holymap
Reading hallMidrash Rabbah
Rabbinic JudaismBereshit Rabbah 39HOLYMAP · SACRED TEXTS
Midrash RabbahBereshit Rabbah 39

Midrash Rabbah

Bereshit Rabbah 39

1
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“The Lord said to Abram: Go you, from your land, and from your birthplace, and from your father’s house, to the land that I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). “The Lord said to Abram: Go you, from your land…” – Rabbi Yitzḥak began: “Listen, daughter, see, and incline your ear. Forget your people and your father’s house” (Psalms 45:11). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This is analogous to one who was passing from place to place, and saw a building with a [candle] burning in it. He said: ‘Is it possible that this building has no one in charge of it?’ The owner of the building looked out at him and said: ‘I am the owner of the building.’ So, because Abraham our patriarch was saying: ‘Is it possible that this world is without someone in charge?’ The Holy One blessed be He looked at him and said to him: ‘I am the owner of the world.’ “The king will desire your beauty, as he is your master” (Psalms 45:12) – to show your beauty in the world. “And bow to him” (Psalms 45:12) – that is, “the Lord said to Abram.”

2
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“The Lord said to Abram” – Rabbi Berekhya began: “By the fragrance of your good oils, your name is like poured oil” (Song of Songs 1:3). Rabbi Berekhya said: To what was Abraham our patriarch comparable? To a flask of balsam oil surrounded with a fastened cover, that was placed in a corner and its fragrance did not diffuse. When it was moved, its fragrance diffused. So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham our patriarch: ‘Move yourself from one place to another place, and your name will be exalted in the world.’

3
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“The Lord said to Abram” – Rabbi Berekhya began: “We have a little sister, and she has no breasts…” (Song of Songs 8:8). “We have a little sister [aḥot]” – this is Abraham, who joined together [iḥa] all the people of the world [in the service of God]. Bar Kappara said: Like one who sews up [meaḥeh] a tear. “Little” – while he was still little, he amassed mitzvot and good deeds. “And she has no breasts” – he was not suckled with mitzvot and good deeds. “What shall we do for our sister on the day that she will be spoken for?” (Song of Songs 8:8) – on the day that Nimrod decreed upon him to be cast into the fiery furnace. “If she is a wall, we will build upon her” (Song of Songs 8:9) – if he stands firm on his principles, like a wall, “we will build upon her.” “And if she is a door [delet], we will decorate her” (Song of Songs 8:9) – if he is deficient [dal] in mitzvot and good deeds, “we will decorate [natzur] her with cedar panels” – just as a decoration is only temporary, so, too, I will support him only temporarily. He [Abram] said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, “I am a wall” (Song of Songs 8:10) – I stand firm on my principles.’ “My breasts are like the towers” (Song of Songs 8:10) – this refers to Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya. “Then I was, in his eyes, as one who finds peace” (Song of Songs 8:10) – as he entered [the furnace] in peace and emerged in peace.

4
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“The Lord said to Abram: Go you, from your land” – “wisdom will fortify the wise more than ten rulers who were in a city” (Ecclesiastes 7:19) – more than the ten generations that were from Noah to Abraham. From among all of them, I spoke only with you: “The Lord said to Abram: Go you, from your land.”

5
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

Rabbi Azarya began: “We sought to heal Babylon, but it was not healed; forsake it, and let us go, each to his land” (Jeremiah 51:9). “We sought to heal Babylon” – in the generation of Enosh; “but it was not healed” – in the generation of the Flood; “forsake it” – in the generation of the Dispersion; “and let us go, each to his land” – “the Lord said to Abram: Go you, from your land.”

