רֹאשׁוֹ כֶּתֶם פָּז, רֹאשׁוֹ זוֹ הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ח, כב): ה' קָנָנִי רֵאשִׁית דַּרְכּוֹ. רַבִּי חוּנְיָא בְּשֵׁם רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ שְׁנֵי אֲלָפִים שָׁנָה קָדְמָה הַתּוֹרָה לִבְרִיָּתוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם, מַה טַּעַם (משלי ח, ל): וָאֶהְיֶה אֶצְלוֹ אָמוֹן וָאֶהְיֶה שַׁעֲשׁוּעִים יוֹם יוֹם, וְיוֹמוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אֶלֶף שָׁנִים, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צ, ד): כִּי אֶלֶף שָׁנִים בְּעֵינֶיךָ כְּיוֹם אֶתְמוֹל כִּי יַעֲבֹר. כֶּתֶם פָּז, אֵלּוּ דִּבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים יט, יא): הַנֶּחֱמָדִים מִזָּהָב וּמִפַּז רָב, קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים, זֶה הַסִּרְגּוּל. שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, אֵלּוּ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת. דָּבָר אַחֵר קְוֻצּוֹתָיו תַּלְתַּלִּים, תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָם שֶׁהֵם קוֹצִים בַּתּוֹרָה, הֵן קְוֻצֵּי קְוֻצִּים. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמְרִים תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, רַבִּי עֲזַרְיָה אוֹמֵר אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתָּה רוֹאֶה אוֹתָם שֶׁהֵן קוֹצִין בַּתּוֹרָה, תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים הֵן. בְּמִי הֵן מִתְקַיְּמוֹת, שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, בְּמִי שֶׁהוּא מַשְׁכִּים וּמַעֲרִיב בָּהֶן. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן אָמַר אֵין גָּרְנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה, מַה טַּעַם (משלי לא, טו): וַתָּקָם בְּעוֹד לַיְלָה, וּכְתִיב (איכה ב, יט): קוּמִי רֹנִּי בַלַּיְלָה. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן אָמַר בַּיּוֹם וּבַלַּיְלָה, עַל שֵׁם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יהושע א, ח): וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה. אָמַר רֵישׁ לָקִישׁ יָפֶה לִמְּדַנִּי רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן שֶׁאֵין גָּרְנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה אֶלָּא בַּלַּיְלָה. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ כַּד הֲוֵינָא לָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא בִּימָמָא, בַּלַּיְלָה הֲוָה מַנְהֲרָא לִי, דִּכְתִיב: וְהָגִיתָ בּוֹ יוֹמָם וָלָיְלָה. “His head is the finest gold; his locks are curls, black as a raven” (Song of Songs 5:11).
“His head [rosho] is the finest gold” – rosho, this is the Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord made me at the beginning [reshit] of His way” (Proverbs 8:22). Rabbi Ḥunya said in the name of Reish Lakish: The Torah preceded the creation of the world by two thousand years. What is the reason? “I was with Him, as a protégé; I was a delight day after day” (Proverbs 8:30), and the day of the Holy One blessed be He is one thousand years, as it is stated: “As one thousand years in Your eyes are like yesterday as it passes” (Psalms 90:4). “The finest gold” – these are words of Torah, as it is stated: “They are more desirable than gold, than much fine gold” (Psalms 19:11). “His locks are curls” – these are the ruled lines.42These are scored on the parchment in preparation for writing the verses of the Torah. “Black as a raven” – these are the letters.
Another matter: “His locks [kevutzotav] are curls [taltalim]” – heaps upon heaps [tilei tilim].43The locks and curls are understood to refer to the fine details of the letters in the Torah and their crowns. Heaps and heaps of halakhot are derived even from these details. Another matter: Rabbi Azarya says: Even matters that you consider as thorns [kotzim] of the Torah,44Thorns represent unimportant matters. they are like a finely coiffed hairstyle [kevutzei kevutzim]. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua say: Heaps upon heaps.
