כִּי תִשָּׂא. רַבִּי יוֹנָה פָּתַח: כִּי אֱלֹהִים שֹׁפֵט זֶה יַשְׁפִּיל וְזֶה יָרִים (תהלים עה, ח). מַטְרוֹנָה אַחַת שָׁאֲלָה אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסִי בַּר חֲלַפְתָּא: לְכַמָּה יָמִים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת עוֹלָמוֹ. אָמַר לָהּ: לְשִׁשָּׁה יָמִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: כִּי שֵׁשֶׁת יָמִים עָשָׂה ה' (שמות כ, יא). אָמְרָה לוֹ: וּמִן אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה מָה עוֹשֶׂה בְּכָל יוֹם. אָמַר לָהּ: מְזַוֵּג זִוּוּגִים וּמַעֲשִׁיר לָזֶה וּמוֹרִישׁ לָזֶה. אָמְרָה לוֹ: וְאַף אֲנִי יְכוֹלָה לַעֲשׂוֹת כֵּן. כַּמָּה עֲבָדִים וּשְׁפָחוֹת יֵשׁ לִי, אֲנִי מְזַוְּגָן בְּלַיְלָה זוֹ. מַה שֶּׁהוּא עוֹשֶׂה מִן אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה עַד הַיּוֹם, אֲנִי אֶעֱשֶׂה בְּשָׁעָה קַלָּה. אָמַר לָהּ: אִם קַלָּה בְּעֵינַיִךְ, קָשָׁה הִיא לְפָנָיו כִּקְרִיעַת יַם סוּף, דִּכְתִיב: אֱלֹהִים מוֹשִׁיב יְחִידִים בַּיְתָה וְגוֹ' (תהלים סח, ז). When thou takest the sum (Exod. 30:12).11This entire section is to be found almost verbatim in Pesikta de-Rav Kahana, pisha 2:4–5. R. Jonah began to discuss the verse For God is judge; He putteth down one, and lifteth up another (Ps. 75:8). A Roman matron asked R. Yosé the son of Halafta: “In how many days did the Holy One, blessed be He, create the world?” “In six days,” he replied, “as it is said: For in six days the Lord made the heaven and the earth (Exod. 20:11).” “What has he been doing since that time?” she queried. “He has been uniting couples and making one man wealthy and another poor,” he responded. Whereupon she retorted: “I too am able to do this. I have many slaves and maid servants, and I can couple them all on this very night. What He has been doing since the time of creation, I can do easily in one hour.” “It may appear a simple matter to you,” he replied, “but to Him it is as difficult as splitting the Red Sea, for it is written: God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house (Ps. 68:7).”
הִנִּיחָהּ רַבִּי יוֹסִי וְהָלַךְ לוֹ. הָלְכָה לָהּ. מֶה עָשְׂתָה? נָטְלָה אֶלֶף עֲבָדִים וְאֶלֶף שְׁפָחוֹת וְהֶעֱמִידָתָן שׁוּרוֹת שׁוּרוֹת, וְאָמְרָה: יִשָּׂא פְּלוֹנִי לִפְלוֹנִית, וּפְלוֹנִית תִּשָּׂא פְּלוֹנִי. זִוְּגָה אוֹתָן בְּלַיְלָה אֶחָת. בְּצַפְרָא אָתוּן לְגַבָּהּ, דֵּין עֵינֵהּ שָׁמִיט, דֵּין רֵישֵׁהּ פָּצִיעַ, דֵּין רַגְלֵהּ תְּבִירָא. דֵּין אָמַר: לֵית אֲנָא בָּעֵי לַהֲדָא. וַהֲדָא אָמְרָה: לֵית אֲנָא בַּעְיָא לְדֵין. שָׁלְחָה וְהֵבִיאָה אֶת רַבִּי יוֹסִי: אָמְרָה לֵהּ: מְעִידָה אֲנִי שֶׁאֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֱמֶת וְתוֹרָתוֹ אֱמֶת, שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁאָמַרְתָּ יָפֶה אָמַרְתָּ. אָמַר לָהּ: הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹשֵׁב וּמְזַוְּגָן בְּעַל כָּרְחָן וְקוֹשֵׁר קוֹלָר בְּצַוַּאר זֶה וּמְבִיאוֹ מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וּמְזַוֵּג לָזוֹ בְּסוֹף הָעוֹלָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: אֱלֹהִים מוֹשִׁיב יְחִידִים בַּיְתָה מוֹצִיא אֲסִירִים בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת (תהלים סח, ז). He left her and went on his way. What did she do? She took a thousand male slaves and a thousand female slaves and had them stand face to face in two rows. This male slave, she commanded, shall take this one as his wife, and this one shall take the other, and she continued to do this until she had coupled them all on that one night. When they