6
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

Rabbi Azarya in the name of Rabbi Aḥa began: “You love righteousness and abhor wickedness. Because of this, God, your God, has anointed you over your counterparts with the oil of joy” (Psalms 45:8). Rabbi Azarya interpreted the verse regarding Abraham. When our forefather Abraham arose to seek mercy for the Sodomites, what is written there? “Far be it from You to do a thing like this, to kill the righteous with the wicked, and [the righteous] will be…” (Genesis 18:25). Rabbi Aḥa said: [Abraham argued:] ‘You took an oath saying that You would not bring a flood upon the world. Are You seeking to evade Your oath? That is astonishing. You [swore that You] will not bring a flood of water, but you may bring a flood of fire? If so, You have not fulfilled Your oath.’ Rabbi Levi said: “Shall the Judge of all the earth not practice justice?” (Genesis 18:25) – [Abraham argued”] ‘If You wish to have a world, there can be no strict justice, and if you wish strict justice, there can be no world. But you seek to hold the rope at both ends; You wish [to have] a world and You wish [to have] strict justice. Choose one of them. And if You do not ease up a bit, the world will be unable to endure.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: “You love righteousness and abhor wickedness.” “Over your counterparts” – what is “over your counterparts”? From Noah until you there were ten generations, and from among all of them, I did not speak with any of them except for you.

7
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“The Lord said to Abram: Go you, from your land” – what is written prior to this matter? “Teraḥ died in Ḥaran” (Genesis 11:32). Rabbi Yitzḥak said: If you follow the calculation [of years] until now, he [Teraḥ] still had an additional sixty-five years coming to him. The explanation is that, initially, you expound that the wicked are considered dead [even] during their lifetimes. Because our forefather Abraham was fearful, and he said: ‘If I go, the name of Heaven will be desecrated because of me, as people will say: He abandoned his father and left him in his old age.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I exempt you from honoring your father and mother, but I do not exempt anyone else from honoring their father and mother. Moreover, I will have his death recorded before your departure; first: “Teraḥ died in Ḥaran” and then: “the Lord said to Abram.”

8
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: “Go you [lekh lekha]” – twice, one from Aram Naharayim and one from Aram Naḥor. Rabbi Neḥemya says: “Lekh lekha” – twice, one from Aram Naharayim and Aram Naḥor, and one when He flew him from [the Covenant] between the Pieces and brought him to Ḥaran. That is what is written: “Your people [amekha] will volunteer on your day of battle [ḥeilekha]” (Psalms 110:3) – I was with you [imekha] when you volunteered on My behalf to descend into the fiery furnace. “On your day of battle” – when you assembled for Me all the hosts [haḥayalot] and masses. “In sacred glory [hadrei]” (Psalms 110:3) – from the radiance [hadar] of the world I sanctified you; “from the womb of the dawn [mishḥar]” (Psalms 110:3) – from the womb of the world I have sought you out [sheḥartikha]. “Yours is the dew of youth” (Psalms 110:3) – because our forefather Abraham was fearful, saying: ‘Perhaps I have a sin on my hands because I was an idol worshipper all those years?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “The dew of your youth” – just as dew evaporates, so, too, your sins will evaporate; just as dew is a sign of blessing for the world, so, too, you are a sign of blessing for the world. That is what is written: “I said: Would that I had wings like a dove; I would fly away and come to rest” (Psalms 55:7). Why like a dove? Because all other birds, when they are weary, they rest on a stone or on a tree, but a dove, when it flies and grows weary, it folds one of its wings and flies with the other wing. “I would wander [nedod] far away” (Psalms 55:8) – movement after movement, wandering after wandering. “To repose in the wilderness, Selah” (Psalms 55:8) – it is preferable to repose in the wildernesses of the Land of Israel rather than to repose in the palaces outside the Land. And if you object that Abraham did not act immediately, and did not rejoice over the words of the Omnipresent, and [you ask] why did he not depart [at once]? It is because he had not yet been permitted, but once he was permitted: “Abram went as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him” (Genesis 12:4). Rabbi Levi said: When Abraham was traveling through Aram Naharayim and Aram Naḥor, he saw them eating, drinking, and reveling. He said: ‘Would that my portion not be in this land.’ When he reached the Promontory of Tyre, he saw them engaged in weeding at the time of weeding, hoeing at the time of hoeing, he said: ‘Would that my portion be in this land.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: “To your descendants I will give this land” (Genesis 12:7).

