Devarim Rabbah 3

הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ מְנוֹרָה שֶׁעֲשׂוּיָה פְּרָקִים פְּרָקִים, מַהוּ לְטַלְטְלָהּ בְּשַׁבָּת, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים הַמַּרְכִּיב קְנֵי מְנוֹרָה בְּשַׁבָּת חַיָּב חַטָּאת, וּמִשּׁוּם מָה מְחַיֵּב, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן הַמַּרְכִּיב אֶת הַמְנוֹרָה בְּשַׁבָּת כְּאָדָם שֶׁבּוֹנֶה בְּשַׁבָּת, וּמִי שֶׁהוּא בּוֹנֶה בְּשַׁבָּת, חַיָּב. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בְּר' חֲנִינָא, אֵימָתַי שָׁמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת כְּשֵׁם שֶׁרָאוּי לָהּ, תְּחִלָּה כְּשֶׁנְּתָנָהּ לָהֶן בְּאָלוּשׁ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טז, ל): וַיִּשְׁבְּתוּ הָעָם בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, וְאַתְּ סָבוּר שֶׁמָּא לְרָעָתְךָ נָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, לֹא נָתַתִּי לְךָ אֶלָּא לְטוֹבָתְךָ, כֵּיצַד, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בְּר' אַבָּא אַתְּ מְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת בְּמַאֲכָל וּבְמִשְׁתֶּה וּבִכְסוּת נְקִיָּה וּמְהַנֶּה אֶת נַפְשֶׁךָ, וַאֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ שָׂכָר, מִנַּיִן (ישעיה נח, יג): וְקָרָאתָ לַשַׁבָּת עֹנֶג וגו', מַה כְּתִיב אַחֲרָיו (ישעיה נח, יד): אָז תִּתְעַנַּג עַל ה' (תהלים לז, ד): וְיִתֶּן לְךָ מִשְׁאֲלֹת לִבֶּךָ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֵימָתַי אַתְּ נוֹתֵן לָנוּ שְׂכַר הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁאָנוּ עוֹשִׂים, אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִצְווֹת שֶׁאַתֶּם עוֹשִׂים מִפֵּרוֹתֵיהֶן אַתֶּם אוֹכְלִים עַכְשָׁו, אֲבָל שְׂכָרָן בְּעֵקֶב אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לָכֶם, מִנַּיִן מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בְּעִנְיָנֵנוּ (דברים ז, יב): וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן.

“It will be, because you heed these ordinances, and observe and perform them, that the Lord your God will maintain for you the covenant and the kindness regarding which He took an oath to your forefathers” (Deuteronomy 7:12). Halakha: If a person of Israel has a candelabrum made of separate pieces, may one carry it on Shabbat? So taught the Sages: One who assembles the branches of a candelabrum on Shabbat incurs liability to bring a sin offering. For what is he liable? Rabbi Abbahu said in the name of Rabbi Yoḥanan: One who assembles the candelabrum on Shabbat is like one who builds on Shabbat, and one who builds on Shabbat is liable. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: When did Israel observe Shabbat properly? When it was first given to them in Alush. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The people rested on the seventh day” (Exodus 16:30). [God said:] ‘Do you perhaps think that I gave you Shabbat to your detriment? I gave it only for your benefit.’ How so? Rabbi Ḥiyya ben Rabbi Abba said: [God said:] ‘You sanctify the Shabbat with food, drink, and clean garments, and bring pleasure to your soul, and I will give you reward.’ From where is this derived? “And you call Shabbat a delight…” (Isaiah 58:13). What is written thereafter? “Then you will delight in the Lord” (Isaiah 58:14). “[Delight in the Lord], and He will grant you the desires of your heart” (Psalms 37:4). Israel said to Him: ‘When will you give us the reward for the mitzvot that we perform?’ The Holy One blessed be He said to them: ‘The mitzvot that you perform, their fruits you consume now, but their reward I will give you at the end [be’ekev].’ From where is this derived? From what we read in our verse: “It will be, because [ekev] you heed.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְהָיָה עֵקֶב, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים ס, ט): לִי גִלְעָד וְלִי מְנַשֶּׁה, מַהוּ גִּלְעָד, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ כו' עַד שֶׁהֵן מִבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר (תהלים ס, י): מוֹאָב סִיר רַחְצִי, אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שׂוֹפֵת אֲנִי לְמוֹאָב יוֹרָה שֶׁל פֻּרְעָנוּת, מַהוּ (תהלים ס, י): עַל אֱדוֹם אַשְׁלִיךְ נַעֲלִי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַכֹּל מוּכָן לַעֲשׂוֹת תְּשׁוּבָה, וַאֲנִי דּוֹרֵךְ גִּתָּהּ שֶׁל אֱדוֹם בַּעֲקֵב רַגְלִי, אֵימָתַי, וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, בָּנַי, לֹא תִהְיוּ סְבוּרִים שֶׁאֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אֶתְכֶם כְּעֶבֶד שֶׁאֲדוֹנוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ לִמְכֹּר אוֹתוֹ קוֹרִיסִין בְּכָל מַה שֶּׁמּוֹצֵא, אֶלָּא כָּךְ אֲנִי מֵבִיא עֲלֵיכֶם יִסּוּרִין עַד שֶׁתָּכִינוּ אֶת לְבַבְכֶם אֶצְלִי. אָמַר רַב אַחָא בִּשְׁבוּעָה נִשְׁבַּע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁלֹא יַנִּיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל לְעוֹלָם, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ד, יב): לָכֵן כֹּה אֶעֱשֶׂה לְךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְאֵין לָכֵן אֶלָּא שְׁבוּעָה, כְּעִנְיַן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמואל א ג, יד): וְלָכֵן נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לְבֵית עֵלִי, וְעַד הֵיכָן אֲנִי מְיַסֵּר אֶתְכֶם, עַד הֶעָקֵב (עמוס ד, יב): עֵקֶב כִּי זֹאת אֶעֱשֶׂה לָךְ, עַד שֶׁתִּשְׁמְרוּ אֶת מִצְווֹתַי עַד הֶעָקֵב.

Another matter, “it will be, because [ekev]” – this is what the verse said: “Gilad is mine, Manasseh is mine” (Psalms 60:9). What is Gilad? Reish Lakish said…they were from the sons of Judah. Another matter, “Moav is my washbasin” (Psalms 60:10) – Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘I will place a cauldron of punishment on the fire for Moav.’ What is, “I will cast my shoe on Edom”? (Psalms 60:10). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘When everything is prepared for repentance, I will stomp Edom’s winepress with the heel [baakev] of my foot.’ When will “it be, ekev”? It will be when “you heed.” The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘My children, do not believe that I am treating you like a slave whose master seeks to sell him [because he is] deficient, for whatever [price] he can fetch. Rather, I will bring suffering upon you until you prepare your heart [to return] to Me.’ Rav Aḥa said: The Holy One blessed be He took an oath that He would never forsake Israel. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Therefore [lakhen], so I will do to you, Israel” (Amos 4:12), and lakhen is nothing other than an oath, like the matter that is stated: “Therefore [velakhen], I have taken an oath to the sons of Eli” (I Samuel 3:14). Until when will I afflict you? Until the end [haakev]. “Because [ekev] I will do this to you” (Amos 4:12) – until you observe My mitzvot completely [ad haakev].

דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה כְּתִיב לְמַעְלָה (דברים ז, ט): וְיָדַעְתָּ כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְאוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ שֶׁהִפְקִיד אֶצְלוֹ פִּקָּדוֹן, וּמֵת אוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ, בָּא בְּנוֹ וּמְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת הַפִּקָּדוֹן מִיָּדוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ תֵּן לִי הַפִּקָּדוֹן שֶׁהִפְקִיד אַבָּא אֶצְלְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ מָצָאתָ אַחֵר טוֹב מִמֶּנִּי, הַפִּקָּדוֹן שֶׁאֶצְלִי לֹא שָׁמַרְתִּי אוֹתוֹ וְלֹא קִפַּלְתִּי אוֹתוֹ. כָּךְ כְּשֶׁחָטְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בִּימֵי יִרְמְיָה אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִרְמְיָה לֵךְ אֱמֹר לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (ירמיה ב, ה): מַה מָּצְאוּ אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם בִּי עָוֶל, עַל כָּל מַה שֶּׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתִּי לַאֲבוֹתֵיכֶם לֹא קִיַּמְתִּי, נִשְׁבַּעְתִּי לָהֶם שֶׁאֲנִי מְבָרֵךְ אֶת בְּנֵיהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית כב, יז): כִּי בָרֵךְ אֲבָרֶכְךָ וגו', לֹא בֵּרַכְתִּי אֶתְכֶם עַל יְדֵי משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים א, י): ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם הִרְבָּה אֶתְכֶם. אָמַרְתִּי לוֹ שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹצִיא אֶתְכֶם בִּרְכוּשׁ גָּדוֹל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית טו, יד): וְאַחֲרֵי כֵן יֵצְאוּ בִּרְכֻשׁ גָּדוֹל, לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כָּךְ, (תהלים קה, לז): וַיּוֹצִיאֵם בְּכֶסֶף וְזָהָב וְאֵין בִּשְׁבָטָיו כּוֹשֵׁל, לְפִיכָךְ אָמַר משֶׁה (דברים ז, ח): וּמִשָּׁמְרוֹ אֶת הַשְּׁבֻעָה, מִן (דברים ז, ח): וַיִּפְדְּךָ מִבֵּית עֲבָדִים, אַתְּ יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהוּא הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, כִּי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ הוּא הָאֱלֹהִים, אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְאוֹהֲבוֹ שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ וכו' בָּא בְּנוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶת הַפִּקָּדוֹן, אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ לֵךְ וְהָבֵא שְׁנֵי אִיסְטַרְטִין וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר בִּלְבִיטוֹן וְעַל יְדֵיהֶן אֲנִי נוֹתֵן לְךָ אֶת הַפִּקָּדוֹן, כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם אֲבוֹתֵיכֶם הִפְקִידוּ אֶצְלִי פִּקָּדוֹן, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות ג, טז): פָּקֹד פָּקַדְתִּי אֶתְכֶם, אָמַר לָהֶן יָבוֹאוּ שְׁנֵי אִיסְטַרְטִין וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר בִּלְבִיטוֹן, זֶה משֶׁה וְאַהֲרֹן וּשְׁנֵים עָשָׂר רָאשֵׁי שְׁבָטִים, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר א, ג ד): תִּפְקְדוּ אֹתָם לְצִבְאֹתָם אַתָּה וְאַהֲרֹן וְאִתְּכֶם יִהְיוּ אִישׁ אִישׁ לַמַּטֶּה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, הָאֵל הַנֶּאֱמָן. רַבָּנִין אָמְרֵי מֶאֱמוּנָתוֹ שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם אַתְּ יוֹדֵעַ אֱמוּנָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר שֶׁהָיָה דָּר בְּעִיר אַחַת בַּדָּרוֹם, וְהָלְכוּ אֲנָשִׁים לְהִתְפַּרְנֵס שָׁם, וְהָיוּ בְּיָדָן שְׁתֵּי סְאִין שֶׁל שְׂעוֹרִים וְהִפְקִידוּ אֶצְלוֹ וְשָׁכְחוּ אוֹתָן וְהָלְכוּ לָהֶן, וְהָיָה רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר זוֹרֵעַ אוֹתָן בְּכָל שָׁנָה וְעוֹשֶׂה אוֹתָן גֹּרֶן וְכוֹנְסָן, אַחַר שֶׁבַע שָׁנִים הָלְכוּ אוֹתָן הַחֲבֵרִים לְשָׁם, לִתְבֹּעַ אוֹתָן לִתֵּן לָהֶם, מִיָּד הִכִּיר אוֹתָן רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר, אָמַר לָהֶם בּוֹאוּ וּטְלוּ אוֹצְרוֹתֵיכֶם, הֲרֵי מֶאֱמוּנָתוֹ שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ אֱמוּנָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וְשׁוּב מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר שֶׁהָלַךְ לְעִיר אַחַת וְהָיוּ הָעַכְבָּרִים אוֹכְלִים בִּתְחוּמָהּ שֶׁל אוֹתָהּ הָעִיר, בָּאוּ וּבִקְּשׁוּ הֵימֶנוּ, מֶה עָשָׂה רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר, אָמַר לָהֶן לָמָּה אֵין אַתֶּם מַפְרִישִׁין מַעְשְׂרוֹתֵיכֶם כָּרָאוּי, מְבַקְּשִׁים אַתֶּם שֶׁנַּעֲרֹב אֶתְכֶם, שֶׁאִם אַתֶּם מַפְרִישִׁין מַעְשְׂרוֹתֵיכֶם כָּרָאוּי אֵין עַכְבָּרִים אוֹכְלִין עוֹד, אָמְרוּ לוֹ אִין, עָרַב אוֹתָן וְהָלְכוּ הָעַכְבָּרִים וְלֹא נִרְאוּ עוֹד. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאָדָם אֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה חוֹפֵר שִׁיחִין לָרַבִּים, בִּתּוֹ הָיְתָה הוֹלֶכֶת בַּדֶּרֶךְ וּבָאת לַעֲבֹר בַּנָּהָר וּשְׁטָפָהּ, בָּאוּ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ לְרַבִּי פִּינְחָס כָּךְ הִגִּיעַ לְבִתּוֹ שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי, אָמַר לָהֶם אִי אֶפְשָׁר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהָיָה עוֹשֶׂה רְצוֹנוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בַּמַּיִם, אֵין הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְאַבֵּד אֶת בִּתּוֹ בַּמַּיִם, מִיָּד נָפְלָה צְוָחָה בָּעִיר בָּאֲתָה בִּתּוֹ שֶׁל פְּלוֹנִי, אָמְרוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בֶּן יָאִיר כָּךְ, יָרַד מַלְאָךְ וְהֶעֱלָה אוֹתָהּ. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שֶׁטַח שֶׁלָּקַח חֲמוֹר אֶחָד מִיִּשְׁמְעֵאלִי אֶחָד, הָלְכוּ תַּלְמִידָיו וּמָצְאוּ בּוֹ אֶבֶן אַחַת טוֹבָה תְּלוּיָה לוֹ בְּצַוָּארוֹ, אָמְרוּ לוֹ, רַבִּי, (משלי י, כב): בִּרְכַּת ה' הִיא תַעֲשִׁיר, אָמַר לָהֶן רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שֶׁטַח, חֲמוֹר לָקַחְתִּי אֶבֶן טוֹבָה לֹא לָקַחְתִּי, הָלַךְ וְהֶחֱזִירָהּ לְאוֹתוֹ יִשְׁמְעֵאלִי, וְקָרָא עָלָיו אוֹתוֹ יִשְׁמְעֵאלִי בָּרוּךְ ה' אֱלֹהֵי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן שָׁטַח, הֱוֵי מֶאֱמוּנָתוֹ שֶׁל בָּשָׂר וָדָם אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ אֱמוּנָתוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנֶּאֱמָן לְשַׁלֵּם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל שְׂכַר הַמִּצְווֹת שֶׁהֵן עוֹשִׂין, מִנַּיִן (שמות יב, יז): וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַמַּצּוֹת, אֲבָל מַתַּן שְׂכָרָן וְהָיָה עֵקֶב תִּשְׁמְעוּן, בְּעֵקֶב אֲנִי פּוֹרֵעַ לָכֶם.

