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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/1493-0.txt b/1493-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..48a3225 --- /dev/null +++ b/1493-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,12050 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook of The Legends of the Jews, by Louis Ginzberg + +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 1 + +Author: Louis Ginzberg + +Translator: Henrietta Szold + +Release Date: October, 1998 [eBook #1493] +[Most recently updated: February 3, 2022] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +Produced by: Charles Keller + +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS, VOLUME I *** + + + + +The Legends of the Jews + +by Louis Ginzberg + + +TRANSLATED PROM THE GERMAN MANUSCRIPT BY +HENRIETTA SZOLD + + +VOLUME I +BIBLE TIMES AND CHARACTERS +FROM THE CREATION TO JACOB + + + + +To +MY BROTHER ASHER + + + + +Contents + + PREFACE + + I. THE CREATION OF THE WORLD + The First Things Created + The Alphabet + The First Day + The Second Day + The Third Day + The Fourth Day + The Fifth Day + The Sixth Day + All Things Praise the Lord. + + II. ADAM + Man and the World + The Angels and the Creation of Man + The Creation of Adam + The Soul of Man + The Ideal Man + The Fall of Satan + Woman + Adam and Eve in Paradise + The Fall of Man + The Punishment + Sabbath in Heaven + Adam's Repentance + The Book of Raziel + The Sickness of Adam + Eve's Story of the Fall + The Death of Adam + The Death of Eve. + + III. THE TEN GENERATIONS + The Birth of Cain + Fratricide + The Punishment of Cain + The Inhabitants of the Seven Earths + The Descendants of Cain + The Descendants of Adam and Lilith + Seth and His Descendants + Enosh + The Fall of the Angels + Enoch, Ruler and Teacher + The Ascension of Enoch + The Translation of Enoch + Methuselah. + + IV. NOAH + The Birth of Noah + The Punishment of the Fallen Angels + The Generation of the Deluge + The Holy Book + The Inmates of the Ark + The Flood + Noah Leaves the Ark + The Curse of Drunkenness + Noah's Descendants Spread Abroad + The Depravity of Mankind + Nimrod + The Tower of Babel. + + V. ABRAHAM + The Wicked Generations + The Birth of Abraham + The Babe Proclaims God + Abraham's First Appearance in Public + The Preacher of the True Faith + In the Fiery Furnace + Abraham Emigrates to Haran + The Star in the East + The True Believer + The Iconoclast + Abraham in Canaan + His Sojourn in Egypt + The First Pharaoh + The War of the Kings + The Covenant of the Pieces + The Birth of Ishmael + The Visit of the Angels + The Cities of Sin + Abraham Pleads for the Sinners + The Destruction of the Sinful Cities + Among the Philistines + The Birth of Isaac + Ishmael Cast Off + The Two Wives of Ishmael + The Covenant with Abimelech + Satan Accuses Abraham + The Journey to Moriah + The Akedah + The Death and Burial of Sarah + Eliezer's Mission + The Wooing of Rebekah + The Last Years of Abraham + A Herald of Death + Abraham Views Earth and Heaven + The Patron of Hebron. + + VI. JACOB + The Birth of Esau and Jacob + The Favorite of Abraham + The Sale of the Birthright + Isaac with the Philistines + Isaac Blesses Jacob + Esau's True Character Revealed + Jacob Leaves His Father's House + Jacob Pursued by Eliphaz and Esau + The Day of Miracles + Jacob with Laban + The Marriage of Jacob + The Birth of Jacob's Children + Jacob Flees before Laban + The Covenant with Laban + Jacob and Esau Prepare to Meet + Jacob Wrestles with the Angel + The Meeting between Esau and Jacob + The Outrage at Shechem + A War Frustrated + The War with the Ninevites + The War with the Amorites + Isaac Blesses Levi and Judah + Joy and Sorrow in the House of Jacob + Esau's Campaign against Jacob + The Descendants of Esau. + + + + +PREFACE + + +Was sich nie und nirgends hat begeben, das allein veraltet nie. + +The term Rabbinic was applied to the Jewish Literature of post-Biblical +times by those who conceived the Judaism of the later epoch to be +something different from the Judaism of the Bible, something actually +opposed to it. Such observers held that the Jewish nation ceased to +exist with the moment when its political independence was destroyed. +For them the Judaism of the later epoch has been a Judaism of the +Synagogue, the spokesmen of which have been the scholars, the Rabbis. +And what this phase of Judaism brought forth has been considered by +them to be the product of the schools rather than the product of +practical, pulsating life. Poetic phantasmagoria, frequently the +vaporings of morbid visionaries, is the material out of which these +scholars construct the theologic system of the Rabbis, and fairy tales, +the spontaneous creations of the people, which take the form of sacred +legend in Jewish literature, are denominated the Scriptural exegesis of +the Rabbis, and condemned incontinently as nugae rabbinorum. + +As the name of a man clings to him, so men cling to names. For the +primitive savage the name is part of the essence of a person or thing, +and even in the more advanced stages of culture, judgments are not +always formed in agreement with facts as they are, but rather according +to the names by which they are called. The current estimate of Rabbinic +Literature is a case in point. With the label Rabbinic later ages +inherited from former ages a certain distorted view of the literature +so designated. To this day, and even among scholars that approach its +investigation with unprejudiced minds, the opinion prevails that it is +purely a learned product. And yet the truth is that the most prominent +feature of Rabbinic Literature is its popular character. + +The school and the home are not mutually opposed to each other in the +conception of the Jews. They study in their homes, and they live in +their schools. Likewise there is no distinct class of scholars among +them, a class that withdraws itself from participation in the affairs +of practical life. Even in the domain of the Halakah, the Rabbis were +not so much occupied with theoretic principles of law as with the +concrete phenomena of daily existence. These they sought to grasp and +shape. And what is true of the Halakah is true with greater emphasis of +the Haggadah, which is popular in the double sense of appealing to the +people and being produced in the main by the people. To speak of the +Haggadah of the Tannaim and Amoraim is as far from fact as to speak of +the legends of Shakespeare and Scott. The ancient authors and their +modern brethren of the guild alike elaborate legendary material which +they found at hand. + +It has been held by some that the Haggadah contains no popular legends, +that it is wholly a factitious, academic product. A cursory glance at +the pseudepigraphic literature of the Jews, which is older than the +Haggadah literature by several centuries, shows how untenable this view +is. That the one literature should have drawn from the other is +precluded by historical facts. At a very early time the Synagogue +disavowed the pseudepigraphic literature, which was the favorite +reading matter of the sectaries and the Christians. Nevertheless the +inner relation between them is of the closest kind. The only essential +difference is that the Midrashic form prevails in the Haggadah, and the +parenetic or apocalyptic form in the pseudepigrapha. The common element +must therefore depart from the Midrash on the one hand and from +parenesis on the other. + +Folklore, fairy tales, legends, and all forms of story telling akin to +these are comprehended, in the terminology of the post-Biblical +literature of the Jews, under the inclusive description Haggadah, a +name that can be explained by a circumlocution, but cannot be +translated. Whatever it is applied to is thereby characterized first as +being derived from the Holy Scriptures, and then as being of the nature +of a story. And, in point of fact, this dualism sums up the +distinguishing features of Jewish Legend. More than eighteen centuries +ago the Jewish historian Josephus observed that "though we be deprived +of our wealth, of our cities, or of the other advantages we have, our +law continues immortal." The word he meant to use was not law, but +Torah, only he could not find an equivalent for it in Greek. A singer +of the Synagogue a thousand years after Josephus, who expressed his +sentiments in Hebrew, uttered the same thought: "The Holy City and all +her daughter cities are violated, they lie in ruins, despoiled of their +ornaments, their splendor darkened from sight. Naught is left to us +save one eternal treasure alone—the Holy Torah." The sadder the life of +the Jewish people, the more it felt the need of taking refuge in its +past. The Scripture, or, to use the Jewish term, the Torah, was the +only remnant of its former national independence, and the Torah was the +magic means of making a sordid actuality recede before a glorious +memory. To the Scripture was assigned the task of supplying nourishment +to the mind as well as the soul, to the intellect as well as the +imagination, and the result is the Halakah and the Haggadah. + +The fancy of the people did not die out in the post-Biblical time, but +the bent of its activity was determined by the past. + +Men craved entertainment in later times as well as in the earlier, only +instead of resorting for its subject-matter to what happened under +their eyes, they drew from the fountain-head of the past. The events in +the ancient history of Israel, which was not only studied, but lived +over again daily, stimulated the desire to criticize it. The religious +reflections upon nature laid down in the myths of the people, the fairy +tales, which have the sole object of pleasing, and the legends, which +are the people's verdict upon history—all these were welded into one +product. The fancy of the Jewish people was engaged by the past +reflected in the Bible, and all its creations wear a Biblical hue for +this reason. This explains the peculiar form of the Haggadah. + +But what is spontaneously brought forth by the people is often +preserved only in the form impressed upon it by the feeling and the +thought of the poet, or by the speculations of the learned. Also Jewish +legends have rarely been transmitted in their original shape. They have +been perpetuated in the form of Midrash, that is, Scriptural exegesis. +The teachers of the Haggadah, called Rabbanan d'Aggadta in the Talmud, +were no folklorists, from whom a faithful reproduction of legendary +material may be expected. Primarily they were homilists, who used +legends for didactic purposes, and their main object was to establish a +close connection between the Scripture and the creations of the popular +fancy, to give the latter a firm basis and secure a long term of life +for them. + +One of the most important tasks of the modern investigation of the +Haggadah is to make a clean separation between the original elements +and the later learned additions. Hardly a beginning has been made in +this direction. But as long as the task of distinguishing them has not +been accomplished, it is impossible to write out the Biblical legends +of the Jews without including the supplemental work of scholars in the +products of the popular fancy. + +In the present work, "The Legends of the Jews," I have made the first +attempt to gather from the original sources all Jewish legends, in so +far as they refer to Biblical personages and events, and reproduce them +with the greatest attainable completeness and accuracy. I use the +expression Jewish, rather than Rabbinic, because the sources from which +I have levied contributions are not limited to the Rabbinic literature. +As I expect to take occasion elsewhere to enter into a description of +the sources in detail, the following data must suffice for the present. + +The works of the Talmudic Midrashic literature are of the first +importance. Covering the period from the second to the fourteenth +century, they contain the major part of the Jewish legendary material. +Akin to this in content if not always in form is that derived from the +Targumim, of which the oldest versions were produced not earlier than +the fourth century, and the most recent not later than the tenth. The +Midrashic literature has been preserved only in fragmentary form. Many +Haggadot not found in our existing collections are quoted by the +authors of the Middle Ages. Accordingly, a not inconsiderable number of +the legends here printed are taken from medieval Bible commentators and +homilists. I was fortunate in being able to avail myself also of +fragments of Midrashim of which only manuscript copies are extant. + +The works of the older Kabbalah are likewise treasuries of quotations +from lost Midrashim, and it was among the Kabbalists, and later among +the Hasidim, that new legends arose. The literatures produced in these +two circles are therefore of great importance for the present purpose. + +Furthermore, Jewish legends can be culled not from the writings of the +Synagogue alone; they appear also in those of the Church. Certain +Jewish works repudiated by the Synagogue were accepted and mothered by +the Church. This is the literature usually denominated +apocryphal-pseudepigraphic. From the point of view of legends, the +apocryphal books are of subordinate importance, while the +pseudepigrapha are of fundamental value. Even quantitatively the latter +are an imposing mass. Besides the Greek writings of the Hellenist Jews, +they contain Latin, Syrian, Ethiopic, Aramean, Arabic, Persian, and Old +Slavic products translated directly or indirectly from Jewish works of +Palestinian or Hellenistic origin. The use of these pseudepigrapha +requires great caution. Nearly all of them are embellished with +Christian interpolations, and in some cases the inserted portions have +choked the original form so completely that it is impossible to +determine at first sight whether a Jewish or a Christian legend is +under examination. I believe, however, that the pseudepigraphic +material made use of by me is Jewish beyond the cavil of a doubt, and +therefore it could not have been left out of account in a work like the +present. + +However, in the appreciation of Jewish Legends, it is the Rabbinic +writers that should form the point of departure, and not the +pseudepigrapha. The former represent the main stream of Jewish thought +and feeling, the latter only an undercurrent. If the Synagogue cast out +the pseudepigrapha, and the Church adopted them with a great show of +favor, these respective attitudes were not determined arbitrarily or by +chance. The pseudepigrapha originated in circles that harbored the +germs from which Christianity developed later on. The Church could thus +appropriate them as her own with just reason. + +In the use of some of the apocryphal and pseudepigraphic writings, I +found it expedient to quote the English translations of them made by +others, in so far as they could be brought into accord with the general +style of the book, for which purpose I permitted myself the liberty of +slight verbal changes. In particulars, I was guided, naturally, by my +own conception of the subject, which the Notes justify in detail. + +Besides the pseudepigrapha there are other Jewish sources in Christian +garb. In the rich literature of the Church Fathers many a Jewish legend +lies embalmed which one would seek in vain in Jewish books. It was +therefore my special concern to use the writings of the Fathers to the +utmost. + +The luxuriant abundance of the material to be presented made it +impossible to give a verbal rendition of each legend. This would have +required more than three times the space at my disposal. I can +therefore claim completeness for my work only as to content. In form it +had to suffer curtailment. When several conflicting versions of the +same legend existed, I gave only one in the text, reserving the other +one, or the several others, for the Notes, or, when practicable, they +were fused into one typical legend, the component parts of which are +analyzed in the Notes. In other instances I resorted to the expedient +of citing one version in one place and the others in other appropriate +places, in furtherance of my aim, to give a smooth presentation of the +matter, with as few interruptions to the course of the narrative as +possible. For this reason I avoided such transitional phrases as "Some +say," "It has been maintained," etc. That my method sometimes separates +things that belong together cannot be considered a grave disadvantage, +as the Index at the end of the work will present a logical +rearrangement of the material for the benefit of the interested +student. I also did not hesitate to treat of the same personage in +different chapters, as, for instance, many of the legends bearing upon +Jacob, those connected with the latter years of the Patriarch, do not +appear in the chapter bearing his name, but will be found in the +sections devoted to Joseph, for the reason that once the son steps upon +the scene, he becomes the central figure, to which the life and deeds +of the father are subordinated. Again, in consideration of lack of +space the Biblical narratives underlying the legends had to be +omitted—surely not a serious omission in a subject with which +widespread acquaintance may be presupposed as a matter of course. + +As a third consequence of the amplitude of the material, it was thought +advisable to divide it into several volumes. The references, the +explanations of the sources used, and the interpretations given, and, +especially, numerous emendations of the text of the Midrashim and the +pseudepigrapha, which determined my conception of the passages so +emended, will be found in the last volume, the fourth, which will +contain also an Introduction to the History of Jewish Legends, a number +of Excursuses, and the Index. + +As the first three volumes are in the hands of the printer almost in +their entirety, I venture to express the hope that the whole work will +appear within measurable time, the parts following each other at short +intervals. + +LOUIS GINZBERG. + + +NEW YORK, March 24, 1909 + + + + +I +THE CREATION OF THE WORLD + +THE FIRST THINGS CREATED + +In the beginning, two thousand years before the heaven and the earth, +seven things were created: the Torah written with black fire on white +fire, and lying in the lap of God; the Divine Throne, erected in the +heaven which later was over the heads of the Hayyot; Paradise on the +right side of God, Hell on the left side; the Celestial Sanctuary +directly in front of God, having a jewel on its altar graven with the +Name of the Messiah, and a Voice that cries aloud, "Return, ye children +of men."[1] + +When God resolved upon the creation of the world, He took counsel with +the Torah.[2] Her advice was this: "O Lord, a king without an army and +without courtiers and attendants hardly deserves the name of king, for +none is nigh to express the homage due to him." The answer pleased God +exceedingly. Thus did He teach all earthly kings, by His Divine +example, to undertake naught without first consulting advisers.[3] + +The advice of the Torah was given with some reservations. She was +skeptical about the value of an earthly world, on account of the +sinfulness of men, who would be sure to disregard her precepts. But God +dispelled her doubts. He told her, that repentance had been created +long before, and sinners would have the opportunity of mending their +ways. Besides, the Temple service would be invested with atoning power, +and Paradise and hell were intended to do duty as reward and +punishment. Finally, the Messiah was appointed to bring salvation, +which would put an end to all sinfulness.[4] + +Nor is this world inhabited by man the first of things earthly created +by God. He made several worlds before ours, but He destroyed them all, +because He was pleased with none until He created ours.[5] But even +this last world would have had no permanence, if God had executed His +original plan of ruling it according to the principle of strict +justice. It was only when He saw that justice by itself would undermine +the world that He associated mercy with justice, and made them to rule +jointly.[6] Thus, from the beginning of all things prevailed Divine +goodness, without which nothing could have continued to exist. If not +for it, the myriads of evil spirits had soon put an end to the +generations of men. But the goodness of God has ordained, that in every +Nisan, at the time of the spring equinox, the seraphim shall approach +the world of spirits, and intimidate them so that they fear to do harm +to men. Again, if God in His goodness had not given protection to the +weak, the tame animals would have been extirpated long ago by the wild +animals. In Tammuz, at the time of the summer solstice, when the +strength of behemot is at its height, he roars so loud that all the +animals hear it, and for a whole year they are affrighted and timid, +and their acts become less ferocious than their nature is. Again, in +Tishri, at the time of the autumnal equinox, the great bird ziz[7] +flaps his wings and utters his cry, so that the birds of prey, the +eagles and the vultures, blench, and they fear to swoop down upon the +others and annihilate them in their greed. And, again, were it not for +the goodness of God, the vast number of big fish had quickly put an end +to the little ones. But at the time of the winter solstice, in the +month of Tebet, the sea grows restless, for then leviathan spouts up +water, and the big fish become uneasy. They restrain their appetite, +and the little ones escape their rapacity. + +Finally, the goodness of God manifests itself in the preservation of +His people Israel. It could not have survived the enmity of the +Gentiles, if God had not appointed protectors for it, the archangels +Michael and Gabriel.[8] Whenever Israel disobeys God, and is accused of +misdemeanors by the angels of the other nations, he is defended by his +designated guardians, with such good result that the other angels +conceive fear of them. Once the angels of the other nations are +terrified, the nations themselves venture not to carry out their wicked +designs against Israel. + +That the goodness of God may rule on earth as in heaven, the Angels of +Destruction are assigned a place at the far end of the heavens, from +which they may never stir, while the Angels of Mercy encircle the +Throne of God, at His behest.[9] + +THE ALPHABET + +When God was about to create the world by His word, the twenty-two +letters of the alphabet[10] descended from the terrible and august +crown of God whereon they were engraved with a pen of flaming fire. +They stood round about God, and one after the other spake and +entreated, "Create the world through me!" The first to step forward was +the letter Taw. It said: "O Lord of the world! May it be Thy will to +create Thy world through me, seeing that it is through me that Thou +wilt give the Torah to Israel by the hand of Moses, as it is written, +'Moses commanded us the Torah.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, made +reply, and said, "No!" Taw asked, "Why not?" and God answered: "Because +in days to come I shall place thee as a sign of death upon the +foreheads of men." As soon as Taw heard these words issue from the +mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, it retired from His presence +disappointed. + +The Shin then stepped forward, and pleaded: "O Lord of the world, +create Thy world through me: seeing that Thine own name Shaddai begins +with me." Unfortunately, it is also the first letter of Shaw, lie, and +of Sheker, falsehood, and that incapacitated it. Resh had no better +luck. It was pointed out that it was the initial letter of Ra', wicked, +and Rasha' evil, and after that the distinction it enjoys of being the +first letter in the Name of God, Rahum, the Merciful, counted for +naught. The Kof was rejected, because Kelalah, curse, outweighs the +advantage of being the first in Kadosh, the Holy One. In vain did Zadde +call attention to Zaddik, the Righteous One; there was Zarot, the +misfortunes of Israel, to testify against it. Pe had Podeh, redeemer, +to its credit, but Pesha: transgression, reflected dishonor upon it. +'Ain was declared unfit, because, though it begins 'Anawah, humility, +it performs the same service for 'Erwah, immorality. Samek said: "O +Lord, may it be Thy will to begin the creation with me, for Thou art +called Samek, after me, the Upholder of all that fall." But God said: +"Thou art needed in the place in which thou art;[11] thou must continue +to uphold all that fall." Nun introduces Ner, "the lamp of the Lord," +which is "the spirit of men," but it also introduces Ner, "the lamp of +the wicked," which will be put out by God. Mem starts Melek, king, one +of the titles of God. As it is the first letter of Mehumah, confusion, +as well, it had no chance of accomplishing its desire. The claim of +Lamed bore its refutation within itself. It advanced the argument that +it was the first letter of Luhot, the celestial tables for the Ten +Commandments; it forgot that the tables were shivered in pieces by +Moses. Kaf was sure of victory Kisseh, the throne of God, Kabod, His +honor, and Keter, His crown, all begin with it. God had to remind it +that He would smite together His hands, Kaf, in despair over the +misfortunes of Israel. Yod at first sight seemed the appropriate letter +for the beginning of creation, on account of its association with Yah, +God, if only Yezer ha-Ra' the evil inclination, had not happened to +begin with it, too. Tet is identified with Tob, the good. However, the +truly good is not in this world; it belongs to the world to come. Het +is the first letter of Hanun, the Gracious One; but this advantage is +offset by its place in the word for sin, Hattat. Zain suggests Zakor, +remembrance, but it is itself the word for weapon, the doer of +mischief. Waw and He compose the Ineffable Name of God; they are +therefore too exalted to be pressed into the service of the mundane +world. If Dalet had stood only for Dabar, the Divine Word, it would +have been used, but it stands also for Din, justice, and under the rule +of law without love the world would have fallen to ruin. Finally, in +spite of reminding one of Gadol, great, Gimel would not do, because +Gemul, retribution, starts with it. + +After the claims of all these letters had been disposed of, Bet stepped +before the Holy One, blessed be He, and pleaded before Him: "O Lord of +the world! May it be Thy will to create Thy world through me, seeing +that all the dwellers in the world give praise daily unto Thee through +me, as it is said, 'Blessed be the Lord forever. Amen, and Amen.'" The +Holy One, blessed be He, at once granted the petition of Bet. He said, +"Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord." And He created His +world through Bet, as it is said, "Bereshit God created the heaven and +the earth." The only letter that had refrained from urging its claims +was the modest Alef, and God rewarded it later for its humility by +giving it the first place in the Decalogue.[12] + +THE FIRST DAY + +On the first day of creation God produced ten things:[13] the heavens +and the earth, Tohu and Bohu, light and darkness, wind and water, the +duration of the day[14] and the duration of the night.[15] + +Though the heavens and the earth consist of entirely different +elements,[16] they were yet created as a unit, "like the pot and its +cover."[17] The heavens were fashioned from the light of God's garment, +and the earth from the snow under the Divine Throne.[18] Tohu is a +green band which encompasses the whole world, and dispenses darkness, +and Bohu consists of stones in the abyss, the producers of the waters. +The light created at the very beginning is not the same as the light +emitted by the sun, the moon, and the stars, which appeared only on the +fourth day. The light of the first day was of a sort that would have +enabled man to see the world at a glance from one end to the other. +Anticipating the wickedness of the sinful generations of the deluge and +the Tower of Babel, who were unworthy to enjoy the blessing of such +light, God concealed it, but in the world to come it will appear to the +pious in all its pristine glory.[19] + +Several heavens were created,[20] seven in fact,[21] each to serve a +purpose of its own. The first, the one visible to man, has no function +except that of covering up the light during the night time; therefore +it disappears every morning. The planets are fastened to the second of +the heavens; in the third the manna is made for the pious in the +hereafter; the fourth contains the celestial Jerusalem together with +the Temple, in which Michael ministers as high priest, and offers the +souls of the pious as sacrifices. In the fifth heaven, the angel hosts +reside, and sing the praise of God, though only during the night, for +by day it is the task of Israel on earth to give glory to God on high. +The sixth heaven is an uncanny spot; there originate most of the trials +and visitations ordained for the earth and its inhabitants. Snow lies +heaped up there and hail; there are lofts full of noxious dew, +magazines stocked with storms, and cellars holding reserves of smoke. +Doors of fire separate these celestial chambers, which are under the +supervision of the archangel Metatron. Their pernicious contents +defiled the heavens until David's time. The pious king prayed God to +purge His exalted dwelling of whatever was pregnant with evil; it was +not becoming that such things should exist near the Merciful One. Only +then they were removed to the earth. + +The seventh heaven, on the other hand, contains naught but what is good +and beautiful: right, justice, and mercy, the storehouses of life, +peace, and blessing, the souls of the pious, the souls and spirits of +unborn generations, the dew with which God will revive the dead on the +resurrection day, and, above all, the Divine Throne, surrounded by the +seraphim, the ofanim, the holy Hayyot, and the ministering angels.[22] + +Corresponding to the seven heavens, God created seven earths, each +separated from the next by five layers. Over the lowest earth, the +seventh, called Erez, lie in succession the abyss, the Tohu, the Bohu, +a sea, and waters.[23] Then the sixth[24] earth is reached, the Adamah, +the scene of the magnificence of God. In the same way the Adamah is +separated from the fifth earth, the Arka, which contains Gehenna, and +Sha'are Mawet, and Sha'are Zalmawet, and Beer Shahat, and Tit ha-Yawen, +and Abaddon, and Sheol,[25] and there the souls of the wicked are +guarded by the Angels of Destruction. In the same way Arka is followed +by Harabah, the dry, the place of brooks and streams in spite of its +name, as the next, called Yabbashah, the mainland, contains the rivers +and the springs. Tebel, the second earth, is the first mainland +inhabited by living creatures, three hundred and sixty-five +species,[26] all essentially different from those of our own earth. +Some have human heads set on the body of a lion, or a serpent, or an +ox; others have human bodies topped by the head of one of these +animals. Besides, Tebel is inhabited by human beings with two heads and +four hands and feet, in fact with all their organs doubled excepting +only the trunk.[27] It happens sometimes that the parts of these double +persons quarrel with each other, especially while eating and drinking, +when each claims the best and largest portions for himself. This +species of mankind is distinguished for great piety, another difference +between it and the inhabitants of our earth. + +Our own earth is called Heled, and, like the others, it is separated +from the Tebel by an abyss, the Tohu, the Bohu, a sea, and waters. + +Thus one earth rises above the other, from the first to the seventh, +and over the seventh earth the heavens are vaulted, from the first to +the seventh, the last of them attached to the arm of God. The seven +heavens form a unity, the seven kinds of earth form a unity, and the +heavens and the earth together also form a unity.[28] + +When God made our present heavens and our present earth, "the new +heavens and the new earth"[29] were also brought forth, yea, and the +hundred and ninety-six thousand worlds which God created unto His Own +glory.[30] + +It takes five hundred years to walk from the earth to the heavens, and +from one end of a heaven to the other, and also from one heaven to the +next,[31] and it takes the same length of time to travel from the east +to the west, or from the south to the north.[32] Of all this vast world +only one-third is inhabited, the other two-thirds being equally divided +between water and waste desert land. + +Beyond the inhabited parts to the east is Paradise[33] with its seven +divisions, each assigned to the pious of a certain degree. The ocean is +situated to the west, and it is dotted with islands upon islands, +inhabited by many different peoples. Beyond it, in turn, are the +boundless steppes full of serpents and scorpions, and destitute of +every sort of vegetation, whether herbs or trees. To the north are the +supplies of hell-fire, of snow, hail, smoke, ice, darkness, and +windstorms, and in that vicinity sojourn all sorts of devils, demons, +and malign spirits. Their dwelling-place is a great stretch of land, it +would take five hundred years to traverse it. Beyond lies hell. To the +south is the chamber containing reserves of fire, the cave of smoke, +and the forge of blasts and hurricanes.[34] Thus it comes that the wind +blowing from the south brings heat and sultriness to the earth. Were it +not for the angel Ben Nez, the Winged, who keeps the south wind back +with his pinions, the world would be consumed.[35] Besides, the fury of +its blast is tempered by the north wind, which always appears as +moderator, whatever other wind may be blowing.[36] + +In the east, the west, and the south, heaven and earth touch each +other, but the north God left unfinished, that any man who announced +himself as a god might be set the task of supplying the deficiency, and +stand convicted as a pretender.[37] + +The construction of the earth was begun at the centre, with the +foundation stone of the Temple, the Eben Shetiyah,[38] for the Holy +Land is at the central point of the surface of the earth, Jerusalem is +at the central point of Palestine, and the Temple is situated at the +centre of the Holy City. In the sanctuary itself the Hekal is the +centre, and the holy Ark occupies the centre of the Hekal, built on the +foundation stone, which thus is at the centre of the earth.[39] Thence +issued the first ray of light, piercing to the Holy Land, and from +there illuminating the whole earth.[40] The creation of the world, +however, could not take place until God had banished the ruler of the +dark.[41] "Retire," God said to him, "for I desire to create the world +by means of light." Only after the light had been fashioned, darkness +arose, the light ruling in the sky, the darkness on the earth.[42] The +power of God displayed itself not only in the creation of the world of +things, but equally in the limitations which He imposed upon each. The +heavens and the earth stretched themselves out in length and breadth as +though they aspired to infinitude, and it required the word of God to +call a halt to their encroachments.[43] + +THE SECOND DAY + +On the second day God brought forth four creations, the firmament, +hell, fire, and the angels.[44] The firmament is not the same as the +heavens of the first day. It is the crystal stretched forth over the +heads of the Hayyot, from which the heavens derive their light, as the +earth derives its light from the sun. This firmament saves the earth +from being engulfed by the waters of the heavens; it forms the +partition between the waters above and the waters below.[45] It was +made to crystallize into the solid it is by the heavenly fire, which +broke its bounds, and condensed the surface of the firmament. Thus fire +made a division between the celestial and the terrestrial at the time +of creation, as it did at the revelation on Mount Sinai.[46] The +firmament is not more than three fingers thick,[47] nevertheless it +divides two such heavy bodies as the waters below, which are the +foundations for the nether world, and the waters above, which are the +foundations for the seven heavens, the Divine Throne, and the abode of +the angels.[48] + +The separation of the waters into upper and lower waters was the only +act of the sort done by God in connection with the work of +creation.[49] All other acts were unifying. It therefore caused some +difficulties. When God commanded, "Let the waters be gathered together, +unto one place, and let the dry land appear," certain parts refused to +obey. They embraced each other all the more closely. In His wrath at +the waters, God determined to let the whole of creation resolve itself +into chaos again. He summoned the Angel of the Face, and ordered him to +destroy the world. The angel opened his eyes wide, and scorching fires +and thick clouds rolled forth from them, while he cried out, "He who +divides the Red Sea in sunder!"—and the rebellious waters stood. The +all, however, was still in danger of destruction. Then began the singer +of God's praises: "O Lord of the world, in days to come Thy creatures +will sing praises without end to Thee, they will bless Thee +boundlessly, and they will glorify Thee without measure. Thou wilt set +Abraham apart from all mankind as Thine own; one of his sons Thou wilt +call 'My first-born'; and his descendants will take the yoke of Thy +kingdom upon themselves. In holiness and purity Thou wilt bestow Thy +Torah upon them, with the words, 'I am the Lord your God,' whereunto +they will make answer, 'All that God hath spoken we will do.' And now I +beseech Thee, have pity upon Thy world, destroy it not, for if Thou +destroyest it, who will fulfil Thy will?" God was pacified; He withdrew +the command ordaining the destruction of the world, but the waters He +put under the mountains, to remain there forever.[50] The objection of +the lower waters to division and Separation[51] was not their only +reason for rebelling. The waters had been the first to give praise to +God, and when their separation into upper and lower was decreed, the +waters above rejoiced, saying, "Blessed are we who are privileged to +abide near our Creator and near His Holy Throne." Jubilating thus, they +flew upward, and uttered song and praise to the Creator of the world. +Sadness fell upon the waters below. They lamented: "Woe unto us, we +have not been found worthy to dwell in the presence of God, and praise +Him together with our companions." Therefore they attempted to rise +upward, until God repulsed them, and pressed them under the earth.[52] +Yet they were not left unrewarded for their loyalty. Whenever the +waters above desire to give praise to God, they must first seek +permission from the waters below.[53] + +The second day of creation was an untoward day in more than the one +respect that it introduced a breach where before there had been nothing +but unity; for it was the day that saw also the creation of hell. +Therefore God could not say of this day as of the others, that He "saw +that it was good." A division may be necessary, but it cannot be called +good, and hell surely does not deserve the attribute of good.[54] +Hell[55] has seven divisions,[36] one beneath the other. They are +called Sheol, Abaddon, Beer Shahat, Tit ha-Yawen, Sha'are Mawet, +Sha'are Zalmawet: and Gehenna. It requires three hundred years to +traverse the height, or the width, or the depth of each division, and +it would take six thousand three hundred[37] years to go over a tract +of land equal in extent to the seven divisions.[38] + +Each of the seven divisions in turn has seven subdivisions, and in each +compartment there are seven rivers of fire and seven of hail. The width +of each is one thousand ells, its depth one thousand, and its length +three hundred, and they flow one from the other, and are supervised by +ninety thousand Angels of Destruction. There are, besides, in every +compartment seven thousand caves, in every cave there are seven +thousand crevices, and in every crevice seven thousand scorpions. Every +scorpion has three hundred rings, and in every ring seven thousand +pouches of venom, from which flow seven rivers of deadly poison. If a +man handles it, he immediately bursts, every limb is torn from his +body, his bowels are cleft asunder, and he falls upon his face.[56] +There are also five different kinds of fire in hell. One devours and +absorbs, another devours and does not absorb, while the third absorbs +and does not devour, and there is still another fire, which neither +devours nor absorbs, and furthermore a fire which devours fire. There +are coals big as mountains, and coals big as hills, and coals as large +as the Dead Sea, and coals like huge stones, and there are rivers of +pitch and sulphur flowing and seething like live coals.[60] + +The third creation of the second day was the angel hosts, both the +ministering angels and the angels of praise. The reason they had not +been called into being on the first day was, lest men believe that the +angels assisted God in the creation of the heavens and the earth.[61] +The angels that are fashioned from fire have forms of fire,[62] but +only so long as they remain in heaven. When they descend to earth, to +do the bidding of God here below, either they are changed into wind, or +they assume the guise of men.[63] There are ten ranks or degrees among +the angels.[64] + +The most exalted in rank are those surrounding the Divine Throne on all +sides, to the right, to the left, in front, and behind, under the +leadership of the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael.[65] + +All the celestial beings praise God with the words, "Holy, holy, holy, +is the Lord of hosts," but men take precedence of the angels herein. +They may not begin their song of praise until the earthly beings have +brought their homage to God.[66] Especially Israel is preferred to the +angels. When they encircle the Divine Throne in the form of fiery +mountains and flaming hills, and attempt to raise their voices in +adoration of the Creator, God silences them with the words, "Keep quiet +until I have heard the songs, praises, prayers, and sweet melodies of +Israel." Accordingly, the ministering angels and all the other +celestial hosts wait until the last tones of Israel's doxologies rising +aloft from earth have died away, and then they proclaim in a loud +voice, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts." When the hour for the +glorification of God by the angels draws nigh, the august Divine +herald, the angel Sham'iel, steps to the windows[67] of the lowest +heaven to hearken to the songs, prayers, and praises that ascend from +the synagogues and the houses of learning, and when they are finished, +he announces the end to the angels in all the heavens. The ministering +angels, those who come in contact with the sublunary world,[68] now +repair to their chambers to take their purification bath. They dive +into a stream of fire and flame seven times, and three hundred and +sixty-five times they examine themselves carefully, to make sure that +no taint clings to their bodies.[69] Only then they feel privileged to +mount the fiery ladder and join the angels of the seventh heaven, and +surround the throne of God with Hashmal and all the holy Hayyot. +Adorned with millions of fiery crowns, arrayed in fiery garments, all +the angels in unison, in the same words, and with the same melody, +intone songs of praise to God.[70] + +THE THIRD DAY + +Up to this time the earth was a plain, and wholly covered with water. +Scarcely had the words of God, "Let the waters be gathered together," +made themselves heard, when mountains appeared all over and hills,[71] +and the water collected in the deep-lying basins. But the water was +recalcitrant, it resisted the order to occupy the lowly spots, and +threatened to overflow the earth, until God forced it back into the +sea, and encircled the sea with sand. Now, whenever the water is +tempted to transgress its bounds, it beholds the sand, and recoils.[72] + +The waters did but imitate their chief Rahab, the Angel of the Sea, who +rebelled at the creation of the world. God had commanded Rahab to take +in the water. But he refused, saying, "I have enough." The punishment +for his disobedience was death. His body rests in the depths of the +sea, the water dispelling the foul odor that emanates from it.[73] + +The main creation of the third day was the realm of plants, the +terrestrial plants as well as the plants of Paradise. First of all the +cedars of Lebanon and the other great trees were made. In their pride +at having been put first, they shot up high in the air. They considered +themselves the favored among plants. Then God spake, "I hate arrogance +and pride, for I alone am exalted, and none beside," and He created the +iron on the same day, the substance with which trees are felled down. +The trees began to weep, and when God asked the reason of their tears, +they said: "We cry because Thou hast created the iron to uproot us +therewith. All the while we had thought ourselves the highest of the +earth, and now the iron, our destroyer, has been called into +existence." God replied: "You yourselves will furnish the axe with a +handle. Without your assistance the iron will not be able to do aught +against you."[74] + +The command to bear seed after their kind was given to the trees alone. +But the various sorts of grass reasoned, that if God had not desired +divisions according to classes, He would not have instructed the trees +to bear fruit after their kind with the seed thereof in it, especially +as trees are inclined of their own accord to divide themselves into +species. The grasses therefore reproduced themselves also after their +kinds. This prompted the exclamation of the Prince of the World, "Let +the glory of the Lord endure forever; let the Lord rejoice in His +works."[75] + +The most important work done on the third day was the creation of +Paradise. Two gates of carbuncle form the entrance to Paradise,[76] and +sixty myriads of ministering angels keep watch over them. Each of these +angels shines with the lustre of the heavens. When the just man appears +before the gates, the clothes in which he was buried are taken off him, +and the angels array him in seven garments of clouds of glory, and +place upon his head two crowns, one of precious stones and pearls, the +other of gold of Parvaim,[77] and they put eight myrtles in his hand, +and they utter praises before him and say to him, "Go thy way, and eat +thy bread with joy." And they lead him to a place full of rivers, +surrounded by eight hundred kinds of roses and myrtles. Each one has a +canopy according to his merits,[78] and under it flow four rivers, one +of milk, the other of balsam, the third of wine, and the fourth of +honey. Every canopy is overgrown by a vine of gold, and thirty pearls +hang from it, each of them shining like Venus. Under each canopy there +is a table of precious stones and pearls, and sixty angels stand at the +head of every just man, saying unto him: "Go and eat with joy of the +honey, for thou hast busied thyself with the Torah, and she is sweeter +than honey, and drink of the wine preserved in the grape since the six +days of creation,[79] for thou hast busied thyself with the Torah, and +she is compared to wine." The least fair of the just is beautiful as +Joseph and Rabbi Johanan, and as the grains of a silver pomegranate +upon which fall the rays of the sun.[80] There is no light, "for the +light of the righteous is the shining light." And they undergo four +transformations every day, passing through four states. In the first +the righteous is changed into a child. He enters the division for +children, and tastes the joys of childhood. Then he is changed into a +youth, and enters the division for the youths, with whom he enjoys the +delights of youth. Next he becomes an adult, in the prime of life, and +he enters the division of men, and enjoys the pleasures of manhood. +Finally, he is changed into an old man. He enters the division for the +old, and enjoys the pleasures of age. + +There are eighty myriads of trees in every corner of Paradise, the +meanest among them choicer than all the spice trees. In every corner +there are sixty myriads of angels singing with sweet voices, and the +tree of life stands in the middle and shades the whole of Paradise.[81] +It has fifteen thousand tastes, each different from the other, and the +perfumes thereof vary likewise. Over it hang seven clouds of glory, and +winds blow upon it from all four sides,[82] so that its odor is wafted +from one end of the world to the other. Underneath sit the scholars and +explain the Torah. Over each of them two canopies are spread, one of +stars, the other of sun and moon, and a curtain of clouds of glory +separates the one canopy from the other.[83] Beyond Paradise begins +Eden, containing three hundred and ten worlds[84] and seven +compartments for seven different classes of the pious. In the first are +"the martyr victims of the government," like Rabbi Akiba and his +colleagues;[85] in the second those who were drowned;[86] in the +third[87] Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai and his disciples; in the fourth +those who were carried off in the cloud of glory;[88] in the fifth the +penitents, who occupy a place which even a perfectly pious man cannot +obtain; in the sixth are the youths[89] who have not tasted of sin in +their lives; in the seventh are those poor who studied Bible and +Mishnah, and led a life of self-respecting decency. And God sits in the +midst of them and expounds the Torah to them.[90] + +As for the seven divisions of Paradise, each of them is twelve myriads +of miles in width and twelve myriads of miles in length. In the first +division dwell the proselytes who embraced Judaism of their own free +will, not from compulsion. The walls are of glass and the wainscoting +of cedar. The prophet Obadiah,[91] himself a proselyte, is the overseer +of this first division. The second division is built of silver, and the +wainscoting thereof is of cedar. Here dwell those who have repented, +and Manasseh, the penitent son of Hezekiah, presides over them. The +third division is built of silver and gold. Here dwell Abraham, Isaac, +and Jacob, and all the Israelites who came out of Egypt, and the whole +generation that lived in the desert.[92] Also David is there, together +with all his sons[93] except Absalom, one of them, Chileab, still +alive. And all the kings of Judah are there, with the exception of +Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, who presides in the second division, +over the penitents. Moses and Aaron preside over the third division. +Here are precious vessels of silver and gold and jewels and canopies +and beds and thrones and lamps, of gold, of precious stones, and of +pearls, the best of everything there is in heaven.[94] The fourth +division is built of beautiful rubies,[95] and its wainscoting is of +olive wood. Here dwell the perfect and the steadfast in faith, and +their wainscoting is of olive wood, because their lives were bitter as +olives to them. The fifth division is built of silver and gold and +refined gold,[96] and the finest of gold and glass and bdellium, and +through the midst of it flows the river Gihon. The wainscoting is of +silver and gold, and a perfume breathes through it more exquisite than +the perfume of Lebanon. The coverings of the silver and gold beds are +made of purple and blue, woven by Eve, and of scarlet and the hair of +goats, woven by angels. Here dwells the Messiah on a palanquin made of +the wood of Lebanon, "the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom of +gold, the seat of it purple." With him is Elijah. He takes the head of +Messiah, and places it in his bosom, and says to him, "Be quiet, for +the end draweth nigh." On every Monday and Thursday and on Sabbaths and +holidays, the Patriarchs come to him, and the twelve sons of Jacob, and +Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, and all the kings of Israel and of Judah, +and they weep with him and comfort him, and say unto him, "Be quiet and +put trust in thy Creator, for the end draweth nigh." Also Korah and his +company, and Dathan, Abiram, and Absalom come to him on every +Wednesday, and ask him: "How long before the end comes full of wonders? +When wilt thou bring us life again, and from the abysses of the earth +lift us?" The Messiah answers them, "Go to your fathers and ask them"; +and when they hear this, they are ashamed, and do not ask their +fathers. + +In the sixth division dwell those who died in performing a pious act, +and in the seventh division those who died from illness inflicted as an +expiation for the sins of Israel.[97] + +THE FOURTH DAY + +The fourth day of creation produced the sun, the moon, and the stars. +These heavenly spheres were not actually fashioned on this day; they +were created on the first day, and merely were assigned their places in +the heavens on the fourth.[98] At first the sun and the moon enjoyed +equal powers and prerogatives.[99] The moon spoke to God, and said: "O +Lord, why didst Thou create the world with the letter Bet?" God +replied: "That it might be made known unto My creatures that there are +two worlds." The moon: "O Lord: which of the two worlds is the larger, +this world or the world to come?" God: "The world to come is the +larger." The moon: "O Lord, Thou didst create two worlds, a greater and +a lesser world; Thou didst create the heaven and the earth, the heaven +exceeding the earth; Thou didst create fire and water, the water +stronger than the fire, because it can quench the fire; and now Thou +hast created the sun and the moon, and it is becoming that one of them +should be greater than the other." Then spake God to the moon: "I know +well, thou wouldst have me make Thee greater than the sun. As a +punishment I decree that thou mayest keep but one-sixtieth of thy +light." The moon made supplication: "Shall I be punished so severely +for having spoken a single word?" God relented: "In the future world I +will restore thy light, so that thy light may again be as the light of +the sun." The moon was not yet satisfied. "O Lord," she said, "and the +light of the sun, how great will it be in that day?" Then the wrath of +God was once more enkindled: "What, thou still plottest against the +sun? As thou livest, in the world to come his light shall be sevenfold +the light he now sheds."[100] The Sun runs his course like a +bridegroom. He sits upon a throne with a garland on his head.[101] +Ninety-six angels accompany him on his daily journey, in relays of +eight every hour, two to the left of him, and two to the right, two +before Him, and two behind. Strong as he is, he could complete his +course from south to north in a single instant, but three hundred and +sixty-five angels restrain him by means of as many grappling-irons. +Every day one looses his hold, and the sun must thus spend three +hundred and sixty-five days on his course. The progress of the sun in +his circuit is an uninterrupted song of praise to God. And this song +alone makes his motion possible. Therefore, when Joshua wanted to bid +the sun stand still, he had to command him to be silent. His song of +praise hushed, the sun stood still.[102] + +The sun is double-faced; one face, of fire, is directed toward the +earth, and one of hail, toward heaven, to cool off the prodigious heat +that streams from the other face, else the earth would catch afire. In +winter the sun turns his fiery face upward, and thus the cold is +produced.[103] When the sun descends in the west in the evening, he +dips down into the ocean and takes a bath, his fire is extinguished, +and therefore he dispenses neither light nor warmth during the night. +But as soon as he reaches the east in the morning, he laves himself in +a stream of flame, which imparts warmth and light to him, and these he +sheds over the earth. In the same way the moon and the stars take a +bath in a stream of hail before they enter upon their service for the +night.[104] + +When the sun and the moon are ready to start upon their round of +duties, they appear before God, and beseech him to relieve them of +their task, so that they may be spared the sight of sinning mankind. +Only upon compulsion they proceed with their daily course. Coming from +the presence of God, they are blinded by the radiance in the heavens, +and they cannot find their way. God, therefore, shoots off arrows, by +the glittering light of which they are guided. It is on account of the +sinfulness of man, which the sun is forced to contemplate on his +rounds, that he grows weaker as the time of his going down approaches, +for sins have a defiling and enfeebling effect, and he drops from the +horizon as a sphere of blood, for blood is the sign of corruption.[105] +As the sun sets forth on his course in the morning, his wings touch the +leaves on the trees of Paradise, and their vibration is communicated to +the angels and the holy Hayyot, to the other plants, and also to the +trees and plants on earth, and to all the beings on earth and in +heaven. It is the signal for them all to cast their eyes upward. As +soon as they see the Ineffable Name, which is engraved in the sun, they +raise their voices in songs of praise to God. At the same moment a +heavenly voice is heard to say, "Woe to the sons of men that consider +not the honor of God like unto these creatures whose voices now rise +aloft in adoration."[106] These words, naturally, are not heard by men; +as little as they perceive the grating of the sun against the wheel to +which all the celestial bodies are attached, although the noise it +makes is extraordinarily loud.[107] This friction of the sun and the +wheel produces the motes dancing about in the sunbeams. They are the +carriers of healing to the sick,[108] the only health-giving creations +of the fourth day, on the whole an unfortunate day, especially for +children, afflicting them with disease.[109] When God punished the +envious moon by diminishing her light and splendor, so that she ceased +to be the equal of the sun as she had been originally,[110] she +fell,[111] and tiny threads were loosed from her body. These are the +stars.[112] + +THE FIFTH DAY + +On the fifth day of creation God took fire[118] and water, and out of +these two elements He made the fishes of the sea.[114] The animals in +the water are much more numerous than those on land. For every species +on land, excepting only the weasel, there is a corresponding species in +the water, and, besides, there are many found only in the water.[115] + +The ruler over the sea-animals is leviathan.[116] With all the other +fishes he was made on the fifth day.[117] Originally he was created +male and female like all the other animals. But when it appeared that a +pair of these monsters might annihilate the whole earth with their +united strength, God killed the female.[119] So enormous is leviathan +that to quench his thirst he needs all the water that flows from the +Jordan into the sea.[119] His food consists of the fish which go +between his jaws of their own accord.[120] When he is hungry, a hot +breath blows from his nostrils, and it makes the waters of the great +sea seething hot. Formidable though behemot, the other monster, is, he +feels insecure until he is certain that leviathan has satisfied his +thirst.[121] The only thing that can keep him in check is the +stickleback, a little fish which was created for the purpose, and of +which he stands in great awe.[122] But leviathan is more than merely +large and strong; he is wonderfully made besides. His fins radiate +brilliant light, the very sun is obscured by it,[123] and also his eyes +shed such splendor that frequently the sea is illuminated suddenly by +it.[121] No wonder that this marvellous beast is the plaything of God, +in whom He takes His pastime.[124] + +There is but one thing that makes leviathan repulsive, his foul smell: +which is so strong that if it penetrated thither, it would render +Paradise itself an impossible abode.[125] + +The real purpose of leviathan is to be served up as a dainty to the +pious in the world to come. The female was put into brine as soon as +she was killed, to be preserved against the time when her flesh will be +needed.[126] The male is destined to offer a delectable sight to all +beholders before he is consumed. When his last hour arrives, God will +summon the angels to enter into combat with the monster. But no sooner +will leviathan cast his glance at them than they will flee in fear and +dismay from the field of battle. They will return to the charge with +swords, but in vain, for his scales can turn back steel like straw. +They will be equally unsuccessful when they attempt to kill him by +throwing darts and slinging stones; such missiles will rebound without +leaving the least impression on his body. Disheartened, the angels will +give up the combat, and God will command leviathan and behemot to enter +into a duel with each other. The issue will be that both will drop +dead, behemot slaughtered by a blow of leviathan's fins, and leviathan +killed by a lash of behemot's tail. From the skin of leviathan God will +construct tents to shelter companies of the pious while they enjoy the +dishes made of his flesh. The amount assigned to each of the pious will +be in proportion to his deserts, and none will envy or begrudge the +other his better share. What is left of leviathan's skin will be +stretched out over Jerusalem as a canopy, and the light streaming from +it will illumine the whole world, and what is left of his flesh after +the pious have appeased their appetite, will be distributed among the +rest of men, to carry on traffic therewith.[127] + +On the same day with the fishes, the birds were created, for these two +kinds of animals are closely related to each other. Fish are fashioned +out of water, and birds out of marshy ground saturated with water.[128] + +As leviathan is the king of fishes, so the ziz is appointed to rule +over the birds.[129] His name comes from the variety of tastes his +flesh has; it tastes like this, zeh, and like that, zeh.[130] The ziz +is as monstrous of size as leviathan himself. His ankles rest on the +earth, and his head reaches to the very sky.[121] + +It once happened that travellers on a vessel noticed a bird. As he +stood in the water, it merely covered his feet, and his head knocked +against the sky. The onlookers thought the water could not have any +depth at that point, and they prepared to take a bath there. A heavenly +voice warned them: "Alight not here! Once a carpenter's axe slipped +from his hand at this spot, and it took it seven years to touch +bottom." The bird the travellers saw was none other than the ziz.[132] +His wings are so huge that unfurled they darken the sun.[133] They +protect the earth against the storms of the south; without their aid +the earth would not be able to resist the winds blowing thence.[134] +Once an egg of the ziz fell to the ground and broke. The fluid from it +flooded sixty cities, and the shock crushed three hundred cedars. +Fortunately such accidents do not occur frequently. As a rule the bird +lets her eggs slide gently into her nest. This one mishap was due to +the fact that the egg was rotten, and the bird cast it away carelessly. +The ziz has another name, Renanin,[135] because he is the celestial +singer.[136] On account of his relation to the heavenly regions he is +also called Sekwi, the seer, and, besides, he is called "son of the +nest,"[137] because his fledgling birds break away from the shell +without being hatched by the mother bird; they spring directly from the +nest, as it were.[138] Like leviathan, so ziz is a delicacy to be +served to the pious at the end of time, to compensate them for the +privations which abstaining from the unclean fowls imposed upon +them.[139] + +THE SIXTH DAY + +As the fish were formed out of water, and the birds out of boggy earth +well mixed with water, so the mammals were formed out of solid +earth,[140] and as leviathan is the most notable representative of the +fish kind, and ziz of the bird kind, so behemot is the most notable +representative of the mammal kind. Behemot matches leviathan in +strength, and he had to be prevented, like leviathan, from multiplying +and increasing, else the world could not have continued to exist; after +God had created him male and female, He at once deprived him of the +desire to propagate his kind.