The Legends of the Jews — Volume 3
by Louis Ginzberg · English · Gutenberg #2881 · 826,563 chars · public domain (US)
The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Legends of the Jews — Volume 3
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and
most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions
whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms
of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online
at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States,
you will have to check the laws of the country where you are located
before using this eBook.
Title: The Legends of the Jews — Volume 3
Author: Louis Ginzberg
Translator: Paul Radin
Release date: October 1, 2001 [eBook #2881]
Most recently updated: February 3, 2022
Language: English
Other information and formats: www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2881
Credits: David Reed
*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS — VOLUME 3 ***
The Legends of the Jews
by Louis Ginzberg
TRANSLATED PROM THE GERMAN MANUSCRIPT BY
PAUL RADIN
VOLUME III
BIBLE TIMES AND CHARACTERS
FROM THE EXODUS TO THE DEATH OF MOSES
To
MY MOTHER
ON THE OCCASION OF
HER SEVENTIETH BIRTHDAY
PREFACE
"When Israel went out of Egypt, the house of Jacob from a People of
strange language, Jacob was His sanctuary and Israel His dominion.
Jewish legend attempts to describe how God's sanctuary, the religion of
Israel and His dominion, the beginnings of Israel as a nation, arose in
the time between the Exodus from Egypt and the entrance into the Holy
Land.
Moses is regarded not only as the greatest religious guide of Israel,
but also as its first national leader; he is "the wisest (If the wise,
the father of the prophets," as well as " king in Jeshiurun, when the
heads of the people and the tribes of Israel gathered together." hence
his unique position in Jewish legend, neither Abraham, the friend of
God, nor Solomon, the wisest of all men, nor Elijah, the helper in time
of need. can lay claim to such a position.
Great religious and national institutions like the Sabbath, the
sanctuary, and many other " commandments of God revealed to Moses "
stand in a special relation to his life and work. The sanctification of
the Sabbath became quite a living thing to him through the miracle of
the Manna, and the first sanctuary was actually erected by Moses. The
life of Moses ceased, therefore, to be a thing of the past and became
closely interwoven with the every-day life of the nation.
The most natural way for the popular mind to connect existing
conditions with the past is the symbolic method. The present volume
contains, therefore, a number of symbolic explanations of certain laws,
as, for instance, the symbolical significance of the Tabernacle, which,
properly speaking, do not belong to the domain of legend. The life of
Moses, as conceived by Jewish legend, would, however, have been in
complete if the lines between Legend and Symbolism had been kept too
strictly. With this exception the arrangement and presentation of the
material in the third volume is the same as that in the two preceding
ones.
LOUIS G1NZBERG.
NEW YORK, March 2, 1911
CONTENTS
PREFACE
MOSES IN THE WILDERNESS
THE LONG ROUTE
PHARAOH PURSUES THE HEBREWS
THE SEA DIVIDED
THE PASSAGE THROUGH THE RED SEA
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE EGYPTIANS
THE SONG AT THE SEA
THE AWFUL DESERT
THE HEAVENLY FOOD
THE GATHERING OF THE MANNA
MIRIAM'S WELL
AMALEK' WAR AGAINST ISRAEL
AMALEK DEFEATED
JETHRO
INSTALLATION OF ELDERS
JETHRO REWARDED
THE TIME IS AT HAND
THE GENTILES REFUSE THE TORAH
THE CONTEST OF THE MOUNTAINS
THE TORAH OFFERED TO ISRAEL
ISRAEL PREPARES FOR THE REVELATION
THE REVELATION ON MOUNT SINAI
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
THE OTHER COMMANDMENTS REVEALED ON SINAI
THE UNITY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
MOSES CHOSEN AS INTERMEDIATOR
MOSES AND THE ANGELS STRIVE FOR THE TORAH
MOSES RECEIVES THE TORAH
THE GOLDEN CALF
MOSES BLAMED FOR ISRAEL'S SIN
THE PUNISHMENT OF THE SINNERS
MOSES INTERCEDES FOR THE PEOPLE
THE INSCRUTABLE WAYS OF THE LORD
THE THIRTEEN ATTRIBUTES OF GOD
THE SECOND TABLES
THE CENSUS OF THE PEOPLE
THE ERECTION OF THE TABERNACLE COMMANDED
THE MATERIALS FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE TABERNACLE
BEZALEL
THE ARK WITH THE CHERUBIM
THE TABLE AND THE CANDLESTICK
THE ALTAR
THE SYMBOLICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TABERNACLE
THE PRIESTLY ROBES
THE STONES IN THE BREASTPLATE
THE COMPLETION OF THE TABERNACLE
THE SETTING UP OF THE TABERNACLE
THE CONSECRATION OF THE PRIESTS
THE DAY OF THE TEN CROWNS
THE INTERRUPTED JOY
THE GIFTS OF THE PRINCES
THE REVELATIONS IN THE TABERNACLE
THE CLEANSING OF THE CAMP
THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLESTICK
THE TWELVE PRINCES OF THE TRIBES
THE CENSUS OF THE LEVITES
THE FOUR DIVISIONS OF THE LEVITES
THE FOUR STANDARDS
THE CAMP
THE BLASPHEMER AND THE SABBATH-BREAKER
THE UNGRATEFUL MULTITUDE
THE FLESH-POTS OF EGYPT
THE APPOINTMENT OF THE SEVENTY ELDERS
ELDAD AND MEDAD
THE QUAILS
AARON AND MIRIAM SLANDER MOSES
MIRIAM'S PUNISHMENT
THE SENDING OF THE SPIES
SIGNIFICANT NAMES
THE SPIES IN PALESTINE
THE SLANDEROUS REPORT
THE NIGHT OF TEARS
INGRATITUDE PUNISHED
THE YEARS OF DISFAVOR
THE REBELLION OF KORAH
KORAH ABUSES MOSES AND THE TORAH
MOSES PLEADS IN VAIN WITH KORAH
KORAH AND HIS HORDE PUNISHED
ON AND THE THE THREE SONS OF KORAH SAVED
ISRAEL CONVINCED OF AARON'S PRIESTHOOD
THE WATERS OF MERIBAH
MOSES' ANGER CAUSES HIS DOOM
EDOM'S UNBROTHERLY ATTITUDE. TOWARD ISRAEL
THE THREE SHEPHERDS
PREPARING AARON FOR IMPENDING DEATH
AARON'S DEATH
THE GENERAL MOURNING FOR AARON
THE FALSE FRIENDS
THE BRAZEN SERPENT
AT ARNON
SIHON, THE KING OF THE AMORITES
THE GIANT OG
MOSES' SPEECH OF ADMONITION
BALAK, KING OF MOAB
BALAAM, THE HEATHEN PROPHET
BALAK'S MESSENGERS TO BALAAM
BALAAM ACCEPTS BALAK'S INVITATION
BALAAM'S ASS
BALAAM RUNS INTO HIS OWN DESTRUCTION
BALAAM WITH BALAK
BALAAM'S SACRIFICES REFUSED
BALAAM EXTOLS ISRAEL
BALAAM'S HOPES DISAPPOINTED
CURSES TURNED TO BLESSINGS
BALAAM'S WICKED COUNSEL
PHINEHAS, ZEALOUS FOR GOD
TWELVE MIRACLES
PHINEHAS REWARDED
THE DAUGHTERS OF ZELOPHEHAD
THE APPOINTMENT OF JOSHUA
MOSES' LEGACY TO JOSHUA
MOSES' LAST CAMPAIGN
THE COMPLETE ANNIHILATION OF MIDIAN
THE GRUESOME END OF BALAAM
THE VICTORIOUS RETURN FROM THE WAR
WEALTH THAT BRINGETH DESTRUCTION
MOSES' DEATH IRREVOCABLY DOOMED
MOSES' PRAYER FOR SUSPENSION OF JUDGMENT
GOD TRIES TO COMFORT MOSES CONCERNING HIS DEATH
THE INTERCESSIONS FOR MOSES
MOSES SERVES JOSHUA
THE LAST DAY OF MOSES' LIFE
MOSES BEHOLDS THE FUTURE
MOSES MEETS THE MESSIAH IN HEAVEN
THE LAST HOURS OF MOSES
THE BLESSING OF MOSES
MOSES PRAYS FOR DEATH
SAMAEL CHASTISED BY MOSES
GOD KISSES MOSES' SOUL
THE MOURNING FOR MOSES
SAMAEL'S VAIN SEARCH
MOSES EXCELS ALL PIOUS MEN
MOSES IN THE WILDERNESS
THE LONG ROUTE
The exodus would have been impossible if Joseph's bones had remained
behind. Therefore Moses made it his concern to seek their
resting-place, while the people had but the one thought of gathering in
the treasures of the Egyptians. [1] But it was not an easy matter to
find Joseph's body. Moses knew that he had been interred in the
mausoleum of the Egyptian kings, but there were so many other bodies
there that it was impossible to identify it. Moses' mother Jochebed
came to his aid. She led him to the very spot where Joseph's bones lay.
As soon as he came near them, he knew them to be what he was seeking,
by the fragrance they exhaled and spread around. [2] But his
difficulties were not at an end. The question arose, how he was to
secure possession of the remains. Joseph's coffin had been sunk far
down into the ground, and he knew not how to raise it from the depths.
Standing at the edge of the grave, he spoke these words. "Joseph, the
time hath come whereof thou didst say, 'God will surely visit you, and
ye shall carry up my bones from hence.'" No sooner had this reminder
dropped from his lips than the coffin stirred and rose to the surface.
And even yet the difficulties in Moses' way were not removed wholly.
The Egyptian magicians had stationed two golden dogs at Joseph's
coffin, to keep watch,. and they barked vehemently if anyone ventured
close to it. The noise they made was so loud it could be heard
throughout the land, from end to end, a distance equal to a forty day's
journey. When Moses came near the coffin, the dogs emitted their
warning sound, but he silenced them at once with words, "Come, ye
people, and behold the miracle! The real, live dogs did not bark, and
these counterfeit dogs produced by magic attempt it!" [3] What he said
about real, live dogs and their refraining from barking had reference
to the fact that the dogs of the Egyptians did not move their tongues
against any of the children of Israel, through they had barked all the
time the people were engaged in burying the bodies of their smitten
first-born. As a reward God gave the Israelites the law, to cast to the
dogs the flesh they themselves are forbidden to eat, for the Lord
withholds due recompense from none of His creatures. [4] Indeed, the
dogs received a double reward, for their excrements are used in tanning
the hides from which the Torah scrolls are made, as well as the Mezuzot
and the phylacteries. [5]
Joseph's coffin in the possession of Moses, the march of the Israelites
could begin. The Egyptians put no manner of obstacle in their way.
Pharaoh himself accompanied them, to make sure that they were actually
leaving the land, [6] and now he was so angry at his counselors for
having advised against letting the Israelites depart that he slew them.
[7]
For several reasons God did not permit the Israelites to travel along
the straight route to the promised land. He desired them to go to Sinai
first and take the law upon themselves there, and, besides, the time
divinely appointed for the occupation of the land by the Gentiles had
not yet elapsed. Over and above all this, the long sojourn in the
wilderness was fraught with profit for the Israelites, spiritually and
materially. If they had reached Palestine directly after leaving Egypt,
they would have devoted themselves entirely each to the cultivation of
his allotted parcel of ground, and no time would have been left for the
study of the Torah. In the wilderness they were relieved of the
necessity of providing for their daily wants, and they would give all
their efforts to acquiring the law. On the whole, it would not have
been advantageous to process at once to the Holy Land and take
possession thereof, for when the Canaanites heard that the Israelites
were making for Palestine, they burnt the crops, felled the trees,
destroyed the buildings, and choked the water springs, all in order to
render the land uninhabitable. Hereupon God spake, and said: "I did not
promise their fathers to give a devastated land unto their see, but a
land full of all good things. I will lead them about in the wilderness
for forty years, and meanwhile the Canaanites will have time to repair
the damage they have done." [8] Moreover, the many miracles preformed
for the Israelites during the journey through the wilderness had made
their terror to fall upon the other nations, and their hearts melted,
and there remained no more spirit in any man. They did not venture to
attack the Israelites, and the conquest of the land was all the easier.
[9]
Nor does this exhaust the list of reasons for preferring the longer
route through the desert. Abraham had sworn a solemn oath to live at
peace with the Philistines during a certain period, and the end of the
term had not yet arrived. Besides, there was the fear that the sight of
the land of the Philistines would awaken sad recollections in the
Israelites, and drive them back into Egypt speedily, for once upon a
time it had been the scene of a bitter disappointment to them. they had
spent one hundred and eighty years in Egypt, in peace and prosperity,
not in the least molested by the people. Suddenly Ganon came, a
descendant of Joseph, of the tribe of Ephraim, and he spake, "The Lord
hat appeared unto me, and He bade me lead you forth out of Egypt." The
Ephraimites were the only ones to heed his words. Proud of their royal
lineage as direct descendants of Joseph, and confident to their valor
in war, for they were great heroes, they left the land and betook
themselves to Palestine. [10] They Carried only weapons and gold and
silver. They had taken no provisions, because they expected to buy food
and drink on the way or capture them by force if the owners would not
part with them for money.
After a day's march they found themselves in the neighborhood of Gath,
at the place where the shepherds employed by the residents of the city
gathered with the flocks. the Ephraimites asked them to sell them some
sheep, which they expected to slaughter in order to satisfy their
hunger with them, but the shepherds refused to have business dealings
with them, saying, "Are the sheep ours, or does the cattle belong to
us, that we could part with them for money?" Seeing that they could not
gain their point by kindness, the Ephraimites used force. The outcries
of the shepherds brought the people of Gath to their aid. A violent
encounter, lasting a whole day, took place between the Israelites and
the Philistines. The people of Gath realized that alone they would not
be able to offer successful resistance to the Ephraimites, and they
summoned the people of the other Philistine cities to join them. The
following day an army of forty thousand stood ready to oppose the
Ephraimites. Reduced in strength, as they were, by their three days'
fast, they were exterminated root and branch. Only ten of them escaped
with their bare life, and returned to Egypt, to bring Ephraim word of
the disaster that had overtaken his posterity, and he mourned many
days.
This abortive attempt of the Ephraimites to leave Egypt was the first
occasion for oppressing Israel. Thereafter the Egyptians exercised
force and vigilance to keep them in their land. As for the disaster of
the Ephraimites, it was well-merited punishment, because they had paid
no heed to the wish of the father Joseph, who had adjured his
descendants solemnly on his deathbed not to think of quitting the land
until the redeemer should appear. Their death was followed by disgrace,
for their bodies lay unburied for many years on the battlefield near
Gath, and the purpose of God in directing the Israelites to choose the
longer route from Egypt to Canaan, was to spare them the sight of those
dishonored corpses. Their courage might have deserted them, and out of
apprehension of sharing the fate of their brethren they might have
hastened back to the land of slavery. [11]
PHARAOH PURSUES THE HEBREWS
When Pharaoh permitted Israel to depart, he was under the impression
that they were going only a three days' journey into the wilderness for
the purpose of offering sacrifices. He sent officers with them, whose
duty was to bring them back at the appointed time. The exodus took
place on a Thursday. On the following Sunday the king's watchers
noticed that the Israelites, so far from preparing for a return, were
making arrangements looking to a long sojourn in the desert. They
remonstrated and urged them to go back. The Israelites maintained that
Pharaoh had dismissed them for good, but the officers would not be put
off with their mere assertions. They said, "Willy-nilly, you will have
to do as the powers that be command." To such arrogance the Israelites
would not submit, and they fell upon the officers, slaying some and
wounding others. The maimed survivors went back to Egypt, and report
the contumacy of the Israelites to Pharaoh. Meantime Moses, who did not
desire the departure of his people to have the appearance of flight
before the Egyptians, gave the signal to turn back to Pi-hahiroth.
Those of little faith among the Israelites tore their hair and their
garments in desperation, though Moses assured them that by the word of
God they were free men, and no longer slaves to Pharaoh. [12]
Accordingly, they retraced their steps to Pi-hahiroth, where two
rectangular rocks form an opening, within which the great sanctuary of
Baal-zephon was situated. The rocks are shaped like human figures, the
one a man and the other a woman, and they were not chiseled by human
hands, but by the Creator Himself. The place had been called Pithom in
earlier times, but later, on account of the idols set up there, it
received the name Hahiroth. Of set purpose God had left Baal-zephon
uninjured, alone of all the Egyptian idols. He wanted the Egyptian
people to think that this idol was possessed of exceeding might, which
it exercised to prevent the Israelites from journeying on. To confirm
them in their illusory belief, God caused wild beasts to obstruct the
road to the wilderness, and they took it for granted that their idol
Baal-zephon had ordained their appearance. [13]
Pi-hahiroth was famous, besides, on account of the treasures heaped up
there. The wealth of the world which Joseph had acquired through the
sale of corn he had stored up during the seven years of plenty, he had
divided into three parts. The first part he surrendered to Pharaoh. The
second part he concealed in the wilderness, where it was found by
Korah, though it disappeared again, not to come to view until the
Messianic time, and then it will be for the benefit of the pious. The
third part Joseph hid in the sanctuary of Baal-zephon, whence the
Hebrews carried it off as booty. [14]
When Amalek and the magicians brought the information to Pharaoh, that
the Israelites had resolved not to return to Egypt, his heart and the
heart of his whole people turned against them. The very counselors that
had persuaded him to dismiss the children of Israel spake now as
follows: " If we had only been smitten with the plaques, we could have
resigned ourselves to our fate. Or if, besides being smitten with the
plagues, we had been compelled to let the Hebrews depart from the land,
that, too, we could have been borne with patience. But to be smitten
with the plagues, to be compelled to let our slaves depart from us, and
to sit by and see them go off with our riches, that is more than we can
endure."
Now that the children of Israel had gone from them the Egyptians
recognized how valuable an element they had been in their country. In
general, the time of the exodus of Israel was disastrous for their
former masters. In addition to losing their dominion over the
Israelites, the Egyptians had to deal with mutinies that broke out
among many other nations tributary to them, for hitherto Pharaoh had
been the ruler of the whole world. The king resorted to blandishments
and promises, to induce the people to make war against the Israelites,
saying, "As a rule the army marches forth first, and the king follows
in security, but I will precede you; and as a rule the king has the
first choice of the booty, and as much of it as he desires, but I will
take no more than any one of you, and on my return from the war I will
divide my treasures of silver, gold, and precious stones among you."
In his zeal Pharaoh did not wait to have his chariot made ready for him
he did it with his own hands, and his nobles followed his example. [15]
Samael granted Pharaoh assistance, putting six hundred chariots manned
with his own hosts at his disposal. [16] These formed the vanguard, and
they were joined by all the Egyptians, with their vast assemblages of
chariots and warriors, no less than three hundred of their men to one
of the children of Israel, each equipped with their different sorts of
weapons. The general custom was for two charioteers to take turns at
driving a car, but to overtake the Israelites more surely and speedily,
Pharaoh ordered three to be assigned to each. The result was that they
covered in one day the ground which it had taken the Israelites three
to traverse.
The mind of the Egyptians was in no wise directed toward spoil and
plunder in this expedition. Their sole and determined purpose was to
exterminate Israel, kith and kin. As the heathen lay great stress upon
omens when they are about to start out on a campaign, God caused all
their preparations to proceed smoothly, without the slightest untoward
circumstance. Everything pointed to a happy issue. [17] Pharaoh,
himself an adept in magic, had a presentiment that dire misfortune
would befall the children of Israel in the wilderness, that they would
lose Moses there, and there the whole generation that had departed from
Egypt would find its grave. Therefore he spoke to Dathan and Abiram,
who remained behind in Egypt, saying: "Moses is leading them, but he
himself knows not whither. Verily, the congregation of Israel will lift
up their voice in the wilderness, and cry, and there they will be
destroyed." He thought naturally that these visions had reference to an
imminent future, to the time of his meeting with his dismissed slaves.
But his error was profound - he was hurrying forward to his own
destruction. [18]
When he reached the sanctuary of Baal-zephon, Pharaoh, in his joy at
finding him spared while all the other idols in Egypt had been
annihilated, lost no time, but hastened to offer sacrifices to him, and
he was comforted, "for," he said, "Baal-zephon approves my purpose of
drowning the children of Israel in the sea." [19]
When the Israelites beheld the huge detachments of the Egyptian army
moving upon them, and when they considered that in Migdol there were
other troops stationed, besides, more, indeed, than their own numbers,
men, women, and children all told, great terror overwhelmed them. [20]
What affrighted them most, was the sight of the Angel of Egypt darting
through the air as he flew to the assistance of the people under his
tutelage. They turned to Moses, saying: "What has thou done to us? Now
they will requite us for all that hath happened - that their first-born
were smitten, and that we ran off with their money, which was thy
fault, for thou didst bid up borrow gold and silver from our Egyptian
neighbors and depart with their property."
The situation of the Israelites was desperate. Before them was the sea,
behind them the Egyptians, on both sides the wild beasts of the desert.