Another matter, what is written above? “You shall know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God” (Deuteronomy 7:9) – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: To what is the matter comparable? To the friend of a king who entrusted a deposit to the hands [of the king]. The friend of the king died, and his son came and requested the deposit from [the king]. He said to him: ‘Give me the deposit that my father entrusted with you.’ The king said to him: ‘Have you found another better than I? Have I not guarded the deposit that is with me, and have I not folded it?’ So, when Israel sinned in the days of Jeremiah, the Holy One blessed be He said to Jeremiah: ‘Go and say to Israel: “What injustice did your fathers find in Me?” (Jeremiah 2:5). I took an oath to them that I will bless their descendants, as it is stated: “For I will bless you….” (Genesis 22:17). Did I not bless you by means of Moses, as it is stated: “The Lord your God has multiplied you”? (Deuteronomy 1:10). I said to him that I would take them out with great wealth, as it is stated: “Then they will emerge with great wealth” (Genesis 15:14). Did I not do so?’ – “He brought them out with silver and gold; none among His tribes faltered” (Psalms 105:37). That is why Moses said: “And from His observance of the oath” (Deuteronomy 7:8), “He redeemed you from the house of bondage” (Deuteronomy 7:8); you know that He is the faithful God. Another matter, “That the Lord your God, He is God” (Deuteronomy 7:9) – Rabbi Levi said: To what is the matter comparable? To the friend of a king…his son came and requested the deposit from him. The king said to him: ‘Go bring two military commanders and twelve advisers, and through them I will give you the deposit.’ So the Holy One blessed be He said when Israel departed from Egypt: ‘Your ancestors entrusted Me with a deposit [pikadon].’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I have remembered [pakod pakadeti] you” (Exodus 3:16). He said to them: ‘Let two commanders and twelve advisers come’ – these are Moses and Aaron and the twelve heads of the tribes. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “You shall count [tifkedu] them according to their hosts, you and Aaron…. And with you shall be a man for each tribe” (Numbers 1:3–4). Another matter, “the faithful God” – from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He. There was an incident involving Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair who was residing in a certain city in the South. People went there to earn a living. They had two se’a of barley and they deposited it with him, forgot about it, and left. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair would sow them every year, place them in a grain pile and gather them. Seven years later, those same friends went there, to demand that he give it to them. Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair recognized them immediately and said to them: ‘Come and take your storehouses.’ That is, from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He. There was another incident involving Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair, who went to a certain city, and the mice were devouring [everything] within the boundaries of that city. They came and asked his help. What did Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair do? He said to them: ‘Why do you not separate your tithes properly? Are you asking me to guarantee you that if you separate your tithes properly the mice will devour no more?’ They said to him: ‘Yes.’ He guaranteed them, and the mice departed and were not seen again. Another matter, there was an incident involving a certain man who would dig water channels for the public. His daughter was walking on her way and came to cross a river, and it swept her away. They came and said to Rabbi Pinḥas: ‘This happened to the daughter of so-and-so.’ He said to them: ‘It is impossible; since he performed the will of the Holy One blessed be He concerning water, the Holy One blessed be He would not eliminate his daughter by means of water.’ Immediately there was an outcry in the city: ‘The daughter of so-and-so has come!’ Our Rabbis say: When Rabbi Pinḥas ben Yair said this, an angel descended and lifted her [from the water]. There was an incident involving Rabbi Shimon ben Shetaḥ, who purchased a certain donkey from a certain Ishmaelite. His disciples went and found on it a gem suspended from its neck. They said to him: ‘Rabbi, “the blessing of the Lord, it will enrich”’ (Proverbs 10:22). Rabbi Shimon ben Shetaḥ said to them: ‘I purchased a donkey, I did not purchase a gem.’ He went and returned it to that Ishmaelite. That Ishmaelite called out in his regard: ‘Blessed is the Lord, God of Shimon ben Shetaḥ.’ That is, from the faithfulness of mortal man you can know the faithfulness of the Holy One blessed be He, who is faithful to pay Israel reward for the mitzvot they perform. From where is this derived? “You shall guard the unleavened bread [ushmartem et hamatzot]” (Exodus 12:17). But the reward for them: “It will be, because [ekev] you heed” – in the end [be’ekev] I will give you your reward.

דָּבָר אַחֵר (דברים ז, ב): וְשָׁמַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ, מַהוּ וְשָׁמַר, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן, כָּל מַה שֶּׁיִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹכְלִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה מִכֹּחַ הַבְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבֵּרְכָם בִּלְעָם הָרָשָׁע, אֲבָל בְּרָכוֹת שֶׁבֵּרְכוּ אוֹתָן הָאָבוֹת מְשֻׁמָּרִין הֵן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְשָׁמַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ וגו'. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי חֶלְבּוֹ לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְיָתוֹם שֶׁהָיָה מִתְגַּדֵּל אֵצֶל בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, הָיָה אוֹכֵל מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וְשׁוֹתֶה מִשֶּׁלּוֹ וּמִתְכַּסֶּה מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, וְלִמְּדוֹ אֻמָּנוּת, אוֹתוֹ הַיָּתוֹם אוֹמֵר כָּל מַה שֶּׁאֲנִי אוֹכֵל וְשׁוֹתֶה וּמִתְכַּסֶּה מִתּוֹךְ שְׂכָרִי הוּא מְחַשְׁבוֹ. אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ בַּעַל הַבַּיִת, חַיֶּיךָ, כָּל מַה שֶּׁאַתָּה אוֹכֵל וּמִתְכַּסֶּה, בְּכֹחַ חָבִית שֶׁל מַיִם שֶׁאַתְּ מְמַלֵּא לִי, בְּכֹחַ עֵץ אֶחָד שֶׁאַתָּה מְבַקֵּעַ לִי, אֲבָל שְׂכָרְךָ צָרוּר וּמֻנַּח לָךְ. כָּךְ כָּל מַה שֶּׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל אוֹכְלִים בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה בְּכֹחַ הַיִּסּוּרִים שֶׁהֵן בָּאִין עֲלֵיהֶם, אֲבָל שְׂכָרָן צָרוּר וּמְשֻׁמָּר לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְשָׁמַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ וגו'. וּמַהוּ אֶת הַבְּרִית וְאֶת הַחֶסֶד, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא, שְׁלשָׁה מִדּוֹת טוֹבוֹת יֵשׁ בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: בַּיְשָׁנִים וְרַחֲמָנִים וְגוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים. בַּיְשָׁנִים מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, יז): וּבַעֲבוּר תִּהְיֶה יִרְאָתוֹ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם. רַחֲמָנִים מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יג, יח): וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחַמְךָ. גּוֹמְלֵי חֲסָדִים מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְשָׁמַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ אֶת הַבְּרִית וְאֶת הַחֶסֶד.

Another matter, “the Lord your God will maintain for you.” “Will maintain” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Everything of which Israel partakes in this world is a result of the blessings with which the wicked Bilam blessed them. But the blessings that the patriarchs blessed them are reserved for the future, as it is stated: “The Lord your God will maintain [for you the covenant and the kindness regarding which He took an oath to your forefathers].” Another matter, Rabbi Ḥelbo said: To what is the matter comparable? To an orphan who was being raised by a homeowner. He would eat, drink, and be clothed from [the homeowner’s] property, and [the homeowner] taught him a trade. The orphan said: ‘Everything that I eat, drink, and wear, he will deduct from my wages.’ The homeowner said to him: ‘As you live, whatever you eat, drink, and wear is due to the barrel of water that you fill for me, due to the wood that you chop for me, but your wages are bound and stored for you.’ So, everything that Israel consumes in this world is due to the suffering that befalls them, but their reward is bound and reserved for the future, as it is stated: “The Lord your God will maintain for you...” And what is “the covenant and the kindness”? Rabbi Ḥiyya said: Israel has three good attributes, and these are: They are shy, merciful, and perform acts of kindness. From where is it derived that they are shy? As it is stated: “So that His fear will be upon your faces” (Exodus 20:17). From where is it derived that they are merciful? As it is stated: “He will give you mercy, and He will be merciful to you” (Deuteronomy 13:18). From where is it derived that they perform acts of kindness? As it is stated: “The Lord your God will maintain for you the covenant and the kindness [regarding which He took an oath to your forefathers].”

וַאֲהֵבְךָ וּבֵרַכְךָ וְהִרְבְּךָ וגו' (דברים ז, יג), לָמָּה הוּא מַקִּישׁ פְּרִי הַבֶּטֶן לִפְרִי הָאֲדָמָה, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַה פְּרִי אַדְמָתְךָ סִיגִים, אַף פְּרִי בִטְנְךָ סִיגִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה פְּרִי אַדְמָתְךָ אֵין בָּהֶם לֹא חֵטְא וְלֹא עָוֹן, אַף פְּרִי בִטְנְךָ לֹא יְהֵא בָהֶן לֹא חֵטְא וְלֹא עָוֹן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מַה פְּרִי אַדְמָתְךָ צְרִיכִים עִשֹּׂוּר, אַף פְּרִי בִטְנְךָ צְרִיכִים עִשֹּׂוּר, וְזוֹ הַמִּילָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּר' סִימוֹן לָמָּה הִקִּישׁ פְּרִי הַבֶּטֶן לִפְרִי הָאֲדָמָה, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ פְּרִי אַדְמָתְךָ מְכַפְּרִים עַל פְּרִי בִטְנֶךָ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (דברים לב, מג): וְכִפֶּר אַדְמָתוֹ עַמּוֹ.