[141] He is so monstrous that he requires +the produce of a thousand mountains for his daily food. All the water +that flows through the bed of the Jordan in a year suffices him exactly +for one gulp. It therefore was necessary to give him one stream +entirely for his own use, a stream flowing forth from Paradise, called +Yubal.[142] Behemot, too, is destined to be served to the pious as an +appetizing dainty, but before they enjoy his flesh, they will be +permitted to view the mortal combat between leviathan and behemot, as a +reward for having denied themselves the pleasures of the circus and its +gladiatorial contests.[143] + +Leviathan, ziz, and behemot are not the only monsters; there are many +others, and marvellous ones, like the reem, a giant animal, of which +only one couple, male and female, is in existence. Had there been more, +the world could hardly have maintained itself against them. The act of +copulation occurs but once in seventy years between them, for God has +so ordered it that the male and female reem are at opposite ends of the +earth, the one in the east, the other in the west. The act of +copulation results in the death of the male. He is bitten by the female +and dies of the bite. The female becomes pregnant and remains in this +state for no less than twelve years. At the end of this long period she +gives birth to twins, a male and a female. The year preceding her +delivery she is not able to move. She would die of hunger, were it not +that her own spittle flowing copiously from her mouth waters and +fructifies the earth near her, and causes it to bring forth enough for +her maintenance. For a whole year the animal can but roll from side to +side, until finally her belly bursts, and the twins issue forth. Their +appearance is thus the signal for the death of the mother reem. She +makes room for the new generation, which in turn is destined to suffer +the same fate as the generation that went before. Immediately after +birth, the one goes eastward and the other westward, to meet only after +the lapse of seventy years, propagate themselves, and perish.[144] A +traveller who once saw a reem one day old described its height to be +four parasangs, and the length of its head one parasang and a +half.[145] Its horns measure one hundred ells, and their height is a +great deal more.[146] + +One of the most remarkable creatures is the "man of the mountain," Adne +Sadeh, or, briefly, Adam.[147] His form is exactly that of a human +being, but he is fastened to the ground by means of a navel-string, +upon which his life depends. The cord once snapped, he dies. This +animal keeps himself alive with what is produced by the soil around +about him as far as his tether permits him to crawl. No creature may +venture to approach within the radius of his cord, for he seizes and +demolishes whatever comes in his reach. To kill him, one may not go +near to him, the navel-string must be severed from a distance by means +of a dart, and then he dies amid groans and moans.[143] Once upon a +time a traveller happened in the region where this animal is found. He +overheard his host consult his wife as to what to do to honor their +guest, and resolve to serve "our man," as he said. Thinking he had +fallen among cannibals, the stranger ran as fast as his feet could +carry him from his entertainer, who sought vainly to restrain him. +Afterward, he found out that there had been no intention of regaling +him with human flesh, but only with the flesh of the strange animal +called "man."[146] As the "man of the mountain" is fixed to the ground +by his navel-string, so the barnacle-goose is grown to a tree by its +bill. It is hard to say whether it is an animal and must be slaughtered +to be fit for food, or whether it is a plant and no ritual ceremony is +necessary before eating it.[150] + +Among the birds the phoenix is the most wonderful. When Eve gave all +the animals some of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, the phoenix was +the only bird that refused to eat thereof, and he was rewarded with +eternal life. When he has lived a thousand years, his body shrinks, and +the feathers drop from it, until he is as small as an egg. This is the +nucleus of the new bird.[151] + +The phoenix is also called "the guardian of the terrestrial sphere." He +runs with the sun on his circuit, and he spreads out his wings and +catches up the fiery rays of the sun.[152] If he were not there to +intercept them, neither man nor any other animate being would keep +alive. On his right wing the following words are inscribed in huge +letters,[153] about four thousand stadia high: "Neither the earth +produces me, nor the heavens, but only the wings of fire." His food +consists of the manna of heaven and the dew of the earth. His excrement +is a worm, whose excrement in turn is the cinnamon used by kings and +princes.[152] Enoch, who saw the phoenix birds when he was translated, +describes them as flying creatures, wonderful and strange in +appearance, with the feet and tails of lions, and the heads of +crocodiles; their appearance is of a purple color like the rainbow; +their size nine hundred measures. Their wings are like those of angels, +each having twelve, and they attend the chariot of the sun and go with +him, bringing heat and dew as they are ordered by God. In the morning +when the sun starts on his daily course, the phoenixes and the +chalkidri[154] sing, and every bird flaps its wings, rejoicing the +Giver of light, and they sing a song at the command of the Lord.[155] +Among reptiles the salamander and the shamir are the most marvellous. +The salamander originates from a fire of myrtle wood[156] which has +been kept burning for seven years steadily by means of magic arts. Not +bigger than a mouse, it yet is invested with peculiar properties. One +who smears himself with its blood is invulnerable,[157] and the web +woven by it is a talisman against fire.[158] The people who lived at +the deluge boasted that, were a fire flood to come, they would protect +themselves with the blood of the salamander.[159] + +King Hezekiah owes his life to the salamander. His wicked father, King +Ahaz, had delivered him to the fires of Moloch, and he would have been +burnt, had his mother not painted him with the blood of the salamander, +so that the fire could do him no harm.[160] + +The shamir was made at twilight on the sixth day of creation together +with other extraordinary things.[161] It is about as large as a barley +corn, and it possesses the remarkable property of cutting the hardest +of diamonds. For this reason it was used for the stones in the +breastplate worn by the high priest. First the names of the twelve +tribes were traced with ink on the stones to be set into the +breastplate, then the shamir was passed over the lines, and thus they +were graven. The wonderful circumstance was that the friction wore no +particles from the stones. The shamir was also used for hewing into +shape the stones from which the Temple was built, because the law +prohibited iron tools to be used for the work in the Temple.[162] The +shamir may not be put in an iron vessel for safe-keeping, nor in any +metal vessel, it would burst such a receptacle asunder. It is kept +wrapped up in a woollen cloth, and this in turn is placed in a lead +basket filled with barley bran.[163] The shamir was guarded in Paradise +until Solomon needed it. He sent the eagle thither to fetch the +worm.[164] With the destruction of the Temple the shamir vanished.[165] +A similar fate overtook the tahash, which had been created only that +its skin might be used for the Tabernacle. Once the Tabernacle was +completed, the tahash disappeared. It had a horn on its forehead, was +gaily colored like the turkey-cock, and belonged to the class of clean +animals.[166] Among the fishes there are also wonderful creatures, the +sea-goats and the dolphins, not to mention leviathan. A sea-faring man +once saw a sea-goat on whose horns the words were inscribed: "I am a +little sea-animal, yet I traversed three hundred parasangs to offer +myself as food to the leviathan."[167] The dolphins are half man and +half fish; they even have sexual intercourse with human beings; +therefore they are called also "sons of the sea," for in a sense they +represent the human kind in the waters.[163] + +Though every species in the animal world was created during the last +two days of the six of creation,[169] yet many characteristics of +certain animals appeared later. Cats and mice, foes now, were friends +originally. Their later enmity had a distinct cause. On one occasion +the mouse appeared before God and spoke: "I and the cat are partners, +but now we have nothing to eat." The Lord answered: "Thou art +intriguing against thy companion, only that thou mayest devour her. As +a punishment, she shall devour thee." Thereupon the mouse: "O Lord of +the world, wherein have I done wrong?" God replied: "O thou unclean +reptile, thou shouldst have been warned by the example of the moon, who +lost a part of her light, because she spake ill of the sun, and what +she lost was given to her opponent.[170] The evil intentions thou didst +harbor against thy companion shall be punished in the same way. Instead +of thy devouring her, she shall devour thee." The mouse: "O Lord of the +world! Shall my whole kind be destroyed?" God: "I will take care that a +remnant of thee is spared." In her rage the mouse bit the cat, and the +cat in turn threw herself upon the mouse, and hacked into her with her +teeth until she lay dead. Since that moment the mouse stands in such +awe of the cat that she does not even attempt to defend herself against +her enemy's attacks, and always keeps herself in hiding.[171] Similarly +dogs and cats maintained a friendly relation to each other, and only +later on became enemies. A dog and a cat were partners, and they shared +with each other whatever they had. It once happened that neither could +find anything to eat for three days. Thereupon the dog proposed that +they dissolve their partnership. The cat should go to Adam, in whose +house there would surely be enough for her to eat, while the dog should +seek his fortune elsewhere. Before they separated, they took an oath +never to go to the same master. The cat took up her abode with Adam, +and she found sufficient mice in his house to satisfy her appetite. +Seeing how useful she was in driving away and extirpating mice, Adam +treated her most kindly. The dog, on the other hand, saw bad times. The +first night after their separation he spent in the cave of the wolf, +who had granted him a night's lodging. At night the dog caught the +sound of steps, and he reported it to his host, who bade him repulse +the intruders. They were wild animals. Little lacked and the dog would +have lost his life. Dismayed, the dog fled from the house of the wolf, +and took refuge with the monkey. But he would not grant him even a +single night's lodging; and the fugitive was forced to appeal to the +hospitality of the sheep. Again the dog heard steps in the middle of +the night. Obeying the bidding of his host, he arose to chase away the +marauders, who turned out to be wolves. The barking of the dog apprised +the wolves of the presence of sheep, so that the dog innocently caused +the sheep's death. Now he had lost his last friend. Night after night +he begged for shelter, without ever finding a home. Finally, he decided +to repair to the house of Adam, who also granted him refuge for one +night. When wild animals approached the house under cover of darkness, +the dog began to bark, Adam awoke, and with his bow and arrow he drove +them away. Recognizing the dog's usefulness, he bade him remain with +him always. But as soon as the cat espied the dog in Adam's house, she +began to quarrel with him, and reproach him with having broken his oath +to her. Adam did his best to pacify the cat. He told her he had himself +invited the dog to make his home there, and he assured her she would in +no wise be the loser by the dog's presence; he wanted both to stay with +him. But it was impossible to appease the cat. The dog promised her not +to touch anything intended for her. She insisted that she could not +live in one and the same house with a thief like the dog. Bickerings +between the dog and the cat became the order of the day. Finally the +dog could stand it no longer, and he left Adam's house, and betook +himself to Seth's. By Seth he was welcomed kindly, and from Seth's +house, he continued to make efforts at reconciliation with the cat. In +vain. Yes, the enmity between the first dog and the first cat was +transmitted to all their descendants until this very day.[172] + +Even the physical peculiarities of certain animals were not original +features with them, but owed their existence to something that occurred +subsequent to the days of creation. The mouse at first had quite a +different mouth from its present mouth. In Noah's ark, in which all +animals, to ensure the preservation of every kind, lived together +peaceably, the pair of mice were once sitting next to the cat. Suddenly +the latter remembered that her father was in the habit of devouring +mice, and thinking there was no harm in following his example, she +jumped at the mouse, who vainly looked for a hole into which to slip +out of sight. Then a miracle happened; a hole appeared where none had +been before, and the mouse sought refuge in it. The cat pursued the +mouse, and though she could not follow her into the hole, she could +insert her paw and try to pull the mouse out of her covert. Quickly the +mouse opened her mouth in the hope that the paw would go into it, and +the cat would be prevented from fastening her claws in her flesh. But +as the cavity of the mouth was not big enough, the cat succeeded in +clawing the cheeks of the mouse. Not that this helped her much, it +merely widened the mouth of the mouse, and her prey after all escaped +the cat.[173] After her happy escape, the mouse betook herself to Noah +and said to him, "O pious man, be good enough to sew up my cheek where +my enemy, the cat, has torn a rent in it." Noah bade her fetch a hair +out of the tail of the swine, and with this he repaired the damage. +Thence the little seam-like line next to the mouth of every mouse to +this very day.[174] + +The raven is another animal that changed its appearance during its +sojourn in the ark. When Noah desired to send him forth to find out +about the state of the waters, he hid under the wings of the eagle. +Noah found him, however, and said to him, "Go and see whether the +waters have diminished." The raven pleaded: "Hast thou none other among +all the birds to send on this errand?" Noah: "My power extends no +further than over thee and the dove."[175] But the raven was not +satisfied. He said to Noah with great insolence: "Thou sendest me forth +only that I may meet my death, and thou wishest my death that my wife +may be at thy service."[176] Thereupon Noah cursed the raven thus: "May +thy mouth, which has spoken evil against me, be accursed, and thy +intercourse with thy wife be only through it."[177] All the animals in +the ark said Amen. And this is the reason why a mass of spittle runs +from the mouth of the male raven into the mouth of the female during +the act of copulation, and only thus the female is impregnated.[178] +Altogether the raven is an unattractive animal. He is unkind toward his +own young so long as their bodies are not covered with black +feathers,[179] though as a rule ravens love one another.[180] God +therefore takes the young ravens under His special protection. From +their own excrement maggots come forth,[181] which serve as their food +during the three days that elapse after their birth, until their white +feathers turn black and their parents recognize them as their offspring +and care for them.[182] + +The raven has himself to blame also for the awkward hop in his gait. He +observed the graceful step of the dove, and envious of her tried to +enmulate it. The outcome was that he almost broke his bones without in +the least succeeding in making himself resemble the dove, not to +mention that he brought the scorn of the other animals down upon +himself. His failure excited their ridicule. Then he decided to return +to his own original gait, but in the interval he had unlearnt it, and +he could walk neither the one way nor the other properly. His step had +become a hop betwixt and between. Thus we see how true it is, that he +who is dissatisfied with his small portion loses the little he has in +striving for more and better things.[163] + +The steer is also one of the animals that have suffered a change in the +course of time. Originally his face was entirely overgrown with hair, +but now there is none on his nose, and that is because Joshua kissed +him on his nose during the siege of Jericho. Joshua was an exceedingly +heavy man. Horses, donkeys, and mules, none could bear him, they all +broke down under his weight. What they could not do, the steer +accomplished. On his back Joshua rode to the siege of Jericho, and in +gratitude he bestowed a kiss upon his nose.[134] + +The serpent, too, is other than it was at first. Before the fall of man +it was the cleverest of all animals created, and in form it resembled +man closely. It stood upright, and was of extraordinary size.[185] +Afterward, it lost the mental advantages it had possessed as compared +with other animals, and it degenerated physically, too; it was deprived +of its feet, so that it could not pursue other animals and kill them. +The mole and the frog had to be made harmless in similar ways; the +former has no eyes, else it were irresistible, and the frog has no +teeth, else no animal in the water were sure of its life.[186] + +While the cunning of the serpent wrought its own undoing, the cunning +of the fox stood him in good stead in many an embarrassing situation. +After Adam had committed the sin of disobedience, God delivered the +whole of the animal world into the power of the Angel of Death, and He +ordered him to cast one pair of each kind into the water. He and +leviathan together thus have dominion over all that has life. When the +Angel of Death was in the act of executing the Divine command upon the +fox, he began to weep bitterly. The Angel of Death asked him the reason +of his tears, and the fox replied that he was mourning the sad fate of +his friend. At the same time he pointed to the figure of a fox in the +sea, which was nothing but his own reflection. The Angel of Death, +persuaded that a representative of the fox family had been cast into +the water, let him go free. The fox told his trick to the cat, and she +in turn played it on the Angel of Death.[187] So it happened that +neither cats nor foxes are represented in the water, while all other +animals are.[188] + +When leviathan passed the animals in review, and missing the fox was +informed of the sly way in which he had eluded his authority, he +dispatched great and powerful fish on the errand of enticing the truant +into the water. The fox walking along the shore espied the large number +of fish, and he exclaimed, "How happy he who may always satisfy his +hunger with the flesh of such as these." The fish told him, if he would +but follow them, his appetite could easily be appeased. At the same +time they informed him that a great honor awaited him. Leviathan, they +said, was at death's door, and he had commissioned them to install the +fox as his successor. They were ready to carry him on their backs, so +that he had no need to fear the water, and thus they would convey him +to the throne, which stood upon a huge rock. The fox yielded to these +persuasions, and descended into the water. Presently an uncomfortable +feeling took possession of him. He began to suspect that the tables +were turned; he was being made game of instead of making game of others +as usual. He urged the fish to tell him the truth, and they admitted +that they had been sent out to secure his person for leviathan, who +wanted his heart,[189] that he might become as knowing as the fox, +whose wisdom he had heard many extol. The fox said reproachfully: "Why +did you not tell me the truth at once? Then I could have brought my +heart along with me for King Leviathan, who would have showered honors +upon me. As it is, you will surely suffer punishment for bringing me +without my heart. The foxes, you see," he continued, "do not carry +their hearts around with them. They keep them in a safe place, and when +they have need of them, they fetch them thence." The fish quickly swam +to shore, and landed the fox, so that he might go for his heart. No +sooner did he feel dry land under his feet than he began to jump and +shout, and when they urged him to go in search of his heart, and follow +them, he said: "O ye fools, could I have followed you into the water, +if I had not had my heart with me? Or exists there a creature able to +go abroad without his heart?" The fish replied: "Come, come, thou art +fooling us." Whereupon the fox: "O ye fools, if I could play a trick on +the Angel of Death, how much easier was it to make game of you?" So +they had to return, their errand undone, and leviathan could not but +confirm the taunting judgment of the fox: "In very truth, the fox is +wise of heart, and ye are fools."[190] + +ALL THINGS PRAISE THE LORD + +"Whatever God created has value." Even the animals and the insects that +seem useless and noxious at first sight have a vocation to fulfil. The +snail trailing a moist streak after it as it crawls, and so using up +its vitality, serves as a remedy for boils. The sting of a hornet is +healed by the house-fly crushed and applied to the wound. The gnat, +feeble creature, taking in food but never secreting it, is a specific +against the poison of a viper, and this venomous reptile itself cures +eruptions, while the lizard is the antidote to the scorpion.[191] Not +only do all creatures serve man, and contribute to his comfort, but +also God "teacheth us through the beasts of the earth, and maketh us +wise through the fowls of heaven." He endowed many animals with +admirable moral qualities as a pattern for man. If the Torah had not +been revealed to us, we might have learnt regard for the decencies of +life from the cat, who covers her excrement with earth; regard for the +property of others from the ants, who never encroach upon one another's +stores; and regard for decorous conduct from the cock, who, when he +desires to unite with the hen, promises to buy her a cloak long enough +to reach to the ground, and when the hen reminds him of his promise, he +shakes his comb and says, "May I be deprived of my comb, if I do not +buy it when I have the means." The grasshopper also has a lesson to +teach to man. All the summer through it sings, until its belly bursts, +and death claims it. Though it knows the fate that awaits it, yet it +sings on. So man should do his duty toward God, no matter what the +consequences. The stork should be taken as a model in two respects. He +guards the purity of his family life zealously, and toward his fellows +he is compassionate and merciful. Even the frog can be the teacher of +man. By the side of the water there lives a species of animals which +subsist off aquatic creatures alone. When the frog notices that one of +them is hungry, he goes to it of his own accord, and offers himself as +food, thus fulfilling the injunction, "If thine enemy be hungry, give +him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink."[192] + +The whole of creation was called into existence by God unto His +glory,[193] and each creature has its own hymn of praise wherewith to +extol the Creator. Heaven and earth, Paradise and hell, desert and +field, rivers and seas—all have their own way of paying homage to God. +The hymn of the earth is, "From the uttermost part of the earth have we +heard songs, glory to the Righteous." The sea exclaims, "Above the +voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea, the Lord on high +is mighty." + +Also the celestial bodies and the elements proclaim the praise of their +Creator—the sun, moon, and stars, the clouds and the winds, lightning +and dew. The sun says, "The sun and moon stood still in their +habitation, at the light of Thine arrows as they went, at the shining +of Thy glittering spear"; and the stars sing, "Thou art the Lord, even +Thou alone; Thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all +their host, the earth and all things that are thereon, the seas and all +that is in them, and Thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven +worshippeth Thee." + +Every plant, furthermore, has a song of praise. The fruitful tree +sings, "Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy, before the +Lord, for He cometh; for He cometh to judge the earth"; and the ears of +grain on the field sing, "The pastures are covered with flocks; the +valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also +sing." + +Great among singers of praise are the birds, and greatest among them is +the cock. When God at midnight goes to the pious in Paradise, all the +trees therein break out into adoration, and their songs awaken the +cock, who begins in turn to praise God. Seven times he crows, each time +reciting a verse. The first verse is: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; +and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall +come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord +mighty in battle." The second verse: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; +yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall +come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King +of glory." The third: "Arise, ye righteous, and occupy yourselves with +the Torah, that your reward may be abundant in the world hereafter." +The fourth: "I have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord!" The fifth: "How +long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy +sleep?" The sixth: "Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open +thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread." And the seventh +verse sung by the cock runs: "It is time to work for the Lord, for they +have made void Thy law." + +The song of the vulture is: "I will hiss for them, and gather them; for +I have redeemed them, and they shall increase as they have +increased"—the same verse with which the bird will in time to come +announce the advent of the Messiah, the only difference being, that +when he heralds the Messiah he will sit upon the ground and sing his +verse, while at all other times he is seated elsewhere when he sings +it. + +Nor do the other animals praise God less than the birds. Even the +beasts of prey give forth adoration. The lion says: "The Lord shall go +forth as a mighty man; He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war; He +shall cry, yea, He shall shout aloud; He shall do mightily against his +enemies." And the fox exhorts unto justice with the words: "Woe unto +him that buildeth his house by unrighteousness, and his chambers by +injustice; that useth his neighbor's service without wages, and giveth +him not his hire." + +Yea, the dumb fishes know how to proclaim the praise of their Lord. +"The voice of the Lord is upon the waters," they say, "the God of glory +thundereth, even the Lord upon many waters"; while the frog exclaims, +"Blessed be the name of the glory of His kingdom forever and ever." + +Contemptible though they are, even the reptiles give praise unto their +Creator. The mouse extols God with the words: "Howbeit Thou art just in +all that is come upon me; for Thou hast dealt truly, but I have done +wickedly." And the cat sings: "Let everything that hath breath praise +the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."[194] + + + + +II +ADAM + +MAN AND THE WORLD + +With ten Sayings God created the world, although a single Saying would +have sufficed. God desired to make known how severe is the punishment +to be meted out to the wicked, who destroy a world created with as many +as ten Sayings, and how goodly the reward destined for the righteous, +who preserve a world created with as many as ten Sayings.[1] + +The world was made for man, though he was the last-comer among its +creatures. This was design. He was to find all things ready for him. +God was the host who prepared dainty dishes, set the table, and then +led His guest to his seat. At the same time man's late appearance on +earth is to convey an admonition to humility. Let him beware of being +proud, lest he invite the retort that the gnat is older than he.[2] + +The superiority of man to the other creatures is apparent in the very +manner of his creation, altogether different from theirs. He is the +only one who was created by the hand of God.[3] The rest sprang from +the word of God. The body of man is a microcosm, the whole world in +miniature, and the world in turn is a reflex of man. The hair upon his +head corresponds to the woods of the earth, his tears to a river, his +mouth to the ocean.[4] Also, the world resembles the ball of his eye: +the ocean that encircles the earth is like unto the white of the eye, +the dry land is the iris, Jerusalem the pupil, and the Temple the image +mirrored in the pupil of the eye.[5] But man is more than a mere image +of this world. He unites both heavenly and earthly qualities within +himself. In four he resembles the angels, in four the beasts. His power +of speech, his discriminating intellect, his upright walk, the glance +of his eye—they all make an angel of him. But, on the other hand, he +eats and drinks, secretes the waste matter in his body, propagates his +kind, and dies, like the beast of the field. Therefore God said before +the creation of man: "The celestials are not propagated, but they are +immortal; the beings on earth are propagated, but they die. I will +create man to be the union of the two, so that when he sins, when he +behaves like a beast, death shall overtake him; but if he refrains from +sin, he shall live forever."[6] God now bade all beings in heaven and +on earth contribute to the creation of man, and He Himself took part in +it. Thus they all will love man, and if he should sin, they will be +interested in his preservation.[7] + +The whole world naturally was created for the pious, the God-fearing +man, whom Israel produces with the helpful guidance of the law of God +revealed to him.[8] It was, therefore, Israel who was taken into +special consideration at the time man was made. All other creatures +were instructed to change their nature, if Israel should ever need +their help in the course of his history. The sea was ordered to divide +before Moses, and the heavens to give ear to the words of the leader; +the sun and the moon were bidden to stand still before Joshua, the +ravens to feed Elijah, the fire to spare the three youths in the +furnace, the lion to do no harm to Daniel, the fish to spew forth +Jonah, and the heavens to open before Ezekiel.[9] + +In His modesty, God took counsel with the angels, before the creation +of the world, regarding His intention of making man. He said: "For the +sake of Israel, I will create the world. As I shall make a division +between light and darkness, so I will in time to come do for Israel in +Egypt—thick darkness shall be over the land, and the children of Israel +shall have light in their dwellings; as I shall make a separation +between the waters under the firmament and the waters above the +firmament, so I will do for Israel—I will divide the waters for him +when he crosses the Red Sea; as on the third day I shall create plants, +so I will do for Israel—I will bring forth manna for him in the +wilderness; as I shall create luminaries to divide day from night, so I +will do for Israel—I will go before him by day in a pillar of cloud and +by night in a pillar of fire; as I shall create the fowl of the air and +the fishes of the sea, so I will do for Israel—I will bring quails for +him from the sea; and as I shall breathe the breath of life into the +nostrils of man, so I will do for Israel—I will give the Torah unto +him, the tree of life." The angels marvelled that so much love should +be lavished upon this people of Israel, and God told them: "On the +first day of creation, I shall make the heavens and stretch them out; +so will Israel raise up the Tabernacle as the dwelling-place of My +glory. On the second day, I shall put a division between the +terrestrial waters and the heavenly waters; so will he hang up a veil +in the Tabernacle to divide the Holy Place and the Most Holy. On the +third day, I shall make the earth put forth grass and herb; so will he, +in obedience to My commands, eat herbs on the first night of the +Passover, and prepare showbread for Me. On the fourth day, I shall make +the luminaries; so will he make a golden candlestick for Me. On the +fifth day, I shall create the birds; so will he fashion the cherubim +with outstretched wings. On the sixth day, I shall create man; so will +Israel set aside a man of the sons of Aaron as high priest for My +service."[10] + +Accordingly, the whole of creation was conditional. God said to the +things He made on the first six days: "If Israel accepts the Torah, you +will continue and endure; otherwise, I shall turn everything back into +chaos again." The whole world was thus kept in suspense and dread until +the day of the revelation on Sinai, when Israel received and accepted +the Torah, and so fulfilled the condition made by God at the time when +He created the universe.[11] + +THE ANGELS AND THE CREATION OF MAN + +God in His wisdom hiving resolved to create man, He asked counsel of +all around Him before He proceeded to execute His purpose—an example to +man, be he never so great and distinguished, not to scorn the advice of +the humble and lowly. First God called upon heaven and earth, then upon +all other things He had created, and last upon the angels. + +The angels were not all of one opinion. The Angel of Love favored the +creation of man, because he would be affectionate and loving; but the +Angel of Truth opposed it, because he would be full of lies. And while +the Angel of Justice favored it, because he would practice justice, the +Angel of Peace opposed it, because he would be quarrelsome. + +To invalidate his protest, God cast the Angel of Truth down from heaven +to earth, and when the others cried out against such contemptuous +treatment of their companion, He said, "Truth will spring back out of +the earth." + +The objections of the angels would have been much stronger, had they +known the whole truth about man. God had told them only about the +pious, and had concealed from them that there would be reprobates among +mankind, too. And yet, though they knew but half the truth, the angels +were nevertheless prompted to cry out: "What is man, that Thou art +mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" God +replied: "The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea, what were they +created for? Of what avail a larder full of appetizing dainties, and no +guest to enjoy them?" And the angels could not but exclaim: "O Lord, +our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Do as is pleasing +in Thy sight."[12] + +For not a few of the angels their opposition bore fatal consequences. +When God summoned the band under the archangel Michael, and asked their +opinion on the creation of man, they answered scornfully: "What is man, +that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest +him?" God thereupon stretched forth His little finger, and all were +consumed by fire except their chief Michael. And the same fate befell +the band under the leadership of the archangel Gabriel; he alone of all +was saved from destruction. + +The third band consulted was commanded by the archangel Labbiel. Taught +by the horrible fate of his predecessors, he warned his troop: "You +have seen what misfortune overtook the angels who said 'What is man, +that Thou art mindful of him?' Let us have a care not to do likewise, +lest we suffer the same dire punishment. For God will not refrain from +doing in the end what He has planned. Therefore it is advisable for us +to yield to His wishes." Thus warned, the angels spoke: "Lord of the +world, it is well that Thou hast thought of creating man. Do Thou +create him according to Thy will. And as for us, we will be his +attendants and his ministers, and reveal unto him all our secrets." +Thereupon God changed Labbiel's name to Raphael, the Rescuer, because +his host of angels had been rescued by his sage advice. He was +appointed the Angel of Healing, who has in his safe-keeping all the +celestial remedies, the types of the medical remedies used on +earth.[12] + +THE CREATION OF ADAM + +When at last the assent of the angels to the creation of man was given, +God said to Gabriel: "Go and fetch Me dust from the four corners of the +earth, and I will create man therewith." Gabriel went forth to do the +bidding of the Lord, but the earth drove him away, and refused to let +him gather up dust from it. Gabriel remonstrated: "Why, O Earth, dost +thou not hearken unto the voice of the Lord, who founded thee upon the +waters without props or pillars?" The earth replied, and said: "I am +destined to become a curse, and to be cursed through man, and if God +Himself does not take the dust from me, no one else shall ever do it." +When God heard this, He stretched out His hand, took of the dust of the +ground, and created the first man therewith.[14] Of set purpose the +dust was taken from all four corners of the earth, so that if a man +from the east should happen to die in the west, or a man from the west +in the east, the earth should not dare refuse to receive the dead, and +tell him to go whence he was taken. Wherever a man chances to die, and +wheresoever he is buried, there will he return to the earth from which +he sprang. Also, the dust was of various colors—red, black, white, and +green—red for the blood, black for the bowels, white for the bones and +veins, and green for the pale skin. + +At this early moment the Torah interfered. She addressed herself to +God: "O Lord of the world! The world is Thine, Thou canst do with it as +seemeth good in Thine eyes. But the man Thou art now creating will be +few of days and full of trouble and sin. If it be not Thy purpose to +have forbearance and patience with him, it were better not to call him +into being." God replied, "Is it for naught I am called long-suffering +and merciful?"[15] + +The grace and lovingkindness of God revealed themselves particularly in +His taking one spoonful of dust from the spot where in time to come the +altar would stand, saying, "I shall take man from the place of +atonement, that he may endure."[19] + +THE SOUL OF MAN + +The care which God exercised in fashioning every detail of the body of +man is as naught in comparison with His solicitude for the human soul. +The soul of man was created on the first day, for it is the spirit of +God moving upon the face of the waters. Thus, instead of being the +last, man is really the first work of creation.[17] + +This spirit, or, to call it by its usual name, the soul of man, +possesses five different powers. By means of one of them she escapes +from the body every night, rises up to heaven, and fetches new life +thence for man.[18] + +With the soul of Adam the souls of all the generations of men were +created. They are stored up in a promptuary, in the seventh of the +heavens, whence they are drawn as they are needed for human body after +human body.[19] + +The soul and body of man are united in this way: When a woman has +conceived, the Angel of the Night, Lailah, carries the sperm before +God, and God decrees what manner of human being shall become of +it—whether it shall be male or female, strong or weak, rich or poor, +beautiful or ugly, long or short, fat or thin, and what all its other +qualities shall be. Piety and wickedness alone are left to the +determination of man himself. Then God makes a sign to the angel +appointed over the souls, saying, "Bring Me the soul so-and-so, which +is hidden in Paradise, whose name is so-and-so, and whose form is +so-and-so." The angel brings the designated soul, and she bows down +when she appears in the presence of God, and prostrates herself before +Him. At that moment, God issues the command, "Enter this sperm." The +soul opens her mouth, and pleads: "O Lord of the world! I am well +pleased with the world in which I have been living since the day on +which Thou didst call me into being. Why dost Thou now desire to have +me enter this impure sperm, I who am holy and pure, and a part of Thy +glory?" God consoles her: "The world which I shall cause thee to enter +is better than the world in which thou hast lived hitherto, and when I +created thee, it was only for this purpose." The soul is then forced to +enter the sperm against her will, and the angel carries her back to the +womb of the mother. Two angels are detailed to watch that she shall not +leave it, nor drop out of it, and a light is set above her, whereby the +soul can see from one end of the world to the other. In the morning an +angel carries her to Paradise, and shows her the righteous, who sit +there in their glory, with crowns upon their heads. The angel then says +to the soul, "Dost thou know who these are?" She replies in the +negative, and the angel goes on: "These whom thou beholdest here were +formed, like unto thee, in the womb of their mother. When they came +into the world, they observed God's Torah and His commandments. +Therefore they became the partakers of this bliss which thou seest them +enjoy. Know, also thou wilt one day depart from the world below, and if +thou wilt observe God's Torah, then wilt thou be found worthy of +sitting with these pious ones. But if not, thou wilt be doomed to the +other place." + +In the evening, the angel takes the soul to hell, and there points out +the sinners whom the Angels of Destruction are smiting with fiery +scourges, the sinners all the while crying out Woe! Woe! but no mercy +is shown unto them. The angel then questions the soul as before, "Dost +thou know who these are?" and as before the reply is negative. The +angel continues: "These who are consumed with fire were created like +unto thee. When they were put into the world, they did not observe +God's Torah and His commandments. Therefore have they come to this +disgrace which thou seest them suffer. Know, thy destiny is also to +depart from the world. Be just, therefore, and not wicked, that thou +mayest gain the future world." + +Between morning and evening the angel carries the soul around, and +shows her where she will live and where she will die, and the place +where she will buried, and he takes her through the whole world, and +points out the just and the sinners and all things. In the evening, he +replaces her in the womb of the mother, and there she remains for nine +months. + +When the time arrives for her to emerge from the womb into the open +world, the same angel addresses the soul, "The time has come for thee +to go abroad into the open world." The soul demurs, "Why dost thou want +to make me go forth into the open world?" The angel replies: "Know that +as thou wert formed against thy will, so now thou wilt be born against +thy will, and against thy will thou shalt die, and against thy will +thou shalt give account of thyself before the King of kings, the Holy +One, blessed be He." But the soul is reluctant to leave her place. Then +the angel fillips the babe on the nose, extinguishes the light at his +head, and brings him forth into the world against his will. Immediately +the child forgets all his soul has seen and learnt, and he comes into +the world crying, for he loses a place of shelter and security and +rest. + +When the time arrives for man to quit this world, the same angel +appears and asks him, "Dost thou recognize me?" And man replies, "Yes; +but why dost thou come to me to-day, and thou didst come on no other +day?" The angel says, "To take thee away from the world, for the time +of thy departure has arrived." Then man falls to weeping, and his voice +penetrates to all ends of the world, yet no creature hears his voice, +except the cock alone. Man remonstrates with the angel, "From two +worlds thou didst take me, and into this world thou didst bring me." +But the angel reminds him: "Did I not tell thee that thou wert formed +against thy will, and thou wouldst be born against thy will, and +against thy will thou wouldst die? And against thy will thou wilt have +to give account and reckoning of thyself before the Holy One, blessed +be He."[20] + +THE IDEAL MAN + +Like all creatures formed on the six days of creation, Adam came from +the hands of the Creator fully and completely developed. He was not +like a child, but like a man of twenty years of age.[21] The dimensions +of his body were gigantic, reaching from heaven to earth, or, what +amounts to the same, from east to west.[22] Among later generations of +men, there were but few who in a measure resembled Adam in his +extraordinary size and physical perfections. Samson possessed his +strength, Saul his neck, Absalom his hair, Asahel his fleetness of +foot, Uzziah his forehead, Josiah his nostrils, Zedekiah his eyes, and +Zerubbabel his voice. History shows that these physical excellencies +were no blessings to many of their possessors; they invited the ruin of +almost all. Samson's extraordinary strength caused his death; Saul +killed himself by cutting his neck with his own sword; while speeding +swiftly, Asahel was pierced by Abner's spear; Absalom was caught up by +his hair in an oak, and thus suspended met his death; Uzziah was +smitten with leprosy upon his forehead; the darts that killed Josiah +entered through his nostrils, and Zedekiah's eyes were blinded.[23] + +The generality of men inherited as little of the beauty as of the +portentous size of their first father. The fairest women compared with +Sarah are as apes compared with a human being. Sarah's relation to Eve +is the same, and, again, Eve was but as an ape compared with Adam. His +person was so handsome that the very sole of his foot obscured the +splendor of the sun.[24] + +His spiritual qualities kept pace with his personal charm, for God had +fashioned his soul with particular care. She is the image of God, and +as God fills the world, so the soul fills the human body; as God sees +all things, and is seen by none, so the soul sees, but cannot be seen; +as God guides the world, so the soul guides the body; as God in His +holiness is pure, so is the soul; and as God dwells in secret, so doth +the soul.[25] + +When God was about to put a soul into Adam's clod-like body, He said: +"At which point shall I breathe the soul into him? Into the mouth? Nay, +for he will use it to speak ill of his fellow-man. Into the eyes? With +them he will wink lustfully. Into the ears? They will hearken to +slander and blasphemy. I will breathe her into his nostrils; as they +discern the unclean and reject it, and take in the fragrant, so the +pious will shun sin, and will cleave to the words of the Torah"[26] + +The perfections of Adam's soul showed themselves as soon as he received +her, indeed, while he was still without life. In the hour that +intervened between breathing a soul into the first man and his becoming +alive, God revealed the whole history of mankind to him. He showed him +each generation and its leaders; each generation and its prophets; each +generation and its teachers; each generation and its scholars; each +generation and its statesmen; each generation and its judges; each +generation and its pious members; each generation and its average, +commonplace members; and each generation and its impious members. The +tale of their years, the number of their days, the reckoning of their +hours, and the measure of their steps, all were made known unto +him.[27] + +Of his own free will Adam relinquished seventy of his allotted years. +His appointed span was to be a thousand years, one of the Lord's days. +But he saw that only a single minute of life was apportioned to the +great soul of David, and he made a gift of seventy years to her, +reducing his own years to nine hundred and thirty.' + +The wisdom of Adam displayed itself to greatest advantage when he gave +names to the animals. Then it appeared that God, in combating the +arguments of the angels that opposed the creation of man, had spoken +well, when He insisted that man would possess more wisdom than they +themselves. When Adam was barely an hour old, God assembled the whole +world of animals before him and the angels. The latter were called upon +to name the different kinds, but they were not equal to the task. Adam, +however, spoke without hesitation: "O Lord of the world! The proper +name for this animal is ox, for this one horse, for this one lion, for +this one camel." And so he called all in turn by name, suiting the name +to the peculiarity of the animal. Then God asked him what his name was +to be, and he said Adam, because he had been created out of Adamah, +dust of the earth. Again, God asked him His own name, and he said: +"Adonai, Lord, because Thou art Lord over all creatures"—the very name +God had given unto Himself, the name by which the angels call Him, the +name that will remain immutable evermore.[29] But without the gift of +the holy spirit, Adam could not have found names for all; he was in +very truth a prophet, and his wisdom a prophetic quality.[30] + +The names of the animals were not the only inheritance handed down by +Adam to the generations after him, for mankind owes all crafts to him, +especially the art of writing, and he was the inventor of all the +seventy languages.[31] And still another task he accomplished for his +descendants. God showed Adam the whole earth, and Adam designated what +places were to be settled later by men, and what places were to remain +waste.[32] + +THE FALL OF SATAN + +The extraordinary qualities with which Adam was blessed, physical and +spiritual as well, aroused the envy of the angels. They attempted to +consume him with fire, and he would have perished, had not the +protecting hand of God rested upon him, and established peace between +him and the heavenly host.[33] In particular, Satan was jealous of the +first man, and his evil thoughts finally led to his fall. After Adam +had been endowed with a soul, God invited all the angels to come and +pay him reverence and homage. Satan, the greatest of the angels in +heaven, with twelve wings, instead of six like all the others, refused +to pay heed to the behest of God, saying, "Thou didst create us angels +from the splendor of the Shekinah, and now Thou dost command us to cast +ourselves down before the creature which Thou didst fashion out of the +dust of the ground!" God answered, "Yet this dust of the ground has +more wisdom and understanding than thou." Satan demanded a trial of wit +with Adam, and God assented thereto, saying: "I have created beasts, +birds, and reptiles, I shall have them all come before thee and before +Adam. If thou art able to give them names, I shall command Adam to show +honor unto thee, and thou shalt rest next to the Shekinah of My glory. +But if not, and Adam calls them by the names I have assigned to them, +then thou wilt be subject to Adam, and he shall have a place in My +garden, and cultivate it." Thus spake God, and He betook Himself to +Paradise, Satan following Him. When Adam beheld God, he said to his +wife, "O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the +Lord our Maker." Now Satan attempted to assign names to the animals. He +failed with the first two that presented themselves, the ox and the +cow. God led two others before him, the camel and the donkey, with the +same result. Then God turned to Adam, and questioned him regarding the +names of the same animals, framing His questions in such wise that the +first letter of the first word was the same as the first letter of the +name of the animal standing before him. Thus Adam divined the proper +name, and Satan was forced to acknowledge the superiority of the first +man. Nevertheless he broke out in wild outcries that reached the +heavens, and he refused to do homage unto Adam as he had been +bidden.[34] The host of angels led by him did likewise, in spite of the +urgent representations of Michael, who was the first to prostrate +himself before Adam in order to show a good example to the other +angels. Michael addressed Satan: "Give adoration to the image of God! +But if thou doest it not, then the Lord God will break out in wrath +against thee." Satan replied: "If He breaks out in wrath against me, I +will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will be like the Most +High!" At once God flung Satan and his host out of heaven, down to the +earth, and from that moment dates the enmity between Satan and man.' + +WOMAN + +When Adam opened his eyes the first time, and beheld the world about +him, he broke into praise of God, "How great are Thy works, O Lord!" +But his admiration for the world surrounding him did not exceed the +admiration all creatures conceived for Adam. They took him to be their +creator, and they all came to offer him adoration. But he spoke: "Why +do you come to worship me? Nay, you and I together will acknowledge the +majesty and the might of Him who hath created us all. 'The Lord +reigneth,'" he continued, "'He is apparelled with majesty.'"[36] + +And not alone the creatures on earth, even the angels thought Adam the +lord of all, and they were about to salute him with "Holy, holy, holy, +is the Lord of hosts," when God caused sleep to fall upon him, and then +the angels knew that he was but a human being.[37] + +The purpose of the sleep that enfolded Adam was to give him a wife, so +that the human race might develop, and all creatures recognize the +difference between God and man. When the earth heard what God had +resolved to do, it began to tremble and quake. "I have not the +strength," it said, "to provide food for the herd of Adam's +descendants." But God pacified it with the words, "I and thou together, +we will find food for the herd." Accordingly, time was divided between +God and the earth; God took the night, and the earth took the day. +Refreshing sleep nourishes and strengthens man, it affords him life and +rest, while the earth brings forth produce with the help of God, who +waters it. Yet man must work the earth to earn his food.[38] + +The Divine resolution to bestow a companion on Adam met the wishes of +man, who had been overcome by a feeling of isolation when the animals +came to him in pairs to be named.[39] To banish his loneliness, Lilith +was first given to Adam as wife. Like him she had been created out of +the dust of the ground. But she remained with him only a short time, +because she insisted upon enjoying full equality with her husband. She +derived her rights from their identical origin. With the help of the +Ineffable Name, which she pronounced, Lilith flew away from Adam, and +vanished in the air. Adam complained before God that the wife He had +given him had deserted him, and God sent forth three angels to capture +her. They found her in the Red Sea, and they sought to make her go back +with the threat that, unless she went, she would lose a hundred of her +demon children daily by death. But Lilith preferred this punishment to +living with Adam. She takes her revenge by injuring babes—baby boys +during the first night of their life, while baby girls are exposed to +her wicked designs until they are twenty days old. The only way to ward +off the evil is to attach an amulet bearing the names of her three +angel captors to the children, for such had been the agreement between +them.[40] + +The woman destined to become the true companion of man was taken from +Adam's body, for "only when like is joined unto like the union is +indissoluble."[41] The creation of woman from man was possible because +Adam originally had two faces, which were separated at the birth of +Eve.[42] + +When God was on the point of making Eve, He said: "I will not make her +from the head of man, lest she carry her head high in arrogant pride; +not from the eye, lest she be wanton-eyed; not from the ear, lest she +be an eavesdropper; not from the neck, lest she be insolent; not from +the mouth, lest she be a tattler; not from the heart, lest she be +inclined to envy; not from the hand, lest she be a meddler; not from +the foot, lest she be a gadabout. I will form her from a chaste portion +of the body," and to every limb and organ as He formed it, God said, +"Be chaste! Be chaste!" Nevertheless, in spite of the great caution +used, woman has all the faults God tried to obviate. The daughters of +Zion were haughty and walked with stretched forth necks and wanton +eyes; Sarah was an eavesdropper in her own tent, when the angel spoke +with Abraham; Miriam was a talebearer, accusing Moses; Rachel was +envious of her sister Leah; Eve put out her hand to take the forbidden +fruit, and Dinah was a gadabout.[43] + +The physical formation of woman is far more complicated than that of +man, as it must be for the function of child-bearing, and likewise the +intelligence of woman matures more quickly than the intelligence of +man.[44] Many of the physical and psychical differences between the two +sexes must be attributed to the fact that man was formed from the +ground and woman from bone. Women need perfumes, while men do not; dust +of the ground remains the same no matter how long it is kept; flesh, +however, requires salt to keep it in good condition. The voice of women +is shrill, not so the voice of men; when soft viands are cooked, no +sound is heard, but let a bone be put in a pot, and at once it +crackles. A man is easily placated, not so a woman; a few drops of +water suffice to soften a clod of earth; a bone stays hard, and if it +were to soak in water for days. The man must ask the woman to be his +wife, and not the woman the man to be her husband, because it is man +who has sustained the loss of his rib, and he sallies forth to make +good his loss again. The very differences between the sexes in garb and +social forms go back to the origin of man and woman for their reasons. +Woman covers her hair in token of Eve's having brought sin into the +world; she tries to hide her shame; and women precede men in a funeral +cortege, because it was woman who brought death into the world. And the +religious commands addressed to women alone are connected with the +history of Eve. Adam was the heave offering of the world, and Eve +defiled it. As expiation, all women are commanded to separate a heave +offering from the dough. And because woman extinguished the light of +man's soul, she is bidden to kindle the Sabbath light.[45] + +Adam was first made to fall into a deep sleep before the rib for Eve +was taken from his side. For, had he watched her creation, she would +not have awakened love in him. To this day it is true that men do not +appreciate the charms of women whom they have known and observed from +childhood up. Indeed, God had created a wife for Adam before Eve, but +he would not have her, because she had been made in his presence. +Knowing well all the details of her formation, he was repelled by +her.[46] But when he roused himself from his profound sleep, and saw +Eve before him in all her surprising beauty and grace, he exclaimed, +"This is she who caused my heart to throb many a night!" Yet he +discerned at once what the nature of woman was. She would, he knew, +seek to carry her point with man either by entreaties and tears, or +flattery and caresses. He said, therefore, "This is my never-silent +bell!"[47] + +The wedding of the first couple was celebrated with pomp never repeated +in the whole course of history since. God Himself, before presenting +her to Adam, attired and adorned Eve as a bride. Yea, He appealed to +the angels, saying: "Come, let us perform services of friendship for +Adam and his helpmate, for the world rests upon friendly services, and +they are more pleasing in My sight than the sacrifices Israel will +offer upon the altar." The angels accordingly surrounded the marriage +canopy, and God pronounced the blessings upon the bridal couple, as the +Hazan does under the Huppah. The angels then danced and played upon +musical instruments before Adam and Eve in their ten bridal chambers of +gold, pearls, and precious stones, which God had prepared for them. + +Adam called his wife Ishah, and himself he called Ish, abandoning the +name Adam, which he had borne before the creation of Eve, for the +reason that God added His own name Yah to the names of the man and the +woman—Yod to Ish and He to Ishah—to indicate that as long as they +walked in the ways of God and observed His commandments, His name would +shield them against all harm. But if they went astray, His name would +be withdrawn, and instead of Ish there would remain Esh, fire, a fire +issuing from each and consuming the other.[48] + +ADAM AND EVE IN PARADISE + +The Garden of Eden was the abode of the first man and woman, and the +souls of all men must pass through it after death, before they reach +their final destination. For the souls of the departed must go through +seven portals before they arrive in the heaven 'Arabot. There the souls +of the pious are transformed into angels, and there they remain +forever, praising God and feasting their sight upon the glory of the +Shekinah. The first portal is the Cave of Machpelah, in the vicinity of +Paradise, which is under the care and supervision of Adam. If the soul +that presents herself at the portal is worthy, he calls out, "Make +room! Thou art welcome!" The soul then proceeds until she arrives at +the gate of Paradise guarded by the cherubim and the flaming sword. If +she is not found worthy, she is consumed by the sword; otherwise she +receives a pass-bill, which admits her to the terrestrial Paradise. +Therein is a pillar of smoke and light extending from Paradise to the +gate of heaven, and it depends upon the character of the soul whether +she can climb upward on it and reach heaven. The third portal, Zebul, +is at the entrance of heaven. If the soul is worthy, the guard opens +the portal and admits her 'to the heavenly Temple. Michael presents her +to God, and conducts her to the seventh portal, 'Arabot, within which +the souls of the pious, changed to angels, praise the Lord, and feed on +the glory of the Shekinah.[49] + +In Paradise stand the tree of life and the tree of knowledge, the +latter forming a hedge about the former. Only he who has cleared a path +for himself through the tree of knowledge can come close to the tree of +life, which is so huge that it would take a man five hundred years to +traverse a distance equal to the diameter of the trunk, and no less +vast is the space shaded by its crown of branches. From beneath it +flows forth the water that irrigates the whole earth,[50] parting +thence into four streams, the Ganges, the Nile, the Tigris, and the +Euphrates.[51] But it was only during the days of creation that the +realm of plants looked to the waters of the earth for nourishment. +Later on God made the plants dependent upon the rain, the upper waters. +The clouds rise from earth to heaven, where water is poured into them +as from a conduit.[52] The plants began to feel the effect of the water +only after Adam was created. Although they had been brought forth on +the third day, God did not permit them to sprout and appear above the +surface of the earth, until Adam prayed to Him to give food unto them, +for God longs for the prayers of the pious.[53] + +Paradise being such as it was, it was, naturally, not necessary for +Adam to work the land. True, the Lord God put the man into the Garden +of Eden to dress it and to keep it, but that only means he is to study +the Torah there and fulfil the commandments of God.[54] There were +especially six commandments which every human being is expected to +heed: man should not worship idols; nor blaspheme God; nor commit +murder, nor incest, nor theft and robbery; and all generations have the +duty of instituting measures of law and order.[55] One more such +command there was, but it was a temporary injunction. Adam was to eat +only the green things of the field. But the prohibition against the use +of animals for food was revoked in Noah's time, after the deluge. +Nevertheless, Adam was not cut off from the enjoyment of meat dishes. +Though he was not permitted to slaughter animals for the appeasing of +his appetite, the angels brought him meat and wine, serving him like +attendants.[56] And as the angels ministered to his wants, so also the +animals. They were wholly under his dominion, and their food they took +out of his hand and out of Eve's.