9
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

Rabbi Levi said: Twice “go you [lekh lekha]” is written, but we do not know which is more dear, whether it is the second or the first. From what is written: “[Go you] to the land of Moriah” (Genesis 22:2), we see that the second is more beloved than the first. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Go you, from your land” – from your district; “and from your birthplace” – this means your neighborhood; “and from your father’s house” – this means from your father’s household. Why did he not reveal it [his destination] to him? It was to make it more endearing to him, and to give him a reward for each and every stride. That is in accordance with the opinion of Rabbi Yoḥanan [elsewhere], as Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “He said: Take your son, your only one” (Genesis 20:2). He [Abraham] said to Him: ‘This one is the “only one” to his mother and that one is the “only one” to his mother.’ He said to him: “Whom you love” (Genesis 22:2). He said to Him: ‘Are their partitions in the innards?’ He said to him: “Isaac” (Genesis 22:2). Why did He not reveal it to him [immediately]? It was to make it more endearing to him, and to give him a reward for each and every statement. As Rav Huna said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer son of Rabbi Yosei HaGelili: The Holy One blessed be He withholds [information at first] and keeps the eyes of the righteous directed toward Him, and only then does he reveal to them the particulars of the matter. So: “to the land that I will show you”; “upon one of the mountains that I will say to you” (Genesis 22:2); “proclaim the proclamation that I speak to you” (Jonah 3:2); “Go out to the valley and I will speak to you there” (Ezekiel 3:22).

10
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: This is analogous to a king who was passing from place to place and a gem fell from upon his head. The king stopped walking and stopped his entourage. He made piles of dirt, brought a sieve, and sifted the first pile, but did not find it; the second, but did not find it; the third, and he found it. They said: ‘The king found his gem.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He said: ‘What purpose was there for Me to trace the lineage of Shem, Arpakhshad, Shelaḥ, Ever, Peleg, Re’u, Serug, Naḥor, Teraḥ? It was only for you [Abraham].’ “You found his heart faithful before You” (Nehemiah 9:8). So, too, the Holy One blessed be He said to David: ‘What purpose was there for Me to trace the lineage of Peretz, Ḥetzron, Ram, Aminadav, Naḥshon, Salmon, Boaz, Oved, Yishai? It was only for you: “I found David, My servant; I anointed him with My sacred oil”’ (Psalms 89:21).

11
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“I will make you a great nation, I will bless you [vaavarekhekha], I will render your name great, and you shall be a blessing” (Genesis 12:2). “I will make you a great nation” – he said to Him: ‘Did you not [already] produce seventy nations from Noah?’ He said to him: ‘That nation in whose regard it is written: “For who is a great nation [to whom God is so close]?” (Deuteronomy 4:7), I will produce from you.’ Rabbi Berekhya said: “I will give you” and “I will place you” are not written here, but rather, “I will make you [ve’e’eshkha]” – from when I make you into a new creation, you will procreate. Rabbi Levi bar Ḥavyat and Rabbi Abba son of Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Three “greatnesses” and four “blessings” are written here. He apprised him that there would be three patriarchs and four matriarchs. Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Because travel causes three results: it minimizes procreation, minimizes resources for expenditures, and minimizes one’s reputation. It minimizes procreation – “I will make you a great nation,” minimizes resources for expenditures – “I will bless you,” minimizes one’s reputation – “I will render your name great.” As people say: From house to house – a robe; from place to place – a soul. However, you will lose neither soul nor property. Rabbi Berekhya said in the name of Rabbi Ḥelbo: It means a coin with his image went out into the world. There are four people whose images appeared on coins that circulated in the world. Abraham – “I will make you a great nation” – his image circulated on coins. What was the image on his coins? It was an elderly man and an elderly woman on one side, and a young man and a maiden on the other side. Joshua – “The Lord was with Joshua; his fame was throughout the land” (Joshua 6:27) – his image circulated on coins in the world. What was it? It was a bull on one side and an aurochs on the other side, after: “A firstborn bull is his majesty, and his horns are the horns of an aurochs” (Deuteronomy 33:17). David – “David’s renown circulated in all lands” (I Chronicles 14:17) – his image circulated on coins in the world. What was the image on his coin? It was a [shepherd’s] staff and satchel on one side, and a tower on the other side, after: “Your neck is like the tower of David” (Song of Songs 4:4). Mordekhai – “For Mordekhai was great in the king’s palace, and his renown spread in all the provinces” (Esther 9:4) – his image circulated on coins. What was the image on his coin? It was sackcloth and ashes on one side, and a golden crown on the other side. Rabbi Yudan said: [God said to Abraham:] ‘I will institute a blessing for you in the eighteen benedictions, but you do not know whether Mine precedes yours, or whether yours takes precedence.’ Rabbi Aḥuya said in the name of Rabbi Ze’eira: Yours precedes Mine, when one recites first: Shield of Abraham, and only then, He revives the dead. Rabbi Abahu said: “Look now heavenward [hashamayim]” is not written here, but rather, “look now hashamaima” (Genesis 15:5). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I created the world with the letter heh. I will add the letter heh to your name and then you will procreate.’ Rabbi Yudan said: Your letters will have the numerical value of “I will bless you [avarekhekha]” – two hundred and forty-eight. Rabbi Levi said: No person [so much as] priced a cow from Abraham before he was blessed, nor did any person price a cow for him until he was blessed by Abraham. How so? Abraham would pray for barren women and they would be remembered, and for the ill, and they would gain relief. Rav Huna said: It was not only when Abraham would go to the ill person, but even if the ill person would merely see him, he would gain relief. Rabbi Ḥanina said: Even ships that set sail in the Great Sea were saved due to the merit of Abraham. But were they not laden with libation wine? This is astonishing. The explanation is that [there is a saying:] Vinegar lowers the price of wine. Wherever the wine of idol worshippers is available, the wine of Jews is sold at lower prices. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: He [God] did this for Job, as well, as it is stated: “You blessed his handiwork” (Job 1:10). A person never took a penny from Job and needed to take from him a second time. “And you shall be a blessing [berakha]” – read it as “a pool [berekha].” Just as a pool purifies the impure, so, you draw the distant near and purify them for their Father who is in Heaven. Rabbi Berekhya said: “I will bless you” is already written; why does the verse state [further]: “And you shall be a blessing”? The explanation is that He said to him: ‘Until this point I was required to bless My world, from now on, the blessings are passed to you; whomever you deem worthy to bless, bless him.’