[21] The wicked among them spoke to Moses, saying, "While we were in
Egypt, we said to thee and to Aaron, 'The Lord look upon you, and
judge, because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of
Pharaoh and in the eyes of his servants, to put a sword in their hand
to slay us.' Then there died many of our brethren during the days of
darkness, which was worse than the bondage in which the Egyptians kept
us. Nevertheless our fate in the desert will be sadder than theirs.
They at least were mourned, and their bodies ere buried, but our
corpses will lie exposed, consumed in the day by drought and by frost
in the night."
Moses in his wisdom knew how to pacify the thousands and myriads under
his leadership. He impressed them with the words, "Fear ye not, stand
still, and see the salvation of the Lord." "When will His salvation
come?" questioned the people, and he told them it would appear the
following day, but they protested, "We cannot wait until to-morrow."
Then Moses prayed to God, and the Lord showed him the angel hosts
standing ready to hasten to the assistance of the people. [22]
They were not agreed as to what they were to do. There were four
contending parties. The opinion of the first party was that they seek
death by drowning in the sea; of the second, that they return to Egypt;
the third was in favor of a pitched battle with the enemy, and the
fourth thought it would be a good plan to intimidate the Egyptians by
noise and a great hubbub. To the first Moses said, "Stand still, and
see the salvation of the Lord;" to the second, "The Egyptians whom ye
have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more forever;" to the
third, "The Lord shall fight for you;" and to the fourth, "Ye shall
hold your peace." "What, then, shall we do?" these asked their leader,
and Moses answered them, saying, "Ye shall bless, praise, extol, adore
and glorify Him that is the Lord of war!" Instead of the sword and the
five sorts of arms which they bore, they mad use of their mouth, and it
was of greater avail than all possible weapons of war. The Lord
hearkened unto their prayer, for which He had but been waiting. [23]
Moses also addressed himself to God, saying: "O Lord of the world! I am
like the shepherd who, having undertaken to pasture a flock, has been
heedless enough to drive his sheep to the edge of a precipice, and then
is in a despair how to get them down again. Pharaoh is behind my flock
Israel, in the south is Baal-zephon, in the north Midgol, and before us
the sea lies spread out. [24] Thou knowest, O Lord, that it is beyond
human strength and human contrivance to surmount the difficulties
standing in our way. Thine alone is the work of procuring deliverance
for this army, which left Egypt at Thy appointment. We despair of all
other assistance or device, and we have recourse only to our hope in
Thee. If there be any escape possible, we look up to Thy providence to
accomplish it for us." [25] With such words Moses continued to make
fervent supplication to God to succor Israel in their need. But God cut
short his prayer, saying: "Moses, My children are in distress - the sea
blocks the way before them, the enemy is in hot pursuit after them, and
thou standest here and prayest. Sometimes long prayer is good, but
sometimes it is better to be brief. If I gathered the waters together
unto one place, and let the dry land appear for Adam, a single human
being, should I not do the same for this holy congregation? I will save
them if only for the sake of the merits of Abraham, who stood ready to
sacrifice his son Isaac unto Me, and for the sake of My promise to
Jacob. The sun and the moon are witnesses that I will cleave the sea
for the seed of the children of Israel, who deserve My help for going
after Me in the wilderness unquestioningly. Do thou but see to it that
they abandon their evil thought of returning to Egypt, and then it will
not be necessary to turn to Me and entreat My help." [26]
Moses, however, was still very much troubled in mind, on account of
Samael, who had not left off lodging accusations before God against
Israel since the exodus from Egypt. The Lord adopted the same procedure
in dealing with the accuser as the experienced shepherd, who, at the
moment of transferring his sheep across a stream, was faced by a
ravening wolf. The shepherd threw a strong ram to the wolf, and while
the two engaged in combat, the rest of the flock was carried across the
water, and then the shepherd returned and snatch the wolf's supposed
prey away from him. Samael said to the Lord: "Up to this time the
children of Israel were idol worshippers, and now Thou proposest so
great a thing as dividing the sea for them?" What did the Lord do? He
surrendered Job to Samael, saying, "While he busies himself with Job,
Israel will pass through the sea unscathed, and as soon as they are in
safety, I will rescue Job from the hands of Samael." [27]
Israel had other angel adversaries, besides. Uzza, the tutelary Angel
of the Egyptians, appeared before God, and said, "O Lord of the world!
I have a suit with this nation which Thou hast brought forth out to
Egypt. If it seemeth well to Thee, let their angel Michael appear, and
contend with me before Thee." The Lord summoned Michael, and Uzza
stated his charges against Israel: "O Lord of the world! Thou didst
decree concerning this people of Israel that is hall be held in bondage
by my people, the Egyptians, for a period of four hundred years. But
they had dominion over them only eighty-six years, therefore the time
of their going forth hath not yet arrived. If it be Thy will, give me
permission to take them back to Egypt, that they may continue in
slavery for the three hundred and fourteen years that are left, and Thy
word be fulfilled. As Thou are immutable, so let Thy decree be
immutable!"
Michael was silent, for he knew not how to controvert these words, and
it seemed as if Uzza had won his suit. But the Lord Himself espoused
the cause of Israel, and He said to Uzza: "The duty of serving thy
nation was laid upon My children only on account of an unseemly word
uttered by Abraham. When I spoke to him, saying, 'I am the Lord that
brought thee out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give thee this land to
inherit it,' he made answer, 'Whereby shall I know that I shall inherit
it?' Therefore did I say to him, 'Thy seed shall be a stranger.' But it
is well-known and manifest before Me that they were 'strangers' from
the day of Isaac's birth, and. reckoning thence, the period of four
hundred years has elapsed, and thou hast no right to keep My children
in bondage any longer." [28]
THE SEA DIVIDED
God spake to Moses, saying, "Why dost thou stand here praying? My
children's prayer has anticipated thine. For thee there is naught to do
but lift up thy rod and stretch out thine hand over the sea, and divide
it." Moses replied: "Thou commandest me to divide the sea, and lay bare
the dry ground in the midst of it, and yet Thou didst Thyself make it a
perpetual decree, that the sand shall be placed for the bound of the
sea." And again God spake to Moses: "Thou has not read the beginning of
the Torah. I, yea, I, did speak, 'Let the waters under the heaven be
gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear,' and at
that time I made the condition that the waters shall divide before
Israel. [29] Take the rod that I gave unto thee, and go to the sea upon
Mine errand, and speak thus: 'I am the messenger sent by the Creator of
the world! Uncover thy paths, O sea, for My children, that they may go
through the midst of thee on dry ground.'"
Moses spoke to the sea as God had bidden him, but it replied, "I will
not do according to thy words, for thou are only a man born of woman,
and, besides, I am three days older than thou, O man, for I was brought
forth on the third day of creation, and thou on the sixth." Moses lost
no time, but carried back to God the words the sea has spoken, and the
Lord said" "Moses, what does a master do with an intractable servant?"
"He beats him with a rod," said Moses. "Do thus!" ordered God. "Lift up
thy rod, and stretch out thine hand over the sea and divide it." [30]
Thereupon Moses raised up his rod - the rod that had been created at
the very beginning of the world, on which were graven in plain letters
the great and exalted Name, the names of the ten plagues inflicted upon
the Egyptians, and the names of the three Fathers, the six Mothers, and
the twelve tribes of Jacob. This rod he lifted up, and stretched it out
over the sea. [31]
The sea, however, continued in its perverseness, and Moses entreated
God to give His command direct to it. But God refused, saying: "Were I
to command the sea to divide, it would never again return to its former
estate. Therefore, do thou convey My order to it, that it be not
drained dry forever. But I will let a semblance of My strength
accompany thee, and that will compel its obedience." When the sea saw
the Strength of God at the right hand of Moses, it spoke to the earth
saying, "Make hollow places for me, that I may hide myself therein
before the Lord of all created things, blessed be He." Noticing the
terror of the sea, Moses said to it: "For a whole day I spoke to thee
at the bidding of the Holy One, who desired thee to divide, but thou
didst refuse to pay heed to my words; even when I showed thee my rod,
thou didst remain obdurate. What hath happened now that thou skippest
hence?" The sea replied, "I am fleeing, not before thee, but before the
Lord of all created things, that His Name be magnified in all the
earth." [32] And the waters of the Red Sea divided, and not they alone,
but all the waters in heaven and on earth, in whatever vessel it was,
in cisterns, in wells, in caves, in casks, in pitchers, in drinking
cups, and in glasses, and none of these waters returned to their former
estate until Israel has passed through the sea on dry land. [ 33]
The angel Gabriel was eager to drown the Egyptians during the same
night, but God bade him wait until early the next day, until the hour
of the morning watch, when Abraham had made himself ready to set out
for the sacrifice of his son. Gabriel succeeded, however, in holding
back the turbulent water about to sweep over Israel. To the wall of
water on the right, he called, "Beware of Israel, who will receive the
law in time to come from the right hand of the Lord," and turning to
the wall of water on the left, he said, "Beware of Israel, who will
wind the phylacteries about their left hand in time to come." The water
behind he admonished, "Beware of Israel, who will let the Zizit drop
down upon their back in time to come," and to the water towering in
front of them, he called, "Beware of Israel, who bear the sign of the
covenant upon their bodies." [34]
God caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind, the wind He always
makes use of when He chastises the nations. The same east wind had
brought the deluge; it had laid the tower of Babel in ruins; it was to
cause the destruction of Samaria, Jerusalem, and Tyre; and it will, in
future, be the instrument for castigating Rome drunken with pleasure;
and likewise the sinners in Gehenna are punished by means of the east
wind. All night long God made it to blow over the sea. To prevent the
enemy from inflicting harm upon the Israelites, He enveloped the
Egyptians in profound darkness, so impenetrable it could be felt, and
none could move or change his posture. He that sat when it fell could
not arise from his place, and he that stood could not sit down.
Nevertheless, the Egyptians could see that the Israelites were
surrounded by bright light, and were enjoying a banquet where they
stood, and when they tried to speed darts and arrows against them, the
missiles were caught up by the cloud and by the angels hovering between
the two camps, and no harm came to Israel. [35]
THE PASSAGE THROUGH THE RED SEA
On the morning after the eventful night, though the sea was not yet
made dry land, the Israelites, full of trust in God, were ready to cast
themselves into its waters. The tribes contended with one another for
the honor of being the first to jump. Without awaiting the outcome of
the wordy strife, the tribe of Benjamin sprang in, and the princes of
Judah were so incensed at having been deprived of pre-eminence in
danger that they pelted the Benjamites with stones. God knew that the
Judaeans and the Benjamites were animated by a praiseworthy purpose.
The ones like the others desired but to magnify the Name of God, and He
rewarded both tribes: in Benjamin's allotment the Shekinah took up her
residence, and the royalty of Israel was conferred upon Judah.
When God saw the two tribes in the waves of the sea, He called upon
Moses, and said: "My beloved are in danger of drowning, and thou
standest by and prayest. Bid Israel go forward, and thou lift up thy
rod over the sea, and divide it." Thus it happened, and Israel passed
through the sea with its water cleft in twain.
The dividing of the sea was but the first of ten miracles connected
with the passage of the Israelites through it. The others were that the
waters united in a vault above their heads; twelve paths opened up, one
for each of the tribes; the water became transparent as glass, and each
tribe could see the others; the soil underfoot was dry, but it changed
into clay when the Egyptians stepped upon it; the walls of water
transformed into rocks, against which the Egyptians were thrown and
dashed to death, while before the Israelites could slake their thirst;
and, finally, the tenth wonder was, that this drinking water was
congealed in the heart of the sea as soon as they had satisfied their
need. [36]
And there were other miracles, besides. The sea yielded the Israelites
whatever their hearts desired. If a child cried as it lay in the arms
of its mother, she needed but to stretch out her hand and pluck and
apple or some fruit and quiet it. [37] The waters were piled up to the
height of sixteen hundred miles, and they could be seen by all the
nations of the earth. [38]
The great wonder of Israel's passage through the sea took place in the
presence of the three Fathers and the six Mothers, for God had fetched
them out of their graves to the shores of the Red Sea, to be witnesses
of the marvelous deeds wrought in behalf of their children. [39]
Wonderful as were the miracles connected with the rescue of the
Israelites from the waters of the sea, those performed when the
Egyptians were drowned were no less remarkable. First of all God felt
called upon to defend Israel's cause before Uzza, the Angel of the
Egyptians, who would not allow his people to perish in the waters of
the sea. He appeared on the spot at the very moment when God wanted to
drown the Egyptians, and he spake: "O Lord of the world! Thou are
called just and upright, and before Thee there is no wrong, no
forgetting, no respecting of persons. Why, then, dost Thou desire to
make my children perish in the sea? Canst Thou say that my children
drowned or slew a single one of Thine? If it be on account of the
rigorous slavery that my children imposed upon Israel, then consider
that Thy children have received their wages, in that they took their
silver and golden vessels from them."
Then God convoked all the members of His celestial family, and He spake
to the angel hosts: "Judge ye in truth between Me and yonder Uzza, the
Angel of the Egyptians. At the first I brought a famine upon his
people, and I appointed My friend Joseph over them, who saved them
through his sagacity, and they all became his slaves. Then My children
went down into their land as strangers, in consequence of the famine,
and they made the children of Israel to serve with rigor in all manner
of hard work there is in the world. They groaned on account of their
bitter service, and their cry rose up to Me, and I sent Moses and
Aaron, My faithful messengers, to Pharaoh. When they came before the
king of Egypt, they spake to him, 'Thus said the Lord, the God of
Israel, Let My people go, that they may hold a feast unto Me in the
wilderness.' In the presence of the kings of the East and of the West,
the sinner began to boast, saying: 'Who is the Lord, that I should
hearken unto His voice, to let Israel go? Why comes He not before me,
like all the kings of the world, and why doth He not bring me a present
like the others? This God of whom you speak, I know Him not at all.
Wait and let me search my lists, and see whether I can find His Name.'
But his servants said, 'We have heard that He is the son of the wise,
the son of ancient kings.' Then Pharaoh asked My messengers, 'What are
the works of this God?' and they replied, 'He is the God of gods, the
Lord of lords, who created the heaven and the earth.' But Pharaoh
doubted their words, and said, 'There is no God in all the world that
can accomplish such works besides me, for I made myself, and I made the
Nile river.' Because he denied Me thus, I sent ten plagues upon him,
and he was compelled to let My children go. Yet, in spite of all, he
did not leave off from his wicked ways, and he tried to bring them back
under his bondage. Now, seeing all that hath happened to him, and that
he will not acknowledge Me as God and Lord, does he not deserve to be
drowned in the sea with his host?"
The Celestial family called out when the Lord had ended His defense,
"Thou hast every right to drown him in the sea!"
Uzza heard their verdict, and he said: "O Lord of all the worlds! I
know that my people deserve the punishment Thou has decreed, but may it
please Thee to deal with them according to Thy attribute of mercy, and
take pity upon the work of Thy hands, for Thy tender mercies are over
all Thy works!"
Almost the Lord had yielded to Uzza's entreaties, when Michael gave a
sign to Gabriel that mad him fly to Egypt swiftly and fetch thence a
brick for which a Hebrew child had been used as a mortar. Holding this
incriminating object in his had, Gabriel stepped into the presence of
God, and said: "O Lord of the world! Wilt Thou have compassion with the
accursed nation that has slaughtered Thy children so cruelly?" Then the
Lord turned Himself away from His attribute of mercy, and seating
Himself upon His throne of justice He resolved to drown the Egyptians
in the sea. [40]
The first upon whom judgement was executed was the Angel of Egypt -
Uzza was thrown into the sea. [41] A similar fate overtook Rahab, the
Angel of the Sea, with his hosts. Rahab had made intercession before
God in behalf of the Egyptians. He had said: "Why shouldst Thou drown
the Egyptians? Let is suffice the Israelites that Thou hast saved them
out of the hand of their masters." At that God dealt Rahab and his army
a blow, under which they staggered and fell dead, and then He cast
their corpses in the sea, whence its unpleasant odor. [42]
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE EGYPTIANS
At the moment when the last of the Israelites stepped out of the bed of
the sea, the first of the Egyptians set foot into it, but in the same
instant the waters surged back into their wonted place, and all the
Egyptians perished. [43]
But drowning was not the only punishment decreed upon them by God. He
undertook a thoroughgoing campaign against them. When Pharaoh was
preparing to persecute the Israelites, he asked his army which of the
saddle beasts was the swiftest runner, that one he would use, and they
said: "There is none swifter than thy piebald mare, whose like is to be
found nowhere in the world." Accordingly, Pharaoh mounted the mare, and
pursued after the Israelites seaward. And while Pharaoh was inquiring
of his army as to the swiftest animal to mount, God was questioning the
angels as to the swiftest creature to use to the detriment of Pharaoh.
And the angels answered: "O Lord of the world! All thing are Thine, and
all are Thine handiwork. Thou knowest well, and it is manifest before
Thee, that among all Thy creatures there is none so quick as the wind
that comes from under the throne of Thy glory," and the Lord flew
swiftly upon the wings of the wind. [44]
The angels now advanced to support the Lord in His war against the
Egyptians. Some brought swords, some arrows, and some spears. But God
warded them off, saying, "Away! I need no help!" [45] The arrows sped
by Pharaoh against the children of Israel were answered by the Lord
with fiery darts directed against the Egyptians. Pharaoh's army
advanced with gleaming swords, and the Lord sent out lightnings that
discomfited the Egyptians. Pharaoh hurled missiles, and the Lord
discharged hailstones and coals of fire against him. With trumpets,
sackbuts, and horns the Egyptians made their assault, and the Lord
thundered in the heavens, and the Most High uttered His voice. In vain
the Egyptians marched forward in orderly battle array; the Lord
deprived them of their standards, and they were thrown into wild
confusion. [46] To lure them into the water, the Lord caused fiery
steeds to swim out upon the sea, and the horses of the Egyptians
followed them, each with a rider upon his back. [47]
Now the Egyptians tried to flee to their land in their chariots drawn
by she-mules. As they had treated the children of Israel in a way
contrary to nature, so the Lord treated them now. Not the she-mules
pulled the chariots but the chariots, though fire from heaven had
consumed their wheels, dragged the men and the beasts into the water.
The chariots were laden with silver, gold, and all sorts of costly
things, which the river Pishon, as it flows forth from Paradise,
carries down into the Gihon. Thence the treasures float into the Red
Sea, and by its waters they were tossed into the chariots of the
Egyptians. It was the wish of Israel, and for this reason He caused the
chariots to roll down into the sea, and the sea in turn to cast them
out upon the opposite shore, at the feet of the Israelites. [48]
And the Lord fought against the Egyptians also with the pillar of cloud
and the pillar of fire. The former made the soil miry, and the mire was
heated to the boiling point by the latter, so that the hoofs of the
horses dropped from their feet, and they could not budge from the spot.
[49]
The anguish and the torture that God brought upon the Egyptians at the
Red Sea caused them by far more excruciating pain than the plagues they
had endured in Egypt, for at the sea He delivered them into the hands
of the Angels of Destruction, who tormented them pitilessly. Had God
not endowed the Egyptians with a double portion of strength, they could
not have stood the pain a single moment. [50]
The last judgement executed upon the Egyptians corresponded to the
wicked designs harbored against Israel by the three different parties
among them when they set out in pursuit of their liberated slaves. The
first party had said, "We will bring Israel back to Egypt;" the second
had said, "We will strip them bare," and the third had said, "We will
slay them all." The Lord blew upon the first with His breath, and the
sea covered them; the second party He shook into the sea, and the third
He pitched into the depths of the abyss. [51] He tossed them about as
lentils are shaken up and down in a saucepan; the upper ones are made
to fall to the bottom, the lower ones fly to the top. This was the
experience of the Egyptians. And worse still, first the rider and his
beast were whisked high up in the air, and then the two together, the
rider sitting upon the back of the beast, were hurled to the bottom of
the sea. [52]
The Egyptians endeavored to save themselves from the sea by conjuring
charms, for they were great magicians. Of the ten measures of magic
allotted to the world, they had taken nine for themselves. And, indeed,
they succeeded for the moment; they escaped out of the sea. But
immediately the sea said to itself, "How can I allow the pledge
entrusted to me by God to be taken from me?" And the water rushed after
the Egyptians, and dragged back every man of them.
Among the Egyptians were the two arch-magicians Jannes and Jambres.