returned in the morning, one had lost an eye, another had suffered a head wound, and a third one’s leg was broken. One shouted: “I do not want him as my husband,” while another exclaimed: “I do not want her as my wife.” Thereupon she summoned R. Yosé. When he came to her she said: “I agree that your God is a God of truth, and that His law is the truth, and that everything you have said is indeed so.” He said to her: “The Holy One, blessed be He, sits and joins them together even against their will. He binds a chain about the neck of one and brings him from one end of the earth to the other to couple him with his mate, as it is said: God maketh the solitary to dwell in a house; He bringeth out the prisoners into prosperity (Ps. 68:7).”
מַה הוּא בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת? דְּלָא בָּעֵי, בָּכֵי, וּדְבָעֵי, אָמַר שִׁירָה. הֱוֵי, בַּכּוֹשָׁרוֹת. וּמַעֲלֶה לָזֶה, וּמוֹרִיד לָזֶה בְּסֻלָּמוֹת, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: כִּי אֱלֹהִים שֹׁפֵט זֶה יַשְׁפִּיל וְזֶה יָרִים (תהלים עה, ח). What does bakosharot (“prosperity”) imply? The one who is not pleased (with his mate) weeps, the one who is pleased sings. Hence the word bakosharot (from beki, “weeping,” and shirot, “songs”) is used in the text. He causes one to ascend the ladder and another to descend. Thus it is said: For God is judge; He putteth down this one, and lifteth up this one (Ps. 76:8).
רַבִּי יוֹנָה בּוֹצְרִיִּי וְרַבָּנָן פַּתְרִין קְרָא בְּאַהֲרֹן בִּלְשׁוֹן זֶה הֻשְׁפַּל וּבִלְשׁוֹן זֶה הֻגְבַּהּ. בִּלְשׁוֹן זֶה הֻשְׁפַּל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וָאַשְׁלִיכֵהוּ בָאֵשׁ וַיֵּצֵא הָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה (שמות לב, כד). וּבִלְשׁוֹן זֶה הֻגְבַּהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: זֶה קָרְבַּן אַהֲרֹן וּבָנָיו (ויקרא ו, יג). רַבִּי יוֹנָה פָּתַר קְרָא בִּלְשׁוֹן זֶה הֻגְבְּהוּ, וּבִלְשׁוֹן זֶה הֻשְׁפָּלוּ. בִּלְשׁוֹן זֶה הֻשְׁפָּל, כִּי זֶה מֹשֶׁה הָאִישׁ (שמות לב, א). וּבִלְשׁוֹן זֶה הֻגְבְּהוּ, זֶה יִתְּנוּ (שמות ל, יג). זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב: צְדָקָה תְּרוֹמֵם גּוֹי (משלי יד, לד). רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר: צְדָקָה תְּרוֹמֵם גּוֹי וְחֶסֶד לְאֻמִּים חַטָּאת (משלי יד, לד). הֲנָיָה לְאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁיִּשְׂרָאֵל חוֹטְאִים, שֶׁהֵן חוֹזְרִין וּמְשַׁעְבְּדִים בָּהֶם. R. Jonah of Bozrah and the rabbis disagreed concerning the meaning of this verse. The rabbis maintained that it refers to Aaron. Because of the word this (in the preceding verse) he was humbled, as it is said: And I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf (Exod. 32:24), and because of the word this he was exalted, as is said: This is the offering of Aaron and of his sons (Lev. 6:13). R.Jonah, however, was of the opinion that this verse refers to Israel: With the word this they debased themselves, and with the word this they exalted themselves. With the word this they debased themselves in saying: As for this man Moses (Exod. 32:1), and with the word this they exalted themselves, as it is said: This they shall give (ibid. 30:13). Scripture states elsewhere: Righteousness exalteth a nation; but sin is a reproach to any people (Prov. 14:34). R. Joshua said: Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people is indicated by the fact that when Israel sinned, the nations of the world turned against them and enslaved them.