“He will love you, bless you, and multiply you; He will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your land, your grain, your wine, and your oil, the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks, in the land regarding which He took an oath to your forefathers to give to you” (Deuteronomy 7:13). “He will love you, bless you, and multiply you” – why does it juxtapose fruit of the womb to fruit of the land? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Just as the fruit of your land is fenced in, so the fruit of your womb are fenced in [sugim].’ Another matter, just as the fruit of the land has neither iniquity nor sin, so the fruit of your womb will have neither sin nor iniquity. Another matter, just as the fruit of the land require tithing, so the fruit of your womb require tithing – that is circumcision. Another matter, Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Why did it juxtapose fruit of the womb to fruit of the land? So the fruit of the land will atone for the fruit of your womb, as, so it is written: “His land will atone for His people” (Deuteronomy 32:43).

בָּרוּךְ תִּהְיֶה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים (דברים ז, יד), אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא, אֵין שִׁבְחָהּ שֶׁל מַטְרוֹנָה בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמִּתְקַלֶּסֶת מִקְרוֹבוֹתֶיהָ, אֶלָּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁמִּתְקַלֶּסֶת מִצָּרוֹתֶיהָ, (דברים ז, יד): לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ עָקָר וַעֲקָרָה, סָרִיסִין וְאַיְלוֹנִית. אֵין לִי אֶלָּא בָּאָדָם, מִנַּיִן אַף בִּבְהֵמָה, דִּכְתִיב (דברים ז, יד): וּבִבְהֶמְתְּךָ, הֲרֵי בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה. מִנַּיִן אַף בָּאָרֶץ, דִּכְתִיב (שמות כג, כו): לֹא תִהְיֶה מְשַׁכֵּלָה וַעֲקָרָה בְּאַרְצֶךָ, הֲרֵי בָּאָדָם וּבַבְּהֵמָה וּבָאָרֶץ. מִנַּיִן אַף בְּאִילָן, דִּכְתִיב (מלאכי ג, יא): וְלֹא תְשַׁכֵּל לָכֶם הַגֶּפֶן בַּשָֹּׂדֶה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ עָקָר וַעֲקָרָה, אָמַר רַבִּי חָנִין בֶּן לֵוִי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא תְהֵא תְּפִלָּתְךָ עֲקָרָה אֶלָּא תְהֵא עוֹלָה וְעוֹשָׂה פֵּרוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ עָקָר וַעֲקָרָה, מִן הַתְּשׁוּבָה. מַעֲשֶׂה בְּרַבִּי יוֹנָתָן שֶׁהָיָה מְהַלֵּךְ אֵצֶל נַפּוֹלִין שֶׁל כּוּתִים, וְהָיָה רוֹכֵב עַל הַחֲמוֹר וְהַבֶּהָם עִמּוֹ, נִתְלַוֶּה לָהֶם כּוּתִי אֶחָד, הִגִּיעוּ אֵצֶל הַר גְּרִיזִים אָמַר אוֹתוֹ כּוּתִי לְרַבִּי יוֹנָתָן, רַבִּי, מַהוּ דִּין דְּהָדֵין טוּרָא קַדִּישׁ, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן, לָמָּה הוּא קַדִּישׁ, אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הַכּוּתִי שֶׁלֹא לָקָה בְּמֵי הַמַּבּוּל. אָמַר לֵיהּ מִנַיִן לָךְ, אָמַר לֵיהּ לֹא כָךְ כְּתִיב (יחזקאל כב, כד): בֶּן אָדָם אֱמָר לָהּ אַתְּ אֶרֶץ לֹא מְטֹהָרָה הִיא לֹא גֻשְׁמָהּ בְּיוֹם זָעַם. אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן אִם כֵּן הָיָה לוֹ לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לוֹמַר לְנֹחַ לַעֲלוֹת (לשם) [להר] וְלֹא לַעֲשׂוֹת תֵּבָה. אָמַר לוֹ לֹא עָשָׂה אֶלָּא לְנַסּוֹתוֹ, שָׁתַק רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן, אָמַר לוֹ הַבֶּהָם תֵּן לִי רְשׁוּת לוֹמַר לוֹ דָּבָר אֶחָד, אָמַר לוֹ אֱמֹר, אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הַבֶּהָם אֵין הָהָר הַזֶּה תַּחַת הַשָּׁמַיִם, אָמַר לוֹ אוֹתוֹ הַכּוּתִי אֶלָּא חוּץ לַשָּׁמַיִם, אָמַר לוֹ אֵין כְּתִיב (בראשית ז, כ יט): חֲמֵשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה אַמָּה מִלְמַעְלָה גָבְרוּ הַמַּיִם וַיְכֻסּוּ כָּל הֶהָרִים הַגְּבֹהִים אֲשֶׁר תַּחַת כָּל הַשָּׁמָיִם, מִיָּד יָרַד רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן מִן הַחֲמוֹר וְהִרְכִּיבוֹ אַרְבָּעָה מִילִין, וְקָרָא עָלָיו הַפָּסוּק הַזֶּה (ישעיה נד, יז): וְכָל לָשׁוֹן תָּקוּם אִתָּךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּט תַּרְשִׁיעִי, הֱוֵי לֹא יִהְיֶה בְךָ עָקָר וַעֲקָרָה וּבִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ, מַהוּ וּבִבְהֶמְתֶּךָ וּבַבֶּהָמִין שֶׁלָּךְ.

“You will be blessed more than all peoples. There will be none who are sterile or barren among you or among your animals” (Deuteronomy 7:14). “You will be blessed more than all peoples” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: The praise of a noblewoman is not when she is lauded by her relatives, but when she is lauded by her rival wives. “There will be none who are sterile or barren” – eunuchs or sexually underdeveloped women. I have derived only regarding people, from where is this derived regarding animals? As it is written: “Or among your animals” – thus [it includes both] people and animals. From where is this derived regarding the land? As it is written: “None shall miscarry or be barren in your land” (Exodus 23:26) – thus [it includes] people, animals, and the land. From where is this derived regarding trees? It is as it is written: “The vine will not lose its fruit for you in the field prematurely” (Malachi 3:11). “There will be none who are sterile or barren” – Rabbi Ḥanin ben Levi said: The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Your prayer will not be barren, but rather, it will ascend and bear fruit.’ Another matter, Rabbi Yonatan said: “There will be none who are sterile or barren” – from repentance. There was an incident involving Rabbi Yonatan, who was walking near the mountain of the Samaritans. He was riding a donkey and the animal driver was with him. A certain Samaritan joined them. When they reached Mount Gerizim, the Samaritan said to Rabbi Yonatan: ‘Rabbi, what is this? For this mountain is sacred.’ Rabbi Yonatan said to him: ‘Why is it sacred?’ The Samaritan said to him: ‘Because it was not stricken in the Flood waters.’ He said to him: ‘From where do you derive this?’ He said to him: ‘Is it not written as follows: “Son of man, say to it: You are a land that has not been purified, that has not been rained upon on the day of fury”’ (Ezekiel 22:24). Rabbi Yonatan said to him: ‘If so, the Holy One blessed be He should have told Noah to ascend (there) <the mountain>, and not to craft an ark.’ He said to [Rabbi Yonatan]: ‘He did so only to test [Noah].’ Rabbi Yonatan was silent. The animal driver said to [Rabbi Yonatan]: ‘Allow me to say one thing to him.’ He said to him: ‘Speak.’ The animal driver said to him: ‘Is this mountain not beneath the heavens?’ The Samaritan said to him: ‘Where else, beyond the heavens?’ He said to him: ‘Is it not written: “Fifteen cubits upward the water accumulated” (Genesis 7:20), “all the high mountains under the entire heavens were covered”?’ (Genesis 7:19). Rabbi Yonatan immediately dismounted the donkey and had [the driver] ride on it for four mil. He read this verse in his regard: “Any tongue that will rise against you in judgment will be condemned” (Isaiah 54:17). That is, “there will be none who are sterile or barren among you or among your animals.” What is “or among your animals [uvivhemtekha]”? Among your animal drivers [uvabehamin shelkha].

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְשָׁמַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ אֶת הַבְּרִית וְאֶת הַחֶסֶד. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנָּשָׂא לְמַטְרוֹנָה, וְהִכְנִיסָה לוֹ שְׁנַיִם אֲרִיסִין, אַף הַמֶּלֶךְ זָקַף לָהּ כְּנֶגְדָן שְׁנֵי אֲרִיסִין, אִבְּדָה מַטְרוֹנָה אֶת שֶׁלָּהּ, אַף הַמֶּלֶךְ נָטַל אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ. לְאַחַר יָמִים עָמְדָה וְכִשְּׁרָה אֶת עַצְמָהּ וְהֵבִיאָה אוֹתָן שְׁנֵי אֲרִיסִין, אַף הַמֶּלֶךְ הֵבִיא אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ. אָמַר הַמֶּלֶךְ אֵלּוּ וְאֵלּוּ יֵעָשׂוּ עֲטָרָה וְיִתְּנוּ בְּרֹאשָׁהּ שֶׁל מַטְרוֹנָה. כָּךְ אַתָּה מוֹצֵא אַבְרָהָם נָתַן לְבָנָיו שְׁנֵי אֲרִיסִין, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יח, יט): כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת בֵּיתוֹ אַחֲרָיו. אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא זָקַף לָהֶן כְּנֶגְדָם שְׁנֵי אֲרִיסִין, חֶסֶד וְרַחֲמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וְשָׁמַר ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ לְךָ אֶת הַבְּרִית וְאֶת הַחֶסֶד, וְאוֹמֵר (דברים יג, יח): וְנָתַן לְךָ רַחֲמִים וְרִחַמְךָ וְהִרְבֶּךָ וגו', אִבְּדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת שֶׁלָּהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ו, יב): הֲפַכְתֶּם לְרֹאשׁ מִשְׁפָּט וּפְרִי צְדָקָה לְלַעֲנָה. אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נָטַל אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ירמיה טז, ה): כִּי אָסַפְתִּי אֶת שְׁלוֹמִי וגו' אֶת הַחֶסֶד וְאֶת הָרַחֲמִים. עָמְדוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל וְכִשְּׁרוּ אֶת עַצְמָן וְהֵבִיאוּ אוֹתָן שְׁנֵי אֲרִיסִין, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (ישעיה א, כז): צִיּוֹן בְּמִשְׁפָּט תִּפָּדֶה וְשָׁבֶיהָ בִּצְדָקָה, אַף הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הֵבִיא אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (ישעיה נד, י): כִּי הֶהָרִים יָמוּשׁוּ וְהַגְּבָעוֹת תְּמוּטֶינָה וגו', וְכֵיוָן שֶׁיָּבִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת שֶׁלָּהֶן, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נוֹתֵן אֶת שֶׁלּוֹ, אוֹמֵר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵלּוּ וְאֵלּוּ יֵעָשׂוּ עֲטָרָה וְיִנָּתְנוּ בְּרֹאשָׁם שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (הושע ב, כא כב): וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי לְעוֹלָם וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי בְּצֶדֶק וּבְמִשְׁפָּט וּבְחֶסֶד וּבְרַחֲמִים, וְאֵרַשְׂתִּיךְ לִי בֶּאֱמוּנָה וְיָדַעְתְּ אֶת ה'.