Another matter: Rabbi Azarya says: Even matters that you consider them as thorns [kotzim] of the Torah, they are heaps upon heaps. Through whom are they sustained? “Black as a raven” – through one who engages in them early and late.45One who rises early, while it is still dark, and stays up late into the night, studying Torah.
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish: Rabbi Yoḥanan says: The amassing of Torah is only at night. What is the source? “She arises while still night” (Proverbs 31:15), and it is written: “Arise, cry out at night” (Lamentations 2:19).46Both verses are understood as referring to the Torah itself or to one who seeks Torah. Rabbi Shimon said: Day and night, based on what is stated: “You shall ponder it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). Reish Lakish said: Rabbi Yoḥanan taught me well that the amassing of Torah is only at night. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: When I would labor in the Torah during the day, at night it would be illuminated for me, as it is written: “You shall ponder it day and night.”
רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן דְּצִפָּרִין פְּתַר קְרָא בִּתְלוּלִיּוֹת שֶׁל עָפָר, מִי שֶׁהוּא טִפֵּשׁ מַהוּ אוֹמֵר מִי יָכוֹל לִקְצוֹת אֶת זֶה, מִי שֶׁהוּא פִּקֵּחַ מַהוּ אוֹמֵר, הֲרֵינִי קוֹצֶה שְׁתֵּי מַשְׁפֵּלוֹת בַּיּוֹם וּשְׁתֵּי מַשְׁפֵּלוֹת בַּלַּיְלָה וּלְמָחָר כֵּן, עַד שֶׁאֲנִי קוֹצֶה אֶת כֻּלָּהּ. כָּךְ מִי שֶׁהוּא טִפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר מִי הוּא יָכוֹל לִלְמֹד כָּל הַתּוֹרָה, נְזִיקִין שְׁלשִׁים פְּרָקִים, כֵּלִים שְׁלשִׁים פְּרָקִים. וְהֶחָכָם אוֹמֵר הֲרֵינִי לוֹמֵד שְׁתֵּי הֲלָכוֹת הַיּוֹם וּשְׁתַּיִם לְמָחָר עַד שֶׁאֲנִי לוֹמְדָהּ כֻּלָּהּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יַנַּאי (משלי כד, ז): רָאמוֹת לֶאֱוִיל חָכְמוֹת, לְכִכָּר נָקוּב שֶׁתָּלוּי בַּאֲוִירוֹ שֶׁל בַּיִת, הַטִּפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר מִי יָכוֹל לְהוֹרִיד לָזֶה, וְהַפִּקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר וְלֹא אַחֵר תְּלָאוֹ, אֶלָּא הֲרֵינִי מֵבִיא שְׁנֵי קָנִים וּמְחַבְּרָן זֶה עִם זֶה עַד שֶׁאֲנִי מוֹרִידוֹ. כָּךְ הַטִּפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר מִי יָכוֹל לִלְמֹד הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁבְּלֵב רַבִּי, וְהַפִּקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר וְהוּא לֹא מֵאַחֵר לְמָדָהּ, הֲרֵינִי לוֹמֵד הַיּוֹם שְׁתֵּי הֲלָכוֹת וּשְׁתַּיִם לְמָחָר, עַד שֶׁאֲנִי לוֹמֵד הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁל חָכָם זֶה. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי לִקְרַסְטָל נָקוּב שֶׁשָֹּׂכְרוּ בְּעָלָיו פּוֹעֲלִים לְמַלְּאוֹתוֹ מַיִם, אוֹמֵר הַטִּפֵּשׁ מָה אֲנִי מוֹעִיל, מַכְנִיס בְּזוֹ וּמוֹצִיא בְּזוֹ, וְהַפִּקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר וְלֹא שְׂכָרִי אֲנִי נוֹטֵל, וְלֹא שְׂכַר כָּל חָבִית וְחָבִית אֲנִי נוֹטֵל מִבַּעַל הַבַּיִת. כָּךְ הַטִּפֵּשׁ אוֹמֵר הֲרֵינִי לוֹמֵד תּוֹרָה וּמְשַׁכְּחָהּ מָה אֲנִי מוֹעִיל, וְהַפִּקֵּחַ אוֹמֵר וְלֹא שְׂכַר יְגִיעָה נוֹתֵן לִי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. דְּאָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי אֲפִלּוּ דְּבָרִים שֶׁאַתְּ רוֹאֶה קוֹצִין בַּתּוֹרָה, תִּלֵּי תִּלִּים הֵן, יְכוֹלוֹת הֵן לְהַחְרִיב אֶת הָעוֹלָם וְלַעֲשׂוֹתוֹ תֵּל, הָאֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (דברים יג, יז): תֵּל עוֹלָם. כְּתִיב (דברים ו, ז): שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל ה' אֱלֹהֵינוּ ה' אֶחָד, אִם תַּעֲשֶׂה מִן הַדל"ת רי"ש, תַּחֲרִיב לְכָל הָעוֹלָם, (שמות לד, יד): לֹא תִשְׁתַּחֲוֶה לְאֵל אַחֵר, אִם תַּחֲלִיף רי"ש בְּדל"ת, תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם. כְּתִיב (ויקרא כב, ב): וְלֹא יְחַלְּלוּ אֶת שֵׁם קָדְשִׁי, אִם תַּחֲלִיף חי"ת לְה"א תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (ישעיה ח, יז): וְחִכִּיתִי לַה', אִם תַּחֲלִיף חי"ת לְה"א תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (תהלים קנ, ו): כֹּל הַנְּשָׁמָה תְּהַלֵּל יָהּ, אִם תַּחֲלִיף ה"א לְחי"ת תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (ירמיה ה, יב): כִּחֲשׁוּ בַּה', אִם תַּחֲלִיף בי"ת לְכ"ף תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (הושע ה, ז): בַּה' בָּגָדוּ כִּי בָנִים זָרִים יָלָדוּ, אִם תַּחֲלִיף בי"ת, לְכ"ף תַּחֲרִיב הָעוֹלָם, כְּתִיב (שמואל א ב, ב): אֵין קָדוֹשׁ כַּה' כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ, אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ בַּר כַּהֲנָא הַכֹּל בָּלֶה וְאַתְּ לָא בָּלֶה, כִּי אֵין בִּלְתֶּךָ, אֵין לְבַלּוֹתֶיךָ. Rabbi Yoḥanan of Tzippori interpreted the verse regarding mounds [teluliyot] of dirt. One who is foolish, what does he say? Who can completely remove this? One who is wise, what does he say? I will remove two containers during the day and two containers at night, and the same tomorrow, until I clear it all. So too, one who is foolish says: Who can study the entire Torah? Nezikin47Bava Kama, Bava Metzia, and Bava Batra are each ten chapters long and are considered one integrated tractate (see Bava Kama 102a). is thirty chapters, Kelim is thirty chapters. The wise man says: I will study two halakhot today and two tomorrow, until I learn it all.
Rabbi Yannai said: “Wisdom is lofty to a fool” (Proverbs 24:7) – this is analogous to a perforated loaf that is suspended in the air in a room. The fool says: Who can take this down? The wise man says: Did another not suspend it? I will bring two sticks and attach one to another until I take it down.48If one stick is not enough to enable me to reach the loaf, I will tie two sticks together. So too, the fool says: Who can learn all the Torah that is in the heart of my teacher? The wise man says: Did he not learn it from another? I will study two halakhot today and two tomorrow, until I learn all the Torah of this Sage.