רַבִּי נְחוּנְיָה בֶּן הַקָּנָה אוֹמֵר: צְדָקָה תְּרוֹמֵם גּוֹי, אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל. וְחֶסֶד לְאֻמִּים חַטָּאת, חֶסֶד שֶׁאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם עוֹשִׂין, חַטָּאת הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד? מִן מֵישַׁע מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּמֵישַׁע מֶלֶךְ מוֹאָב הָיָה נֹקֵד (מלכים ב ג, ד). מַהוּ נֹקֵד? רוֹעֶה. וְהֵשִׁיב לְמֶלֶךְ יִשְׂרָאֵל מֵאָה אֶלֶף כָּרִים וּמֵאָה אֶלֶף אֵילִים צָמֶר (מלכים ב ג, ד). מַהוּ אֵילִים צָמֶר? רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר פְּרוֹבַטְיָא. מֶה עָשָׂה? כִּנֵּס כָּל אַסְטְרוֹלוֹגִין שֶׁלּוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ: לֵית אַתּוּן אָמְרִין לִי מַה דֵּין. אֲנָא עָבֵד קְרָבָא עִם כָּל אֻמָּה וְגָלֶה לְהוֹן. וְכַד אֲנָא עָבֵד קְרָבָא עִם יְהוּדָאֵי, נַצְחִין לִי. אֲמַרוּ לֵהּ: חַד סָב הֲוָה לְהוֹן וּשְׁמֵהּ אַבְרָהָם, וְאִתְיְהִיב לֵהּ לְמֵאָה שְׁנִין בַּר יְחִידָאִי וְקָרְבֵהּ. אֲמַר לְהוֹן: וְקָרְבֵהּ לְגַמְרֵהּ. אֲמַרוּ לֵהּ: לָא. אֲמַר לְהוּ: וְהָא קָרְבֵהּ וְלָא גַּמְרֵהּ וּמִתְעֲבֵד לְהוֹן נִסִּין. אִלּוּ קָרְבֵהּ וְגַמְרֵהּ, עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה. וּכְדוֹן בְּרָא בּוּכְרָא אִית לִי דְּעָתִיד לְמִמְלִיךְ תְּחוֹתַי, אֶלָּא אֲנָא מַקְרִיב לֵהּ, דִּלְמָא מִתְעֲבֵד לָן נִסִּין. הֲדָא הוּא דִּכְתִיב: וַיִּקַּח אֶת בְּנוֹ הַבְּכוֹר אֲשֶׁר יִמְלֹךְ תַּחְתָּיו וַיַּעֲלֵהוּ עֹלָה עַל הַחֹמָה וַיְהִי קֶצֶף גָּדוֹל עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל (מלכים ב ג, כז). R. Nahuniah the son of Hakanah maintained that righteousness exalteth a nation alludes to Israel, while sin is a reproach to any people is applicable to the idolatrous nations that sinned against Israel. From whom do you learn this? You learn it from Mesha, king of Moab, for it is said: Now Mesha king of Moab was a sheep-master (II Kings 3:4). What is meant by a noked (“sheep-master”)? He was shepherd, for it is said: And he rendered unto the king of Israel the wool of a hundred thousand lambs and a hundred thousand rams (ibid.). What is meant by the wool of rams? R. Abba the son of Kahana said: Sheep. What did he do? He assembled all his astrologers and said to them: “I have a problem, tell me what to do. Should I wage war together with all the nations against Israel and exile them, or should I wage war alone against Israel so that the victory might be mine alone?’ They replied: “Israel had a patriarch called Abraham who was given a child when he was one hundred years old, and he offered him as a sacrifice.” He asked them: “Was the sacrifice completed?” “No,” they answered. He replied: “He offered a sacrifice that was not completed and yet He performed miracles for them, how many more miracles would He have performed if the sacrifice had been completed. Now, since I have a firstborn son who will rule in my stead, I shall offer him as a sacrifice, and perhaps a miracle will be performed in my behalf.” Hence it is written: Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall, and there came a great wrath upon Israel (II Kings 3:27–28).