12
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

I will bless those who bless you, and one who curses you, I will curse, and all the families of the earth shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:3). “I will bless those who bless you” – Rabbi Yirmeya said: The Holy One blessed be He was more exacting regarding the honor of the righteous man than regarding His own honor. Regarding His own honor it is written: “For those who honor Me, I will honor, but those who scorn Me will be dishonored” (I Samuel 2:30) – by others. Regarding the honor of the righteous it is written: “I will bless those who bless you, and one who curses you, I will curse” – I, Myself. It is taught: These are the blessings during which a person bows: The blessing of the Patriarchs, at the beginning and the end; the blessing of thanksgiving, at the beginning and the end. One who bows during each blessing, he should be taught not to bow. Rabbi Yitzḥak bar Naḥman said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: A High Priest bows at the beginning of each blessing, and a king bows at the beginning of each blessing and at the end of each blessing. Rabbi Simon said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The king, once he bowed [at the beginning], he would not stand upright until he would complete his entire prayer. That is what is written: “It was when Solomon had concluded praying this entire prayer and entreaty to the Lord that he rose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling [mikero’a] on his knees, and his hands were spread heavenward” (I Kings 8:54). What is keria and what is berikha? Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great demonstrated keria before Rabbi, and he became lame [as a result], but he was healed. Bar Sisi demonstrated berikha before Rabbi, and he became lame [as a result], and was not healed. “Shall be blessed in you” – the rains are due to your merit, the dews are due to your merit. That is what is written: “The matter became known to Mordekhai, and he told Queen Esther…” (Esther 2:22). This one [Mordekhai] is circumcised and that one [Aḥashverosh] is uncircumcised, and he took pity on him? That is astonishing. Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: [Mordekhai said:] ‘“I gain insight from the elders, for I uphold Your edicts” (Psalms 119:100) – Jacob blessed Pharaoh, as it is stated: “Jacob blessed Pharaoh” (Genesis 47:7). Joseph revealed [the dream] to him [Pharaoh]. Daniel revealed [the dream] to Nebuchadnezzar. I, too, will do so: “And he told Queen Esther.”’ Rabbi Neḥemya said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham our forefather: “All the families of the earth shall be blessed in you” (Genesis 12:3).. If you say that it means that they will be wealthy, they [the gentiles] are more wealthy than they [the Jews]. But rather, it is for consultation. When they encounter trouble, they consult with us and we reveal to them [what to do].