[57] In all respects, the animal world +had a different relation to Adam from their relation to his +descendants. Not only did they know the language of man,[58] but they +respected the image of God, and they feared the first human couple, all +of which changed into the opposite after the fall of man.[59] + +THE FALL OF MAN + +Among the animals the serpent was notable. Of all of them he had the +most excellent qualities, in some of which he resembled man. Like man +he stood upright upon two feet, and in height he was equal to the +camel. Had it not been for the fall of man, which brought misfortune to +them, too, one pair of serpents would have sufficed to perform all the +work man has to do, and, besides, they would have supplied him with +silver, gold, gems, and pearls. As a matter of fact, it was the very +ability of the serpent that led to the ruin of man and his own ruin. +His superior mental gifts caused him to become an infidel. It likewise +explains his envy of man, especially of his conjugal relations. Envy +made him meditate ways and means of bringing about the death of +Adam.[60] He was too well acquainted with the character of the man to +attempt to exercise tricks of persuasion upon him, and he approached +the woman, knowing that women are beguiled easily. The conversation +with Eve was cunningly planned, she could not but be caught in a trap. +The serpent began, "Is it true that God hath said, Ye shall not eat of +every tree in the garden?" "We may," rejoined Eve, "eat of the fruit of +all the trees in the garden, except that which is in the midst of the +garden, and that we may not even touch, lest we be stricken with +death." She spoke thus, because in his zeal to guard her against the +transgressing of the Divine command, Adam had forbidden Eve to touch +the tree, though God had mentioned only the eating of the fruit. It +remains a truth, what the proverb says, "Better a wall ten hands high +that stands, than a wall a hundred ells high that cannot stand." It was +Adam's exaggeration that afforded the serpent the possibility of +persuading Eve to taste of the forbidden fruit. The serpent pushed Eve +against the tree, and said: "Thou seest that touching the tree has not +caused thy death. As little will it hurt thee to eat the fruit of the +tree. Naught but malevolence has prompted the prohibition, for as soon +as ye eat thereof, ye shall be as God. As He creates and destroys +worlds, so will ye have the power to create and destroy. As He doth +slay and revive, so will ye have the power to slay and revive.[61] He +Himself ate first of the fruit of the tree, and then He created the +world. Therefore doth He forbid you to eat thereof, lest you create +other worlds. Everyone knows that 'artisans of the same guild hate one +another.' Furthermore, have ye not observed that every creature hath +dominion over the creature fashioned before itself? The heavens were +made on the first day, and they are kept in place by the firmament made +on the second day. The firmament, in turn, is ruled by the plants, the +creation of the third day, for they take up all the water of the +firmament. The sun and the other celestial bodies, which were created +on the fourth day, have power over the world of plants. They can ripen +their fruits and flourish only through their influence. The creation of +the fifth day, the animal world, rules over the celestial spheres. +Witness the ziz, which can darken the sun with its pinions. But ye are +masters of the whole of creation, because ye were the last to be +created. Hasten now and eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst of +the garden, and become independent of God, lest He bring forth still +other creatures to bear rule over you."[62] + +To give due weight to these words, the serpent began to shake the tree +violently and bring down its fruit. He ate thereof, saying: "As I do +not die of eating the fruit, so wilt thou not die." Now Eve could not +but say to herself, "All that my master"—so she called Adam—"commanded +me is but lies," and she determined to follow the advice of the +serpent.[63] Yet she could not bring herself to disobey the command of +God utterly. She made a compromise with her conscience. First she ate +only the outside skin of the fruit, and then, seeing that death did not +fell her, she ate the fruit itself.[64] Scarce had she finished, when +she saw the Angel of Death before her. Expecting her end to come +immediately, she resolved to make Adam eat of the forbidden fruit, too, +lest he espouse another wife after her death.[65] It required tears and +lamentations on her part to prevail upon Adam to take the baleful step. +Not yet satisfied, she gave of the fruit to all other living beings, +that they, too, might be subject to death.[66] All ate, and they all +are mortal, with the exception of the bird malham, who refused the +fruit, with the words: "Is it not enough that ye have sinned against +God, and have brought death to others? Must ye still come to me and +seek to persuade me into disobeying God's command, that I may eat and +die thereof? I will not do your bidding." A heavenly voice was heard +then to say to Adam and Eve: "To you was the command given. Ye did not +heed it; ye did transgress it, and ye did seek to persuade the bird +malham. He was steadfast, and he feared Me, although I gave him no +command. Therefore he shall never taste of death, neither he nor his +descendants—they all shall live forever in Paradise."[67] + +Adam spoke to Eve: "Didst thou give me of the tree of which I forbade +thee to eat? Thou didst give me thereof, for my eyes are opened, and +the teeth in my mouth are set on edge." Eve made answer, "As my teeth +were set on edge, so may the teeth of all living beings be set on +edge."[68] The first result was that Adam and Eve became naked. Before, +their bodies had been overlaid with a horny skin, and enveloped with +the cloud of glory. No sooner had they violated the command given them +than the cloud of glory and the horny skin dropped from them, and they +stood there in their nakedness, and ashamed.[69] Adam tried to gather +leaves from the trees to cover part of their bodies, but he heard one +tree after the other say: "There is the thief that deceived his +Creator. Nay, the foot of pride shall not come against me, nor the hand +of the wicked touch me. Hence, and take no leaves from me!" Only the +fig-tree granted him permission to take of its leaves. That was because +the fig was the forbidden fruit itself. Adam had the same experience as +that prince who seduced one of the maid-ser vants in the palace. When +the king, his father, chased him out, he vainly sought a refuge with +the other maid-servants, but only she who had caused his disgrace would +grant him assistance.[70] + +THE PUNISHMENT + +As long as Adam stood naked, casting about for means of escape from his +embarrassment, God did not appear unto him, for one should not "strive +to see a man in the hour of his disgrace." He waited until Adam and Eve +had covered themselves with fig leaves.[71] But even before God spoke +to him, Adam knew what was impending. He heard the angels announce, +"God betaketh Himself unto those that dwell in Paradise." He heard +more, too. He heard what the angels were saying to one another about +his fall, and what they were saying to God. In astonishment the angels +exclaimed: "What! He still walks about in Paradise? He is not yet +dead?" Whereupon God: "I said to him, 'In the day that thou eatest +thereof, thou shalt surely die!' Now, ye know not what manner of day I +meant—one of My days of a thousand years, or one of your days. I will +give him one of My days. He shall have nine hundred and thirty years to +live, and seventy to leave to his descendants."[72] + +When Adam and Eve heard God approaching, they hid among the trees—which +would not have been possible before the fall. Before he committed his +trespass, Adam's height was from the heavens to the earth, but +afterward it was reduced to one hundred ells.[73] Another consequence +of his sin was the fear Adam felt when he heard the voice of God: +before his fall it had not disquieted him in the least.[74] Hence it +was that when Adam said, "I heard Thy voice in the garden, and I was +afraid," God replied, "Aforetime thou wert not afraid, and now thou art +afraid?"[75] + +God refrained from reproaches at first. Standing at the gate of +Paradise, He but asked, "Where art thou, Adam?" Thus did God desire to +teach man a rule of polite behavior, never to enter the house of +another without announcing himself.[76] It cannot be denied, the words +"Where art thou?" were pregnant with meaning. They were intended to +bring home to Adam the vast difference between his latter and his +former state—between his supernatural size then and his shrunken size +now; between the lordship of God over him then and the lordship of the +serpent over him now.[77] At the same time, God wanted to give Adam the +opportunity of repenting of his sin, and he would have received Divine +forgiveness for it. But so far from repenting of it, Adam slandered +God, and uttered blasphemies against Him.[78] When God asked him, "Hast +thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee thou shouldst not eat?" +he did not confess his sin, but excused himself with the words: "O Lord +of the world! As long as I was alone, I did not fall into sin, but as +soon as this woman came to me, she tempted me." God replied: "I gave +her unto thee as a help, and thou art ungrateful when thou accusest +her, saying, 'She gave me of the tree.' Thou shouldst not have obeyed +her, for thou art the head, and not she."[79] God, who knows all +things, had foreseen exactly this, and He had not created Eve until +Adam had asked Him for a helpmate, so that he might not have apparently +good reason for reproaching God with having created woman.[80] + +As Adam tried to shift the blame for his misdeed from himself, so also +Eve. She, like her husband, did not confess her transgression and pray +for pardon, which would have been granted to her.[81] Gracious as God +is, He did not pronounce the doom upon Adam and Eve until they showed +themselves stiff-necked. Not so with the serpent. God inflicted the +curse upon the serpent without hearing his defense; for the serpent is +a villain, and the wicked are good debaters. If God had questioned him, +the serpent would have answered: "Thou didst give them a command, and I +did contradict it. Why did they obey me, and not Thee?"[82] Therefore +God did not enter into an argument with the serpent, but straightway +decreed the following ten punishments: The mouth of the serpent was +closed, and his power of speech taken away; his hands and feet were +hacked off; the earth was given him as food; he must suffer great pain +in sloughing his skin; enmity is to exist between him and man; if he +eats the choicest viands, or drinks the sweetest beverages, they all +change into dust in his mouth; the pregnancy of the female serpent +lasts seven years; men shall seek to kill him as soon as they catch +sight of him; even in the future world, where all beings will be +blessed, he will not escape the punishment decreed for him; he will +vanish from out of the Holy Land if Israel walks in the ways of +God.[83] + +Furthermore, God spake to the serpent: "I created thee to be king over +all animals, cattle and the beasts of the field alike; but thou wast +not satisfied. Therefore thou shalt be cursed above all cattle and +above every beast of the field. I created thee of upright posture; but +thou wast not satisfied. Therefore thou shalt go upon thy belly. I +created thee to eat the same food as man; but thou wast not satisfied. +Therefore thou shalt eat dust all the days of thy life. Thou didst seek +to cause the death of Adam in order to espouse his wife. Therefore I +will put enmity between thee and the woman." How true it is—he who +lusts after what is not his due, not only does he not attain his +desire, but he also loses what he has! + +As angels had been present when the doom was pronounced upon the +serpent—for God had convoked a Sanhedrin of seventy-one angels when He +sat in judgment upon him—so the execution of the decree against him was +entrusted to angels. They descended from heaven, and chopped off his +hands and feet. His suffering was so great that his agonized cries +could be heard from one end of the world to the other.[84] + +The verdict against Eve also consisted of ten curses, the effect of +which is noticeable to this day in the physical, spiritual, and social +state of woman.[85] It was not God Himself who announced her fate to +Eve. The only woman with whom God ever spoke was Sarah. In the case of +Eve, He made use of the services of an interpreter.[86] + +Finally, also the punishment of Adam was tenfold: he lost his celestial +clothing—God stripped it off him; in sorrow he was to earn his daily +bread; the food he ate was to be turned from good into bad; his +children were to wander from land to land; his body was to exude sweat; +he was to have an evil inclination; in death his body was to be a prey +of the worms; animals were to have power over him, in that they could +slay him; his days were to be few and full of trouble; in the end he +was to render account of all his doings on earth. + +These three sinners were not the only ones to have punishment dealt out +to them. The earth fared no better, for it had been guilty of various +misdemeanors. In the first place, it had not entirely heeded the +command of God given on the third day, to bring forth "tree of fruit." +What God had desired was a tree the wood of which was to be as pleasant +to the taste as the fruit thereof. The earth, however, produced a tree +bearing fruit, the tree itself not being edible.[88] Again, the earth +did not do its whole duty in connection with the sin of Adam. God had +appointed the sun and the earth witnesses to testify against Adam in +case he committed a trespass. The sun, accordingly, had grown dark the +instant Adam became guilty of disobedience, but the earth, not knowing +how to take notice of Adam's fall, disregarded it altogether.[89] The +earth also had to suffer a tenfold punishment: independent before, she +was hereafter to wait to be watered by the rain from above; sometimes +the fruits of the earth fail; the grain she brings forth is stricken +with blasting and mildew; she must produce all sorts of noxious vermin; +thenceforth she was to be divided into valleys and mountains; she must +grow barren trees, bearing no fruit; thorns and thistles sprout from +her; much is sown in the earth, but little is harvested; in time to +come the earth will have to disclose her blood, and shall no more cover +her slain; and, finally, she shall, one day, "wax old like a +garment."[90] + +When Adam heard the words, "Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth," +concerning the ground, a sweat broke out on his face, and he said: +"What! Shall I and my cattle eat from the same manger?" The Lord had +mercy upon him, and spoke, "In view of the sweat of thy face, thou +shalt eat bread."[91] + +The earth is not the only thing created that was made to suffer through +the sin of Adam. The same fate overtook the moon. When the serpent +seduced Adam and Eve, and exposed their nakedness, they wept bitterly, +and with them wept the heavens, and the sun and the stars, and all +created beings and things up to the throne of God. The very angels and +the celestial beings were grieved by the trans gression of Adam. The +moon alone laughed, wherefore God grew wroth, and obscured her light. +Instead of shining steadily like the sun, all the length of the day, +she grows old quickly, and must be born and reborn, again and +again.[92] The callous conduct of the moon offended God, not only by +way of contrast with the compassion of all other creatures, but because +He Himself was full of pity for Adam and his wife. He made clothes for +them out of the skin stripped from the serpent.[93] He would have done +even more. He would have permitted them to remain in Paradise, if only +they had been penitent. But they refused to repent, and they had to +leave, lest their godlike understanding urge them to ravage the tree of +life, and they learn to live forever. As it was, when God dismissed +them from Paradise, He did not allow the Divine quality of justice to +prevail entirely. He associated mercy with it. As they left, He said: +"O what a pity that Adam was not able to observe the command laid upon +him for even a brief span of time!" + +To guard the entrance to Paradise, God appointed the cherubim, called +also the ever-turning sword of flames, because angels can turn +themselves from one shape into another at need.[94] Instead of the tree +of life, God gave Adam the Torah, which likewise is a tree of life to +them that lay hold upon her, and he was permitted to take up his abode +in the vicinity of Paradise in the east.[95] + +Sentence pronounced upon Adam and Eve and the serpent, the Lord +commanded the angels to turn the man and the woman out of Paradise. +They began to weep and supplicate bitterly, and the angels took pity +upon them and left the Divine command unfulfilled, until they could +petition God to mitigate His severe verdict. But the Lord was +inexorable, saying, "Was it I that committed a trespass, or did I +pronounce a false judgment?" Also Adam's prayer, to be given of the +fruit of the tree of life, was turned aside, with the promise, however, +that if he would lead a pious life, he would be given of the fruit on +the day of resurrection, and he would then live forever. + +Seeing that God had resolved unalterably, Adam began to weep again and +implore the angels to grant him at least permission to take +sweet-scented spices with him out of Paradise, that outside, too, he +might be able to bring offerings unto God, and his prayers be accepted +before the Lord. Thereupon the angels came before God, and spake: "King +unto everlasting, command Thou us to give Adam sweet-scented spices of +Paradise," and God heard their prayer. Thus Adam gathered saffron, +nard, calamus, and cinnamon, and all sorts of seeds besides for his +sustenance. Laden with these, Adam and Eve left Paradise, and came upon +earth.[96] They had enjoyed the splendors of Paradise but a brief span +of time—but a few hours. It was in the first hour of the sixth day of +creation that God conceived the idea of creating man; in the second +hour, He took counsel with the angels; in the third, He gathered the +dust for the body of man; in the fourth, He formed Adam; in the fifth, +He clothed him with skin; in the sixth, the soulless shape was +complete, so that it could stand upright; in the seventh, a soul was +breathed into it; in the eighth, man was led into Paradise; in the +ninth, the Divine command prohibiting the fruit of the tree in the +midst of the garden was issued to him; in the tenth, he transgressed +the command; in the eleventh, he was judged; and in the twelfth hour of +the day, he was cast out of Paradise, in atonement for his sin. + +This eventful day was the first of the month of Tishri. Therefore God +spoke to Adam: "Thou shalt be the prototype of thy children. As thou +hast been judged by Me on this day and absolved, so thy children Israel +shall be judged by Me on this New Year's Day, and they shall be +absolved."[97] + +Each day of creation brought forth three things: the first, heaven, +earth, and light; the second, the firmament, Gehenna, and the angels; +the third, trees, herbs, and Paradise; the fourth, sun, moon, and +stars; and the fifth, fishes, birds, and leviathan. As God intended to +rest on the seventh day, the Sabbath, the sixth day had to do double +duty. It brought forth six creations: Adam, Eve, cattle, reptiles, the +beasts of the field, and demons. The demons were made shortly before +the Sabbath came in, and they are, therefore, incorporeal spirits—the +Lord had no time to create bodies for them.[98] + +In the twilight, between the sixth day and the Sabbath, ten creations +were, brought forth: the rainbow, invisible until Noah's time; the +manna; watersprings, whence Israel drew water for his thirst in the +desert; the writing upon the two tables of stone given at Sinai; the +pen with which the writing was written; the two tables themselves; the +mouth of Balaam's she-ass; the grave of Moses; the cave in which Moses +and Elijah dwelt; and the rod of Aaron, with its blossoms and its ripe +almonds.[99] + +SABBATH IN HEAVEN + +Before the world was created, there was none to praise God and know +Him. Therefore He created the angels and the holy Hayyot, the heavens +and their host, and Adam as well. They all were to praise and glorify +their Creator. During the week of creation, however, there was no +suitable time to proclaim the splendor and praise of the Lord. Only on +the Sabbath, when all creation rested, the beings on earth and in +heaven, all together, broke into song and adoration when God ascended +His throne and sate upon it.[100] It was the Throne of Joy upon which +He sate, and He had all the angels pass before Him—the angel of the +water, the angel of the rivers, the angel of the mountains, the angel +of the hills, the angel of the abysses, the angel of the deserts, the +angel of the sun, the angel of the moon, the angel of the Pleiades, the +angel of Orion, the angel of the herbs, the angel of Paradise, the +angel of Gehenna, the angel of the trees, the angel of the reptiles, +the angel of the wild beasts, the angel of the domestic animals, the +angel of the fishes, the angel of the locusts, the angel of the birds, +the chief angel of the angels, the angel of each heaven, the chief +angel of each division of the heavenly hosts, the chief angel of the +holy Hayyot, the chief angel of the cherubim, the chief angel of the +ofanim, and all the other splendid, terrible, and mighty angel chiefs. +They all appeared before God with great joy, laved in a stream of joy, +and they rejoiced and danced and sang, and extolled the Lord with many +praises and many instruments. The ministering angels began, "Let the +glory of the Lord endure forever!" And the rest of the angels took up +the song with the words, "Let the Lord rejoice in His works!" 'Arabot, +the seventh heaven, was filled with joy and glory, splendor and +strength, power and might and pride and magnificence and grandeur, +praise and jubilation, song and gladness, steadfastness and +righteousness, honor and adoration. + +Then God bade the Angel of the Sabbath seat himself upon a throne of +glory, and He brought before him the chiefs of the angels of all the +heavens and all the abysses, and bade them dance and rejoice, saying, +"Sabbath it is unto the Lord!" and the exalted princes of the heavens +responded, "Unto the Lord it is Sabbath!" Even Adam was permitted to +ascend to the highest heaven, to take part in the rejoicing over the +Sabbath. + +By bestowing Sabbath joy upon all beings, not excepting Adam, thus did +the Lord dedicate His creation. Seeing the majesty of the Sabbath, its +honor and greatness, and the joy it conferred upon all, being the fount +of all joy, Adam intoned a song of praise for the Sabbath day. Then God +said to him, "Thou singest a song of praise to the Sabbath day, and +singest none to Me, the God of the Sabbath?" Thereupon the Sabbath rose +from his seat, and prostrated himself before God, saying, "It is a good +thing to give thanks unto the Lord," and the whole of creation added, +"And to sing praises unto Thy Name, O Most High!"[101] + +This was the first Sabbath, and this its celebration in heaven by God +and the angels. The angels were informed at the same time that in days +to come Israel would hallow the day in similar manner. God told them: +"I will set aside for Myself a people from among all the peoples. This +people will observe the Sabbath, and I will sanctify it to be My +people, and I will be God unto it. From all that I have seen, I have +chosen the seed of Israel wholly, and I have inscribed him as My +first-born son, and I sanctified him unto Myself unto all eternity, him +and the Sabbath, that he keep the Sabbath and hallow it from all +work."[102] + +For Adam the Sabbath had a peculiar significance. When he was made to +depart out of Paradise in the twilight of the Sabbath eve, the angels +called after him, "Adam did not abide in his glory overnight!" Then the +Sabbath appeared before God as Adam's defender, and he spoke: "O Lord +of the world! During the six working days no creature was slain. If +Thou wilt begin now by slaying Adam, what will become of the sanctity +and the blessing of the Sabbath?" In this way Adam was rescued from the +fires of hell, the meet punishment for his sins, and in gratitude he +composed a psalm in honor of the Sabbath, which David later embodied in +his Psalter.[103] + +Still another opportunity was given to Adam to learn and appreciate the +value of the Sabbath. The celestial light, whereby Adam could survey +the world from end to end, should properly have been made to disappear +immediately after his sin. But out of consideration for the Sabbath, +God had let this light continue to shine, and the angels, at sundown on +the sixth day, intoned a song of praise and thanksgiving to God, for +the radiant light shining through the night. Only with the going out of +the Sabbath day the celestial light ceased, to the consternation of +Adam, who feared that the serpent would attack him in the dark. But God +illumined his understanding, and he learned to rub two stones against +each other and produce light for his needs.[104] + +The celestial light was but one of the seven precious gifts enjoyed by +Adam before the fall and to be granted to man again only in the +Messianic time. The others are the resplendence of his countenance; +life eternal; his tall stature; the fruits of the soil; the fruits of +the tree; and the luminaries of the sky, the sun and the moon, for in +the world to come the light of the moon shall be as the light of the +sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold.[105] + +ADAM'S REPENTANCE + +Cast out of Paradise, Adam and Eve built a hut for themselves, and for +seven days they sat in it in great distress, mourning and lamenting. At +the end of the seven days, tormented by hunger, they came forth and +sought food. For seven other days, Adam journeyed up and down in the +land, looking for such dainties as he had enjoyed in Paradise. In vain; +he found nothing. Then Eve spoke to her husband: "My lord, if it please +thee, slay me. Mayhap God will then take thee back into Paradise, for +the Lord God became wroth with thee only on account of me." But Adam +rejected her plan with abhorrence, and both went forth again on the +search for food. Nine days passed, and still they found naught +resembling what they had had in Paradise. They saw only food fit for +cattle and beasts. Then Adam proposed: "Let us do penance, mayhap the +Lord God will forgive us and have pity on us, and give us something to +sustain our life." Knowing that Eve was not vigorous enough to undergo +the mortification of the flesh which he purposed to inflict upon +himself, he prescribed a penance for her different from his own. He +said to her: "Arise, and go to the Tigris, take a stone and stand upon +it in the deepest part of the river, where the water will reach as high +as thy neck. And let no speech issue forth from thy mouth, for we are +unworthy to supplicate God, our lips are unclean by reason of the +forbidden fruit of the tree. Remain in the water for thirty-seven +days." + +For himself Adam ordained forty days of fasting, while he stood in the +river Jordan in the same way as Eve was to take up her stand in the +waters of the Tigris. After he had adjusted the stone in the middle of +the Jordan, and mounted it, with the waters surging up to his neck, he +said: "I adjure thee, O thou water of the Jordan! Afflict thyself with +me, and gather unto me all swimming creatures that live in thee. Let +them surround me and sorrow with me, and let them not beat their own +breasts with grief, but let them beat me. Not they have sinned, only I +alone!" Very soon they all came, the dwellers in the Jordan, and they +encompassed him, and from that moment the water of the Jordan stood +still and ceased from flowing. + +The penance which Adam and Eve laid upon themselves awakened misgivings +in Satan. He feared God might forgive their sin, and therefore essayed +to hinder Eve in her purpose. After a lapse of eighteen days he +appeared unto her in the guise of an angel. As though in distress on +account of her, he began to cry, saying: "Step up out of the river, and +weep no longer. The Lord God hath heard your mourning, and your +penitence hath been accepted by Him. All the angels supplicated the +Lord in your behalf, and He hath sent me to fetch you out of the water +and give you the sustenance that you enjoyed in Paradise, and for which +you have been mourning." Enfeebled as she was by her penances and +mortifications, Eve yielded to the solicitations of Satan, and he led +her to where her husband was. Adam recognized him at once, and amid +tears he cried out: "O Eve, Eve, where now is thy penitence? How +couldst thou let our adversary seduce thee again—him who robbed us of +our sojourn in Paradise and all spiritual joy?" Thereupon Eve, too, +began to weep and cry out: "Woe unto thee, O Satan! Why strivest thou +against us without any reason? What have we done unto thee that thou +shouldst pursue us so craftily?" With a deep-fetched sigh, Satan told +them how that Adam, of whom he had been jealous, had been the real +reason of his fall. Having lost his glory through him, he had intrigued +to have him driven from Paradise. + +When Adam heard the confession of Satan, he prayed to God: "O Lord my +God! In Thy hands is my life. Remove from me this adversary, who seeks +to deliver my soul to destruction, and grant me the glory he has +forfeited." Satan disappeared forthwith, but Adam continued his +penance, standing in the waters of the Jordan for forty days.[106] + +While Adam stood in the river, he noticed that the days were growing +shorter, and he feared the world might be darkened on account of his +sin, and go under soon. To avert the doom, he spent eight days in +prayer and fasting. But after the winter solstice, when he saw that the +days grew longer again, he spent eight days in rejoicing, and in the +following year he celebrated both periods, the one before and the one +after the solstice. This is why the heathen celebrate the calends and +the saturnalia in honor of their gods, though Adam had consecrated +those days to the honor of God.[107] + +The first time Adam witnessed the sinking of the sun be was also seized +with anxious fears. It happened at the conclusion of the Sabbath, and +Adam said, "Woe is me! For my sake, because I sinned, the world is +darkened, and it will again become void and without form. Thus will be +executed the punishment of death which God has pronounced against me!" +All the night he spent in tears, and Eve, too, wept as she sat opposite +to him. When day began to dawn, he understood that what he had deplored +was but the course of nature, and he brought an offering unto God, a +unicorn whose horn was created before his hoofs,[108] and he sacrificed +it on the spot on which later the altar was to stand in Jerusalem.[109] + +THE BOOK OF RAZIEL + +After Adam's expulsion from Paradise, he prayed to God in these words: +"O God, Lord of the world! Thou didst create the whole world unto the +honor and glory of the Mighty One, and Thou didst as was pleasing unto +Thee. Thy kingdom is unto all eternity, and Thy reign unto all +generations. Naught is hidden from Thee, and naught is concealed from +Thine eyes. Thou didst create me as Thy handiwork, and didst make me +the ruler over Thy creatures, that I might be the chief of Thy works. +But the cunning, accursed serpent seduced me with the tree of desire +and lusts, yea, he seduced the wife of my bosom. But Thou didst not +make known unto me what shall befall my children and the generations +after me. I know well that no human being can be righteous in Thine +eyes, and what is my strength that I should step before Thee with an +impudent face? I have no mouth wherewith to speak and no eye wherewith +to see, for I did sin and commit a trespass, and, by reason of my sins, +I was driven forth from Paradise. I must plough the earth whence I was +taken, and the other inhabitants of the earth, the beasts, no longer, +as once, stand in awe and fear of me. From the time I ate of the tree +of knowledge of good and evil, wisdom departed from me, and I am a fool +that knoweth naught, an ignorant man that understandeth not. Now, O +merciful and gracious God, I pray to Thee to turn again Thy compassion +to the head of Thy works, to the spirit which Thou didst instil into +him, and the soul Thou didst breathe into him. Meet me with Thy grace, +for Thou art gracious, slow to anger, and full of love. O that my +prayer would reach unto the throne of Thy glory, and my supplication +unto the throne of Thy mercy, and Thou wouldst incline to me with +lovingkindness. May the words of my mouth be acceptable, that Thou turn +not away from my petition. Thou wert from everlasting, and Thou wilt be +unto everlasting; Thou wert king, and Thou wilt ever be king. Now, have +Thou mercy upon the work of Thy hands. Grant me knowledge and +understanding, that I may know what shall befall me, and my posterity, +and all the generations that come after me, and what shall befall me on +every day and in every month, and mayest Thou not withhold from me the +help of Thy servants and of Thy angels." + +On the third day after he had offered up this prayer, while he was +sitting on the banks of the river that flows forth out of Paradise, +there appeared to him, in the heat of the day, the angel Raziel, +bearing a book in his hand. The angel addressed Adam thus: "O Adam, why +art thou so fainthearted? Why art thou distressed and anxious? Thy +words were heard at the moment when thou didst utter thy supplication +and entreaties, and I have received the charge to teach thee pure words +and deep understanding, to make thee wise through the contents of the +sacred book in my hand, to know what will happen to thee until the day +of thy death. And all thy descendants and all the later generations, if +they will but read this book in purity, with a devout heart and an +humble mind, and obey its precepts, will become like unto thee. They, +too, will foreknow what things shall happen, and in what month and on +what day or in what night. All will be manifest to them—they will know +and understand whether a calamity will come, a famine or wild beasts, +floods or drought; whether there will be abundance of grain or dearth; +whether the wicked will rule the world; whether locusts will devastate +the land; whether the fruits will drop from the trees unripe; whether +boils will afflict men; whether wars will prevail, or diseases or +plagues among men and cattle; whether good is resolved upon in heaven, +or evil; whether blood will flow, and the death-rattle of the slain be +heard in the city. And now, Adam, come and give heed unto what I shall +tell thee regarding the manner of this book and its holiness." + +Raziel, the angel, then read from the book, and when Adam heard the +words of the holy volume as they issued from the mouth of the angel, he +fell down affrighted. But the angel encouraged him. "Arise, Adam," he +said, "be of good courage, be not afraid, take the book from me and +keep it, for thou wilt draw knowledge from it thyself and become wise, +and thou wilt also teach its contents to all those who shall be found +worthy of knowing what it contains." + +In the moment when Adam took the book, a flame of fire shot up from +near the river, and the angel rose heavenward with it. Then Adam knew +that he who had spoken to him was an angel of God, and it was from the +Holy King Himself that the book had come, and he used it in holiness +and purity. It is the book out of which all things worth knowing can be +learnt, and all mysteries, and it teaches also how to call upon the +angels and make them appear before men, and answer all their questions. +But not all alike can use the book, only he who is wise and +God-fearing, and resorts to it in holiness. Such an one is secure +against all wicked counsels, his life is serene, and when death takes +him from this world, he finds repose in a place where there are neither +demons nor evil spirits, and out of the hands of the wicked he is +quickly rescued.[110] + +THE SICKNESS OF ADAM + +When Adam had lived to be nine hundred and thirty years old, a sickness +seized him, and he felt that his days were drawing to an end. He +summoned all his descendants, and assembled them before the door of the +house of worship in which he had always offered his prayers to God, to +give them his last blessing. His family were astonished to find him +stretched out on the bed of sickness, for they did not know what pain +and suffering were.[111] They thought he was overcome with longing +after the fruits of Paradise, and for lack of them was depressed. Seth +announced his willingness to go to the gates of Paradise and beg God to +let one of His angels give him of its fruits. But Adam explained to +them what sickness and pain are, and that God had inflicted them upon +him as a punishment for his sin.[112] Adam suffered violently; tears +and groans were wrung from him. Eve sobbed, and said, "Adam, my lord, +give me the half of thy sickness, I will gladly bear it. Is it not on +account of me that this hath come upon thee? On account of me thou +undergoest pain and anguish." + +Adam bade Eve go with Seth to the gates of Paradise and entreat God to +have mercy upon him, and send His angel to catch up some of the oil of +life flowing from the tree of His mercy and give it to his messengers. +The ointment would bring him rest, and banish the pain consuming him. +On his way to Paradise, Seth was attacked by a wild beast. Eve called +out to the assailant, "How durst thou lay hand on the image of God?" +The ready answer came: "It is thine own fault. Hadst thou not opened +thy mouth to eat of the forbidden fruit, my mouth would not be opened +now to destroy a human being." But Seth remonstrated: "Hold thy tongue! +Desist from the image of God until the day of judgment." And the beast +gave way, saying, "See, I refrain myself from the image of God," and it +slunk away to its covert.[113] + +Arrived at the gates of Paradise, Eve and Seth began to cry bitterly, +and they besought God with many lamentations to give them oil from the +tree of His mercy. For hours they prayed thus. At last the archangel +Michael appeared, and informed them that he came as the messenger of +God to tell them that their petition could not be granted. Adam would +die in a few days, and as he was subject to death, so would be all his +descendants. Only at the time of the resurrection, and then only to the +pious, the oil of life would be dispensed, together with all the bliss +and all the delights of Paradise.[114] Returned to Adam, they reported +what had happened, and he said to Eve: "What misfortune didst thou +bring upon us when thou didst arouse great wrath! See, death is the +portion of all our race! Call hither our children and our children's +children, and tell them the manner of our sinning." And while Adam lay +prostrate upon the bed of pain, Eve told them the story of their +fall.[115] + +EVE'S STORY OF THE FALL + +After I was created, God divided Paradise and all the animals therein +between Adam and me. The east and the north were assigned to Adam, +together with the male animals. I was mistress of the west and the +south and all the female animals. Satan, smarting under the disgrace of +having been dismissed from the heavenly host, resolved to bring about +our ruin and avenge himself upon the cause of his discomfiture. He won +the serpent over to his side, and pointed out to him that before the +creation of Adam the animals could enjoy all that grew in Paradise, and +now they were restricted to the weeds. To drive Adam from Paradise +would therefore be for the good of all. The serpent demurred, for he +stood in awe of the wrath of God. But Satan calmed his fears, and said, +"Do thou but become my vessel,[117] and I shall speak a word through +thy mouth wherewith thou wilt succeed in seducing man." + +The serpent thereupon suspended himself from the wall surrounding +Paradise, to carry on his conversation with me from without. And this +happened at the very moment when my two guardian angels had betaken +themselves to heaven to supplicate the Lord. I was quite alone +therefore, and when Satan assumed the appearance of an angel, bent over +the wall of Paradise, and intoned seraphic songs of praise, I was +deceived, and thought him an angel. A conversation was held between us, +Satan speaking through the mouth of the serpent: + +"Art thou Eve?" + +"Yes, it is I." + +"What art thou doing in Paradise?" + +"The Lord has put us here to cultivate it and eat of its fruits." + +"That is good. Yet you eat not of all the trees." + +"That we do, excepting a single one, the tree that stands in the midst +of Paradise. Concerning it alone, God has forbidden us to eat of it, +else, the Lord said, ye will die." + +The serpent made every effort to persuade me that I had naught to +fear—that God knew that in the day that Adam and I ate of the fruit of +the tree, we should be as He Himself. It was jealousy that had made Him +say,[118] "Ye shall not eat of it." In spite of all his urging, I +remained steadfast and refused to touch the tree. Then the serpent +engaged to pluck the fruit for me. Thereupon I opened the gate of +Paradise, and he slipped in. Scarcely was he within, when he said to +me, "I repent of my words, I would rather not give thee of the fruit of +the forbidden tree." It was but a cunning device to tempt me more. He +consented to give me of the fruit only after I swore to make my husband +eat of it, too. This is the oath he made me take: "By the throne of +God, by the cherubim, and by the tree of life, I shall give my husband +of this fruit, that he may eat, too." Thereupon the serpent ascended +the tree and injected his poison, the poison of the evil inclination, +into the fruit,[119] and bent the branch on which it grew to the +ground. I took hold of it, but I knew at once that I was stripped of +the righteousness in which I had been clothed.[120] I began to weep, +because of it and because of the oath the serpent had forced from me. + +The serpent disappeared from the tree, while I sought leaves wherewith +to cover my nakedness, but all the trees within my reach had cast off +their leaves at the moment when I ate of the forbidden fruit.[121] +There was only one that retained its leaves, the fig-tree, the very +tree the fruit of which had been forbidden to me.[122] I summoned Adam, +and by means of blasphemous words I prevailed upon him to eat of the +fruit. As soon as it had passed his lips, he knew his true condition, +and he exclaimed against me: "Thou wicked woman, what bast thou brought +down upon me? Thou hast removed me from the glory of God." + +At the same time Adam and I heard the archangel Michael[123] blow his +trumpet, and all the angels cried out: "Thus saith the Lord, Come ye +with Me to Paradise and hearken unto the sentence which I will +pronounce upon Adam."[124] + +We hid ourselves because we feared the judgment of God. Sitting in his +chariot drawn by cherubim, the Lord, accompanied by angels uttering His +praise, appeared in Paradise. At His coming the bare trees again put +forth leaves.[125] His throne was erected by the tree of life, and God +addressed Adam: "Adam, where dost thou keep thyself in hiding? Thinkest +thou I cannot find thee? Can a house conceal itself from its +architect?"[126] + +Adam tried to put the blame on me, who had promised to hold him +harmless before God. And I in turn accused the serpent. But God dealt +out justice to all three of us. To Adam He said: "Because thou didst +not obey My commands, but didst hearken unto the voice of thy wife, +cursed is the ground in spite of thy work. When thou dost cultivate it, +it will not yield thee its strength. Thorns and thistles shall it bring +forth to thee, and in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread. Thou +wilt suffer many a hardship, thou wilt grow weary, and yet find no +rest. Bitterly oppressed, thou shalt never taste of any sweetness. Thou +shalt be scourged by heat, and yet pinched by cold. Thou shalt toil +greatly, and yet not gain wealth. Thou shalt grow fat, and yet cease to +live. And the animals over which thou art the master will rise up +against thee, because thou didst not keep my command."[127] + +Upon me God pronounced this sentence: "Thou shalt suffer anguish in +childbirth and grievous torture. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth +children, and in the hour of travail, when thou art near to lose thy +life, thou wilt confess and cry, 'Lord, Lord, save me this time, and I +will never again indulge in carnal pleasure,' and yet thy desire shall +ever and ever be unto thy husband."[128] + +At the same time all sorts of diseases were decreed upon us. God said +to Adam: "Because thou didst turn aside from My covenant, I will +inflict seventy plagues upon thy flesh. The pain of the first plague +shall lay hold on thy eyes; the pain of the second plague upon thy +hearing, and one after the other all the plagues shall come upon +thee."[129] The serpent God addressed thus: "Because thou becamest the +vessel of the Evil One,[130] deceiving the innocent, cursed art thou +above all cattle and above every beast of the field. Thou shalt be +robbed of the food thou wast wont to eat, and dust shalt thou eat all +the days of thy life. Upon thy breast and thy belly shalt thou go, and +of thy hands and thy feet thou shalt be deprived. Thou shalt not remain +in possession of thy ears, nor of thy wings, nor of any of thy limbs +wherewith thou didst seduce the woman and her husband, bringing them to +such a pass that they must be driven forth from Paradise. And I will +put enmity between thee and the seed of man. It shall bruise thy head, +and, thou shalt bruise his heel until the day of judgment."[131] + +THE DEATH OF ADAM + +On the last day of Adam's life, Eve said to him, "Why should I go on +living, when thou art no more? How long shall I have to linger on after +thy death? Tell me this!" Adam assured her she would not tarry long. +They would die together, and be buried together in the same place. He +commanded her not to touch his corpse until an angel from God had made +provision regarding it, and she was to begin at once to pray to God +until his soul escaped from his body. + +While Eve was on her knees in prayer, an angel came,[132] and bade her +rise. "Eve, arise from thy penance," he commanded. "Behold, thy husband +hath left his mortal coil. Arise, and see his spirit go up to his +Creator, to appear before Him." And, lo, she beheld a chariot of light, +drawn by four shining eagles, and preceded by angels. In this chariot +lay the soul of Adam, which the angels were taking to heaven. Arrived +there, they burnt incense until the clouds of smoke enveloped the +heavens. Then they prayed to God to have mercy upon His image and the +work of His holy hands. In her awe and fright, Eve summoned Seth, and +she bade him look upon the vision and explain the celestial sights +beyond her understanding. She asked, "Who may the two Ethiopians be, +who are adding their prayers to thy father's?" Seth told her, they were +the sun and the moon, turned so black because they could not shine in +the face of the Father of light.[133] Scarcely had he spoken, when an +angel blew a trumpet, and all the angels cried out with awful voices, +"Blessed be the glory of the Lord by His creatures, for He has shown +mercy unto Adam, the work of His hands!" A seraph then seized Adam, and +carried him off to the river Acheron, washed him three times, and +brought him before the presence of God, who sat upon His throne, and, +stretching out His hand, lifted Adam up and gave him over to the +archangel Michael, with the words, "Raise him to the Paradise of the +third heaven, and there thou shalt leave him until the great and +fearful day ordained by Me." Michael executed the Divine behest, and +all the angels sang a song of praise, extolling God for the pardon He +had accorded Adam. + +Michael now entreated God to let him attend to the preparation of +Adam's body for the grave. Permission being given, Michael repaired to +earth, accompanied by all the angels. When they entered the terrestrial +Paradise, all the trees blossomed forth, and the perfume wafted thence +lulled all men into slumber except Seth alone. Then God said to Adam, +as his body lay on the ground: "If thou hadst kept My commandment, they +would not rejoice who brought thee hither. But I tell thee, I will turn +the joy of Satan and his consorts into sorrow, and thy sorrow shall be +turned into joy. I will restore thee to thy dominion, and thou shalt +sit upon the throne of thy seducer, while he shall be damned, with +those who hearken unto him."[134] + +Thereupon, at the bidding of God, the three great archangels[135] +covered the body of Adam with linen, and poured sweet-smelling oil upon +it. With it they interred also the body of Abel, which had lain +unburied since Cain had slain him, for all the murderer's efforts to +hide it had been in vain. The corpse again and again sprang forth from +the earth, and a voice issued thence, proclaiming, "No creature shall +rest in the earth until the first one of all has returned the dust to +me of which it was formed."[136] The angels carried the two bodies to +Paradise, Adam's and Abel's—the latter had all this time been lying on +a stone on which angels had placed it—and they buried them both on the +spot whence God had taken the dust wherewith to make Adam.[137] + +God called unto the body of Adam, "Adam! Adam!" and it answered, "Lord, +here am I!" Then God said: "I told thee once, Dust thou art, and unto +dust shalt thou return. Now I promise thee resurrection. I will awaken +thee on the day of judgment, when all the generations of men that +spring from thy loins, shall arise from the grave." God then sealed up +the grave, that none might do him harm during the six days to elapse +until his rib should be restored to him through the death of Eve.[138] + +THE DEATH OF EVE + +The interval between Adam's death and her own Eve spent in weeping. She +was distressed in particular that she knew not what had become of +Adam's body, for none except Seth had been awake while the angel +interred it. When the hour of her death drew nigh, Eve supplicated to +be buried in the selfsame spot in which the remains of her husband +rested. She prayed to God: "Lord of all powers! Remove not Thy +maid-servant from the body of Adam, from which Thou didst take me, from +whose limbs Thou didst form me. Permit me, who am an unworthy and +sinning woman, to enter into his habitation. As we were together in +Paradise, neither separated from the other; as together we were tempted +to transgress Thy law, neither separated from the other, so, O Lord, +separate us not now." To the end of her prayer she added the petition, +raising her eyes heavenward, "Lord of the world! Receive my spirit!" +and she gave up her soul to God. + +The archangel Michael came and taught Seth how to prepare Eve for +burial, and three angels descended and interred her body in the grave +with Adam and Abel. Then Michael spoke to Seth, "Thus shalt thou bury +all men that die until the resurrection day." And again, having given +him this command, he spoke: "Longer than six days ye shall not +mourn.[139] The repose of the seventh day is the token of the +resurrection in the latter day, for on the seventh day the Lord rested +from all the work which He had created and made."[140] + +Though death was brought into the world through Adam, yet he cannot be +held responsible for the death of men. Once on a time he said to God: +"I am not concerned about the death of the wicked, but I should not +like the pious to reproach me and lay the blame for their death upon +me. I pray Thee, make no mention of my guilt." And God promised to +fulfil his wish. Therefore, when a man is about to die, God appears to +him, and bids him set down in writing all he has done during his life, +for, He tells him, "Thou art dying by reason of thy evil deeds." The +record finished, God orders him to seal it with his seal. This is the +writing God will bring out on the judgment day, and to each will be +made known his deeds.[141] As soon as life is extinct in a man, he is +presented to Adam, whom he accuses of having caused his death. But Adam +repudiates the charge: "I committed but one trespass. Is there any +among you, and be he the most pious, who has not been guilty of more +than one?"[142] + + + + +III +THE TEN GENERATIONS + +THE BIRTH OF CAIN + +There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, to show how +long-suffering is the Lord, for all the generations provoked Him unto +wrath, until He brought the deluge upon them.[1] By reason of their +impiousness God changed His plan of calling one thousand generations +into being between the creation of the world and the revelation of the +law at Mount Sinai; nine hundred and seventy-four He suppressed before +the flood.[2] + +Wickedness came into the world with the first being born of woman, +Cain, the oldest son of Adam. When God bestowed Paradise upon the first +pair of mankind, He warned them particularly against carnal intercourse +with each other. But after the fall of Eve, Satan, in the guise of the +serpent, approached her, and the fruit of their union was Cain, the +ancestor of all the impious generations that were rebellious toward +God, and rose up against Him. Cain's descent from Satan, who is the +angel Samael, was revealed in his seraphic appearance. At his birth, +the exclamation was wrung from Eve, "I have gotten a man through an +angel of the Lord."[3] + +Adam was not in the company of Eve during the time of her pregnancy +with Cain. After she had succumbed a second time to the temptations of +Satan, and permitted herself to be interrupted in her penance,[4] she +left her husband and journeyed westward, because she feared her +presence might continue to bring him misery. Adam remained in the east. +When the days of Eve to be delivered were fulfilled, and she began to +feel the pangs of travailing, she prayed to God for help. But He +hearkened not unto her supplications. "Who will carry the report to my +lord Adam?" she asked herself. "Ye luminaries in the sky, I beg you, +tell it to my master Adam when ye return to the east!" In that self +same hour, Adam cried out: "The lamentation of Eve has pierced to my +ear! Mayhap the serpent has again assaulted her," and he hastened to +his wife. Finding her in grievous pain, he besought God in her behalf, +and twelve angels appeared, together with two heavenly powers.[5] All +these took up their post to right of her and to left of her, while +Michael, also standing on her right side, passed his hand over her, +from her face downward to her breast, and said to her, "Be thou +blessed, Eve, for the sake of Adam. Because of his solicitations and +his prayers I was sent to grant thee our assistance. Make ready to give +birth to thy child!" Immediately her son was born, a radiant figure.[6] +A little while and the babe stood upon his feet, ran off, and returned +holding in his hands a stalk of straw, which he gave to his mother. For +this reason he was named Cain, the Hebrew word for stalk of straw. + +Now Adam took Eve and the boy to his home in the east. God sent him +various kinds of seeds by the hand of the angel Michael, and he was +taught how to cultivate the ground and make it yield produce and +fruits, to sustain himself and his family and his posterity.[7] + +After a while, Eve bore her second son, whom she named Hebel, because, +she said, he was born but to die. + +FRATRICIDE + +The slaying of Abel by Cain did not come as a wholly unexpected event +to his parents. In a dream Eve had seen the blood of Abel flow into the +mouth of Cain, who drank it with avidity, though his brother entreated +him not to take all. When she told her dream to Adam, he said, +lamenting, "O that this may not portend the death of Abel at the hand +of Cain!" He separated the two lads, assigning to each an abode of his +own, and to each he taught a different occupation. Cain became a tiller +of the ground, and Abel a keeper of sheep. It was all in vain. In spite +of these precautions, Cain slew his brother.[9] + +His hostility toward Abel had more than one reason. It began when God +had respect unto the offering of Abel, and accepted it by sending +heavenly fire down to consume it, while the offering of Cain was +rejected.[10] They brought their sacrifices on the fourteenth day of +Nisan, at the instance of their father, who had spoken thus to his +sons: "This is the day on which, in times to come, Israel will offer +sacrifices. Therefore, do ye, too, bring sacrifices to your Creator on +this day, that He may take pleasure in you." The place of offering +which they chose was the spot whereon the altar of the Temple at +Jerusalem stood later.[11] Abel selected the best of his flocks for his +sacrifice, but Cain ate his meal first, and after he had satisfied his +appetite, he offered unto God what was left over, a few grains of flax +seed. As though his offense had not been great enough in offering unto +God fruit of the ground which had been cursed by God![12] What wonder +that his sacrifice was not received with favor! Besides, a chastisement +was inflicted upon him. His face turned black as smoke.[13] +Nevertheless, his disposition underwent no change, even when God spoke +to him thus: "If thou wilt amend thy ways, thy guilt will be forgiven +thee; if not, thou wilt be delivered into the power of the evil +inclination. It coucheth at the door of thy heart, yet it depends upon +thee whether thou shalt be master over it, or it shall be master over +thee."[14] + +Cain thought he had been wronged, and a dispute followed between him +and Abel. "I believed," he said, "that the world was created through +goodness,[15] but I see that good deeds bear no fruit. God rules the +world with arbitrary power, else why had He respect unto thy offering, +and not unto mine also?" Abel opposed him; he maintained that God +rewards good deeds, without having respect unto persons. If his +sacrifice had been accepted graciously by God, and Cain's not, it was +because his deeds were good, and his brother's wicked.[16] + +But this was not the only cause of Cain's hatred toward Abel. Partly +love for a woman brought about the crime. To ensure the propagation of +the human race, a girl, destined to be his wife, was born together with +each of the sons of Adam. Abel's twin sister was of exquisite beauty, +and Cain desired her.[17] Therefore he was constantly brooding over +ways and means of ridding himself of his brother. + +The opportunity presented itself ere long. One day a sheep belonging to +Abel tramped over a field that had been planted by Cain. In a rage, the +latter called out, "What right hast thou to live upon my land and let +thy sheep pasture yonder?" Abel retorted: "What right hast thou to use +the products of my sheep, to make garments for thyself from their wool? +If thou wilt take off the wool of my sheep wherein thou art arrayed, +and wilt pay me for the flesh of the flocks which thou hast eaten, then +I will quit thy land as thou desirest, and fly into the air, if I can +do it." Cain thereupon said, "And if I were to kill thee, who is there +to demand thy blood of me?" Abel replied: "God, who brought us into the +world, will avenge me. He will require my blood at thine hand, if thou +shouldst slay me. God is the Judge, who will visit their wicked deeds +upon the wicked, and their evil deeds upon the evil. Shouldst thou slay +me, God will know thy secret, and He will deal out punishment unto +thee." + +These words but added to the anger of Cain, and he threw himself upon +his brother.[18] Abel was stronger than he, and he would have got the +worst of it, but at the last moment he begged for mercy, and the gentle +Abel released his hold upon him. Scarcely did he feel himself free, +when he turned against Abel once more, and slew him. So true is the +saying, "Do the evil no good, lest evil fall upon thee."[19] + +THE PUNISHMENT OF CAIN + +The manner of Abel's death was the most cruel conceivable. Not knowing +what injury was fatal, Cain pelted all parts of his body with stones, +until one struck him on the neck and inflicted death. + +After committing the murder, Cain resolved to flee, saying, "My parents +will demand account of me concerning Abel, for there is no other human +being on earth." This thought had but passed through his mind when God +appeared unto him, and addressed him in these words: "Before thy +parents thou canst flee, but canst thou go out from My presence, too? +'Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?' Alas +for Abel that he showed thee mercy, and refrained from killing thee, +when he had thee in his power! Alas that he granted thee the +opportunity of slaying him!" + +Questioned by God, "Where is Abel thy brother?" Cain answered: "Am I my +brother's keeper? Thou art He who holdest watch over all creatures, and +yet Thou demandest account of me! True, I slew him, but Thou didst +create the evil inclination in me. Thou guardest all things; why, then, +didst Thou permit me to slay him? Thou didst Thyself slay him, for +hadst Thou looked with a favorable countenance toward my offering as +toward his, I had had no reason for envying him, and I had not slain +him." But God said, "The voice of thy brother's blood issuing from his +many wounds crieth out against thee,[20] and likewise the blood of all +the pious who might have sprung from the loins of Abel." + +Also the soul of Abel denounced the murderer, for she could find rest +nowhere. She could neither soar heavenward, nor abide in the grave with +her body, for no human soul had done either before.[21] But Cain still +refused to confess his guilt. He insisted that he had never seen a man +killed, and how was he to suppose that the stones which he threw at +Abel would take his life? Then, on account of Cain, God cursed the +ground, that it might not yield fruit unto him.[22] With a single +punishment both Cain and the earth were chastised, the earth because it +retained the corpse of Abel, and did not cast it above ground.[23] + +In the obduracy of his heart, Cain spake: "O Lord of the world! Are +there informers who denounce men before Thee? My parents are the only +living human beings, and they know naught of my deed. Thou abidest in +the heavens, and how shouldst Thou know what things happen on earth?" +God said in reply: "Thou fool! I carry the whole world. I have made it, +and I will bear it"—a reply that gave Cain the opportunity of feigning +repentance. "Thou bearest the whole world," he said, "and my sin Thou +canst not bear?[24] Verily, mine iniquity is too great to be borne! +Yet, yesterday Thou didst banish my father from Thy presence, to-day +Thou dost banish me. In sooth, it will be said, it is Thy way to +banish."[25] + +Although this was but dissimulation, and not true repentance, yet God +granted Cain pardon, and removed the half of his chastisement from him. +Originally, the decree had condemned him to be a fugitive and a +wanderer on the earth. Now he was no longer to roam about forever, but +a fugitive he was to remain. And so much was hard enough to have to +suffer, for the earth quaked under Cain, and all the animals, the wild +and the tame, among them the accursed serpent, gathered together and +essayed to devour him in order to avenge the innocent blood of Abel. +Finally Cain could bear it no longer, and, breaking out in tears, he +cried: "Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee +from Thy presence?"[26] To protect him from the onslaught of the +beasts, God inscribed one letter of His Holy Name upon his forehead, +and furthermore He addressed the animals: "Cain's punishment shall not +be like unto the punishment of future murderers. He has shed blood, but +there was none to give him instruction. Henceforth, however, he who +slays another shall himself be slain." Then God gave him the dog as a +protection against the wild beasts, and to mark him as a sinner, He +afflicted him with leprosy. + +Cain's repentance, insincere though it was, bore a good result. When +Adam met him, and inquired what doom had been decreed against him, Cain +told how his repentance had propitiated God, and Adam exclaimed, "So +potent is repentance, and I knew it not!" Thereupon he composed a hymn +of praise to God, beginning with the words, "It is a good thing to +confess thy sins unto the Lord!"