNSh by day and KLSh ZMChN for the hours of the night; ChNKL ShZM for the hours of the day. 4 The whole of this sentence is missing in the printed editions. On the first day Mercury and the Sun, on the second day Jupiter and the Moon, on the third day Venus and Mars, on the fourth day Saturn and Mercury, on the fifth day the Sun and Jupiter, on the sixth day the Moon and Venus, on the seventh day Mars and Saturn. 5 The seven planets were believed to move in seven different orbits; see Philo, op. cit. 38, i. M. 27, C.W. i. 112. Origen, contra Celsum, vi. 21, speaks of "the spheres of the planets." In the next chapter of Origen we hear of the mysteries of Mithras, and in connection with the rites of this cult the seven planets are mentioned. The order is as follows: Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, the Moon, the Sun. This is exactly the reverse order of the mnemonic in our text for the service of the planets by day. In chapter xxxi. Origen deals with the "ruling spirits" accepted by the teaching of the Gnostics; these "ruling spirits" are the seven planets. The system has fortunately been preserved in the Pistis Sophia (ed. Mead), pp. 360 ff. The Church Father John of Damascus, in his Doctrine of Faith, ii. 7, also mentions the seven planets. See also Hippolytus, Philosophumena, iv. 6 ff. All of them minister to the twelve constellations 1 i.e. the Zodiac. On this subject see John of Damascus, loc. cit., and cf. J.E. iv. 244 f. Slavonic Enoch xxx. reads: "The sun that he should go according to each sign of the Zodiac; and the course of the moon through the twelve signs of the Zodiac," and see Eth. Enoch lxxiii.–lxxiv. which correspond to the twelve months. The constellations are: Aries, Taurus, Gemini, Cancer, Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius, Capricornus, Aquarius, and Pisces. 2 The first editions add: "These ( i.e. the constellations) were created in the work of the Creation to rule the world, and thus are their ordinances. And these seven servants were created, and He placed them in the firmament of the heavens." Our MS. agrees here with the Oxford MS. (d. 35). All the constellations minister to 3 Perhaps the word should be rendered "serve"; see supra, p. 32, note 1. Gaster's Jerahmeel iv. 2 has "rules" in reference to the sun, and "serves" in connection with the other planets. the days of the sun. 4 Does this mean that the constellations influence the months, there being twelve constellations corresponding to the twelve months? Perhaps the reference is to the fact that the sun is in each constellation for 30 days, 10 hours, 30 minutes ( i.e. a solar month). The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads, "the days of the solar year." The Venice edition reads: "the days of the solar month." According to John of Damascus ( loc. cit. )— The 1st ed. adds "Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Venus, Saturn. Sun, Moon, Saturn, and Mercury minister to each constellation 30 (days) 4 hours like an attendant, and just as the Sun and Moon and Mercury enter simultaneously." The text is evidently corrupt. Now the days of the solar month are 30 days, 10 hours and a half, 5 The 1st ed. adds here: "and during the days of the lunar month two constellations serve for four days and eight hours." The meaning is not evident. 4 days, 8 hours × 7 = 30 days, 8 hours. and each constellation ministers to the || days of the solar month for two days and a half, so that two constellations (minister for) five days. 1 The sense to be conveyed seems to be that in a solar month every 2½ days is under the influence of a constellation, the last 10½ hours being reckoned as part of the service of the constellation which is next in order to that constellation which was placed over the last 2½ days of the month. We shall see that each constellation is served by the Moon for 2½ days, or, as John of Damascus says ( loc. cit. ), "The Moon passes through the twelve constellations in each month." The chief 2 i.e. the constellation. which begins at the beginning of the solar month is the same chief which completes 3 This would then mean that the next constellation begins its influence at the beginning of the next solar month. at the end of the solar month; the one which opens is the one which closes. 4 It seems that the last 10½ hours of the solar month are under the influence of the constellation which ruled at the beginning of that month.