They made wings for themselves, with which they flew up to heaven. They
also said to Pharaoh: "If God Himself hath done this thing, we can
effect naught. But if this work has been put into the hands of His
angel, then we will shake his lieutenants into the sea." They proceeded
at once to use their magic contrivances, whereby they dragged the
angels down. These cried up to God: "Save us, O God, for the waters are
come in unto our soul! Speak Thy word that will cause the magicians to
drown in the mighty waters." And Gabriel cried to God, "By the
greatness of Thy glory dash Thy adversaries to pieces." Hereupon God
bade Michael go and execute judgement upon the two magicians. The
archangel seized hold of Jannes and Jambres by the locks of their hair,
and he shattered them against the surface of the water. [53]
Thus all the Egyptians were drowned. Only one was spared - Pharaoh
himself. When the children of Israel raised their voices to sing a song
of praise to God at the shores of the Red Sea, Pharaoh heard it as he
was jostled hither and thither by the billows, and he pointed his
finger heavenward, and called out: "I believe in Thee, O God! Thou art
righteous, and I and My people are wicked, and I acknowledge now that
there is no god in the world beside Thee." Without a moments delay,
Gabriel descended and laid and iron chain about Pharaoh's neck, and
holding him securely, he addressed him thus: "Villain! Yesterday thou
didst say, 'Who is the Lord that I should hearken to His voice?' and
now thou sayest, 'The Lord is righteous.'" With that he let him drop
into the depths of the sea, and there he tortured him for fifty days,
to make the power of God known to him. At the end of the time he
installed him as king of the great city of Nineveh, and after the lapse
of many centuries, when Jonah came to Nineveh, and prophesied the
overthrow of the city on account of the evil done by the people, it was
Pharaoh who, seized by fear and terror, covered himself with sackcloth,
and sat in ashes, and with his own mouth made proclamation and
published this decree through Nineveh: "Let neither man nor beast, herd
nor flock, taste anything; let them not feed nor drink water; for I
know there is no god beside Him in all the world, all His words are
truth, and all His judgements are true and faithful."
Pharaoh never died, and never will die. He always stands at the portal
of hell, and when the kings of the nations enter, he makes the power of
God known to them at once, in these words: "O ye fools! Why have ye not
learnt knowledge from me? I am denied the Lord God, and He brought ten
plagues upon me, sent me to the bottom of the sea, kept me there for
fifty days, released me then, and brought me up. Thus I could not but
believe in Him." [54]
God caused the Egyptians to be washed ashore in their death struggle.
There were four reasons for this. The Israelites were not to say that
as they themselves had escaped, so also the Egyptians had passed
through the sea dryshod, only the latter had gone in another direction,
and therefore had vanished from sight. The Egyptians, on the other
hand, were not to think that the children of Israel had been drowned in
the sea like themselves. In the third place, the Israelites were to
have, as their booty, the silver, gold, and other precious things with
which the Egyptians were decked; and, finally, the Israelites were to
enjoy the satisfaction of seeing their enemies suffer. With their
finger thy could point them out one by one, saying, "This one way my
taskmaster, who beat me with those fists of his at which the dogs are
now gnawing, and yonder Egyptian, the dogs are chewing the feet with
which he kicked me."
As they lay on the shore in their last agony, they had to witness their
own destruction and the victory of the Israelites, and they also beheld
the suffering of their brethren that had remained behind in Egypt, for
God poured out His punishment over the whole people, whether in Egypt
or at the Red Sea. [55] As for the corpses by the shores of the sea,
they did not remain unburied, the earth swallowed them, by way of
reward for Pharaoh's having acknowledged the justice of the
chastisement that had been inflicted upon king and people. Before their
corpses had been disposed of in this way, there had been a quarrel
between the earth and the sea. The sea said to the earth, "Take thy
children unto thyself," and the earth retorted, "Keep those whom thou
hast slain." The sea hesitated to do as the earth bade, for fear that
God would demand them back on the day of judgement; and the earth
hesitated, because it remembered with terror the curse that had been
pronounced upon it for having sucked up Abel's blood. Only after God
swore and oath, not to punish it for receiving the corpses of the
Egyptians, would the earth swallow them. [56]
THE SONG AT THE SEA
Mighty is faith, for the spirit of God came upon the Israelites as a
reward for their trust in God, and in His servant Moses; and it was in
this exaltation that they sang to the Lord a song [57] that moved Him
to grant forgiveness for all their sins. [58] This song was the second
of the nine songs that in the course of history of Israel sang to their
God. They assembled to sing the first in Egypt, on the night when they
were freed from captivity; their second was the song of triumph by the
Red Sea; their third, when the well sprang up in the wilderness; Moses
sang the fourth before his death; the fifth was Joshua's song after his
victory over the five Amorite Kings; Deborah and Barak sang the sixth
when they conquered Sisera; the seventh was David's psalm of
thanksgiving to God for his deliverance out of the hand of all his
enemies; the eighth was Solomon's song at the dedication of the Temple;
the ninth Jehoshaphat sang as, trusting in God, he went to battle
against the Moabites and the Ammonites. The tenth and last song,
however, will be that grand and mighty song, when Israel will raise
their voice in triumph at their future deliverance, for that will be
the final release of Israel for all time. [59]
When Israel prepared to sound their praises to God for delivering them
from destruction in the Red Sea, God, to show His recognition of
Israel's fulfillment of the token of the Abrahamic covenant, bade the
angels who came to intone their song, wait: "Let My children sing
first," He said. This incident with the angels is like the story of the
king who, upon returning from a victorious campaign, was told that his
son and his servant were waiting with wreaths in their hands, and were
asking who should first crown him. The king said, "O ye fools, to
question if my servant should walk before my son! No, let my son come
first!"
This was the second time the angels were obliged to retire before
Israel. When Israel stood by the Red Sea, before them the rolling
waters, and behind them the hosts of Egypt, then, too, the angels
appeared, to sing their daily song of praise to the Lord, but God
called to them, "Forbear! My children are in distress, and you would
sing!"
But even after the men had completed their song, it was not yet given
to the angels to raise their voices, for after the men followed the
women of Israel, and only then came the turn of the angels. Then they
began to murmur, and said, "Is it not enough that the men have preceded
us? Shall the women come before us also?" But God replied, "As surely
as ye live, so it is." [60]
At first Israel requested their leader Moses to begin the song, but he
declined, saying, "No, ye shall begin it, for it is a greater mark of
honor to be praised by the multitude than by a single one." At once the
people sang: "We will glorify the Eternal, for He has shown us signs
and tokens. When the Egyptians passed the decree against us, and said,
'Every son that is born ye shall cast into the river,' our mothers went
into the field, and Thou didst bid a sleep to fall upon them, and they
bore us without any pain; and the angels descended from Heaven, washed
and anointed us, and robed us in many-colored silken garments, and
placed in our hands two lumps, one of butter and one of honey. When our
mothers awoke and saw us washed, anointed, and clothed in silk, then
they praised Thee, and said, 'Praise be God who has not turned His
grace and His lasting love from the seed of our father Abraham; and now
behold! they are in Thy hand, do with them as Thou wilt.' And they
departed. When the Egyptians saw us, they approached to kill us, but
Thou in Thy great mercy didst bid the earth swallow us and set us in
another place, where we were not seen by the Egyptians, and lo! in this
way didst Thou save us from their hand. When we grew up, we wandered in
troops to Egypt, where each recognized his parents and his family. All
this hast Thou done for us, therefore will we sing of Thee."
Thereupon Moses said: "Ye have given thanks to the Holy One, blessed be
He, and not I will praise His name, for to me also has He shown signs
and tokens. The Lord is my strength and my song, and He is become my
salvation; He is my God, and I will prepare Him and habitation; my
father's God, and I will exalt Him." [61]
The song by the Red Sea was as much the song of Moses as of all Israel,
for the great leader counted as not less than all the other Israelites
together, and, besides, [62] he had composed a large portion of the
song. In virtue of the spirit of God that possessed them while they
sang, Moses and the people mutually supplemented each other, so that,
as soon as Moses spoke half the verse, the people repeated it, and
linked the second complementary part to it. So Moses began with the
half verse, "I will sing unto the Lord, for He hath triumphed
gloriously," whereupon the people answered, "The horse and his rider
hath He thrown into the sea." And in this wise developed the whole
song. [63]
But not alone the adults took part in this song, even the sucklings
dropped their mothers' breasts to join in singing; yea, even the
embryos in the womb joined the melody, and the angels' voices swelled
the song. [64] God so distinguished Israel during the passage through
the Red Sea, that even the children beheld His glory, yea, even the
woman slave saw more of the presence of God by the Red Sea than the
Prophet Ezekiel was ever permitted to behold. [65]
They closed the song with the words: "Let us set the crown of glory
upon the head of our Deliverer, who suffers all things to perish, but
does not Himself decay, who changes all things, but is Himself
unchanged. His is the diadem of sovereignty, for He is the King of
kings in this world, and His is the sovereignty of the world to come;
it is His and will be His in all eternity." [66] Thereupon Moses spake
to Israel, "Ye have seen all the signs, all miracles and works of glory
that the Holy One, blessed be He, hath wrought for you, but even more
will He do for you in the world to come; for not like unto this world
is the world of the hereafter; for in this world war and suffering,
evil inclination, Satan, and the Angel of Death hold sway; but in the
future would, there will be neither suffering nor enmity, neither Satan
nor the Angel of Death, neither groans nor oppression, nor evil
inclination." [67]
As Moses and the race that wandered from Egypt with him sang a song to
the Lord by the Red Sea, so shall they sing again in the world to come.
In the world to come, all generations will pass before the Lord and
will ask Him who should first intone the song of praise, whereupon He
will reply: "In the past it was the generation of Moses that offered up
to me a song of praise. Let them do it now once more, and as Moses
conducted the song by the Red Sea, so shall he do in the world of the
hereafter." [68]
In other respects, too, it shall be in the world to come as it was at
the time of the song by the sea. For when Israel intoned the song of
praise, God put on a festive robe, on which were embroidered all the
promises for a happy future to Israel. Among them were written: "Then
shall thy light break forth as the morning"; "Then said they among the
heathen. 'The Lord hath done great things for them,'" and many similar
promises. But when Israel sinned, God rent the festive robe, and He
will not restore it, or put it on until the coming of the future world.
[69]
After the men had completed the song, the women under the guidance of
Miriam sang the same song to the accompaniment of music and dancing.
The Israelites had had perfect faith, that God would perform for them
miracles and deeds of glory, hence they had provided themselves with
timbrels and with flutes, that they might have them at hand to glorify
the anticipated miracles. [70] Then Miriam said to the women, "Let us
sing unto the Lord, for strength and sublimity are His; He lords it
over the lordly, and He resents presumption. He hurled Pharaoh's horses
and chariots into the sea, and drowned them, because wicked Pharaoh in
his presumption pursued God's people, Israel." [71]
THE AWFUL DESERT
Just as Israel had displayed sullenness and lack of faith upon
approaching the sea, so did they upon leaving it. Hardly had they seen
that the Egyptians met death in the waters of the sea, when they spoke
to Moses, and said: "God had led us from Egypt only to grant us five
tokens: To give us the wealth of Egypt, to let us walk in clouds of
glory, to cleave the sea for us, to take vengeance on the Egyptians,
and to let us sing Him a song of praise. Now that all this has taken
place, let us return to Egypt." Moses answered: "The Eternal said, 'The
Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, yes shall see them again no more
forever.'" But the people were not yet content, and said, "Now the
Egyptians are all dead, and therefore we can return to Egypt." Then
Moses said, "You must now redeem your pledge, for God said, 'When thou
hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon
this mountain.'" Still the people remained headstrong, and without
giving heed to Moses, they set out on the road to Egypt, under the
guidance of an idol that they had brought with them out of Egypt, and
had even retained during their passage through the sea. Only through
sheer force was Moses able to restrain them from their sinful
transgression. [72] This was the second of the ten temptations with
which Israel tempted God during their wanderings through the desert.
[73]
There was one other difficulty with the people that Moses had to
overcome: The sea cast up many jewels, pearls and other treasures that
had belonged to the Egyptians, drowned in its waves, and Israel found
it hard to tear themselves away from the spot that brought them such
riches. Moses, however, said, "Do you really believe that the sea will
continue to yield you pearls and jewels?" [74]
From the sea they passed to the desert Shur, a horrible and dreadful
wilderness, full of snakes, lizards, and scorpions, extending over
hundreds of miles. So deadly is the nature of the snakes that dwell in
the desert, that if one of them merely glides over the shadow of a
flying bird, the bird falls into pieces. [75] It was in this desert
that the following happened to King Shapor: A cohort that he sent
through this desert was swallowed by a snake, and the same fate
overtook a second and a third cohort. Upon the advice of his sages, he
then filled the hides of animals with hot coals wrapped in straw, and
had these cast before the snake until it expired. [76]
It was then a proof of Israel's great faith in their God, that they
obeyed Moses, and without murmur or delay followed him into this
frightful wilderness. [77] Therefore did God reward them for their
trust in Him, for not only were they not harmed by the snakes and
scorpions during their many years stay in the desert, but they were
even relieved of the fear of the reptiles, for as soon as the snakes
saw the Israelites, they meekly lay down upon the sand. [78] For three
days they marched through the desert, uncomplaining, but when their
supply of water gave out, the people murmured against Moses, saying,
"What shall we drink?" While crossing through the Red Sea they had
provided themselves with water, for, miraculously, the sea flowed sweet
for them; and now when the supply was becoming exhausted, they began to
give expression to their dissatisfaction. On this occasion they again
betrayed their faintheartedness, for instead of seeking advice from
their leader Moses, they began to murmur against him and against God,
even though at present they had not yet suffered from lack of water. So
poorly did they stand the test to which God has put them, for in fact
the very ground upon which they trod had running water beneath it, but
they were not aware of this. God had desired to see how they would act
under these conditions. [79]
The people were all the more exasperated because their joy, when they
sighted the springs and hastened to draw from the, turned to keenest
disappointment when they tasted of the water and found it bitter. These
deluded hopes cast them down spiritually as well as physically, and
grieved them, not so much for their own sakes as for those of their
young children, to whose pleas for water they could not listen without
tears. Some of the thoughtless and fickle of faith among them uttered
the accusation that even the former kindness had been granted them so
much as a benefit, but rather with a view to the present and much
greater privation. These said that death by the hand of the enemy is to
be thrice preferred to perishing by thirst; for by the wise man, speedy
and painless departure from life is in no way to be distinguished from
immortality; the only real death, however, is slow and painful dying,
for the dread lies not in being dead, but in dying.
While they indulged in these lamentations, Moses prayed to God to
forgive the faint of heart their unseemly words, and, furthermore, to
supply the general want. [80] Mindful of the distress of the people,
Moses did not pray long, but uttered his request in a few words; and
quickly, as he had prayed, was his prayer answered. God bade him take a
piece of a laurel tree, write upon it the great and glorious name of
God, and throw it into the water, whereupon the water would become
drinkable and sweet. [81]
The ways of the Holy One, blessed be He, differ from the ways of man:
Man turns bitter to sweet by the agency of some sweet stuff, but God
transformed the bitter water through the bitter laurel tree. When
Israel beheld this miracle, they asked forgiveness of their heavenly
Father, and said: "O Lord of the world! We sinned against Thee when we
murmured about the water." [82] Not through this miracle alone,
however, has Marah become a significant spot for Israel, but,
especially, because there God gave to Israel important percepts, like
the Sabbath rest, marriage and civil laws, and said to the people: "If
you will observe these statutes, you will receive many more, the Ten
Commandments, the Halakot, and the Haggadot; the Torah, however, will
bring you happiness and life. If you will diligently endeavor to walk
through life uprightly, so that you will be virtuous in your dealing
with men, I will value it as if you had fulfilled all commandments, and
will put upon you none of those diseases that I brought Egypt. If,
however, you will not be mindful of My laws, and will be visited by
diseases, then will I be you physician and will make you well, for as
soon as you will observe the laws, shall the diseases vanish." [83]
The cause for the want of water at Marah had been that for three days
the people had neglected the study of the Torah, and it was for this
reason that the prophets and elders of Israel instituted the custom of
reading from the Torah on Saturday, Monday and Thursday, at the public
service, so that three days might never again pass without a reading
from the Torah. [84]
From Marah they moved on to Elim. From a distance palm trees made the
place look inviting enough, but when the people came close, they were
again disappointed; there were not more than three score and ten palm
tress, and there were of stunted growth owing to a lack of water, for
in spite of the presence of twelve wells of water, the soil was so
barren and sandy that the wells were not sufficient to water it. [85]
Here again the marvelous intercession of God in favor of the fate of
Israel is shown, for the scant supply of water at Elim, which had
hardly sufficed for seventy palm trees, satisfied sixty myriads of the
wandering people that stayed there for several days. [86]
The men of understanding could at this place see a clear allusion to
the fortune of the people; for there are twelve tribes of the people,
each of which, if it prove God-fearing, will be a well of water,
inasmuch as its piety will constantly and continually bring forth
beautiful deeds; the leaders of the people, however, are seventy, and
they recall the noble palm tree, for in outward appearance as well as
in its fruits, it is the most beautiful of trees, whose seat of life
does not lie buried deep in the roots, as with other plants, but soars
high, set like the heart in the midst of its branches, by which it is
surrounded as a queen under the protection of her bodyguard. The soul
of him who has tasted piety possesses a similar spirit; it has learned
to look up and ascend, and itself ever busy with spiritual things and
the investigation of Divine beauty, disdains earthly things, and
considers them only a childish play, whereas that aspiration alone
seems serious. [87]
It was at Elim, where, at the creation of the world, God had made the
twelve wells of water, and the seventy palm trees, to correspond to the
twelve tribes and the seventy elders of Israel, that Israel first took
up the study of the law, for there they studied the laws given them at
Marah. [88]
THE HEAVENLY FOOD
The bread which Israel had taken along out of Egypt sufficed for
thirty-one days, and when they had consumed it, the whole congregation
of the children of Israel murmured against their leader Moses. It was
not only immediate want that oppressed them, but despair of a food
supply for the future; for when they saw the vast, extensive, utterly
barren wilderness before them, their courage gave way, and they said:
"We migrated, expecting freedom, and now we are not even free from the
cares of subsistence; we are not, as out leader promised, the happiest,
but in truth the most unfortunate of men. After our leader's words had
keyed us to the highest pitch of expectation, and had filled out ears
with vain hopes, he tortures us with famine and does not provide even
the necessary food. With the name of a new settlement he has deceived
this great multitude; after he had succeeded in leading us from a
well-known to an uninhabited land, he now plans to send us to the
underworld, the last road of life. [89] 'Would to God we had died by
the hand of the Lord during the three days of darkness in the land of
Egypt when we sat by the flesh-pots, and when we did eat bread to the
full.'" In their exasperation they spoke untruths, for in reality they
had suffered from want of food in Egypt, too, as the Egyptians had not
given them enough to eat. [90]
In spite of the railings against him, Moses was not so much indignant
about their words as about the fickleness of the people. After those
many quite extraordinary experiences they had no right to expect merely
the natural and the probable, but should cheerfully have trusted him;
for, truly, in the sight of all, they had been shown the most tangible
proofs of his reliability. When, on the other hand, Moses considered
their distress, he forgave them; for he told himself that a multitude
is by nature fickle, and allows itself to be easily influenced by
impressions of the moment, which cast the past into oblivion, and
engender despair of the future. [91]
God also forgave the unworthy conduct of Israel, and instead of being
angry with them because they murmured against Him, when it should have
been their duty to pray to Him, He was ready to grant them aid, saying
to Moses, "They act according to their lights, and I will act according
to Mine; not later than to-morrow morning manna will descend from
heaven."
As a reward for Abraham's readiness, in answer to the summons to
sacrifice Isaac, when he said, "Here am I," God promised manna to the
descendants of Abraham with the same words, "Here I am." In the same
way, during their wanderings through the wilderness, God repaid the
descendants of Abraham for what their ancestor had done by the angels
who visited him. He himself had fetched bread for them, and likewise
God Himself caused bread to rain from heaven; he himself ran before
them on their way, and likewise God moved before Israel; he had water
fetched for them, and likewise God, through Moses, caused water to flow
from the rock; he bade them seek shade under the tree, and likewise God
had a cloud spread over Israel. [92] Then God spoke to Moses: "I will
immediately reveal Myself without Jacob, 'I will rain bread from My
treasure in heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a
certain rate every day.'"
There were good reasons for not exceeding a day's ration in the daily
downpour of manna. First, that they might be spared the need of
carrying it on their wanderings; secondly, that they might daily
receive it hot; and, lastly, that they might day by day depend upon
God's aid, and in this way exercise themselves in faith. [93]
While the people were still abed, God fulfilled their desire, and
rained down manna for them. For this food had been created on the
second day of creation, [94] and ground by the angels, it later
descended for the wanderers in the wilderness. [95] The mills are
stationed in the third heaven, where manna is constantly being ground
for the future use of the pious; [96] for in the future world manna
will be set before them. [97] Manna deserves its name, "bread of the
angels," not only because it is prepared by them, but because those who
partake of it become equal to the angels in strength, and, furthermore,
like them, have no need of easing themselves, as manna is entirely
dissolved in the body. Not until they sinned, did they have to ease
themselves like ordinary mortals. [98]
Manna also showed its heavenly origin in the miraculous flavor it
possessed. There was no need of cooking or baking it, nor did it
require any other preparation, and still it contained the flavor of
every conceivable dish. One had only to desire a certain dish, and no
sooner had he thought of it, than manna had the flavor of the dish
desire. The same food had a different taste to every one who partook of
it, according to his age; to the little children it tasted like milk,
to the strong youths like bread, to the old men like honey, to the sick
like barley steeped in oil and honey. [99]
As miraculous as the taste of manna was it descent from heaven. First
came a north wind to sweep the floor of the desert; then a rain to wash
it quite clean; then dew descended upon it, which was congealed into a
solid substance by the wind, that it might serve as a table for the
heaven-descending gold. [100] But, that no insects or vermin might
settle on the manna, the frozen dew formed not only a tablecloth, but
also a cover for the manna, so that it lay enclosed there as in a
casket, protected from soiling or pollution above and below.