[29] + +The crime committed by Cain had baneful consequences, not for himself +alone, but for the whole of nature also. Before, the fruits which the +earth bore unto him when he tilled the ground had tasted like the +fruits of Paradise. Now his labor produced naught but thorns and +thistles.[29] The ground changed and deteriorated at the very moment of +Abel's violent end. The trees and the plants in the part of the earth +whereon the victim lived refused to yield their fruits, on account of +their grief over him, and only at the birth of Seth those that grew in +the portion belonging to Abel began to flourish and bear again. But +never did they resume their former powers. While, before, the vine had +borne nine hundred and twenty-six different varieties of fruit, it now +brought forth but one kind. And so it was with all other species. They +will regain their pristine powers only in the world to come.[30] + +Nature was modified also by the burial of the corpse of Abel. For a +long time it lay there exposed, above ground, because Adam and Eve knew +not what to do with it. They sat beside it and wept, while the faithful +dog of Abel kept guard that birds and beasts did it no harm. On a +sudden, the mourning parents observed how a raven scratched the earth +away in one spot, and then hid a dead bird of his own kind in the +ground. Adam, following the example of the raven, buried the body of +Abel, and the raven was rewarded by God. His young are born with white +feathers, wherefore the old birds desert them, not recognizing them as +their offspring. They take them for serpents. God feeds them until +their plumage turns black, and the parent birds return to them. As an +additional reward, God grants their petition when the ravens pray for +rain.[31] + +THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEVEN EARTHS + +When Adam was cast out of Paradise, he first reached the lowest of the +seven earths, the Erez, which is dark, without a ray of light, and +utterly void. Adam was terrified, particularly by the flames of the +ever-turning sword, which is on this earth. After he had done penance, +God led him to the second earth, the Adamah, where there is light +reflected from its own sky and from its phantom-like stars and +constellations. Here dwell the phantom-like beings that issued from the +union of Adam with the spirits. They are always sad; the emotion of joy +is not known to them. They leave their own earth and repair to the one +inhabited by men, where they are changed into evil spirits. Then they +return to their abode for good, repent of their wicked deeds, and till +the ground, which, however, bears neither wheat nor any other of the +seven species.[34] In this Adamah, Cain, Abel, and Seth were born. +After the murder of Abel, Cain was sent back to the Erez, where he was +frightened into repentance by its darkness and by the flames of the +ever-turning sword. Accepting his penitence, God permitted him to +ascend to the third earth, the Arka, which receives some light from the +sun. The Arka was surrendered to the Cainites forever, as their +perpetual domain. They till the ground, and plant trees, but they have +neither wheat nor any other of the seven species. + +Some of the Cainites are giants, some of them are dwarfs. They have two +heads, wherefore they can never arrive at a decision; they are always +at loggerheads with themselves.[34] It may happen that they are pious +now, only to be inclined to do evil the next moment. + +In the Ge, the fourth earth, live the generation of the Tower of Babel +and their descendants. God banished them thither because the fourth +earth is not far from Gehenna, and therefore close to the flaming +fire.[35] The inhabitants of the Ge are skilful in all arts, and +accomplished in all departments of science and knowledge, and their +abode overflows with wealth. When an inhabitant of our earth visits +them, they give him the most precious thing in their possession, but +then they lead him to the Neshiah, the fifth earth, where he becomes +oblivious of his origin and his home. The Neshiah is inhabited by +dwarfs without noses; they breathe through two holes instead. They have +no memory; once a thing has happened, they forget it completely, whence +their earth is called Neshiah, "forgetting." The fourth and fifth +earths are like the Arka; they have trees, but neither wheat nor any +other of the seven species. + +The sixth earth, the Ziah, is inhabited by handsome men, who are the +owners of abundant wealth, and live in palatial residences, but they +lack water, as the name of their territory, Ziah, "drought," indicates. +Hence vegetation is sparse with them, and their tree culture meets with +indifferent success. They hasten to any waterspring that is discovered, +and sometimes they succeed in slipping through it up to our earth, +where they satisfy their sharp appetite for the food eaten by the +inhabitants of our earth. For the rest, they are men of steadfast +faith, more than any other class of mankind.[36] + +Adam remained in the Adamah until after the birth of Seth. Then, +passing the third earth, the Arka, the abiding place of the Cainites, +and the next three earths as well, the Ge, the Neshiah, and the Ziah, +God transported him to the Tebel, the seventh earth, the earth +inhabited by men. + +THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN + +Cain knew only too well that his blood-guiltiness would be visited upon +him in the seventh generation. Thus had God decreed against him.[37] He +endeavored, therefore, to immortalize his name by means of +monuments,[38] and he became a builder of cities. The first of them he +called Enoch, after his son, because it was at the birth of Enoch that +he began to enjoy a measure of rest and peace.[39] Besides, he founded +six other cities.[40] This building of cities was a godless deed, for +he surrounded them with a wall, forcing his family to remain within. +All his other doings were equally impious. The punishment God had +ordained for him did not effect any improvement. He sinned in order to +secure his own pleasure, though his neighbors suffered injury thereby. +He augmented his household substance by rapine and violence; he excited +his acquaintances to procure pleasures and spoils by robbery, and he +became a great leader of men into wicked courses. He also introduced a +change in the ways of simplicity wherein men had lived before, and he +was the author of measures and weights. And whereas men lived +innocently and generously while they knew nothing of such arts, he +changed the world into cunning craftiness.[41] + +Like unto Cain were all his descendants, impious and godless, wherefore +God resolved to destroy them.[42] + +The end of Cain overtook him in the seventh generation of men, and it +was inflicted upon him by the hand of his great-grandson Lamech. This +Lamech was blind, and when he went a-hunting, he was led by his young +son, who would apprise his father when game came in sight, and Lamech +would then shoot at it with his bow and arrow. Once upon a time he and +his son went on the chase, and the lad discerned something horned in +the distance. He naturally took it to be a beast of one kind or +another, and he told the blind Lamech to let his arrow fly. The aim was +good, and the quarry dropped to the ground. When they came close to the +victim, the lad exclaimed: "Father, thou hast killed something that +resembles a human being in all respects, except it carries a horn on +its forehead!" Lamech knew at once what had happened—he had killed his +ancestor Cain, who had been marked by God with a horn.[43] In despair +he smote his hands together, inadvertently killing his son as he +clasped them. Misfortune still followed upon misfortune. The earth +opened her mouth and swallowed up the four generations sprung from +Cain—Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, and Methushael. Lamech, sightless as he +was, could not go home; he had to remain by the side of Cain's corpse +and his son's. Toward evening, his wives, seeking him, found him there. +When they heard what he had done, they wanted to separate from him, all +the more as they knew that whoever was descended from Cain was doomed +to annihilation. But Lamech argued, "If Cain, who committed murder of +malice aforethought, was punished only in the seventh generation, then +I, who had no intention of killing a human being, may hope that +retribution will be averted for seventy and seven generations." With +his wives, Lamech repaired to Adam, who heard both parties, and decided +the case in favor of Lamech.[44] + +The corruptness of the times, and especially the depravity of Cain's +stock, appears in the fact that Lamech, as well as all the men in the +generation of the deluge, married two wives, one with the purpose of +rearing children, the other in order to pursue carnal indulgences, for +which reason the latter was rendered sterile by artificial means. As +the men of the time were intent upon pleasure rather than desirous of +doing their duty to the human race, they gave all their love and +attention to the barren women, while their other wives spent their days +like widows, joyless and in gloom. + +The two wives of Lamech, Adah and Zillah, bore him each two children, +Adah two sons, Jabal and Jubal, and Zillah a son, Tubal-cain, and a +daughter, Naamah. Jabal was the first among men to erect temples to +idols, and Jubal invented the music sung and played therein. Tubal-cain +was rightly named, for he completed the work of his ancestor Cain. Cain +committed murder, and Tubal-cain, the first who knew how to sharpen +iron and copper, furnished the instruments used in wars and combats. +Naamah, "the lovely," earned her name from the sweet sounds which she +drew from her cymbals when she called the worshippers to pay homage to +idols.[45] + +THE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM AND LILITH + +When the wives of Lamech heard the decision of Adam, that they were to +continue to live with their husband, they turned upon him, saying, "O +physician, heal thine own lameness!" They were alluding to the fact +that he himself had been living apart from his wife since the death of +Abel, for he had said, "Why should I beget children, if it is but to +expose them to death?"[46] + +Though he avoided intercourse with Eve, he was visited in his sleep by +female spirits, and from his union with them sprang shades and demons +of various kinds,[47] and they were endowed with peculiar gifts. + +Once upon a time there lived in Palestine a very rich and pious man, +who had a son named Rabbi Hanina. He knew the whole of the Torah by +heart. When he was at the point of death, he sent for his son, Rabbi +Hanina, and bade him, as his last request, to study the Torah day and +night, fulfil the commands of the law, and be a faithful friend to the +poor. He also told him that he and his wife, the mother of Rabbi +Hanina, would die on the selfsame day, and the seven days of mourning +for the two would end on the eve of the Passover. He enjoined him not +to grieve excessively, but to go to market on that day, and buy the +first article offered to him, no matter how costly it might be. If it +happened to be an edible, he was to prepare it and serve it with much +ceremony. His expense and trouble would receive their recompense. All +happened as foretold: the man and his wife died upon the same day, and +the end of the week of mourning coincided with the eve of the Passover. +The son in turn carried out his father's behest: he repaired to market, +and there he met an old man who offered a silver dish for sale. +Although the price asked was exorbitant, yet he bought it, as his +father had bidden. The dish was set upon the Seder table, and when +Rabbi Hanina opened it, he found a second dish within, and inside of +this a live frog, jumping and hopping around gleefully. He gave the +frog food and drink, and by the end of the festival he was grown so big +that Rabbi Hanina made a cabinet for him, in which he ate and lived. In +the course of time, the cabinet became too small, and the Rabbi built a +chamber, put the frog within, and gave him abundant food and drink. All +this he did that he might not violate his father's last wish. But the +frog waxed and grew; he consumed all his host owned, until, finally, +Rabbi Hanina was stripped bare of all his possessions. Then the frog +opened his mouth and began to speak. "My dear Rabbi Hanina," he said, +"do not worry! Seeing thou didst raise me and care for me, thou mayest +ask of me whatever thy heart desireth, and it shall be granted thee." +Rabbi Hanina made reply, "I desire naught but that thou shouldst teach +me the whole of the Torah." The frog assented, and he did, indeed, +teach him the whole of the Torah, and the seventy languages of men +besides.[48] His method was to write a few words upon a scrap of paper, +which he had his pupil swallow. Thus he acquired not alone the Torah +and the seventy tongues, but also the language of beasts and birds. +Thereupon the frog spoke to the wife of Rabbi Hanina: "Thou didst tend +me well, and I have given thee no recompense. But thy reward will be +paid thee before I depart from you, only you must both accompany me to +the woods. There you shall see what I shall do for you." Accordingly, +they went to the woods with him. Arrived there, the frog began to cry +aloud, and at the sound all sorts of beasts and birds assembled. These +he commanded to produce precious stones, as many as they could carry. +Also they were to bring herbs and roots for the wife of Rabbi Hanina, +and he taught her how to use them as remedies for all varieties of +disease. All this they were bidden to take home with them. When they +were about to return, the frog addressed them thus: "May the Holy One, +blessed be He, have mercy upon you, and requite you for all the trouble +you took on my account, without so much as inquiring who I am. Now I +shall make my origin known to you. I am the son of Adam, a son whom he +begot during the hundred and thirty years of his separation from Eve. +God has endowed me with the power of assuming any form or guise I +desire." Rabbi Hanina and his wife departed for their home, and they +became very rich, and enjoyed the respect and confidence of the +king.[49] + +SETH AND HIS DESCENDANTS + +The exhortations of the wives of Lamech took effect upon Adam. After a +separation of one hundred and thirty years, he returned to Eve, and the +love he now bore her was stronger by far than in the former time. She +was in his thoughts even when she was not present to him bodily. The +fruit of their reunion was Seth, who was destined to be the ancestor of +the Messiah.[50] + +Seth was so formed from birth that the rite of circumcision could be +dispensed with. He was thus one of the thirteen men born perfect in a +way.[51] Adam begot him in his likeness and image, different from Cain, +who had not been in his likeness and image. Thus Seth became, in a +genuine sense, the father of the human race, especially the father of +the pious, while the depraved and godless are descended from Cain.[52] + +Even during the lifetime of Adam the descendants of Cain became +exceedingly wicked, dying successively, one after another, each more +wicked than the former. They were intolerable in war, and vehement in +robberies, and if any one were slow to murder people, yet was he bold +in his profligate behavior in acting unjustly and doing injury for +gain. + +Now as to Seth. When he was brought up, and came to those years in +which he could discern what was good, he became a virtuous man, and as +he was himself of excellent character, so he left children behind him +who imitated his virtues. All these proved to be of good disposition. +They also inhabited one and the same country without dissensions, and +in a happy condition, without any misfortune's falling upon them, until +they died. They also were the inventors of that peculiar sort of wisdom +which is concerned with the heavenly bodies and their order. And that +their inventions might not be lost before they were sufficiently known, +they made two pillars, upon Adam's prediction that the world was to be +destroyed at one time by the force of fire and at another time by the +violence and quantity of water. The one was of brick, the other of +stone, and they inscribed their discoveries on both, that in case the +pillar of brick should be destroyed by the flood, the pillar of stone +might remain, and exhibit these discoveries to mankind, and also inform +them that there was another pillar, of brick, erected by them.[53] + +ENOSH + +Enosh was asked who his father was, and he named Seth. The questioners, +the people of his time, continued: "Who was the father of Seth?" Enosh: +"Adam."—"And who was the father of Adam?"—"He had neither father nor +mother, God formed him from the dust of the earth."—"But man has not +the appearance of dust!"—"After death man returns to dust, as God said, +'And man shall turn again unto dust;' but on the day of his creation, +man was made in the image of God."—"How was the woman created?"—"Male +and female He created them."—"But how?"—"God took water and earth, and +moulded them together in the form of man."—"But how?" pursued the +questioners. + +Enosh took six clods of earth, mixed them, and moulded them, and formed +an image of dust and clay. "But," said the people, "this image does not +walk, nor does it possess any breath of life." He then essayed to show +them how God breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of Adam, but +when he began to blow his breath into the image he had formed, Satan +entered it, and the figure walked, and the people of his time who had +been inquiring these matters of Enosh went astray after it, saying, +"What is the difference between bowing down before this image and +paying homage to a man?"[54] + +The generation of Enosh were thus the first idol worshippers, and the +punishment for their folly was not delayed long. God caused the sea to +transgress its bounds, and a portion of the earth was flooded. This was +the time also when the mountains became rocks, and the dead bodies of +men began to decay. And still another consequence of the sin of +idolatry was that the countenances of the men of the following +generations were no longer in the likeness and image of God, as the +countenances of Adam, Seth, and Enosh had been. They resembled centaurs +and apes, and the demons lost their fear of men.[55] + +But there was a still more serious consequence from the idolatrous +practices introduced in the time of Enosh. When God drove Adam forth +from Paradise, the Shekinah remained behind, enthroned above a cherub +under the tree of life. The angels descended from heaven and repaired +thither in hosts, to receive their instructions, and Adam and his +descendants sat by the gate to bask in the splendor of the Shekinah, +sixty-five thousand times more radiant than the splendor of the sun. +This brightness of the Shekinah makes all upon whom it falls exempt +from disease, and neither insects nor demons can come nigh unto them to +do them harm. + +Thus it was until the time of Enosh, when men began to gather gold, +silver, gems, and pearls from all parts of the earth, and made idols +thereof a thousand parasangs high. What was worse, by means of the +magic arts taught them by the angels Uzza and Azzael, they set +themselves as masters over the heavenly spheres, and forced the sun, +the moon, and the stars to be subservient to themselves instead of the +Lord. This impelled the angels to ask God: "'What is man, that Thou art +mindful of him?' Why didst Thou abandon the highest of the heavens, the +seat of Thy glory and Thy exalted Throne in 'Arabot, and descend to +men, who pay worship to idols, putting Thee upon a level with them?" +The Shekinah was induced to leave the earth and ascend to heaven, amid +the blare and flourish of the trumpets of the myriads of angel +hosts.[56] + +THE FALL OF THE ANGELS + +The depravity of mankind, which began to show itself in the time of +Enosh, had increased monstrously in the time of his grandson Jared, by +reason of the fallen angels. When the angels saw the beautiful, +attractive daughters of men, they lusted after them, and spoke: "We +will choose wives for ourselves only from among the daughters of men, +and beget children with them." Their chief Shemhazai said, "I fear me, +ye will not put this plan of yours into execution, and I alone shall +have to suffer the consequences of a great sin." Then they answered +him, and said: "We will all swear an oath, and we will bind ourselves, +separately and together, not to abandon the plan, but to carry it +through to the end." + +Two hundred angels descended to the summit of Mount Hermon, which owes +its name to this very occurrence, because they bound themselves there +to fulfil their purpose, on the penalty of Herem, anathema. Under the +leadership of twenty captains they defiled themselves with the +daughters of men, unto whom they taught charms, conjuring formulas, how +to cut roots, and the efficacy of plants. The issue from these mixed +marriages was a race of giants, three thousand ells tall, who consumed +the possessions of men. When all had vanished, and they could obtain +nothing more from them, the giants turned against men and devoured many +of them, and the remnant of men began to trespass against the birds, +beasts, reptiles, and fishes, eating their flesh and drinking their +blood. + +Then the earth complained about the impious evil-doers. But the fallen +angels continued to corrupt mankind. Azazel taught men how to make +slaughtering knives, arms, shields, and coats of mail. He showed them +metals and how to work them, and armlets and all sorts of trinkets, and +the use of rouge for the eyes, and how to beautify the eyelids, and how +to ornament themselves with the rarest and most precious jewels and all +sorts of paints. The chief of the fallen angels, Shemhazai, instructed +them in exorcisms and how to cut roots; Armaros taught them how to +raise spells; Barakel, divination from the stars; Kawkabel, astrology; +Ezekeel, augury from the clouds; Arakiel, the signs of the earth; +Samsaweel, the signs of the sun; and Seriel, the signs of the moon.[57] + +While all these abominations defiled the earth, the pious Enoch lived +in a secret place. None among men knew his abode, or what had become of +him, for he was sojourning with the angel watchers and holy ones. Once +he heard the call addressed to him: "Enoch, thou scribe of justice, go +unto the watchers of the heavens, who have left the high heavens, the +eternal place of holiness, defiling themselves with women, doing as men +do, taking wives unto themselves, and casting themselves into the arms +of destruction upon earth. Go and proclaim unto them that they shall +find neither peace nor pardon. For every time they take joy in their +offspring, they shall see the violent death of their sons, and sigh +over the ruin of their children. They will pray and supplicate +evermore, but never shall they attain to mercy or peace." + +Enoch repaired to Azazel and the other fallen angels, to announce the +doom uttered against them. They all were filled with fear. Trembling +seized upon them, and they implored Enoch to set up a petition for them +and read it to the Lord of heaven, for they could not speak with God as +aforetime, nor even raise their eyes heavenward, for shame on account +of their sins. Enoch granted their request, and in a vision he was +vouchsafed the answer which he was to carry back to the angels. It +appeared to Enoch that he was wafted into heaven upon clouds, and was +set down before the throne of God. God spake: "Go forth and say to the +watchers of heaven who have sent thee hither to intercede for them: +Verily, it is you who ought to plead in behalf of men, not men in +behalf of you I Why did ye forsake the high, holy, and eternal heavens, +to pollute yourselves with the daughters of men, taking wives unto +yourselves, doing like the races of the earth, and begetting giant +sons? Giants begotten by flesh and spirits will be called evil spirits +on earth, and on the earth will be their dwelling-place. Evil spirits +proceed from their bodies, because they are created from above, and +from the holy watchers is their beginning and primal origin; they will +be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits they will be named. And the +spirits of heaven have their dwelling in heaven, but the spirits of the +earth, which were born upon the earth, have their dwelling on the +earth. And the spirits of the giants will devour, oppress, destroy, +attack, do battle, and cause destruction on the earth, and work +affliction. They will take no kind of food, nor will they thirst, and +they will be invisible. And these spirits will rise up against the +children of men and against the women, because they have proceeded from +them. Since the days of murder and destruction and the death of the +giants, when the spirits went forth from the soul of their flesh, in +order to destroy without incurring judgment—thus will they destroy +until the day when the great consummation of the great world be +consummated. And now as to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede +for them, who had been aforetime in heaven, say to them: You have been +in heaven, and though the hidden things had not yet been revealed to +you, you know worthless mysteries, and in the hardness of your hearts +you have recounted these to the women, and through these mysteries +women and men work much evil on earth. Say to them therefore: You have +no peace!"[58] + +ENOCH, RULER AND TEACHER + +After Enoch had lived a long time secluded from men, he once heard the +voice of an angel calling to him: "Enoch, Enoch, make thyself ready and +leave the house and the secret place wherein thou hast kept thyself +hidden, and assume dominion over men, to teach them the ways in which +they shall walk, and the deeds which they shall do, in order that they +may walk in the ways of God." + +Enoch left his retreat and betook himself to the haunts of men. He +gathered them about him, and instructed them in the conduct pleasing to +God. He sent messengers all over to announce, "Ye who desire to know +the ways of God and righteous conduct, come ye to Enoch!" Thereupon a +vast concourse of people thronged about him, to hear the wisdom he +would teach and learn from his mouth what is good and right. Even kings +and princes, no less than one hundred and thirty in number, assembled +about him, and submitted themselves to his dominion, to be taught and +guided by him, as he taught and guided all the others. Peace reigned +thus over the whole world all the two hundred and forty-three years +during which the influence of Enoch prevailed. + +At the expiration of this period, in the year in which Adam died, and +was buried with great honors by Seth, Enosh, Enoch, and Methuselah, +Enoch resolved to retire again from intercourse with men, and devote +himself wholly to the service of God. But he withdrew gradually. First +he would spend three days in prayer and praise of God, and on the +fourth day he would return to his disciples and grant them instruction. +Many years passed thus, then he appeared among them but once a week, +later, once a month, and, finally, once a year. The kings, princes, and +all others who were desirous of seeing Enoch and hearkening to his +words did not venture to come close to him during the times of his +retirement. Such awful majesty sat upon his countenance, they feared +for their very life if they but looked at him. They therefore resolved +that all men should prefer their requests before Enoch on the day he +showed himself unto them. + +The impression made by the teachings of Enoch upon all who heard them +was powerful. They prostrated themselves before him, and cried "Long +live the king! Long live the king!" On a certain day, while Enoch was +giving audience to his followers, an angel appeared and made known unto +him that God had resolved to install him as king over the angels in +heaven, as until then he had reigned over men. He called together all +the inhabitants of the earth, and addressed them thus: "I have been +summoned to ascend into heaven, and I know not on what day I shall go +thither. Therefore I will teach you wisdom and righteousness before I +go hence." A few days yet Enoch spent among men, and all the time left +to him he gave instruction in wisdom, knowledge, God-fearing conduct, +and piety, and established law and order, for the regulation of the +affairs of men. Then those gathered near him saw a gigantic steed +descend from the skies, and they told Enoch of it, who said, "The steed +is for me, for the time has come and the day when I leave you, never to +be seen again." So it was. The steed approached Enoch, and he mounted +upon its back, all the time instructing the people, exhorting them, +enjoining them to serve God and walk in His ways. Eight hundred +thousand of the people followed a day's journey after him. But on the +second day Enoch urged his retinue to turn back: "Go ye home, lest +death overtake you, if you follow me farther." Most of them heeded his +words and went back, but a number remained with him for six days, +though he admonished them daily to return and not bring death down upon +themselves. On the sixth day of the journey, he said to those still +accompanying him, "Go ye home, for on the morrow I shall ascend to +heaven, and whoever will then be near me, he will die." Nevertheless, +some of his companions remained with him, saying: "Whithersoever thou +goest, we will go. By the living God, death alone shall part us." + +On the seventh day Enoch was carried into the heavens in a fiery +chariot drawn by fiery chargers. The day thereafter, the kings who had +turned back in good time sent messengers to inquire into the fate of +the men who had refused to separate themselves from Enoch, for they had +noted the number of them. They found snow and great hailstones upon the +spot whence Enoch had risen, and, when they searched beneath, they +discovered the bodies of all who had remained behind with Enoch. He +alone was not among them; he was on high in heaven.[59] + +THE ASCENSION OF ENOCH + +This was not the first time Enoch had been in heaven. Once before, +while he sojourned among men, he had been permitted to see all there is +on earth and in the heavens. On a time when he was sleeping, a great +grief came upon his heart, and he wept in his dream, not knowing what +the grief meant, nor what would happen to him. And there appeared to +him two men, very tall. Their faces shone like the sun, and their eyes +were like burning lamps, and fire came forth from their lips; their +wings were brighter than gold, their hands whiter than snow. They stood +at the head of Enoch's bed, and called him by his name. He awoke from +his sleep, and hastened and made obeisance to them, and was terrified. +And these men said to him: "Be of good cheer, Enoch, be not afraid; the +everlasting God hath sent us to thee, and lo! to-day thou shalt ascend +with us into heaven. And tell thy sons and thy servants, and let none +seek thee, till the Lord bring thee back to them." + +Enoch did as he was told, and after he had spoken to his sons, and +instructed them not to turn aside from God, and to keep His judgment, +these two men summoned him, and took him on their wings, and placed him +on the clouds, which moved higher and higher, till they set him down in +the first heaven. Here they showed him the two hundred angels who rule +the stars, and their heavenly service. Here he saw also the treasuries +of snow and ice, of clouds and dew. + +From there they took him to the second heaven, where he saw the fallen +angels imprisoned, they who obeyed not the commandments of God, and +took counsel of their own will. The fallen angels said to Enoch, "O man +of God! Pray for us to the Lord," and he answered: "Who am I, a mortal +man, that I should pray for angels? Who knows whither I go, or what +awaits me?" + +They took him from thence to the third heaven, where they showed him +Paradise, with all the trees of beautiful colors, and their fruits, +ripe and luscious, and all kinds of food which they produced, springing +up with delightful fragrance. In the midst of Paradise he saw the tree +of life, in that place in which God rests when He comes into Paradise. +This tree cannot be described for its excellence and sweet fragrance, +and it is beautiful, more than any created thing, and on all its sides +it is like gold and crimson in appearance, and transparent as fire, and +it covers everything. From its root in the garden there go forth four +streams, which pour out honey, milk, oil, and wine, and they go down to +the Paradise of Eden, that lies on the confines between the earthly +region of corruptibility and the heavenly region of incorruptibility, +and thence they go along the earth. He also saw the three hundred +angels who keep the garden, and with never-ceasing voices and blessed +singing they serve the Lord every day. The angels leading Enoch +explained to him that this place is prepared for the righteous, while +the terrible place prepared for the sinners is in the northern regions +of the third heaven. He saw there all sorts of tortures, and +impenetrable gloom, and there is no light there, but a gloomy fire is +always burning. And all that place has fire on all sides, and on all +sides cold and ice, thus it burns and freezes. And the angels, terrible +and without pity, carry savage weapons, and their torture is +unmerciful. + +The angels took him then to the fourth heaven, and showed him all the +comings in and goings forth, and all the rays of the light of the sun +and the moon. He saw the fifteen myriads of angels who go out with the +sun, and attend him during the day, and the thousand angels who attend +him by night. Each angel has six wings, and they go before the chariot +of the sun, while one hundred angels keep the sun warm, and light it +up. He saw also the wonderful and strange creatures named phoenixes and +chalkidri, who attend the chariot of the sun, and go with him, bringing +heat and dew. They showed him also the six gates in the east of the +fourth heaven, by which the sun goes forth, and the six gates in the +west where he sets, and also the gates by which the moon goes out, and +those by which she enters. In the middle of the fourth heaven he saw an +armed host, serving the Lord with cymbals and organs and unceasing +voices. + +In the fifth heaven he saw many hosts of the angels called Grigori. +Their appearance was like men, and their size was greater than the size +of the giants, their countenances were withered, and their lips silent. +On his question who they were, the angels leading him answered, "These +are the Grigori, who with their prince Salamiel rejected the holy +Lord." Enoch then said to the Grigori, "Why wait ye, brethren, and +serve ye not before the face of the Lord, and why perform ye not your +duties before the face of the Lord, and anger not your Lord to the +end?" The Grigori listened to the rebuke, and when the trumpets +resounded together with a loud call, they also began to sing with one +voice, and their voices went forth before the Lord with sadness and +tenderness. + +In the seventh heaven he saw the seven bands of archangels who arrange +and study the revolutions of the stars and the changes of the moon and +the revolution of the sun, and superintend the good or evil conditions +of the world. And they arrange teachings and instructions and sweet +speaking and singing and all kinds of glorious praise. They hold in +subjection all living things, both in heaven and on earth. In the midst +of them are seven phoenixes, and seven cherubim, and seven six-winged +creatures, singing with one voice. + +When Enoch reached the seventh heaven, and saw all the fiery hosts of +great archangels and incorporeal powers and lordships and +principalities and powers, he was afraid and trembled with a great +terror. Those leading him took hold of him, and brought him into the +midst of them, and said to him, "Be of good cheer, Enoch, be not +afraid," and they showed him the Lord from afar, sitting on His lofty +throne, while all the heavenly hosts, divided in ten classes, having +approached, stood on the ten steps according to their rank, and made +obeisance to the Lord. And so they proceeded to their places in joy and +mirth and boundless light, singing songs with low and gentle voices, +and gloriously serving Him. They leave not nor depart day or night, +standing before the face of the Lord, working His will, cherubim and +seraphim, standing around His throne. And the six-winged creatures +overshadow all His throne, singing with a soft voice before the face of +the Lord, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts; heaven and earth are +full of His glory." When he had seen all these, the angels leading him +said to him, "Enoch, up to this time we were ordered to accompany +thee." They departed, and he saw them no more. Enoch remained at the +extremity of the seventh heaven, in great terror, saying to himself, +"Woe is me! What has come upon me!" But then Gabriel came and said unto +him, "Enoch, be not afraid, stand up and come with me, and stand up +before the face of the Lord forever." And Enoch answered: "O my lord, +my spirit has departed from me with fear and trembling. Call the men to +me who have brought me to the place! Upon them I have relied, and with +them I would go before the face of the Lord." And Gabriel hurried him +away like a leaf carried off by the wind, and set him before the face +of the Lord. Enoch fell down and worshipped the Lord, who said to him: +"Enoch, be not afraid! Rise up and stand before My face forever." And +Michael lifted him up, and at the command of the Lord took his earthly +robe from him, and anointed him with the holy oil, and clothed him, and +when he gazed upon himself, he looked like one of God's glorious ones, +and fear and trembling departed from him. God called then one of His +archangels who was more wise than all the others, and wrote down all +the doings of the Lord, and He said to him, "Bring forth the books from +My store-place, and give a reed to Enoch, and interpret the books to +him." The angel did as he was commanded, and he instructed Enoch thirty +days and thirty nights, and his lips never ceased speaking, while Enoch +was writing down all the things about heaven and earth, angels and men, +and all that is suitable to be instructed in. He also wrote down all +about the souls of men, those of them which are not born, and the +places prepared for them forever. He copied all accurately, and he +wrote three hundred and sixty-six books. After he had received all the +instructions from the archangel, God revealed unto him great secrets, +which even the angels do not know. He told him how, out of the lowest +darkness, the visible and the invisible were created, how He formed +heaven, light, water, and earth, and also the fall of Satan and the +creation and sin of Adam He narrated to him, and further revealed to +him that the duration of the world will be seven thousand years, and +the eighth millennium will be a time when there is no computation, no +end, neither years, nor months, nor weeks, nor days, nor hours. + +The Lord finished this revelation to Enoch with the words: "And now I +give thee Samuil and Raguil, who brought thee to Me. Go with them upon +the earth, and tell thy sons what things I have said to thee, and what +thou hast seen from the lowest heaven up to My throne. Give them the +works written out by thee, and they shall read them, and shall +distribute the books to their children's children and from generation +to generation and from nation to nation. And I will give thee My +messenger Michael for thy writings and for the writings of thy fathers, +Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, and Jared thy father. And I shall +not require them till the last age, for I have instructed My two +angels, Ariuk and Mariuk, whom I have put upon the earth as their +guardians, and I have ordered them in time to guard them, that the +account of what I shall do in thy family may not be lost in the deluge +to come. For on account of the wickedness and iniquity of men, I will +bring a deluge upon the earth, and I will destroy all, but I will leave +a righteous man of thy race with all his house, who shall act according +to My will. From their seed will be raised up a numerous generation, +and on the extinction of that family, I will show them the books of thy +writings and of thy father, and the guardians of them on earth will +show them to the men who are true and please Me. And they shall tell to +another generation, and they, having read them, shall be glorified at +last more than before." + +Enoch was then sent to earth to remain there for thirty days to +instruct his sons, but before he left heaven, God sent an angel to him +whose appearance was like snow, and his hands were like ice. Enoch +looked at him, and his face was chilled, that men might be able to +endure the sight of him. The angels who took him to heaven put him upon +his bed, in the place where his son Methuselah was expecting him by day +and by night. Enoch assembled his sons and all his household, and +instructed them faithfully about all things he had seen, heard, and +written down, and he gave his books to his sons, to keep them and read +them, admonishing them not to conceal the books, but tell them to all +desiring to know. When the thirty days had been completed, the Lord +sent darkness upon the earth, and there was gloom, and it hid the men +standing with Enoch. And the angels hasted and took Enoch, and carried +him to the highest heaven, where the Lord received him and set him +before His face, and the darkness departed from the earth, and there +was light. And the people saw, and did not understand how Enoch was +taken, and they glorified God. + +Enoch was born on the sixth day of the month of Siwan, and he was taken +to heaven in the same month, Siwan, on the same day and in the same +hour when he was born. And Methuselah hasted and all his brethren, the +sons of Enoch, and built an altar in the place called Achuzan, whence +Enoch was taken up to heaven. The elders and all the people came to the +festivity and brought their gifts to the sons of Enoch, and made a +great festivity, rejoicing and being merry for three days, praising +God, who had given such a sign by means of Enoch, who had found favor +with them.[60] + +THE TRANSLATION OF ENOCH + +The sinfulness of men was the reason why Enoch was translated to +heaven. Thus Enoch himself told Rabbi Ishmael. When the generation of +the deluge transgressed, and spoke to God, saying, "Depart from us, for +we do not desire to know Thy ways," Enoch was carried to heaven, to +serve there as a witness that God was not a cruel God in spite of the +destruction decreed upon all living beings on earth. + +When Enoch, under the guidance of the angel 'Anpiel, was carried from +earth to heaven, the holy beings, the ofanim, the seraphim, the +cherubim, all those who move the throne of God, and the ministering +spirits whose substance is of consuming fire, they all, at a distance +of six hundred and fifty million and three hundred parasangs, noticed +the presence of a human being, and they exclaimed: "Whence the odor of +one born of woman? How comes he into the highest heaven of the +fire-coruscating angels?" But God replied: "O My servants and hosts, +ye, My cherubim, ofanim, and seraphim, let this not be an offense unto +you, for all the children of men denied Me and My mighty dominion, and +they paid homage to the idols, so that I transferred the Shekinah from +earth to heaven. But this man Enoch is the elect of men. He has more +faith, justice, and righteousness than all the rest, and he is the only +reward I have derived from the terrestrial world." + +Before Enoch could be admitted to service near the Divine throne, the +gates of wisdom were opened unto him, and the gates of understanding, +and of discernment, of life, peace, and the Shekinah, of strength and +power, of might, loveliness, and grace, of humility and fear of sin. +Equipped by God with extraordinary wisdom, sagacity, judgment, +knowledge, learning, compassionateness, love, kindness, grace, +humility, strength, power, might, splendor, beauty, shapeliness, and +all other excellent qualities, beyond the endowment of any of the +celestial beings, Enoch received, besides, many thousand blessings from +God, and his height and his breadth became equal to the height and the +breadth of the world, and thirty-six wings were attached to his body, +to the right and to the left, each as large as the world, and three +hundred and sixty-five thousand eyes were bestowed upon him, each +brilliant as the sun. A magnificent throne was erected for him beside +the gates of the seventh celestial palace, and a herald proclaimed +throughout the heavens concerning him, who was henceforth to be called +Metatron in the celestial regions: "I have appointed My servant +Metatron as prince and chief over all the princes in My realm, with the +exception only of the eight august and exalted princes that bear My +name. Whatever angel has a request to prefer to Me, shall appear before +Metatron, and what he will command at My bidding, ye must observe and +do, for the prince of wisdom and the prince of understanding are at his +service, and they will reveal unto him the sciences of the celestials +and the terrestrials, the knowledge of the present order of the world +and the knowledge of the future order of the world. Furthermore, I have +made him the guardian of the treasures of the palaces in the heaven +'Arabot, and of the treasures of life that are in the highest heaven." + +Out of the love He bore Enoch, God arrayed him in a magnificent +garment, to which every kind of luminary in existence was attached, and +a crown gleaming with forty-nine jewels, the splendor of which pierced +to all parts of the seven heavens and to the four corners of the earth. +In the presence of the heavenly family, He set this crown upon the head +of Enoch, and called him "the little Lord." It bears also the letters +by means of which heaven and earth were created, and seas and rivers, +mountains and valleys, planets and constellations, lightning and +thunder, snow and hail, storm and whirlwind—these and also all things +needed in the world, and the mysteries of creation. Even the princes of +the heavens, when they see Metatron, tremble before him, and prostrate +themselves; his magnificence and majesty, the splendor and beauty +radiating from him overwhelm them, even the wicked Samael, the greatest +of them, even Gabriel the angel of the fire, Bardiel the angel of the +hail, Ruhiel the angel of the wind, Barkiel the angel of the lightning, +Za'miel the angel of the hurricane, Zakkiel the angel of the storm, +Sui'el the angel of the earthquake, Za'fiel the angel of the showers, +Ra'miel the angel of the thunder, Ra'shiel the angel of the whirlwind, +Shalgiel the angel of the snow, Matriel the angel of the rain, +Shamshiel the angel of the day, Leliel the angel of the night, Galgliel +the angel of the solar system, Ofaniel the angel of the wheel of the +moon, Kokabiel the angel of the stars, and Rahtiel the angel of the +constellations. + +When Enoch was transformed into Metatron, his body was turned into +celestial fire—his flesh became flame, his veins fire, his bones +glimmering coals, the light of his eyes heavenly brightness, his +eyeballs torches of fire, his hair a flaring blaze, all his limbs and +organs burning sparks, and his frame a consuming fire. To right of him +sparkled flames of fire, to left of him burnt torches of fire, and on +all sides he was engirdled by storm and whirlwind, hurricane and +thundering.[61] + +METHUSELAH + +After the translation of Enoch, Methuselah was proclaimed ruler of the +earth by all the kings. He walked in the footsteps of his father, +teaching truth, knowledge, and fear of God to the children of men all +his life, and deviating from the path of rectitude neither to the right +nor the left.[62] He delivered the world from thousands of demons, the +posterity of Adam which he had begotten with Lilith, that she-devil of +she-devils. These demons and evil spirits, as often as they encountered +a man, had sought to injure and even slay him, until Methuselah +appeared, and supplicated the mercy of God. He spent three days in +fasting, and then God gave him permission to write the Ineffable Name +upon his sword, wherewith he slew ninety-four myriads of the demons in +a minute, until Agrimus, the first-born of them, came to him and +entreated him to desist, at the same time handing the names of the +demons and imps over to him. And so Methuselah placed their kings in +iron fetters, while the remainder fled away and hid themselves in the +innermost chambers and recesses of the ocean. And it is on account of +the wonderful sword by means of which the demons were killed that he +was called Methuselah.[63] + +He was so pious a man that he composed two hundred and thirty parables +in praise of God for every word he uttered. When he died, the people +heard a great commotion in the heavens, and they saw nine hundred rows +of mourners corresponding to the nine hundred orders of the Mishnah +which he had studied, and tears flowed from the eyes of the holy beings +down upon the spot where he died. Seeing the grief of the celestials, +the people on earth also mourned over the demise of Methuselah, and God +rewarded them therefor. He added seven days to the time of grace which +He had ordained before bringing destruction upon the earth by a flood +of waters.[64] + + + + +IV +NOAH + +THE BIRTH OF NOAH + +Methuselah took a wife for his son Lamech, and she bore him a man +child. The body of the babe was white as snow and red as a blooming +rose, and the hair of his head and his long locks were white as wool, +and his eyes like the rays of the sun. When he opened his eyes, he +lighted up the whole house, like the sun, and the whole house was very +full of light.[1] And when he was taken from the hand of the midwife, +he opened his mouth and praised the Lord of righteousness.[2] His +father Lamech was afraid of him, and fled, and came to his own father +Methuselah. And he said to him: "I have begotten a strange son; he is +not like a human being, but resembles the children of the angels of +heaven, and his nature is different, and he is not like us, and his +eyes are as the rays of the sun, and his countenance is glorious.[3] +And it seems to me that he is not sprung from me, but from the angels, +and I fear that in his days a wonder may be wrought on the earth. And +now, my father, I am here to petition thee and implore thee, that thou +mayest go to Enoch, our father, and learn from him the truth, for his +dwelling place is among the angels." + +And when Methuselah heard the words of his son, he went to Enoch, to +the ends of the earth, and he cried aloud, and Enoch heard his voice, +and appeared before him, and asked him the reason of his coming. +Methuselah told him the cause of his anxiety, and requested him to make +the truth known to him. Enoch answered, and said: "The Lord will do a +new thing in the earth. There will come a great destruction on the +earth, and a deluge for one year. This son who is born unto thee will +be left on the earth, and his three children will be saved with him, +when all mankind that are on the earth shall die. And there will be a +great punishment on the earth, and the earth will be cleansed from all +impurity. And now make known to thy son Lamech that he who was born is +in truth his son, and call his name Noah, for he will be left to you, +and he and his children will be saved from the destruction which will +come upon the earth." When Methuselah had heard the words of his +father, who showed him all the secret things, he returned home, and he +called the child Noah, for he would cause the earth to rejoice in +compensation for all destruction.[4] + +By the name Noah he was called only by his grandfather Methuselah; his +father and all others called him Menahem. His generation was addicted +to sorcery, and Methuselah apprehended that his grandson might be +bewitched if his true name were known, wherefore he kept it a secret. +Menahem, Comforter, suited him as well as Noah; it indicated that he +would be a consoler, if but the evil-doers of his time would repent of +their misdeeds.[5] At his very birth it was felt that he would bring +consolation and deliverance. When the Lord said to Adam, "Cursed is the +ground for thy sake," he asked, "For how long a time?" and the answer +made by God was, "Until a man child shall be born whose conformation is +such that the rite of circumcision need not be practiced upon him." +This was fulfilled in Noah, he was circumcised from his mother's womb. + +Noah had scarcely come into the world when a marked change was +noticeable. Since the curse brought upon the earth by the sin of Adam, +it happened that wheat being sown, yet oats would sprout and grow. This +ceased with the appearance of Noah: the earth bore the products planted +in it. And it was Noah who, when he was grown to manhood, invented the +plough, the scythe, the hoe, and other implements for cultivating the +ground. Before him men had worked the land with their bare hands.[6] + +There was another token to indicate that the child born unto Lamech was +appointed for an extraordinary destiny. When God created Adam, He gave +him dominion over all things: the cow obeyed the ploughman, and the +furrow was willing to be drawn. But after the fall of Adam all things +rebelled against him: the cow refused obedience to the ploughman, and +also the furrow was refractory. Noah was born, and all returned to its +state preceding the fall of man. + +Before the birth of Noah, the sea was in the habit of transgressing its +bounds twice daily, morning and evening, and flooding the land up to +the graves. After his birth it kept within its confines. And the famine +that afflicted the world in the time of Lamech, the second of the ten +great famines appointed to come upon it, ceased its ravages with the +birth of Noah.[7] + +THE PUNISHMENT OF THE FALLEN ANGELS + +Grown to manhood, Noah followed in the ways of his grandfather +Methuselah, while all other men of the time rose up against this pious +king. So far from observing his precepts, they pursued the evil +inclination of their hearts, and perpetrated all sorts of abominable +deeds.[8] Chiefly the fallen angels and their giant posterity caused +the depravity of mankind. The blood spilled by the giants cried unto +heaven from the ground, and the four archangels accused the fallen +angels and their sons before God, whereupon He gave the following +orders to them: Uriel was sent to Noah to announce to him that the +earth would be destroyed by a flood, and to teach him how to save his +own life. Raphael was told to put the fallen angel Azazel into chains, +cast him into a pit of sharp and pointed stones in the desert Dudael, +and cover him with darkness, and so was he to remain until the great +day of judgment, when he would be thrown into the fiery pit of hell, +and the earth would be healed of the corruption he had contrived upon +it. Gabriel was charged to proceed against the bastards and the +reprobates, the sons of the angels begotten with the daughters of men, +and plunge them into deadly conflicts with one another. Shemhazai's ilk +were handed over to Michael, who first caused them to witness the death +of their children in their bloody combat with each other, and then he +bound them and pinned them under the hills of the earth, where they +will remain for seventy generations, until the day of judgment, to be +carried thence to the fiery pit of hell.[9] + +The fall of Azazel and Shemhazai came about in this way. When the +generation of the deluge began to practice idolatry, God was deeply +grieved. The two angels Shemhazai and Azazel arose, and said: "O Lord +of the world! It has happened, that which we foretold at the creation +of the world and of man, saying, 'What is man, that Thou art mindful of +him?'" And God said, "And what will become of the world now without +man?" Whereupon the angels: "We will occupy ourselves with it." Then +said God: "I am well aware of it, and I know that if you inhabit the +earth, the evil inclination will overpower you, and you will be more +iniquitous than ever men." The angels pleaded, "Grant us but permission +to dwell among men, and Thou shalt see how we will sanctify Thy Name." +God yielded to their wish, saying, "Descend and sojourn among men!" + +When the angels came to earth, and beheld the daughters of men in all +their grace and beauty, they could not restrain their passion. +Shemhazai saw a maiden named Istehar, and he lost his heart to her. She +promised to surrender herself to him, if first he taught her the +Ineffable Name, by means of which he raised himself to heaven. He +assented to her condition. But once she knew it, she pronounced the +Name, and herself ascended to heaven, without fulfilling her promise to +the angel. God said, "Because she kept herself aloof from sin, we will +place her among the seven stars, that men may never forget her," and +she was put in the constellation of the Pleiades. + +Shemhazai and Azazel, however, were not deterred from entering into +alliances with the daughters of men, and to the first two sons were +born. Azazel began to devise the finery and the ornaments by means of +which women allure men. Thereupon God sent Metatron to tell Shemhazai +that He had resolved to destroy the world and bring on a deluge. The +fallen angel began to weep and grieve over the fate of the world and +the fate of his two sons. If the world went under, what would they have +to eat, they who needed daily a thousand camels, a thousand horses, and +a thousand steers? + +These two sons of Shemhazai, Hiwwa and Hiyya by name, dreamed dreams. +The one saw a great stone which covered the earth, and the earth was +marked all over with lines upon lines of writing. An angel came, and +with a knife obliterated all the lines, leaving but four letters upon +the stone. The other son saw a large pleasure grove planted with all +sorts of trees. But angels approached bearing axes, and they felled the +trees, sparing a single one with three of its branches. + +When Hiwwa and Hiyya awoke, they repaired to their father, who +interpreted the dreams for them, saying, "God will bring a deluge, and +none will escape with his life, excepting only Noah and his sons." When +they heard this, the two began to cry and scream, but their father +consoled them: "Soft, soft! Do not grieve. As often as men cut or haul +stones, or launch vessels, they shall invoke your names, Hiwwa! Hiyya!" +This prophecy soothed them. + +Shemhazai then did penance. He suspended himself between heaven and +earth, and in this position of a penitent sinner he hangs to this day. +But Azazel persisted obdurately in his sin of leading mankind astray by +means of sensual allurements. For this reason two he-goats were +sacrificed in the Temple on the Day of Atonement, the one for God, that +He pardon the sins of Israel, the other for Azazel, that he bear the +sins of Israel.[10] + +Unlike Istehar, the pious maiden, Naamah, the lovely sister of +Tubal-cain, led the angels astray with her beauty, and from her union +with Shamdon sprang the devil Asmodeus.[11] She was as shameless as all +the other descendants of Cain, and as prone to bestial indulgences. +Cainite women and Cainite men alike were in the habit of walking abroad +naked, and they gave themselves up to every conceivable manner of lewd +practices. Of such were the women whose beauty and sensual charms +tempted the angels from the path of virtue. The angels, on the other +hand, no sooner had they rebelled against God and descended to earth +than they lost their transcendental qualities, and were invested with +sublunary bodies, so that a union with the daughters of men became +possible. The offspring of these alliances between the angels and the +Cainite women were the giants,[12] known for their strength and their +sinfulness; as their very name, the Emim, indicates, they inspired +fear. They have many other names. Sometimes they go by the name +Rephaim, because one glance at them made one's heart grow weak; or by +the name Gibborim, simply giants, because their size was so enormous +that their thigh measured eighteen ells; or by the name Zamzummim, +because they were great masters in war; or by the name Anakim, because +they touched the sun with their neck; or by the name Ivvim, because, +like the snake, they could judge of the qualities of the soil; or +finally, by the name Nephilim, because, bringing the world to its fall, +they themselves fell.[13] + +THE GENERATION OF THE DELUGE + +While the descendants of Cain resembled their father in his sinfulness +and depravity, the descendants of Seth led a pious, well-regulated +life, and the difference between the conduct of the two stocks was +reflected in their habitations. The family of Seth was settled upon the +mountains in the vicinity of Paradise, while the family of Cain resided +in the field of Damascus, the spot whereon Abel was slain by Cain. + +Unfortunately, at the time of Methuselah, following the death of Adam, +the family of Seth became corrupted after the manner of the Cainites. +The two strains united with each other to execute all kinds of +iniquitous deeds. The result of the marriages between them were the +Nephilim, whose sins brought the deluge upon the world. In their +arrogance they claimed the same pedigree as the posterity of Seth, and +they compared themselves with princes and men of noble descent.[14] + +The wantonness of this generation was in a measure due to the ideal +conditions under which mankind lived before the flood. They knew +neither toil nor care, and as a consequence of their extraordinary +prosperity they grew insolent. In their arrogance they rose up against +God. A single sowing bore a harvest sufficient for the needs of forty +years, and by means of magic arts they could compel the very sun and +moon to stand ready to do their service.[15] The raising of children +gave them no trouble. They were born after a few days' pregnancy, and +immediately after birth they could walk and talk; they themselves aided +the mother in severing the navel string. Not even demons could do them +harm. Once a new-born babe, running to fetch a light whereby his mother +might cut the navel string, met the chief of the demons, and a combat +ensued between the two. Suddenly the crowing of a cock was heard, and +the demon made off, crying out to the child, "Go and report unto thy +mother, if it had not been for the crowing of the cock, I had killed +thee!" Whereupon the child retorted, "Go and report unto thy mother, if +it had not been for my uncut navel string, I had killed thee!"[16] + +It was their care-free life that gave them space and leisure for their +infamies. For a time God, in His long-suffering kindness, passed by the +iniquities of men, but His forbearance ceased when once they began to +lead unchaste lives, for "God is patient with all sins save only an +immoral life."[17] + +The other sin that hastened the end of the iniquitous generation was +their rapacity. So cunningly were their depredations planned that the +law could not touch them. If a countryman brought a basket of +vegetables to market, they would edge up to it, one after the other, +and abstract a bit, each in itself of petty value, but in a little +while the dealer would have none left to sell.[18] + +Even after God had resolved upon the destruction of the sinners, He +still permitted His mercy to prevail, in that He sent Noah unto them, +who exhorted them for one hundred and twenty years to amend their ways, +always holding the flood over them as a threat. As for them, they but +derided him. When they saw him occupying himself with the building of +the ark, they asked, "Wherefore this ark?" + +Noah: "God will bring a flood upon you." + +The sinners: "What sort of flood? If He sends a fire flood, against +that we know how to protect ourselves. If it is a flood of waters, +then, if the waters bubble up from the earth, we will cover them with +iron rods, and if they descend from above, we know a remedy against +that, too." + +Noah: "The waters will ooze out from under your feet, and you will not +be able to ward them off." + +Partly they persisted in their obduracy of heart because Noah had made +known to them that the flood would not descend so long as the pious +Methuselah sojourned among them. The period of one hundred and twenty +years which God had appointed as the term of their probation having +expired, Methuselah died, but out of regard for the memory of this +pious man God gave them another week's respite, the week of mourning +for him. During this time of grace, the laws of nature were suspended, +the sun rose in the west and set in the east. To the sinners God gave +the dainties that await man in the future world, for the purpose of +showing them what they were forfeiting.