Rabbi Levi said: [This is analogous] to a perforated basket whose owner hired workers to fill it with water. The fool says: What am I accomplishing? I fill it from here and it flows out from there. The wise man says: Do I not collect my wage? Do I not collect a wage from my employer for each and every barrel? So too, the fool says: I study Torah and forget it; what am I accomplishing? The wise man says: Does the Holy One blessed be He not give me reward for my effort? As Rabbi Levi said:49The text should state: “Another matter: Rabbi Levi said” (Etz Yosef). Even matters that you see as dots [kotzim] in the Torah, they are heaps upon heaps [tilei tilim]; they have the capability to destroy the world and to render it a mound [tel], just as it says: “It shall be an eternal mound” (Deuteronomy 13:17). It is written: “Hear Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is one [eḥad]” (Deuteronomy 6:4); if you transform the dalet into a resh you will destroy the world.50The word one [eḥad] will become other [aḥer], turning this affirmation of faith into a declaration of heresy. This occurs by merely erasing one small dot of the dalet, thereby turning it into a resh. “For you shall not prostrate yourself to another [aḥer] god” (Exodus 34:14) – if you replace the resh with a dalet you will destroy the world.51The verse would then state: You shall not prostrate yourself to the one [eḥad] God, which is a heretical statement. It is written: “They shall not profane [yeḥalelu] My holy name” (Leviticus 22:2); if you replace the ḥet with a heh, you will destroy the world.52Profane [yeḥalelu] would become praise [yehalelu]. It is written: “I will wait [veḥikiti] for the Lord” (Isaiah 8:17); if you replace the ḥet with a heh, you will destroy the world.53Wait [veḥikiti] would become strike [vehikeiti]. It is written: “Let all who breathe [tehalel] praise the Lord” (Psalms 150:6); if you replace the heh with a ḥet, you will destroy the world.54Praise [tehalel] would become profane [teḥalel]. It is written: “They have denied the Lord” (Jeremiah 5:12); if you replace the bet with a kaf, you will destroy the world.55“The Lord [baHashem]” would become: Like the Lord [kaHashem], which implies that the Lord also denies truths. It is written: “They have betrayed the Lord for they have begotten foreign children” (Hosea 5:7); if you replace the bet with a kaf, you will destroy the world.56“The Lord [baHashem]” will become: Like the Lord [kaHashem], implying that the Lord betrays others. It is written: “There is no one as holy as the Lord, as there is none like You [biltekha]” (I Samuel 2:2) – Rabbi Abbahu bar Kahana said: Everything wears out but You do not wear out, “as there is none like you,” there is none to outlast you [levalotekha].
שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב. רַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי בַּר הַדְרִין וְרַבִּי אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרִי קָרוֹבָה אָמַר, אֲפִלּוּ אִם מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם לְהַלְבִּין כָּנָף אֶחָד מִן הָעוֹרֵב אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין, כָּךְ אִם מִתְכַּנְּשִׁין כָּל בָּאֵי עוֹלָם לַעֲקֹר יו"ד שֶׁהוּא קְטַן הָאוֹתִיּוֹת שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, אֵינָן יְכוֹלִין, מִמִּי אַתְּ לָמֵד מִשְּׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ, שֶׁעַל יְדֵי שֶׁבִּקֵּשׁ לַעֲקֹר יו"ד מִן הַתּוֹרָה עָלָה קַטֵּיגוֹרוֹ, וּמִי קִטְרֵג, רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי אָמַר יו"ד שֶׁבְּיַרְבֶּה קִטְרֵג. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן יוֹחָאי אוֹמֵר סֵפֶר מִשְׁנֶה תּוֹרָה עָלָה וְנִשְׁתַּטַּח לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְאָמַר לְפָנָיו, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם כָּתַבְתָּ בְּתוֹרָתְךָ דְּיָתֵיקֵי שֶׁמִּקְצָתָהּ בְּטֵלָה כֻּלָּהּ בְּטֵלָה, שְׁלֹמֹה הַמֶּלֶךְ מְבַקֵּשׁ לַעֲקֹר יו"ד שֶׁבַּתּוֹרָה, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לֵךְ, הֲרֵי שְׁלֹמֹה בָּטֵל וּמֵאָה כַּיּוֹצֵא בוֹ וְיו"ד שֶׁבְּךָ אֵינוֹ בָּטֵל לְעוֹלָם. “Black as a raven” – Rabbi Alexandri bar Hadrin and Rabbi Alexandri Kerova57He was so called because he would serve as a prayer leader and would recite liturgical poems called kerovot (Matnot Kehuna), or simply because he would lead the congregation in coming close [karov] to God. said: Even if all of mankind would come together to whiten one wing of the raven, they would be unable to do so. Likewise, if all mankind would come together to eradicate the yod, which is the smallest of all the letters, they would be unable to do so. From whom do you learn this? From King Solomon, who, because he sought to eradicate yod from the Torah, his accuser arose. Who accused? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: It was the yod in the word yarbeh58In Deuteronomy 17:16–17 a king is commanded not to amass [lo yarbeh] horses lest he lead the nation back to Egypt, and not to amass wives lest his heart be led astray. Without the yod, it would just say, for example, that if one does not amass wives they will not cause his heart to stray, but that would not mean it is prohibited to amass wives. Solomon amassed horses and wives, thinking that he would avoid the pitfalls the verse warns against, but he did not avoid those pitfalls (Sanhedrin 21b). that accused. Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: The book of Deuteronomy ascended and prostrated itself before the Holy One blessed be He and said before Him: ‘Master of the universe, You wrote in Your Torah that a testament that part of it is null and void, all of it is null and void. King Solomon seeks to eradicate a yod in the Torah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘Go; Solomon and one hundred like him will be null and void, and the yod in you will never be null and void.’
רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר יו"ד שֶׁבְּשָׂרַי עָלָה וְנִשְׁתַּטֵּחַ לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וְאָמַר, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם עֲקַרְתַּנִי מִשְׁמָהּ שֶׁל צַדֶּקֶת זוֹ. אֵשֶׁת צַדִּיק זֶה אַבְרָהָם אָבִינוּ, וְקָרָאתָ שְׁמָהּ שָׂרָה. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לֵךְ, מִתְּחִלָּה הָיִיתָ בְּסוֹפָן שֶׁל אוֹתִיּוֹת וּבְשֵׁם נְקֵבָה, עַכְשָׁו אֲנִי נוֹתֶנְךָ בִּשְׁמוֹ שֶׁל זָכָר וּבָרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל אוֹתִיּוֹת, בְּצַדִּיק שֶׁבָּעוֹלָמִים, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר יג, טז): וַיִּקְרָא משֶׁה לְהוֹשֵׁעַ בִּן נוּן יְהוֹשֻׁעַ. רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר בַּר אֲבוּנָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַחָא, לְעֶשְׂרִים וְשִׁשָּׁה דוֹרוֹת הָיָה אל"ף קוֹרֵא תִּגָּר לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם נְתַתַּנִי בְּרֹאשׁ הָאוֹתִיּוֹת וְלֹא בָרָאתָ בִּי הָעוֹלָם אֶלָּא בְּבי"ת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, א): בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹלָמִי וּמְלוֹאוֹ לֹא נִבְרְאוּ אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, יט): ה' בְּחָכְמָה יָסַד אָרֶץ, לְמָחָר אֲנִי נִגְלֶה וְנוֹתֵן הַתּוֹרָה לְיִשְׂרָאֵל וַאֲנִי נוֹתֶנְךָ בָּרִאשׁוֹן שֶׁל דִּבְּרוֹת, וּבְךָ אֶפְתַּח תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כ, ב): אָנֹכִי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ. בַּר חוֹטָא אָמַר לָמָּה נִקְרָא שְׁמוֹ אל"ף, שֶׁהוּא מַסְכִּים מֵאֶלֶף דּוֹר, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קה, ח): דָּבָר צִוָּה לְאֶלֶף דּוֹר. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa says: The yod in Sarai ascended and prostrated itself before the Holy One blessed be He and said: ‘Master of the universe, You eradicated me from the name of this righteous woman, the wife of this righteous individual, Abraham our patriarch, and You called her name Sarah.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘Go. At first, you were at the end of the letters and in the name of a female. Now, I am placing you in the name of a male and at the beginning of the letters, and in [the name] of one of the most righteous people in the world.’ That is what is written: “Moses called Hoshe’a bin Nun, Joshua [Yehoshua]” (Numbers 13:16).