THE GATHERING OF THE MANNA
With an easy mind every individual might perform his morning prayer in
his house and recite the Shema', then betake himself to the entrance of
his tent, and gather manna for himself and all his family. [101] The
gathering of manna caused little trouble, and those among the people
who were too lazy to perform even the slightest work, went out while
manna fell, so that it fell straight into their hands. [102] The manna
lasted until the fourth hour of the day, when it melted; but even the
melted manna was not wasted, for out of it formed the rivers, from
which the pious will drink in the hereafter. The heathen even then
attempted to drink out of these streams, but the manna that tasted so
deliciously to the Jews, had a quite bitter taste in the mouth of the
heathen. Only indirectly could they partake of the enjoyment of manna:
They used to catch the animals that drank the melted manna, and even it
this form it was so delicious that the heathen cried, "Happy is the
people that is in such a case." [103] For the descent of manna was not
a secret to the heathen, as it settled at such enormous heights that
the kings of the East and of the West could see how Israel received its
miraculous food. [104]
The mass of the manna was in proportion to its height, for as much
descended day by day, as might have satisfied the wants of sixty
myriads of people, through two thousand years. [105] Such profusion of
manna fell over the body of Joshua alone, as might have sufficed for
the maintenance of the whole congregation. [106] Manna, indeed, had the
peculiarity of falling to every individual in the same measure; and
when, after gathering, they measured it, they found that there was an
omer for every man.
Many lawsuits were amicably decided through the fall of manna. If a
married couple came before Moses, each accusing the other of
inconstancy, Moses would say to them, "To-morrow morning judgement will
be given." If, then, manna descended for the wife before the house of
her husband, it was known that he was in the right; but if her share
descended before the house of her own parents, she was in the right.
[107]
The only days on which manna did not descend were the Sabbaths and the
holy days, but then a double portion fell on the preceding day. These
days had the further distinction that, while they lasted, the color of
the manna sparkled more than usual, and it tasted better than usual.
The people, however, were fainthearted, and on the very first Sabbath,
they wanted to go out as usual to gather manna in the morning, although
announcement had been made that God would send them no food on that
day. Moses, however, restrained them. They attempted to do it again
toward evening, and again Moses restrained them with the words, "To-day
ye shall not find it in the field." At these words they were greatly
alarmed, for they feared that they might not receive it any more at
all, but their leader quieted them with the words, "To-day ye shall not
find any of it, but assuredly to-morrow; in this world ye shall not
receive manna on the Sabbath, but assuredly in the future world."
The unbelieving among them did not hearken to the words of God, and
went out on the Sabbath to find manna. Here-upon God said to Moses:
"Announce these words to Israel: I have led you out of Egypt, have
cleft the sea for you, have sent you manna, have caused the well of
water to spring up for you, have sent the quails to come up to you,
have battled for you against Amalek, and wrought other miracles for
you, and still you do not obey My statutes and commandments. You have
not even the excuse that I imposed full many commandments upon you, for
all that I bade you do at Marah, was to observe the Sabbath, but you
have violated it." "If," continues Moses, "you will observe the
Sabbath, God will give you three festivals in the months of Nisan,
Siwan, and Tishri; and as a reward for the observance of the Sabbath,
you will receive six gifts from God: the land of Israel, the future
world, the new world, the sovereignty of the dynasty of David, the
institution of the priests and the Levites; and, furthermore, as a
reward for the observance of the Sabbath, you shall be freed from the
three great afflictions: from the sufferings of the times of Gog and
Magog, from the travails of the Messianic time, and from the day of the
great Judgement."
When Israel heard these exhortations and promises, they determined to
observe the Sabbath, and did so. [108] They did not know, to be sure,
what they had lost through their violation of the first Sabbath. Had
Israel then observed the Sabbath, no nation would ever have been able
to exercise any authority over them. [109]
This, moreover, was not the only sin that Israel committed during this
time, for some among them also broke the other commandment in regard to
manna, that it, not to store it away from day to day. These sinners
were none other than the infamous pair, Dathan and Abiram, who did not
hearken to the word of God, but saved the manna for the following day.
But if they fancied they could conceal their sinful deed, they were
mistaken, for great swarms of worms bred from the manna, and these
moved in a long train from their tents to the other tents, so that
everyone perceived what these two had done. [110]
To serve future generations as a tangible proof of the infinite power
of God, the Lord bade Moses lay an earthen vessel full of manna before
the Holy Ark, and this command was carried out by Aaron in the second
year of the wanderings through the desert. When, many centuries later,
the prophet Jeremiah exhorted his contemporaries to study the Torah,
and they answered his exhortations, saying, "How shall we then maintain
ourselves?" the prophet brought forth the vessel with manna, and spoke
to them, saying: "O generation, see ye the word of the Lord; see what
it was that served your fathers as food when they applied themselves to
the study of the Torah. You, too, will God support in the same way, if
you will but devote yourselves to the study of the Torah. [111]
When the imminent destruction of the Temple was announced to King
Josiah, he concealed the Holy Ark, and with it also the vessel with
manna, as well as the jug filled with sacred oil, which was used by
Moses for anointing the sacred implements, and other sacred objects. In
the Messianic time the prophet Elijah will restore all these concealed
objects. [112]
Israel received three gifts during their wanderings through the desert:
the well, the clouds of glory, and the manna; the first for the merits
of Miriam, the second for those of Aaron, and the third for those of
Moses. When Miriam died, the well disappeared for a time, but it
reappeared as a reward for the merits of Aaron and Moses; when Aaron
dies, the clouds of glory disappeared for a time, but reappeared owing
to the merits of Moses. But when the last-named died, the well, the
clouds of glory, and the manna disappeared forever. [113] Throughout
forty years, however, manna served them not only as food, but also as
provender for their cattle, for the dew that preceded the fall of manna
during the night brought grain for their cattle. [114] Manna also
replaced perfume for them, for it shed and excellent fragrance upon
those who ate of it. [115]
In spite of all the excellent qualities of manna, they were not
satisfied with it, and demanded that Moses and Aaron give them flesh to
eat. These replied: "We might put up with you if you murmured only
against us, but you murmur against the Eternal. Come forward, that you
may hear the judgment of God." At once God appeared to Moses, and said
to him: "It is revealed to Me what the congregation of Israel have
said, and what they will say, but tell them this: You have demanded two
things; you have desired bread, and I gave it to you, because man
cannot exist without it; but now, filled to satiety, you demand flesh;
this also will I give you, so that you might not say if your wish were
denied. 'God cannot grant it,' but at some future time you shall make
atonement for it; I am a judge and shall assign punishment for this."
In the meantime, however, God granted their wish, and toward evening
thick swarms of quails came up from the sea, and covered the whole
camp, taking their flight quite low, not two ells above the ground, so
that they might be easily caught. Contrary to the manna, which fell in
the morning, the quails did not come before evenfall; with a radiant
countenance God gave them the former, as their desire for bread was
justified, but with a darkened mien, under cover of night, He sent
quails. [116] Now, because the one food came in the morning and the
second in the evening, Moses instituted the custom among his people of
taking two meals a day, one in the morning and one in the evening; and
he set the meal with the use of meat for the evening. [117] At the same
time he taught them the prayer in which they were to offer thanks after
eating manna, which read: "Blessed be Thou, O God our Lord, King of the
world, who in Thy bounty, dost provide for all the world; who, in Thy
grace, goodwill, and mercy, dost grant food to every creature, for Thy
grace is everlasting. Thanks to Thy bounty we have never lacked food,
nor ever shall lack it, for Thy great name's sake. For Thou suppliest
and providest for all; Thou are bountiful, and nourishest all Thy
creatures which Thou has made. Blessed be Thou, O God, that dost
provide for all." [118]
MIRIAM'S WELL
Relieved as they were of all the cares of subsistence through the gift
of manna, it was plainly the duty of the Israelites to devote
themselves exclusively to the study of the Torah. [119] When,
therefore, they slackened in the performance of this duty, punishment
in the form of lack of water immediately overtook them. This was the
first time that they actually experienced this want, for at Marah
nothing more than alarm that this need might come upon them, had caused
them to murmur and complain. In their distress they once more
unreasonably cast reproaches upon their leader, and disputed with him,
saying: "Wherefore is this, children, that thou hast brought us up out
of Egypt, to kill us, and our children, and our cattle with thirst?"
Moses replied: "As often as you quarrel with me, you tempt God, but God
performeth wonders and excellent deeds for you, as often as you dispute
with me, that His name may sound in glory throughout the world."
In spite of the injury they had done him, Moses prayed to God that He
might aid them in their distress and also stand by him. "O Lord of the
world!" said he, "I am surely doomed to die. Thou biddest me not to be
offended with them, but if I obey Thy words, I shall certainly be
killed by them." God, however, replied: "Try thou to act like Me; as I
return good for evil, so do thou return to them good for evil, and
forgive their trespass; go on before the people, and We shall see who
dares touch thee." [120] Hardly had Moses shown himself to the people,
when all of them rose reverently from their seats, whereupon God said
to Moses: "How often have I told thee not to be angry with them, but to
lead them, as a shepherd leads his flock; it is for their sake that I
have set thee on this height, and only for their sake wilt thou find
grace, goodwill, and mercy in My sight." [121]
Then God bade him go with some elders to the rock on Horeb, and fetch
water out of it. The elders were to accompany him there, that they
might be convinced that he was not bringing water from a well, but
smiting it from a rock. To accomplish this miracle, God bade him smite
the rock with his rod, as the people labored under the impression that
this rod could only bring destruction, for through its agency Moses had
brought the ten plagues upon the Egyptians in Egypt, and at the Red
Sea; now they were to see that it could work good also. [122] Upon
God's bidding, Moses told the people to choose from which rock they
wished water to flow, [123] and hardly had Moses touched with his
sapphire rod the rock which they had chosen, when plenteous water
flowed from it. The spot where this occurred, God called Massah, and
Meribah, because Israel had there tried their God, saying, "If God is
Lord over all, as over us; if He satisfies our needs, and will further
show us that He knows our thoughts, then will we serve Him, but not
otherwise." [124]
The water that flowed for them on this spot served not only as a relief
for their present need, but on this occasion there was revealed to them
a well of water, which did not abandon them in all their forty years'
wandering, but accompanied them on all their marches. [125] God wrought
this great miracle for the merits of the prophetess Miriam, wherefore
also it was called "Miriam's Well." [126] But his well dates back to
the beginning of the world, for God created it on the second day of the
creation, [127] and at one time it was in the possession of Abraham. It
was this same well that Abraham demanded back from Abimelech, king of
the Philistines, after the king's servants had violently taken it away.
But when Abimelech pretended not to know anything about it, saying, "I
wot not who hath done this thing," Abraham said: "Thou and I will send
sheep to the well, and he shall be declared the rightful owner of the
well, for whose sheep the water will spout forth to water them. And,"
continued Abraham, "from that same well shall the seventh generation
after me, the wanderers in the desert, draw their supply." [128]
This well was in the shape of a sieve-like rock, out of which water
gushes forth as from a spout. It followed them on all their wanderings,
up hill and down dale, and wherever they halted, it halted, too, and it
settled opposite the Tabernacle. Thereupon the leaders of the twelve
tribes would appear, each with his staff and chant these words to the
well, "Spring up, O well, sing ye unto it; nobles of the people digged
it by the direction of the lawgiver with their staves." Then the water
would gush forth from the depths of the well, and shoot up high as
pillars, then discharge itself into great streams that were navigable,
and on these rivers the Jews sailed to the ocean, and hauled all the
treasures of the world therefrom. [129]
The different parts of the camp were separated by these rivers, so that
women, visiting each other, were obliged to make use of ships. Then the
water discharged itself beyond the encampment, where it surrounded a
great plain, in which grew every conceivable kind of plant and tree;
[130] and these trees, owing to the miraculous water, daily bore fresh
fruits. [131] This well brought fragrant herbs with it, so that the
women had no need of perfumes on the march, for the herbs they gathered
served this purpose. [132] This well furthermore threw down soft,
fragrant kinds of grass that served as pleasant couches for the poor,
who had no pillows or bedclothes. [133] Upon the entrance to the Holy
Land this well disappeared and was hidden in a certain spot of the Sea
of Tiberias. Standing upon Carmel, and looking over the sea, one can
notice there a sieve-like rock, and that is the well of Miriam. [134]
Once upon a time it happened that a leper bathed at this place of the
Sea of Tiberias, and hardly had he come in contact with the waters of
Miriam's well when he was instantly healed. [135]
AMALEK'S WAR AGAINST ISRAEL
As a punishment because they had not had sufficient faith in God, and
had doubted whether He could fulfill all their wishes, and had grown
negligent in the study of the Torah and in the observance of the laws,
God turned Amalek against them during their sojourn in Rephidim, where
they had committed these sins. God dealt with them as did that man with
his son, whom he bore through the river on his shoulders. Whenever the
child saw something desirable, he said, "Father, buy it for me," and he
fulfilled the child's wish. After the son had in this way received many
beautiful things from his father, he called to a passing stranger with
these words, "Hast thou perhaps seen my father?" Then, indignantly, the
father said to his son: "O thou fool, that sittest on my shoulder! All
that thou didst desire, did I procure for thee, and now dost thou ask
of that man, 'Hast thou seen my father?'" Thereupon the father threw
the child off his shoulder, and a dog came and bit him. So did Israel
fare. When they moved out of Egypt, God enveloped them in seven clouds
of glory; they wished for bread, and He gave them manna; they wished
for flesh, and He gave them quails. After all their wishes had been
granted, they began to doubt, saying, "Is the Lord among us, or not?"
Then God answered, "You doubt My power; so surely as you live shall you
discover it; the dog will soon bite you." Then came Amalek. [136]
This enemy of Israel bore the name Amalek to denote the rapidity with
which he moved against Israel, for like a swarm of locusts he flew upon
them; and the name furthermore designates the purpose of this enemy,
who came to suck the blood of Israel. [137] This Amalek was a son of
Eliphaz, the first-born son of Esau, and although the descendants of
Jacob had been weaker and more insignificant in earlier times, Amalek
had left them in peace, for he had excellent reasons to delay his
attack. God had revealed to Abraham that his seed would have to serve
in the land of the Egyptians, and had put the payment of this debt upon
Isaac, and after his death, upon Jacob and his descendants. The wicked
Amalek now said to himself, "If I destroy Jacob and his descendants,
God will impose the Egyptians bondage upon, me, grandson of Esau,
descendant of Abraham." Therefore he kept himself in restraint as long
as Israel dwelt in Egypt, but only after the bondage predicted to the
seed of Abraham had been served in full, did he set out to accomplish
the war of annihilation against Israel, which his grandfather Esau had
enjoined upon him. [138]
No sooner had he heard of Israel's departure from Egypt, then he set
out against them and met them by the Red Sea. There, indeed, he could
work them no ill, for Moses uttered against him the Ineffable Name; and
so great was his confusion, that he was forced to retreat without
having effected his object. [139] Then, for some time, he tried lying
hidden in ambush, and in this wise molesting Israel, but as length he
gave up this game of hide-and-seek, and with a bold front revealed
himself as the open enemy of Israel. Not alone, however, did he himself
declare war upon Israel, but he also seduced all the heathen nations to
assist him in his enterprise against Israel. Although these declined to
war upon Israel, fearing that they might have to fare like the
Egyptians, they agreed to the following plan of Amalek. He said:
"Follow my expedition. Should Israel conquer me, there will still be
plenty of time for you to flee, but should success crown my attempt,
join your fate to mine, in my undertaking against Israel." So Amalek
now marched from his settlement in Seir, which was no less than four
hundred parasangs away from the encampment of the Jews; and although
five nations, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, the Amorites,
and the Canaanites, had their dwellings between his home and the camp
of the Jews, he insisted upon being the first to declare war upon
Israel.
God punished Israel, who had shown themselves an ungrateful people, by
sending against them an enemy that was ungrateful, too, never recalling
that he owed his life to the sons of Jacob, who had had him in their
power after their brilliant victory over Esau and his followers. [140]
In his expedition against Israel he made use of his kinsman. Before
going over to open attack, he lured many unsuspecting Jews to death by
his kindly words. He had fetched from Egypt the table of descent of the
Jews; for every Jew had there to mark his name on the bricks produced
by him, and these lists lay in the Egyptian archives. Familiar with the
names of the different Jewish families, Amalek appeared before the
Jewish camp, and calling the people by name, he invited them to leave
the camp, and come out to him. "Reuben! Simeon! Levi! etc.," he would
call, "come out to me, your brother, and transact business with me."
Those who answered the enticing call, found certain death at his hands;
and not only did Amalek kill them, but he also mutilated their corpses,
following the example of his grandsire Esau, by cutting off a certain
part of the body, and throwing it toward heaven with the mocking words,
"Here shalt Thou have what Thou desirest." In this way did he jeer at
the token of the Abrahamic covenant.
So long as the Jews remained within the encampment, he could, of
course, do them no harm, for the cloud enveloped them, and under its
shelter they were as well fortified as a city that is surrounded by a
solid wall. The cloud, however, covered those only who were pure, but
the unclean had to stay beyond it, until they were cleansed by a ritual
bath, and these Amalek caught and killed. The sinners, too,
particularly the tribe of Dan, who were all worshippers of idols, were
not protected by the cloud, and therefore exposed to the attacks of
Amalek. [141]
Moses did not himself set out to battle against this dangerous foe of
Israel, but he sent his servant Joshua, and for good reasons. Moses
knew that only a descendant of Rachel, like the Ephraimite Joshua,
could conquer the descendant of Esau. All the sons of Jacob had taken
part in the unbrotherly act of selling Joseph as a slave, hence none of
their descendants might stand up in battle against the descendant of
Esau; for they who had themselves acted unnaturally to a brother, could
hardly hope for God's assistance in a struggle with the unbrotherly
Edomites. Only the descendants of Joseph, the man who had been generous
and good to his brothers, might hope that God would grant them aid
against the unbrotherly descendants of Esau. In many other respects,
too, Joseph was the opposite of Esau, and his services stood his
descendants in good stead in their battles against the descendants of
Esau. Esau was the firstborn of his father, but through his evil deeds
he lost his birthright; Joseph, on the other hand, was the youngest of
his father's sons, and through his good deeds was he found worthy of
enjoying the rights of a firstborn son. Joseph had faith in the
resurrection, while Esau denied it; hence God said, "Joseph, the
devout, shall be the one to visit merited punishment on Esau, the
unbelieving." Joseph associated with two wicked men, Potiphar and
Pharaoh, yet he did not follow their example; Esau associated with two
pious men, his father and his brother, yet he did not follow their
example. "Hence," said God, "Joseph, who did not follow example of
wicked men, shall visit punishment upon him who did not follow the
example of pious men." Esau soiled his life with lewdness and murder;
Joseph was chaste and shunned bloodshed, hence God delivered Esau's
descendants into the hands of Joseph's descendants. And, as in the
course of history only the descendants of Joseph were victorious over
the descendants of Esau, so will it be in the future, at the final
reckoning between the angel of Esau and the angels of the Jews. The
angel of Reuben will be rebuffed by the angel of Esau with these words,
"you represent on who had illegal relations with his father's wife";
the angels of Simeon and Levi will have the listen to this reproof,
"You represent people who slew the inhabitants of Shechem"; the angel
of Judah will be repulsed with the words, "Judah had illicit relations
with his daughter-in-law." And the angels of the other tribes will be
repulsed by Esau's angel, when he points out to them that they all took
part in selling Joseph. The only one whom he will not be able to
repulse will be Joseph's angel, to whom he will be delivered and by
whom he will be destroyed; Joseph will b the flame and Esau the straw
burned in the flame. [142]
AMALEK DEFEATED
Moses now instructed Joshua in regard to his campaign against Amalek,
saying, "Choose us out men and go out, fight with Amalek." The words
"choose us" characterize the modesty of Moses, who treated his disciple
Joshua as an equal; in these words he has taught us that the honor of
our disciples should stand as high as our own. Joshua did not at first
want to expose himself to danger and leave the protection of the cloud,
but Moses said to him, "Abandon the cloud and set forth against Amalek,
if ever thou dost hope to set the crown upon thy head." He commanded
him to choose his warriors from among the pious and God-fearing, and
promised him that he would set a fast day for the following day, and
implore God, in behalf of the good deeds of the Patriarchs and the
wives of the Patriarchs, to stand by Israel in this war.