[19] But all this proved +unavailing, and, Methuselah and the other pious men of the generation +having departed this life, God brought the deluge upon the earth.[20] + +THE HOLY BOOK + +Great wisdom was needed for building the ark, which was to have space +for all beings on earth, even the spirits. Only the fishes did not have +to be provided for.[21] Noah acquired the necessary wisdom from the +book given to Adam by the angel Raziel, in which all celestial and all +earthly knowledge is recorded. + +While the first human pair were still in Paradise, it once happened +that Samael, accompanied by a lad, approached Eve and requested her to +keep a watchful eye upon his little son until he should return. Eve +gave him the promise. When Adam came back from a walk in Paradise, he +found a howling, screaming child with Eve, who, in reply to his +question, told him it was Samael's. Adam was annoyed, and his annoyance +grew as the boy cried and screamed more and more violently. In his +vexation he dealt the little one a blow that killed him. But the corpse +did not cease to wail and weep, nor did it cease when Adam cut it up +into bits. To rid himself of the plague, Adam cooked the remains, and +he and Eve ate them. Scarcely had they finished, when Samael appeared +and demanded his son. The two malefactors tried to deny everything; +they pretended they had no knowledge of his son. But Samael said to +them: "What! You dare tell lies, and God in times to come will give +Israel the Torah in which it is said, 'Keep thee far from a false +word'?" + +While they were speaking thus, suddenly the voice of the slain lad was +heard proceeding from the heart of Adam and Eve, and it addressed these +words to Samael: "Go hence! I have penetrated to the heart of Adam and +the heart of Eve, and never again shall I quit their hearts, nor the +hearts of their children, or their children's children, unto the end of +all generations." + +Samael departed, but Adam was sore grieved, and he put on sackcloth and +ashes, and he fasted many, many days, until God appeared unto him, and +said: "My son, have no fear of Samael. I will give thee a remedy that +will help thee against him, for it was at My instance that he went to +thee." Adam asked, "And what is this remedy?" God: "The Torah." Adam: +"And where is the Torah?" God then gave him the book of the angel +Raziel, which he studied day and night. After some time had passed, the +angels visited Adam, and, envious of the wisdom he had drawn from the +book, they sought to destroy him cunningly by calling him a god and +prostrating themselves before him, in spite of his remonstrance, "Do +not prostrate yourselves before me, but magnify the Lord with me, and +let us exalt His Name together." However, the envy of the angels was so +great that they stole the book God had given Adam from him, and threw +it in the sea. Adam searched for it everywhere in vain, and the loss +distressed him sorely. Again he fasted many days, until God appeared +unto him, and said: "Fear not! I will give the book back to thee," and +He called Rahab, the Angel of the Sea, and ordered him to recover the +book from the sea and restore it to Adam. And so he did.[22] + +Upon the death of Adam, the holy book disappeared, but later the cave +in which it was hidden was revealed to Enoch in a dream. It was from +this book that Enoch drew his knowledge of nature, of the earth and of +the heavens, and he became so wise through it that his wisdom exceeded +the wisdom of Adam. Once he had committed it to memory, Enoch hid the +book again. + +Now, when God resolved upon bringing the flood on the earth, He sent +the archangel Raphael to Noah, as the bearer of the following message: +"I give thee herewith the holy book, that all the secrets and mysteries +written therein may be made manifest unto thee, and that thou mayest +know how to fulfil its injunction in holiness, purity, modesty, and +humbleness. Thou wilt learn from it how to build an ark of the wood of +the gopher tree, wherein thou, and thy sons, and thy wife shall find +protection." + +Noah took the book, and when he studied it, the holy spirit came upon +him, and he knew all things needful for the building of the ark and the +gathering together of the animals. The book, which was made of +sapphires, he took with him into the ark, having first enclosed it in a +golden casket. All the time he spent in the ark it served him as a +time-piece, to distinguish night from day. Before his death, he +entrusted it to Shem, and he in turn to Abraham. From Abraham it +descended through Jacob, Levi, Moses, and Joshua to Solomon, who learnt +all his wisdom from it, and his skill in the healing art, and also his +mastery over the demons.[23] + +THE INMATES OF THE ARK + +The ark was completed according to the instructions laid down in the +Book of Raziel. Noah's next task was gathering in the animals. No less +than thirty-two species of birds and three hundred and sixty-five of +reptiles he had to take along with him. But God ordered the animals to +repair to the ark, and they trooped thither, and Noah did not have to +do so much as stretch out a finger.[24] Indeed, more appeared than were +required to come, and God instructed him to sit at the door of the ark +and note which of the animals lay down as they reached the entrance and +which stood. The former belonged in the ark, but not the latter. Taking +up his post as he had been commanded, Noah observed a lioness with her +two cubs. All three beasts crouched. But the two young ones began to +struggle with the mother, and she arose and stood up next to them. Then +Noah led the two cubs into the ark. The wild beasts, and the cattle, +and the birds which were not accepted remained standing about the ark +all of seven days, for the assembling of the animals happened one week +before the flood began to descend. On the day whereon they came to the +ark, the sun was darkened, and the foundations of the earth trembled, +and lightning flashed, and the thunder boomed, as never before. And yet +the sinners remained impenitent. In naught did they change their wicked +doings during those last seven days. + +When finally the flood broke loose, seven hundred thousand of the +children of men gathered around the ark, and implored Noah to grant +them protection. With a loud voice he replied, and said: "Are ye not +those who were rebellious toward God, saying, 'There is no God'? +Therefore He has brought ruin upon you, to annihilate you and destroy +you from the face of the earth. Have I not been prophesying this unto +you these hundred and twenty years, and you would not give heed unto +the voice of God? Yet now you desire to be kept alive!" Then the +sinners cried out: "So be it! We all are ready now to turn back to God, +if only thou wilt open the door of thy ark to receive us, that we may +live and not die." Noah made answer, and said: "That ye do now, when +your need presses hard upon you. Why did you not turn to God during all +the hundred and twenty years which the Lord appointed unto you as the +term of repentance? Now do ye come, and ye speak thus, because distress +besets your lives. Therefore God will not hearken unto you and give you +ear; naught will you accomplish!" + +The crowd of sinners tried to take the entrance to the ark by storm, +but the wild beasts keeping watch around the ark set upon them, and +many were slain, while the rest escaped, only to meet death in the +waters of the flood.[25] The water alone could not have made an end of +them, for they were giants in stature and strength. When Noah +threatened them with the scourge of God, they would make reply: "If the +waters of the flood come from above, they will never reach up to our +necks; and if they come from below, the soles of our feet are large +enough to dam up the springs." But God bade each drop pass through +Gehenna before it fell to earth, and the hot rain scalded the skin of +the sinners. The punishment that overtook them was befitting their +crime. As their sensual desires had made them hot, and inflamed them to +immoral excesses, so they were chastised by means of heated water.[26] + +Not even in the hour of the death struggle could the sinners suppress +their vile instincts. When the water began to stream up out of the +springs, they threw their little children into them, to choke the +flood.[27] + +It was by the grace of God, not on account of his merits, that Noah +found shelter in the ark before the overwhelming force of the +waters.[28] Although he was better than his contemporaries, he was yet +not worthy of having wonders done for his sake. He had so little faith +that he did not enter the ark until the waters had risen to his knees. +With him his pious wife Naamah, the daughter of Enosh, escaped the +peril, and his three sons, and the wives of his three sons. + +Noah had not married until he was four hundred and ninety-eight years +old. Then the Lord had bidden him to take a wife unto himself. He had +not desired to bring children into the world, seeing that they would +all have to perish in the flood, and he had only three sons, born unto +him shortly before the deluge came.[30] God had given him so small a +number of offspring that he might be spared the necessity of building +the ark on an overlarge scale in case they turned out to be pious. And +if not, if they, too, were depraved like the rest of their generation, +sorrow over their destruction would but be increased in proportion to +their number.[31] + +As Noah and his family were the only ones not to have a share in the +corruptness of the age, so the animals received into the ark were such +as had led a natural life. For the animals of the time were as immoral +as the men: the dog united with the wolf, the cock with the pea-fowl, +and many others paid no heed to sexual purity. Those that were saved +were such as had kept themselves untainted.[32] + +Before the flood the number of unclean animals had been greater than +the number of the clean. Afterward the ratio was reversed, because +while seven pairs of clean animals were preserved in the ark, but two +pairs of the unclean were preserved.[33] + +One animal, the reem, Noah could not take into the ark. On account of +its huge size it could not find room therein. Noah therefore tied it to +the ark, and it ran on behind.[34] Also, he could not make space for +the giant Og, the king of Bashan. He sat on top of the ark securely, +and in this way escaped the flood of waters. Noah doled out his food to +him daily, through a hole, because Og had promised that he and his +descendants would serve him as slaves in perpetuity.[35] + +Two creatures of a most peculiar kind also found refuge in the ark. +Among the beings that came to Noah there was Falsehood asking for +shelter. He was denied admission, because he had no companion, and Noah +was taking in the animals only by pairs. Falsehood went off to seek a +partner, and he met Misfortune, whom he associated with himself on the +condition that she might appropriate what Falsehood earned. The pair +were then accepted in the ark. When they left it, Falsehood noticed +that whatever he gathered together disappeared at once, and he betook +himself to his companion to seek an explanation, which she gave him in +the following words, "Did we not agree to the condition that I might +take what you earn?" and Falsehood had to depart empty-handed. + +THE FLOOD + +The assembling of the animals in the ark was but the smaller part of +the task imposed upon Noah. His chief difficulty was to provide food +for a year and accommodations for them. Long afterward Shem, the son of +Noah, related to Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, the tale of their +experiences with the animals in the ark. This is what he said: "We had +sore troubles in the ark. The day animals had to be fed by day, and the +night animals by night. My father knew not what food to give to the +little zikta. Once he cut a pomegranate in half, and a worm dropped out +of the fruit, and was devoured by the zikta. Thenceforth my father +would knead bran, and let it stand until it bred worms, which were fed +to the animal. The lion suffered with a fever all the time, and +therefore he did not annoy the others, because he did not relish dry +food. The animal urshana my father found sleeping in a corner of the +vessel, and he asked him whether he needed nothing to eat. He answered, +and said: 'I saw thou wast very busy, and I did not wish to add to thy +cares.' Whereupon my father said, 'May it be the will of the Lord to +keep thee alive forever,' and the blessing was realized."[37] + +The difficulties were increased when the flood began to toss the ark +from side to side. All inside of it were shaken up like lentils in a +pot. The lions began to roar, the oxen lowed, the wolves howled, and +all the animals gave vent to their agony, each through the sounds it +had the power to utter. + +Also Noah and his sons, thinking that death was nigh, broke into tears. +Noah prayed to God: "O Lord, help us, for we are not able to bear the +evil that encompasses us. The billows surge about us, the streams of +destruction make us afraid, and death stares us in the face. O hear our +prayer, deliver us, incline Thyself unto us, and be gracious unto us! +Redeem us and save us!"[38] + +The flood was produced by a union of the male waters, which are above +the firmament, and the female waters issuing from the earth.[39] The +upper waters rushed through the space left when God removed two stars +out of the constellation Pleiades. Afterward, to put a stop to the +flood, God had to transfer two stars from the constellation of the Bear +to the constellation of the Pleiades. That is why the Bear runs after +the Pleiades. She wants her two children back, but they will be +restored to her only in the future world.[40] + +There were other changes among the celestial spheres during the year of +the flood. All the time it lasted, the sun and the moon shed no light, +whence Noah was called by his name, "the resting one," for in his life +the sun and the moon rested. The ark was illuminated by a precious +stone, the light of which was more brilliant by night than by day, so +enabling Noah to distinguish between day and night.[41] + +The duration of the flood was a whole year. It began on the seventeenth +day of Heshwan, and the rain continued for forty days, until the +twenty-seventh of Kislew. The punishment corresponded to the crime of +the sinful generation. They had led immoral lives, and begotten bastard +children, whose embryonic state lasts forty days. From the twenty +seventh of Kislew until the first of Siwan, a period of one hundred and +fifty days, the water stood at one and the same height, fifteen ells +above the earth. During that time all the wicked were destroyed, each +one receiving the punishment due to him.[42] Cain was among those that +perished, and thus the death of Abel was avenged.[43] So powerful were +the waters in working havoc that the corpse of Adam was not spared in +its grave.[44] + +On the first of Siwan the waters began to abate, a quarter of an ell a +day, and at the end of sixty days, on the tenth day of Ab, the summits +of the mountains showed themselves. But many days before, on the tenth +of Tammuz, Noah had sent forth the raven, and a week later the dove, on +the first of her three sallies, repeated at intervals of a week. It +took from the first of Ab until the first of Tishri for the waters to +subside wholly from the face of the earth. Even then the soil was so +miry that the dwellers in the ark had to remain within until the +twenty-seventh day of Heshwan, completing a full sun year, consisting +of twelve moons and eleven days.[45] + +Noah had experienced difficulty all along in ascertaining the state of +the waters. When he desired to dispatch the raven, the bird said: "The +Lord, thy Master, hates me, and thou dost hate me, too. Thy Master +hates me, for He bade thee take seven pairs of the clean animals into +the ark, and but two pairs of the unclean animals, to which I belong. +Thou hatest me, for thou dost not choose, as a messenger, a bird of one +of the kinds of which there are seven pairs in the ark, but thou +sendest me, and of my kind there is but one pair. Suppose, now, I +should perish by reason of heat or cold, would not the world be the +poorer by a whole species of animals? Or can it be that thou hast cast +a lustful eye upon my mate, and desirest to rid thyself of me?" Where +unto Noah made answer, and said: "Wretch! I must live apart from my own +wife in the ark. How much less would such thoughts occur to my mind as +thou imputest to me!"[46] + +The raven's errand had no success, for when he saw the body of a dead +man, he set to work to devour it, and did not execute the orders given +to him by Noah. Thereupon the dove was sent out. Toward evening she +returned with an olive leaf in her bill, plucked upon the Mount of +Olives at Jerusalem, for the Holy Land had not been ravaged by the +deluge. As she plucked it, she said to God: "O Lord of the world, let +my food be as bitter as the olive, but do Thou give it to me from Thy +hand, rather than it should be sweet, and I be delivered into the power +of men."[47] + +NOAH LEAVES THE ARK + +Though the earth assumed its old form at the end of the year of +punishment, Noah did not abandon the ark until he received the command +of God to leave it. He said to himself, "As I entered the ark at the +bidding of God, so I will leave it only at His bidding." Yet, when God +bade Noah go out of the ark, he refused, because he feared that after +he had lived upon the dry land for some time, and begotten children, +God would bring another flood. He therefore would not leave the ark +until God swore He would never visit the earth with a flood again.[48] + +When he stepped out from the ark into the open, he began to weep +bitterly at sight of the enormous ravages wrought by the flood, and he +said to God: "O Lord of the world! Thou art called the Merciful, and +Thou shouldst have had mercy upon Thy creatures." God answered, and +said: "O thou foolish shepherd, now thou speakest to Me. Thou didst not +so when I addressed kind words to thee, saying: 'I saw thee as a +righteous man and perfect in thy generation, and I will bring the flood +upon the earth to destroy all flesh. Make an ark for thyself of gopher +wood.' Thus spake I to thee, telling thee all these circumstances, that +thou mightest entreat mercy for the earth. But thou, as soon as thou +didst hear that thou wouldst be rescued in the ark, thou didst not +concern thyself about the ruin that would strike the earth. Thou didst +but build an ark for thyself, in which thou wast saved. Now that the +earth is wasted, thou openest thy mouth to supplicate and pray." + +Noah realized that he had been guilty of folly. To propitiate God and +acknowledge his sin, he brought a sacrifice.[49] God accepted the +offering with favor, whence he is called by his name Noah.[50] The +sacrifice was not offered by Noah with his own hands; the priestly +services connected with it were performed by his son Shem. There was a +reason for this. One day in the ark Noah forgot to give his ration to +the lion, and the hungry beast struck him so violent a blow with his +paw that he was lame forever after, and, having a bodily defect, he was +not permitted to do the offices of a priest.[51] + +The sacrifices consisted of an ox, a sheep, a goat, two turtle doves, +and two young pigeons. Noah had chosen these kinds because he supposed +they were appointed for sacrifices, seeing that God had commanded him +to take seven pairs of them into the ark with him. The altar was +erected in the same place on which Adam and Cain and Abel had brought +their sacrifices, and on which later the altar was to be in the +sanctuary at Jerusalem.[52] + +After the sacrifice was completed, God blessed Noah and his sons. He +made them to be rulers of the world as Adam had been,[53] and He gave +them a command, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply upon the earth," for +during their sojourn in the ark, the two sexes, of men and animals +alike, had lived apart from each other, because while a public calamity +rages continence is becoming even to those who are left unscathed. This +law of conduct had been violated by none in the ark except by Ham, by +the dog, and by the raven. They all received a punishment. Ham's was +that his descendants were men of dark-hued skin.[54] + +As a token that He would destroy the earth no more, God set His bow in +the cloud. Even if men should be steeped in sin again, the bow +proclaims to them that their sins will cause no harm to the world. +Times came in the course of the ages when men were pious enough not to +have to live in dread of punishment. In such times the bow was not +visible.[55] + +God accorded permission to Noah and his descendants to use the flesh of +animals for food, which had been forbidden from the time of Adam until +then. But they were to abstain from the use of blood. He ordained the +seven Noachian laws, the observance of which is incumbent upon all men, +not upon Israel alone. God enjoined particularly the command against +the shedding of human blood. Whoso would shed man's blood, his blood +would be shed. Even if human judges let the guilty man go free, his +punishment would overtake him. He would die an unnatural death, such as +he had inflicted upon his fellow-man. Yea, even beasts that slew men, +even of them would the life of men be required.[56] + +THE CURSE OF DRUNKENNESS + +Noah lost his epithet "the pious" when he began to occupy himself with +the growing of the vine. He became a "man of the ground," and this +first attempt to produce wine at the same time produced the first to +drink to excess, the first to utter curses upon his associates, and the +first to introduce slavery. This is the way it all came about. Noah +found the vine which Adam had taken with him from Paradise, when he was +driven forth. He tasted the grapes upon it, and, finding them +palatable, he resolved to plant the vine and tend it.[57] On the +selfsame day on which he planted it, it bore fruit, he put it in the +wine-press, drew off the juice, drank it, became drunken, and was +dishonored—all on one day. His assistant in the work of cultivating the +vine was Satan, who had happened along at the very moment when he was +engaged in planting the slip he had found. Satan asked him: "What is it +thou art planting here?" + +Noah: "A vineyard." + +Satan: "And what may be the qualities of what it produces?" + +Noah: "The fruit it bears is sweet, be it dry or moist. It yields wine +that rejoiceth the heart of man." + +Satan: "Let us go into partnership in this business of planting a +vineyard." + +Noah: "Agreed!" + +Satan thereupon slaughtered a lamb, and then, in succession, a lion, a +pig, and a monkey. The blood of each as it was killed he made to flow +under the vine. Thus he conveyed to Noah what the qualities of wine +are: before man drinks of it, he is innocent as a lamb; if he drinks of +it moderately, he feels as strong as a lion; if he drinks more of it +than he can bear, he resembles the pig; and if he drinks to the point +of intoxication, then he behaves like a monkey, he dances around, +sings, talks obscenely, and knows not what he is doing.[58] + +This deterred Noah no more than did the example of Adam, whose fall had +also been due to wine, for the forbidden fruit had been the grape, with +which he had made himself drunk.[59] + +In his drunken condition Noah betook himself to the tent of his wife. +His son Ham saw him there, and he told his brothers what he had +noticed, and said: "The first man had but two sons, and one slew the +other; this man Noah has three sons, yet he desires to beget a fourth +besides." Nor did Ham rest satisfied with these disrespectful words +against his father. He added to this sin of irreverence the still +greater outrage of attempting to perform an operation upon his father +designed to prevent procreation. + +When Noah awoke from his wine and became sober, he pronounced a curse +upon Ham in the person of his youngest son Canaan. To Ham himself he +could do no harm, for God had conferred a blessing upon Noah and his +three sons as they departed from the ark. Therefore he put the curse +upon the last-born son of the son that had prevented him from begetting +a younger son than the three he had. The descendants of Ham through +Canaan therefore have red eyes, because Ham looked upon the nakedness +of his father; they have misshapen lips, because Ham spoke with his +lips to his brothers about the unseemly condition of his father; they +have twisted curly hair, because Ham turned and twisted his head round +to see the nakedness of his father; and they go about naked, because +Ham did not cover the nakedness of his father. Thus he was requited, +for it is the way of God to mete out punishment measure for measure. + +Canaan had to suffer vicariously for his father's sin. Yet some of the +punishment was inflicted upon him on his own account, for it had been +Canaan who had drawn the attention of Ham to Noah's revolting +condition. Ham, it appears, was but the worthy father of such a +son.[61] The last will and testament of Canaan addressed to his +children read as follows: "Speak not the truth; hold not yourselves +aloof from theft; lead a dissolute life; hate your master with an +exceeding great hate; and love one another."[62] + +As Ham was made to suffer requital for his irreverence, so Shem and +Japheth received a reward for the filial, deferential way in which they +took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders, and walking +backward, with averted faces, covered the nakedness of their father. +Naked the descendants of Ham, the Egyptians and Ethiopians, were led +away captive and into exile by the king of Assyria, while the +descendants of Shem, the Assyrians, even when the angel of the Lord +burnt them in the camp, were not exposed, their garments remained upon +their corpses unsinged. And in time to come, when Gog shall suffer his +defeat, God will provide both shrouds and a place of burial for him and +all his multitude, the posterity of Japheth. + +Though Shem and Japheth both showed themselves to be dutiful and +deferential, yet it was Shem who deserved the larger meed of praise. He +was the first to set about covering his father. Japheth joined him +after the good deed had been begun. Therefore the descendants of Shem +received as their special reward the tallit, the garment worn by them, +while the Japhethites have only the toga.[63] A further distinction +accorded to Shem was the mention of his name in connection with God's +in the blessing of Noah. "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem," he +said, though as a rule the name of God is not joined to the name of a +living person, only to the name of one who has departed this life.[64] + +The relation of Shem to Japheth was expressed in the blessing their +father pronounced upon them: God will grant a land of beauty to +Japheth, and his sons will be proselytes dwelling in the academies of +Shem.[65] At the same time Noah conveyed by his words that the Shekinah +would dwell only in the first Temple, erected by Solomon, a son of +Shem, and not in the second Temple, the builder of which would be +Cyrus, a descendant of Japheth.[66] + +NOAH'S DESCENDANTS SPREAD ABROAD + +When it became known to Ham that his father had cursed him, he fled +ashamed, and with his family he settled in the city built by him, and +named Neelatamauk for his wife. Jealous of his brother, Japheth +followed his example. He likewise built a city which he named for his +wife, Adataneses. Shem was the only one of the sons of Noah who did not +abandon him. In the vicinity of his father's home, by the mountain, he +built his city, to which he also gave his wife's name, Zedeketelbab. +The three cities are all near Mount Lubar, the eminence upon which the +ark rested. The first lies to the south of it, the second to the west, +and the third to the east. + +Noah endeavored to inculcate the ordinances and the commands known to +him upon his children and his children's children. In particular he +admonished them against the fornication, the uncleanness, and all the +iniquity which had brought the flood down upon the earth. He reproached +them with living apart from one another, and with their jealousies, for +he feared that, after his death, they might go so far as to shed human +blood. Against this he warned them impressively, that they be not +annihilated from the earth like those that went before. Another law +which he enjoined upon them, to observe it, was the law ordaining that +the fruit of a tree shall not be used the first three years it bears, +and even in the fourth year it shall be the portion of the priests +alone, after a part thereof has been offered upon the altar of God. And +having made an end of giving his teachings and injunctions, Noah said: +"For thus did Enoch, your ancestor, exhort his son Methuselah, and +Methuselah his son Lamech, and Lamech delivered all unto me as his +father had bidden him, and now I do exhort you, my children, as Enoch +exhorted his son. When he lived, in his generation, which was the +seventh generation of man, he commanded it and testified it unto his +children and his children's children, until the day of his death."[67] + +In the year 1569 after the creation of the world, Noah divided the +earth by lot among his three sons, in the presence of an angel. Each +one stretched forth his hand and took a slip from the bosom of Noah. +Shem's slip was inscribed with the middle of the earth, and this +portion became the inheritance of his descendants unto all eternity. +Noah rejoiced that the lot had assigned it to Shem. Thus was fulfilled +his blessing upon him, "And God in the habitation of Shem," for three +holy places fell within his precincts—the Holy of Holies in the Temple, +Mount Sinai, the middle point of the desert, and Mount Zion, the middle +point of the navel of the earth. + +The south fell to the lot of Ham, and the north became the inheritance +of Japheth. The land of Ham is hot, Japheth's cold, but Shem's is +neither hot nor cold, its temperature is hot and cold mixed.[68] + +This division of the earth took place toward the end of the life of +Peleg, the name given to him by his father Eber, who, being a prophet, +knew that the division of the earth would take place in the time of his +son.[69] The brother of Peleg was called Joktan, because the duration +of the life of man was shortened in his time.[70] + +In turn, the three sons of Noah, while they were still standing in the +presence of their father, divided each his portion among his children, +Noah threatening with his curse any who should stretch out his hand to +take a portion not assigned to him by lot. And they all cried, "So be +it! So be it!"[71] + +Thus were divided one hundred and four lands and ninety-nine islands +among seventy-two nations, each with a language of its own, using +sixteen different sets of characters for writing. To Japheth were +allotted forty-four lands, thirty-three islands, twenty-two languages, +and five kinds of writing; Ham received thirty-four lands, thirty-three +islands, twenty-four languages, and five kinds of writing; and Shem +twenty-six lands, thirty-three islands, twenty-six languages, and six +kinds of writing—one set of written characters more to Shem than to +either of his brothers, the extra set being the Hebrew.[72] + +The land appointed as the inheritance of the twelve sons of Jacob was +provisionally granted to Canaan, Zidon, Heth, the Jebusites, the +Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the +Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. It was the duty of these +nations to take care of the land until the rightful owners should +come.[73] + +No sooner had the children of Noah and their children's children taken +possession of the habitations apportioned to them, than the unclean +spirits began to seduce men and torment them with pain and all sorts of +suffering leading to spiritual and physical death. Upon the entreaties +of Noah God sent down the angel Raphael, who banished nine-tenths of +the unclean spirits from the earth, leaving but one-tenth for Mastema, +to punish sinners through them. Raphael, supported by the chief of the +unclean spirits, at that time revealed to Noah all the remedies +residing in plants, that he might resort to them at need. Noah recorded +them in a book, which he transmitted to his son Shem.[74] This is the +source to which go back all the medical books whence the wise men of +India, Aram, Macedonia, and Egypt draw their knowledge. The sages of +India devoted themselves particularly to the study of curative trees +and spices; the Arameans were well versed in the knowledge of the +properties of grains and seeds, and they translated the old medical +books into their language. The wise men of Macedonia were the first to +apply medical knowledge practically, while the Egyptians sought to +effect cures by means of magic arts and by means of astrology, and they +taught the Midrash of the Chaldees, composed by Kangar, the son of Ur, +the son of Kesed. Medical skill spread further and further until the +time of aesculapius. This Macedonian sage, accompanied by forty learned +magicians, journeyed from country to country, until they came to the +land beyond India, in the direction of Paradise. They hoped there to +find some wood of the tree of life, and thus spread their fame abroad +over the whole world. Their hope was frustrated. When they arrived at +the spot, they found healing trees and wood of the tree of life, but +when they were in the act of stretching forth their hands to gather +what they desired, lightning darted out of the ever-turning sword, +smote them to the ground, and they were all burnt. With them +disappeared all knowledge of medicine, and it did not revive until the +time of the first Artaxerxes, under the Macedonian sage Hippocrates, +Dioscorides of Baala, Galen of Caphtor, and the Hebrew Asaph.[75] + +THE DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND + +With the spread of mankind corruption increased. While Noah was still +alive, the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth appointed princes over +each of the three groups—Nimrod for the descendants of Ham, Joktan for +the descendants of Shem, and Phenech for the descendants of Japheth. +Ten years before Noah's death, the number of those subject to the three +princes amounted to millions. When this great concourse of men came to +Babylonia upon their journeyings, they said to one another: "Behold, +the time is coming when, at the end of days, neighbor will be separated +from neighbor, and brother from brother, and one will carry on war +against the other. Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower, whose +top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a great name upon the +earth. And now let us make bricks, and each one write his name upon his +brick." All agreed to this proposal, with the exception of twelve pious +men, Abraham among them. They refused to join the others. They were +seized by the people, and brought before the three princes, to whom +they gave the following reason for their refusal: "We will not make +bricks, nor remain with you, for we know but one God, and Him we serve; +even if you burn us in the fire together with the bricks, we will not +walk in your ways." Nimrod and Phenech flew into such a passion over +the twelve men that they resolved to throw them into the fire. Joktan, +however, besides being a God-fearing man, was of close kin to the men +on trial, and he essayed to save them. He proposed to his two +colleagues to grant them a seven days' respite. His plan was accepted, +such deference being paid him as the primate among the three. The +twelve were incarcerated in the house of Joktan. In the night he +charged fifty of his attendants to mount the prisoners upon mules and +take them to the mountains. Thus they would escape the threatened +punishment. Joktan provided them with food for a month. He was sure +that in the meantime either a change of sentiment would come about, and +the people desist from their purpose, or God would help the fugitives. +Eleven of the prisoners assented to the plan with gratitude. Abraham +alone rejected it, saying: "Behold, to-day we flee to the mountains to +escape from the fire, but if wild beasts rush out from the mountains +and devour us, or if food is lacking, so that we die by famine, we +shall be found fleeing before the people of the land and dying in our +sins. Now, as the Lord liveth, in whom I trust, I will not depart from +this place wherein they have imprisoned me, and if I am to die through +my sins, then will I die by the will of God, according to His desire." + +In vain Joktan endeavored to persuade Abraham to flee. He persisted in +his refusal. He remained behind alone in the prison house, while the +other eleven made their escape. At the expiration of the set term, when +the people returned and demanded the death of the twelve captives, +Joktan could produce only Abraham. His excuse was that the rest had +broken loose during the night. The people were about to throw +themselves upon Abraham and cast him into the lime kiln. Suddenly an +earthquake was felt, the fire darted from the furnace, and all who were +standing round about, eighty four thousand of the people, were +consumed, while Abraham remained untouched. Thereupon he repaired to +his eleven friends in the mountains, and told them of the miracle that +had befallen for his sake. They all returned with him, and, unmolested +by the people, they gave praise and thanks to God.[76] + +NIMROD + +The first among the leaders of the corrupt men was Nimrod.[77] His +father Cush had married his mother at an advanced age, and Nimrod, the +offspring of this belated union, was particularly dear to him as the +son of his old age. He gave him the clothes made of skins with which +God had furnished Adam and Eve at the time of their leaving Paradise. +Cush himself had gained possession of them through Ham. From Adam and +Eve they had descended to Enoch, and from him to Methuselah, and to +Noah, and the last had taken them with him into the ark. When the +inmates of the ark were about to leave their refuge, Ham stole the +garments and kept them concealed, finally passing them on to his +first-born son Cush. Cush in turn hid them for many years. When his son +Nimrod reached his twentieth year, he gave them to him.[78] These +garments had a wonderful property. He who wore them was both invincible +and irresistible. The beasts and birds of the woods fell down before +Nimrod as soon as they caught sight of him arrayed in them,[79] and he +was equally victorious in his combats with men.[80] The source of his +unconquerable strength was not known to them. They attributed it to his +personal prowess, and therefore they appointed him king over +themselves.[81] This was done after a conflict between the descendants +of Cush and the descendants of Japheth, from which Nimrod emerged +triumphant, having routed the enemy utterly with the assistance of a +handful of warriors. He chose Shinar as his capital. Thence he extended +his dominion farther and farther, until he rose by cunning and force to +be the sole ruler of the whole world, the first mortal to hold +universal sway, as the ninth ruler to possess the same power will be +the Messiah.[82] + +His impiousness kept pace with his growing power. Since the flood there +had been no such sinner as Nimrod. He fashioned idols of wood and +stone, and paid worship to them. But not satisfied to lead a godless +life himself, he did all he could to tempt his subjects into evil ways, +wherein he was aided and abetted by his son Mardon. This son of his +outstripped his father in iniquity. It was their time and their life +that gave rise to the proverb, "Out of the wicked cometh forth +wickedness."[83] + +The great success that attended all of Nimrod's undertakings produced a +sinister effect. Men no longer trusted in God, but rather in their own +prowess and ability,[84] an attitude to which Nimrod tried to convert +the whole world.[85] Therefore people said, "Since the creation of the +world there has been none like Nimrod, a mighty hunter of men and +beasts, and a sinner before God."[86] + +And not all this sufficed unto Nimrod's evil desire. Not enough that he +turned men away from God, he did all he could to make them pay Divine +honors unto himself. He set himself up as a god, and made a seat for +himself in imitation of the seat of God. It was a tower built out of a +round rock, and on it he placed a throne of cedar wood, upon which +arose, one above the other, four thrones, of iron, copper, silver, and +gold. Crowning all, upon the golden throne, lay a precious stone, round +in shape and gigantic in size. This served him as a seat, and as he +sate upon it, all nations came and paid him Divine homage.[87] + +THE TOWER OF BABEL + +The iniquity and godlessness of Nimrod reached their climax in the +building of the Tower of Babel. His counsellors had proposed the plan +of erecting such a tower, Nimrod had agreed to it, and it was executed +in Shinar by a mob of six hundred thousand men. The enterprise was +neither more nor less than rebellion against God, and there were three +sorts of rebels among the builders. The first party spoke, Let us +ascend into the heavens and wage warfare with Him; the second party +spoke, Let us ascend into the heavens, set up our idols, and pay +worship unto them there; and the third party spoke, Let us ascend into +the heavens, and ruin them with our bows and spears. + +Many, many years were passed in building the tower. It reached so great +a height that it took a year to mount to the top. A brick was, +therefore, more precious in the sight of the builders than a human +being. If a man fell down, and met his death, none took notice of it, +but if a brick dropped, they wept, because it would take a year to +replace it. So intent were they upon accomplishing their purpose that +they would not permit a woman to interrupt herself in her work of +brick-making when the hour of travail came upon her. Moulding bricks +she gave birth to her child, and, tying it round her body in a sheet, +she went on moulding bricks. + +They never slackened in their work, and from their dizzy height they +constantly shot arrows toward heaven, which, returning, were seen to be +covered with blood. They were thus fortified in their delusion, and +they cried, "We have slain all who are in heaven." Thereupon God turned +to the seventy angels who encompass His throne, and He spake: "Go to, +let us go down, and there confound their language, that they may not +understand one another's speech." Thus it happened. Thenceforth none +knew what the other spoke. One would ask for the mortar, and the other +handed him a brick; in a rage, he would throw the brick at his partner +and kill him. Many perished in this manner, and the rest were punished +according to the nature of their rebellious conduct. Those who had +spoken, "Let us ascend into the heavens, set up our idols, and pay +worship unto them there," God transformed into apes and phantoms; those +who had proposed to assault the heavens with their arms, God set +against each other so that they fell in the combat; and those who had +resolved to carry on a combat with God in heaven were scattered +broadcast over the earth. As for the unfinished tower, a part sank into +the earth, and another part was consumed by fire; only one-third of it +remained standing.[88] The place of the tower has never lost its +peculiar quality. Whoever passes it forgets all he knows.[89] + +The punishment inflicted upon the sinful generation of the tower is +comparatively lenient. On account of rapine the generation of the flood +were utterly destroyed, while the generation of the tower were +preserved in spite of their blasphemies and all their other acts +offensive to God. The reason is that God sets a high value upon peace +and harmony. Therefore the generation of the deluge, who gave +themselves up to depredation, and bore hatred to one another, were +extirpated, root and branch, while the generation of the Tower of Babel +dwelling amicably together, and loving one another, were spared alive, +at least a remnant of them.[90] + +Beside the chastisement of sin and sinners by the confounding of +speech, another notable circumstance was connected with the descent of +God upon earth—one of only ten such descents to occur between the +creation of the world and the day of judgment. It was on this occasion +that God and the seventy angels that surround His throne cast lots +concerning the various nations. Each angel received a nation, and +Israel fell to the lot of God. To every nation a peculiar language was +assigned, Hebrew being reserved for Israel—the language made use of by +God at the creation of the world.[91] + + + + +V +ABRAHAM + +THE WICKED GENERATIONS + +Ten generations there were from Noah to Abraham, to show how great is +the clemency of God, for all the generations provoked His wrath, until +Abraham our father came and received the reward of all of them.[1] For +the sake of Abraham God had shown himself long-suffering and patient +during the lives of these ten generations. Yea, more, the world itself +had been created for the sake of his merits.[2] His advent had been +made manifest to his ancestor Reu, who uttered the following prophecy +at the birth of his son Serug: "From this child he shall be born in the +fourth generation that shall set his dwelling over the highest, and he +shall be called perfect and spotless, and shall be the father of +nations, and his covenant shall not be dissolved, and his seed shall be +multiplied forever."[3] + +It was, indeed, high time that the "friend of God"[4] should make his +appearance upon earth. The descendants of Noah were sinking from +depravity to lower and lower depths of depravity. They were beginning +to quarrel and slay, eat blood, build fortified cities and walls and +towers, and set one man over the whole nation as king, and wage wars, +people against people, and nations against nations, and cities against +cities, and do all manner of evil, and acquire weapons, and teach +warfare unto their children. And they began also to take captives and +sell them as slaves. And they made unto themselves molten images, which +they worshipped, each one the idol he had molten for himself, for the +evil spirits under their leader Mastema led them astray into sin and +uncleanness. For this reason Reu called his son Serug, because all +mankind had turned aside unto sin and transgression. When he grew to +manhood, the name was seen to have been chosen fittingly, for he, too, +worshipped idols, and when he himself had a son, Nahor by name, he +taught him the arts of the Chaldees, how to be a soothsayer and +practice magic according to signs in the heavens. When, in time, a son +was born to Nahor, Mastema sent ravens and other birds to despoil the +earth and rob men of the proceeds of their work. As soon as they had +dropped the seed in the furrows, and before they could cover it over +with earth, the birds picked it up from the surface of the ground, and +Nahor called his son Terah, because the ravens and the other birds +plagued men, devoured their seed, and reduced them to destitution.[6] + +THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM + +Terah married Emtelai, the daughter of Karnabo,[6] and the offspring of +their union was Abraham. His birth had been read in the stars by +Nimrod,[7] for this impious king was a cunning astrologer, and it was +manifest to him that a man would be born in his day who would rise up +against him and triumphantly give the lie to his religion. In his +terror at the fate foretold him in the stars, he sent for his princes +and governors, and asked them to advise him in the matter. They +answered, and said: "Our unanimous advice is that thou shouldst build a +great house, station a guard at the entrance thereof, and make known in +the whole of thy realm that all pregnant women shall repair thither +together with their midwives, who are to remain with them when they are +delivered. When the days of a woman to be delivered are fulfilled, and +the child is born, it shall be the duty of the midwife to kill it, if +it be a boy. But if the child be a girl, it shall be kept alive, and +the mother shall receive gifts and costly garments, and a herald shall +proclaim, 'Thus is done unto the woman who bears a daughter!'" + +The king was pleased with this counsel, and he had a proclamation +published throughout his whole kingdom, summoning all the architects to +build a great house for him, sixty ells high and eighty wide. After it +was completed, he issued a second proclamation, summoning all pregnant +women thither, and there they were to remain until their confinement. +Officers were appointed to take the women to the house, and guards were +stationed in it and about it, to prevent the women from escaping +thence. He furthermore sent midwives to the house, and commanded them +to slay the men children at their mothers' breasts. But if a woman bore +a girl, she was to be arrayed in byssus, silk, and embroidered +garments, and led forth from the house of detention amid great honors. +No less than seventy thousand children were slaughtered thus. Then the +angels appeared before God, and spoke, "Seest Thou not what he doth, +yon sinner and blasphemer, Nimrod son of Canaarl, who slays so many +innocent babes that have done no harm?" God answered, and said: "Ye +holy angels, I know it and I see it, for I neither slumber nor sleep. I +behold and I know the secret things and the things that are revealed, +and ye shall witness what I will do unto this sinner and blasphemer, +for I will turn My hand against him to chastise him."[8] + +It was about this time that Terah espoused the mother of Abraham, and +she was with child. When her body grew large at the end of three months +of pregnancy,[9] and her countenance became pale, Terah said unto her, +"What ails thee, my wife, that thy countenance is so pale and thy body +so swollen?" She answered, and said, "Every year I suffer with this +malady."[10] But Terah would not be put off thus. He insisted: "Show me +thy body. It seems to me thou art big with child. If that be so, it +behooves us not to violate the command of our god Nimrod."[11] When he +passed his hand over her body, there happened a miracle. The child rose +until it lay beneath her breasts, and Terah could feel nothing with his +hands. He said to his wife, "Thou didst speak truly," and naught became +visible until the day of her delivery. + +When her time approached, she left the city in great terror and +wandered toward the desert, walking along the edge of a valley,[12] +until she happened across a cave. She entered this refuge, and on the +next day she was seized with throes, and she gave birth to a son. The +whole cave was filled with the light of the child's countenance as with +the splendor of the sun, and the mother rejoiced exceedingly. The babe +she bore was our father Abraham. + +His mother lamented, and said to her son: "Alas that I bore thee at a +time when Nimrod is king. For thy sake seventy thousand men children +were slaughtered, and I am seized with terror on account of thee, that +he hear of thy existence, and slay thee. Better thou shouldst perish +here in this cave than my eye should behold thee dead at my breast." +She took the garment in which she was clothed, and wrapped it about the +boy. Then she abandoned him in the cave, saying, "May the Lord be with +thee, may He not fail thee nor forsake thee."[13] + +THE BABE PROCLAIMS GOD + +Thus Abraham was deserted in the cave, without a nurse, and he began to +wail. God sent Gabriel down to give him milk to drink, and the angel +made it to flow from the little finger of the baby's right hand, and he +sucked at it until he was ten days old.[14] Then he arose and walked +about, and he left the cave, and went along the edge of the valley.[15] +When the sun sank, and the stars came forth, he said, "These are the +gods!" But the dawn came, and the stars could be seen no longer, and +then he said, "I will not pay worship to these, for they are no gods." +Thereupon the sun came forth, and he spoke, "This is my god, him will I +extol." But again the sun set, and he said, "He is no god," and +beholding the moon, he called her his god to whom he would pay Divine +homage. Then the moon was obscured, and he cried out: "This, too, is no +god! There is One who sets them all in motion."[16] + +He was still communing with himself when the angel Gabriel approached +him and met him with the greeting, "Peace be with thee," and Abraham +returned, "With thee be peace," and asked, "Who art thou?" And Gabriel +answered, and said, "I am the angel Gabriel, the messenger of God," and +he led Abraham to a spring of water near by, and Abraham washed his +face and his hands and feet, and he prayed to God, bowing down and +prostrating himself. + +Meantime the mother of Abraham thought of him in sorrow and tears, and +she went forth from the city to seek him in the cave in which she had +abandoned him. Not finding her son, she wept bitterly, and said, "Woe +unto me that I bore thee but to become a prey of wild beasts, the bears +and the lions and the wolves!" She went to the edge of the valley, and +there she found her son. But she did not recognize him, for he had +grown very large. She addressed the lad, "Peace be with thee!" and he +returned, "With thee be peace!" and he continued, "Unto what purpose +didst thou come to the desert?" She replied, "I went forth from the +city to seek my son." Abraham questioned further, "Who brought thy son +hither?" and the mother replied thereto: "I had become pregnant from my +husband Terah, and when the days of my delivery were fulfilled, I was +in anxiety about my son in my womb, lest our king come, the son of +Canaan, and slay him as he had slain the seventy thousand other men +children. Scarcely had I reached the cave in this valley when the +throes of travailing seized me, and I bore a son, whom I left behind in +the cave, and I went home again. Now am I come to seek him, but I find +him not." + +Abraham then spoke, "As to this child thou tellest of, how old was it?" + +The mother: "It was about twenty days old." + +Abraham: "Is there a woman in the world who would forsake her new-born +son in the desert, and come to seek him after twenty days?" + +The mother: "Peradventure God will show Himself a merciful God!" + +Abraham: "I am the son whom thou hast come to seek in this valley!" + +The mother: "My son, how thou art grown! But twenty days old, and thou +canst already walk, and talk with thy mouth!"[17] + +Abraham: "So it is, and thus, O my mother, it is made known unto thee +that there is in the world a great, terrible, living, and ever-existing +God, who doth see, but who cannot be seen. He is in the heavens above, +and the whole earth is full of His glory." + +The mother: "My son, is there a God beside Nimrod?" + +Abraham: "Yes, mother, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, +He is also the God of Nimrod son of Canaan. Go, therefore, and carry +this message unto Nimrod." + +The mother of Abraham returned to the city and told her husband Terah +how she had found their son. Terah, who was a prince and a magnate in +the house of the king, betook himself to the royal palace, and cast +himself down before the king upon his face. It was the rule that one +who prostrated himself before the king was not permitted to lift up his +head until the king bade him lift it up. Nimrod gave permission to +Terah to rise and state his request. Thereupon Terah related all that +had happened with his wife and his son. When Nimrod heard his tale, +abject fear seized upon him, and he asked his counsellors and princes +what to do with the lad. They answered, and said: "Our king and our +god! Wherefore art thou in fear by reason of a little child? There are +myriads upon myriads of princes in thy realm,[18] rulers of thousands, +rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and +overseers without number. Let the pettiest of the princes go and fetch +the boy and put him in prison." But the king interposed, "Have ye ever +seen a baby of twenty days walking with his feet, speaking with his +mouth, and proclaiming with his tongue that there is a God in heaven, +who is One, and none beside Him, who sees and is not seen?" All the +assembled princes were horror struck at these words.[19] + +At this time Satan in human form appeared, clad in black silk garb, and +he cast himself down before the king. Nimrod said, "Raise thy head and +state thy request." Satan asked the king: "Why art thou terrified, and +why are ye all in fear on account of a little lad? I will counsel thee +what thou shalt do: Open thy arsenal and give weapons unto all the +princes, chiefs, and governors, and unto all the warriors, and send +them to fetch him unto thy service and to be under thy dominion." + +This advice given by Satan the king accepted and followed. He sent a +great armed host to bring Abraham to him. When the boy saw the army +approach him, he was sore afraid, and amid tears he implored God for +help. In answer to his prayer, God sent the angel Gabriel to him, and +he said: "Be not afraid and disquieted, for God is with thee. He will +rescue thee out of the hands of all thine adversaries." God commanded +Gabriel to put thick, dark clouds between Abraham and his assailants. +Dismayed by the heavy clouds, they fled, returning to Nimrod, their +king, and they said to him, "Let us depart and leave this realm," and +the king gave money unto all his princes and his servants, and together +with the king they departed and journeyed to Babylon.[20] + +ABRAHAM'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC + +Now Abraham, at the command of God, was ordered by the angel Gabriel to +follow Nimrod to Babylon. He objected that he was in no wise equipped +to undertake a campaign against the king, but Gabriel calmed him with +the words: "Thou needest no provision for the way, no horse to ride +upon, no warriors to carry on war with Nimrod, no chariots, nor riders. +Do thou but sit thyself upon my shoulder, and I shall bear thee to +Babylon." + +Abraham did as he was bidden, and in the twinkling of an eye he found +himself before the gates of the city of Babylon.[21] At the behest of +the angel, he entered the city, and he called unto the dwellers therein +with a loud voice: "The Eternal, He is the One Only God, and there is +none beside. He is the God of the heavens, and the God of the gods, and +the God of Nimrod. Acknowledge this as the truth, all ye men, women, +and children. Acknowledge also that I am Abraham His servant, the +trusted steward of His house." + +Abraham met his parents in Babylon, and also he saw the angel Gabriel, +who bade him proclaim the true faith to his father and his mother. +Therefore Abraham spake to them, and said: "Ye serve a man of your own +kind, and you pay worship to an image of Nimrod. Know ye not that it +has a mouth, but it speaks not; an eye, but it sees not; an ear, but it +hears not; nor does it walk upon its feet, and there is no profit in +it, either unto itself or unto others?" + +When Terah heard these words, he persuaded Abraham to follow him into +the house, where his son told him all that had happened—how in one day +he had completed a forty days' journey. Terah thereupon went to Nimrod +and reported to him that his son Abraham had suddenly appeared in +Babylon.[22] The king sent for Abraham, and he came before him with his +father. Abraham passed the magnates and the dignitaries until he +reached the royal throne, upon which he seized hold, shaking it and +crying out with a loud voice: "O Nimrod, thou contemptible wretch, that +deniest the essence of faith, that deniest the living and immutable +God, and Abraham His servant, the trusted steward of His house. +Acknowledge Him, and repeat after me the words: The Eternal is God, the +Only One, and there is none beside; He is incorporeal, living, +ever-existing; He slumbers not and sleeps not, who hath created the +world that men might believe in Him. And confess also concerning me, +and say that I am the servant of God and the trusted steward of His +house."[23] + +While Abraham proclaimed this with a loud voice, the idols fell upon +their faces, and with them also King Nimrod.[24] For a space of two +hours and a half the king lay lifeless, and when his soul returned upon +him, he spoke and said, "Is it thy voice, O Abraham, or the voice of +thy God?" And Abraham answered, and said, "This voice is the voice of +the least of all creatures called into existence by God." Thereupon +Nimrod said, "Verily, the God of Abraham is a great and powerful God, +the King of all kings," and he commanded Terah to take his son and +remove him, and return again unto his own city, and father and son did +as the king had ordered.[25] + +THE PREACHER OF THE TRUE FAITH + +When Abraham attained the age of twenty years, his father Terah fell +ill. He spoke as follows to his sons Haran and Abraham, "I adjure you +by your lives, my sons, sell these two idols for me, for I have not +enough money to meet our expenses." Haran executed the wish of his +father, but if any one accosted Abraham, to buy an idol from him, and +asked him the price, he would answer, "Three manehs," and then question +in turn, "How old art thou?" "Thirty years," the reply would be. "Thou +art thirty years of age, and yet thou wouldst worship this idol which I +made but to-day?" The man would depart and go his way, and another +would approach Abraham, and ask, "How much is this idol?" and "Five +manehs" would be the reply, and again Abraham would put the question, +"How old art thou?"—"Fifty years."—"And dost thou who art fifty years +of age bow down before this idol which was made but to-day?" Thereupon +the man would depart and go his way. Abraham then took two idols, put a +rope about their necks, and, with their faces turned downward, he +dragged them along the ground, crying aloud all the time: "Who will buy +an idol wherein there is no profit, either unto itself or unto him that +buys it in order to worship it? It has a mouth, but it speaketh not; +eyes, but it seeth not; feet, but it walketh not; ears, but it heareth +not." + +The people who heard Abraham were amazed exceedingly at his words. As +he went through the streets, he met an old woman who approached him +with the purpose of buying an idol, good and big, to be worshipped and +loved. "Old woman, old woman," said Abraham, "I know no profit therein, +either in the big ones or in the little ones, either unto themselves or +unto others. And," he continued to speak to her, "what has become of +the big image thou didst buy from my brother Haran, to worship it?" +"Thieves," she replied, "came in the night and stole it, while I was +still at the bath." "If it be thus," Abraham went on questioning her, +"how canst thou pay homage to an idol that cannot save itself from +thieves, let alone save others, like thyself, thou silly old woman, out +of misfortune? How is it possible for thee to say that the image thou +worshippest is a god? If it be a god, why did it not save itself out of +the hands of those thieves? Nay, in the idol there is no profit, either +unto itself or unto him that adores it."