Another matter, “that the Lord your God will maintain for you the covenant and the kindness” (Deuteronomy 7:12) – Rabbi Shimon ben Ḥalafta said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who married a noblewoman. She brought two gems into the marriage, and the king, too, provided for her two corresponding gems. The noblewoman lost hers, and the king, too, took his. Sometime later, she arose and applied herself, and she [found and] brought back her two gems. The king, too, brought his. The king said: ‘These and those shall be crafted into a crown and placed on the noblewoman’s head.’ So, you find that Abraham gave his descendants two gems, as it is stated: “For I love him, that he will command his children and his household after him, [and they will observe the way of the Lord, to perform righteousness and justice]” (Genesis 18:19). The Holy One blessed be He, too, provided them with two corresponding gems, kindness and mercy, as it is stated: “The Lord your God will maintain for you the covenant and the kindness,” and it says: “He will give you mercy, and He will be merciful to you, and He will multiply you…” (Deuteronomy 13:18). Israel lost theirs: “For you have transformed justice into hemlock and the fruit of righteousness into wormwood” (Amos 6:12). The Holy One blessed be He took His, as it is stated: “For I have withdrawn My peace…kindness and mercy” (Jeremiah 16:5). Israel arose and applied themselves, and brought back those two gems. From where is this derived? From that which is written: “Zion will be redeemed with justice and its penitents with righteousness” (Isaiah 1:27). The Holy One blessed be He, too, brought His. From where is this derived? From that which is written: “For the mountains will move and the hills will collapse, [but My kindness will not move from you and the covenant of My peace will not collapse, said the One who has mercy on you, the Lord]” (Isaiah 54:10). Once Israel brings theirs and the Holy One blessed be He gives His, the Holy One blessed be He says: ‘These and those will be crafted into a crown and will be placed on Israel’s head,’ as it is stated: “I will betroth you to Me forever; I will betroth you to Me with righteousness, with justice, with kindness and with mercy. I will betroth you to Me with faithfulness and you will know the Lord” (Hosea 2:21–22).

שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן (דברים ט, א), הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁשּׁוֹתֶה מַיִם לִצְמָאוֹ אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ שֶׁהַכֹּל נִהְיָה בִּדְבָרוֹ, רַבִּי טַרְפוֹן אוֹמֵר בּוֹרֵא נְפָשׁוֹת רַבּוֹת וְחֶסְרוֹנָם, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי בּוֹא וּרְאֵה כָּל הַנִּסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל לֹא עֲשָׂאָן אֶלָּא עַל הַמַּיִם, כֵּיצַד, עַד שֶׁהֵן בְּמִצְרַיִם עָשָׂה לָהֶם נִסִּים בַּיְאוֹר, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק הָיוּ הַמִּצְרִיִּים וְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוֹלְכִין לִשְׁתּוֹת מַיִם מִן הַנָּהָר, הַמִּצְרִי שׁוֹתֶה דָּם וְיִשְׂרָאֵל שׁוֹתֶה מַיִם, וּכְשֶׁיָּצְאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם לֹא עָשָׂה לָהֶם נִסִּים אֶלָּא עַל הַמַּיִם, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קיד, ג): הַיָּם רָאָה וַיָּנֹס, מַה רָאָה רַבִּי נְהוֹרַאי אָמַר שֵׁם הַמְפֹרָשׁ רָאָה חָקוּק עַל הַמַּטֶּה וְנִקְרַע. רַבִּי נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר כִּבְיָכוֹל יָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רָאָה וְנִקְרַע, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים עז, יז): רָאוּךָ מַיִם יָחִילוּ. בָּאוּ לְמָרָה כְּשֶׁעָלוּ מִן הַיָּם וְהָיוּ הַמַּיִם מָרִים, עָשָׂה שָׁם לָהֶם נִסִּים, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, כה): וַיּוֹרֵהוּ ה' עֵץ וגו'. בַּסֶּלַע עָשָׂה לָהֶם נִסִּים בַּמַּיִם, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כ, ח): וְדִבַּרְתֶּם אֶל הַסֶּלַע וגו'. בַּבְּאֵר עָשָׂה לָהֶם נִסִּים וְאָמְרוּ שִׁירָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (במדבר כא, יז): אָז יָשִׁיר יִשְׂרָאֵל. אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה הֱווּ יוֹדְעִין כָּל נִסִּים שֶׁעָשָׂה לָכֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא עָשָׂה אֶלָא עַל הַמַּיִם, וְאַף בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁתַּעַבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן לִירַשׁ אֶת הָאָרֶץ עָתִיד הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת לָכֶם נִסִּים בְּמֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן.

“Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today, to come to take possession from nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified to the heavens” (Deuteronomy 9:1). “Hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today” – halakha: A person of Israel who drinks water to [quench] his thirst, recites: ‘Blessed…by whose word all things came to be [shehakol nihya bidevaro].’ Rabbi Tarfon says: [The proper text of the blessing is:] ‘Who creates the many forms of life and their needs [boreh nefashot rabot veḥesronam].’ The Rabbis say: Come and see: All the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on behalf of Israel, He performed only through water. How so? When Israel was still in Egypt, He performed miracles for them on the Nile. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: The Egyptians and Israelites would come to drink water from the river [during the plague of blood,] and an Egyptian would drink blood and an Israelite would drink water. And when Israel departed from Egypt He performed miracles on their behalf only by means of water. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The sea saw and fled” (Psalms 114:3). What did it see? Rabbi Nehorai said: It saw the ineffable Name inscribed on the staff, and it split. Rabbi Neḥemya said: As it were, it saw the hand of the Holy One blessed be He, and it split, as it is stated: “The waters saw You and were frightened” (Psalms 77:17). They came to Mara when they ascended from the sea, and the water was bitter. He performed miracles there on their behalf. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “The Lord showed him a tree [and he cast it into the waters and the waters sweetened]” (Exodus 15:25). At the rock, He performed miracles on their behalf with the water. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “And speak to the rock…[and it will provide its water]” (Numbers 20:8). At the well, He performed miracles on their behalf and they recited song, as it is stated: “Then Israel sang” (Numbers 21:17). Moses said to [the Israelites]: ‘Know that all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed on behalf of Israel, He performed only through water. When you cross the Jordan to take possession of the Land, there too, He is destined to perform miracles on your behalf with the water of the Jordan.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים מד, ב): אֱלֹהִים בְּאָזְנֵינוּ שָׁמַעְנוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ סִפְּרוּ לָנוּ פֹּעַל פָּעַלְתָּ בִימֵיהֶם, מַהוּ בְּאָזְנֵינוּ, אֶלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא שָׁמַעְנוּ מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ לְמשֶׁה בַּסְּנֶה, אָמַרְתָּ לְמשֶׁה בַּסְּנֶה גָּלוּי וְצָפוּי לְפָנַי שֶׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לְהַכְעִיס אוֹתִי, אֶלָא גּוֹאֵל אֲנִי אוֹתָם. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּךְ, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ג, ז): רָאֹה רָאִיתִי אֶת עֳנִי עַמִּי אֲשֶׁר בְּמִצְרַיִם וגו', מַהוּ כִּי יָדַעְתִּי אֶת מַכְאֹבָיו, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי מַה כְּאֵב הֵן עֲתִידִין לַעֲשׂוֹת, (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְאַף עַל פִּי כֵן (שמות ג, ח): וָאֵרֵד לְהַצִּילוֹ מִיַּד מִצְרַיִם, הֱוֵי תְּנָאִין שֶׁהִתְנֵיתָ עִם משֶׁה, וּכְשֵׁם שֶׁהִתְנֵיתָ עִמּוֹ כָּךְ בְּאָזְנֵינוּ שָׁמַעְנוּ. מַהוּ אֲבוֹתֵינוּ סִפְּרוּ לָנוּ, זֶה משֶׁה שֶׁנִּקְרָא אָב לְכָל הַנְּבִיאִים. (תהלים מד, ג): אַתָּה יָדְךָ גּוֹיִם הוֹרַשְׁתָּ וַתִּטָּעֵם, אָמַר לָהֶם מִמַּה שֶּׁעָשָׂה לִשְׁנֵי מַלְכֵי הָאֱמוֹרִי לְסִיחוֹן וּלְעוֹג שֶׁהָיוּ גְדוֹלִים, אַתֶּם יוֹדְעִים שֶׁכְּשֶׁתַּעַבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן מַהוּ עוֹשֶׂה לִשְׁלשִׁים וְאֶחָד מְלָכִים, הֱוֵי שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן.

Another matter, “hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today” – this is what the verse said: “God, we have heard with our ears, our fathers have told us of the deeds You did in their days” (Psalms 44:2). What is “with our ears”? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: We heard what You said to Moses at the bush. You said to Moses at the bush: ‘It is revealed and foreseen before Me that they are destined to anger Me; nevertheless, I will redeem them.’ From where is it derived that the Holy One blessed be He said this to him? As it is written: “I have seen the affliction of My people that is in Egypt…[as I know its pain]” (Exodus 3:7). What is “as I know its pain”? The Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: ‘I know what pain they are destined to cause [Me by saying, of the golden calf]: “This is your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4). Nevertheless, “I have descended to rescue them from the land of Egypt”’ (Exodus 3:8). These are the conditions that You stipulated with Moses. Just as You stipulated with him, so “we have heard with our ears.” What is “our fathers have told us”? This is Moses, who is called father of all the prophets. “You, with Your hand, drove out nations, and planted them” (Psalms 44:3). [Moses] said to them: ‘From what He did to the two Emorite kings, who were great, you know what He will do to the thirty-one kings when you cross the Jordan.’ That is, “hear, Israel: you are crossing the Jordan today.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, מָה רָאָה לוֹמַר לָהֶן כָּאן שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל, רַבָּנָן אָמְרֵי לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ מַטְרוֹנָה בִּשְׁתֵּי מַרְגָּלִיּוֹת, אִבְּדָה אַחַת מֵהֶן, אָמַר לָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ אִבַּדְתְּ אַחַת שִׁמְרִי אֶת הַשְּׁנִיָּה. כָּךְ קִדֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּנַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמַע, אִבְּדוּ אֶת נַעֲשֶׂה, שֶׁעָשׂוּ אֶת הָעֵגֶל, אָמַר לָהֶן משֶׁה, אִבַּדְתֶּם נַעֲשֶׂה, שִׁמְרוּ נִשְׁמַע, הֱוֵי שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל.