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The great cycle of the sun is 28 years, 5 See T.B. Berakhoth, loc. cit. ; T.B. Sabbath, 129b, with Rashi. and therein are seven small cycles each of four years. 6 The order of the planets which begin the seven small cycles respectively is Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon, a cycle of four years being supposed to elapse between the beginning of the rule of each of these planets. The number of days of the solar year 7 1st ed. reads "solar years," the later texts read "the sun." is 365 and a quarter of a day. The seasons 8 Tekuphah; see Jewish Calendar, 1915–16, edited by the present writer, pp. 31, 35, etc., for the Tekuphah. The word means "turn," or "cycle"; cf. Ex. 34:22 and Ps. 19:6. It means in our book season, or (1) vernal equinox, or (2) the summer solstice, or (3) the autumnal equinox, or (4) the winter solstice. See Rashi on T.B. Berakhoth, loc. cit. where we learn that the first Tekuphah of Nisan at the Creation was on the fourth day (Wednesday). Can Jubilees i. 14 and ii. 9 refer to Tekuphah? See Pal. Targ. Gen. 1:14, which reads: "And God said: Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens, to distinguish between the day and the night; and let them be for signs and seasons for festivals and for the numbering by them of the calculation of the days and for the sanctification by them of new moons and new years, (for) intercalations of months and intercalations of years and Tekuphoth of the Sun and the Molad of the Moon and cycles." Etheridge's version ( The Targums, i. p. 159) is inaccurate. of the solar year are four, each season (consisting of) 91 days 7½ hours. The beginnings of the cycles of the seasons are the 4th, 2nd, 7th, 5th, 3rd, 1st, and 6th (days). 9 The seven days respectively of the seven small cycles. The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: "The Tekuphoth are at the beginning of the night of the fourth day, the beginning of the night of the second day"… concluding with "the beginning of the night of the sixth day." Between each cycle there are 5 days and 6 (hours). 10 Is the text faulty here? The interval of five days is apparent from the preceding sentence in the text.
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The Tekuphoth ( i.e. seasons) of the small cycle are four in each year, some of them (last) 91 days 7½ hours and some last 92 days. 1 This means that the year equals 4 × 91 days, 7½ hours=365½ days. The Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: "Some of them (last) 91 days and some of them 92 days." This reading seems preferable to our text and seems to point to 366 days in the year, i.e. two seasons of 91 days each and two of 92 days each. Luria rejects the reading, "Some of them (last) 92 days." The first year of the cycle (of four years) has its Tekuphah in Nisan at 6 p.m.; in the second year at 12 p.m.; in the third year at 6 a.m.; in the fourth year at 12 a.m. 2 Luria's reading in the latter part of Note 22, in loc., has been adopted, as the MS. text seems to be unintelligible. The MS. reads: The first year of the cycle is A–G (1st and 3rd letters of the Hebrew alphabet); the second year is B–B (2nd letter of Hebrew alphabet); the third year is GAD (3rd, 1st, and 4th letters); the fourth year is DD. The reading adopted for the translation gives the following abbreviations: A–A, B–V, G–A, D–V, where the first letters of each set refer to the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th years (of the small cycle) respectively; the 2nd letters indicate the hours when the Tekuphoth of Nisan in the four years begin, namely: 6 p.m. (A), 12 p.m. (V), 6 a.m. (A), and 12 a.m. (V).
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The four beginnings of the Tekuphah of the four months of Nisan 3 In each cycle of four years. commence at the beginning of the night, 4 The Jewish day consists of night, lasting 12 hours, which begins at 6 p.m., and day, lasting 12 hours and commencing at 6 a.m. at midnight, at the beginning of the day, 5 i.e. 6 a.m. and at noon (respectively). The rest of the other (days of the) || Tekuphoth are as follows: ẒCh; GYCh; VACh; TDCh. 6 ẒCh =7th and 8th letters of Hebrew alphabet. GYCh=3rd, 10th, and 8th letters of Hebrew alphabet. VACh =6th, 1st, and 8th letters of Hebrew alphabet. TDCh =9th, 4th, and 8th letters of Hebrew alphabet. Ch (8th letter) is an abbreviation for the word ( חצי ) meaning "half." The abbreviations mean:— When the Tekuphah of Nisan is the 1st hour (A) of the night, i.e. at 6 p.m., the Tekuphah of Tammuẓ is 7½ hours (ẒCh) later, i.e. 1.30 a.m. The Tekuphah of Tishri is at 3 hours of the day (G), i.e. 9 a.m., and the Tekuphah of Tebeth is 10½ hours of the day (YCh), i.e. 4.30 p.m. Again, when the Tekuphah of Nisan is the 6th hour, i.e. mid-night (V), the Tekuphah of Tammuẓ is 1½ hour of the day (ACh), i.e. 7.30 a.m., and the Tekuphah of Tishri is 9 hours of the day (T), i. e 3 p.m., and the Tekuphah of Tebeth is 4½ hours of the following night (DCh), i.e. at 10.30 p.m.