Joshua acted in accordance with these commands [143] and set out
against Amalek, to conquer whom required not only skillful strategy,
but also adeptness in the art of magic. For Amalek was a great magician
and knew that propitious and the unpropitious hour of each individual,
and in this way regulated his attacks against Israel; he attacked that
one at night, whose death had been predicted for a night, and him whose
death had been preordained for a day did he attack by day.
But in this art, too, Joshua was his match, for he, too, knew how to
time properly the attack upon [144] individuals, and he destroyed
Amalek, his sons, the armies he himself commanded, and those under the
leadership of his sons. But in the very heat of battle, Joshua treated
his enemies humanely, he did not repay like with like. Far was it from
him to follow Amalek's example in mutilating the corpses of the enemy.
Instead with a sharp sword he cut off the enemies' heads, an execution
that does not dishonor.
But only through the aid of Moses, did Joshua with his victory. Moses
did not go out into battle, but through his prayer and through his
influence upon the people in inspiring them with faith, the battle was
won. While the battle raged between Israel and Amalek, Moses was
stationed on a height, where, supported by the Levite Aaron and the
Judean Hur, the representatives of the two noble tribes Levi and Judah,
he fervently implored God's aid. He said: "O Lord of the world! Through
me has Thou brought Israel out of Egypt, through me hast Thou cleft the
sea, and through me has Thou wrought miracles; so do Thou now work
miracles for me, and lend me victory to Israel, for I well know that
while all other nations fight only to the sixth hour of the day, this
sinful nation stand in battle ranks till sunset." Moses did not
consider it sufficient to pray alone to God, but he raised his hands
toward heaven as a signal for the whole nation to follow his example
and trust in God. As often as he then raised his hands to heaven and
the people prayed with him, trusting that God would lend them victory,
they were indeed victorious; as often, however, as Moses let down his
hands and the people ceased prayer, weakening in their faith in God,
Amalek conquered. But it was hard for Moses constantly to raise his
hands. This was God's way of punishing him for being somewhat negligent
in the preparations for the war against Amalek. Hence Aaron and Hur
were obliged to hold up his arms and assist him in his prayer. As,
furthermore, he was unable to stand all that time, he seated himself on
a stone, disdaining a soft and comfortable seat, saying, "So long as
Israel is in distress, I shall share it with them." [145]
At evenfall, the battle was not yet decided, therefore Moses prayed to
God that He might stay the setting of the sun and thus enable Israel to
draw the battle to a close. God granted this prayer, for the sun did
not set until Israel had completely destroyed their enemy. Thereupon
Moses blessed Joshua with the words, "Some day the sun shall stand
still for thy sake, as it did to-day for mine," and this blessing was
later fulfilled at Gibeon, when the sun stood still to help Joshua in
his battle against the Amorites. [146]
Although Amalek had not received the merited punishment from the hands
of Joshua, still his enterprise against Israel had not been entirely
unavailing. The miraculous exodus of Israel out of Egypt, and
especially the cleaving of the sea, had created such alarm among the
heathens, that none among them had dared to approach Israel. But this
fear vanished as soon as Amalek attempted to compete in battle with
Israel. Although he was terrible beaten, still the fear of the
inaccessibility of Israel was gone. It was with Amalek as with that
foolhardy wight who plunged into a scalding-hot tub. He scalded himself
terribly, yet the tub became cold through his plunge into it. Hence God
was not content with the punishment Amalek received in the time of
Moses, but swore by His throne and by His right hand that He would
never forget Amalek's misdeeds, that in this world as well as in the
time of the Messiah He would visit punishment upon him, and would
completely exterminate him in the future world. So long as the seed of
Amalek exist, the face of God is, as it were, covered, and will only
then come to view, when the seed of Amalek shall have been entirely
exterminated.
God had at first left the war against Amalek in the hands of His
people, therefore He bade Joshua, the future leader of the people,
never to forget the war against Amalek; and if Moses had listened
intently, he would have perceived from this command of God that Joshua
was destined to lead the people into the promised land. But later, when
Amalek took part in the destruction of Jerusalem, God Himself took up
the war against Amalek, saying, "By My throne I vow not to leave a
single descendant of Amalek under the heavens, yea, no one shall even
be able to say that this sheep or that wether belonged to an
Amalekite." [147]
God bade Moses impress upon the Jews to repulse no heathen should he
desire conversion, but never to accept an Amalekite as a proselyte. It
was in consideration of this word of God that David slew the Amalekite,
who announced to him the death of Saul and Jonathan; for he saw in him
only a heathen, although he appeared in the guise of a Jew. [148]
Part of the blame for the destruction of Amalek falls upon his father,
Eliphaz. He used to say to Amalek: "My son, dost thou indeed know who
will posses this world and the future world?" Amalek paid no attention
to his allusion to the future fortune of Israel, and his father urged
it no more strongly upon him, although it would have been his duty to
instruct his son clearly and fully. He should have said to him: "My
son, Israel will posses this world as well as the future world; dig
wells then for their use and build road for them, so that thou mayest
be judged worthy to share in the future world." But as Amalek had not
been sufficiently instructed by his father, in his wantonness he
undertook to destroy the whole world. God, who tries the reins and the
heart, said to him: "O thou fool, I created thee after all the seventy
nations, but for thy sins thou shalt be the first to descend into
hell." [149]
To glorify the victory over Amalek, Moses built an altar, which God
called "My Miracle," for the miracle God wrought against Amalek in the
war of Israel was, as it were, a miracle for God. For so long as the
Israelites dwell in sorrow, God feels with them, and a joy for Israel
is a joy for God, hence, too, the miraculous victory over Israel's foe
was a victory for God. [150]
JETHRO
"Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware." The destruction of
Amalek brought Jethro to his senses. Jethro was originally in the same
plot with Amalek, both having incited Pharaoh against Israel, but when
he saw that Amalek lost this world and the other, he repented of his
sinful ways, saying: "There is nothing left to me but to go over to the
God of Israel"; [151] and although he dwelt in the greatest wealth and
honor, he determined to set out for the desert, to Moses and his God.
[152] Arrived at the camp of Israel, he could not enter it, for it was
enveloped by a cloud that none could pierce, hence he wrote a letter to
Moses and shot it off with an arrow, so that it fell into the camp.
[153] The letter read: "I adjure thee, by thy two sons and by thy God,
to come to meet me and receive me kindly. If thou wilt not do if for my
sake, do it for thy wife's sake; and if thou wilt not do it for her
sake, do it for thy sons' sake." For Jethro brought with him his
daughter Zipporah, from whom Moses had been divorced, as well as her
two sons, her only children, for after her separation from Moses, she
had wed no other man.
At first Moses was inclined to give no ear to this letter, but God said
to him: "I, through whose word the world came into being, I bring men
to Me and do not thrust them back. I permitted Jethro to approach Me,
and did not push him from Me. So do thou, too, receive this man, who
desires to betake himself under the wings of the Shekinah, let him
approach, and do not repulse him." God herewith taught Moses that one
should repulse with the left hand, and beckon with the right. [154]
Moses, Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, together with the seventy elders of
Israel, carrying with them the sacred Ark, hastened to welcome Jethro
kindly; and Moses so honored his father-in-law as to make an obeisance
before him and kiss him. Before Moses told his father-in-law of the
great miracles God had wrought for Egypt, such as the exodus from
Egypt, the cleaving of the sea, the rain of manna, and the rest, he
offered him the greeting of peace; for great is peace, that precedes
event he praise of God. [155] After the peace-greeting, Moses, to draw
his father-in-law nearer to true faith in God and His revelation, began
to relate to him the miracles that God had wrought for them at the
exodus from Egypt, during the passing through the Red Sea, and during
the war with Amalek. He said, moreover, "In the manna that God gives us
we perceive the taste of bread, of meat, of fish, in short, of all the
dishes there are. Out of the well that God gives us we draw a drink
that possesses the taste of old wine as well as new, of milk and of
honey, in short, of all the beverages that exist." "We shall," Moses
continued, "receive six other gifts from God, the land of Israel, the
future world, the new world, the sovereignty of David, the institution
of priests, and of Levites."
When Jethro heard all this, he determined to become a Jew and to
believe in the only God, and although he felt a pang at heart upon
hearing that the Egyptians had perished - for no one should scoff at a
heathen before a proselyte who is not a Jew of ten generation's
standing - still he burst into a song of praise to God for the deeds He
had one for His people. In truth, it reflects shame upon Moses and the
sixty myriads of Jews that they had not given thanks to God for the
release from Egypt, until Jethro came and did so. He said: "Praised be
God who delivered Moses and Aaron, as well as the whole nation of
Israel, from the bondage of Pharaoh, that great dragon, and of the
Egyptians. Truly, great is the Lord before all gods, for whereas
formerly not a single slave succeeded in escaping from Egypt, He led
sixty myriads out of Egypt. There is no god whom I had not, at some
time in my life, worshipped, but not I must admit that none is like the
God of Israel. This God had not been unbeknown to me heretofore, but
now I know Him better, for His fame will sound throughout the world,
because He visited upon the Egyptians exactly what they had planned to
undertake against Israel. They wanted to destroy Israel by water, and
by water were they destroyed." [156]
With sacrifices and a feast was the arrival of Jethro celebrated, for
after he had made the burnt offering not far from the bush of thorns
that had been unscathed by fire, Jethro prepared a feast of rejoicing
for the whole people, [157] at which Moses did not consider it below
the dignity to wait on the guests in person. In this he followed the
example of Abraham, who in person waited on the three angels, though
they appeared in the guise of idolatrous Arabs.
Abraham like Moses sought to follow in the ways of the Lord, to provide
each according to his wants, and to grant to everybody what he lacks,
whether he be a righteous man, or an idolater, who through his sins
conjures up God's wrath. [158]
To this feast the people sat down according to their tribes. They ate,
drank and were merry, while Aaron and Jethro with their relatives sang
songs of thanksgiving to God, and praised Him as the Creator and Donor
of their lives and their liberty. At the same time they gave due
appreciation to Moses, through whose courage everything had happily
come to pass. In his words of gratitude to Moses, Jethro also gave
expression to many glorious eulogies on the people of Israel, but he
especially extolled Moses, who through difficulties and dangers had
shown so much courage in the salvation of his friends. [159]
THE INSTALLATION OF ELDERS
Jethro, who had come to Moses shortly before the revelation on Mount
Sinai, stayed with his son-in-law for more than a year. In the first
months, however, he had no opportunity of observing Moses in the
capacity of judge, for Moses spent the time from the day of the
revelation to the tenth day of Tishri almost entirely in heaven. Hence
Jethro could not be present at a court proceeding of his before the
eleventh day of Tishri, the first day after Moses' return from heaven.
Jethro now perceived how Moses sat like a king upon his throne, while
the people, who brought their lawsuits before him, stood around him.
This so displeased him that he said to his son-in-law: "Why sittest
thou thyself alone, and all the people stand by thee from morning until
even?" Moses answered: "Because the people come unto me to enquire of
God. It is not in my honor that they stand, but in honor of God, whose
judgement they would know. When they are in doubt over a case of clean
or unclean, or when there is a dispute between two parties, which they
desire to have settled exactly according to the law, or in conformity
with a compromise, they come to me; and when the parties at dispute
leave me, they part as friends and no longer enemies. I expound to the
people, besides, the words of God and His decisions."
On the day that Moses again took up his activity as a judge, and Jethro
had for the first time the chance of observing him, came the mixed
multitude with the pleas that they, like the other Israelites, wanted
their share in the Egyptians booty. Moses' method, first seen by him in
practice, [160] struck Jethro as most absurd, and he therefore said:
"The thing that thou doest is not good," through delicacy softening his
real opinion, "It is bad" to "It is not good." [161] "The people," he
continued, "will surely unbraid thee and Aaron, his two sons Nadab and
Abihu, and the seventy elders, if thou continuest in this fashion. But
if thou hearkenest now to my voice, thou wilt fare well, provided God
approves of my plan. This is, that thou shalt be 'the vessel of the
revelations of God,' and shalt lay the revelations of God before the
people, as often as thou receivest them; so that they may understand
the exposition of the Torah, as well as its decisions. And thou shalt
instruct them how to pray in the synagogues, how to tend the sick, how
to bury their dead, how to render the services of friendship to one
another, how to practice justice, and how, in some cases, not to insist
on strict justice. But as for trying the people as a judge, thou
shouldst, in accordance with thy prophetic insight, choose men that are
possessed of wisdom, fear of God, modesty, hate of covetousness, love
of truth, love of humanity, and a good name, and these shall devote all
their time to trials, and to the study of the study of the Torah. If
God approve my plan, then wilt thou and Aaron, his sons and the seventy
elders, and all the people dwell in peace." [162]
This counsel of Jethro's found great favor in Moses' eyes, for he had
been only too well aware of the difficulties and annoyances with which
he had had to contend. The people were very disputatious, being willing
to spend seventy silverlings in litigation costs for the sake of
gaining one silverling, and did their utmost to lengthen their disputes
at law. When on say that Moses was about to cast a decision against
him, he demanded that his lawsuit be adjourned, declaring that had
witnesses and other proofs, which he would bring forward on the next
occasion. But they were not merely litigious and disputations, they
were also spiteful, and vented their temper on Moses. If Moses went out
early, they would say: "Behold the son of Amram, who betakes himself
early to the gathering of manna, that he may get the largest grains."
If he went out late, they would say: "Behold the son of Amram, he goes
through the multitude, to gather in marks of hone." But if he chose a
path aside from the crowd, they said: "Behold the son of Amram, who
makes it impossible for us to follow the simple commandment, to hone a
sage." Then Moses said: "If I did this you were not content, and if I
did that you were not content! I can no longer bear you alone. 'The
Eternal, your God, hath multiplied you, and behold, ye are this day as
the stars of heaven for multitude. The Lord, God of you fathers, make
you a thousand times so many as ye are, and bless you, as he hath
promised you!"
The Israelites were not content with this blessing of Moses, and said
to him: "O our teacher Moses, we do not desire thee to bless us, we
have had much greater blessings given to us. God spoke to our father
Abraham: 'I will bless thee and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed
as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea
shore,' and thou dost limit our blessings." Moses cried: "I am only a
creature of flesh and blood, limited in my powers, hence is my blessing
limited. I give you my blessing, but the blessing of God remains
preserved for ye, and He will bless you unlimitedly, and multiply you
as the fish of the sea and the sands on the seashore, as the star in
the sky and the plants on the earth." [163]
After he had bestowed his blessing upon them, he asked them to propose
capable pious men, that he might appoint them as judges and leaders
over them. He said: "If a man were to present himself to me as a
candidate for this position of honor, I alone should not be able to
decide to what tribe he belonged, and whence he came; but you know
them, and hence it is advisable for you to propose them. Do not think,
however, that I feel I must abide by your choice, for it depends solely
upon me, whether or not I shall appoint them."
The people were very eager to carry this plan of Moses into execution,
and requested him to settle the matter as quickly as possible. But
their motive was self-interested, for every one among them said: "Moses
will now appoint about eighty thousand officials. If I myself should
not be among them, surely my son will be, and if not he, my grandson,
and with a gift of some kind it will be an easy matter to induce such a
judge to look after my interests at court." Moses, of course, was not
deceived about their true sentiments; still, he paid no further
attention to them, and picked out the best men among the people, though
they were not possessed of nearly all the good qualities Jethro had
thought essential for judges and leaders of people. With kindly words
he invited them to assume their offices, and said: "Blessed are ye that
are judged worthy of being leader of the children of Abraham, Isaac,
and Jacob, of a people whom God called His friends, His brothers, His
flock, and other titles of love." He impressed upon them that they must
possess much patience, and must not become impatient if a lawsuit is
brought before them more than once. "Heretofore," he said, "you
belonged to yourselves, but from now you belong to the people; for you
judge between every man, and his brother and his neighbor. If ye are to
appoint judges, do so without respect of persons. Do not say 'I will
appoint that man because he is a handsome man or a strong man, because
he is my kinsman, or because he is a linguist.' Such judges will
declare the innocent guilty and the guilty innocent, not through
wickedness, but through ignorance; and God will reckon the appointment
of such judges against you, as a perversion of justice, on account of
your respect of persons. If a wealthy man and a poor man come before
you to court, do not say: 'Why should I insult the rich man for so
small a matter? I will rather give judgement in his favor, and then,
outside the court, tell him to give the poor man what he demands, as he
is in the right.' But do not, on the other hand, if the poor man is in
the wrong, say: 'The rich man is obliged to assist the poor anyhow, I
will now decide in favor of the poor, that in a decent way he may,
without begging, obtain money from his rich fellow-man.' Do not,
moreover, say: 'I fear to pronounce judgement, lest that man kill my
son, burn my barn, or destroy my plants,' for the judgement is God's."
After these admonitions, Moses instructed the new judges in legal
procedure, in both civil and criminal cases, and at the same time urged
the people no to deny the judges the veneration due him. [164] For
great is the importance of justice. For him who hates it, there is no
remedy; but the judge who decides conscientiously is the true
peacemaker, for the weal of Israel, of the commonwealth, and indeed of
all living creatures. [165]
JETHRO REWARDED
Although the installation of elders on Moses' part came to pass in
accordance with the command of God, still it was Jethro upon whose
advice Moses besought God to lighten his burden, and to permit him
partly to transfer the leadership of the people to others. [166] Hence
he did not conceal the name of the adviser, but announced it to all the
people, and immortalized him as such in the Holy Scriptures; for he
deemed it praiseworthy to appreciate duly the merits of others. [167]
It had, however, been part of God's scheme to reward Jethro for the
love he bore the Torah; and for this reason did He allow it to come to
pass that Moses had to have his attention called to the plan of
installing the elders through his father-in-law, that the Holy
Scriptures might devote a whole chapter to the plan of Jethro. [168]
This, however, is not the only reward for Jethro's piety, who, in his
love for the Torah, excelled all proselytes. A miracle occurred on the
very first day of his arrival in camp for manna in his honor descended
at the noon hour, the hour of his arrival; and, moreover, in as great
quantities as was wont to rain down for sixty myriads of Israelites. He
did not have to exert himself to gather the food, for it came over his
body, so all he had to do was to carry his hand to his mouth to partake
of it. [169] Jethro, nevertheless, did not remain with Moses, but
returned to his native land. Moses, of course, tried to persuade his
father-in-law to stay. He said to him: "Do not think that we shall
continue to move thus slowly through the desert, nay, we shall now move
directly to the promised land." Only to urge Jethro to stay longer with
them did Moses use the words "we move," so that his father-in-law might
believe that Moses too would enter the promised land, for otherwise he
would hardly have allowed himself to be persuaded to join the march to
Palestine. Moses continued: "I do not want to mislead thee, hence I
will tell thee that the land will be divided only among the twelve
tribes, and that thou has no claim to possession of lands; but God bade
us be kind to the proselytes, and to thee we shall be kinder than to
all other proselytes." Jethro, however, was not to be persuaded by his
son-in-law, considering himself in duty bound to return to his native
land. For the inhabitants of his city had for many years made a habit
of having him store their valuable, as none possessed their confidence
in such a measure as he. If he had stayed still longer with Moses,
people would have declared that he had absconded with all these things
and fled to Moses to share it with him, and that would have been a blot
on his fair name and that of Moses. Jethro had furthermore made many
debts during the year in which he came to Moses, for, owing to the hail
God had sent upon Egypt before the exodus of Israel, a great famine had
arisen in Jethro's home too, and he had found himself obliged to lend
money for the support of the poor. If he were not now to return to his
home, people would say that he had run away in order to evade his
creditors, and such talk concerning a man of piety would have been
desecration of the Divine Name. So he said to Moses: "There are people
who have a fatherland, but no property there; there are also
property-holders who have no family; but I have a fatherland, and have
property there as well as a family; hence I desire to return to my
fatherland, my property, and my family." But Moses would not yield so
soon, and said to his father-in-law: "If thou dost not accompany us as
a favor, I will command thee to do so, that the Israelites might not
say thou hadst been converted to our religion only in the expectation
of receiving a share in the promised land, but hadst returned to thy
home when thou didst discover that proselytes have no claim on property
in the Holy Land. Through thy refusal to move with us, thou wilt give
the heathens an opportunity to say that the Jews do not accept
proselytes, since they did not accept even their own king's
father-in-law, but allowed him to return to his own land. Thy refusal
will injure the glory of God, for the heathens will keep away from the
true faith. But if thou wilt wander with us, I assure thee that they
seed shall share with us the Temple, the Torah, and the future reward
of the pious. How canst thou, moreover, who hast seen all the miracles
of God wrought for us during the march through the desert; who wert a
witness of the way in which even the Egyptians became fond of us - how
canst thou now depart from us? It is a sufficient motive for thee to
remain with us, in order to officiate as a member of the Sanhedrin, and
teach the Torah. We, on our part, want to retain thee, only that thou
mightest in difficult cases enlighten our eyes; for thou wert the man
who gave us good and fair counsel, to which God Himself could not
refuse His assent." Jethro replied: "A candle may glow in the dark, but
not when the sun and the moon; of what avail would my candle-light be?