Another matter, “hear, Israel” – what did he see that led him to say here: “hear, Israel”? The Rabbis say: To what is the matter comparable? To a king who betrothed a noblewoman with two precious stones. She lost one of them. The king said to her: ‘You lost one, take care of the other.’ So, the Holy One blessed be He sanctified Israel with: “We will perform and we will heed” (Exodus 24:7). They lost “we will perform” when they crafted the calf. Moses said to them: ‘You lost “we will perform,” take care of “we will heed [nishma].”’ That is “hear [shema], Israel.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן, אָמַר לָהֶם, כְּשֶׁתַּעַבְרוּ אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן דְּבָרִים אֲחֵרִים יִתְחַדְּשׁוּ, לֹא תִהְיוּ סְבוּרִין כְּשֵׁם שֶׁהֱיִיתֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר וִהְיִיתֶם חוֹטְאִים וְהָיִיתִי מְבַקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיכֶם רַחֲמִים. אָמַר לָהֶן כְּשֶׁעֲשִׂיתֶם אוֹתוֹ הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וּבִקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְכַלּוֹת אֶתְכֶם לֹא נִתְפַּלַּלְתִּי עֲלֵיכֶם סָנֵגוֹרְיָא, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ט, כו): וָאֶתְפַּלֵּל אֶת ה' וָאֹמַר ה' אֱלֹהִים אַל תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ וגו'. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְמשֶׁה בָּרָקִיעַ (דברים ט, יב): קוּם רֵד מַהֵר מִזֶּה, שָׁמְעוּ חֲמִשָּׁה מַלְאֲכֵי חַבָּלָה וּבִקְּשׁוּ לְהַזִּיקוֹ, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: אַף, וְחֵמָה, קֶצֶף, מַשְׁחִית, וּמְכַלֶּה. וְכֵיוָן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר משֶׁה זְכוּתָן שֶׁל שְׁלשָׁה אָבוֹת, כְּדִכְתִיב (שמות לב, יג): זְכֹר לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדֶיךָ, בָּרְחוּ קֶצֶף וּמַשְׁחִית וּמְכַלֶּה, וְנִשְׁתַּיְּרוּ שְׁנַיִם הַקָּשִׁים, אַף, וְחֵמָה, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הֲרֵי הִזְכַּרְתִּי שְׁלשָׁה וּבָרְחוּ שְׁלשָׁה, עֲמֹד אַף אַתָּה בְּאַף, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים ז, ז): קוּמָה ה' בְּאַפֶּךָ, הֲרֵי שֶׁעָמַד הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּאַף, וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁעָמַד משֶׁה בְּחֵמָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קו, כג): לוּלֵי משֶׁה בְחִירוֹ עָמַד בַּפֶּרֶץ לְפָנָיו לְהָשִׁיב חֲמָתוֹ מֵהַשְׁחִית. יָרַד משֶׁה מִן הָרָקִיעַ וְהָיוּ הַלּוּחוֹת בְּיָדוֹ וְלֹא שִׁבְּרָן עַד שֶׁרָאָה בְּעֵינָיו, מִנַּיִן שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, יט): וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר קָרַב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיַּרְא אֶת הָעֵגֶל, אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה (שמות לב, יט): וַיִּחַר אַף משֶׁה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ מִיָּד אֶת הַלֻּחוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, משֶׁה, לֹא הָיִיתָ מַאֲמִין לִי שֶׁעָשׂוּ לָהֶן עֵגֶל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, ח): סָרוּ מַהֵר מִן הַדֶּרֶךְ אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִם. רַבָּנִין אָמְרֵי מִן הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה שָׁקַד משֶׁה הֵיאַךְ לְזַכּוֹת אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֲשֶׁר צִוִּיתִם, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֲנִי נִצְטַוֵּיתִי, שֶׁמָּא עָבַרְתִּי עַל הַצִּוּוּי, הֵם לֹא נִצְטַוּוּ וְלֹא הָיוּ יוֹדְעִים. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, משֶׁה, לֹא נִצְטַוּוּ, אָמַר לוֹ: לָאו. אָמַר לוֹ מָה אָמַרְתָּ בְּסִינַי, אֲנִי ה' אֱלֹהֵיכֶם, לֹא אָמַרְתָּ אֶלָּא (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. מָה אָמַרְתָּ, לֹא יִהְיֶה לָכֶם אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים, לֹא אָמַרְתָּ אֶלָּא (שמות כ, ג): לֹא יִהְיֶה לְךָ אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים. הֱוֵי ה' אֱלֹהִים אַל תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ. אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא לֹא הִנִּיחַ משֶׁה זָוִית בָּרָקִיעַ שֶׁלֹא נִתְחַבֵּט בָּהּ, וּמָה הָיָה אוֹמֵר מַה פּוּם סָבוּר מְמַלֵּל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, ה' אֱלֹהִים אַל תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר אַבָּא מִשֶּׁפָּסַק סָנֵיגוֹר הָיָה רוּחַ הַקֹּדֶשׁ מְלַמֵּד זְכוּת עֲלֵיהֶן, וְכָךְ הָיָה אוֹמֵר לְיִשְׂרָאֵל (משלי כד, כח): אַל תְּהִי עֵד חִנָּם בְּרֵעֶךָ וַהֲפִתִּיתָ בִּשְׂפָתֶיךָ, אַל תְּהִי עֵד חִנָּם בְּרֵעֶךָ, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁנִּקְרְאוּ רֵעִים לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קכב, ח): לְמַעַן אַחַי וְרֵעָי וגו', וַהֲפִתִּיתָ, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים עח, לו): וַיְפַתּוּהוּ בְּפִיהֶם. וְגַם שֶׁאָמַרְתָּ בְּסִינַי (שמות כד, ז): נַעֲשֶׂה וְנִשְׁמָע, וְלֹא קִיַּמְתֶּם, וְאוֹמֵר לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא [עפ''י (משלי כד, כט)]: אַל תֹּאמַר אֲשַׁלֵּמָה כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לִי כֵּן אֶעֱשֶׂה לוֹ, אֶלָּא ה' אֱלֹהִים אַל תַּשְׁחֵת עַמְּךָ וְנַחֲלָתְךָ, לְפִיכָךְ כְּשֶׁבָּאוּ לַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הִזְכִּיר לָהֶן כָּל מַה שֶּׁבִּקֵּשׁ עֲלֵיהֶן סָנֵגוֹרְיָא, שֶׁהָיָה סָבוּר שֶׁהֵם מְבַקְּשִׁים עָלָיו רַחֲמִים שֶׁיִּכָּנֵס עִמָּהֶם. מַהוּ אַתָּה עֹבֵר, אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא שֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה מְחַבֵּט עַצְמוֹ לִפְנֵיהֶן וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם אַתֶּם עוֹבְרִים, אֲנִי אֵינִי עוֹבֵר, וּפָתַח לָהֶם פֶּתַח שֶׁמָּא יְבַקְּשׁוּ עָלָיו רַחֲמִים, וְלֹא הָיוּ מְבִינִים, לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁהָיוּ לוֹ בָּנִים הַרְבֵּה מִמַּטְרוֹנָה, סָרְחָה עָלָיו מַטְרוֹנָה, בִּקֵּשׁ לְהוֹצִיאָהּ, אָמַר לָהּ תְּהֵא יוֹדַעַת שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹטֵל אַחֶרֶת, אָמְרָה לוֹ אִין, וְאֵין אַתְּ אוֹמֵר לִי מִי הִיא זוֹ שֶׁאַתָּה עָתִיד לִטֹּל, אָמַר לָהּ פְּלוֹנִית. מֶה עָשְׂתָה מַטְרוֹנָה, כִּנְסָה אֶת בָּנֶיהָ אָמְרָה לָהֶן הֱווּ יוֹדְעִין שֶׁאֲבִיכֶם מְבַקֵּשׁ לְגָרְשֵׁנִי וְלִטֹּל אֶת פְּלוֹנִית, יְכוֹלִין אַתֶּם שֶׁלֹא לְהִשְׁתַּעְבֵּד בָּהּ, אָמְרוּ לָהּ הֵן, אָמְרָה לָהֶן תֵּדְעוּ מַה הִיא עֲתִידָה לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּכֶם, וְהָיְתָה אוֹמֶרֶת שֶׁמָּא יָבִינוּ וִיבַקְּשׁוּ עָלֶיהָ מֵאֲבִיהֶן, וְלֹא הָיוּ מְבִינִין, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹא הֵבִינוּ אָמְרָה וְאֵינִי מְצַוָּה אֶתְכֶם אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל עַצְמְכֶם שֶׁתִּהְיוּ זְהִירִים בִּכְבוֹד אֲבִיכֶם. כָּךְ משֶׁה כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (במדבר כז, יח): קַח לְךָ אֶת יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן וגו' (דברים ג, כז): כִּי לֹא תַעֲבֹר אֶת הַיַּרְדֵּן הַזֶּה, הָיָה אוֹמֵר לִפְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל (דברים ז, א): וְהָיָה כִּי יְבִיאֲךָ ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ אֶל הָאָרֶץ אֲשֶׁר אַתָּה בָא שָׁמָּה לְרִשְׁתָּה. אַתָּה עֹבֵר הַיּוֹם, אֲנִי אֵינִי עוֹבֵר, שֶׁמָּא יָבִינוּ וִיבַקְּשׁוּ עָלָיו רַחֲמִים וְלֹא הָיוּ מְבִינִין, כֵּיוָן שֶׁלֹא הֵבִינוּ אָמַר אֵינִי מְצַוֶּה אֶלָּא בִּשְׁבִיל עַצְמְכֶם שֶׁתִּהְיוּ זְהִירִין בִּכְבוֹד אֲבִיכֶם שֶׁבַּשָּׁמַיִם, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים ו, יג): אֶת ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ תִּירָא וגו'. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה הָיוּ הַכֹּל מִתְאַוִּין לְאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְעַל יְדֵי עֲווֹנוֹת גְּלִיתֶן מִמֶּנָּה, אֲבָל לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא שֶׁאֵין לָכֶם לֹא חֵטְא וְלֹא עָווֹן, אֲנִי אֶטַּע אֶתְכֶם בְּתוֹכָהּ נְטִיעַת שַׁלְוָה, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (עמוס ט, טו): וּנְטַעְתִּים עַל אַדְמָתָם וְלֹא יִנָּתְשׁוּ עוֹד מֵעַל אַדְמָתָם.

Another matter, “you are crossing the Jordan today” – he said to them: ‘When you cross the Jordan, there will be a new order. Do not think that it will be just as it was in the wilderness, where you would sin and I would pray on your behalf for mercy.’ He said to them: ‘When you performed that act, and the Holy One blessed be He sought to eradicate you, did I not pray and advocate on your behalf?’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I prayed to the Lord, and said: My Lord God, do not destroy Your people…” (Deuteronomy 9:26). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: When the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses in the firmament: “Rise, descend quickly from here” (Deuteronomy 9:12), five angels of destruction heard and sought to harm him. They were: Wrath, fury, anger, destruction, and annihilation. When Moses mentioned the merit of the three patriarchs, as it is written: “Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants” (Exodus 32:13), anger, destruction, and annihilation fled, and the two harshest remained, wrath and fury. [Moses] said before [God]: ‘Master of the universe, I mentioned three, and three fled; You overcome wrath,’ as it is stated: “Arise, Lord, in Your wrath” (Psalms 7:7). That [indicates] that the Holy One blessed be He overcame wrath. From where is it derived that Moses overcame fury? As it is stated: “Had it not been for Moses, His chosen one, who stood before Him in the breach, to turn back His fury from destroying” (Psalms 106:23). Moses descended from the firmament and the Tablets were in his hand, but he did not shatter them until he saw [the Golden Calf] with his eyes. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “It was when he approached the camp and he saw the calf,” (Exodus 32:19), at that moment, “he cast the Tablets from his hand [and he shattered them at the foot of the mountain]” (Exodus 32:19). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, did you not believe Me that they crafted a calf,’ as it is stated: “They quickly deviated from the path that I commanded them; [they crafted themselves…a calf]”? (Exodus 32:8). The Rabbis say: From this matter, Moses quickly ascertained how to exonerate Israel, as the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “That I commanded them.” He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I was commanded; did I perhaps violate the command? They were not commanded and they did not know.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, were they not commanded?’ He said to Him: ‘They were not.’ He said to Him: ‘What did You say at Sinai: “I am the Lord your God [Eloheikhem]”? You said only: “I am the Lord your God [Elohekha]” (Exodus 20:2). What did You say: “You [lakhem] shall have no other gods before Me”? You said only: “You [lekha] shall have no other gods before Me” (Exodus 20:3).’ That is: “My Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance” (Deuteronomy 9:26). Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: Moses did not leave any corner of the firmament regarding which he did not exert himself. What would he say? What the mouth knows, it will say. Another matter, “My Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance” – Rabbi Ḥiyya bar Abba said: When the advocate stopped, the Divine Spirit was advocating on their behalf. So it would say: “Do not be a witness against your friend for nothing, nor spread wide your lips” (Proverbs 24:28). “Do not be a witness against your friend for nothing” – this is Israel, who are called friends of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “For the sake of my brothers and friends…” (Psalms 122:8). “And do not spread wide [vahafitita]” – as it is written: “They beguiled Him [vayfatuhu] with their mouths” (Psalms 78:36). [The Divine Spirit said:] ‘Even when you said at Sinai: “We will heed and we will perform” (Exodus 24:7), and did not fulfill it, I said to the Holy One blessed be He: “Do not say: I will repay him; as he did to Me, so I will do to him” (based on Proverbs 24:29). Instead, “my Lord God, do not destroy Your people and Your inheritance.”’ That is why, when they came to cross the Jordan, he reminded them of all the advocacy in which he had engaged on their behalf, as he believed that they would pray for mercy for him so that he would enter with them. What is “you are crossing”? Rabbi Tanḥuma said: Moses was expending every effort before them and saying to them: ‘You are crossing, I am not crossing,’ providing them with an opening so that, perhaps, they would pray for mercy for him. But they did not understand. To what is the matter comparable? To a king who had many children from a noblewoman. The noblewoman betrayed him. He sought to expel her, and he said to her: ‘You should know that I will take another [wife].’ She said to him: ‘Yes; but will you not tell me who she is that you are going to take?’ He said to her: ‘So-and-so.’ What did the noblewoman do? She gathered her children and said to them: ‘You should know that your father seeks to divorce me and to take so-and-so, will you be able to bear being subject to her?’ They said: ‘Yes.’ She said to them: ‘Know what she is going to do to you.’ She was saying [all this] so that perhaps they would understand and request mercy on her behalf from their father. But they did not understand. When they did not understand, she said: ‘I am commanding you only for your own sake, so you will be vigilant regarding the honor of your father.’ So, Moses, after the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “Take to you Joshua son of Nun…” (Numbers 27:18), “as you will not cross the Jordan” (Deuteronomy 3:27), he would say before Israel: “When the Lord your God will bring you to the land into which you are coming to take possession of it” (Deuteronomy 7:1); “you are crossing today,” I am not crossing – perhaps they would understand and ask for mercy on his behalf. But they did not understand. When they did not understand, he said: ‘I am commanding you only so you will be vigilant regarding honoring your Father in Heaven.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “You shall fear the Lord your God…” (Deuteronomy 6:13). The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘In this world, everyone was yearning for the Land of Israel, but because of iniquities, you were exiled from it. But in the future, when you have neither sin nor iniquity, I will plant you in it in tranquility.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “I will plant them upon their land, and they will not be uprooted from their land” (Amos 9:15).