[26] + +The old woman rejoined, "If what thou sayest be true, whom shall I +serve?" "Serve the God of all gods," returned Abraham, "the Lord of +lords, who hath created heaven and earth, the sea and all therein—the +God of Nimrod and the God of Terah, the God of the east, the west, the +south, and the north. Who is Nimrod, the dog, who calleth himself a +god, that worship be offered unto him?" + +Abraham succeeded in opening the eyes of the old woman, and she became +a zealous missionary for the true God. When she discovered the thieves +who had carried off her idol, and they restored it to her, she broke it +in pieces with a stone, and as she wended her way through the streets, +she cried aloud, "Who would save his soul from destruction, and be +prosperous in all his doings, let him serve the God of Abraham." Thus +she converted many men and women to the true belief. + +Rumors of the words and deeds of the old woman reached the king, and he +sent for her. When she appeared before him, he rebuked her harshly, +asking her how she dared serve any god but himself. The old woman +replied: "Thou art a liar, thou deniest the essence of faith, the One +Only God, beside whom there is no other god. Thou livest upon His +bounty, but thou payest worship to another, and thou dost repudiate +Him, and His teachings, and Abraham His servant." + +The old woman had to pay for her zeal for the faith with her life. +Nevertheless great fear and terror took possession of Nimrod, because +the people became more and more attached to the teachings of Abraham, +and he knew not how to deal with the man who was undermining the old +faith. At the advice of his princes, he arranged a seven days' +festival, at which all the people were bidden to appear in their robes +of state, their gold and silver apparel. By such display of wealth and +power he expected to intimidate Abraham and bring him back to the faith +of the king. Through his father Terah, Nimrod invited Abraham to come +before him, that he might have the opportunity of seeing his greatness +and wealth, and the glory of his dominion, and the multitude of his +princes and attendants. But Abraham refused to appear before the king. +On the other hand, he granted his father's request that in his absence +he sit by his idols and the king's, and take care of them. + +Alone with the idols, and while he repeated the words, "The Eternal He +is God, the Eternal He is God!" he struck the king's idols from their +thrones, and began to belabor them with an axe. With the biggest he +started, and with the smallest he ended. He hacked off the feet of one, +and the other he beheaded. This one had his eyes struck out, the other +had his hands crushed.[27] After all were mutilated, he went away, +having first put the axe into the hand of the largest idol. + +The feast ended, the king returned, and when he saw all his idols +shivered in pieces, he inquired who had perpetrated the mischief. +Abraham was named as the one who had been guilty of the outrage, and +the king summoned him and questioned him as to his motive for the deed. +Abraham replied: "I did not do it; it was the largest of the idols who +shattered all the rest. Seest thou not that he still has the axe in his +hand? And if thou wilt not believe my words, ask him and he will tell +thee." + +IN THE FIERY FURNACE + +Now the king was exceedingly wroth at Abraham, and ordered him to be +cast into prison, where he commanded the warden not to give him bread +or water.[28] But God hearkened unto the prayer of Abraham, and sent +Gabriel to him in his dungeon. For a year the angel dwelt with him, and +provided him with all sorts of food, and a spring of fresh water welled +up before him, and he drank of it. At the end of a year, the magnates +of the realm presented themselves before the king, and advised him to +cast Abraham into the fire, that the people might believe in Nimrod +forever. Thereupon the king issued a decree that all the subjects of +the king in all his provinces, men and women, young and old, should +bring wood within forty days, and he caused it to be thrown into a +great furnace and set afire.[29] The flames shot up to the skies, and +the people were sore afraid of the fire. Now the warden of the prison +was ordered to bring Abraham forth and cast him in the flames. The +warden reminded the king that Abraham had not had food or drink a whole +year, and therefore must be dead, but Nimrod nevertheless desired him +to step in front of the prison and call his name. If he made reply, he +was to be hauled out to the pyre. If he had perished, his remains were +to receive burial, and his memory was to be wiped out henceforth. + +Greatly amazed the warden was when his cry, "Abraham, art thou alive?" +was answered with "I am living." He questioned further, "Who has been +bringing thee food and drink all these many days?" and Abraham replied: +"Food and drink have been bestowed upon me by Him who is over all +things, the God of all gods and the Lord of all lords, who alone doeth +wonders, He who is the God of Nimrod and the God of Terah and the God +of the whole world. He dispenseth food and drink unto all beings. He +sees, but He cannot be seen, He is in the heavens above, and He is +present in all places, for He Himself superviseth all things and +provideth for all." + +The miraculous rescue of Abraham from death by starvation and thirst +convinced the prison-keeper of the truth of God and His prophet +Abraham, and he acknowledged his belief in both publicly. The king's +threat of death unless he recanted could not turn him away from his new +and true faith. When the hangman raised his sword and set it at his +throat to kill him, he exclaimed, "The Eternal He is God, the God of +the whole world as well as of the blasphemer Nimrod." But the sword +could not cut his flesh. The harder it was pressed against his throat, +the more it broke into pieces.[30] + +Nimrod, however, was not to be turned aside from his purpose, to make +Abraham suffer death by fire. One of the princes was dispatched to +fetch him forth. But scarcely did the messenger set about the task of +throwing him into the fire, when the flame leapt forth from the furnace +and consumed him. Many more attempts were made to cast Abraham into the +furnace, but always with the same success—whoever seized him to pitch +him in was himself burnt, and a large number lost their lives. Satan +appeared in human shape, and advised the king to place Abraham in a +catapult and sling him into the fire. Thus no one would be required to +come near the flame. Satan himself constructed the catapult. Having +proved it fit three times by means of stones put in the machine, they +bound Abraham, hand and foot, and were about to consign him to the +flames. At that moment Satan, still disguised in human shape, +approached Abraham, and said, "If thou desirest to deliver thyself from +the fire of Nimrod, bow down before him and believe in him." But +Abraham rejected the tempter with the words, "May the Eternal rebuke +thee, thou vile, contemptible, accursed blasphemer!" and Satan departed +from him. + +Then the mother of Abraham came to him and implored him to pay homage +to Nimrod and escape the impending misfortune. But he said to her: "O +mother, water can extinguish Nimrod's fire, but the fire of God will +not die out for evermore. Water cannot quench it."[31] When his mother +heard these words, she spake, "May the God whom thou servest rescue +thee from the fire of Nimrod!" + +Abraham was finally placed in the catapult, and he raised his eyes +heavenward, and spoke, "O Lord my God, Thou seest what this sinner +purposes to do unto me!"[32] His confidence in God was unshakable. When +the angels received the Divine permission to save him, and Gabriel +approached him, and asked, "Abraham, shall I save thee from the fire?" +he replied, "God in whom I trust, the God of heaven and earth, will +rescue me," and God, seeing the submissive spirit of Abraham, commanded +the fire, "Cool off and bring tranquillity to my servant Abraham."[33] + +No water was needed to extinguish the fire. The logs burst into buds, +and all the different kinds of wood put forth fruit, each tree bearing +its own kind. The furnace was transformed into a royal pleasance, and +the angels sat therein with Abraham. When the king saw the miracle, he +said: "Great witchcraft! Thou makest it known that fire hath no power +over thee, and at the same time thou showest thyself unto the people +sitting in a pleasure garden." But the princes of Nimrod interposed all +with one voice, "Nay, our lord, this is not witchcraft, it is the power +of the great God, the God of Abraham, beside whom there is no other +god, and we acknowledge that He is God, and Abraham is His servant." +All the princes and all the people believed in God at this hour, in the +Eternal, the God of Abraham, and they all cried out, "The Lord He is +God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath; there is none +else."[34] + +Abraham was the superior, not only of the impious king Nimrod and his +attendants, but also of the pious men of his time, Noah, Shem, Eber, +and Asshur.[35] Noah gave himself no concern whatsoever in the matter +of spreading the pure faith in God. He took an interest in planting his +vineyard, and was immersed in material pleasures. Shem and Eber kept in +hiding, and as for Asshur, he said, "How can I live among such +sinners?" and departed out of the land.[36] The only one who remained +unshaken was Abraham. "I will not forsake God," he said, and therefore +God did not forsake him, who had hearkened neither unto his father nor +unto his mother. + +The miraculous deliverance of Abraham from the fiery furnace, together +with his later fortunes, was the fulfilment and explanation of what his +father Terah had read in the stars. He had seen the star of Haran +consumed by fire, and at the same time fill and rule the whole world. +The meaning was plain now. Haran was irresolute in his faith, he could +not decide whether to adhere to Abraham or the idolaters. When it +befell that those who would not serve idols were cast into the fiery +furnace, Haran reasoned in this manner: "Abraham, being my elder, will +be called upon before me. If he comes forth out of the fiery trial +triumphant, I will declare my allegiance to him; otherwise I will take +sides against him." After God Himself had rescued Abraham from death, +and Haran's turn came to make his confession of faith, he announced his +adherence to Abraham. But scarcely had he come near the furnace,[37] +when he was seized by the flames and consumed, because he was lacking +in firm faith in God. Terah had read the stars well, it now appeared: +Haran was burnt, and his daughter Sarah[38] became the wife of Abraham, +whose descendants fill the earth.[39] In another way the death of Haran +was noteworthy. It was the first instance, since the creation of the +world, of a son's dying while his father was still alive.[40] + +The king, the princes, and all the people, who had been witnesses of +the wonders done for Abraham, came to him, and prostrated themselves +before him. But Abraham said: "Do not bow down before me, but before +God, the Master of the universe, who hath created you. Serve Him and +walk in His ways, for He it was who delivered me from the flames, and +He it is who hath created the soul and the spirit of every human being, +who formeth man in the womb of his mother, and bringeth him into the +world. He saveth from all sickness those who put their trust in Him." + +The king then dismissed Abraham, after loading him down with an +abundance of precious gifts, among them two slaves who had been raised +in the royal palace. 'Ogi was the name of the one, Eliezer the name of +the other. The princes followed the example of the king, and they gave +him silver, and gold, and gems. But all these gifts did not rejoice the +heart of Abraham so much as the three hundred followers that joined him +and became adherents of his religion. + +ABRAHAM EMIGRATES TO HARAN + +For a period of two years Abraham could devote himself undisturbed to +his chosen task of turning the hearts of men to God and His +teachings.[41] In his pious undertaking he was aided by his wife Sarah, +whom he had married in the meantime. While he exhorted the men and +sought to convert them, Sarah addressed herself to the women.[42] She +was a helpmeet worthy of Abraham. Indeed, in prophetical powers she +ranked higher than her husband.[43] She was sometimes called Iscah, +"the seer," on that account.[44] + +At the expiration of two years it happened that Nimrod dreamed a dream. +In his dream he found himself with his army near the fiery furnace in +the valley into which Abraham had been cast. A man resembling Abraham +stepped out of the furnace, and he ran after the king with drawn sword, +the king fleeing before him in terror. While running, the pursuer threw +an egg at Nimrod's head, and a mighty stream issued therefrom, wherein +the king's whole host was drowned. The king alone survived, with three +men. When Nimrod examined his companions, he observed that they wore +royal attire, and in form and stature they resembled himself. The +stream changed back into an egg again, and a little chick broke forth +from it, and it flew up, settled upon the head of the king, and put out +one of his eyes. + +The king was confounded in his sleep, and when he awoke, his heart beat +like a trip-hammer, and his fear was exceeding great. In the morning, +when he arose, he sent and called for his wise men and his magicians, +and told them his dream. One of his wise men, Anoko by name, stood up, +and said: "Know, O king, this dream points to the misfortune which +Abraham and his descendants will bring upon thee. A time will come when +he and his followers will make war upon thy army, and they will +annihilate it. Thou and the three kings, thy allies, will be the only +ones to escape death. But later thou wilt lose thy life at the hands of +one of the descendants of Abraham. Consider, O king, that thy wise men +read this fate of thine in the stars, fifty-two years ago, at the birth +of Abraham. As long as Abraham liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not +be stablished, nor thy kingdom." Nimrod took Anoko's words to heart, +and dispatched some of his servants to seize Abraham and kill him. It +happened that Eliezer, the slave whom Abraham had received as a present +from Nimrod, was at that time at the royal court. With great haste he +sped to Abraham to induce him to flee before the king's bailiffs. His +master accepted his advice, and took refuge in the house of Noah and +Shem, where he lay in hiding a whole month. The king's officers +reported that despite zealous efforts Abraham was nowhere to be found. +Thenceforth the king did not concern himself about Abraham. + +When Terah visited his son in his hiding-place, Abraham proposed that +they leave the land and take up their abode in Canaan, in order to +escape the pursuit of Nimrod. He said: "Consider that it was not for +thy sake that Nimrod overloaded thee with honors, but for his own +profit. Though he continue to confer the greatest of benefactions upon +thee, what are they but earthly vanity? for riches and possessions +profit not in the day of wrath and fury. Hearken unto my voice, O my +father, let us depart for the land of Canaan, and serve the God that +hath created thee, that it may be well with thee." + +Noah and Shem aided and abetted the efforts of Abraham to persuade +Terah, whereupon Terah consented to leave his country, and he, and +Abraham, and Lot, the son of Haran, departed for Haran with their +households. They found the land pleasant, and also the inhabitants +thereof, who readily yielded to the influence of Abraham's humane +spirit and his piety. Many of them obeyed his precepts and became +God-fearing and good.[45] + +Terah's resolve to quit his native land for the sake of Abraham and +take up his abode in strange parts, and his impulse to do it before +even the Divine call visited Abraham himself—this the Lord accounted a +great merit unto Terah, and he was permitted to see his son Abraham +rule as king over the whole world. For when the miracle happened, and +Isaac was born unto his aged parents, the whole world repaired to +Abraham and Sarah, and demanded to know what they had done that so +great a thing should be accomplished for them. Abraham told them all +that had happened between Nimrod and himself, how he had been ready to +be burnt for the glory of God, and how the Lord had rescued him from +the flames. In token of their admiration for Abraham and his teachings, +they appointed him to be their king, and in commemoration of Isaac's +wondrous birth, the money coined by Abraham bore the figures of an aged +husband and wife on the obverse side, and of a young man and his wife +on the reverse side, for Abraham and Sarah both were rejuvenated at the +birth of Isaac, Abraham's white hair turned black, and the lines in +Sarah's face were smoothed out. + +For many years Terah continued to live a witness of his son's glory, +for his death did not occur until Isaac was a youth of thirty-five.[46] +And a still greater reward waited upon his good deed. God accepted his +repentance, and when he departed this life, he entered into Paradise, +and not into hell, though he had passed the larger number of his days +in sin. Indeed, it had been his fault that Abraham came near losing his +life at the hands of Nimrod.[47] + +THE STAR IN THE EAST + +Terah had been a high official at the court of Nimrod, and he was held +in great consideration by the king and his suite. A son was born unto +him whom he called Abram, because the king had raised him to an exalted +place. In the night of Abraham's birth, the astrologers and the wise +men of Nimrod came to the house of Terah, and ate and drank, and +rejoiced with him that night. When they left the house, they lifted up +their eyes toward heaven to look at the stars, and they saw, and, +behold, one great star came from the east and ran athwart the heavens +and swallowed up the four stars at the four corners. They all were +astonished at the sight, but they understood this matter, and knew its +import. They said to one another: "This only betokens that the child +that hath been born unto Terah this night will grow up and be fruitful, +and he will multiply and possess all the earth, he and his children +forever, and he and his seed will slay great kings and inherit their +lands." + +They went home that night, and in the morning they rose up early, and +assembled in their meeting-house. They spake, and said to one another: +"Lo, the sight that we saw last night is hidden from the king, it has +not been made known to him, and should this thing become known to him +in the latter days, he will say to us, Why did you conceal this matter +from me? and then we shall all suffer death. Now, let us go and tell +the king the sight which we saw, and the interpretation thereof, and we +shall be clear from this thing." And they went to the king and told him +the sight they had seen, and their interpretation thereof, and they +added the advice that he pay the value of the child to Terah, and slay +the babe. + +Accordingly, the king sent for Terah, and when he came, he spake to +him: "It hath been told unto me that a son was born to thee +yesternight, and a wondrous sign was observed in the heavens at his +birth. Now give me the boy, that we may slay him before evil comes upon +us from him, and I will give thee thy house full of silver and gold in +exchange for him." Terah answered: "This thing which thou promisest +unto me is like the words which a man spoke to a mule, saying, 'I will +give thee a great heap of barley, a houseful thereof, on condition that +I cut off thy head!' The mule replied, 'Of what use will all the barley +be to me, if thou cuttest off my head? Who will eat it when thou givest +it to me?' Thus also do I say: What shall I do with silver and gold +after the death of my son? Who shall inherit me?" But when Terah saw +how the king's anger burned within him at these words, he added, +"Whatever the king desireth to do unto his servant, that let him do, +even my son is at the king's disposal, without value or exchange, he +and his two older brethren." + +The king spake, however, saying, "I will purchase thy youngest son for +a price." And Terah made answer, "Let my king give me three days' time +to consider the matter and consult about it with my family." The king +agreed to this condition, and on the third day he sent to Terah, +saying, "Give me thy son for a price, as I spoke unto thee, and if thou +wilt not do this, I will send and slay all thou hast in thy house, +there shall not be a dog left unto thee." + +Then Terah took a child which his handmaid had borne unto him that day, +and he brought the babe to the king, and received value for him, and +the king took the child and dashed his head against the ground, for he +thought it was Abraham. But Terah took his son Abraham, together with +the child's mother and his nurse, and concealed them in a cave, and +thither he carried provisions to them once a month, and the Lord was +with Abraham in the cave, and he grew up, but the king and all his +servants thought that Abraham was dead. + +And when Abraham was ten years old, he and his mother and his nurse +went out from the cave, for the king and his servants had forgotten the +affair of Abraham. + +In that time all the inhabitants of the earth, with the exception of +Noah and his household, transgressed against the Lord, and they made +unto themselves every man his god, gods of wood and stone, which could +neither speak, nor hear, nor deliver from distress. The king and all +his servants, and Terah with his household, were the first to worship +images of wood and stone. Terah made twelve gods of large size, of wood +and of stone, corresponding to the twelve months of the year, and he +paid homage to them monthly in turn.[48] + +THE TRUE BELIEVER + +Once Abraham went into the temple of the idols in his father's house, +to bring sacrifices to them, and he found one of them, Marumath by +name, hewn out of stone, lying prostrate on his face before the iron +god of Nahor. The idol was too heavy for him to raise it alone, and he +called his father to help him put Marumath back in his place. While +they were handling the image, its head dropped off, and Terah took a +stone, and chiselled another Marumath, setting the head of the first +upon the new body. Then Terah continued and made five more gods, and +all these he delivered to Abraham, and bade him sell them in the +streets of the city. + +Abraham saddled his mule, and went to the inn where merchants from +Fandana in Syria put up on their way to Egypt. He hoped to dispose of +his wares there. When he reached the inn, one of the camels belonging +to the merchants belched, and the sound frightened his mule so that it +ran off pell-mell and broke three of the idols. The merchants not only +bought the two sound idols from him, they also gave him the price of +the broken ones, for Abraham had told them how distressed he was to +appear before his father with less money than he had expected to +receive for his handiwork. + +This incident made Abraham reflect upon the worthlessness of idols, and +he said to himself: "What are these evil things done by my father? Is +not he the god of his gods, for do they not come into being by reason +of his carving and chiselling and contriving? Were it not more seemly +that they should pay worship to him than he to them, seeing they are +the work of his hands?" Meditating thus, he reached his father's house, +and he entered and handed his father the money for the five images, and +Terah rejoiced, and said, "Blessed art thou unto my gods, because thou +didst bring me the price of the idols, and my labor was not in vain." +But Abraham made reply: "Hear, my father Terah, blessed are thy gods +through thee, for thou art their god, since thou didst fashion them, +and their blessing is destruction and their help is vanity. They that +help not themselves, how can they help thee or bless me?" + +Terah grew very wrathful at Abraham, that he uttered such speech +against his gods, and Abraham, thinking upon his father's anger, left +him and went from the house. But Terah called him back, and said, +"Gather together the chips of the oak wood from which I made images +before thou didst return, and prepare my dinner for me." Abraham made +ready to do his father's bidding, and as he took up the chips he found +a little god among them, whose forehead bore the inscription "God +Barisat." He threw the chips upon the fire, and set Barisat up next to +it, saying: "Attention! Take care, Barisat, that the fire go not out +until I come back. If it burns low, blow into it, and make it flame up +again." Speaking thus, he went out. When he came in again, he found +Barisat lying prone upon his back, badly burnt. Smiling, he said to +himself, "In truth, Barisat, thou canst keep the fire alive and prepare +food," and while he spoke, the idol was consumed to ashes. Then he took +the dishes to his father, and he ate and drank and was glad and blessed +his god Marumath. But Abraham said to his father, "Bless not thy god +Marumath, but rather thy god Barisat, for he it was who, out of his +great love for thee, threw himself into the fire that thy meal might be +cooked." "Where is he now?" exclaimed Terah, and Abraham answered, "He +hath become ashes in the fierceness of the fire." Terah said, "Great is +the power of Barisat! I will make me another this day, and to-morrow he +will prepare my food for me." + +These words of his father made Abraham laugh in his mind, but his soul +was grieved at his obduracy, and he proceeded to make clear his views +upon the idols, saying: "Father, no matter which of the two idols thou +blessest, thy behavior is senseless, for the images that stand in the +holy temple are more to be worshipped than thine. Zucheus, the god of +my brother Nahor, is more venerable than Marumath, because he is made +cunningly of gold, and when he grows old, he will be worked over again. +But when thy Marumath becomes dim, or is shivered in pieces, he will +not be renewed, for he is of stone. And the god Joauv, who stands above +the other gods with Zucheus, is more venerable than Barisat, made of +wood, because he is hammered out of silver, and ornamented by men, to +show his magnificence. But thy Barisat, before thou didst fashion him +into a god with thy axe, was rooted in the earth, standing there great +and wonderful, with the glory of branches and blossoms. Now he is dry, +and gone is his sap. From his height he has fallen to the earth, from +grandeur he came to pettiness, and the appearance of his face has paled +away, and he himself was burnt in the fire, and he was consumed unto +ashes, and he is no more. And thou didst then say, 'I will make me +another this day, and to-morrow he will prepare my food for me.' +Father," Abraham continued, and said, "the fire is more to be +worshipped than thy gods of gold and silver and wood and stone, because +it consumes them. But also the fire I call not god, because it is +subject to the water, which quenches it. But also the water I call not +god, because it is sucked up by the earth, and I call the earth more +venerable, because it conquers the water. But also the earth I call not +god, because it is dried out by the sun, and I call the sun more +venerable than the earth, because he illumines the whole world with his +rays. But also the sun I call not god, because his light is obscured +when darkness cometh up. Nor do I call the moon and the stars gods, +because their light, too, is extinguished when their time to shine is +past. But hearken unto this, my father Terah, which I will declare unto +thee, The God who hath created all things, He is the true God, He hath +empurpled the heavens, and gilded the sun, and given radiance to the +moon and also the stars, and He drieth out the earth in the midst of +many waters, and also thee hath He put upon the earth, and me hath He +sought out in the confusion of my thoughts."[49] + +THE ICONOCLAST + +But Terah could not be convinced, and in reply to Abraham's question, +who the God was that had created heaven and earth and the children of +men, he took him to the hall wherein stood twelve great idols and a +large number of little idols, and pointing to them he said, "Here are +they who have made all thou seest on earth, they who have created also +me and thee and all men on the earth," and he bowed down before his +gods, and left the hall with his son. + +Abraham went thence to his mother, and he spoke to her, saying: +"Behold, my father has shown those unto me who made heaven and earth +and all the sons of men. Now, therefore, hasten and fetch a kid from +the flock, and make of it savory meat, that I may bring it to my +father's gods, perhaps I may thereby become acceptable to them." His +mother did according to his request, but when Abraham brought the +offering to the gods, he saw that they had no voice, no hearing, no +motion, and not one of them stretched forth his hand to eat. Abraham +mocked them, and said, "Surely, the savory meat that I prepared doth +not please you, or perhaps it is too little for you! Therefore I will +prepare fresh savory meat to-morrow, better and more plentiful than +this, that I may see what cometh therefrom." But the gods remained mute +and without motion before the second offering of excellent savory meat +as before the first offering, and the spirit of God came over Abraham, +and he cried out, and said: "Woe unto my father and his wicked +generation, whose hearts are all inclined to vanity, who serve these +idols of wood and stone, which cannot eat, nor smell, nor hear, nor +speak, which have mouths without speech, eyes without sight, ears +without hearing, hands without feeling, and legs without motion!" + +Abraham then took a hatchet in his hand, and broke all his father's +gods, and when he had done breaking them he placed the hatchet in the +hand of the biggest god among them all, and he went out. Terah, having +heard the crash of the hatchet on the stone, ran to the room of the +idols, and he reached it at the moment when Abraham was leaving it, and +when he saw what had happened, he hastened after Abraham, and he said +to him, "What is this mischief thou hast done to my gods?" Abraham +answered: "I set savory meat before them, and when I came nigh unto +them, that they might eat, they all stretched out their hands to take +of the meat, before the big one had put forth his hand to eat. This +one, enraged against them on account of their behavior, took the +hatchet and broke them all, and, behold, the hatchet is yet in his +hands, as thou mayest see." + +Then Terah turned in wrath upon Abraham, and he said: "Thou speakest +lies unto me! Is there spirit, soul, or power in these gods to do all +thou hast told me? Are they not wood and stone? and have I not myself +made them? It is thou that didst place the hatchet in the hand of the +big god, and thou sayest he smote them all." Abraham answered his +father, and said: "How, then, canst thou serve these idols in whom +there is no power to do anything? Can these idols in which thou +trustest deliver thee? Can they hear thy prayers when thou callest upon +them?" After having spoken these and similar words, admonishing his +father to mend his ways and refrain from worshipping idols, he leapt up +before Terah, took the hatchet from the big idol, broke it therewith, +and ran away. + +Terah hastened to Nimrod, bowed down before him, and besought him to +hear his story, about his son who had been born to him fifty years +back, and how he had done to his gods, and how he had spoken. "Now, +therefore, my lord and king," he said, "send for him that he may come +before thee, and do thou judge him according to the law, that we may be +delivered from his evil." When Abraham was brought before the king, he +told him the same story as he had told Terah, about the big god who +broke the smaller ones, but the king replied, "Idols do neither speak, +nor eat, nor move." Then Abraham reproached him for worshipping gods +that can do nothing, and admonished him to serve the God of the +universe. His last words were, "If thy wicked heart will not hearken to +my words, to cause thee to forsake thy evil ways and serve the Eternal +God, then wilt thou die in shame in the latter days, thou, thy people, +and all that are connected with thee, who hear thy words, and walk in +thy evil ways." + +The king ordered Abraham to be put into prison, and at the end of ten +days he caused all the princes and great men of the realm to appear +before him, and to them he put the case of Abraham. Their verdict was +that he should be burnt, and, accordingly, the king had a fire prepared +for three days and three nights, in his furnace at Kasdim, and Abraham +was to be carried thither from prison to be burnt. + +All the inhabitants of the land, about nine hundred thousand men, and +the women and the children besides, came to see what would be done with +Abraham. And when he was brought forth, the astrologers recognized him, +and they said to the king, "Surely, this is the man whom we knew as a +child, at whose birth the great star swallowed the four stars. Behold, +his father did transgress thy command, and he made a mockery of thee, +for he did bring thee another child, and him didst thou kill." + +Terah was greatly terrified, for he was afraid of the king's wrath, and +he admitted that he had deceived the king, and when the king said, +"Tell me who advised thee to do this. Hide naught, and thou shalt not +die," he falsely accused Haran, who had been thirty-two years old at +the time of Abraham's birth, of having advised him to deceive the king. +At the command of the king, Abraham and Haran, stripped of all their +clothes except their hosen, and their hands and feet bound with linen +cords, were cast into the furnace. Haran, because his heart was not +perfect with the Lord, perished in the fire, and also the men who cast +them into the furnace were burnt by the flames which leapt out over +them, and Abraham alone was saved by the Lord, and he was not burnt, +though the cords with which he was bound were consumed. For three days +and three nights Abraham walked in the midst of the fire, and all the +servants of the king came and told him, "Behold, we have seen Abraham +walking about in the midst of the fire."[50] + +At first the king would not believe them, but when some of his faithful +princes corroborated the words of his servants, he rose up and went to +see for himself. He then commanded his servants to take Abraham from +the fire, but they could not, because the flames leapt toward them from +the furnace, and when they tried again, at the king's command, to +approach the furnace, the flames shot out and burnt their faces, so +that eight of their number died. The king then called unto Abraham, and +said: "O servant of the God who is in heaven, go forth from the midst +of the fire, and come hither and stand before me," and Abraham came and +stood before the king. And the king spoke to Abraham, and said, "How +cometh it that thou wast not burnt in the fire?" And Abraham made +answer, "The God of heaven and earth in whom I trust, and who hath all +things in His power, He did deliver me from the fire into which thou +didst cast me."[51] + +ABRAHAM IN CANAAN + +With ten temptations Abraham was tempted, and he withstood them all, +showing how great was the love of Abraham.[52] The first test to which +he was subjected was the departure from his native land. The hardships +were many and severe which he encountered, and he was loth to leave his +home, besides. He spoke to God, and said, "Will not the people talk +about me, and say, 'He is endeavoring to bring the nations under the +wings of the Shekinah, yet he leaves his old father in Haran, and he +goes away.'" But God answered him, and said: "Dismiss all care +concerning thy father and thy kinsmen from thy thoughts. Though they +speak words of kindness to thee, yet are they all of one mind, to ruin +thee."[53] + +Then Abraham forsook his father in Haran, and journeyed to Canaan, +accompanied by the blessing of God, who said unto him, "I will make of +thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great." +These three blessings were to counteract the evil consequences which, +he feared, would follow emigration, for travelling from place to place +interferes with the growth of the family, it lessens one's substance, +and it diminishes the consideration one enjoys.[54] The greatest of all +blessings, however, was the word of God, "And be thou a blessing." The +meaning of this was that whoever came in contact with Abraham was +blessed. Even the mariners on the sea were indebted to him for +prosperous voyages.[55] Besides, God held out the promise to him that +in time to come his name would be mentioned in the Benedictions, God +would be praised as the Shield of Abraham, a distinction accorded to no +other mortal except David.[56] But the words, "And be thou a blessing," +will be fulfilled only in the future world, when the seed of Abraham +shall be known among the nations and his offspring among the peoples as +"the seed which the Lord hath blessed."[57] + +When Abraham first was bidden to leave his home, he was not told to +what land he was to journey—all the greater would be his reward for +executing the command of God.[58] And Abraham showed his trust in God, +for he said, "I am ready to go whithersoever Thou sendest me." The Lord +then bade him go to a land wherein He would reveal Himself, and when he +went to Canaan later, God appeared to him, and he knew that it was the +promised land.[59] + +On entering Canaan, Abraham did not yet know that it was the land +appointed as his inheritance. Nevertheless he rejoiced when he reached +it. In Mesopotamia and in Aramnaharaim, the inhabitants of which he had +seen eating, drinking, and acting wantonly, he had always wished, "O +that my portion may not be in this land," but when he came to Canaan, +he observed that the people devoted themselves industriously to the +cultivation of the land, and he said, "O that my portion may be in this +land!" God then spoke to him, and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this +land."[60] Happy in these joyous tidings, Abraham erected an altar to +the Lord to give thanks unto Him for the promise, and then he journeyed +on, southward, in the direction of the spot whereon the Temple was once +to stand. In Hebron he again erected an altar, thus taking possession +of the land in a measure. And likewise he raised an altar in Ai, +because he foresaw that a misfortune would befall his offspring there, +at the conquest of the land under Joshua. The altar, he hoped, would +obviate the evil results that might follow. + +Each altar raised by him was a centre for his activities as a +missionary. As soon as he came to a place in which he desired to +sojourn, he would stretch a tent first for Sarah, and next for himself, +and then he would proceed at once to make proselytes and bring them +under the wings of the Shekinah. Thus he accomplished his purpose of +inducing all men to proclaim the Name of God.[61] + +For the present Abraham was but a stranger in his promised land. After +the partition of the earth among the sons of Noah, when all had gone to +their allotted portions, it happened that Canaan son of Ham saw that +the land extending from the Lebanon to the River of Egypt was fair to +look upon, and he refused to go to his own allotment, westward by the +sea. He settled in the land upon Lebanon, eastward and westward from +the border of the Jordan and the border of the sea. And Ham, his +father, and his brothers Cush and Mizraim spoke to him, and said: "Thou +livest in a land that is not thine, for it was not assigned unto us +when the lots were drawn. Do not thus! But if thou persistest, ye, thou +and thy children, will fall, accursed, in the land, in a rebellion. Thy +settling here was rebellion, and through rebellion thy children will be +felled down, and thy seed will be destroyed unto all eternity. Sojourn +not in the land of Shem, for unto Shem and unto the children of Shem +was it apportioned by lot. Accursed art thou, and accursed wilt thou be +before all the children of Noah on account of the curse, for we took an +oath before the holy Judge and before our father Noah." + +But Canaan hearkened not unto the words of his father and his brothers. +He dwelt in the land of the Lebanon from Hamath even unto the entrance +of Egypt, he and his sons.[62] Though the Canaanites had taken unlawful +possession of the land, yet Abraham respected their rights; he provided +his camels with muzzles, to prevent them from pasturing upon the +property of others.[63] + +HIS SOJOURN IN EGYPT + +Scarcely had Abraham established himself in Canaan, when a devastating +famine broke out—one of the ten God appointed famines for the +chastisement of men. The first of them came in the time of Adam, when +God cursed the ground for his sake; the second was this one in the time +of Abraham; the third compelled Isaac to take up his abode among the +Philistines; the ravages of the fourth drove the sons of Jacob into +Egypt to buy grain for food; the fifth came in the time of the Judges, +when Elimelech and his family had to seek refuge in the land of Moab; +the sixth occurred during the reign of David, and it lasted three +years; the seventh happened in the day of Elijah, who had sworn that +neither rain nor dew should fall upon the earth; the eighth was the one +in the time of Elisha, when an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces +of silver; the ninth is the famine that comes upon men piecemeal, from +time to time; and the tenth will scourge men before the advent of +Messiah, and this last will be "not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for +water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."[64] + +The famine in the time of Abraham prevailed only in Canaan, and it had +been inflicted upon the land in order to test his faith. He stood this +second temptation as he had the first. He murmured not, and he showed +no sign of impatience toward God, who had bidden him shortly before to +abandon his native land for a land of starvation.[65] The famine +compelled him to leave Canaan for a time, and he repaired to Egypt, to +become acquainted there with the wisdom of the priests and, if +necessary, give them instruction in the truth.[66] + +On this journey from Canaan to Egypt, Abraham first observed the beauty +of Sarah. Chaste as he was, he had never before looked at her, but now, +when they were wading through a stream, he saw the reflection of her +beauty in the water like the brilliance of the sun.[67] Wherefore he +spoke to her thus, "The Egyptians are very sensual, and I will put thee +in a casket that no harm befall me on account of thee." At the Egyptian +boundary, the tax collectors asked him about the contents of the +casket, and Abraham told them he had barley in it. "No," they said, "it +contains wheat." "Very well," replied Abraham, "I am prepared to pay +the tax on wheat." The officers then hazarded the guess, "It contains +pepper!" Abraham agreed to pay the tax on pepper, and when they charged +him with concealing gold in the casket, he did not refuse to pay the +tax on gold, and finally on precious stones. Seeing that he demurred to +no charge, however high, the tax collectors, made thoroughly +suspicious, insisted upon his unfastening the casket and letting them +examine the contents. When it was forced open, the whole of Egypt was +resplendent with the beauty of Sarah. In comparison with her, all other +beauties were like apes compared with men. She excelled Eve +herself.[68] The servants of Pharaoh outbid one another in seeking to +obtain possession of her, though they were of opinion that so radiant a +beauty ought not to remain the property of a private individual. They +reported the matter to the king,[69] and Pharaoh sent a powerful armed +force to bring Sarah to the palace,[70] and so bewitched was he by her +charms that those who had brought him the news of her coming into Egypt +were loaded down with bountiful gifts.[71] + +Amid tears, Abraham offered up a prayer. He entreated God in these +words: "Is this the reward for my confidence in Thee? For the sake of +Thy grace and Thy lovingkindness, let not my hope be put to shame."[72] +Sarah also implored God, saying: "O God, Thou didst bid my lord Abraham +leave his home, the land of his fathers, and journey to Canaan, and +Thou didst promise him to do good unto him if he fulfilled Thy +commands. And now we have done as Thou didst command us to do. We left +our country and our kindred, and we journeyed to a strange land, unto a +people which we knew not heretofore. We came hither to save our people +from starvation, and now hath this terrible misfortune befallen. O +Lord, help me and save me from the hand of this enemy, and for the sake +of Thy grace show me good." + +An angel appeared unto Sarah while she was in the presence of the king, +to whom he was not visible, and he bade her take courage, saying, "Fear +naught, Sarah, for God hath heard thy prayer." The king questioned +Sarah as to the man in the company of whom she had come to Egypt, and +Sarah called Abraham her brother. Pharaoh pledged himself to make +Abraham great and powerful, to do for him whatever she wished. He sent +much gold and silver to Abraham, and diamonds and pearls, sheep and +oxen, and men slaves and women slaves, and he assigned a residence to +him within the precincts of the royal palace.[73] In the love he bore +Sarah, he wrote out a marriage contract, deeding to her all he owned in +the way of gold and silver, and men slaves and women slaves, and the +province of Goshen besides, the province occupied in later days by the +descendants of Sarah, because it was their property. Most remarkable of +all, he gave her his own daughter Hagar as slave, for he preferred to +see his daughter the servant of Sarah to reigning as mistress in +another harem.[74] + +His free-handed generosity availed naught. During the night, when he +was about to approach Sarah, an angel appeared armed with a stick, and +if Pharaoh but touched Sarah's shoe to remove it from her foot, the +angel planted a blow upon his hand, and when he grasped her dress, a +second blow followed. At each blow he was about to deal, the angel +asked Sarah whether he was to let it descend, and if she bade him give +Pharaoh a moment to recover himself, he waited and did as she desired. +And another great miracle came to pass. Pharaoh, and his nobles, and +his servants, the very walls of his house and his bed were afflicted +with leprosy, and he could not indulge his carnal desires.[75] This +night in which Pharaoh and his court suffered their well deserved +punishment was the night of the fifteenth of Nisan, the same night +wherein God visited the Egyptians in a later time in order to redeem +Israel, the descendants of Sarah.[76] + +Horrified by the plague sent upon him, Pharaoh inquired how he could +rid himself thereof. He applied to the priests, from whom he found out +the true cause of his affliction, which was corroborated by Sarah. He +then sent for Abraham and returned his wife to him, pure and untouched, +and excused himself for what had happened, saying that he had had the +intention of connecting himself in marriage with him, whom he had +thought to be the brother of Sarah.[77] He bestowed rich gifts upon the +husband and the wife, and they departed for Canaan, after a three +months' sojourn in Egypt.[78] + +Arrived in Canaan they sought the same night-shelters at which they had +rested before, in order to pay their accounts, and also to teach by +their example that it is not proper to seek new quarters unless one is +forced to it.[79] + +Abraham's sojourn in Egypt was of great service to the inhabitants of +the country, because he demonstrated to the wise men of the land how +empty and vain their views were, and also he taught them astronomy and +astrology, unknown in Egypt before his time.[80] + +THE FIRST PHARAOH + +The Egyptian ruler, whose meeting with Abraham had proved so untoward +an event, was the first to bear the name Pharaoh. The succeeding kings +were named thus after him. The origin of the name is connected with the +life and adventures of Rakyon, Have-naught, a man wise, handsome, and +poor, who lived in the land of Shinar. Finding himself unable to +support himself in Shinar, he resolved to depart for Egypt, where he +expected to display his wisdom before the king, Ashwerosh, the son of +'Anam. Perhaps he would find grace in the eyes of the king, who would +give Rakyon the opportunity of supporting himself and rising to be a +great man. When he reached Egypt, he learnt that it was the custom of +the country for the king to remain in retirement in his palace, removed +from the sight of the people. Only on one day of the year he showed +himself in public, and received all who had a petition to submit to +him. Richer by a disappointment, Rakyon knew not how he was to earn a +livelihood in the strange country. He was forced to spend the night in +a ruin, hungry as he was. The next day he decided to try to earn +something by selling vegetables. By a lucky chance he fell in with some +dealers in vegetables, but as he did not know the customs of the +country, his new undertaking was not favored with good fortune. +Ruffians assaulted him, snatched his wares from him, and made a +laughing-stock of him. The second night, which he was compelled to +spend in the ruin again, a sly plan ripened in his mind. He arose and +gathered together a crew of thirty lusty fellows. He took them to the +graveyard, and bade them, in the name of the king, charge two hundred +pieces of silver for every body they buried. Otherwise interment was to +be prevented. In this way he succeeded in amassing great wealth within +eight months. Not only did he acquire silver, gold, and precious gems, +but also he attached a considerable force, armed and mounted, to his +person. + +On the day on which the king appeared among the people, they began to +complain of this tax upon the dead. They said: "What is this thou art +inflicting upon thy servants—permitting none to be buried unless they +pay thee silver and gold! Has a thing like this come to pass in the +world since the days of Adam, that the dead should not be interred +unless money be paid therefor! We know well that it is the privilege of +the king to take an annual tax from the living. But thou takest tribute +from the dead, too, and thou exactest it day by day. O king, we cannot +endure this any longer, for the whole of the city is ruined thereby." + +The king, who had had no suspicion of Rakyon's doings, fell into a +great rage when the people gave him information about them. He ordered +him and his armed force to appear before him. Rakyon did not come +empty-handed. He was preceded by a thousand youths and maidens, mounted +upon steeds and arrayed in state apparel. These were a present to the +king. When he himself stepped before the king, he delivered gold, +silver, and diamonds to him in great abundance, and a magnificent +charger. These gifts and the display of splendor did not fail of taking +effect upon the king, and when Rakyon, in well-considered words and +with a pliant tongue, described the undertaking, he won not only the +king to his side, but also the whole court, and the king said to him, +"No longer shalt thou be called Rakyon, Have-naught, but Pharaoh, +Paymaster, for thou didst collect taxes from the dead." + +So profound was the impression made by Rakyon that the king, the +grandees, and the people, all together resolved to put the guidance of +the realm in the hands of Pharaoh. Under the suzerainty of Ashwerosh he +administered law and justice throughout the year; only on the one day +when he showed himself to the people did the king himself give judgment +and decide cases. Through the power thus conferred upon him and through +cunning practices, Pharaoh succeeded in usurping royal authority, and +he collected taxes from all the inhabitants of Egypt. Nevertheless he +was beloved of the people, and it was decreed that every ruler of Egypt +should thenceforth bear the name Pharaoh.[81] + +THE WAR OF THE KINGS + +On his return from Egypt Abraham's relations to his own family were +disturbed by annoying circumstances. Strife developed between the +herdmen of his cattle and the herdmen of Lot's cattle. Abraham +furnished his herds with muzzles, but Lot made no such provision, and +when the shepherds that pastured Abraham's flocks took Lot's shepherds +to task on account of the omission, the latter replied: "It is known of +a surety that God said unto Abraham, 'To thy seed will I give the +land.' But Abraham is a sterile mule. Never will he have children. On +the morrow he will die, and Lot will be his heir. Thus the flocks of +Lot are but consuming what belongs to them or their master." But God +spoke: "Verily, I said unto Abraham I would give the land unto his +seed, but only after the seven nations shall have been destroyed from +out of the land. To-day the Canaanites are therein, and the Perizzites. +They still have the right of habitation." + +Now, when the strife extended from the servants to the masters, and +Abraham vainly called his nephew Lot to account for his unbecoming +behavior, Abraham decided he would have to part from his kinsman, +though he should have to compel Lot thereto by force. Lot thereupon +separated himself not from Abraham alone, but from the God of Abraham +also, and he betook himself to a district in which immorality and sin +reigned supreme, wherefore punishment overtook him, for his own flesh +seduced him later unto sin. + +God was displeased with Abraham for not living in peace and harmony +with his own kindred, as he lived with all the world beside. On the +other hand, God also took it in ill part that Abraham was accepting Lot +tacitly as his heir, though He had promised him, in clear, unmistakable +words, "To thy seed will I give the land." After Abraham had separated +himself from Lot, he received the assurance again that Canaan should +once belong to his seed, which God would multiply as the sand which is +upon the sea-shore. As the sand fills the whole earth, so the offspring +of Abraham would be scattered over the whole earth, from end to end; +and as the earth is blessed only when it is moistened with water, so +his offspring would be blessed through the Torah, which is likened unto +water; and as the earth endures longer than metal, so his offspring +would endure forever, while the heathen would vanish; and as the earth +is trodden upon, so his offspring would be trodden upon by the four +kingdoms.[82] + +The departure of Lot had a serious consequence, for the war waged by +Abraham against the four kings is intimately connected with it. Lot +desired to settle in the well-watered circle of the Jordan, but the +only city of the plain that would receive him was Sodom, the king of +which admitted the nephew of Abraham out of consideration for the +latter.[83] The five impious kings planned first to make war upon Sodom +on account of Lot and then advance upon Abraham.[84] For one of the +five, Amraphel, was none other than Nimrod, Abraham's enemy from of +old. The immediate occasion for the war was this: Chedorlaomer, one of +Nimrod's generals, rebelled against him after the builders of the tower +were dispersed, and he set himself up as king of Elam. Then he +subjugated the Hamitic tribes living in the five cities of the plain of +the Jordan, and made them tributary. For twelve years they were +faithful to their sovereign ruler Chedorlaomer, but then they refused +to pay the tribute, and they persisted in their insubordination for +thirteen years. Making the most of Chedorlaomer's embarrassment, Nimrod +led a host of seven thousand warriors against his former general. In +the battle fought between Elam and Shinar, Nimrod suffered a disastrous +defeat, he lost six hundred of his army, and among the slain was the +king's son Mardon. Humiliated and abased, he returned to his country, +and he was forced to acknowledge the suzerainty of Chedorlaomer, who +now proceeded to form an alliance with Arioch king of Ellasar, and +Tidal, the king of several nations, the purpose of which was to crush +the cities of the circle of the Jordan. The united forces of these +kings, numbering eight hundred thousand, marched upon the five cities, +subduing whatever they encountered in their course,[85] and +annihilating the descendants of the giants. Fortified places, unwalled +cities, and flat, open country, all fell in their hands.[86] They +pushed on through the desert as far as the spring issuing from the rock +at Kadesh, the spot appointed by God as the place of pronouncing +judgment against Moses and Aaron on account of the waters of strife. +Thence they turned toward the central portion of Palestine, the country +of dates, where they encountered the five godless kings, Bera, the +villain, king of Sodom; Birsha, the sinner, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, +the father-hater, king of Admah; Shemeber, the voluptuary, king of +Zeboiim; and the king of Bela, the city that devours its inhabitants. +The five were routed in the fruitful Vale of Siddim, the canals of +which later formed the Dead Sea. They that remained of the rank and +file fled to the mountains, but the kings fell into the slime pits and +stuck there. Only the king of Sodom was rescued, miraculously, for the +purpose that he might convert those heathen to faith in God that had +not believed in the wonderful deliverance of Abraham from the fiery +furnace.[87] + +The victors despoiled Sodom of all its goods and victuals, and took +Lot, boasting, "We have taken the son of Abraham's brother captive," so +betraying the real object of their undertaking; their innermost desire +was to strike at Abraham.[88] + +It was on the first evening of the Passover, and Abraham was eating of +the unleavened bread,[89] when the archangel Michael brought him the +report of Lot's captivity. This angel bears another name besides, +Palit, the escaped, because when God threw Samael and his host from +their holy place in heaven, the rebellious leader held on to Michael +and tried to drag him along downward, and Michael escaped falling from +heaven only through the help of God.[90] + +When the report of his nephew's evil state reached Abraham, he +straightway dismissed all thought of his dissensions with Lot from his +mind, and only considered ways and means of deliverance.[91] He +convoked his disciples to whom he had taught the true faith, and who +all called themselves by the name Abraham.[92] He gave them gold and +silver, saying at the same time: "Know that we go to war for the +purpose of saving human lives. Therefore, do ye not direct your eyes +upon money, here lie gold and silver before you." Furthermore he +admonished them in these words: "We are preparing to go to war. Let +none join us who hath committed a trespass, and fears that Divine +punishment will descend upon him." Alarmed by his warning, not one +would obey his call to arms, they were fearful on account of their +sins. Eliezer alone remained with him, wherefore God spake, and said: +"All forsook thee save only Eliezer. Verily, I shall invest him with +the strength of the three hundred and eighteen men whose aid thou didst +seek in vain."[93] + +The battle fought with the mighty hosts of the kings, from which +Abraham emerged victorious, happened on the fifteenth of Nisan, the +night appointed for miraculous deeds.[94] The arrows and stones hurled +at him effected naught,[95] but the dust of the ground, the chaff, and +the stubble which he threw at the enemy were transformed into +death-dealing javelins and swords.[96] Abraham, as tall as seventy men +set on end, and requiring as much food and drink as seventy men, +marched forward with giant strides, each of his steps measuring four +miles, until he overtook the kings, and annihilated their troops. +Further he could not go, for he had reached Dan, where Jeroboam would +once raise the golden calves, and on this ominous spot Abraham's +strength diminished.[97] + +His victory was possible only because the celestial powers espoused his +side. The planet Jupiter made the night bright for him, and an angel, +Lailah by name, fought for him.[98] In a true sense, it was a victory +of God. All the nations acknowledged his more than human achievement, +and they fashioned a throne for Abraham, and erected it on the field of +battle. When they attempted to seat him upon it, amid exclamations of +"Thou art our king! Thou art our prince! Thou art our god!" Abraham +warded them off, and said, "The universe has its King, and it has its +God!" He declined all honors, and returned his property unto each man. +Only the little children he kept by himself. He reared them in the +knowledge of God, and later they atoned for the disgrace of their +parents. + +Somewhat arrogantly the king of Sodom set out to meet Abraham. He was +proud that a great miracle, his rescue from the slime pit, had been +performed for him, too. He made Abraham the proposition that he keep +the despoiled goods for himself.[99] But Abraham refused them, and +said: "I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, God Most High, who hath +created the world for the sake of the pious, that I will not take a +thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine. I have no right upon +any goods taken as spoils,[100] save only that which the young men have +eaten, and the portion of the men who tarried by the stuff, though they +went not down to the battle itself." The example of Abraham in giving a +share in the spoils even unto the men not concerned directly in the +battle, was followed later by David, who heeded not the protest of the +wicked men and the base fellows with him, that the watchers who staid +by the stuff were not entitled to share alike with the warriors that +had gone down to the battle.[101] + +In spite of his great success, Abraham nevertheless was concerned about +the issue of the war. He feared that the prohibition against shedding +the blood of man had been transgressed, and he also dreaded the +resentment of Shem, whose descendants had perished in the encounter. +But God reassured him, and said: "Be not afraid! Thou hast but +extirpated the thorns, and as to Shem, he will bless thee rather than +curse thee." So it was. When Abraham returned from the war, Shem, or, +as he is sometimes called, Melchizedek, the king of righteousness, +priest of God Most High, and king of Jerusalem, came forth to meet him +with bread and wine.[102] And this high priest instructed Abraham in +the laws of the priesthood and in the Torah, and to prove his +friendship for him he blessed him, and called him the partner of God in +the possession of the world, seeing that through him the Name of God +had first been made known among men.[103] But Melchizedek arranged the +words of his blessing in an unseemly way. He named Abraham first and +then God. As a punishment, he was deposed by God from the priestly +dignity, and instead it was passed over to Abraham, with whose +descendants it remained forever.[104] + +As a reward for the sanctification of the Holy Name, which Abraham had +brought about when he refused to keep aught of the goods taken in +battle,[105] his descendants received two commands, the command of the +threads in the borders of their garments, and the command of the +latchets to be bound upon their hands and to be used as frontlets +between their eyes. Thus they commemorate that their ancestor refused +to take so much as a thread or a latchet. And because he would not +touch a shoe-latchet of the spoils, his descendants cast their shoe +upon Edom.[106] + +THE COVENANT OF THE PIECES + +Shortly after the war, God revealed Himself unto Abraham, to soothe his +conscience as to the spilling of innocent blood, for it was a scruple +that gave him much anguish of spirit. God assured him at the same time +that He would cause pious men to arise among his descendants, who, like +himself, would be a shield unto their generation.[107] As a further +distinction, God gave him leave to ask what he would have, rare grace +accorded to none beside, except Jacob, Solomon, Ahaz, and the Messiah. +Abraham spoke, and said: "O Lord of the world, if in time to come my +descendants should provoke Thy wrath, it were better I remained +childless. Lot, for the sake of whom I journeyed as far as Damascus, +where God was my protection, would be well pleased to be my heir. +Moreover, I have read in the stars, 'Abraham, thou wilt beget no +children.'" Thereupon God raised Abraham above the vault of the skies, +and He said, "Thou art a prophet, not an astrologer!"[108] Now Abraham +demanded no sign that he would be blessed with offspring. Without +losing another word, he believed in the Lord, and he was rewarded for +his simple faith by a share in this world and a share in the world to +come as well, and, besides, the redemption of Israel from the exile +will take place as a recompense for his firm trust.[109] + +But though he believed the promise made him with a full and abiding +faith, he yet desired to know by what merit of theirs his descendants +would maintain themselves. Therefore God bade him bring Him a sacrifice +of three heifers, three she-goats, three rams, a turtle dove, and a +young pigeon, thus indicating to Abraham the various sacrifices that +should once be brought in the Temple, to atone for the sins of Israel +and further his welfare.