Rabbi Elazar bar Avuna [said] in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: For twenty-six generations alef was objecting before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You placed me at the head of the letters, but You created the world not with me but with bet, as it is stated: “In the beginning [bereshit], God created the heavens and the earth”’ (Genesis 1:1). The Holy One blessed be He said to it: ‘My world and all its contents were created only due to the merit of the Torah, as it is stated: “The Lord founded the earth with wisdom” (Proverbs 3:19). Tomorrow, I will reveal Myself and give the Torah to Israel, and I will place you in the first of the commandments, and I will begin with you first, as it is stated: “I [anokhi] am the Lord your God”’ (Exodus 20:2). Bar Ḥota said: Why is it called alef? Because it endures for one thousand [elef] generations, as it is stated: “He commanded the matter for one thousand generations” (Psalms 105:8).59God planned to give the Torah, and to start it with the letter alef, for the one thousand generations before it was given (see Bereshit Rabba 28:4; Kohelet Rabba 7:28).
רַבִּי יְהוּדָה פָּתַר קְרָא בְּתַלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, אֵלּוּ תַּלְמִידֵי חֲכָמִים, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁנִּרְאִין כְּעוּרִין וּשְׁחֹרִין בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא (נחום ב, ה): מַרְאֵיהֶן כַּלַּפִּידִים כַּבְּרָקִים יְרוֹצֵצוּ. רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר יִצְחָק פָּתַר קְרָא בְּפָרָשִׁיּוֹת הַתּוֹרָה, תַּלְתַּלִּים שְׁחֹרוֹת כָּעוֹרֵב, אֵלּוּ תַּלְמוּדוֹת שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנִּרְאוֹת כְּעוּרוֹת וּשְׁחֹרוֹת מִלְּאָמְרָן בָּרַבִּים, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עֲרֵבוֹת הֵן עָלַי, הָאֵיךְ מָה דְאַתְּ אָמַר (מלאכי ג, ד): וְעָרְבָה לַה' מִנְחַת יְהוּדָה. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהוּא כֵּן הַדָּבָר, שֶׁהֲרֵי פָּרָשַׁת זָב וְזָבָה לֹא נֶאֶמְרוּ שְׁתֵּיהֶן כְּאֶחָד, אֶלָּא זוֹ בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ וְזוֹ בִּפְנֵי עַצְמָהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא טו, ב כה): אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ וגו' וְאִשָּׁה כִּי יָזוּב זוֹב דָּמָהּ. Rabbi Yehuda interpreted the verse regarding Torah scholars: “Curls, black as a raven” – these are Torah scholars, as even though they appear ugly and black in this world, in the future, “their appearance is like torches, they dash like lightning” (Nahum 2:5).
Rabbi Shmuel bar Yitzḥak interpreted the verse regarding the portions of the Torah: “Curls, black as a raven” – these are the texts of the Torah that appear too ugly and black to state them in public, and the Holy One blessed be He said: They are pleasant for Me, just as it says: “The offering of Judah [and Jerusalem] will be pleasant” (Malachi 3:4). Know that it is so, as the portion of the zav and the zava were not stated together; rather, this one in and of itself and that one in and of itself, as it is stated: “Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: Any man, when he has a discharge from his flesh” (Leviticus 15:2), [and separately,] “And a woman, if her bloody discharge shall flow” (Leviticus 15:25).
אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ, תּוֹרָה שֶׁנָּתַן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא הָיְתָה עוֹרָהּ שֶׁל אֵשׁ לְבָנָה, וּכְתוּבָה בְּאֵשׁ שְׁחוֹרָה, הִיא אֵשׁ וַחֲצוּבָה מֵאֵשׁ, וְהִיא מוּכְלֶלֶת בְּאֵשׁ, וּנְתוּנָה בְּאֵשׁ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים לג, ב): מִימִינוֹ אֵשׁ דָּת לָמוֹ. Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: The Torah that the Holy One blessed be He gave, its parchment was white fire, and it was written with black fire. It is fire, it is hewn from fire, it is completely formed of fire, and was given in fire. That is what is written: “From His right, a fiery law to them” (Deuteronomy 33:2).