בָּעֵת הַהִיא אָמַר ה' אֵלַי פְּסָל לְךָ (דברים י, א), הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ אִשָּׁה מִי צָרִיךְ לִתֵּן שְׂכַר כְּתַב קִדּוּשִׁין, כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים אֵין כּוֹתְבִין שִׁטְרֵי אֵרוּסִין וְנִשֹּׂוּאִין אֶלָּא מִדַּעַת שְׁנֵיהֶם, וְהֶחָתָן נוֹתֵן שָׂכָר, וּמִמִּי לָמַדְנוּ מֵהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁקִּדֵּשׁ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בְּסִינַי, דִּכְתִיב (שמות יט, י): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה לֵךְ אֶל הָעָם וְקִדַּשְׁתָּם הַיּוֹם וּמָחָר. וּמִי כָּתַב הַשְּׁטַר הַזֶּה, משֶׁה, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לא, ט): וַיִּכְתֹּב משֶׁה אֶת הַתּוֹרָה [השירה] הַזֹּאת. וּמַה שָֹּׂכָר נָתַן לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, זִיו הַפָּנִים, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לד, כט): וּמשֶׁה לֹא יָדַע כִּי קָרַן עוֹר פָּנָיו, אֵימָתַי (שמות לד, כט): בְּדַבְּרוֹ אִתּוֹ. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁכָּתַב אֶת הַתּוֹרָה נָטַל משֶׁה זִיו הַפָּנִים, כֵּיצַד, אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה לְמשֶׁה, עוֹרָהּ שֶׁל אֵשׁ לְבָנָה, וּכְתוּבָה בְּאֵשׁ שְׁחוֹרָה, וַחֲתוּמָה בְּאֵשׁ, וּמְלֻפֶּפֶת בְּאֵשׁ, וְעִם שֶׁכּוֹתֵב קִנַּח אֶת הַקּוּלְמוֹס בִּשְׂעָרוֹ וּמִשָּׁם נָטַל זִיו הַפָּנִים. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר מִן הַלּוּחוֹת נָטַל משֶׁה זִיו הַפָּנִים, עִם שֶׁנִּתְּנוּ לוֹ הַלּוּחוֹת מִכַּפַּיִם לְכַפַּיִם מִשָּׁם נָטַל זִיו הַפָּנִים, כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָשׂוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה נְטָלָן וְשִׁבְּרָן. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּשֶׁסִּדַּרְתָּ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל נָתַתִּי לְךָ שְׂכָרְךָ זִיו הַפָּנִים, וְעַכְשָׁיו שִׁבַּרְתָּ אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק שָׁנוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ נִשְׁבְּרָה הֶחָבִית נִשְׁבְּרָה לַסַּרְסוּר, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתָּה הָיִיתָ סַרְסוּר בֵּינִי לְבֵין בָּנַי, אַתָּה שִׁבַּרְתָּ אַתָּה מַחֲלִיף, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (שמות לד, א ג): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה פְּסָל לְךָ שְׁנֵי לֻחוֹת אֲבָנִים כָּרִאשֹׁנִים וְכָתַבְתִּי עַל הַלֻּחֹת אֶת הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר הָיוּ עַל הַלֻּחֹת הָרִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר שִׁבַּרְתָּ וֶהְיֵה נָכוֹן לַבֹּקֶר וְעָלִיתָ בַבֹּקֶר אֶל הַר סִינַי וְנִצַּבְתָּ לִי שָׁם עַל רֹאשׁ הָהָר וְאִישׁ לֹא יַעֲלֶה עִמָּךְ וְגַם אִישׁ אַל יֵרָא בְּכָל הָהָר גַּם הַצֹּאן וְהַבָּקָר אַל יִרְעוּ אֶל מוּל הָהָר הַהוּא.

“At that time the Lord said to me: Carve for yourself two tablets of stone like the first, and ascend to Me to the mountain, and make for yourself a wooden Ark” (Deuteronomy 10:1). “At that time the Lord said to me: Carve for yourself” – halakha: A person of Israel who betrothed a woman; who must pay the wages [of the scribe] for [writing] the document of betrothal? So the Sages taught: One writes documents of betrothal and marriage only with the consent of both, and the groom pays the wages. From whom did they learn this? From the Holy One blessed be He, when the Holy One blessed be He sanctified Israel at Sinai, as it is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Go to the people and sanctify them today and tomorrow” (Exodus 19:10). Who wrote that document? It was Moses. From where is this derived? “Moses wrote this Torah” (Deuteronomy 31:9). What reward did the Holy One blessed be He give him? It was the radiance of his face, as it is written: “Moses did not know that the skin of his face was radiant” (Exodus 34:29). When? “Upon His speaking with him” (Exodus 34:29). Reish Lakish said: When he wrote the Torah, Moses received the radiance of his face. How so? Reish Lakish said: The Torah that was given to Moses, its parchment was white fire, it was written with black fire, sealed with fire, and bound with fire. As he was writing, he wiped the quill in his hair, and it was from there that he received the radiance of his face. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Moses received the radiance of his face from the Tablets. As the Tablets were given to him, from hand to hand, he received the radiance of his face. When Israel performed that act, he took [the Tablets] and shattered them. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘When you served as an intermediary for Israel, I gave you the reward of radiance of the face, now, you shattered the Tablets.’ Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Our Rabbis taught: If the barrel broke, it broke for the intermediary. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘You were the intermediary between Me and my children – you shattered it, you replace it.’ From where is this derived? From that which is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Carve for yourself two tablets of stone, like the first, and I will write on the Tablets the words that were on the first Tablets that you shattered. And be prepared for the morning, and you shall ascend in the morning to Mount Sinai, and you shall stand there for Me at the top of the mountain. No man shall ascend with you and no man shall be seen on the entire mountain. The flocks and the cattle shall not graze facing that mountain” (Exodus 34:1–3).

דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּסָל לְךָ, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת ג, ה): עֵת לְהַשְּׁלִיךְ אֲבָנִים וְעֵת כְּנוֹס אֲבָנִים עֵת לַחֲבוֹק וְעֵת לִרְחֹק מֵחַבֵּק. אָמַר רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא מַהוּ עֵת לְהַשְּׁלִיךְ אֲבָנִים, עֵת הִיא שֶׁיַּעֲלֶה אַדְרִיָנוֹס שְׁחִיק עֲצָמוֹת וִינַפֵּץ אַבְנֵי בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, וְעֵת כְּנוֹס אֲבָנִים, עֵת שֶׁיִּבְנֶה אוֹתוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה כח, טז יז): לָכֵן כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהִים הִנְּנִי יִסַּד בְּצִיּוֹן אָבֶן אֶבֶן בֹּחַן פִּנַּת יִקְרַת מוּסָד מוּסָּד הַמַּאֲמִין לֹא יָחִישׁ. וְשַׂמְתִּי מִשְׁפָּט לְקָו וּצְדָקָה לְמִשְׁקָלֶת וְיָעָה בָרָד מַחְסֵה כָזָב וְסֵתֶר מַיִם יִשְׁטֹפוּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, עֵת לְהַשְּׁלִיךְ אֲבָנִים, רַבָּנִין אָמְרֵי מְדַבֵּר בְּמשֶׁה עֵת הָיָה שֶׁיַּשְּׁלִיךְ משֶׁה אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לב, יט): וַיְהִי כַּאֲשֶׁר קָרַב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וַיַּרְא אֶת הָעֵגֶל וּמְחֹלֹת וַיִּחַר אַף משֶׁה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ מִיָּדָו אֶת הַלֻּחֹת וַיְשַׁבֵּר אֹתָם תַּחַת הָהָר. וְעֵת כְּנוֹס אֲבָנִים, עֵת הָיָה שֶׁיַּחֲזִירָן לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: פְּסָל לְךָ שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים.

Another matter, “carve for yourself” – this is what the verse said: “A time to cast stones and a time to gather stones; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing” (Ecclesiastes 3:5). Rabbi Tanḥuma said: What is “a time to cast stones”? There was a time for Hadrian, may his bones be crushed, to ascend and shatter the stones of the Temple. “And a time to gather stones” – there will be a time when the Holy One blessed be He will build it. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Therefore, so said the Lord God: Behold, I am laying a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone of a sturdy foundation; the faithful will not hurry. I will place justice as the line and righteousness as the plummet, and hail will sweep away the shelter of falsehood, and water will flood the concealed place” (Isaiah 28:16–17). Another matter, “a time to cast stones” – the Rabbis say: It is speaking of Moses; there was a time for Moses to cast down the Tablets, as it is written: “It was, when he approached the camp; he saw the calf and dancing; Moses’ wrath was enflamed and he cast the Tablets from his hands and he shattered them at the foot of the mountain” (Exodus 32:19). “And a time to gather stones” – there was a time for him to restore them to Israel, as it is stated: “Carve for yourself two Tablets of stone.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּסָל לְךָ, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (קהלת ז, ט): אַל תְּבַהֵל בְּרוּחֲךָ לִכְעוֹס כִּי כַעַס בְּחֵיק כְּסִילִים יָנוּחַ. וּמִי הָיָה זֶה שֶׁכָּעַס, זֶה משֶׁה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, יט): וַיִּחַר אַף משֶׁה וַיַּשְׁלֵךְ מִיָּדָו אֶת הַלֻּחֹת, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָא משֶׁה, אַתָּה מֵפִיג חֲמָתְךָ בְּלוּחוֹת הַבְּרִית, מְבַקֵּשׁ אַתְּ שֶׁאָפִיג אֶת חֲמָתִי וְאַתְּ רוֹאֶה שֶׁאֵין הָעוֹלָם יָכוֹל לַעֲמֹד אֲפִלּוּ שָׁעָה אֶחָת, אָמַר לוֹ וּמַה יֵּשׁ לִי לַעֲשׂוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ לָתֵת עָלֶיךָ קָטָרִיקֵי, אַתְּ שִׁבַּרְתָּ אוֹתָן וְאַתְּ מַחְלִיף אוֹתָן, הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: פְּסָל לְךָ שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת אֲבָנִים.