I had, therefore, better return to my home city that I may make
proselytes of its inhabitants, instruct them in the Torah, and lead
them under the wings of the Shekinah." Amid great marks of honor, and
provided with rich gifts, Jethro returned to his home, where he
converted his kinsmen and his compatriots to the belief in the true
God, as he had intended. [170]
The descendants of Jethro later settled in Palestine, where the
fruitful land of Jericho was allotted to them as a dwelling place.
After the capture of Palestine, the tribes, by mutual consent, agreed
that the fertile strip of land at Jericho should fall to the share of
the tribe on whose land the Temple was to be erected. But when its
erection was postponed for a long time, they agreed to allot this piece
of land to Jethro's sons, because they, being proselytes, had no other
possession in the Holy Land. Four hundred and eighty years did the
descendants of Jethro dwell in Jericho, when, upon the erection of the
Temple at Jerusalem, they relinquished it to the tribe of Judah, who
claimed it as an indemnity for the site of the Temple. [171]
Jethro's descendants inherited his devotion to the Torah, like him
dedicating their lives entirely to its study. So long as Joshua lived,
they sat at this master's feet, but when he died, they said: "We left
our fatherland and came here only for the sake of studying the Torah;
if we were now to spend our time in cultivating the soil, when should
we study the Torah?" They therefore gave up their dwelling-place in
Jericho, and moved to the cold barren wilderness, to Jabez, who there
had his house of instruction. But when they there beheld the priests,
the Levites, and the noblest of the Jews, they said, "How can we,
proselytes, presume to sit beside these?" Instead of sitting within the
house of instruction, they remained at the entrance of it, where they
listened to the lectures, and in this manner made further progress in
the study of the Torah. [172] They were rewarded for their piety, their
prayer was heard by God, and their good deeds served as a protection to
Israel; and on account of their pious actions they were called "the
families of the scribes," the Tirathites, the Shimeathites, and the
Suchathites, names designating their piety and devotion to the Torah.
One of the descendants of Jethro was Jonadab, son of Rechab, who, when
he heard from a prophet that God would destroy the Temple, bade all his
children, as a toke of mourning, to drink no wine, use no oil for
anointing themselves, nor cut their hair, nor dwell in houses. The
Rechabites obeyed this command of their sire, and as a reward for this,
God made a covenant with them that their descendants should always be
members of the Sanhedrin, and teachers of Israel. The covenant with the
Rechabites was even stronger than that with David, for to the house of
the latter God promised to keep the covenant only if his descendants
were pious, but He made an unconditional covenant with the Rechabites.
God rewarded them for their devotion to Him in this way, although they
did not belong to the Jewish nation. From this one can gather how great
would have been their reward if they had been Israelites. [173]
THE TIME IS AT HAND
Moses sent his father-in-law Jethro back to his home, shortly before
the revelation on Mount Sinai. He thought: "When God gave us a single
commandment of the Torah in Egypt, the Passover, He said, 'There shall
no stranger eat thereof.' Surely Jethro may not look on when God
bestows on us the whole Torah." Moses was right: God did not want
Jethro to be present at the revelation. He said: "Israel was in Egypt,
bound to work with clay and bricks, at the same time as Jethro was
sitting at home in peace and quiet. He who suffers with the community
shall share their future joys, but he who does not share the sufferings
of the community shall not take part in their rejoicing." [174]
God had not only good cause to delay the giving of the Torah until
after the departure of Jethro, but the time He chose to bestowing it
was also chosen for a good reason. Just as a female proselyte, or a
woman freed from captivity, or an emancipated slave, may not enter
wedlock before she has for three months lived as a free Jewess, so God
also waited three months after the deliverance of Israel from the
bondage and the slavery of Egypt, before His union with Israel on Mount
Sinai. [175] God furthermore treated His bride as did that king who
went to the marriage ceremony only after he had overwhelmed his chosen
bride with many gifts. So did Israel first receive manna, the well, and
the quails, and not till then was the Torah granted them. Moses, who
had received this promise when God had first appeared to him, viz.,
"When thou has brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve
God upon this mountain" - waited most longingly for the promised time,
saying, "When will this time come to pass?" When the time drew near,
God said to Moses, "The time is at hand when I shall bring about
something entirely new."
This new miracle of which God spoke was the healing of all the sick
among the Jews. God had wanted to give the Torah to the Jews
immediately after the exodus from Egypt, but among them were found many
that were lame, halt, or deaf; wherefore God said: "The Torah is
without a blemish, hence would I not bestow it on a nation that has in
it such as are burdened with defects. Nor do I want to wait until their
children shall have grown to manhood, for I do not desire any longer to
delay the delight of the Torah." For these reasons nothing was left Him
to do, but to heal those afflicted with disease. In the time between
the exodus from Egypt and the revelation on Mount Sinai, all the blind
among the Israelites regained their sight, all the halt became whole,
so that the Torah might be given to a sound and healthy people. God
wrought for that generation the same miracle which He will hereafter
bring about in the future world, when "the eyes of the blind shall be
opened, the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped, the lame man leap as
an hart, and the tongues of the dumb sing." [176] Not only physically
was this generation free from blemishes, but spiritually, too, it stood
on a high plane, and it was the combined merits of such a people that
made them worthy of their high calling. Never before or after lived a
generation as worthy as this of receiving the Torah. Had there been but
one missing, God would not have given them the Torah: "for He layeth up
wisdom for the righteous; He is a buckler to them that walk uprightly."
[177]
For one other reason did God delay the revelation of the Torah. He had
intended giving them the Torah immediately after their exodus from
Egypt, but at the beginning of the march through the desert, great
discord reigned among them. Nor was harmony established until the new
moon of the third month, when they arrived at Mount Sinai; whereupon
God said: "The ways of the Torah are ways of loveliness, and all its
paths are paths of peace; I will yield the Torah to a nation that
dwells in peace and amity." [178] This decision of God, now to give
them the Torah, also shows how mighty is the influence of penance. For
they had been sinful upon their arrival at Mount Sinai, continuing to
tempt God and doubting His omnipotence. After a short time, however,
they changed in spirit; and hardly had they reformed, when God found
them worthy of revealing to them the Torah.
The third month was chosen for the revelation, because everything that
is closely connected with the Torah and with Israel is triple in
number. The Torah consists of three parts, the Pentateuch, the
Prophets, and the Hagiographa; similarly the oral law consists of
Midrash, Halakah, and Haggadah. The communications between God and
Israel were carried on by three, Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. Israel also
is divided into three divisions, priests, Levites, and laymen; and they
are, furthermore, the descendants of the three Patriarchs, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. For God has a preference for "the third": It was the
third of Adam's sons, Seth, who became the ancestor of humanity, and so
too it was the third among Noah's sons, Shem, who attained high
station. Among the Jewish kings, too, it was the third, Solomon, whom
God distinguished before all others. The number three plays a
particularly important part in the life of Moses. He belonged to the
tribe of Levi, which is not only the third of the tribes, but has a
name consisting of three letters. He himself was the third of the
children of the family; his own name consists of three letters; in his
infancy he had been concealed by his mother throughout three months;
and in the third month of the year, after a preparation of three days,
did he receive the Torah on a mountain, the name of which consists of
three letters. [179]
THE GENTILES REFUSE THE TORAH
The mountain on which God made his revelation bears six names: It is
called the Desert Sin, because God there announced His commandments; it
is called the Desert Kadesh, because Israel was sanctified there; the
Desert Kadmut because the pre-existing Torah was there revealed; the
Desert Paran because Israel there was greatly multiplied; the Desert
Sinai because the hatred of God against the heathens began there, for
the reason that they would not accept the Torah; and for this same
reason is it called Horeh, because the annihilation of the heathens was
there decreed by God. [180] For the wrath of God against the heathens
dates from their refusal to accept the Torah offered them.
Before God gave Israel the Torah, He approached every tribe and nation,
and offered them the Torah, that hereafter they might have no excuse to
say, "Had the Holy one, blessed be He, desired to give us the Torah, we
should have accepted it." He went to the children of Esau and said,
"Will ye accept the Torah?" They answered Him, saying, "What is written
therein?" He answered them, "Thou shalt not kill." Then they all said:
"Wilt Thou perchance take from us the blessing with which our father
Esau was blessed? For he was blessed with the words, 'By thy sword
shalt thou live." We do not want to accept the Torah." Thereupon He
went to the children of Lot and said to them, "Will ye accept the
Torah?" They said, "What is written therein?" He answered, "Thou shalt
not commit unchastity." They said: "From unchastity do we spring; we do
no want to accept the Torah." Then He went to the children of Ishmael
and said to them, "Do ye want to accept the Torah?" They said to Him,
"What is written therein?" He answered, "Thou shalt not steal." They
said: "Wilt Thou take from us the blessing with which our father was
blessed? God promised him: 'His hand will be against every man.' We do
not want to accept the Thy Torah." Thence He went to all the other
nations, who likewise rejected the Torah, saying: "We cannot give up
the law of our fathers, we do not want Thy Torah, give it to Thy people
Israel." Upon this He came to Israel and spoke to them, "Will ye accept
the Torah?" They said to Him, "What is written therein?" He answered,
"Six hundred and thirteen commandments." They said: "All that the Lord
has spoken will we do and be obedient." [181] "O Lord of the world!"
they continued, "We acted in accordance with Thy commandments before
they were revealed to us. Jacob fulfilled the first of the Ten
Commandments by bidding his sons put away strange gods that were among
them. Abraham obeyed the commandment not to take the name of the Lord
in vain, for he said: 'I have lifted up mine hand unto the Lord, the
most high God.' Joseph fulfilled the commandment to remember the
Sabbath and keep it holy; and when his brothers came to him, he had
everything for their welcome prepared on Friday. Isaac observed the law
to honor his father and his mother, when he allowed Abraham to bind him
on the altar as a sacrifice. Judah observed the commandment not to kill
when he said to his brothers, 'What profit is it if we slay our brother
and conceal his blood?' Joseph observed the law: 'Thou shalt not commit
adultery,' when he repulsed the desire of the wife of Potiphar. The
other sons of Jacob observed the commandment: 'Thou shalt not steal,'
saying: 'How then should we steal out of thy lord's house silver and
gold?' Abraham observed the commandment: 'Thou shalt not bear false
witness,' for he was a true witness, and bore witness before all the
world that Thou art the Lord of all creation. It was Abraham, also, who
observed the last of the Ten Commandments 'Thou shalt not covet,'
saying: 'I will not take from a thread even to a shoe-latchet.'" [182]
THE CONTEST OF THE MOUNTAINS
While the nations and peoples were refusing to accept the Torah, the
mountains among themselves were fighting for the honor of being chosen
as the spot for the revelation. One said: "Upon me shall the Shekinah
of God rest, and mine shall be this glory," whereupon the other
mountain replied: "Upon me shall the Shekinah rest, and mine shall be
this glory." The mountain of Tabor said to the mountain of Hermon:
"Upon me shall the Shekinah rest, mine shall be this glory, for in
times of old, when in the days of Noah the flood came over the earth,
all the mountains that are under the heavens were covered with water,
whereas it did not reach my head, nay, not even my shoulder. All the
earth was sunk under water, but I, the highest of the mountains,
towered high above the waters, hence I am called upon to bear the
Shekinah." Mount Hermon replied to Mount Tabor: "Upon me shall the
Shekinah rest, I am the destined one, for when Israel wished to pass
through the Red Sea, it was I who enabled them to do so, for I settled
down between the two shores of the sea, and they moved from one side to
the other, through my aid, so that not even their clothes became wet."
Mount Carmel was quite silent, but settled down on the shore of the
sea, thinking: "If the Shekinah is to repose on the sea, it will rest
upon me, and if it is to repose on the mainland, it will rest upon me."
Then a voice out of the high heavens rang out and said: "The Shekinah
shall not rest upon these high mountains that are so proud, for it is
not God's will that the Shekinah should rest upon high mountains that
quarrel among themselves and look upon one another with disdain. He
prefers the low mountains, and Sinai among these, because it is the
smallest and most insignificant of all. Upon it will He let the
Shekinah rest." [183] The other mountains hereupon said to God, "Is it
possible that Thou are partial, and wilt give us no reward for our good
intention?" God replied: "Because ye have striven in My honor will I
reward ye. Upon Tabor will I grant aid to Israel at the time of
Deborah, and upon Carmel will I give aid to Elijah." [184]
Mount Sinai was given the preference not for its humility alone, but
also because upon it there had been no worshipping of idols; whereas
the other mountains, owing to their height, had been employed as
sanctuaries by the idolaters. [185] Mount Sinai has a further
significance, too, for it had been originally a part of Mount Moriah,
on which Isaac was to have been sacrificed; but Sinai separated itself
from it, and came to the desert. Then God said: "Because their father
Isaac lay upon this mountain, bound as a sacrifice, it is fitting that
upon it his children receive the Torah." Hence God now chose this
mountain for a brief stay during the revelation, for after the Torah
had been bestowed, He withdrew again to heaven. In the future world,
Sinai will return to its original place, Mount Moriah, when "the
mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills." [186]
Just as Sinai was chosen as the spot for the revelation owing to its
humility, so likewise was Moses. When God said to Moses, "Go, deliver
Israel," he in his great humility, said: "Who am I that I should go to
Pharaoh and lead the children of Israel out of Egypt? There are nobler
and wealthier than I." But God replied: "Thou are a great man, thee
have I chosen out of all Israel. Of thee shall the prophet of the
future say, 'I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted
on chosen out of the people.'" Moses in his humility, however, still
stood apart and would not accept the office offered him, until God said
to him "Why dost thou stand apart? If they are not to be delivered by
thee, by none other will they be delivered." When, likewise, at God's
command Moses had erected the Tabernacle, he did not enter it, out of
great humility, until God said to him, "Why dost thou stand outside?
Thou are worthy to serve Me." [187]
THE TORAH OFFERED TO ISRAEL
On the second day of the third month, Moses received word form God to
betake himself to Mount Sinai, for without this direct summons he would
not have gone there. This time, as at all times, when God desired to
speak with Moses, He twice called him by name, and after he had
answered, "Here I am," God's revelation to him followed. [188] When
Moses had been carried to God in a cloud, which was always ready to
bear him to God and the restore him to men, God said to him: "Go and
acquaint the women of Israel with the principles of Judaism, and try
with kindly words to persuade them to accept the Torah; but expound the
full contents of the Torah to the men, and with them speak solemn words
concerning it."
There were several reasons for his going to the women first. God said:
"When I created the world, I gave My commandment concerning the
forbidden fruit to Adam only, and not to his wife Eve, and this
omission had the effect that she tempted Adam to sin. Hence it appears
advisable that the women first hear My commandments, and the men will
then follow their counsel." [189] God, furthermore, knew that women are
more scrupulous in their observance of religious percepts, and hence He
first addressed Himself to them. Then, too, God expected the women to
instruct their children in the ways of the Torah, wherefore He sent His
messenger first to them. [190]
The words that Moses was to address to the women as well as to the men,
to the Sanhedrin as well as to the people, were as follows: "You
yourselves have seen - for it is not from writings, or through
tradition, or from the mouths of others that ye learn it - what I did
for you in Egypt; for although they were idolaters, slayers of men, and
men of lewd living, still I punished them not for these sins, but only
for the wrong done to you. But ye will I carry on the wings of eagles,
on the day of the revelation at Sinai, and ye will I bring to Me when
the Temple shall be erected. Since I have wrought for you so many
miracles, even before you had received the Torah and observed the laws,
how many more miracles will I work for you, when you will have received
the Torah and observed the laws! The beginning of all things is hard,
but as soon as you will have grown accustomed to obedience, all else
will be easy to you. If you will now observe the Abrahamic covenant,
the Sabbath, and the commandment against idolatry, then will you be My
possession; for although everything belongs to Me, Israel will be My
especial possession, because I led them out of Egypt, and freed them
from bondage. With respect to Israel, God is like one who receive many
fields as an heritage, but one he purchased himself, and the one he
earned was dearest to his heart. I will reign alone over you, as My
possession, I and none other, so long as you keep yourselves aloof from
other peoples. If not, other peoples shall reign over you. But if you
obey Me, you shall be a nation, not only free from care, but also a
nation of priests, and a holy nation."
If Israel had not sinned through worshipping the Golden Calf, there
would be among them no caste of priests, the nation would have been a
nation of priests, and it was only after their sin that the greater
part of the people lost the right to priesthood.
God now instructed Moses to transmit to the people His words without
adding to them or diminishing from them, in the precise order and in
the same tongue, the Hebrew. Moses hereupon betook himself to the
people to deliver his message, without first seeing his family. He
first addressed the word of God to the elders, for he never forgot the
honor due the elders. Then, in simple and well arranged form, he
repeated it to all the people, including the women. Joyfully and of his
own impulse, every Israelite declared himself willing to accept the
Torah, whereupon Moses returned to God to inform Him of the decision of
the people. For although God, being omniscient, had no need of hearing
from Moses the answer of the people, still propriety demands that one
who is sent on a message return to make a report of his success to him
who sent him. God hereupon said to Moses: "I will come to thee in a
thick cloud and repeat to thee the commandments that I gave thee on
Marah, so that what thou tellest them may seem to the people as
important as what they hear from Me. But not only in thee shall they
have faith, but also in the prophets and sages that will come after
thee."
Moses then returned to the people once more, and explained to them the
serious effects that disregard of the law would have upon them. The
first time he spoke to them about the Torah, he expounded its
excellencies to them, so as to induce them to accept it; but now he
spoke to them of the terrible punishments they would bring upon
themselves, if they did not observe the laws. The people did not,
however, alter their resolution, but were full of joy in the
expectation of receiving the Torah. They only wished Moses to voice to
God their desire to hear Him impart His words directly to them, so they
said to Moses, "We want to hear the words of our King from Himself."
They were not even content with this, but wanted to see the Divine
presence, for "hearing is not like seeing." God granted both their
wishes, and commanded Moses to tell them to prepare themselves during
the next two days for receiving the Torah. [191]
ISRAEL PREPARES FOR THE REVELATION
Just as one who is to be admitted to Judaism must first submit to the
three ceremonies of circumcision, baptism, and sacrifice, so Israel did
not receive the Torah until they had performed these three ceremonies.
They had already undergone circumcision in Egypt. Baptism was imposed
upon them two days before the revelation on Mount Sinai. On the day
preceding the revelation Moses recorded in a book the covenant between
Israel and their God, and on the morning of the day of the revelation,
sacrifices were offered as a strengthening of the covenant. [192]
As there were no priests at that time, the service was performed by the
elders of Israel, who in spite of their age performed their duty with
youthful vigor. [193] Moses erected an altar on Mount Sinai, as well as
twelve memorial pillars, one for each tribe, and then bade them bring
bulls, as a burnt offering and a peace offering. [194] The blood of
these animals was then separated exactly into two halves. This was
attended to by the angel Michael, who guided Moses' hand, and so
conducted the separation of the blood that there might be not a drop
more in one half than in the other. God upon this said to Moses:
"Sprinkle the one half of the blood upon the people, as a token that
they will not barter My glory for the idols of other peoples; and
sprinkle the other half on the altar, as a token that I will not
exchange them for any other nation." Moses did as he was bidden, and
lo! the miracle came to pass that the blood of a few animals sufficed
to sprinkle every single Israelite.
Before this covenant between God and Israel had been made, Moses read
aloud to the people all of the Torah, that they might know exactly what
they were taking upon themselves. This covenant was made a second time
in the desert of Moab by Moses, and a third time by Joshua after the
entrance into the promised land, on the mountains of Gerizim and Ebal.