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The first Tekuphah of Nisan 7 At the era of the Creation. took place at the beginning (of the hours) of Saturn. 1 Saturn is the planet for the eve of the fourth day at 6 o'clock p.m. on Tuesday. See supra, p. 32, note 2. The Tekuphah of Tammuz (took place) at the middle (of the hours) of Saturn. 2 7½ hours later is still the hour of Saturn; this would be at 1.30 a.m. Wednesday. The Tekuphah of Tishri (occurred) at the beginning of the hours of Jupiter. 3 7½ hours later is the hour of Jupiter at 9 a.m. Wednesday. The Tekuphah of Tebeth (took place) at the middle (of the hours) of Jupiter. 4 7½ hours later is still in Jupiter at 4.30 p.m. Wednesday afternoon. And thus with all the other Tekuphoth, which occur at the beginning of the hours or at the middle of the hours. 5 This refers to the service of the planets over the hours, as can be seen from the notes above; the two Tekuphoth are either at the beginning or at the middle of the hours.
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The first cycle 6 Of the seven Tekuphoth cycles referred to above, the first begins on the fourth day, i.e. Wednesday (which commences on Tuesday at 6 p.m., which is the hour of Saturn). took place at the beginning of the hour of Saturn, (and the names of the Planets of the hours are) Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury, and the Moon. The second cycle occurred in the hour (of the Planet) which is in front of it, 7 In reference to the position of its orbit around the earth as centre. In this connection the position of the planets is as follows: nearest to the earth we have the Moon, Mercury, Venus, the Sun, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. ( i.e. ) at the beginning of the hour of Jupiter. The third cycle occurred at the beginning of the hour of Mars. The fourth cycle entered at the beginning of the hour of the Sun. The fifth cycle entered at the beginning of the hour of Venus. The sixth cycle entered at the beginning of the hour of Mercury. The seventh cycle entered at the beginning (of the hour) of the Moon. (At) the end of seven hours, 8 It has been suggested by R. Elijah of Vilna that this reference to the seven hours should be omitted. Perhaps the reading should be "At the end of the seven planets of the hours," i.e. the cycle recommences with Saturn. The Tekuphoth of Nisan are as follows:— The third cycle falls on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday at 6 and 12 p.m. and 6 and 12 a.m. respectively in the 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th years respectively. The fourth cycle falls on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at 6 and 12 p.m. and 6 and 12 a.m. respectively in the 13th, 14th, 15th, and 16th years respectively. The fifth cycle falls on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 6 and 12 p.m. and 6 and 12 a.m. respectively in the 17th, 18th, 19th, and 20th years respectively. The sixth cycle falls on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at 6 and 12 p.m. and 6 and 12 a.m. respectively in the 21st, 22nd, 23rd, and 24th years respectively. The seventh cycle falls on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday at 6 and 12 p.m. and 6 and 12 a.m. respectively in the 25th, 26th, 27th, and 28th years respectively. It must be borne in mind that the first two Tekuphoth of every cycle are p.m., and therefore the actual English day in these cases is nominally one day earlier than the Jewish day. at the end of seven cycles, at the end of 35 days 1 This is also the reading of the 1st ed. Later editions are faulty, and read "65 days." The number 35 is due to 7 × 5 days, the latter being the interval between each small cycle of four years, during which there are 16 Tekuphoth, and each Tekuphah is 7½ hours' interval later than its predecessor. 7 = the number of cycles. of the great cycle of 28 years, the Tekuphah cycle returns ( i.e. begins again) at the beginning of the fourth day 2 Tuesday evening at six o'clock, when the fourth day (Wednesday) of the Hebrew week begins. in the hour of Saturn in the hour when it was created.