חַמָּה כְּתִיב, מִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לַחַמָּה. מִיָּד וַיְהִי קֶצֶף גָּדוֹל עַל יִשְׂרָאֵל (מלכים ב ג, כז). אָמַר לָהֶם הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל: עוֹבְדֵי עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה אֵין מַכִּירִין כְּבוֹדִי, לְפִיכָךְ הֵם מוֹרְדִין בִּי. וְאַתֶּם מַכִּירִין כְּבוֹדִי וּמוֹרְדִין אַתֶּם בִּי. Homah (“wall”) is written here, since he prostrated himself toward the hamah (“sun”) (in performing the sacrifice). Forthwith there came a great wrath upon Israel. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: The idolaters do not acknowledge My glory, and so they rebel against Me, but you, who acknowledged My glory, rebel against Me as well.
אָמַר רַבִּי מָנִי: אִלּוּלֵי זְכוּת אִשְׁתּוֹ שֶׁל עוֹבַדְיָהוּ, כְּבָר כָּלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה, וְאִשָּׁה אַחַת מִנְּשֵׁי בְנֵי הַנְּבִיאִים צָעֲקָה אֶל אֱלִישָׁע לֵאמֹר (מלכים ב ד, א). R. Mani stated: Were it not for the merit of Obadiah’s wife, Israel would have been exterminated at that time: Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha (II Kings 4:1).
רַב הוּנָא אָמַר: צְדָקָה וָחֶסֶד שֶׁאֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם עוֹשִׂין, מְסֻכָּן הוּא לָהֶם לְיִשְׂרָאֵל כְּאַרְסָהּ שֶׁל נָחָשׁ. מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד, מִבְּרֹאדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָן, שֶׁהָיָה לָמוּד בְּכָל יוֹם לֶאֱכֹל בְּשָׁלֹשׁ שָׁעוֹת וְיָשֵׁן עַד תֵּשַׁע. כֵּיוָן שֶׁחָזַר גַּלְגַּל חַמָּה בִּימֵי חִזְקִיָּה, יָשַׁן לוֹ. וְעָמַד וּמָצָא שֶׁהוּא שַׁחֲרִית. בִּקֵּשׁ לַהֲרֹג אֶת כָּל עֲבָדָיו. אָמַר לָהֶם: הִנַּחְתֶּם אוֹתִי לִישֹׁן כָּל הַיּוֹם וְכָל הַלַּיְלָה. אֲמַרוּ לֵהּ: יוֹמָא הוּא דַּהֲדַר. אֲמַר לְהוּ: וְאֵי זֶה אֱלוֹהַּ הֶחֱזִירוֹ. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֱלֹהָיו שֶׁל חִזְקִיָּהוּ. אָמַר לָהֶם: וְכִי יֵשׁ אֱלוֹהַּ גָּדוֹל מֵאלֹהַי. אָמְרוּ לוֹ: אֱלֹהָיו שֶׁל חִזְקִיָּהוּ גָּדוֹל מִכָּל אֱלֹהוֹת שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם. מִיָּד, בָּעֵת הַהִיא שָׁלַח בְּרֹאדַךְ בַּלְאֲדָן בֶּן בַּלְאֲדָן מֶלֶךְ בָּבֶל סְפָרִים וּמִנְחָה אֶל חִזְקִיָּהוּ וְגוֹ' (מלכים ב כ, יב). וְכָתַב: שָׁלוֹם לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ הַמֶּלֶךְ, וְשָׁלוֹם לִירוּשָׁלַיִם, וְשָׁלוֹם לָאֱלוֹהַּ הַגָּדוֹל. לְאַחַר שֶׁיָּצְאוּ הַסְּפָרִים לֹא נִתְיַשֵּׁב עַל דַּעְתּוֹ, אָמַר: לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כַּהֹגֶן, שֶׁהִקְדַּמְתִּי שְׁלוֹם חִזְקִיָּהוּ וְעִירוֹ לִשְׁלוֹם אֱלוֹהַּ הַגָּדוֹל. עָמַד מִכִּסְאוֹ וּפָסַע שָׁלֹשׁ פְּסִיעוֹת וְהֶחֱזִיר אֶת הַסְּפָרִים וְכָתַב אֲחֵרִים תַּחְתֵּיהֶם, וְכָתַב תְּחִלָּה