[110] "But what will become of my descendants," +asked Abraham, "after the Temple is destroyed?" God replied, and said, +"If they read the order of sacrifices as they will be set down in the +Scriptures, I will account it unto them as though they had offered the +sacrifices, and I will forgive all their sins."[111] And God continued +and revealed to Abraham the course of Israel's history and the history +of the whole world: The heifer of three years indicates the dominion of +Babylon, the she-goat of three years stands for the empire of the +Greeks, the ram of three years for the Medo-Persian power, the rule of +Ishmael is represented by the ram, and Israel is the innocent dove. + +Abraham took him these animals and divided them in the midst. Had he +not done so, Israel would not have been able to resist the power of the +four kingdoms. But the birds he divided not, to indicate that Israel +will remain whole. And the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, +and Abraham drove them away. Thus was announced the advent of the +Messiah, who will cut the heathen in pieces, but Abraham bade Messiah +wait until the time appointed unto him.[112] And as the Messianic time +was made known unto Abraham, so also the time of the resurrection of +the dead. When he laid the halves of the pieces over against each +other, the animals became alive again, as the bird flew over them.[112] + +While he was preparing these sacrifices, a vision of great import was +granted to Abraham. The sun sank, and a deep sleep fell upon him, and +he beheld a smoking furnace, Gehenna, the furnace that God prepares for +the sinner; and he beheld a flaming torch, the revelation on Sinai, +where all the people saw flaming torches; and he beheld the sacrifices +to be brought by Israel; and an horror of great darkness fell upon him, +the dominion of the four kingdoms. And God spake to him: "Abraham, as +long as thy children fulfil the two duties of studying the Torah and +performing the service in the Temple, the two visitations, Gehenna and +alien rule, will be spared them. But if they neglect the two duties, +they will have to suffer the two chastisements; only thou mayest choose +whether they shall be punished by means of Gehenna or by means of the +dominion of the stranger." All the day long Abraham wavered, until God +called unto him: "How long wilt thou halt between two opinions? Decide +for one of the two, and let it be for the dominion of the stranger!" +Then God made known to him the four hundred years' bondage of Israel in +Egypt, reckoning from the birth of Isaac, for unto Abraham himself was +the promise given that he should go to his fathers in peace, and feel +naught of the arrogance of the stranger oppressor. At the same time, it +was made known to Abraham that his father Terah would have a share in +the world to come, for he had done penance for his sinful deeds. +Furthermore it was revealed to him that his son Ishmael would turn into +the path of righteousness while yet his father was alive, and his +grandson Esau would not begin his impious way of life until he himself +had passed away. And as he received the promise of their deliverance +together with the announcement of the slavery of his seed, in a land +not theirs, so it was made known to him that God would judge the four +kingdoms and destroy them.[114] + +THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL + +The covenant of the pieces, whereby the fortunes of his descendants +were revealed to Abraham, was made at a time when he was still +childless.[115] As long as Abraham and Sarah dwelt outside of the Holy +Land, they looked upon their childlessness as a punishment for not +abiding within it. But when a ten years' sojourn in Palestine found her +barren as before, Sarah perceived that the fault lay with her.[116] +Without a trace of jealousy she was ready to give her slave Hagar to +Abraham as wife,[117] first making her a freed woman.[118] For Hagar +was Sarah's property, not her husband's. She had received her from +Pharaoh, the father of Hagar. Taught and bred by Sarah, she walked in +the same path of righteousness as her mistress,[119] and thus was a +suitable companion for Abraham, and, instructed by the holy spirit, he +acceded to Sarah's proposal. + +No sooner had Hagar's union with Abraham been consummated, and she felt +that she was with child, than she began to treat her former mistress +contemptuously, though Sarah was particularly tender toward her in the +state in which she was. When noble matrons came to see Sarah, she was +in the habit of urging them to pay a visit to "poor Hagar," too. The +dames would comply with her suggestion, but Hagar would use the +opportunity to disparage Sarah. "My lady Sarah," she would say, "is not +inwardly what she appears to be outwardly. She makes the impression of +a righteous, pious woman, but she is not, for if she were, how could +her childlessness be explained after so many years of marriage, while I +became pregnant at once?" + +Sarah scorned to bicker with her slave, yet the rage she felt found +vent in these words to Abraham:[120] "It is thou who art doing me +wrong. Thou hearest the words of Hagar, and thou sayest naught to +oppose them, and I hoped that thou wouldst take my part. For thy sake +did I leave my native land and the house of my father, and I followed +thee into a strange land with trust in God. In Egypt I pretended to be +thy sister, that no harm might befall thee. When I saw that I should +bear no children, I took the Egyptian woman, my slave Hagar, and gave +her unto thee for wife, contenting myself with the thought that I would +rear the children she would bear. Now she treats me disdainfully in thy +presence. O that God might look upon the injustice which hath been done +unto me, to judge between thee and me, and have mercy upon us, restore +peace to our home, and grant us offspring, that we have no need of +children from Hagar, the Egyptian bondwoman of the generation of the +heathen that cast thee in the fiery furnace!"[121] + +Abraham, modest and unassuming as he was, was ready to do justice to +Sarah, and he conferred full power upon her to dispose of Hagar +according to her pleasure. He added but one caution, "Having once made +her a mistress, we cannot again reduce her to the state of a +bondwoman." Unmindful of this warning, Sarah exacted the services of a +slave from Hagar. Not alone this, she tormented her, and finally she +cast an evil eye upon her, so that the unborn child dropped from her, +and she ran away. On her flight she was met by several angels, and they +bade her return, at the same time making known to her that she would +bear a son who should be called Ishmael—one of the six men who have +been given a name by God before their birth, the others being Isaac, +Moses, Solomon, Josiah, and the Messiah.[122] + +Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael the command was issued to +Abraham that he put the sign of the covenant upon his body and upon the +bodies of the male members of his household. Abraham was reluctant at +first to do the bidding of God, for he feared that the circumcision of +his flesh would raise a barrier between himself and the rest of +mankind. But God said unto him, "Let it suffice thee that I am thy God +and thy Lord, as it sufficeth the world that I am its God and its +Lord."[123] + +Abraham then consulted with his three true friends, Aner, Eshcol, and +Mamre, regarding the command of the circumcision. The first one spoke, +and said, "Thou art nigh unto a hundred years old, and thou considerest +inflicting such pain upon thyself?" The advice of the second was also +against it. "What," said Eshcol, "thou choosest to mark thyself so that +thy enemies may recognize thee without fail?" Mamre, the third, was the +only one to advise obedience to the command of God. "God succored thee +from the fiery furnace," he said, "He helped thee in the combat with +the kings, He provided for thee during the famine, and thou dost +hesitate to execute His behest concerning the circumcision?"[124] +Accordingly, Abraham did as God had commanded, in bright daylight, +bidding defiance to all, that none might say, "Had we seen him attempt +it, we should have prevented him."[125] + +The circumcision was performed on the tenth day of Tishri, the Day of +Atonement, and upon the spot on which the altar was later to be erected +in the Temple, for the act of Abraham remains a never-ceasing atonement +for Israel.[126] + +THE VISIT OF THE ANGELS + +On the third day after his circumcision, when Abraham was suffering +dire pain,[127] God spoke to the angels, saying, "Go to, let us pay a +visit to the sick." The angels refused, and said: "What is man, that +Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? +And Thou desirest to betake Thyself to a place of uncleanness, a place +of blood and filth?" But God replied unto them, "Thus do ye speak. As +ye live, the savor of this blood is sweeter to me than myrrh and +incense, and if you do not desire to visit Abraham, I will go +alone."[128] + +The day whereon God visited him was exceedingly hot, for He had bored a +hole in hell, so that its heat might reach as far as the earth, and no +wayfarer venture abroad on the highways, and Abraham be left +undisturbed in his pain.[129] But the absence of strangers caused +Abraham great vexation, and he sent his servant Eliezer forth to keep a +lookout for travellers. When the servant returned from his fruitless +search, Abraham himself, in spite of his illness and the scorching +heat, prepared to go forth on the highway and see whether he would not +succeed where failure had attended Eliezer, whom he did not wholly +trust at any rate, bearing in mind the well-known saying, "No truth +among slaves."[130] At this moment God appeared to him, surrounded by +the angels. Quickly Abraham attempted to rise from his seat, but God +checked every demonstration of respect, and when Abraham protested that +it was unbecoming to sit in the presence of the Lord, God said, "As +thou livest, thy descendants at the age of four and five will sit in +days to come in the schools and in the synagogues while I reside +therein."[131] + +Meantime Abraham beheld three men. They were the angels Michael, +Gabriel, and Raphael. They had assumed the form of human beings to +fulfil his wish for guests toward whom to exercise hospitality. Each of +them had been charged by God with a special mission, besides, to be +executed on earth. Raphael was to heal the wound of Abraham, Michael +was to bring Sarah the glad tidings that she would bear a son, and +Gabriel was to deal destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah. Arrived at the +tent of Abraham, the three angels noticed that he was occupied in +nursing himself, and they withdrew.[132] Abraham, however, hastened +after them through another door of the tent, which had wide open +entrances on all sides.[133] He considered the duty of hospitality more +important than the duty of receiving the Shekinah. Turning to God, he +said, "O Lord, may it please Thee not to leave Thy servant while he +provides for the entertainment of his guests."[134] Then he addressed +himself to the stranger walking in the middle between the other two, +whom by this token he considered the most distinguished,—it was the +archangel Michael—and he bade him and his companions turn aside into +his tent. The manner of his guests, who treated one another politely, +made a good impression upon Abraham. He was assured that they were men +of worth whom he was entertaining.[135] But as they appeared outwardly +like Arabs, and the people worshipped the dust of their feet, he bade +them first wash their feet, that they might not defile his tent.[136] + +He did not depend upon his own judgment in reading the character of his +guests. By his tent a tree was planted, which spread its branches out +over all who believed in God, and afforded them shade. But if idolaters +went under the tree, the branches turned upward, and cast no shade upon +the ground. Whenever Abraham saw this sign, he would at once set about +the task of converting the worshippers of the false gods. And as the +tree made a distinction between the pious and the impious, so also +between the clean and the unclean. Its shade was denied them as long as +they refrained from taking the prescribed ritual bath in the spring +that flowed out from its roots, the waters of which rose at once for +those whose uncleanness was of a venial character and could be removed +forthwith, while others had to wait seven days for the water to come +up. Accordingly, Abraham bade the three men lean against the trunk of +the tree. Thus he would soon learn their worth or their +unworthiness.[137] + +Being of the truly pious, "who promise little, but perform much,"[133] +Abraham said only: "I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your +heart, seeing that ye chanced to pass my tent at dinner time. Then, +after ye have given thanks to God, ye may pass on."[139] But when the +meal was served to the guests, it was a royal banquet, exceeding +Solomon's at the time of his most splendid magnificence. Abraham +himself ran unto the herd, to fetch cattle for meat. He slaughtered +three calves, that he might be able to set a "tongue with mustard" +before each of his guests.[140] In order to accustom Ishmael to +God-pleasing deeds, he had him dress the calves,[141] and he bade Sarah +bake the bread. But as he knew that women are apt to treat guests +niggardly, he was explicit in his request to her. He said, "Make ready +quickly three measures of meal, yea, fine meal." As it happened, the +bread was not brought to the table, because it had accidentally become +unclean, and our father Abraham was accustomed to eat his daily bread +only in a clean state.[142] Abraham himself served his guests, and it +appeared to him that the three men ate. But this was an illusion. In +reality the angels did not eat,[143] only Abraham, his three friends, +Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, and his son Ishmael partook of the banquet, +and the portions set before the angels were devoured by a heavenly +fire.[144] + +Although the angels remained angels even in their human disguise, +nevertheless the personality of Abraham was so exalted that in his +presence the archangels felt insignificant.[145] + +After the meal the angels asked after Sarah, though they knew that she +was in retirement in her tent, but it was proper for them to pay their +respects to the lady of the house and send her the cup of wine over +which the blessing had been said.[146] Michael, the greatest of the +angels, thereupon announced the birth of Isaac. He drew a line upon the +wall, saying, "When the sun crosses this point, Sarah will be with +child, and when he crosses the next point, she will give birth to a +child." This communication, which was intended for Sarah and not for +Abraham, to whom the promise had been revealed long before,[147] the +angels made at the entrance to her tent, but Ishmael stood between the +angel and Sarah, for it would not have been seemly to deliver the +message in secret, with none other by. Yet, so radiant was the beauty +of Sarah that a beam of it struck the angel, and made him look up. In +the act of turning toward her, he heard her laugh within herself:[148] +"Is it possible that these bowels can yet bring forth a child, these +shrivelled breasts give suck? And though I should be able to bear, yet +is not my lord Abraham old?"[149] + +And the Lord said unto Abraham: "Am I too old to do wonders? And +wherefore doth Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, +which am old?"[150] The reproach made by God was directed against +Abraham as well as against Sarah, for he, too, had showed himself of +little faith when he was told that a son would be born unto him. But +God mentioned only Sarah's incredulity, leaving Abraham to become +conscious of his defect himself.[151] + +Regardful of the peace of their family life, God had not repeated +Sarah's words accurately to Abraham. Abraham might have taken amiss +what his wife had said about his advanced years, and so precious is the +peace between husband and wife that even the Holy One, blessed be He, +preserved it at the expense of truth.[152] + +After Abraham had entertained his guests, he went with them to bring +them on their way, for, important as the duty of hospitality is, the +duty of speeding the parting guest is even more important.[153] Their +way lay in the direction of Sodom, whither two of the angels were +going, the one to destroy it, and the second to save Lot, while the +third, his errand to Abraham fulfilled, returned to heaven.[154] + +THE CITIES OF SIN + +The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah and the three other cities of the +plain were sinful and godless. In their country there was an extensive +vale, where they foregathered annually with their wives and their +children and all belonging to them, to celebrate a feast lasting +several days and consisting of the most revolting orgies. If a stranger +merchant passed through their territory, he was besieged by them all, +big and little alike, and robbed of whatever he possessed. Each one +appropriated a bagatelle, until the traveller was stripped bare. If the +victim ventured to remonstrate with one or another, he would show him +that he had taken a mere trifle, not worth talking about. And the end +was that they hounded him from the city. + +Once upon a time it happened that a man journeying from Elam arrived in +Sodom toward evening. No one could be found to grant him shelter for +the night. Finally a sly fox named Hedor invited him cordially to +follow him to his house. The Sodomite had been attracted by a rarely +magnificent carpet, strapped to the stranger's ass by means of a rope. +He meant to secure it for himself. The friendly persuasions of Hedor +induced the stranger to remain with him two days, though he had +expected to stay only overnight. When the time came for him to continue +on his journey, he asked his host for the carpet and the rope. Hedor +said: "Thou hast dreamed a dream, and this is the interpretation of thy +dream: the rope signifies that thou wilt have a long life, as long as a +rope; the varicolored carpet indicates that thou wilt own an orchard +wherein thou wilt plant all sorts of fruit trees." The stranger +insisted that his carpet was a reality, not a dream fancy, and he +continued to demand its return. Not only did Hedor deny having taken +anything from his guest, he even insisted upon pay for having +interpreted his dream to him. His usual price for such services, he +said, was four silver pieces, but in view of the fact that he was his +guest, he would, as a favor to him, content himself with three pieces +of silver. + +After much wrangling, they put their case before one of the judges of +Sodom, Sherek by name, and he said to the plaintiff, "Hedor is known in +this city as a trustworthy interpreter of dreams, and what he tells +thee is true." The stranger declared himself not satisfied with the +verdict, and continued to urge his side of the case. Then Sherek drove +both the plaintiff and the defendant from the court room. Seeing this, +the inhabitants gathered together and chased the stranger from the +city, and lamenting the loss of his carpet, he had to pursue his way. + +As Sodom had a judge worthy of itself, so also had the other +cities—Sharkar in Gomorrah, Zabnak in Admah, and Manon in Zeboiim. +Eliezer, the bondman of Abraham, made slight changes in the names of +these judges, in accordance with the nature of what they did: the first +he called Shakkara, Liar; the second Shakrura, Arch-deceiver; the third +Kazban, Falsifier; and the fourth, Mazle-Din, Perverter of Judgment. At +the suggestion of these judges, the cities set up beds on their +commons. When a stranger arrived, three men seized him by his head, and +three by his feet, and they forced him upon one of the beds. If he was +too short to fit into it exactly, his six attendants pulled and +wrenched his limbs until he filled it out; if he was too long for; it, +they tried to jam him in with all their combined strength, until the +victim was on the verge of death. Hit outcrles were met with the words, +"Thus will be done to any man that comes into our land." + +After a while travellers avoided these cities, but if some poor devil +was betrayed occasionally into entering them, they would give him gold +and silver, but never any bread, so that he was bound to die of +starvation. Once he was dead, the residents of the city came and took +back the marked gold and silver which they had given him, and they +would quarrel about the distribution of his clothes, for they would +bury him naked. + +Once Eliezer, the bondman of Abraham, went to Sodom, at the bidding of +Sarah, to inquire after the welfare of Lot. He happened to enter the +city at the moment when the people were robbing a stranger of his +garments. Eliezer espoused the cause of the poor wretch, and the +Sodomites turned against him; one threw a stone at his forehead and +caused considerable loss of blood. Instantly, the assailant, seeing the +blood gush forth, demanded payment for having performed the operation +of cupping. Eliezer refused to pay for the infliction of a wound upon +him, and he was haled before the judge Shakkara. The decision went +against him, for the law of the land gave the assailant the right to +demand payment. Eliezer quickly picked up a stone and threw it at the +judge's forehead. When he saw that the blood was flowing profusely, he +said to the judge, "Pay my debt to the man and give me the balance." + +The cause of their cruelty was their exceeding great wealth. Their soil +was gold, and in their miserliness and their greed for more and more +gold, they wanted to prevent strangers from enjoying aught of their +riches. Accordingly, they flooded the highways with streams of water, +so that the roads to their city were obliterated, and none could find +the way thither. They were as heartless toward beasts as toward men. +They begrudged the birds what they ate, and therefore extirpated +them.[155] They behaved impiously toward one another, too, not +shrinking back from murder to gain possession of more gold. If they +observed that a man owned great riches, two of them would conspire +against him. They would beguile him to the vicinity of ruins, and while +the one kept him on the spot by pleasant converse, the other would +undermine the wall near which he stood, until it suddenly crashed down +upon him and killed him. Then the two plotters would divide his wealth +between them. + +Another method of enriching themselves with the property of others was +in vogue among them. They were adroit thieves. When they made up their +minds to commit theft, they would first ask their victim to take care +of a sum of money for them, which they smeared with strongly scented +oil before handing it over to him. The following night they would break +into his house, and rob him of his secret treasures, led to the place +of concealment by the smell of the oil. + +Their laws were calculated to do injury to the poor. The richer a man, +the more was he favored before the law. The owner of two oxen was +obliged to render one day's shepherd service, but if he had but one ox, +he had to give two days' service. A poor orphan, who was thus forced to +tend the flocks a longer time than those who were blessed with large +herds, killed all the cattle entrusted to him in order to take revenge +upon his oppressors, and he insisted, when the skins were assigned, +that the owner of two head of cattle should have but one skin, but the +owner of one head should receive two skins, in correspondence to the +method pursued in assigning the work. For the use of the ferry, a +traveller had to pay four zuz, but if he waded through the water, he +had to pay eight zuz.[156] + +The cruelty of the Sodomites went still further. Lot had a daughter, +Paltit, so named because she had been born to him shortly after he +escaped captivity through the help of Abraham. Paltit lived in Sodom, +where she had married. Once a beggar came to town, and the court issued +a proclamation that none should give him anything to eat, in order that +he might die of starvation. But Paltit had pity upon the unfortunate +wretch, and every day when she went to the well to draw water, she +supplied him with a piece of bread, which she hid in her water pitcher. +The inhabitants of the two sinful cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, could not +understand why the beggar did not perish, and they suspected that some +one was giving him food in secret. Three men concealed themselves near +the beggar, and caught Paltit in the act of giving him something to +eat. She had to pay for her humanity with death; she was burnt upon a +pyre. + +The people of Admah were no better than those of Sodom. Once a stranger +came to Admah, intending to stay overnight and continue his journey the +next morning. The daughter of a rich man met the stranger, and gave him +water to drink and bread to eat at his request. When the people of +Admah heard of this infraction of the law of the land, they seized the +girl and arraigned her before the judge, who condemned her to death. +The people smeared her with honey from top to toe, and exposed her +where bees would be attracted to her. The insects stung her to death, +and the callous people paid no heed to her heartrending cries. Then it +was that God resolved upon the destruction of these sinners.[157] + +ABRAHAM PLEADS FOR THE SINNERS + +When God saw that there was no righteous man among the inhabitants of +the sinful cities, and there would be none among their descendants, for +the sake of whose merits the rest might be treated with lenient +consideration, He resolved to annihilate them one and all.[158] But +before judgment was executed, the Lord made known unto Abraham what He +would do to Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other cities of the plain, for +they formed a part of Canaan, the land promised unto Abraham, and +therefore did God say, "I will not destroy them without the consent of +Abraham."[159] + +Like a compassionate father, Abraham importuned the grace of God in +behalf of the sinners. He spoke to God, and said: "Thou didst take an +oath that no more should all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood. +Is it meet that Thou shouldst evade Thy oath and destroy cities by +fire? Shall the Judge of all the earth not do right Himself? Verily, if +Thou desirest to maintain the world, Thou must give up the strict line +of justice. If Thou insistest upon the right alone, there can be no +world." Whereupon God said to Abraham: "Thou takest delight in +defending My creatures, and thou wouldst not call them guilty. +Therefore I spoke with none but thee during the ten generations since +Noah."[160] Abraham ventured to use still stronger words in order to +secure the safety of the godless. "That be far from Thee," he said, "to +slay the righteous with the wicked, that the dwellers on the earth say +not, 'It is His trade to destroy the generations of men in a cruel +manner; for He destroyed the generation of Enosh, then the generation +of the flood, and then He sent the confusion of tongues. He sticks ever +to His trade.'" + +God made reply: "I will let all the generations I have destroyed pass +before thee, that thou mayest see they have not suffered the extreme +punishment they deserved. But if thou thinkest that I did not act +justly, then instruct thou Me in what I must do, and I will endeavor to +act in accordance with thy words." And Abraham had to admit that God +had not diminished in aught the justice due to every creature in this +world or the other world.[161] Nevertheless he continued to speak, and +he said: "Wilt Thou consume the cities, if there be ten righteous men +in each?" And God said, "No, if I find fifty righteous therein, I will +not destroy the cities."[162] + +Abraham: "I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, I who would have +been turned long since into dust of the ground by Amraphel and into +ashes by Nimrod, had it not been for Thy grace.[163] Peradventure there +shall lack five of the fifty righteous for Zoar, the smallest of the +five cities. Wilt Thou destroy all the city for lack of five?" + +God: "I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five." + +Abraham: "Peradventure there be ten pious in each of the four cities, +then forgive Zoar in Thy grace, for its sins are not so great in number +as the sins of the others." + +God granted his petition, yet Abraham continued to plead, and he asked +whether God would not be satisfied if there were but thirty righteous, +ten in each of the three larger cities, and would pardon the two +smaller ones, even though there were no righteous therein, whose merits +would intercede for them. This, too, the Lord granted, and furthermore +He promised not to destroy the cities if but twenty righteous were +found therein; yes, God conceded that He would preserve the five cities +for the sake of ten righteous therein.[164] More than this Abraham did +not ask, for he knew that eight righteous ones, Noah and his wife, and +his three sons and their wives, had not sufficed to avert the doom of +the generation of the flood, and furthermore he hoped that Lot, his +wife, and their four daughters, together with the husbands of their +daughters, would make up the number ten. What he did not know was that +even the righteous in these sin-laden cities, though better than the +rest, were far from good.[165] + +Abraham did not cease to pray for the deliverance of the sinners even +after the Shekinah had removed from him. But his supplications and his +intercessions were in vain.[166] For fifty-two years God had warned the +godless; He had made mountains to quake and tremble. But they hearkened +not unto the voice of admonition. They persisted in their sins, and +their well-merited punishment overtook them.[167] God forgives all +sins, only not an immoral life. And as all these sinners led a life of +debauchery, they were burnt with fire.[168] + +THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SINFUL CITIES + +The angels left Abraham at noon time, and they reached Sodom at the +approach of evening. As a rule, angels proclaim their errand with the +swiftness of lightning, but these were angels of mercy, and they +hesitated to execute their work of destruction, ever hoping that the +evil would be turned aside from Sodom.[169] With nightfall, the fate of +Sodom was sealed irrevocably, and the angels arrived there.[170] + +Bred in the house of Abraham, Lot had learnt from him the beautiful +custom of extending hospitality, and when he saw the angels before him +in human form, thinking they were wayfarers, he bade them turn aside +and tarry all night in his house. But as the entertainment of strangers +was forbidden in Sodom on penalty of death, he dared invite them only +under cover of the darkness of night,[171] and even then he had to use +every manner of precaution, bidding the angels to follow him by devious +ways. + +The angels, who had accepted Abraham's hospitality without delay, first +refused to comply with Lot's request, for it is a rule of good breeding +to show reluctance when an ordinary man invites one, but to accept the +invitation of a great man at once. Lot, however, was insistent, and +carried them into his house by main force.[172] At home he had to +overcome the opposition of his wife, for she said, "If the inhabitants +of Sodom hear of this, they will slay thee." + +Lot divided his dwelling in two parts, one for himself and his guests, +the other for his wife, so that, if aught happened, his wife would be +spared.[173] Nevertheless it was she who betrayed him. She went to a +neighbor and borrowed some salt, and to the question, whether she could +not have supplied herself with salt during daylight hours, she replied, +"We had enough salt, until some guests came to us; for them we needed +more." In this way the presence of strangers was bruited abroad in the +city.[174] + +In the beginning the angels were inclined to hearken to the petition of +Lot in behalf of the sinners, but when all the people of the city, big +and little, crowded around the house of Lot with the purpose of +committing a monstrous crime, the angels warded off his prayers, +saying, "Hitherto thou couldst intercede for them, but now no longer." +It was not the first time that the inhabitants of Sodom wanted to +perpetrate a crime of this sort. They had made a law some time before +that all strangers were to be treated in this horrible way. Lot, who +was appointed chief judge on the very day of the angels' coming, tried +to induce the people to desist from their purpose, saying to them, "My +brethren, the generation of the deluge was extirpated in consequence of +such sins as you desire to commit, and you would revert to them?" But +they replied: "Back! And though Abraham himself came hither, we should +have no consideration for him. Is it possible that thou wouldst set +aside a law which thy predecessors administered?"[175] + +Even Lot's moral sense was no better than it should have been. It is +the duty of a man to venture his life for the honor of his wife and his +daughters, but Lot was ready to sacrifice the honor of his daughters, +wherefor he was punished severely later on.[176] + +The angels told Lot who they were, and what the mission that had +brought them to Sodom, and they charged him to flee from the city with +his wife and his four daughters, two of them married, and two +betrothed.[177] Lot communicated their bidding to his sons-in-law, and +they mocked at him, and said: "O thou fool! Violins, cymbals, and +flutes resound in the city, and thou sayest Sodom will be destroyed!" +Such scoffing but hastened the execution of the doom of Sodom.[178] The +angel Michael laid hold upon the hand of Lot, and his wife and his +daughters, while with his little finger the angel Gabriel touched the +rock whereon the sinful cities were built, and overturned them. At the +same time the rain that was streaming down upon the two cities was +changed into brimstone.[179] + +When the angels had brought forth Lot and his family and set them +without the city, he bade them run for their lives, and not look +behind, lest they behold the Shekinah, which had descended to work the +destruction of the cities. The wife of Lot could not control herself. +Her mother love made her look behind to see if her married daughters +were following. She beheld the Shekinah, and she became a pillar of +salt. This pillar exists unto this day. The cattle lick it all day +long, and in the evening it seems to have disappeared, but when morning +comes it stands there as large as before.[180] + +The savior angel had urged Lot himself to take refuge with Abraham. But +he refused, and said: "As long as I dwelt apart from Abraham, God +compared my deeds with the deeds of my fellow-citizens, and among them +I appeared as a righteous man. If I should return to Abraham, God will +see that his good deeds outweigh mine by far."[181] The angel then +granted his plea that Zoar be left undestroyed. This city had been +founded a year later than the other four; it was only fifty-one years +old, and therefore the measure of its sins was not so full as the +measure of the sins of the neighboring cities.[182] + +The destruction of the cities of the plain took place at dawn of the +sixteenth day of Nisan, for the reason that there were moon and sun +worshippers among the inhabitants. God said: "If I destroy them by day, +the moon worshippers will say, Were the moon here, she would prove +herself our savior; and if I destroy them by night, the sun worshippers +will say, Were the sun here, he would prove himself our savior. I will +therefore let their chastisement overtake them on the sixteenth day of +Nisan at an hour at which the moon and the sun are both in the +skies."[183] + +The sinful inhabitants of the cities of the plain not only lost their +life in this world, but also their share in the future world. As for +the cities themselves, however, they will be restored in the Messianic +time.[184] + +The destruction of Sodom happened at the time at which Abraham was +performing his morning devotions, and for his sake it was established +as the proper hour for the morning prayer unto all times.[185] When he +turned his eyes toward Sodom and beheld the rising smoke, he prayed for +the deliverance of Lot, and God granted his petition—the fourth time +that Lot became deeply indebted to Abraham. Abraham had taken him with +him to Palestine, he had made him rich in flocks, herds, and tents, he +had rescued him from captivity, and by his prayer he saved him from the +destruction of Sodom. The descendants of Lot, the Ammonites and the +Moabites, instead of showing gratitude to the Israelites, the posterity +of Abraham, committed four acts of hostility against them. They sought +to compass the destruction of Israel by means of Balaam's curses, they +waged open war against him at the time of Jephthah, and also at the +time of Jehoshaphat, and finally they manifested their hatred against +Israel at the destruction of the Temple. Hence it is that God appointed +four prophets, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zephaniah, to proclaim +punishment unto the descendants of Lot, and four times their sin is +recorded in Holy Writ.[186] + +Though Lot owed his deliverance to the petition of Abraham, yet it was +at the same time his reward for not having betrayed Abraham in Egypt, +when he pretended to be the brother of Sarah.[187] But a greater reward +still awaits him. The Messiah will be a descendant of his, for the +Moabitess Ruth is the great-grandmother of David, and the Ammonitess +Naamah is the mother of Rehoboam, and the Messiah is of the line of +these two kings.[188] + +AMONG THE PHILISTINES + +The destruction of Sodom induced Abraham to journey to Gerar. +Accustomed to extend hospitality to travellers and wayfarers, he no +longer felt comfortable in a district in which all traffic had ceased +by reason of the ruined cities. There was another reason for Abraham's +leaving his place; the people spoke too much about the ugly incident +with Lot's daughters.[189] + +Arrived in the land of the Philistines, he again, as aforetime in +Egypt, came to an understanding with Sarah, that she was to call +herself his sister. When the report of her beauty reached the king, he +ordered her to be brought before him, and he asked her who her +companion was, and she told him that Abraham was her brother. Entranced +by her beauty, Abimelech the king took Sarah to wife, and heaped marks +of honor upon Abraham in accordance with the just claims of a brother +of the queen. Toward evening, before retiring, while he was still +seated upon his throne, Abimelech fell into a sleep, and he slept until +the morning, and in the dream he dreamed he saw an angel of the Lord +raising his sword to deal him a death blow. Sore frightened, he asked +the cause, and the angel replied, and said: "Thou wilt die on account +of the woman thou didst take into thy house this day, for she is the +wife of Abraham, the man whom thou didst cite before thee. Return his +wife unto him! But if thou restore her not, thou shalt surely die, thou +and all that are thine." + +In that night the voice of a great crying was heard in the whole land +of the Philistines, for they saw the figure of a man walking about, +with sword in hand, slaying all that came in his way. At the same time +it happened that in men and beasts alike all the apertures of the body +closed up, and the land was seized with indescribable excitement. In +the morning, when the king awoke, in agony and terror, he called all +his servants and told his dream in their ears. One of their number +said: "O lord and king! Restore this woman unto the man, for he is her +husband. It is but his way in a strange land to pretend that she is his +sister. Thus did he with the king of Egypt, too, and God sent heavy +afflictions upon Pharaoh when he took the woman unto himself. Consider, +also, O lord and king, what hath befallen this night in the land; great +pain, wailing, and confusion there was, and we know that it came upon +us only because of this woman."[190] + +There were some among his servants who spake: "Be not afraid of dreams! +What dreams make known to man is but falsehood." Then God appeared unto +Abimelech again and commanded him to let Sarah go free, otherwise he +would be a dead man.[191] Abimelech replied: "Is this Thy way? Then, I +ween, the generation of the flood and the generation of the confusion +of tongues were innocent, too! The man himself did say unto me, She is +my sister, and she, even she herself said, He is my brother, and all +the people of their household said the same words." And God said unto +him: "Yea, I know that thou hast not yet committed a trespass, for I +withheld thee from sinning. Thou didst not know that Sarah was a man's +wife.[192] But is it becoming to question a stranger, no sooner does he +set foot upon thy territory, about the woman accompanying him, whether +she be his wife or his sister? Abraham, who is a prophet, knew +beforehand the danger to himself if he revealed the whole truth.[193] +But, being a prophet, he also knows that thou didst not touch his wife, +and he shall pray for thee, and thou shalt live." + +The smoke was still rising from the ruins of Sodom, and Abimelech and +his people, seeing it, feared that a like fate might overtake +them.[194] The king called Abraham and reproached him for having caused +such great misfortune through his false statements concerning Sarah. +Abraham excused his conduct by his apprehension that, the fear of God +not being in the place, the inhabitants of the land slay him for his +wife.[195] Abraham went on and told the history of his whole life, and +he said: "When I dwelt in the house of my father, the nations of the +world sought to do me harm, but God proved Himself my Redeemer. When +the nations of the world tried to lead me astray to idolatry, God +revealed Himself to me, and He said, 'Get thee out of thy country, and +from thy kindred, and from thy father's house.' And when the nations of +the world were about to go astray, God sent two prophets, my kinsmen +Shem and Eber, to admonish them."[196] + +Abimelech gave rich gifts to Abraham, wherein he acted otherwise than +Pharaoh in similar circumstances. The Egyptian king gave gifts to +Sarah, but Abimelech was God fearing, and desired that Abraham pray for +him.[197] To Sarah he gave a costly robe that covered her whole person, +hiding her seductive charms from the view of beholders. At the same +time it was a reproach to Abraham, that he had not fitted Sarah out +with the splendor due to his wife.[198] + +Though Abimelech had done him great injury, Abraham not only granted +him the forgiveness he craved, but also he prayed for him to God. Thus +he is an exemplar unto all. "Man should be pliant as a reed, not hard +like the cedar." He should be easily appeased, and slow to anger, and +as soon as he who has sinned against him asks for pardon, he should +forgive him with all his heart. Even if deep and serious injury has +been done to him, he should not be vengeful, nor bear his brother a +grudge in his heart.[199] + +Abraham prayed thus for Abimelech: "O Lord of the world! Thou hast +created man that he may increase and propagate his kind. Grant that +Abimelech and his house may multiply and increase!"[200] God fulfilled +Abraham's petition in behalf of Abimelech and his people, and it was +the first time it happened in the history of mankind that God fulfilled +the prayer of one human being for the benefit of another.[201] +Abimelech and his subjects were healed of all their diseases, and so +efficacious was the prayer offered by Abraham that the wife of +Abimelech, barren hitherto, bore a child.[202] + +THE BIRTH OF ISAAC + +When the prayer of Abraham for Abimelech was heard, and the king of the +Philistines recovered, the angels raised a loud cry, and spoke to God +thus: "O Lord of the world! All these years hath Sarah been barren, as +the wife of Abimelech was. Now Abraham prayed to Thee, and the wife of +Abimelech hath been granted a child. It is just and fair that Sarah +should be remembered and granted a child." These words of the angels, +spoken on the New Year's Day, when the fortunes of men are determined +in heaven for the whole year, bore a result. Barely seven months later, +on the first day of the Passover, Isaac was born. + +The birth of Isaac was a happy event, and not in the house of Abraham +alone. The whole world rejoiced, for God remembered all barren women at +the same time with Sarah. They all bore children. And all the blind +were made to see, all the lame were made whole, the dumb were made to +speak, and the mad were restored to reason. And a still greater miracle +happened: on the day of Isaac's birth the sun shone with such splendor +as had not been seen since the fall of man, and as he will shine again +only in the future world.[203] + +To silence those who asked significantly, "Can one a hundred years old +beget a son?" God commanded the angel who has charge over the embryos, +to give them form and shape, that he fashion Isaac precisely according +to the model of Abraham, so that all seeing Isaac might exclaim, +"Abraham begot Isaac."[204] + +That Abraham and Sarah were blessed with offspring only after they had +attained so great an age, had an important reason. It was necessary +that Abraham should bear the sign of the covenant upon his body before +he begot the son who was appointed to be the father of Israel.[205] And +as Isaac was the first child born to Abraham after he was marked with +the sign, he did not fail to celebrate his circumcision with much pomp +and ceremony on the eighth day.[206] Shem, Eber, Abimelech king of the +Philistines, and his whole retinue, Phicol the captain of his host in +it—they all were present, and also Terah and his son Nahor, in a word, +all the great ones round about.[207] On this occasion Abraham could at +last put a stop to the talk of the people, who said, "Look at this old +couple! They picked up a foundling on the highway, and they pretend he +is their own son, and to make their statement seem credible, they +arrange a feast in his honor." Abraham had invited not only men to the +celebration, but also the wives of the magnates with their infants, and +God permitted a miracle to be done. Sarah had enough milk in her +breasts to suckle all the babes there,[208] and they who drew from her +breasts had much to thank her for. Those whose mothers had harbored +only pious thoughts in their minds when they let them drink the milk +that flowed from the breasts of the pious Sarah, they became proselytes +when they grew up; and those whose mothers let Sarah nurse them only in +order to test her, they grew up to be powerful rulers, losing their +dominion only at the revelation on Mount Sinai, because they would not +accept the Torah. All proselytes and pious heathen are the descendants +of these infants.[209] + +Among the guests of Abraham were the thirty-one kings and thirty-one +viceroys of Palestine who were vanquished by Joshua at the conquest of +the Holy Land. Even Og king of Bashan was present, and he had to suffer +the teasing of the other guests, who rallied him upon having called +Abraham a sterile mule, who would never have offspring. Og, on his +part, pointed at the little boy with contempt, and said, "Were I to lay +my finger upon him, he would be crushed." Whereupon God said to him: +"Thou makest mock of the gift given to Abraham! As thou livest, thou +shalt look upon millions and myriads of his descendants, and in the end +thou shalt fall into their hands."[210] + +ISHMAEL CAST OFF + +When Isaac grew up, quarrels broke out between him and Ishmael, on +account of the rights of the first-born. Ishmael insisted he should +receive a double portion of the inheritance after the death of Abraham, +and Isaac should receive only one portion. Ishmael, who had been +accustomed from his youth to use the bow and arrow, was in the habit of +aiming his missiles in the direction of Isaac, saying at the same time +that he was but jesting.[211] Sarah, however, insisted that Abraham +make over to Isaac all he owned, that no disputes might arise after his +death,[212] "for," she said, "Ishmael is not worthy of being heir with +my son, nor with a man like Isaac, and certainly not with my son +Isaac."[213] Furthermore, Sarah insisted that Abraham divorce himself +from Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, and send away the woman and her son, +so that there be naught in common between them and her own son, either +in this world or in the future world. + +Of all the trials Abraham had to undergo, none was so hard to bear as +this, for it grieved him sorely to separate himself from his son. God +appeared to him in the following night, and said to him: "Abraham, +knowest thou not that Sarah was appointed to be thy wife from her +mother's womb? She is thy companion and the wife of thy youth, and I +named not Hagar as thy wife, nor Sarah as thy bondwoman. What Sarah +spoke unto thee was naught but truth, and let it not be grievous in thy +sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman." The next +morning Abraham rose up early, gave Hagar her bill of divorcement, and +sent her away with her son, first binding a rope about her loins that +all might see she was a bondwoman.[214] + +The evil glance cast upon her stepson by Sarah made him sick and +feverish, so that Hagar had to carry him, grown-up as he was. In his +fever he drank often of the water in the bottle given her by Abraham as +she left his house, and the water was quickly spent. That she might not +look upon the death of her child, Hagar cast Ishmael under the willow +shrubs growing on the selfsame spot whereon the angels had once spoken +with her and made known to her that she would bear a son. In the +bitterness of her heart, she spoke to God, and said, "Yesterday Thou +didst say to me, I will greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be +numbered for multitude, and to-day my son dies of thirst." Ishmael +himself cried unto God, and his prayer and the merits of Abraham +brought them help in their need, though the angels appeared against +Ishmael before God. They said, "Wilt Thou cause a well of water to +spring up for him whose descendants will let Thy children of Israel +perish with thirst?" But God replied, and said, "What is Ishmael at +this moment—righteous or wicked?" and when the angels called him +righteous, God continued, "I treat man according to his deserts at each +moment."[215] + +At that moment Ishmael was pious indeed, for he was praying to God in +the following words: "O Lord of the world! If it be Thy will that I +shall perish, then let me die in some other way, not by thirst, for the +tortures of thirst are great beyond all others." Hagar, instead of +praying to God, addressed her supplications to the idols of her youth. +The prayer of Ishmael was acceptable before God, and He bade Miriam's +well spring up, the well created in the twilight of the sixth day of +creation.[216] Even after this miracle Hagar's faith was no stronger +than before. She filled the bottle with water, because she feared it +might again be spent, and no other would be nigh. Thereupon she +journeyed to Egypt with her son, for "Throw the stick into the air as +thou wilt, it will always land on its point." Hagar had come from +Egypt, and to Egypt she returned, to choose a wife for her son.[217] + +THE TWO WIVES OF ISHMAEL + +The wife of Ishmael bore four sons and a daughter, and afterward +Ishmael, his mother, and his wife and children went and returned to the +wilderness. They made themselves tents in the wilderness in which they +dwelt, and they continued to encamp and journey, month by month and +year by year. And God gave Ishmael flocks, and herds, and tents, on +account of Abraham his father, and the man increased in cattle. And +some time after, Abraham said to Sarah, his wife, "I will go and see my +son Ishmael; I yearn to look upon him, for I have not seen him for a +long time." And Abraham rode upon one of his camels to the wilderness, +to seek his son Ishmael, for he heard that he was dwelling in a tent in +the wilderness with all belonging to him. And Abraham went to the +wilderness, and he reached the tent of Ishmael about noon, and he asked +after him. He found the wife of Ishmael sitting in the tent with her +children, and her husband and his mother were not with them. And +Abraham asked the wife of Ishmael, saying, "Where has Ishmael gone?" +And she said, "He has gone to the field to hunt game." And Abraham was +still mounted upon the camel, for he would not alight upon the ground, +as he had sworn to his wife Sarah that he would not get off from the +camel. And Abraham said to Ishmael's wife, "My daughter, give me a +little water, that I may drink, for I am fatigued and tired from the +journey." And Ishmael's wife answered, and said to Abraham, "We have +neither water nor bread," and she was sitting in the tent, and did not +take any notice of Abraham. She did not even ask him who he was. But +all the while she was beating her children in the tent, and she was +cursing them, and she also cursed her husband Ishmael, and spoke evil +of him, and Abraham heard the words of Ishmael's wife to her children, +and it was an evil thing in his eyes. And Abraham called to the woman +to come out to him from the tent, and the woman came out, and stood +face to face with Abraham, while Abraham was still mounted upon the +camel. And Abraham said to Ishmael's wife, "When thy husband Ishmael +returns home, say these words to him: A very old man from the land of +the Philistines came hither to seek thee, and his appearance was thus +and so, and thus was his figure. I did not ask him who he was, and +seeing thou wast not here, he spoke unto me, and said, When Ishmael thy +husband returns, tell him, Thus did the man say, When thou comest home, +put away this tent-pin which thou hast placed here, and place another +tent-pin in its stead." And Abraham finished his instructions to the +woman, and he turned and went off on the camel homeward. And when +Ishmael returned to the tent, he heard the words of his wife, and he +knew that it was his father, and that his wife had not honored him. And +Ishmael understood his father's words that he had spoken to his wife, +and he hearkened to the voice of his father, and he divorced his wife, +and she went away. And Ishmael afterward went to the land of Canaan, +and he took another wife, and he brought her to his tent, to the place +where he dwelt. + +And at the end of three years, Abraham said, "I will go again and see +Ishmael my son, for I have not seen him for a long time." And he rode +upon his camel, and went to the wilderness, and he reached the tent of +Ishmael about noon. And he asked after Ishmael, and his wife came out +of the tent, and she said, "He is not here, my lord, for he has gone to +hunt in the fields and feed the camels," and the woman said to Abraham, +"Turn in, my lord, into the tent, and eat a morsel of bread, for thy +soul must be wearied on account of the journey." And Abraham said to +her, "I will not stop, for I am in haste to continue my journey, but +give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty," and the woman +hastened and ran into the tent, and she brought out water and bread to +Abraham, which she placed before him, urging him to eat and drink, and +he ate and drank, and his heart was merry, and he blessed his son +Ishmael. And he finished his meal, and he blessed the Lord, and he said +to Ishmael's wife: "When Ishmael comes home, say these words to him: A +very old man from the land of the Philistines came hither, and asked +after thee, and thou wast not here, and I brought him out bread and +water, and he ate and drank, and his heart was merry. And he spoke +these words to me, When Ishmael thy husband comes home, say unto him, +The tent-pin which thou hast is very good, do not put it away from the +tent." And Abraham finished commanding the woman, and he rode off to +his home, to the land of the Philistines, and when Ishmael came to his +tent, his wife went forth to meet him with joy and a cheerful heart, +and she told him the words of the old man. Ishmael knew that it was his +father, and that his wife had honored him, and he praised the Lord. And +Ishmael then took his wife and his children and his cattle and all +belonging to him, and he journeyed from there, and he went to his +father in the land of the Philistines. And Abraham related to Ishmael +all that had happened between him and the first wife that Ishmael had +taken, according to what she had done. And Ishmael and his children +dwelt with Abraham many days in that land, and Abraham dwelt in the +land of the Philistines a long time.[218] + +THE COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH + +After a sojourn of twenty-six years in the land of the Philistines, +Abraham departed thence, and he settled in the neighborhood of Hebron. +There he was visited by Abimelech with twenty of his grandees,[219] who +requested him to make an alliance with the Philistines. + +As long as Abraham was childless, the heathen did not believe in his +piety, but when Isaac was born, they said to him, "God is with thee." +But again they entertained doubt of his piety when he cast off Ishmael. +They said, "Were he a righteous man, he would not drive his first-born +forth from his house." But when they observed the impious deeds of +Ishmael, they said, "God is with thee in all thou doest." That Abraham +was the favorite of God, they saw in this, too, that although Sodom was +destroyed and all traffic had come to a standstill in that region, yet +Abraham's treasure chambers were filled. For these reasons, the +Philistines sought to form an alliance with him, to remain in force for +three generations to come, for it is to the third generation that the +love of a father extends. + +Before Abraham concluded the covenant with Abimelech, king of the +Philistines, he reproved him on account of a well, for "Correction +leads to love," and "There is no peace without correction." The herdmen +of Abraham and those of Abimelech had left their dispute about the well +to decision by ordeal: the well was to belong to the party for whose +sheep the waters would rise so that they could drink of them. But the +shepherds of Abimelech disregarded the agreement, and they wrested the +well for their own use.[220] As a witness and a perpetual sign that the +well belonged to him, Abraham set aside seven sheep, corresponding to +the seven Noachian laws binding upon all men alike.[221] But God said, +"Thou didst give him seven sheep. As thou livest, the Philistines shall +one day slay seven righteous men, Samson, Hophni, Phinehas, and Saul +with his three sons, and they will destroy seven holy places, and they +will keep the holy Ark in their country as booty of war for a period of +seven months, and furthermore only the seventh generation of thy +descendants will be able to rejoice in the possession of the land +promised to them."[222] After concluding the alliance with Abimelech, +who acknowledged Abraham's right upon the well, Abraham called the +place Beer-sheba, because there they swore both of them unto a covenant +of friendship. + +In Beer-sheba Abraham dwelt many years, and thence he endeavored to +spread the law of God. He planted a large grove there, and he made four +gates for it, facing the four sides of the earth, east, west, north, +and south, and he planted a vineyard therein. If a traveller came that +way, he entered by the gate that faced him, and he sat in the grove, +and ate, and drank, until he was satisfied, and then he departed. For +the house of Abraham was always open for all passers-by, and they came +daily to eat and drink there. If one was hungry, and he came to +Abraham, he would give him what he needed, so that he might eat and +drink and be satisfied; and if one was naked, and he came to Abraham, +he would clothe him with the garments of the poor man's choice, and +give him silver and gold, and make known to him the Lord, who had +created him and set him on earth.[223] After the wayfarers had eaten, +they were in the habit of thanking Abraham for his kind entertainment +of them, whereto he would reply: "What, ye give thanks unto me! Rather +return thanks to your host, He who alone provides food and drink for +all creatures." Then the people would ask, "Where is He?" and Abraham +would answer them, and say: "He is the Ruler of heaven and earth. He +woundeth and He healeth, He formeth the embryo in the womb of the +mother and bringeth it forth into the world, He causeth the plants and +the trees to grow, He killeth and He maketh alive, He bringeth down to +Sheol and bringeth up." When the people heard such words, they would +ask, "How shall we return thanks to God and manifest our gratitude unto +Him?" And Abraham would instruct them in these words: "Say, Blessed be +the Lord who is blessed! Blessed be He that giveth bread and food unto +all flesh!" In this manner did Abraham teach those who had enjoyed his +hospitality how to praise and thank God.[224] Abraham's house thus +became not only a lodging-place for the hungry and thirsty, but also a +place of instruction where the knowledge of God and His law were +taught.[225] + +SATAN ACCUSES ABRAHAM + +In spite of the lavish hospitality practiced in the house of Abraham, +it happened once that a poor man, or rather an alleged poor man, was +turned away empty-handed, and this was the immediate reason for the +last of Abraham's temptations, the sacrifice of his favorite son Isaac. +It was the day on which Abraham celebrated the birth of Isaac with a +great banquet, to which all the magnates of the time were bidden with +their wives. Satan, who always appears at a feast in which no poor +people participate, and keeps aloof from those to which poor guests are +invited, turned up at Abraham's banquet in the guise of a beggar asking +alms at the door. He had noticed that Abraham had invited no poor man, +and he knew that his house was the right place for him. + +Abraham was occupied with the entertainment of his distinguished +guests, and Sarah was endeavoring to convince their wives, the matrons, +that Isaac was her child in very truth, and not a spurious child. No +one concerned himself about the beggar at the door, who thereupon +accused Abraham before God.[226] + +Now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves +before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.[227] And the Lord said +unto Satan, "From whence comest thou?" and Satan answered the Lord, and +said, "From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down +in it." And the Lord said unto Satan, "What hast thou to say concerning +all the children of the earth?" and Satan answered the Lord, and said: +"I have seen all the children of the earth serving Thee and remembering +Thee, when they require aught from Thee. And when Thou givest them what +they require from Thee, then they forsake Thee, and they remember Thee +no more. Hast Thou seen Abraham, the son of Terah, who at first had no +children, and he served Thee and erected altars to Thee wherever he +came, and he brought offerings upon them, and he proclaimed Thy name +continually to all the children of the earth? And now his son Isaac is +born to him, he has forsaken Thee. He made a great feast for all the +inhabitants of the land, and the Lord he has forgotten. For amidst all +that he has done, he brought Thee no offering, neither burnt offering +nor peace offering, neither one lamb nor goat of all that he had killed +in the day that his son was weaned. Even from the time of his son's +birth till now, being thirty-seven years, he built no altar before +Thee, nor brought up any offering to Thee, for he saw that Thou didst +give what he requested before Thee, and he therefore forsook Thee." And +the Lord said to Satan: "Hast thou considered My servant Abraham? For +there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man +before Me for a burnt offering, and that feareth God and escheweth +evil. As I live, were I to say unto him, Bring up Isaac thy son before +Me, he would not withhold him from Me, much less if I told him to bring +up a burnt offering before Me from his flocks or herds." And Satan +answered the Lord, and said, "Speak now unto Abraham as Thou hast said, +and Thou wilt see whether he will not transgress and cast aside Thy +words this day."