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In 366 (degrees) 3 "Degrees" according to the reading in the first two editions. The 1st ed. reads "365 degrees." the sun rises and declines, it rises 183 (degrees) || in the east, and it declines 183 (degrees) in the west corresponding to the 365 4 In the MS. a later writer has written "6" above the "5." The first editions read, "according to the days of the solar year." days of the solar year. (The sun) goes forth through 366 5 The printed texts read 366 apertures. According to T.J. Rosh Ha-Shanah ii. 5, 58a, l. 41 ff., "The Holy One, blessed be He, created 365 windows for the service of the world: 182 in the east and 182 in the west and one in the centre of the firmament, whence it came forth at the beginning at the Creation." See also Ex. Rab. xv. 22: "The Holy One, blessed be He, created 365 windows in the firmament, 183 on the east and 182 on the west." The Jalkut on 1 Kings, §185. compares the knops mentioned in 1 Kings vii. 24 to "the 365 windows which are in the east and in the west, for the sun rises in one in the east and sets in one in the west." This section of the Jalkut is taken from the Midrash Tadsheh (cf. Epstein, Midrash Tadsheh, p. xvi). Further parallels are to be found in Buber's Shocher Tob, Ps. 19:11, and Jalkut on Psalms (xix.), § 673, and on Eccles. § 967. The astronomical theories of our book are not in agreement with the Rabbinical system set forth in the Talmud and Midrashim. It seems that our author held the view that the solar year had 366 days. Each half-year the sun passes through 91, plus 91, plus 1 apertures, or in one year through 366 apertures. Now we find a parallel teaching in the Slavonic Enoch xiii. 2: "And I saw the six great gates open, each gate having sixty-one stadia." Thus far Text B.; see Charles' ed.. p. 15, and cf. Eth. Enoch lxxii. 2 ff. on the course of the sun. Here also "windows" are mentioned. The whole of this chapter should be read in comparison with our text. Eth. Enoch adopts the strange calculation that the solar year has 364 days, though he was acquainted with the year of 365½ days. Does our book attempt a new solution? or, as I venture to suggest, did our author borrow from Slavonic Enoch? This seems the most probable view. apertures and enters by the east; 90 days 1 The first editions read 91 days. This agrees with the Oxford MSS. (d. 35) and (O. 167) and also Gaster's MS. it is in the south (east) quarter, 91 days in the north (east) quarter and one aperture is in the middle 2 This aperture separates the 91 N.E. windows from the 91 S.E. windows, and the sum total equals 183, which agrees with our text: "it rises 183 (degrees) in the east." and its name is Nogah. 3 נוגה , or "Venus." The word means light. The Venice edition reads "the aperture Nogah."
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(At) the Tekuphah of Tishri 4 About the time of the autumnal equinox; see J.E. xii. 76 f. The Tekuphah Tishri falls now on October 7th, about 14 days after the equinox. (the sun) begins from the aperture of Nogah and goes through its revolutions towards the south quarter, through one aperture after another until it reaches the aperture of Bilgah. 5 The first editions read ( שבתאי ) "Saturn." (At) the Tekuphah of Tebeth (the sun) begins from the aperture of Bilgah 5 The first editions read ( שבתאי ) "Saturn." and continues its course, returning backward through one aperture after another until it reaches the aperture of Ta'alumah, 6 Or "darkness." See Targum on Job 28:11. through which the light goes forth, 7 The quotation is not given by the Oxford MS. (d. 35). as it is said, " And the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light" (Job 28:11). (At) the Tekuphah of Nisan (the sun) begins from the aperture of Ta'alumah, 8 The first editions add: "through which the light goeth forth." and it 9 The sun. goes to the north quarter through one aperture after another until it reaches the aperture No'aman. 10 Or "pleasantness." Nature is at her best at this period of the year. The MS. reads "Nô'aman," the first two editions read "Na'amôn." (At) the Tekuphah of Tammuz (the sun) begins from the aperture No'aman and goes on its course, returning backwards through aperture after aperture until it reaches the aperture Cheder 11 Or "secret chamber." whence the whirlwind goes forth, as it is said, "Out of the chamber cometh the storm 1 The MS. omits the second half of the verse, substituting "etc." and cold out of the scattering winds" ( ibid. xxxvii. 9).