Another matter, “carve for yourself” – this is what the verse said: “Do not be hasty in your spirit to become angry, as anger abides in the bosom of fools” (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Who was it who became angry? It was Moses, as it is stated: “Moses’ wrath was enflamed and he cast the Tablets from his hands” (Exodus 32:19). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘So, Moses, do you vent your fury on the Tablets of the covenant? Do you seek that I will vent My fury, and you will see that the world will be unable to endure for even one hour?’ He said to Him: ‘What can I do?’ He said to him: ‘I will impose a penalty on you: You shattered them, you replace them.’ That is what is written: “Carve for you two Tablets of stone.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּסָל לְךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק כְּתִיב (ויקרא ה, כג): וְהָיָה כִּי יֶחֱטָא וְאָשֵׁם וְהֵשִׁיב אֶת הַגְּזֵלָה אֲשֶׁר גָּזָל אוֹ אֶת הָעשֶׁק אֲשֶׁר עָשָׁק אוֹ אֶת הַפִּקָּדוֹן אֲשֶׁר הָפְקַד אִתּוֹ אוֹ אֶת הָאֲבֵדָה אֲשֶׁר מָצָא, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הַלּוּחוֹת לֹא הָיוּ מֻפְקָדִים אֶצְלֶךָ, אַתְּ שִׁבַּרְתָּ אוֹתָן וְאַתְּ מַחֲלִיף אוֹתָן. אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק מִן הַלּוּחוֹת שְׁנִיִּים רִצָּה משֶׁה אֶת הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל, מֶה עָשָׂה עָלָה לוֹ אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּעוּס אָמַר לוֹ בָּנֶיךָ חוֹטְאִין וְאַתְּ נוֹתֵן עָלַי קָטָרִיקֵי, עָשָׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּאִלּוּ כָּעוּס עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, לא לב): וַיָּשָׁב משֶׁה אֶל ה' וַיֹּאמַר אָנָּא חָטָא הָעָם הַזֶּה חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה וַיַּעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם אֱלֹהֵי זָהָב וְעַתָּה אִם תִּשָֹּׂא חַטָּאתָם וְאִם אַיִן מְחֵנִי נָא מִסִּפְרְךָ אֲשֶׁר כָּתָבְתָּ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כָּךְ, אָמַר לוֹ, משֶׁה, שְׁתֵּי הַפָּנִים בְּכַעַס, אֲנִי וְאַתְּ כּוֹעֲסִין עֲלֵיהֶן, מִיָּד (שמות לג, יא): וְדִבֶּר ה' אֶל משֶׁה פָּנִים אֶל פָּנִים כַּאֲשֶׁר יְדַבֵּר אִישׁ אֶל רֵעֵהוּ וְשָׁב אֶל הַמַּחֲנֶה וּמְשָׁרְתוֹ יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בִּן נוּן נַעַר לֹא יָמִישׁ מִתּוֹךְ הָאֹהֶל. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא יִהְיוּ שְׁתֵּי הַפָּנִים בְּכַעַס אֶלָּא כְּשֶׁתִּרְאֶה אוֹתִי נוֹתֵן רוֹתְחִין הֱוֵי נוֹתֵן צוֹנֵן, וּכְשֶׁתִּרְאֶה אוֹתִי נוֹתֵן צוֹנֵן הֱוֵי נוֹתֵן רוֹתְחִין. אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הֵיאַךְ יְהֵא, אָמַר לוֹ הֱוֵי חָל אַתָּה רַחֲמִים, מֶה עָשָׂה מִיָּד (שמות לב, יא יב): וַיְחַל משֶׁה אֶת פְּנֵי ה' אֱלֹהָיו וַיֹּאמֶר לָמָּה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ אֲשֶׁר הוֹצֵאתָ מֵאֶרֶץ מִצְרַיִם בְּכֹחַ גָּדוֹל וּבְיָד חֲזָקָה לָמָּה יֹאמְרוּ מִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר בְּרָעָה הוֹצִיאָם לַהֲרֹג אֹתָם בֶּהָרִים וּלְכַתָם מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה שׁוּב מֵחֲרוֹן אַפֶּךָ וְהִנָּחֵם עַל הָרָעָה לְעַמֶּךָ. אָמַר לוֹ וַהֲרֵי בָּנֶיךָ מָרִים, חַלֵּה אוֹתָן. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם יוֹדֵעַ אֲנִי שֶׁאַתָּה אוֹהֵב אֶת בָּנֶיךָ וְאֵין אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁיְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶן סָנֵגוֹרְיָא, אָמַר רַבִּי סִימוֹן לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ וּבְנוֹ שֶׁהָיוּ נְתוּנִים בְּקִיטוֹן, וְהַפַּדְּגוֹג שֶׁל בְּנוֹ נָתוּן בִּטְרַקְלִין, הָיָה הַמֶּלֶךְ צוֹוֵחַ הַנִּיחוּ לִי שֶׁאֶהֱרֹג אֶת בְּנִי, אֵינוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁיְלַמֵּד עָלָיו סָנֵגוֹרְיָא. כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אוֹמֵר לְמשֶׁה (שמות לב, י): וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִי וְיִחַר אַפִּי בָהֶם וַאֲכַלֵּם וְאֶעֱשֶׂה אוֹתְךָ לְגוֹי גָדוֹל, אָמַר משֶׁה וְכִי תוֹפֵס אֲנִי בְּיָדוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, כִּבְיָכוֹל אֵינוֹ מְבַקֵּשׁ אֶלָּא מִי שֶׁיְלַמֵּד עֲלֵיהֶן סָנֵגוֹרְיָא, מִיָּד וַיְחַל משֶׁה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, וְעַתָּה הַנִּיחָה לִי, אָמַר משֶׁה רִבּוֹן הָעוֹלָמִים וּלְכַלּוֹתָם אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ, עֲקֹר הָעֶלְיוֹנִים וְהַתַּחְתּוֹנִים וְאַחַר כָּךְ עֲקֹר אוֹתָם, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה נא, ו): שְׂאוּ לַשָּׁמַיִם עֵינֵיכֶם וְהַבִּיטוּ אֶל הָאָרֶץ מִתַּחַת כִּי שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן נִמְלָחוּ וְהָאָרֶץ כַּבֶּגֶד תִּבְלֶה וְישְׁבֶיהָ כְּמוֹ כֵן יְמוּתוּן וִישׁוּעָתִי לְעוֹלָם תִּהְיֶה וְצִדְקָתִי לֹא תֵחָת. תְּחִלָּה שָׁמַיִם כֶּעָשָׁן וגו' וְאַחַר כָּךְ וְישְׁבֶיהָ כְּמוֹ כֵן יְמוּתוּן, אָמַר לֵיהּ משֶׁה וַאֲפִלּוּ אַתָּה עוֹקֵר אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אִי אַתָּה יָכוֹל לַעֲקֹר, שֶׁנִּשְׁבַּעְתָּ לַאֲבוֹתֵיהֶם, וְלֹא נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם לֹא בַשָּׁמַיִם וְלֹא בָאָרֶץ אֶלָּא בְּשִׁמְךָ הַגָּדוֹל, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, יג): אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם בָּךְ, שֶׁמָּא אַתָּה יָכוֹל לְבַטֵּל אֶת שְׁמֶךָ. אָמַר לְפָנָיו משֶׁה, חֲשֹׁב אוֹתָם כִּסְדוֹם, מָה אָמַרְתָּ לְאַבְרָהָם (בראשית יח, כו): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אִם אֶמְצָא בִסְדֹם חֲמִשִּׁים צַדִּיקִם בְּתוֹךְ הָעִיר וְנָשָׂאתִי לְכָל הַמָּקוֹם בַּעֲבוּרָם, וּוִתַּרְתָּ לוֹ עַד עֲשָׂרָה, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית יח, לב): אַל נָא יִחַר לַאֲדֹנָי וַאֲדַבְּרָה אַךְ הַפַּעַם אוּלַי יִמָּצְאוּן שָׁם עֲשָׂרָה וַיֹּאמֶר לֹא אַשְׁחִית בַּעֲבוּר הָעֲשָׂרָה, וַאֲנִי מַעֲמִיד לְךָ מֵאֵלּוּ שְׁמוֹנִים צַדִּיקִים. אָמַר לוֹ הַעֲמֵד, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הֲרֵי שִׁבְעִים הַזְּקֵנִים, דִּכְתִיב (במדבר יא, טז יז): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶל משֶׁה אֶסְפָה לִי שִׁבְעִים אִישׁ מִזִּקְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֲשֶׁר יָדַעְתָּ כִּי הֵם זִקְנֵי הָעָם וְשֹׁטְרָיו וְלָקַחְתָּ אֹתָם אֶל אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְהִתְיַצְּבוּ שָׁם עִמָּךְ וְיָרַדְתִּי וְדִבַּרְתִּי עִמְּךָ שָׁם וְאָצַלְתִּי מִן הָרוּחַ אֲשֶׁר עָלֶיךָ וְשַׂמְתִּי עֲלֵיהֶם וְנָשְׂאוּ אִתְּךָ בְּמַשָֹּׂא הָעָם וְלֹא תִשָֹּׂא אַתָּה לְבַדֶּךָ. אַהֲרֹן נָדָב וַאֲבִיהוּא אֶלְעָזָר וְאִיתָמָר פִּינְחָס וְכָלֵב, הֲרֵי שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָא משֶׁה, הֵיכָן עוֹד שְׁלשָׁה צַדִּיקִים, וְלֹא הָיָה מוֹצֵא, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אִם הַלָּלוּ בַּחַיִּים וְאֵינָם יְכוֹלִים לַעֲמֹד לָהֶם בַּפִּרְצָה הַזּוֹ, יַעַמְדוּ הַמֵּתִים, אָמַר לְפָנָיו עֲשֵׂה בִּזְכוּת ג' אָבוֹת וַהֲרֵי שְׁמוֹנִים, (שמות לב, יג): זְכֹר לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדֶיךָ, כֵּיוָן שֶׁהִזְכִּיר משֶׁה זְכוּת אָבוֹת, מִיָּד אָמַר לוֹ (במדבר יד, כ): סָלַחְתִּי כִּדְבָרֶךָ. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמַד שְׁלֹמֹה וְרָאָה שֶׁהִזְכִּיר משֶׁה שִׁבְעִים וְשִׁבְעָה צַדִּיקִים חַיִּים וְלֹא הוֹעִיל כְּלוּם אִלּוּלֵי שֶׁהִזְכִּיר זְכוּת שְׁלשֶׁת הָאָבוֹת שֶׁהָיוּ מֵתִים, הִתְחִיל אוֹמֵר (קהלת ד, ב ג): וְשַׁבֵּחַ אֲנִי אֶת הַמֵּתִים שֶׁכְּבָר מֵתוּ מִן הַחַיִּים אֲשֶׁר הֵמָּה חַיִּים עֲדֶנָה וְטוֹב מִשְּׁנֵיהֶם אֵת אֲשֶׁר עֲדֶן לֹא הָיָה אֲשֶׁר לֹא רָאָה אֶת הַמַּעֲשֶׂה הָרָע אֲשֶׁר נַעֲשָׂה תַּחַת הַשָּׁמֶשׁ, דָּבָר אַחֵר (שמות לג, יג יד): זְכֹר לְאַבְרָהָם לְיִצְחָק וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל עֲבָדֶיךָ אֲשֶׁר נִשְׁבַּעְתָּ לָהֶם בָּךְ וַתְּדַבֵּר אֲלֵיהֶם אַרְבֶּה אֶת זַרְעֲכֶם כְּכוֹכְבֵי הַשָּׁמַיִם וְכָל הָאָרֶץ הַזֹּאת אֲשֶׁר אָמַרְתִּי אֶתֵּן לְזַרְעֲכֶם וְנָחֲלוּ לְעֹלָם וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' עַל הָרָעָה אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר לַעֲשׂוֹת לְעַמּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם חַיִּין הֵן הַמֵּתִים, אָמַר לוֹ, משֶׁה, אַף אַתָּה טוֹעֶה, לֹא כָךְ אָמַרְתִּי לְךָ (דברים לב, לט): אֲנִי אָמִית וַאֲחַיֶּה. אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה, וְאִם חַיִּין הֵן הַמֵּתִים חֲשֹׁב כְּמוֹ שֶׁהָאָבוֹת עוֹמְדִין וּמְבַקְּשִׁין עַל בְּנֵיהֶן, מָה הָיִיתָ מְשִׁיבָן. כֵּיוָן שֶׁאָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה מִיָּד וַיִּנָחֶם ה' עַל הָרָעָה.