שָׁלוֹם לָאֱלוֹהַּ הַגָּדוֹל, וְשָׁלוֹם לִירוּשָׁלַיִם, וְשָׁלוֹם לְחִזְקִיָּהוּ. R. Huna said: Whatever justice and kindness the idolaters perform is as dangerous to Israel as the poison of a serpent. From whom does one learn this? From Berodach, who would eat every day at the third hour of the day and would sleep until the ninth hour. Once, during the time of Hezekiah, he was allowed to sleep through the sun’s return on its track.12According to II Kings 20 the sun was made to go backwards for Hezekiah. When he awakened and discovered that it was morning, he wanted to slay all his servants. He asked them: “Why did you permit me to sleep through a whole day and night?” They replied: “The God of Hezekiah is the greatest of all the gods in the world.” Then Berodach-baladan, the son of Baladan, king of Babylon, sent a letter and a present unto Hezekiah (II Kings 20:12). He wrote: “Peace to Hezekiah the king, peace to Jerusalem, and peace to the great God.” As the scribes were about to depart, he became uneasy. He said to himself: “Did I not do wrong in mentioning the peace of Hezekiah and of the city before addressing the great God?” He arose from his throne, took three steps to recall the scribes, and wrote another letter to replace it. This time he said: “Peace to the great God, peace to Jerusalem, and peace to Hezekiah.”
אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: אַתָּה עָמַדְתָּ מִכִּסְאֲךָ וּפָסַעְתָּ שָׁלֹש פְּסִיעוֹת לִכְבוֹדִי, אֲנִי מַעֲמִיד מִבָּנֶיךָ שְׁלֹשָׁה מְלָכִים שַׁלִּיטִין מִסּוֹף הָעוֹלָם וְעַד סוֹפוֹ, וְאֵלּוּ הֵן: נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר וֶאֱוִיל מְרוֹדָךְ וּבֵלְשַׁאצַּר. כֵּיוָן שֶׁעָמְדוּ וְחֵרְפוּ, קִעֲקַע הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶת בֵּיצָתָן וְהֶעֱמִיד אֲחֵרִים תַּחְתֵּיהֶם. וְרַבָּנָן אָמְרִין: צְדָקָה תְּרוֹמֵם גּוֹי, בִּנְדָבָה שֶׁהֵבִיאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לְנִדְבַת הַמִּשְׁכָּן, לְפִיכָךְ נָתַן לָהֶם תִּלּוּי רֹאשׁ עַל יְדֵי מֹשֶׁה, וְאָמַר לוֹ: כִּי תִשָּׂא אֶת רֹאשׁ. The Holy One, blessed be He, then said to him: Because you arose and took three steps for the sake of My honor, I will cause three kings to descend from you who will rule from one end of the earth to the other. They were Nebuchadnezzar, Evil-Merodach, and Belshazzar. However, when these came to power they blasphemed, and so the Holy One, blessed be He, destroyed them and caused others to arise in their place. The rabbis said: Righteousness exalteth a nation refers to the free-will gifts that Israel brought to the Temple. Therefore He granted them forgiveness through Moses. And He said: When thou takest the sum.