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Through these apertures which are in the east (the sun) || goes forth and opposite to them 2 The apertures on the east. in the west (the sun) sets. The Shekhinah is always in the west. 3 See T.B. Baba Bathra, 25a, and T.B. Synhedrin, 91b. (The sun) sets and worships 4 Lit. "bows down." before the King of Kings, the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: Lord of all worlds! I have done according to all that Thou hast commanded me. 5 See Deut. 26:14 for phraseology.
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The aperture which is in the midst of the firmament is named M'zarim 6 Or "scattering winds." See Job 37:9 and Targum, in loc. and (the sun) does not go forth or set 7 Lit. "does not go in or go out." therein except once in its great cycle; 8 i.e. once in twenty-eight years. (thereon) it goes through it as on the day when it was created. 9 The 1st ed. reads: "on the day when the world was created, on the day when it was created." At night the sun is in the west. 10 i.e. when it sets. The Prague edition reads here: "on the day it was created at night and in the west." At the Tekuphah of Tishri and at the Tekuphah of Tebeth the sun goes on its course in the south quarter and in the waters of the Ocean 11 See John of Damascus, op. cit. ii. 9, with reference to the ocean which surrounds the earth. (which are) between the ends of the heavens and the ends of the earth where it is submerged. 12 Or "where it sets." For the night is long and the way is long 13 To traverse half of the west, the north, and half of the east. The apparent risings of the sun are all in the east from the point of view of the spectator on the earth; half the year the rising is south of the earth's equator, the other half of the year this is north of the equator; thus the setting in the west corresponds to the rising, and accounts for the "long way" after setting in the winter. until (the sun) reaches the aperture which is in the east, (even) the aperture through which it desires to go forth, 14 At its next rising. The following reading is given by the first two editions: "At the Tekuphoth of Nisan and Tammuẓ the sun goes forth on its course to the north quarter to the waters of the Ocean which are between the ends of the heavens and the ends of the earth; for the night is short and the way is short (after sunset) until it reaches the apertures which are in the east through which it desires to go forth." as it is said, "It goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north" (Eccles. 1:6). 1 Ecclesiastes refers to the wind here, but our text applies this to the sun. See the Targum to this verse of Ecclesiastes. It goes to the south at the Tekuphah of Tishri and at the Tekuphah of Tebeth, and turns to the north at the Tekuphah of Nisan and at the Tekuphah of Tammuz. It goes on its course for six months in the south quarter, and for six months in the north quarter, and owing to its circuits the sun 2 Lit. wind or quarter. See previous note. returns to the aperture which is in the east. The sun has three letters of (God's) Name written upon his heart, 3 See Jerahmeel iii. 4: "Three letters of the Ineffable Name of God are written upon the heart of the sun." The sun has three different terms in Hebrew. and the angels lead him; 4 Slav. Enoch xiv. 2–4 says: "When he (the sun) goes out by the Western gate four hundred angels take his crown and bring it to the Lord. And the sun revolves in his chariot … and when he comes near the east… the four hundred angels bring his crown and crown him." There is probably some connection between this passage and P.R.E. Eth. Enoch refers to the sun's chariot (lxxii. 5). See also 3 Baruch, ch. vi. 1 f. ed. Charles, Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, ii. p. 536. This Apocalypse of Baruch offers also other parallels to our Midrash, see Introduction, and cf. J.E. ii. 550. such || as lead him by day do not lead him by night, and such as lead him by night do not lead him by day. The sun rides in a chariot and rises, crowned as a bridegroom, 5 The first editions add: "and he goeth forth and rejoiceth like a strong man." as it is said, "Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run his course" (Ps. 19:5). The sun's rays and face, which are turned downwards (to the earth), are of hail; 6 The 1st ed. reads: "The sun's rays and face which look downwards are of fire and his rays and face which look upwards are of hail." The Venice edition adds "to the earth" after "downwards." See Eth. Enoch iv. and were it not for the hail which quenches the flames of fire 7 The first editions read: "his face of fire." the world would be consumed by fire, as it is said, "And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof" ( ibid. 6). In winter (the sun) turns the upper (half of) his face downwards, 8 The first editions read: "the lower (half of) his face upwards, and were it not for the fire which warms the hail." and were it not for the fire which warms the face of hail the world could not endure because of the ice (cold), as it is said, "Who can stand before his cold?" ( ibid. cxlvii. 17). These are the ends of the ways of the sun. 9 Compare with our text Eth. Enoch lxxxii. 15–20.