13
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, and Lot went with him; Abram was seventy-five years old upon his departure from Ḥaran” (Genesis 12:4). “Abram went, as the Lord had spoken to him, [and Lot went with him]…” – Lot was subordinate to him. “Abram was seventy-five years old.” That is what is written: “He was rearing Hadasa, she was Esther” (Esther 2:7) – Rav said: She was forty years old. Shmuel said: She was eighty years old. The Rabbis say: She was seventy-five years old. The Rabbis from there said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Abraham: ‘You departed from your father’s house when you were seventy-five years old, by your life, the redeemer that I will establish from you [from your descendants] will be seventy-five years old,’ corresponding to the numerical value of Hadasa.

14
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot, son of his brother, and all their property that they had acquired, and the people that they had made in Ḥaran; they departed to go to the land of Canaan and they came to the land of Canaan” (Genesis 12:5). “And the people that they had made in Ḥaran” – Rabbi Elazar bar Zimra said: If all the inhabitants of the world were to assemble, to create even a single gnat, they would be unable to inject a soul into it, and yet you say: “The people that they had made?” The explanation is that this refers to the proselytes that they converted. If so, [it should have said] “that they converted”; why “that they made”? It is to teach you that anyone who draws an idol worshipper near and converts him, it is as though he has created him. Let it, then, say: “that he made”? Rav Huna said: Abraham converted the men and Sarah converted the women.

15
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“Abram passed through the land to the place of Shekhem, until the plain of Moreh. And the Canaanites were then in the land” (Genesis 12:6). “Abram passed through the land…[and the Canaanites were still in the land]” – until then, they still had a right to the land. “The Lord appeared to Abram, and said: To your descendants I will give this land. And he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him” (Genesis 12:7). “The Lord appeared to Abram, and said: To your descendants…[and he built an altar]” – he built an altar only over the good tidings of [being granted] the Land of Israel. “He relocated from there to the mountain east of Beit El, and he pitched his tent, Beit El to the west, and Ai to the east; he built an altar to the Lord there, and proclaimed the name of the Lord” (Genesis 12:8). “He relocated from there to the mountain east [kedem] of Beit El” – in the past it was called Beit El, and now it is called Beit Aven. Rabbi Elazar said: It did not merit to be called Beit HeAmad, but is called Beit HeAmal. There they call good deeds amida, and a chamber pot amila. “He pitched his tent [oholo]” – ohola is written. It teaches that he pitched Sarah’s tent first, and then pitched his tent.

16
English · The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022)

“He built an altar to the Lord there” – Rabbi Elazar said: He built three altars; one for the good tidings of [being granted] the Land of Israel, one for its acquisition, and one so his descendants would not fall [in battle]. That is what is written [concerning the battle of Ai]: “Joshua rent his garments, fell on his face to the ground before the Ark of the Lord until the evening, he and the elders of Israel, and they put dust on their heads” (Joshua 7:6). Rabbi Elazar ben Shamua said: They began evoking the merit of Abraham our forefather, as it is stated: “I am dust and ashes” (Genesis 18:27). Did Abraham not build an altar in Ai specifically so that his descendants should not fall [in battle] at Ai? “And proclaimed [vayikra] the name of the Lord” – this teaches that he caused all the people to proclaim the name of the Lord. Vayikra – he began converting proselytes to bring them under the wings of the Divine Presence. “Abram journeyed, steadily journeying to the Negev” (Genesis 12:9). “Abram journeyed, steadily journeying to the Negev” – he directed his attention and charted his path toward the site of the Temple.

1
Bereshit Rabbah 39English
2
Bereshit Rabbah 390%

Midrash Rabbah

Find your chapter.

547 chapters

Make yourself comfortable.

PAGE COLOUR

TEXT SIZE

100%

Your preferences stay with you on this device.

ORIGINALS & TRANSLATIONS

Choose your edition.

Select one edition for quiet reading, or several to compare the words.

English: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022), CC BY. Hebrew: Torat Emet text, public domain. From Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

English: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah (2022), CC BY. Hebrew: Torat Emet text, public domain. From Sefaria (sefaria.org). · Source ↗

English translation: The Sefaria Midrash Rabbah, 2022, via Sefaria (sefaria.org). Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/). Changes: footnotes and HTML formatting removed.

↑
Explore the atlas
↑ ↓ to explore   ·   Enter to open   ·   Esc to close