[195]
Although the people had now clearly expressed their desire to accept
the Torah, still God hesitated to give it to them, saying: "Shall I
without further ado give you the Torah? Nay, bring Me bondsmen, that
you will observe it, and I will give you the Torah." Israel: "O Lord of
the world! Our fathers are bondsmen for us." God: "Your fathers are My
debtors, and therefore not good bondsmen. Abraham said, 'Whereby shall
I know it?' and thus proved himself lacking in faith. Isaac loved Esau,
whom I hated, and Jacob did not immediately upon his return from
Padan-Aram keep his vow that he had made upon his way there. Bring Me
good bondsmen and I will give you the Torah." Israel: "Our prophets
shall be our bondsmen." God: "I have claims against them, for 'like
foxes in the deserts became your prophets.' Bring Me good bondsmen and
I will give you the Torah." Israel: "We will give Thee our children as
bondsmen." God: "Well, then, these are good bondmen, on whose bond I
will give you the Torah." Hereupon the Israelites brought their wives
with their babes at their breasts, and their pregnant wives, and God
made the bodies of the pregnant women transparent as glass, and He
addressed the children in the womb with these words: "Behold, I will
give your fathers the Torah. Will you be surety for them that they will
observe it?" They answered: "Yea." He furthermore said: "I am your
God." They answered: "Yea." "Ye shall have no other gods." They said:
"Nay." In this wise the children in the womb answered every commandment
with "Yea," and every prohibition with "Nay." As it was the little
children upon whose bond God gave His people the Torah, it comes to
pass that many little children die when Israel does not observe the
Torah. [196]
THE REVELATION ON MOUNT SINAI
From the first day of the third month, the day on which Israel arrived
at Mount Sinai, a heavy cloud rested upon them, and every one except
Moses was forbidden to ascend the mountain, yea, they durst not even
stay near it, lest God smite those who pushed forward, with hail or
fiery arrows. [197] The day of the revelation announced itself as an
ominous day even in the morning, for diverse rumblings sounded from
Mount Sinai. Flashes of lightning, accompanied by an ever swelling peal
of horns, moved the people with mighty fear and trembling. God bent the
heavens, moved the earth, and shook the bounds of the world, so that
the depths trembled, and the heavens grew frightened. His splendor
passed through the four portals of fire, earthquake, storm and hail.
The kings of the earth trembled in their palaces, and they all came to
the villain Balaam, and asked him if God intended the same fate for
them as for the generation of the flood. But Balaam said to them: "O ye
fools! The Holy One, blessed be He, has long since promised Noah never
again to punish the world with a flood." The kings of the heathen,
however, were not quieted, and furthermore said: "God has indeed
promised never again to bring a flood upon the world, but perhaps He
now means to destroy it by means of fire." Balaam said: "Nay, God will
not destroy the world either through fire or through water. The
commotion throughout nature was caused through this only, that He is
not about to bestow the Torah upon His people. 'The Eternal will give
strength unto His people.'" At this all the kings shouted, "May the
Eternal bless His people with peace," and each one, quieted in spirit,
went to his house. [198]
Just as the inhabitants of the earth were alarmed at the revelation,
and believed the end of all time had arrived, so too did the earth. She
thought the resurrection of the dead was about to take place, and she
would have to account for the blood of the slain that she had absorbed,
and for the bodies of the murdered whom she covered. The earth was not
calmed until she heard the first words of the Decalogue. [199]
Although phenomena were perceptible on Mount Sinai in the morning,
still God did not reveal Himself to the people until noon. For owing to
the brevity of the summer nights, and the pleasantness of the morning
sleep in summer, the people were still asleep when God had descended
upon Mount Sinai. Moses betook himself to the encampment and awakened
them with these words: "Arise from your sleep, the bridegroom is at
hand, and is waiting to lead his bride under the marriage-canopy."
Moses, at the head of the procession, hereupon brought the nation to
its bridegroom, God, to Sinai, himself going up the mountain. [200] He
said to God: "Announce Thy words, Thy children are ready to obey them."
These words of Moses rang out near and far, for on the occasion, his
voice, when he repeated the words of God to the people, had as much
power as the Divine voice that he heard. [201]
It was not indeed quite of their own free will that Israel declared
themselves ready to accept the Torah, for when the whole nation, in two
divisions, men and women, approached Sinai, God lifted up this mountain
and held it over the heads of the people like a basket, saying to them:
"If you accept the Torah, it is well, otherwise you will find you grave
under this mountain." They all burst into tears and poured out their
heart in contrition before God, and then said: "All that the Lord hath
said, will we do, and be obedient." [202] Hardly had they uttered these
words of submission to God, when a hundred and twenty myriads of angels
descended, an provided every Israelite with a crown and a girdle of
glory - Divine gifts, which they did not lose until they worshipped the
Golden Calf, when the angels came and took the gifts away from them.
[203] At the same time with these crowns and girdles of glory, a
heavenly radiance was shed over their faces, but this also they later
lost through their sins. Only Moses retained it, whose face shone so
brightly, that if even to-day a crack were made in his tomb, the light
emanating from his corpse would be so powerful that it could not but
destroy all the world. [204]
After God had bestowed upon Israel these wonderful gifts, He wanted to
proceed to the announcement of the Torah, but did not desire to do so
while Moses was with Him, that the people might not say it was Moses
who had spoken out of the cloud. Hence He sought an excuse to be rid of
him. He therefore said to Moses: "Go down, warn the people, that they
shall not press forward to see, for if even one of them were to be
destroyed, the loss to Me would be as great as if all creation had been
destroyed. Bid Nadab and Abihu also, as well as the first born that are
to perform priestly duties, beware that they do not press forward."
Moses, however, desirous of remaining with God, replied: "I have
already warned the people and set the bounds beyond which they may not
venture." God hereupon said to Moses: "Go, descend and call upon Aaron
to come up with thee, but let him keep behind thee, while the people do
not move beyond the positions thou hadst assigned them." Hardly had
Moses left the mountain, when God revealed the Torah to the people.
[205]
This was the sixth revelation of God upon earth since the creation of
the world. The tenth and last is to take place on the Day of Judgement.
The heavens opened and Mount Sinai, freed from the earth, rose into the
air, so that its summit towered into the heavens, while a thick cloud
covered the sides of it, and touched the feet of the Divine Throne.
[206] Accompanying God on one side, appeared twenty-two thousand angels
with crowns for the Levites, the only tribe that remained true to God
while the rest worshipped the Golden Calf. On the second side were
sixty myriads, three thousand five hundred and fifty angels, each
bearing a crown of fire for each individual Israelite. Double this
number of angels was on the third side, whereas on the fourth side they
were simply innumerable. For God did not appear from one direction, but
from all four simultaneously, which, however, did not prevent His glory
from filling the heaven as well as all the earth. [207] In spite of
these innumerable hosts of angels there was no crowding on Mount Sinai,
no mob, there was room for all the angels that had appeared in honor of
Israel and the Torah. They had, however, at the same time received the
order to destroy Israel in case they intended to reject the Torah.
[208]
THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
The first word of God on Sinai was Anoki, "It is I." It was not a
Hebrew word, but and Egyptian word that Israel first heard from God. He
treated them as did that king his home-coming son, whom, returning from
a long stay over sea, he addressed in the language the son had acquired
in a foreign land. So God addressed Israel in Egyptian, because it was
the language they spoke. At the same time Israel recognized in this
word "Anoki," that is was God who addressed them. For when Jacob had
assembled his children around his death-bed, he warned them to be
mindful of the glory of God, and confided to them the secrets that God
would hereafter reveal to them with the word "Anoki." He said: "With
the word 'Anoki' He addressed my grandfather Abraham; with the word
'Anoki' He addressed my father Isaac, and with the word 'Anoki' He
addressed me. Know, then, that when He will come to you, and will so
address, you, it will be He, but not otherwise." [209]
When the first commandment had come out of the mouth of God thunder and
lightning proceeded from His mouth, a torch was at His right, and a
torch at His left, and His voice flew through the air, saying: "My
people, My people, House of Israel! I am the Eternal, you God, who
brought you out of the land of Egypt." When Israel heard the awful
voice, they flew back in their horror twelve miles, until their souls
fled from them. Upon this the Torah turned to God, saying: "Lord of the
world! Hast Thou given me to the living, or to the dead?" God said: "To
the living." The Torah: "But they are all dead." God: "For thy sake
will I restore them to life." Hereupon He let fall upon them the dew
that will hereafter revive the dead, and they returned to life.
The trembling of heaven and earth that set in upon the perception of
the Divine voice, alarmed Israel so greatly that they could hardly
stand on their feet. God hereupon sent to every one of them two angels;
on lay his hand upon the heart of each, that his soul might not depart,
and on to lift the head of each, that he might behold his Maker's
splendor. They beheld the glory of God as well as the otherwise
invisible word when it emanated from the Divine vision, and rolled
forward to their ears, whereupon they perceived these words: "Wilt thou
accept the Torah, which contains two hundred and forty-eight
commandments, corresponding to the number of the members of they body?"
They answered: "Yea, yea." Then the word passed from the ear to the
mouth; it kissed the mouth, then rolled again to the ear again to the
ear, and called to it: "Wilt thou accept the Torah, which contains
three hundred and sixty-five prohibitions, corresponding to the days of
the year?" And when they replied, "Yea, yea," again the word turned
from the ear to the mouth and kissed it. After the Israelites had in
this wise taken upon themselves the commandments and the prohibitions,
God opened the seven heavens and the seven earths, and said: "Behold,
these are My witnesses that there is none like Me in the heights or on
earth! See that I am the Only One, and that I have revealed Myself in
My splendor and My radiance! If anyone should say to you, 'Go, serve
other gods,' then say: 'Can one who has seen his Maker, face to face,
in His splendor, in His glory and His strength, leave Him and become an
idolater?' See, it is I that have delivered you out of the house of
bondage; it is I that cleaved the seas before you and led you on dry
land, while I submerged you enemies in the depths. [210] I am the God
of the dry land as well as the sea, of the past as well as of the
future, the God of this world as well as of the future worlds. [211] I
am the God of all nations, but only with Israel is My name allied. If
they fulfil My wishes, I, the Eternal, am merciful, gracious and long
suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth; but if you are
disobedient, then will I be a stern judge. If you had not accepted the
Torah, no punishment could have fallen upon you were you not to fulfil
it, but now that you have accepted it, you must obey it." [212]
In order to convince Israel of the unity and uniqueness of God, He bade
all nature stand still, that all might see that there is nothing beside
Him. When God bestowed the Torah, no bird sang, no ox lowed, the
Ofannim did not fly, the Seraphim uttered not their "Holy, holy, holy,"
the sea did not roar, no creature uttered a sound - all listened in
breathless silence to the words announced by an echoless voice, "I am
the Lord you God." [213]
These words as well as the others, made know by God on Mount Sinai,
were not heard by Israel alone, but by the inhabitants of all the
earth. The Divine voice divided itself into the seventy tongues of men,
so that all might understand it; but whereas Israel could listen to the
voice without suffering harm, the souls of the heathens almost fled
from them when they heard it. [214] When the Divine voice sounded, all
the dead in Sheol were revived, and betook themselves to Sinai; for the
revelation took place in the presence of the living as well as of the
dead, yea, even the souls of those who were not yet born were present.
Every prophet, every sage, received at Sinai his share of the
revelation, which in the course of history was announced by them to
mankind. [215] All heard indeed the same words, but the same voice,
corresponding to the individuality of each, was God's way of speaking
with them. And as the same voice sounded differently to each one, so
did the Divine vision appear differently to each, wherefore God warned
them not to ascribe the various forms to various beings, saying: "Do
not believe that because you have seen Me in various forms, there are
various gods, I am the same that appeared to you at the Red Sea as a
God of war, and at Sinai as a teacher." [216]
THE OTHER COMMANDMENTS REVEALED ON SINAI
After Israel had accepted the first commandment with a "Yea," God said:
"As you have now acknowledged Me as you sovereign, I can now give you
commands: Thou shalt not acknowledge the gods of other nations as such,
for they bring no advantage to those who adore them; this thou shalt
not do while I exist. I have given you my Torah in order to lend
sovereignty to you, hence you must not kindle My wrath by breaking My
covenant through idolatry. You shall not worship dead idols, but Him
who kills and restores to life, and in whose hand are all living
things. Do not learn the works of other nations, for their works are
vanity. I, the Eternal, you God, rule over zeal and am not ruled by it;
I wait until the fourth generation to visit punishment. But those who
love Me, or fear Me, will I reward even unto the thousandth
generation."
When Moses heard these words, according to which God would visit upon
the descendants the sins of their fathers only if the consecutive
generations were one after another sinful, he cast himself upon the
ground and thanked God for it; for he knew it never occurred among
Israel that three consecutive generations were sinful. [217]
The third commandment read: "O My people of Israel, none among you
shall call the name of the Lord in vain, for he who swears falsely by
the name of the Lord shall not go unpunished on the great Judgement
Day." [218] Swearing falsely has terrible consequences not only for the
one who does it, but it endangers all the world. For when God created
the world, He laid over the abyss a shard, on which is engraved the
Ineffable Name, that the abyss may not burst forth and destroy the
world. But as often as on swears falsely in God's name, the letters of
the Ineffable Name fly away, and as there is then nothing to restrain
the abyss, the waters burst forth from it to destroy the world. This
would surely come to pass, if God did not sent the angel Ya'asriel, who
has charge of the seventy pencils, to engrave anew the Ineffable Name
on the shard. [219]
God said then to Israel, "If you accept My Torah and observe My laws, I
will give you for all eternity a thing most precious that I have in My
possession." "And what," replied Israel, "is that precious thing which
Thou wilt give us if we obey Thy Torah?" God: "The future world."
Israel: "But even in this world should we have a foretaste of that
other." God: "The Sabbath will give you this foretaste. [220] Be
mindful of the Sabbath on the seventh day of the creation of the
world." For when the world was created, the seventh day came before
God, and said to Him: "All that Thou has created is in couples, why not
I?" Whereupon God replied, "The community of Israel shall be thy
spouse." Of this promise that God had made to the seventy day, He
reminded the people on Mount Sinai, when he gave them the fourth
commandment, to keep the Sabbath holy. [221]
When the nations of the earth heard the first commandment, they said:
"There is no king that does not like to see himself acknowledged as
sovereign, and just so does God desire His people to pledge unto Him
their allegiance." At the second commandment they said: "No king
suffers a king beside himself, nor does the God of Israel." At the
third commandment they said: "Is there a king that would like to have
people swear false oaths by his name?" At the fourth commandment they
said: "No King dislikes to see his birthday celebrated." But when the
people heard the fifth commandment, "Honor thy father and thy mother,"
they said: "According to our laws, if a man enrolls himself as a
servant of the king, he thereby disowns his parents. God, however,
makes it a duty to honor father and mother; truly, for this is honor
due to Him." [222]
It was with these words that the fifth commandment was emphasized:
"Honor thy parents to whom thou owest existence, as thou honorest Me.
Honor the body that bore thee, and the breasts that gave thee suck,
maintain thy parents, for thy parents took part in thy creation." [223]
For man owes his existence to God, to his father, and to his mother, in
that he receives from each of his parents five of the parts of his
body, and ten from God. The bones, the veins, the nails, the brain, and
the white of the eye come from the father. The mother gives him skin,
flesh, blood, hair, and the pupil of the eye. God gives him the
following: breath, soul, light of countenance, sight, hearing, speech,
touch, sense, insight, and understanding. [224] When a human being
honors his parents, God says: "I consider it as if I had dwelled among
men and they had honored Me," but if people do not honor their parents,
God say: "It is good that I do not dwell among men, or they would have
treated Me superciliously, too." [225]
God not only commanded to love and fear parents as Himself, but in some
respects He places the honor due to parents even higher than that due
Him. A man is only then obliged to support the poor or to perform
certain religious ceremonies, if he has the wherewithal, but it is the
duty of each one even to go begging at men' doors, if he cannot
otherwise maintain his parents. [226]
The sixth commandment said: "O My people Israel, be no slayers of men,
do not associate with murderers, and shun their companionship, that
your children may not learn the craft of murder." As a penalty for
deeds of murder, God will send a devastating war over mankind. [227]
There are two divisions in Sheol, an inner and an outer. In the latter
are all those who were slain before their time. There they stay until
the course of the time predestined them is run; and every time a murder
has been committed, God says: "Who has slain this person and has forced
Me to keep him in the outer Sheol, so that I must appear unmerciful to
have removed him from earth before his time?" [228] On the Judgement
Day the slain will appear before God, and will implore Him: "O Lord of
the world! Thou hast formed me, Thou hast developed me, Thou hast been
gracious unto me while I was in the womb, so that I left it unharmed.
Thou in Thy great mercy hast provided for me. O Lord of all worlds!
Grant me satisfaction from this villain that knew no pity for me." Then
God's wrath will be kindled against the murderer, into Gehenna will he
throw him and damn him for all eternity, while the slain will see
satisfaction given him, and be glad. [229]
The seventh commandment says: "O My people of Israel, be not
adulterers, nor the accomplices or companions of adulterers, that your
children after you may not be adulterers. Commit no unchaste deeds,
with your hands, feet, eyes, or ears, for as a punishment therefore the
plague will come over the world." [230]
This is the eighth commandment: "Be not thief, nor the accomplice or
companion of thieves, that your children may not become thieves." As a
penalty for robbery and theft famine will come upon the world. [231]
God may forgive idolatry, but never theft, and He is always ready to
listen to complaints against forgers and robbers. [232]
The ninth commandment reads: "O My people of Israel, bear not false
witness against your companions, for in punishment for this the clouds
will scatter, so that there may be no rain, and famine will ensue owing
to drought." God is particularly severe with a false witness because
falsehood is the one quality that God did not create, but is something
that men themselves produces. [233]
The content of the tenth commandment is: "O My people Israel, covet not
the possessions of your neighbors, for owing to this sin will the
government take their possessions from the people, so that even the
wealthiest will become poor and will have to go into exile." [234] The
tenth commandment is directed against a sin that sometimes leads to a
trespassing of all the Ten Commandments. If a man covets his neighbor's
wife and commits adultery, he neglects the first commandment: "I am the
Eternal, thy God," for he commits his crime in the dark and thinks that
none sees him, not even the Lord, whose eyes float over all the world,
and see good as well as evil. He oversteps the second commandment:
"Thou shalt not have strange gods besides Me…, I am a jealous God," who
is wroth against faithlessness, whether toward Me, or toward men. He
breaks the third commandment: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord
in vain," for he swears he has not committed adultery, but he did so.
He is the cause of profanation of the Sabbath, the consecration of
which God commands in the fourth commandment, because in his illegal
relation he generates descendants who will perform priestly duties in
the Temple on the Sabbath, which, being bastards, they have no right to
do. The fifth commandment will be broken by the children of the
adulterer, who will honor as a father a strange man, and will not even
know their true father. He breaks the sixth commandment: "Thou shalt
not kill," if he is surprised by the rightful husband, for every time a
man goes to a strange woman, he does so with the consciousness that
this may lead to his death or the death of his neighbor. The
trespassing of the seventh commandment: "Thou shalt not commit
adultery," is the direct outcome of a forbidden coveting. The eighth
commandment: "Thou shalt not steal," is broken by the adulterer, for he
steals another man's fountain of happiness. The ninth commandment"
"Thou shalt not bear false witness," is broken by the adulterous woman,
who pretends that the fruit of her criminal relations is the child of
her husband. In this way, the breaking of the tenth commandment has not
only led to all the other sins, but has also the evil effect that the
deceived husband leaves his whole property to one who is not his son,
so that the adulterer robs him of his possessions as well as of his
wife. [235]
THE UNITY OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
The Ten Commandments are so closely interwoven, that the breaking of
one leads to the breaking of another. But there is a particularly
strong bond of union between the first five commandments, which are
written on one table, and the last five, which were on the other table.
The first commandment: "I am the Lord, thy God," corresponds to the
sixth: "Thou shalt not kill," for the murderer slays the image of God.