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CHAPTER VII 1 In MS. this is ch. vi. THE COURSE OF THE MOON [7 A . i.] R ABBAN J OCHANAN BEN Ẓ AKKAI , Rabban Gamaliel, R. Ishmael, R. Elazar ben 'Arakh, R. Eliezer ben Hyrkanos, and R. 'Akiba 2 On Rabban Gamaliel ii. see J.E. v. 560 ff.; on R. Ishmael see Bacher, T. i. 232 ff., and J.E. vi. 648 ff.; on R. Elaẓar b. ‘Arakh see J.E . v. 96 f.; for life of R. ‘Akiba see Bacher, T. i. 263 ff. It is difficult to understand how R. ‘ Akiba or R. Ishmael could have discussed Torah with Rabban Jochanan b. Ẓakkai. were expounding 3 The first editions read: "were sitting and expounding." (the laws of) the Molad 4 Molad is the conjunction of Moon and Sun; see Schwarz, Der jüdische Kalender, pp. 58 f. of the moon. They said: 5 The margin of the MS. has, "and all of them" (said). The Holy One, blessed be He, spake one word and the heavens were created 6 Cf. Isa. 45:12. See Othijoth d. R. ‘Akiba, third paragraph of letter Resh, ed. Jellinek, B.H.M. iii. p. 46, and compare John i. 3, where the Logos or Word is the Creator. as the residence of the Throne of His Glory, 7 The first editions read: "His Kingdom." as it is said, "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made" (Ps. 33:6). But in connection with the (creation of the) host of heaven He laboured with great labour. 8 The first editions read: "great labour is mentioned, as it is said, And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth' ( ibid. )." || What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He blew with His mouth the wind of the breath 9 Breath implies more than a mere word. of life 10 The first editions read: "He blew with the wind of the breath of His mouth." and all the host of heaven were created, 11 "Simultaneously" is added by the first editions. as it is said, "And all the host of them by the breath of his mouth" ( ibid. ).
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All the stars and constellations 12 "And the two luminaries" is added by the first editions. were created at the beginning of 1 6 p.m. the night of the fourth 2 Tuesday evening at 6 p.m., when the fourth day began. day, one (luminary) did not precede the other except by the period of two-thirds of an hour. Therefore every motion 3 Lit. "action." of the sun (is done) with deliberation, and every motion of the moon is (done) quickly. 4 Since the sun was created just before the moon the latter hastens to overtake the former. The distance covered by the sun in thirteen days and a fifth 5 Oxford MS. (d. 35) reads: "12 days." is covered by the moon in one day, 6 The text of the printed editions is hopelessly corrupt. They state: "The distance covered by the sun all the days of the year is traversed by the moon in one day." and (the distance) covered by the sun all the days of the year, the moon traverses (the same distance) in forty-one days. 7 The 1st ed. reads: "28 days." The Venice text reads: "30 days," which seems to be more correct than "41 days" of our MS. Our author seems to treat numbers without any regard to the exact amount. By treating fractions as though they were whole numbers, we may find an explanation of the difficulty which has already occurred in the previous chapter; perhaps the 365¼ days of the year were described as 366 so as to avoid the fraction. The text should probably read thus: "The distance covered by the sun in 12 days is covered by the moon in 1 day, and (the distance) covered by the sun all the days of the year, the moon traverses in 30 days." See, however, T.J. Rosh Ha-Shanah ii. 5, p. 58a, which is possibly the source of our text here. The lunar month according to the Hebrew astronomers was said to be 29 days, 12 hours, and 793/1080 parts of an hour (1 minute=18 parts). Our book sometimes treats this as a whole number by saying, "the month has 30 days," or we find the more exact reference to 29 days, 12 hours, and 40 minutes, neglecting the 4 minutes, 3⅓ seconds, which really belong to the sum total. On the entire subject of the Calendar see the valuable article by S. Poznaúski in Hastings' Encyclopœdia of Religion and Ethics, iii. 17 ff. All the days serve for the beginning of the Molad of the (new) moon; (for the following series 8 The series of the small cycles of three years in which the Molad of the next cycle falls on the day which was anterior to that on which the previous Molad fell. The calculation is based on the length of the lunar month being reckoned as measuring 29 days, 12 hours, 40 minutes, so that in one year the surplus