Another matter, “carve for you” – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: It is written: “It will be when he shall sin and is guilty, he shall restore the robbed item that he robbed, or the proceeds of the exploitation that he exploited, or the deposit that was deposited with him, or the lost item that he found” (Leviticus 5:23). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Were the Tablets not deposited with you? You shattered them, you replace them.’ Rabbi Yitzḥak said: With the second Tablets, Moses reconciled the Holy One blessed be He with Israel. What did he do? He ascended to the Holy One blessed be He, who was angry. He said to Him: ‘Your children are sinning, and You are imposing a penalty upon me?’ [Moses] presented himself as though he was angry at Israel. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Moses returned to the Lord and he said: Please; this people has sinned a great sin, and they made themselves a god of gold. Now, if You would, forgive their sin; but if not, erase me please from Your book that You have written” (Exodus 32:31–32). When the Holy One blessed be He saw that it was so, He said to him: ‘There are two beings who are angry; you and I are angry at them.’ Immediately: “The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend, and he would return to the camp. But his servant, Joshua, son of Nun, a lad, would not move from within the tent” (Exodus 33:11). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘There shall not be two beings angry, instead, when you see Me pouring boiling water, you pour cold; and when you see Me pouring cold water, you pour boiling.’ Moses said to him: ‘Master of the universe, how shall it be?’ He said to him: ‘You implore for mercy.’ What did he do? Immediately, “Moses implored [vayḥal] the Lord his God and he said: Lord, why shall Your wrath be enflamed against Your people that You took out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, saying: He took them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains and to destroy them from upon the face of the earth? Relent from Your enflamed wrath and reconsider regarding the evil for Your people” (Exodus 32:11–12). He said to Him: ‘Your children are bitter, sweeten [ḥaleh] them.’ Another matter, he said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, I know that You love Your children, and You seek only someone to advocate on their behalf.’ Rabbi Simon said: To what is the matter comparable? To a king and his son who were located in an inner chamber, and his son’s tutor was in the hall. The king was shouting: ‘Let me be so I will kill my son!’ He was seeking only that someone advocate on his behalf. So, the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses: “Now, let Me be, and My wrath will be enflamed against them and I will destroy them and I will make you into a great nation” (Exodus 32:10). Moses said: Am I, as it were, grasping the hand of the Holy One blessed be He? He seeks only someone to advocate on their behalf. Immediately, “Moses implored.” Another matter, “now, let Me be” – Moses said: ‘Master of the universe, do You seek to eradicate them? Uproot the upper worlds and the lower worlds, and then uproot them.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “Lift your eyes to the heavens and look to the earth below, as the heavens will be eroded like smoke and the earth will be tattered like a garment, and its inhabitants, likewise, will die, but My salvation will be forever and My righteousness will not be daunted” (Isaiah 51:6). First, the heavens will be eroded like smoke…and then: “Its inhabitants, likewise, will die.” Moses said to Him: ‘Even if You uproot the heavens and the earth, it is impossible for You to uproot Israel, as You took an oath to their patriarchs, and You did not take an oath to them by the heavens or by the earth, but by Your great Name.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “To whom You took an oath by Yourself” (Exodus 32:13). [Moses said:] ‘Could You, perhaps void Your great Name?’ Moses said before Him: ‘Consider them like Sodom. What did You say to Abraham? “The Lord said: If I find in Sodom fifty righteous people within the city, I will tolerate the entire place for their sake” (Genesis 18:26), and You were willing to concede to him until ten.’ From where is this derived? As it is stated: “He said: Please, let my Lord not be incensed, and I will speak only this time. Perhaps ten shall be found there. He said: I will not destroy for the ten” (Genesis 18:32). [Moses said before Him:] ‘I will produce for You eighty righteous men.’ He said to him: ‘Produce them.’ He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, there are seventy elders,’ as it is written: “The Lord said to Moses: Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people, and its officers, and you shall take them to the Tent of Meeting, and they will stand there with you. I will descend and speak with you there and I will draw from the spirit that is upon you, and I will place it upon them, and they will bear with you the burden of the people, and you will not bear alone” (Numbers 11:16–17). ‘[And] Aaron, Nadav, Avihu, Elazar, Itamar, Pinḥas, and Caleb – that is seventy-seven.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘But Moses, where are three more righteous men?’ [Moses] did not find them. He said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, if those who are alive cannot stand in the breach on their behalf, let the dead stand.’ He said before Him: ‘Do it by the merit of the three patriarchs, and that is eighty – “Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Your servants” (Exodus 32:13).’ Once Moses mentioned the merit of the patriarchs, He immediately said to him: “I have pardoned in accordance with your word” (Numbers 14:20). When Solomon arose and saw that Moses mentioned seventy-seven living righteous men and it would have been of no avail had he not mentioned the merit of the three patriarchs, he began saying: “I praise the dead who are already dead more than the living who are still alive. Better than both of them is one who has not yet been, who has not seen the evil action that is performed under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 4:2–3). Another matter, “Remember Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Yourself and said to them: I will multiply your offspring like the stars of the heavens, and this entire land that I said I will give to your descendants, they shall inherit it forever. The Lord reconsidered the evil that He had spoken of doing to His people” (Exodus 32:13–14). Rabbi Levi said: Moses said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, will the dead live?’ He said to him: ‘Are you, too, mistaken? Did I not say to you: “I will kill and I will resurrect”?’ (Deuteronomy 32:39). Moses said to Him: ‘If the dead will live, consider it as though the patriarchs are standing and beseeching on behalf of their descendants; what would You answer them?’ When Moses said this matter to Him, immediately, the Lord reconsidered the evil.

דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּסָל לְךָ שְׁנֵי לֻחֹת. לָמָּה שְׁנַיִם, רַבָּנִין אָמְרֵי אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֵלּוּ מְעִידִין בֵּינִי וּבֵין בָּנַי, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנֵי עֵדִים, כְּנֶגֶד שְׁנֵי שׁוֹשְׁבִינִין, כְּנֶגֶד חָתָן וְכַלָּה, כְּנֶגֶד שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ, כְּנֶגֶד הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְהָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

Another matter, “carve for yourself two Tablets” – why two? The Rabbis say: The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘These provide testimony between Me and My descendants, corresponding to two witnesses, corresponding to two groomsmen, corresponding to a groom and bride, corresponding to the heavens and the earth, corresponding to this world and the World to Come.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, פְּסָל לְךָ, שָׁאֲלוּ אֶת רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי מִפְּנֵי מָה לוּחוֹת הָרִאשׁוֹנוֹת מַעֲשֵׂה שָׁמַיִם וְהַשְּׁנִיִּים מַעֲשֵׂה אָדָם. אָמַר לָהֶן לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה, לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנָּשָׂא אִשָּׁה וְהֵבִיא הַנְּיָר וְהַלַּבְלָר מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, עִטְּרָהּ מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, וְהִכְנִיסָהּ לְבֵיתוֹ. רָאָה אוֹתָהּ הַמֶּלֶךְ שׂוֹחֶקֶת לְעֶבֶד אֶחָד מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, כָּעַס עָלֶיהָ וְהוֹצִיאָהּ. בָּא שׁוֹשְׁבִינָהּ אֶצְלוֹ וְאָמַר לוֹ מָרִי אִי אַתְּ יוֹדֵעַ מֵהֵיכָן נָטַלְתָּ אוֹתָהּ, לֹא בֵּין הָעֲבָדִים גָּדְלָה, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁגָּדְלָה בֵּין הָעֲבָדִים לִבָּהּ גַּס בָּהֶן. אָמַר לוֹ הַמֶּלֶךְ וּמָה אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ שֶׁאֶתְרַצֶּה לָהּ, הָבֵא הַנְּיָר וְהַלַּבְלָר מִשֶּׁלְּךָ וַהֲרֵי כְּתַב יָדִי. כָּךְ אָמַר משֶׁה לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁבָּאוּ לִידֵי אוֹתוֹ מַעֲשֶׂה, אָמַר לוֹ אִי אַתָּה יוֹדֵעַ מֵאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם הוֹצֵאתָ אוֹתָם, מִמִּצְרַיִם, מִמְּקוֹם עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וּמָה אַתָּה מְבַקֵּשׁ שֶׁאֶתְרַצֶּה לָהֶן, הָבֵא אֶת הַלּוּחוֹת מִשֶּׁלְּךָ, וַהֲרֵי כְּתַב יָדִי (שמות לד, א): וְכָתַבְתִּי עַל הַלֻּחֹת. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא משֶׁה חַיֶּיךָ כְּשֵׁם שֶׁנָתַתָּ אֶת נַפְשְׁךָ עֲלֵיהֶן בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כָּךְ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא כְּשֶׁאָבִיא לָהֶם אֶת אֵלִיָּהוּ הַנָּבִיא שְׁנֵיכֶם בָּאִין כְּאֶחָת. מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב (נחום א, ג ד): ה' אֶרֶךְ אַפַּיִם וּגְדָל כֹּחַ וְנַקֵּה לֹא יְנַקֶּה ה' בְּסוּפָה וּבִשְׂעָרָה דַרְכּוֹ וְעָנָן אֲבַק רַגְלָיו. גּוֹעֵר בַּיָּם וַיַּבְּשֵׁהוּ וְכָל הַנְּהָרוֹת הֶחֶרִיב אֻמְלַל בָּשָׁן וְכַרְמֶל וּפָרַח לְבָנוֹן אֻמְלָל, בְּסוּפָה זֶה משֶׁה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות ב, ג): וְלֹא יָכְלָה עוֹד הַצְּפִינוֹ וַתִּקַּח לוֹ תֵּבַת גֹּמֶא וַתַּחְמְרָה בַחֵמָר וּבַזָּפֶת וַתָּשֶׂם בָּהּ אֶת הַיֶּלֶד וַתָּשֶׂם בַּסּוּף עַל שְׂפַת הַיְאֹר. וּבִשְׂעָרָה זֶה אֵלִיָּהוּ, דִּכְתִיב (מלכים ב ב, יא יב): וַיְהִי הֵמָּה הֹלְכִים הָלוֹךְ וְדַבֵּר וְהִנֵּה רֶכֶב אֵשׁ וְסוּסֵי אֵשׁ וַיַּפְרִדוּ בֵּין שְׁנֵיהֶם וַיַּעַל אֵלִיָּהוּ בַּסְעָרָה הַשָּׁמָיִם. וֶאֱלִישָׁע רֹאֶה וְהוּא מְצַעֵק אָבִי אָבִי רֶכֶב יִשְׂרָאֵל וּפָרָשָׁיו וְלֹא רָאָהוּ עוֹד וַיַּחֲזֵק בִּבְגָדָיו וַיִּקְרְעֵם לִשְׁנַיִם קְרָעִים. אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הוּא בָּא וּמְנַחֵם אֶתְכֶם, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (מלאכי ג, כג כד): הִנֵּה אָנֹכִי שֹׁלֵחַ לָכֶם אֶת אֵלִיָּה הַנָּבִיא וגו' וְהֵשִׁיב לֵב אָבוֹת עַל בָּנִים.

Another matter, “carve for you” – they asked Rabbi Yoḥanan ben Zakkai: Why were the first Tablets, the work of Heaven, and the second, the work of man? He said to them: To what is the matter comparable: To a king who married a woman and brought the paper and the scribe at his own expense. He adorned her at his expense and took her into his house. The king saw her flirting with one of his slaves. He became angry at her and banished her. Her friend came to him and said to him: ‘My master, do you not know from where you took her? Did she not grow up among slaves? Since she grew up among slaves, she is familiar with them.’ The king said to him: ‘What are you requesting, that I reconcile with her? Bring the paper and the scribe at your expense, and I will give my signature.’ So, Moses said to the Holy One blessed be He, when they committed that deed, he said to Him: ‘Do You not know from what place You took them? It was from Egypt, a place of idol worship.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘What are you requesting, that I reconcile with them? Bring the Tablets at your expense, and I will add My handwriting’ – “[The Lord said to Moses: Carve for yourself two Tablets of stone like the first,] and I will write on the Tablets” (Exodus 34:1). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Moses, as you live, just as you devoted your life to them in this world, so, in the future, when I bring Elijah the prophet, both of you will come as one.’ From where is this derived? From that which is written: “The Lord is slow to anger, and great of power, and He will not exonerate; the Lord, in a storm and in a tempest is His way, and the dust of His feet is a cloud. He castigates the sea and dries it, and all the rivers He has made dry; Bashan and Carmel are miserable and the flower of Lebanon is miserable” (Nahum 1:3–4). “In a storm [besufa]” – this is Moses, as it is written: “She could no longer conceal him, and she took a wicker basket for him and coated it with clay and with pitch; she placed the child in it and placed it among the reeds [basuf] on the bank of the Nile” (Exodus 2:3). “And in a tempest” – this is Elijah, as it is written: “It was as they were walking, walking and talking, and behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared, and they separated between the two of them, and Elijah went up in a tempest to the heavens. Elisha saw, and he was shouting: My father, my father, chariot of Israel and its horsemen; and he did not see him anymore. He grasped his garments, and rent them into two pieces” (II Kings 2:11–12). At that time he will come and comfort you. From where is this derived? As it is stated: “[Remember the Torah of Moses My servant…] Behold, I am sending Elijah the prophet to you… He will return the heart of the fathers to the children” (Malachi 3:22–24).