The second: "Thou shalt have no strange gods before me," corresponds to
the seventh: "Thou shalt not commit adultery," for conjugal
faithlessness is as grave a sin as idolatry, which is faithlessness to
God. The third commandment: "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord
in vain," corresponds to the eighth: "Thou shalt not steal," for theft
leads to false oath. The fourth commandment: "Remember the Sabbath day,
to keep it holy," corresponds to the ninth: "Thou shalt not bear false
witness against thy neighbor," for he who bears false witness against
his neighbor commits as grave a sin as if he had borne false witness
against God, saying that He had not created the world in six days and
rested on the seventh, the Sabbath. The fifth commandment: "Honor thy
father and thy mother," corresponds to the tenth: "Covet not thy
neighbor's wife," for one who indulges this lust produces children who
will not honor their true father, but will consider a stranger their
father. [236]
The Ten Commandments, which God first revealed on Mount Sinai,
correspond in their character to the ten words of which He had made use
at the creation of the world. The first commandment: "I am the Lord,
thy God," corresponds to the first word at the creation: "Let there be
light," for God is the eternal light. The second commandment: "Thou
shalt have no strange gods before me," corresponds to the second word:
"Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide
the waters from the waters." For God said: "Choose between Me and the
idols; between Me, the fountain of living waters, and the idols, the
stagnant waters." The third commandment: "Thou shalt not take the name
of thy God in vain" corresponds to the word: "Let the waters be
gathered together," for as little as water can be gathered in a cracked
vessel, so can a man maintain his possession which he has obtained
through false oaths. The fourth commandment: "Remember to keep the
Sabbath holy," corresponds to the word: "Let the earth bring forth
grass," for he who truly observes the Sabbath will receive good things
from God without having to labor for them, just as the earth produces
grass that need not be sown. For at the creation of man it was God's
intention that he be free from sin, immortal, and capable of supporting
himself by the products of the soil without toil. The fifth
commandment: "Honor thy father and thy mother," corresponds to the
word: "Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven," for God
said to man: "I gave thee two lights, thy father and thy mother, treat
them with care." The sixth commandment: "Thou shalt not kill,"
corresponds to the word: "Let the waters bring forth abundantly the
moving creature," for God said: "Be not like the fish, among whom the
great swallow the small." The seventh commandment: "Thou shalt not
commit adultery," corresponds to the word: "Let the earth bring forth
the living creature after his kind," for God said: "I chose for thee a
spouse, abide with her." The eighth commandment: "Thou shalt not
steal," corresponds to the word: "Behold, I have given you every
herb-bearing seed," for none, said God, should touch his neighbor's
goods, but only that which grows free as the grass, which is the common
property of all. The ninth commandment: "Thou shalt not bear false
witness against thy neighbor," corresponds to the word: "Let us make
man in our image." Thou, like thy neighbor, art made in My image, hence
bear not false witness against thy neighbor. The tenth commandment:
"Thou shalt not covet the wife of thy neighbor," corresponds to the
tenth word of the creation: "It is not good for man to be alone," for
God said: "I created thee a spouse, and let not one among ye covet his
neighbor's wife." [237]
MOSES CHOSEN AS INTERMEDIATOR
After Israel had heard the Ten Commandments, they supposed that God
would on this occasion reveal to them all the rest of the Torah. But
the awful vision on Mount Sinai, where they heard the visible and saw
the audible - the privilege was granted them that even the slave women
among them saw more than the greatest prophet of later times - this
vision has so exhausted them that they would surely have perished, had
they heard another word from God. They therefore went to Moses and
implored him to be the intermediator between them and God. God found
their wish right, so that He not only employed Moses as His
intermediator, but determined in all future times to send prophets to
Israel as messengers of His words. Turning to Moses, God said: "All
that they have spoken is good. If it were possible, I would even now
dismiss the Angel of Death, but death against humanity has already been
decreed by Me, hence it must remain. [238] Go, say unto them: 'Return
to your tents,' but stay thou with Me." In these words God indicated to
Israel that they might again enter upon conjugal relations, from which
they has abstained throughout three days, while Moses should forever
have to deny himself all earthly indulgences. [239]
Moses in his great wisdom now knew how, in a few words, to calm the
great excitement of the myriads of men, saying to them: "God gave you
the Torah and wrought marvels for you, in order, through this and
through the observances of the laws which He imposed upon you, to
distinguish you before all other nations on earth. Consider, however,
that whereas up to this time you have been ignorant, and your ignorance
served as your excuse, you now know exactly what to do and what not to
do. Until now you did not know that the righteous are to be rewarded
and the godless to be punished in the future world, but now you know
it. But as long as you will have a feeling of shame, you will not
lightly commit sins." Hereupon the people withdrew twelve miles from
Mount Sinai, while Moses stepped quite close before the Lord. [240]
In the immediate proximity of God are the souls of the pious, a little
farther Mercy and Justice, and close to these was the position Moses
was allowed to occupy. [241] The vision of Moses, owing to his nearness
to God, was clear and distinct, unlike that of the other prophets, who
saw but dimly. He is furthermore distinguished from all the other
prophets, that he was conscious of his prophetic revelations, while
they were unconscious in the moments of prophecy. A third distinction
of Moses, which he indeed shared with Aaron and Samuel, was that God
revealed Himself to him in a pillar of cloud. [242]
In spite of these great marks of favor to Moses, the people still
perceived the difference between the first two commandments, which they
heard directly from God, and those that they learned through Moses'
intercession. For when they heard the words, "I am the Eternal, thy
Lord," the understanding of the Torah became deep-rooted in their
hearts, so that they never forgot what they thus learned. But they
forgot some of the things Moses taught, for as man is a being of flesh
and blood, and hence ephemeral, so are his teachings ephemeral. They
hereupon came to Moses, saying: "O, if He would only reveal Himself
once more! O that once more He would kiss us with the kisses of His
mouth! O that understanding of the Torah might remain firm in our
hearts as before!" Moses answered: "It is no longer possible now, but
it will come to pass in the future world, when He will put His law in
their inward parts, and write it in their hearts."
Israel had another reason for regretting the choice of an intermediator
between themselves and God. When they heard the second commandment:
"Thou shalt have no strange gods beside Me," the evil impulse was torn
out from their hearts. But as soon as they requested Moses to intercede
for them, the evil impulse set in once more in its old place. In vain,
however, did they plead with Moses to restore the former direct
communication between them and God, so that the evil impulse might be
taken from them. For he said: "It is no longer possible now, but in the
future world He will 'take out of your flesh the stony heart.'" [243]
Although Israel had now heard only the first two commandments directly
from God, still the Divine apparition had and enormous influence upon
this generation. Never in the course of their lives was any physical
impurity heard of among them, nor did any vermin succeed in infesting
their bodies, and when they died, their corpses remained free from
worms and insects. [244]
MOSES AND THE ANGELS STRIVE FOR THE TORAH
The day on which God revealed Himself on Mount Sinai was twice as long
as ordinary days. For on that day the sun did not set, a miracle that
was four times more repeated for Moses' sake. [245] When this long day
had drawn to its close, Moses ascended the holy mountain, where he
spent a week to rid himself of all mortal impurity, so that he might
betake himself to God into heaven. At the end of his preparations, God
called him to come to Him. [246] Then a cloud appeared and lay down
before him, but he knew not whether to ride upon it or merely to hold
fast to it. Then suddenly the mouth of the cloud flew open, and he
entered into it, and walked about in the firmament as a man walks about
on earth. Then he met Kemuel, the porter, the angel who is in charge of
twelve thousand angels of destruction, who are posted at the portals of
the firmament. He spoke harshly to Moses, saying: "What dost thou here,
son of Amram, on this spot, belonging to the angels of fire?" Moses
answered: "Not of my own impulse do I come here, but with the
permission of the Holy One, to receive the Torah and bear it down to
Israel." As Kemuel did not want to let him pass, Moses struck him and
destroyed him out of the world, whereupon he went on his way until the
angel Hadarniel came along.
This angel is sixty myriads of parasangs taller than his fellows, and
at every word that passes out of his mouth, issue twelve thousand fiery
lightning flashes. When he beheld Moses he roared at him: "What dost
thou here, son of Amram, here on the spot of the Holy and High?" When
Moses heard his voice, he grew exceedingly frightened, his eyes shed
tears, and soon he would have fallen from the cloud. But instantly the
pity of God for Moses was awakened, and He said to Hadarniel: "You
angels have been quarrelsome since the day I created you. In the
beginning, when I wanted to create Adam, you raised complaint before Me
and said, 'What is man that Thou are mindful of him!' and My wrath was
kindled against you and I burned scores of you with My little finger.
Now again ye commence strife with the faithful one of My house, whom I
have bidden to come up here to receive the Torah and carry it down to
My chosen children Israel, although you know that if Israel did not
receive the Torah, you would no longer be permitted to dwell in
heaven." When Hadarniel heard this, he said quickly to the Lord: "O
Lord of the world! It is manifest and clear to Thee, that I was not
aware he came hither with Thy permission, but since I now know it, I
will be his messenger and go before him as a disciple before his
master." Hadarniel hereupon, in a humble attitude, ran before Moses as
a disciple before his master, until he reached the fire of Sandalfon,
when he spoke to Moses, saying: "Go, turn about, for I may not stay in
this spot, or the fire of Sandalfon will scorch me."
This angel towers above his fellows by so great height, that it would
take five hundred years to cross over it. He stands behind the Divine
Throne and binds garlands for his Lord. Sandalfon does not know the
abiding spot of the Lord either, so that he might set the crown on His
head, but he charms the crown, so that it rises of its own accord until
it reposes on the head of the Lord. As soon as Sandalfon bids the crown
rise, the hosts on high tremble and shake, the holy animals burst into
paeans, the holy Seraphim roar like lions and say: "Holy, holy, holy is
the Lord of hosts, the whole earth is full of His glory." When the
crown has reached the Throne of Glory, the wheels of the Throne are
instantly set in motion, the foundations of its footstool tremble, and
all the heavens are seized with trembling and horror. As soon as the
crown now passes the Throne of Glory, to settle upon its place, all the
heavenly hosts open their mouths, saying: "Praised be the glory of the
Eternal from His place." And when the crown has reached its
destination, all the holy animals, the Seraphim, the wheels of the
Throne, and the hosts on high, the Cherubim and the Hashmalim speak
with one accord: "The Eternal is King, the Eternal was King, the
Eternal will be King in all eternity."
Now when Moses beheld Sandalfon, he was frightened, and in his alarm
came near to falling out of the cloud. In tears he imploringly begged
God for mercy, and was answered. In His bountiful love of Israel, He
Himself descended from the Throne of His glory and stood before Moses,
until he had passed the flames of Sandalfon.
After Moses had passed Sandalfon, he ran across Rigyon, the stream of
fire, the coals of which burn the angels, who dip into them every
morning, are burned, and then arise anew. This stream with the coals of
fire is generated beneath the Throne of Glory out of the perspiration
of the holy Hayyot, who perspire fire out of fear of God. God, however,
quickly drew Moses past Rigyon without his suffering any injury.
As he passed on he met the angel Gallizur, also called Raziel. He it is
who reveals the teachings to his Maker, and makes known in the world
what is decreed by God. For he stands behind the curtains that are
drawn before the Throne of God, and sees and hears everything. Elijah
on Horeb hears that which Raziel calls down into the world, and passes
his knowledge on. This angel performs other functions in heaven. He
stands before the Throne with outspread wings, and in this way arrests
the breath of the Hayyot, the heat of which would otherwise scorch all
the angels. He furthermore puts the coals of Rigyon into a glowing
brazier, which he holds up to kings, lords, and princes, and from which
their faces receive a radiance that makes men fear them. When Moses
beheld him, he trembled, but God led him past unhurt.
He then came to a host of Angels of Terror that surround the Throne of
Glory, and are the strongest and mightiest among the angels. These now
wished to scorch Moses with their fiery breath, but God spread His
radiance of splendor over Moses, and said to him: "Hold on tight to the
Throne of My Glory, and answer them." [247] For as soon as the angels
became aware of Moses in heaven, they said to God: "What does he who is
born of woman here?" And God's answer was as follows: "He has come to
receive the Torah." They furthermore said: "O Lord, content Thyself
with the celestial beings, let them have the Torah, what wouldst Thou
with the dwellers of the dust?" Moses hereupon answered the angels: "It
is written in the Torah: 'I am the Eternal, thy Lord, that have led
thee out of the land of Egypt and out of the house of bondage.' Were ye
perchance enslaved in Egypt and then delivered, that ye are in need of
the Torah? It is further written in the Torah: 'Thou shalt have no
other gods.' Are there perchance idolaters among ye, that ye are in
need of the Torah? It is written: 'Thou shalt not utter the name of the
Eternal, thy God, in vain,' Are there perchance business negotiations
among ye, that ye are in need of the Torah to teach you the proper form
of invocation? It is written: 'Remember to keep the Sabbath holy.' Is
there perchance any work among you, that ye are in need of the Torah?
It is written: 'Honor thy father and thy mother.' Have ye perchance
parents, that ye are in need of the Torah? It is written: 'Thou shalt
not kill.' Are there perchance murderers among ye, that ye are in need
of the Torah? It is written: 'Thou shalt not commit adultery.' Are
there perchance women among ye, that ye are in need of the Torah? It is
written: 'Thou shalt not steal.' Is there perchance money in heaven,
that ye are need of the Torah? It is written: 'Thou shalt not bear
false witness against thy neighbor.' Is there perchance any false
witness among ye, that ye are in need of the Torah? It is written:
'Covet not the house of thy neighbor.' Are there perchance houses,
fields, or vineyards among ye, that ye are in need of the Torah?" The
angels hereupon relinquished their opposition to the delivering of the
Torah into the hands of Israel, and acknowledged that God was right to
reveal it to mankind, saying: "Eternal, our Lord, how excellent is Thy
name in all the earth! Who hast set Thy glory upon the heavens."
Moses now stayed forty days in heaven to learn the Torah from God. But
when he started to descend and beheld the hosts of the angels of
terror, angels of trembling, angels of quaking, and angels of horror,
then through his fear he forgot all he had learned. For this reason God
called the angel Yefefiyah, the prince of the Torah, who handed over to
Moses the Torah, "ordered in all things and sure." All the other
angels, too, became his friends, and each bestowed upon him a remedy as
well as the secret of the Holy Names, as they are contained in the
Torah, and as they are applied. Even the Angel of Death gave him a
remedy against death. The applications of the Holy Names, which the
angels through Yefefiyah, the prince of the Torah, and Metatron, the
prince of the Face, taught him, Moses passed on to the high-priest
Eleazar, who passed them to his son Phinehas, also known as Elijah.
[248]
MOSES RECEIVES THE TORAH
When Moses reached heaven, he found God occupied ornamenting the
letters in which the Torah was written, with little crown-like
decorations, and he looked on without saying a word. God then said to
him: "In thy home, do not people know the greeting of peace?" Moses:
"Does it behoove a servant to address his Master?" God: "Thou mightest
at least have wished Me success in My labors." Moses hereupon said:
"Let the power of my Lord be great according as Thou hast spoken."
[249] Then Moses inquired as the significance of the crowns upon the
letter, and was answered: "Hereafter there shall live a man called
Akiba, son of Joseph, who will base in interpretation a gigantic
mountain of Halakot upon every dot of these letters." Moses said to
God: "Show me this man." God: "Go back eighteen ranks." Moses went
where he was bidden, and could hear the discussions of the teacher
sitting with his disciples in the eighteenth rank, but was not able to
follow these discussions, which greatly grieved him. But just then he
heard the disciples questioning their master in regard to a certain
subject: "Whence dost thou know this?" And he answered, "This is a
Halakah given to Moses on Mount Sinai," and not Moses was content.
Moses returned to God and said to Him: "Thou has a man like Akiba, and
yet dost Thou give the Torah to Israel through me!" But God answered:
"Be silent, so has it been decreed by Me." Moses then said: "O Lord of
the world! Thou has permitted me to behold this man's learning, let see
also the reward which will be meted out to him." God said: "Go, return
and see." Moses saw them sell the flesh of the martyr Akiba at the meat
market. He said to God: "Is this the reward for such erudition?" But
God replied: "Be silent, thus have I decreed." [250]
Moses then saw how God wrote the word "long-suffering" in the Torah,
and asked: "Does this mean that Thou hast patience with the pious?" But
God answered: "Nay, with sinners also am I long-suffering." "What!"
exclaimed Moses, "Let the sinners perish!" God said no more, but when
Moses implored God's mercy, begging Him to forgive the sin of the
people of Israel, God answered him: "Thou thyself didst advice Me to
have no patience with sinners and to destroy them." "Yea," said Moses,
"but Thou didst declare that Thou art long-suffering with sinners also,
let now the patience of the Lord be great according as Thou has
spoken." [251]
The forty days that Moses spent in heaven were entirely devoted to the
study of the Torah, he learned the written as well as the oral
teaching, yea, even the doctrines that an able scholar would some day
propound were revealed to him. [252] He took an especial delight in
hearing the teachings of the Tanna Rabbi Eliezer, and received the
joyful message that this great scholar would be one of his descendants.
[253]
The study of Moses was so planned for the forty days, that by day God
studied with him the written teachings, and by night the oral. In this
way was he enabled to distinguish between night and day, for in heaven
"the night shineth as the day." There were other signs also by which he
could distinguish night from day; for if he heard the angels praise God
with "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts," he knew that it was day;
but if they praised Him with "Blessed be the Lord to whom blessing is
due," he knew it was night. Then, too, if he saw the sun appear before
God and cast itself down before Him, he knew that it was night; if,
however, the moon and the stars cast themselves at His feet, he knew
that it was day. He could also tell time by the occupation of the
angels, for by day they prepared manna for Israel, and by night they
sent it down to earth. The prayers he heard in heaven served him as
another token whereby he might know the time, for if he heard the
recitation of the Shema' precede prayer, he knew that it was day, but
if the prayer preceded the recitation of the Shema', then it was night.
[254]
During his stay with Him, God showed Moses all the seven heavens, and
the celestial temple, and the four colors that he was to employ to fit
up the tabernacle. Moses found it difficult to retain the color,
whereupon God said to him: "Turn to the right," and as he turned, he
saw a host of angels in garments that had the color of the sea. "This,"
said God, "is violet." Then He bade Moses turn to the left, and there
he saw angels dressed in red, and God said: "This is royal purple."
Moses hereupon turned around to the rear, and saw angels robed in a
color that was neither purple nor violet, and God said to him: "This
color is crimson." Moses then turned about and saw angels robed in
white, and God said to him: "This is the color of twisted linen." [255]
Although Moses now devoted both night and day to the study of the
Torah, he still learned nothing, for hardly had he learned something
from God when he forgot it again. Moses thereupon said to God: "O Lord
of the world! Forty days have I devoted to studying the Torah, without
having profited anything by it." God therefore bestowed the Torah upon
Moses, and now he could descend to Israel, for now he remembered all
that he had learned. [256]
Hardly had Moses descended from heaven with the Torah, when Satan
appeared before the Lord and said: "Where, forsooth, is the place where
the Torah is kept?" For Satan knew nothing of the revelation of God on
Sinai, as God had employed him elsewhere on purposes, that he might not
appear before him as an accuser, saying: "Wilt Thou give the Torah to a
people that forty days later will worship the Golden Calf?" In answer
to Satan's question regarding the whereabouts of the Torah, God said:
"I gave the Torah to Earth." To earth, then, Satan betook himself with
his query: "Where is the Torah?" Earth said: "God knows of its course,
He knoweth its abiding-place, for 'He looketh to the ends of the earth,
and seeth under the whole heaven.'" Satan now passed on to the sea to
seek for the Torah, but the sea also said: "It is not with me," and the
abyss said: "It is not in me." Destruction and death said: "We have
heard the fame thereof with our ears." Satan now returned to God and
said: "O Lord of the world! Everywhere have I sought the Torah, but I
found it not." God replied: "Go, seek the son of Amram." Satan now
hastened to Moses and asked him: "Where is the Torah that God hath
given thee?" Whereupon Moses answered: "Who am I, that the Holy One,
blessed be He, should have given me the Torah?" God hereupon spoke to
Moses: "O Moses, thou utterest a falsehood." But Moses answered: "O
Lord of the world! Thou hast in Thy possession a hidden treasure that
daily delights Thee. Dare I presume to declare it my possession?" Then
God said: "As a reward for thy humility, the Torah shall be named for
thee, and it shall henceforth be known as the Torah of Moses." [257]
Moses departed from the heavens with the two tables on which the Ten
Commandments were engraved, and just the words of it are by nature
Divine, so too are the tables on which they are engraved. These were
created by God's own hand in the dusk of the first Sabbath at the close
of the creation, and were made of a sapphire-like stone. On each of the
two tables are the Ten Commandments, four times repeated, and in such
wise were they engraved that the letters were legible on both sides,
for, like the tables, the writing and the pencils for inscription, too,
were of heavenly origin. Between the separate commandments were noted
down all the precepts of the Torah in all their particulars, although
the tables were not more than six hands in length and as much in width.
[258] It is another of the attributes of the tables, that although they
are fashioned out of the hardest stone, they can still be rolled up
like a scroll. [259] When God handed the tables to Moses, He seized
them by the top third, whereas Moses took hold of the bottom third, but
on third remained open, and it was in this way that the Divine radiance
was shed upon Moses' face. [260]
THE GOLDEN CALF
When God revealed Himself upon Mount Sinai, all Israel sang a song of
jubilation to the Lord, for their faith in God was on this occasion
without bounds and unexampled, except possibly at the time of the
Messiah, when they likewise will cherish this firm faith. The angels,
too, rejoiced with Israel, only God was down-cast on this day and sent
His voice "out of thickest darkness," in token of His sorrow. The
angels hereupon said to God: "Is not the joy that Thou hast created
Thine?" But God replied: "You do not know what the future will bring."
He knew that forty days later Israel would give the lie to the words of
God: "Thou shalt have no other gods before Me," and would adore the
Golden Calf. [261] And truly, God had sufficient cause to grow sad at
this thought, for the worship of the Golden Calf had more disastrous
consequences for Israel than any other of their sins. God had resolved
to give life everlasting to the nation that would accept the Torah,
hence Israel upon accepting the Torah gained supremacy over the Angel
of Death. But they lost this power when they worshipped the Golden
Calf. As a punishment for this, their sin, they were doomed to study
the Torah in suffering and bondage, in exile and unrest, amid cares of
life and burdens, until, in the Messianic time and in the future world,
God will compensate them for all their sufferings. [262] But until that
time there is no sorrow that falls to Israel's lot that is not in part
a punishment for their worship of the Golden Calf. [263]
Strange as it may seem that Israel should set out to worship this idol
at the very time when God was busied with the preparation of the two
tables of the law, still the following circumstances are to be
considered. When Moses departed from the p
Showing first 200,000 characters. Full text: gutenberg.org/ebooks/2881