over the complete week equals 4 days, 8 hours (since each lunar month has 4 complete weeks and 1 day, 12 hours and 40 minutes; and this surplus multiplied by 12 equals 18 days, 8 hours, i.e. 4 days, 8 hours beyond the two weeks), and in three years we have a surplus of 13 days (two weeks less one day); therefore the day of the next series to the one in question will be one day earlier than the preceding series; see Schwarz, op. cit. p. 23, and Lewisohn, Geschichte und System des jüdischen Kalenderwesens, p. 25, note 84. ) the days are reckoned backward; at the beginning of the night of the fourth day 9 Tuesday, at 6 p.m. the beginning of the Molad (new moon) was in the hour of Saturn; 1 See supra, p. 32, note 2. Saturn is represented by Sh. and the mnemonic is ShNZ KMLChSh. After three years of the small cycle the day 2 Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle. of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the third day, and the beginning of the Molad (new moon) is in the hour of Venus. After three years of the small cycle the day 2 Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle. of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the second day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of Jupiter. After three years of the small cycle the day 2 Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle. of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the first day, the beginning of the Molad || is in the hour of Mercury. 3 The MS. reads: "Kôkhab Chamah," which is not the usual appellation for Mercury; see Zunz, Gesammelte Schriften, iii. p. 243. After three years of the small cycle the day 2 Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle. of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the Sabbath, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of Mars. After three years of the small cycle the day 2 Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle. of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the sixth day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of the Moon. After three years of the small cycle the day 2 Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle. of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the fifth day, the beginning of the Molad is in the hour of the Sun. After three years of the small cycle the day 2 Of the Molad at the beginning of the new cycle. of the next cycle (reverts to) the beginning of the night of the fourth day, the beginning of the Molad reverts to the hour of Saturn as in the hour when it was created.
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The great cycle of the moon is 21 years; it has 7 small cycles each containing 8 years. 4 The first editions add: "Each constellation ministers to the days of the lunar month." The total of the days of the lunar month is 29½ days, 40 minutes, and 73 parts. 5 As we have seen, 1 hour = 1080 parts, therefore 4 1/18 minutes. Luria holds that the expression "73 parts" is an interpolation. See T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, 25a, on the question of the duration of a lunar month, which agrees with our text. Each constellation serves the days of the lunar month for 2 days and 8 hours; three constellations serve for 7 days. The chief 6 The constellation. which begins on the new moon (of the lunar month) is the same which concludes at the end of the lunar month. 7 The twelve constellations serve or influence 28 days of the lunar month; the remaining 1½ days, etc., are under the influence of the constellation which presided at the beginning of the month. The moon becomes new at every Molad, once at night and the next time 1 Lit. "once." by day, || and this is their sign: "And it was evening and it was morning" (Gen. 1:5). Between one Molad and (the corresponding) Molad in the ensuing year (there elapse) 4 days, 8 hours, and 876 parts. 2 The first editions read: "4 days. 8 hours, and 873 parts." This is incorrect. Luria reads: "4 days and 8 hours." The basis of his assumption, which is unwarranted, is the theory that the lunar month =4 weeks and 1 day, 12 hours, and 40 minutes, and this surplus multiplied by 12 =18 days, 8 hours, i.e . 2 weeks and 4 days, 8 hours. Again this surplus multiplied by 3 (the small cycle) =13 days exactly. Our MS. is quite correct; see Hastings' Encyclopœdia of Religion and Ethics, iv. p. 120. The 1st and 2nd eds. add: "the difference between a great cycle and a small cycle is only 13 days."
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