[228] + +God wished to try Isaac also. Ishmael once boasted to Isaac, saying, "I +was thirteen years old when the Lord spoke to my father to circumcise +us, and I did not transgress His word, which He commanded my father." +And Isaac answered Ishmael, saying, "What dost thou boast to me about +this, about a little bit of thy flesh which thou didst take from thy +body, concerning which the Lord commanded thee? As the Lord liveth, the +God of my father Abraham, if the Lord should say unto my father, Take +now thy son Isaac and bring him up as an offering before Me, I would +not refrain, but I would joyfully accede to it." + +THE JOURNEY TO MORIAH + +And the Lord thought to try Abraham and Isaac in this matter.[229] And +He said to Abraham, "Take now thy son." + +Abraham: "I have two sons, and I do not know which of them Thou +commandest me to take." + +God: "Thine only son." + +Abraham: "The one is the only son of his mother, and the other is the +only son of his mother." + +God: "Whom thou lovest." + +Abraham: "I love this one and I love that one." + +God: "Even Isaac."[230] + +Abraham: "And where shall I go?" + +God: "To the land I will show thee, and offer Isaac there for a burnt +offering." + +Abraham: "Am I fit to perform the sacrifice, am I a priest? Ought not +rather the high priest Shem to do it?" + +God: "When thou wilt arrive at that place, I will consecrate thee and +make thee a priest."[231] + +And Abraham said within himself, "How shall I separate my son Isaac +from Sarah his mother?" And he came into the tent, and he sate before +Sarah his wife, and he spake these words to her: "My son Isaac is grown +up, and he has not yet studied the service of God. Now, to-morrow I +will go and bring him to Shem and Eber his son, and there he will learn +the ways of the Lord, for they will teach him to know the Lord, and to +know how to pray unto the Lord that He may answer him, and to know the +way of serving the Lord his God." And Sarah said, "Thou hast spoken +well. Go, my lord, and do unto him as thou hast said, but remove him +not far from me, neither let him remain there too long, for my soul is +bound within his soul." And Abraham said unto Sarah, "My daughter, let +us pray to the Lord our God that He may do good with us." And Sarah +took her son Isaac, and he abode with her all that night, and she +kissed and embraced him, and she laid injunctions upon him till +morning, and she said to Abraham: "O my lord, I pray thee, take heed of +thy son, and place thine eyes over him, for I have no other son nor +daughter but him. O neglect him not. If he be hungry, give him bread, +and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink; do not let him go on +foot, neither let him sit in the sun, neither let him go by himself on +the road, neither turn him from whatever he may desire, but do unto him +as he may say to thee." + +After spending the whole night in weeping on account of Isaac, she got +up in the morning and selected a very fine and beautiful garment from +those that Abimelech had given to her. And she dressed Isaac therewith, +and she put a turban upon his head, and she fastened a precious stone +in the top of the turban, and she gave them provisions for the road. +And Sarah went out with them, and she accompanied them upon the road to +see them off, and they said to her, "Return to the tent." And when +Sarah heard the words of her son Isaac, she wept bitterly, and Abraham +wept with her, and their son wept with them, a great weeping, also +those of their servants who went with them wept greatly. And Sarah +caught hold of Isaac, and she held him in her arms, and she embraced +him, and continued to weep with him, and Sarah said, "Who knoweth if I +shall ever see thee again after this day?" + +Abraham departed with Isaac amid great weeping, while Sarah and the +servants returned to the tent.[232] He took two of his young men with +him, Ishmael and Eliezer, and while they were walking in the road, the +young men spoke these words to each other. Said Ishmael to Eliezer: +"Now my father Abraham is going with Isaac to bring him up for a burnt +offering to the Lord, and when he returneth, he will give unto me all +that he possesses, to inherit after him, for I am his first-born." +Eliezer answered: "Surely, Abraham did cast thee off with thy mother, +and swear that thou shouldst not inherit anything of all he possesses. +And to whom will he give all that he has, all his precious things, but +unto his servant, who has been faithful in his house, to me, who have +served him night and day, and have done all that he desired me?" The +holy spirit answered, "Neither this one nor that one will inherit +Abraham."[233] + +And while Abraham and Isaac were proceeding along the road, Satan came +and appeared to Abraham in the figure of a very aged man, humble and of +contrite spirit, and said to him: "Art thou silly or foolish, that thou +goest to do this thing to thine only son? God gave thee a son in thy +latter days, in thine old age, and wilt thou go and slaughter him, who +did not commit any violence, and wilt thou cause the soul of thine only +son to perish from the earth? Dost thou not know and understand that +this thing cannot be from the Lord? For the Lord would not do unto man +such evil, to command him, Go and slaughter thy son." Abraham, hearing +these words, knew that it was Satan, who endeavored to turn him astray +from the way of the Lord, and he rebuked him that he went away. And +Satan returned and came to Isaac, and he appeared unto him in the +figure of a young man, comely and well-favored, saying unto him: "Dost +thou not know that thy silly old father bringeth thee to the slaughter +this day for naught? Now, my son, do not listen to him, for he is a +silly old man, and let not thy precious soul and beautiful figure be +lost from the earth." And Isaac told these words to his father, but +Abraham said to him, "Take heed of him, and do not listen to his words, +for he is Satan endeavoring to lead us astray from the commands of our +God." And Abraham rebuked Satan again, and Satan went from them, and, +seeing he could not prevail over them, he transformed himself into a +large brook of water in the road, and when Abraham, Isaac, and the two +young men reached that place, they saw a brook large and powerful as +the mighty waters. And they entered the brook, trying to pass it, but +the further they went, the deeper the brook, so that the water reached +up to their necks, and they were all terrified on account of the water. +But Abraham recognized the place, and he knew that there had been no +water there before, and he said to his son: "I know this place, on +which there was no brook nor water. Now, surely, it is Satan who doth +all this to us, to draw us aside this day from the commands of God." +And Abraham rebuked Satan, saying unto him: "The Lord rebuke thee, O +Satan. Begone from us, for we go by the command of God." And Satan was +terri fied at the voice of Abraham, and he went away from them, and the +place became dry land again as it was at first. And Abraham went with +Isaac toward the place that God had told him.[234] + +Satan then appeared unto Sarah in the figure of an old man, and said +unto her, "Where did thine husband go?" She said, "To his work." "And +where did thy son Isaac go?" he inquired further, and she answered, "He +went with his father to a place of study of the Torah." Satan said: "O +thou poor old woman, thy teeth will be set on edge on account of thy +son, as thou knowest not that Abraham took his son with him on the road +to sacrifice him." In this hour Sarah's loins trembled, and all her +limbs shook. She was no more of this world. Nevertheless she aroused +herself, and said, "All that God hath told Abraham, may he do it unto +life and unto peace."[235] + +On the third day of his journey, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the +place at a distance, which God had told him. He noticed upon the +mountain a pillar of fire reaching from the earth to heaven, and a +heavy cloud in which the glory of God was seen. Abraham said to Isaac, +"My son, dost thou see on that mountain which we perceive at a distance +that which I see upon it?" And Isaac answered, and said unto his +father, "I see, and, lo, a pillar of fire and a cloud, and the glory of +the Lord is seen upon the cloud." Abraham knew then that Isaac was +accepted before the Lord for an offering. He asked Ishmael and Eliezer, +"Do you also see that which we see upon the mountain?" They answered, +"We see nothing more than like the other mountains," and Abraham knew +that they were not accepted before the Lord to go with them.[236] +Abraham said to them, "Abide ye here with the ass, you are like the +ass—as little as it sees, so little do you see.[237] I and Isaac my son +go to yonder mount, and worship there before the Lord, and this eve we +will return to you."[238] An unconscious prophecy had come to Abraham, +for he prophesied that he and Isaac would both return from the +mountain.[239] Eliezer and Ishmael remained in that place, as Abraham +had commanded, while he and Isaac went further. + +THE 'AKEDAH + +And while they were walking along, Isaac spake unto his father, +"Behold, the fire and the wood, but where then is the lamb for a burnt +offering before the Lord?" And Abraham answered Isaac, saying, "The +Lord hath chosen thee, my son, for a perfect burnt offering, instead of +the lamb." And Isaac said unto his father, "I will do all that the Lord +hath spoken to thee with joy and cheerfulness of heart." And Abraham +again said unto Isaac his son, "Is there in thy heart any thought or +counsel concerning this which is not proper? Tell me, my son, I pray +thee! O my son, conceal it not from me." And Isaac answered, "As the +Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is nothing in my heart to +cause me to deviate either to the right or the left from the word that +He hath spoken unto thee. Neither limb nor muscle hath moved or stirred +on account of this, nor is there in my heart any thought or evil +counsel concerning this. But I am joyful and cheerful of heart in this +matter, and I say, Blessed is the Lord who has this day chosen me to be +a burnt offering before Him." + +Abraham greatly rejoiced at the words of Isaac, and they went on and +came together to that place that the Lord had spoken of.[240] And +Abraham approached to build the altar in that place, and Abraham did +build, while Isaac handed him stones and mortar, until they finished +erecting the altar. And Abraham took the wood and arranged it upon the +altar, and he bound Isaac, to place him upon the wood which was upon +the altar, to slay him for a burnt offering before the Lord.[241] Isaac +spake hereupon: "Father, make haste, bare thine arm, and bind my hands +and feet securely, for I am a young man, but thirty-seven years of age, +and thou art an old man. When I behold the slaughtering knife in thy +hand, I may perchance begin to tremble at the sight and push against +thee, for the desire unto life is bold. Also I may do myself an injury +and make myself unfit to be sacrificed. I adjure thee, therefore, my +father, make haste, execute the will of thy Creator, delay not. Turn up +thy garment, gird thy loins, and after that thou hast slaughtered me, +burn me unto fine ashes. Then gather the ashes, and bring them to +Sarah, my mother, and place them in a casket in her chamber. At all +hours, whenever she enters her chamber, she will remember her son Isaac +and weep for him." + +And again Isaac spoke: "As soon as thou hast slaughtered me, and hast +separated thyself from me, and returnest to Sarah my mother, and she +asketh thee, Where is my son Isaac? what wilt thou answer her, and what +will you two do in your old age?" Abraham answered, and said, "We know +we can survive thee by a few days only. He who was our Comfort before +thou wast born, will comfort us now and henceforth." + +After he had laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac on the altar, upon +the wood, Abraham braced his arms, rolled up his garments, and leaned +his knees upon Isaac with all his strength. And God, sitting upon His +throne, high and exalted, saw how the hearts of the two were the same, +and tears were rolling down from the eyes of Abraham upon Isaac, and +from Isaac down upon the wood, so that it was submerged in tears. When +Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son, +God spoke to the angels: "Do you see how Abraham my friend proclaims +the unity of My Name in the world? Had I hearkened unto you at the time +of the creation of the world, when ye spake, What is man, that Thou art +mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? who would +there have been to make known the unity of My Name in this world?" The +angels then broke into loud weeping, and they exclaimed: "The highways +lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth, he hath broken the covenant. +Where is the reward of Abraham, he who took the wayfarers into his +house, gave them food and drink, and went with them to bring them on +the way? The covenant is broken, whereof Thou didst speak to him, +saying, 'For in Isaac shall thy seed be called,' and saying, 'My +covenant will I establish with Isaac,' for the slaughtering knife is +set upon his throat." + +The tears of the angels fell upon the knife, so that it could not cut +Isaac's throat, but from terror his soul escaped from him. Then God +spoke to the archangel Michael, and said: "Why standest thou here? Let +him not be slaughtered." Without delay, Michael, anguish in his voice, +cried out: "Abraham! Abraham! Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither +do thou any thing unto him!" Abraham made answer, and he said: "God did +command me to slaughter Isaac, and thou dost command me not to +slaughter him! The words of the Teacher and the words of the +disciple—unto whose words doth one hearken?"[242] Then Abraham heard it +said: "By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done +this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in +blessing 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 thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in +thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou +hast obeyed My voice." + +At once Abraham left off from Isaac, who returned to life, revived by +the heavenly voice admonishing Abraham not to slaughter his son. +Abraham loosed his bonds, and Isaac stood upon his feet, and spoke the +benediction, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who quickenest the dead."[243] + +Then spake Abraham to God, "Shall I go hence without having offered up +a sacrifice?" Whereunto God replied, and said, "Lift up thine eyes, and +behold the sacrifice behind thee."[244] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, +and, behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket, which God had +created in the twilight of Sabbath eve in the week of creation, and +prepared since then as a burnt offering instead of Isaac. And the ram +had been running toward Abraham, when Satan caught hold of him and +entangled his horns in the thicket, that he might not advance to +Abraham. And Abraham, seeing this, fetched him from the thicket, and +brought him upon the altar as an offering in the place of his son +Isaac. And Abraham sprinkled the blood of the ram upon the altar, and +he exclaimed, and said, "This is instead of my son, and may this be +considered as the blood of my son before the Lord." And whatsoever +Abraham did by the altar, he exclaimed, and said, "This is instead of +my son, and may it be considered before the Lord in place of my son." +And God accepted the sacrifice of the ram, and it was accounted as +though it had been Isaac.[245] + +As the creation of this ram had been extraordinary, so also was the use +to which all parts of his carcass were put. Not one thing went to +waste. The ashes of the parts burnt upon the altar formed the +foundation of the inner altar, whereon the expiatory sacrifice was +brought once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the day on which the +offering of Isaac took place. Of the sinews of the ram, David made ten +strings for his harp upon which he played. The skin served Elijah for +his girdle, and of his two horns, the one was blown at the end of the +revelation on Mount Sinai, and the other will be used to proclaim the +end of the Exile, when the "great horn shall be blown, and they shall +come which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and they that +were outcasts in the land of Egypt, and they shall worship the Lord in +the holy mountain at Jerusalem."[246] + +When God commanded the father to desist from sacrificing Isaac, Abraham +said: "One man tempts another, because he knoweth not what is in the +heart of his neighbor. But Thou surely didst know that I was ready to +sacrifice my son!" + +God: "It was manifest to Me, and I foreknew it, that thou wouldst +withhold not even thy soul from Me." + +Abraham: "And why, then, didst Thou afflict me thus?" + +God: "It was My wish that the world should become acquainted with thee, +and should know that it is not without good reason that I have chosen +thee from all the nations. Now it hath been witnessed unto men that +thou fearest God."[247] + +Hereupon God opened the heavens, and Abraham heard the words, "By +Myself I swear!" + +Abraham: "Thou swearest, and also I swear, I will not leave this altar +until I have said what I have to say." + +God: "Speak whatsoever thou hast to speak!" + +Abraham: "Didst Thou not promise me Thou wouldst let one come forth out +of mine own bowels, whose seed should fill the whole world?" + +God: "Yes." + +Abraham: "Whom didst Thou mean?" + +God: "Isaac." + +Abraham: "Didst Thou not promise me to make my seed as numerous as the +sand of the sea-shore?" + +God: "Yes." + +Abraham: "Through which one of my children?" + +God: "Through Isaac." + +Abraham: "I might have reproached Thee, and said, O Lord of the world, +yesterday Thou didst tell me, In Isaac shall Thy seed be called, and +now Thou sayest, Take thy son, thine only son, even Isaac, and offer +him for a burnt offering. But I refrained myself, and I said nothing. +Thus mayest Thou, when the children of Isaac commit trespasses and +because of them fall upon evil times, be mindful of the offering of +their father Isaac, and forgive their sins and deliver them from their +suffering." + +God: "Thou hast said what thou hadst to say, and I will now say what I +have to say. Thy children will sin before me in time to come, and I +will sit in judgment upon them on the New Year's Day. If they desire +that I should grant them pardon, they shall blow the ram's horn on that +day, and I, mindful of the ram that was substituted for Isaac as a +sacrifice, will forgive them for their sins."[248] + +Furthermore, the Lord revealed unto Abraham that the Temple, to be +erected on the spot of Isaac's offering, would be destroyed,[249] and +as the ram substituted for Isaac extricated himself from one tree but +to be caught in another, so his children would pass from kingdom to +kingdom—delivered from Babylonia they would be subjugated by Media, +rescued from Media they would be enslaved by Greece, escaped from +Greece they would serve Rome—yet in the end they would be redeemed in a +final redemption, at the sound of the ram's horn, when "the Lord God +shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the +south."[250] + +The place on which Abraham had erected the altar was the same whereon +Adam had brought the first sacrifice, and Cain and Abel had offered +their gifts to God—the same whereon Noah raised an altar to God after +he left the ark;[251] and Abraham, who knew that it was the place +appointed for the Temple, called it Yireh, for it would be the abiding +place of the fear and the service of God.[252] But as Shem had given it +the name Shalem, Place of Peace, and God would not give offence to +either Abraham or Shem, He united the two names, and called the city by +the name Jerusalem.[253] + +After the sacrifice on Mount Moriah, Abraham returned to Beer-sheba, +the scene of so many of his joys.[254] Isaac was carried to Paradise by +angels, and there he sojourned for three years. Thus Abraham returned +home alone, and when Sarah beheld him, she exclaimed, "Satan spoke +truth when he said that Isaac was sacrificed," and so grieved was her +soul that it fled from her body.[255] + +THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH + +While Abraham was engaged in the sacrifice, Satan went to Sarah, and +appeared to her in the figure of an old man, very humble and meek, and +said to her: "Dost thou not know all that Abraham has done unto thine +only son this day? He took Isaac, and built an altar, slaughtered him, +and brought him up as a sacrifice. Isaac cried and wept before his +father, but he looked not at him, neither did he have compassion upon +him." After saying these words to Sarah, Satan went away from her, and +she thought him to be an old man from amongst the sons of men who had +been with her son. Sarah lifted up her voice, and cried bitterly, +saying: "O my son, Isaac, my son, O that I had this day died instead of +thee I It grieves me for thee! After that I have reared thee and have +brought thee up, my joy is turned into mourning over thee. In my +longing for a child, I cried and prayed, till I bore thee at ninety. +Now hast thou served this day for the knife and the fire. But I console +myself, it being the word of God, and thou didst perform the command of +thy God, for who can transgress the word of our God, in whose hands is +the soul of every living creature? Thou art just, O Lord our God, for +all Thy works are good and righteous, for I also rejoice with the word +which Thou didst command, and while mine eye weepeth bitterly, my heart +rejoiceth." And Sarah laid her head upon the bosom of one of her +handmaids, and she became as still as a stone. + +She rose up afterward and went about making inquiries concerning her +son, till she came to Hebron, and no one could tell her what had +happened to her son. Her servants went to seek him in the house of Shem +and Eber, and they could not find him, and they sought throughout the +land, and he was not there. And, behold, Satan came to Sarah in the +shape of an old man, and said unto her, "I spoke falsely unto thee, for +Abraham did not kill his son, and he is not dead," and when she heard +the word, her joy was so exceedingly violent that her soul went out +through joy. + +When Abraham with Isaac returned to Beer-sheba, they sought for Sarah +and could not find her, and when they made inquiries concerning her, +they were told that she had gone as far as Hebron to seek them. Abraham +and Isaac went to her to Hebron, and when they found that she was dead, +they cried bitterly over her, and Isaac said: "O my mother, my mother, +how hast thou left me, and whither hast thou gone? O whither hast thou +gone, and how hast thou left me?" And Abraham and all his servants wept +and mourned over her a great and heavy mourning, even that Abraham did +not pray, but spent his time in mourning and weeping over Sarah.[257] +And, indeed, he had great reason to mourn his loss, for even in her old +age Sarah had retained the beauty of her youth and the innocence of her +childhood.[258] + +The death of Sarah was a loss not only for Abraham and his family, but +for the whole country. So long as she was alive, all went well in the +land. After her death confusion ensued. The weeping, lamenting, and +wailing over her going hence was universal, and Abraham, instead of +receiving consolation, had to offer consolation to others. He spoke to +the mourning people, and said: "My children, take not the going hence +of Sarah too much to heart. There is one event unto all, to the pious +and the impious alike. I pray you now, give me a burying-place with +you, not as a gift, but for money."[259] + +In these last few words Abraham's unassuming modesty was expressed. God +had promised him the whole land, yet when he came to bury his dead, he +had to pay for the grave, and it did not enter his heart to cast +aspersions upon the ways of God. In all humility he spake to the people +of Hebron, saying, "I am a stranger and a sojourner with you." +Therefore spake God to him, and said, "Thou didst bear thyself +modestly. As thou livest, I will appoint thee lord and prince over +them."[260] + +To the people themselves he appeared an angel, and they answered his +words, saying: "Thou art a prince of God among us. In the choice of our +sepulchres bury thy dead, among the rich if thou wilt, or among the +poor if thou wilt."[261] + +Abraham first of all gave thanks to God for the friendly feeling shown +to him by the children of Heth, and then he continued his negotiations +for the Cave of Machpelah.[262] He had long known the peculiar value of +this spot. Adam had chosen it as a burial-place for himself. He had +feared his body might be used for idolatrous purposes after his death; +he therefore designated the Cave of Machpelah as the place of his +burial, and in the depths his corpse was laid, so that none might find +it.[263] When he interred Eve there, he wanted to dig deeper, because +he scented the sweet fragrance of Paradise, near the entrance to which +it lay, but a heavenly voice called to him, Enough! Adam himself was +buried there by Seth, and until the time of Abraham the place was +guarded by angels, who kept a fire burning near it perpetually, so that +none dared approach it and bury his dead therein.[264] Now, it happened +on the day when Abraham received the angels in his house, and he wanted +to slaughter an ox for their entertainment, that the ox ran away, and +in his pursuit of him Abraham entered the Cave of Machpelah. There he +saw Adam and Eve stretched out upon couches, candles burning at the +head of their resting-places, while a sweet scent pervaded the cave. + +Therefore Abraham wished to acquire the Cave of Machpelah from the +children of Heth, the inhabitants of the city of Jebus. They said to +him. "We know that in time to come God will give these lands unto thy +seed, and now do thou swear a covenant with us that Israel shall not +wrest the city of Jebus from its inhabitants without their consent." +Abraham agreed to the condition, and he acquired the field from Ephron, +in whose possession it lay.[265] + +This happened the very day on which Ephron had been made the chief of +the children of Heth, and he had been raised to the position so that +Abraham might not have to have dealings with a man of low rank. It was +of advantage to Abraham, too, for Ephron at first refused to sell his +field, and only the threat of the children of Heth to depose him from +his office, unless he fulfilled the desire of Abraham, could induce him +to change his disposition.[266] + +Dissembling deceitfully, Ephron then offered to give Abraham the field +without compensation, but when Abraham insisted upon paying for it, +Ephron said: "My lord, hearken unto me. A piece of land worth four +hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and thee?" showing +only too well that the money was of the greatest consequence to him. +Abraham understood his words, and when he came to pay for the field, he +weighed out the sum agreed upon between them in the best of current +coin.[267] A deed, signed by four witnesses, was drawn up, and the +field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, the field, and the cave which +was therein, were made sure unto Abraham and his descendants for all +times. + +The burial of Sarah then took place, amid great magnificence and the +sympathy of all. Shem and his son Eber, Abimelech king of the +Philistines, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, as well as all the great of the +land, followed her bier. A seven days' mourning was kept for her, and +all the inhabitants of the land came to condole with Abraham and +Isaac.[268] + +When Abraham entered the cave to place the body of Sarah within, Adam +and Eve refused to remain there, "because," they said, "as it is, we +are ashamed in the presence of God on account of the sin we committed, +and now we shall be even more ashamed on account of your good deeds." +Abraham soothed Adam. He promised to pray to God for him, that the need +for shame be removed from him. Adam resumed his place, and Abraham +entombed Sarah, and at the same time he carried Eve, resisting, back to +her place.[269] + +One year after the death of Sarah, Abimelech king of the Philistines +died, too, at the age of one hundred and ninety-three years. His +successor upon the throne was his twelve-year old son Benmelek, who +took the name of his father after his accession. Abraham did not fail +to pay a visit of condolence at the court of Abimelech. + +Lot also died about this time, at the age of one hundred and forty-two. +His sons, Moab and Ammon, both married Canaanitish wives. Moab begot a +son, and Ammon had six sons, and the descendants of both were numerous +exceedingly. + +Abraham suffered a severe loss at the same time in the death of his +brother Nahor, whose days ended at Haran, when he had reached the age +of one hundred and seventy two years.[270] + +ELIEZER'S MISSION + +The death of Sarah dealt Abraham a blow from which he did not recover. +So long as she was alive, he felt himself young and vigorous, but after +she had passed away, old age suddenly overtook him.[271] It was he +himself who made the plea that age be betrayed by suitable signs and +tokens. Before the time of Abraham an old man was not distinguishable +externally from a young man, and as Isaac was the image of his father, +it happened frequently that father and son were mistaken for each +other, and a request meant for the one was preferred to the other. +Abraham prayed therefore that old age might have marks to distinguish +it from youth, and God granted his petition, and since the time of +Abraham the appearance of men changes in old age. This is one of the +seven great wonders that have occurred in the course of history.[272] + +The blessing of God did not forsake Abraham in old age, either. That it +might not be said it had been granted to him only for the sake of +Sarah, God prospered him after her death, too. Hagar bore him a +daughter, and Ishmael repented of his evil ways and subordinated +himself to Isaac. And as Abraham enjoyed undisturbed happiness in his +family, so also outside, in the world. The kings of the east and the +west eagerly besieged the door of his house in order to derive benefit +from his wisdom. From his neck a precious stone was suspended, which +possessed the power of healing the sick who looked upon it. On the +death of Abraham, God attached it to the wheel of the sun. The greatest +blessing enjoyed by him, and by none beside except his son Isaac and +Jacob the son of Isaac, was that the evil inclination had no power over +him, so that in this life he had a foretaste of the future world.[273] + +But all these Divine blessings showered upon Abraham were not +undeserved. He was clean of hand, and pure of heart, one that did not +lift up his soul unto vanity.[274] + +He fulfilled all the commands that were revealed later, even the +Rabbinical injunctions, as, for instance, the one relating to the +limits of a Sabbath day's journey, wherefor his reward was that God +disclosed to him the new teachings which He expounded daily in the +heavenly academy.[275] + +But one thing lacked to complete the happiness of Abraham, the marriage +of Isaac. He therefore called his old servant Eliezer unto himself. +Eliezer resembled his master not only externally, in his appearance, +but also spiritually. Like Abraham he possessed full power over the +evil inclination,[276] and like the master, the servant was an adept in +the law.[277] Abraham spake the following words to Eliezer: "I am +stricken in age, and I know not the day of my death. Therefore prepare +thyself, and go unto my country, and to my kindred, and fetch hither a +wife for my son."[278] Thus he spake by reason of the resolution he had +taken immediately after the sacrifice of Isaac on Moriah, for he had +there said within himself, that if the sacrifice had been executed, +Isaac would have gone hence childless. He was even ready to choose a +wife for his son from among the daughters of his three friends, Aner, +Eshcol, and Mamre, because he knew them to be pious, and he did not +attach much importance to aristocratic stock. Then spake God to him, +and said: "Concern thyself not about a wife for Isaac.[279] One has +already been provided for him," and it was made known to Abraham that +Milcah, the wife of his brother Nahor, childless until the birth of +Isaac, had then been remembered by God and made fruitful. She bore +Bethuel, and he in turn, at the time of Isaac's sacrifice, begot the +daughter destined to be the wife of Isaac.[280] + +Mindful of the proverb, "Even if the wheat of thine own place be +darnel, use it for seed," Abraham determined to take a wife for Isaac +from his own family. He argued that as any wife he chose would have to +become a proselyte, it would be best to use his own stock, which had +the first claim upon him.[281] + +Eliezer now said to his master: "Peradventure no woman will be willing +to follow me unto this land. May I then marry my own daughter to +Isaac?" "No," replied Abraham, "thou art of the accursed race, and my +son is of the blessed race, and curse and blessing cannot be +united.[282] But beware thou that thou bring not my son again unto the +land from whence I came, for if thou broughtest him thither again, it +were as though thou tookest him to hell. God who sets the heavens in +motion, He will set this matter right, too,[283] and He that took me +from my father's house, and that spake unto me, and that swore unto me +in Haran, and at the covenant of the pieces, that He would give this +land unto my seed, He shall send His excellent angel before thee, and +thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence." Eliezer then swore to +his master concerning the matter, and Abraham made him take the oath by +the sign of the covenant.[284] + +THE WOOING OF REBEKAH + +Attended by ten men,[285] mounted upon ten camels laden with jewels and +trinkets, Eliezer betook himself to Haran under the convoy of two +angels, the one appointed to keep guard over Eliezer, the other over +Rebekah.[286] + +The journey to Haran took but a few hours, at evening of the same day +he reached there, because the earth hastened to meet him in a wonderful +way.[287] He made a halt at the well of water, and he prayed to God to +permit him to distinguish the wife appointed for Isaac among the +damsels that came to draw water, by this token, that she alone, and not +the others, would give him drink.[288] Strictly speaking, this wish of +his was unseemly, for suppose a bondwoman had given him water to +drink![289] But God granted his request. All the damsels said they +could not give him of their water, because they had to take it home. +Then appeared Rebekah, coming to the well contrary to her wont, for she +was the daughter of a king, Bethuel her father being king of Haran. +When Eliezer addressed his request for water to drink to this young +innocent child, not only was she ready to do his bidding, but she +rebuked the other maidens on account of their discourtesy to a +stranger.[290] Eliezer noticed, too, how the water rose up to her of +its own accord from the bottom of the well, so that she needed not to +exert herself to draw it. Having scrutinized her carefully, he felt +certain that she was the wife chosen for Isaac. He gave her a nose +ring, wherein was set a precious stone, half a shekel in weight, +foreshadowing the half-shekel which her descendants would once bring to +the sanctuary year by year. He gave her also two bracelets for her +hands, of ten shekels weight in gold, in token of the two tables of +stone and the Ten Commandments upon them.[291] + +When Rebekah, bearing the jewels, came to her mother and to her brother +Laban, this one hastened to Eliezer in order to slay him and take +possession of his goods. Laban soon learnt that he would not be able to +do much harm to a giant like Eliezer. He met him at the moment when +Eliezer seized two camels and bore them across the stream.[292] +Besides, on account of Eliezer's close resemblance to Abraham, Laban +thought he saw Abraham before him, and he said: "Come in, thou blessed +of the Lord! It is not becoming that thou shouldst stand without, I +have cleansed my house of idols."[293] + +But when Eliezer arrived at the house of Bethuel, they tried to kill +him with cunning. They set poisoned food before him. Luckily, he +refused to eat before he had discharged himself of his errand. While he +was telling his story, it was ordained by God that the dish intended +for him should come to stand in front of Bethuel, who ate of it and +died.[294] + +Eliezer showed the document he had in which Abraham deeded all his +possessions to Isaac, and he made it known to the kindred of Abraham, +how deeply attached to them his master was, in spite of the long years +of separation.[295] Yet he let them know at the same time that Abraham +was not dependent wholly upon them. He might seek a wife for his son +among the daughters of Ishmael or Lot. At first the kindred of Abraham +consented to let Rebekah go with Eliezer, but as Bethuel had died in +the meantime, they did not want to give Rebekah in marriage without +consulting her. Besides, they deemed it proper that she should remain +at home at least during the week of mourning for her father.[296] But +Eliezer, seeing the angel wait for him, would brook no delay, and he +said, "The man who came with me and prospered my way, waits for me +without," and as Rebekah professed herself ready to go at once with +Eliezer, her mother and brother granted her wish and dismissed her with +their blessings.[297] But their blessings did not come from the bottom +of their hearts. Indeed, as a rule, the blessing of the impious is a +curse, wherefore Rebekah remained barren for years. + +Eliezer's return to Canaan was as wonderful as his going to Haran had +been. A seventeen days' journey he accomplished in three hours. He left +Haran at noon, and he arrived at Hebron[299] at three o'clock in the +afternoon, the time for the Minhah Prayer, which had been introduced by +Isaac. He was in the posture of praying when Rebekah first laid eyes +upon him, wherefore she asked Eliezer what man this was. She saw he was +not an ordinary individual. She noticed the unusual beauty of Isaac, +and also that an angel accompanied him. Thus her question was not +dictated by mere curiosity.[300] At this moment she learnt through the +holy spirit, that she was destined to be the mother of the godless +Esau. Terror seized her at the knowledge, and, trembling, she fell from +the camel and inflicted an injury upon herself.[301] + +After Isaac had heard the wonderful adventures of Eliezer, he took +Rebekah to the tent of his mother Sarah, and she showed herself worthy +to be her successor. The cloud appeared again that had been visible +over the tent during the life of Sarah, and had vanished at her death; +the light shone again in the tent of Rebekah that Sarah had kindled at +the coming in of the Sabbath, and that had burnt miraculously +throughout the week; the blessing returned with Rebekah that had +hovered over the dough kneaded by Sarah; and the gates of the tent were +opened for the needy, wide and spacious, as they had been during the +lifetime of Sarah.[302] + +For three years Isaac had mourned for his mother, and he could find no +consolation in the academy of Shem and Eber, his abiding-place during +that period. But Rebekah comforted him after his mother's death,[303] +for she was the counterpart of Sarah in person and in spirit.[304] + +As a reward for having executed to his full satisfaction the mission +with which he had charged him, Abraham set his bondman free.[305] The +curse resting upon Eliezer, as upon all the descendants of Canaan, was +transformed into a blessing, because he ministered unto Abraham +loyally.[306] Greatest reward of all, God found him worthy of entering +Paradise alive, a distinction that fell to the lot of very few.[307] + +THE LAST YEARS OF ABRAHAM + +Rebekah first saw Isaac as he was coming from the way of +Beer-lahai-roi, the dwelling-place of Hagar, whither he had gone after +the death of his mother, for the purpose of reuniting his father with +Hagar,[308] or, as she is also called, Keturah.[309] + +Hagar bore him six sons, who, however, did scant honor to their father, +for they all were idolaters.[310] Abraham, therefore, during his own +lifetime, sent them away from the presence of Isaac, that they might +not be singed by Isaac's flame, and gave them the instruction to +journey eastward as far as possible.[311] There he built a city for +them, surrounded by an iron wall, so high that the sun could not shine +into the city. But Abraham provided them with huge gems and pearls, +their lustre more brilliant than the light of the sun, which will be +used in the Messianic time when "the moon shall be confounded and the +sun ashamed."[312] Also Abraham taught them the black art, wherewith +they held sway over demons and spirits. It is from this city in the +east that Laban, Balaam, and Balaam's father Beor derived their +sorceries.[313] + +Epher, one of the grandsons of Abraham and Keturah, invaded Lybia with +an armed force, and took possession of the country. From this Epher the +whole land of Africa has its name.[314] Aram is also a country made +habitable by a kinsman of Abraham. In his old age Terah contracted a +new marriage with Pelilah, and from this union sprang a son Zoba, who +was the father in turn of three sons. The oldest of these, Aram, was +exceedingly rich and powerful, and the old home in Haran sufficed not +for him and his kinsmen, the sons of Nahor, the brother of Abraham. +Aram and his brethren and all that belonged to him therefore departed +from Haran, and they settled in a vale, and they built themselves a +city there which they called Aram-Zoba, to perpetuate the name of the +father and his first-born son. Another Aram, Aram-naharaim, on the +Euphrates, was built by Aram son of Kemuel, a nephew of Abraham. Its +real name was Petor, after the son of Aram, but it is better known as +Aram-naharaim. The descendants of Kesed, another nephew of Abraham, a +son of his brother Nahor, established themselves opposite to Shinar, +where they founded the city of Kesed, the city whence the Chaldees are +called Kasdim.[315] + +Though Abraham knew full well that Isaac deserved his paternal blessing +beyond all his sons, yet he withheld it from him, that no hostile +feelings be aroused among his descendants. He spake, and said: "I am +but flesh and blood, here to-day, to-morrow in the grave. What I was +able to do for my children I have done. Henceforth let come what God +desires to do in His world," and it happened that immediately after the +death of Abraham God Himself appeared unto Isaac, and gave him His +blessing.[316] + +A HERALD OF DEATH + +When the day of the death of Abraham drew near, the Lord said to +Michael, "Arise and go to Abraham and say to him, Thou shalt depart +from life!" so that he might set his house in order before he died. And +Michael went and came to Abraham and found him sitting before his oxen +for ploughing. Abraham, seeing Michael, but not knowing who he was, +saluted him and said to him, "Sit down a little while, and I will order +a beast to be brought, and we will go to my house, that thou mayest +rest with me, for it is toward evening, and arise in the morning and go +whithersoever thou wilt." And Abraham called one of his servants, and +said to him: "Go and bring me a beast, that the stranger may sit upon +it, for he is wearied with his journey." But Michael said, "I abstain +from ever sitting upon any fourfooted beast, let us walk therefore, +till we reach the house." + +On their way to the house they passed a huge tree, and Abraham heard a +voice from its branches, singing, "Holy art thou, because thou hast +kept the purpose for which thou wast sent." Abraham hid the mystery in +his heart, thinking that the stranger did not hear it. Arrived at his +house, he ordered the servants to prepare a meal, and while they were +busy with their work, he called his son Isaac, and said to him, "Arise +and put water in the vessel, that we may wash the feet of the +stranger." And he brought it as he was commanded, and Abraham said, "I +perceive that in this basin I shall never again wash the feet of any +man coming to us as a guest." Hearing this, Isaac began to weep, and +Abraham, seeing his son weep, also wept, and Michael, seeing them weep, +wept also, and the tears of Michael fell into the water, and became +precious stones. + +Before sitting down to the table, Michael arose, went out for a moment, +as if to ease nature, and ascended to heaven in the twinkling of an +eye, and stood before the Lord, and said to Him: "Lord and Master, let +Thy power know that I am unable to remind that righteous man of his +death, for I have not seen upon the earth a man like him, +compassionate, hospitable, righteous, truthful, devout, refraining from +every evil deed." Then the Lord said to Michael, "Go down to My friend +Abraham, and whatever he may say to thee, that do thou also, and +whatever he may eat, eat thou also with him, and I will cast the +thought of the death of Abraham into the heart of Isaac, his son, in a +dream, and Isaac will relate the dream, and thou shalt interpret it, +and he himself will know his end." And Michael said, "Lord, all the +heavenly spirits are incorporeal, and neither eat nor drink, and this +man has set before me a table with an abundance of all good things +earthly and corruptible. Now, Lord, what shall I do?" The Lord answered +him, "Go down to him and take no thought for this, for when thou +sittest down with him, I will send upon thee a devouring spirit, and it +will consume out of thy hands and through thy mouth all that is on the +table." + +Then Michael went into the house of Abraham, and they ate and drank and +were merry. And when the supper was ended, Abraham prayed after his +custom, and Michael prayed with him, and each lay down to sleep upon +his couch in one room, while Isaac went to his chamber, lest he be +troublesome to the guest. About the seventh hour of the night, Isaac +awoke and came to the door of his father's chamber, crying out and +saying, "Open, father, that I may touch thee before they take thee away +from me." And Abraham wept together with his son, and when Michael saw +them weep, he wept likewise. And Sarah, hearing the weeping, called +forth from her bedchamber, saying: "My lord Abraham, why this weeping? +Has the stranger told thee of thy brother's son Lot, that he is dead? +or has aught befallen us?" Michael answered, and said to her, "Nay, my +sister Sarah, it is not as thou sayest, but thy son Isaac, methinks, +beheld a dream, and came to us weeping, and we, seeing him, were moved +in our hearts and wept." Sarah, hearing Michael speak, knew straightway +that it was an angel of the Lord, one of the three angels whom they had +entertained in their house once before, and therefore she made a sign +to Abraham to come out toward the door, to inform him of what she knew. +Abraham said: "Thou hast perceived well, for I, too, when I washed his +feet, knew in my heart that they were the feet that I had washed at the +oak of Mamre, and that went to save Lot." Abraham, returning to his +chamber, made Isaac relate his dream, which Michael interpreted to +them, saying: "Thy son Isaac has spoken truth, for thou shalt go and be +taken up into the heavens, but thy body shall remain on earth, until +seven thousand ages are fulfilled, for then all flesh shall arise. Now, +therefore, Abraham, set thy house in order, for thou wast heard what is +decreed concerning thee." Abraham answered, "Now I know thou art an +angel of the Lord, and wast sent to take my soul, but I will not go +with thee, but do thou whatever thou art commanded." Michael returned +to heaven and told God of Abraham's refusal to obey his summons, and he +was again commanded to go down and admonish Abraham not to rebel +against God, who had bestowed many blessings upon him, and he reminded +him that no one who has come from Adam and Eve can escape death, and +that God in His great kindness toward him did not permit the sickle of +death to meet him, but sent His chief captain, Michael, to him. +"Wherefore, then," he ended, "hast thou said to the chief captain, I +will not go with thee?" When Michael delivered these exhortations to +Abraham, he saw that it was futile to oppose the will of God, and he +consented to die, but wished to have one desire of his fulfilled while +still alive. He said to Michael: "I beseech thee, lord, if I must +depart from my body, I desire to be taken up in my body, that I may see +the creatures that the Lord has created in heaven and on earth." +Michael went up into heaven, and spake before the Lord concerning +Abraham, and the Lord answered Michael, "Go and take up Abraham in the +body and show him all things, and whatever he shall say to thee, do to +him as to My friend." + +ABRAHAM VIEWS EARTH AND HEAVEN + +The archangel Michael went down, and took Abraham upon a chariot of the +cherubim, and lifted him up into the air of heaven, and led him upon +the cloud, together with sixty angels, and Abraham ascended upon the +chariot over all the earth, and saw all things that are below on the +earth, both good and bad. Looking down upon the earth, he saw a man +committing adultery with a wedded woman, and turning to Michael he +said, "Send fire from heaven to consume them." Straightway there came +down fire and consumed them, for God had commanded Michael to do +whatsoever Abraham should ask him to do. He looked again, and he saw +thieves digging through a house, and Abraham said, "Let wild beasts +come out of the desert, and tear them in pieces," and immediately wild +beasts came out of the desert and devoured them. Again he looked down, +and he saw people preparing to commit murder, and he said, "Let the +earth open and swallow them," and, as he spoke, the earth swallowed +them alive. Then God spoke to Michael: "Turn away Abraham to his own +house and let him not go round the whole earth, because he has no +compassion on sinners, but I have compassion on sinners, that they may +turn and live and repent of their sins, and be saved." + +So Michael turned the chariot, and brought Abraham to the place of +judgment of all souls. Here he saw two gates, the one broad and the +other narrow, the narrow gate that of the just, which leads to life, +they that enter through it go into Paradise. The broad gate is that of +sinners, which leads to destruction and eternal punishment. Then +Abraham wept, saying, "Woe is me, what shall I do? for I am a man big +of body, and how shall I be able to enter by the narrow gate?" Michael +answered, and said to Abraham, "Fear not, nor grieve, for thou shalt +enter by it unhindered, and all they who are like thee." Abraham, +perceiving that a soul was adjudged to be set in the midst, asked +Michael the reason for it, and Michael answered, "Because the judge +found its sins and its righteousness equal, he neither committed it to +judgment nor to be saved." Abraham said to Michael, "Let us pray for +this soul, and see whether God will hear us," and when they rose up +from their prayer, Michael informed Abraham that the soul was saved by +the prayer, and was taken by an angel and carried up to Paradise. +Abraham said to Michael, "Let us yet call upon the Lord and supplicate +His compassion and entreat His mercy for the souls of the sinners whom +I formerly, in my anger, cursed and destroyed, whom the earth devoured, +and the wild beasts tore in pieces, and the fire consumed, through my +words. Now I know that I have sinned before the Lord our God." + +After the joint prayer of the archangel and Abraham, there came a voice +from heaven, saying, "Abraham, Abraham, I have hearkened to thy voice +and thy prayer, and I forgive thee thy sin, and those whom thou +thinkest that I destroyed, I have called up and brought them into life +by My exceeding kindness, because for a season I have requited them in +judgment, and those whom I destroy living upon earth, I will not +requite in death." + +When Michael brought Abraham back to his house, they found Sarah dead. +Not seeing what had become of Abraham, she was consumed with grief and +gave up her soul. Though Michael had fulfilled Abraham's wish, and had +shown him all the earth and the judgment and recompense, he still +refused to surrender his soul to Michael, and the archangel again +ascended to heaven, and said unto the Lord: "Thus speaks Abraham, I +will not go with thee, and I refrain from laying my hands on him, +because from the beginning he was Thy friend, and he has done all +things pleasing in Thy sight. There is no man like him on earth, not +even Job, the wondrous man." But when the day of the death of Abraham +drew nigh, God commanded Michael to adorn Death with great beauty and +send him thus to Abraham, that he might see him with his eyes. + +While sitting under the oak of Mamre, Abraham perceived a flashing of +light and a smell of sweet odor, and turning around he saw Death coming +toward him in great glory and beauty. And Death said unto Abraham: +"Think not, Abraham, that this beauty is mine, or that I come thus to +every man. Nay, but if any one is righteous like thee, I thus take a +crown and come to him, but if he is a sinner, I come in great +corruption, and out of their sins I make a crown for my head, and I +shake them with great fear, so that they are dismayed." Abraham said to +him, "And art thou, indeed, he that is called Death?" He answered, and +said, "I am the bitter name," but Abraham answered, "I will not go with +thee." And Abraham said to Death, "Show us thy corruption." And Death +revealed his corruption, showing two heads, the one had the face of a +serpent, the other head was like a sword. All the servants of Abraham, +looking at the fierce mien of Death, died, but Abraham prayed to the +Lord, and he raised them up. As the looks of Death were not able to +cause Abraham's soul to depart from him, God removed the soul of +Abraham as in a dream, and the archangel Michael took it up into +heaven. After great praise and glory had been given to the Lord by the +angels who brought Abraham's soul, and after Abraham bowed down to +worship, then came the voice of God, saying thus: "Take My friend +Abraham into Paradise, where are the tabernacles of My righteous ones +and the abodes of My saints Isaac and Jacob in his bosom, where there +is no trouble, nor grief, nor sighing, but peace and rejoicing and life +unending."[317] + +Abraham's activity did not cease with his death, and as he interceded +in this world for the sinners, so will he intercede for them in the +world to come. On the day of judgment he will sit at the gate of hell, +and he will not suffer those who kept the law of circumcision to enter +therein.[318] + +THE PATRON OF HEBRON + +Once upon a time some Jews lived in Hebron, few in number, but pious +and good, and particularly hospitable. When strangers came to the Cave +of Machpelah to pray there, the inhabitants of the place fairly +quarrelled with each other for the privilege of entertaining the +guests, and the one who carried off the victory rejoiced as though he +had found great spoil. + +On the eve of the Day of Atonement, it appeared that, in spite of all +their efforts, the dwellers at Hebron could not secure the tenth man +needed for public Divine service, and they feared they would have none +on the holy day. Toward evening, when the sun was about to sink, they +descried an old man with silver white beard, bearing a sack upon his +shoulder, his raiment tattered, and his feet badly swollen from much +walking. They ran to meet him, took him to one of the houses, gave him +food and drink, and, after supplying him with new white garments, they +all together went to the synagogue for worship. Asked what his name +was, the stranger replied, Abraham. + +At the end of the fast, the residents of Hebron cast lots for the +privilege of entertaining the guest. Fortune favored the beadle, who, +the envy of the rest, bore his guest away to his house. On the way, he +suddenly disappeared, and the beadle could not find him anywhere. In +vain all the Jews of the place went on a quest for him. Their sleepless +night, spent in searching, had no result. The stranger could not be +found. But no sooner had the beadle lain down, toward morning, weary +and anxious, to snatch some sleep, than he saw the lost guest before +him, his face luminous as lightning, and his garments magnificent and +studded with gems radiant as the sun. Before the beadle, stunned by +fright, could open his mouth, the stranger spake, and said: "I am +Abraham the Hebrew, your ancestor, who rests here in the Cave of +Machpelah. When I saw how grieved you were at not having the number of +men prescribed for a public service, I came forth to you. Have no fear! +Rejoice and be merry of heart!"[319] + +On another occasion Abraham granted his assistance to the people of +Hebron. The lord of the city was a heartless man, who oppressed the +Jews sorely. One day he commanded them to pay a large sum of money into +his coffers, the whole sum in uniform coins, all stamped with the same +year. It was but a pretext to kill the Jews. He knew that his demand +was impossible of fulfilment. + +The Jews proclaimed a fast and day of public prayer, on which to +supplicate God that He turn aside the sword suspended above them. The +night following, the beadle in a dream saw an awe-inspiring old man, +who addressed him in the following words: "Up, quickly! Hasten to the +gate of the court, where lies the money you need. I am your father +Abraham. I have beheld the affliction wherewith the Gentiles oppress +you, but God has heard your groans." In great terror the beadle arose, +but he saw no one, yet he went to the spot designated by the vision, +and he found the money and took it to the congregation, telling his +dream at the same time. Amazed, they counted the gold, precisely the +amount required of them by the prince, no more and no less. They +surrendered the sum to him, and he who had considered compliance with +his demand impossible, recognized now that God is with the Jews, and +thenceforth they found favor in his eyes.[320] + + + + +VI +JACOB + +THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB + +Isaac was the counterpart of his father in body and soul. He resembled +him in every particular—"in beauty, wisdom, strength, wealth, and noble +deeds."[1] It was, therefore, as great an honor for Isaac to be called +the son of his father as for Abraham to be called the father of his +son, and though Abraham was the progenitor of thirty nations, he is +always designated as the father of Isaac.[2] + +Despite his many excellent qualities, Isaac married late in life. God +permitted him to meet the wife suitable to him only after he had +successfully disproved the mocking charges of Ishmael, who was in the +habit of taunting him with having been circumcised at the early age of +eight days, while Ishmael had submitted himself voluntarily to the +operation when he was thirteen years old. For this reason God demanded +Isaac as a sacrifice when he had attained to full manhood, at the age +of thirty-seven, and Isaac was ready to give up his life. Ishmael's +jibes were thus robbed of their sting, and Isaac was permitted to +marry. But another delay occurred before his marriage could take place. +Directly after the sacrifice on Mount Moriah, his mother died, and he +mourned her for three years.[3] Finally he married Rebekah, who was +then a maiden of fourteen.[4] + +Rebekah was "a rose between thorns." Her father was the Aramean +Bethuel, and her brother was Laban, but she did not walk in their +ways.[5] Her piety was equal to Isaac's.[6] Nevertheless their marriage +was not entirely happy, for they lived together no less than twenty +years without begetting children.[7] Rebekah besought her husband to +entreat God for the gift of children, as his father Abraham had done. +At first Isaac would not do her bidding. God had promised Abraham a +numerous progeny, and he thought their childlessness was probably +Rebekah's fault, and it was her duty to supplicate God, and not his. +But Rebekah would not desist, and husband and wife repaired to Mount +Moriah together to pray to God there. And Isaac said: "O Lord God of +heaven and earth, whose goodness and mercies fill the earth, Thou who +didst take my father from his father's house and from his birthplace, +and didst bring him unto this land, and didst say unto him, To thee and +thy seed will I give the land, and didst promise him and declare unto +him, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand of +the sea, now may Thy words be verified which Thou didst speak unto my +father. For Thou art the Lord our God, our eyes are toward Thee, to +give us seed of men as Thou didst promise us, for Thou art the Lord our +God, and our eyes are upon Thee."[8] Isaac prayed furthermore that all +children destined for him might be born unto him from this pious wife +of his, and Rebekah made the same petition regarding her husband Isaac +and the children destined for her. + +Their united prayer was heard.[9] Yet it was chiefly for the sake of +Isaac that God gave them children. It is true, Rebekah's piety equalled +her husband's, but the prayer of a pious man who is the son of a pious +man is far more efficacious than the prayer of one who, though pious +himself, is descended from a godless father. + +The prayer wrought a great miracle, for Isaac's physique was such that +he could not have been expected to beget children, and equally it was +not in the course of nature that Rebekah should bear children.[10] + +When Rebekah had been pregnant seven months,[11] she began to wish that +the curse of childlessness had not been removed from her.[12] She +suffered torturous pain, because her twin sons began their lifelong +quarrels in her womb. They strove to kill each other. If Rebekah walked +in the vicinity of a temple erected to idols, Esau moved in her body, +and if she passed a synagogue or a Bet ha-Midrash, Jacob essayed to +break forth from her womb.[13] The quarrels of the children turned upon +such differences as these. Esau would insist that there was no life +except the earthly life of material pleasures, and Jacob would reply: +"My brother, there are two worlds before us, this world and the world +to come. In this world, men eat and drink, and traffic and marry, and +bring up sons and daughters, but all this does not take place in the +world to come. If it please thee, do thou take this world, and I will +take the other."[14] Esau had Samael as his ally, who desired to slay +Jacob in his mother's womb. But the archangel Michael hastened to +Jacob's aid. He tried to burn Samael, and the Lord saw it was necessary +to constitute a heavenly court for the purpose of arbitrating the case +of Michael and Samael.[15] Even the quarrel between the two brothers +regarding the birthright had its beginning before they emerged from the +womb of their mother. Each desired to be the first to come into the +world. It was only when Esau threatened to carry his point at the +expense of his mother's life that Jacob gave way.[16] + +Rebekah asked other women whether they, too, had suffered such pain +during their pregnancy, and when they told her they had not heard of a +case like hers, except the pregnancy of Nimrod's mother, she betook +herself to Mount Moriah, whereon Shem and Eber had their Bet +ha-Midrash. She requested them as well as Abraham to inquire of God +what the cause of her dire suffering was.[17] And Shem replied: "My +daughter, I confide a secret to thee. See to it that none finds it out. +Two nations are in thy womb, and how should thy body contain them, +seeing that the whole world will not be large enough for them to exist +in it together peaceably? Two nations they are, each owning a world of +its own, the one the Torah, the other sin. From the one will spring +Solomon, the builder of the Temple, from the other Vespasian, the +destroyer thereof. These two are what are needed to raise the number of +nations to seventy. They will never be in the same estate. Esau will +vaunt lords, while Jacob will bring forth prophets, and if Esau has +princes, Jacob will have kings.[18] They, Israel and Rome, are the two +nations destined to be hated by all the world.[19] One will exceed the +other in strength. First Esau will subjugate the whole world, but in +the end Jacob will rule over all.[20] The older of the two will serve +the younger, provided this one is pure of heart, otherwise the younger +will be enslaved by the older."[21] + +The circumstances connected with the birth of her twin sons were as +remarkable as those during the period of Rebekah's pregnancy. Esau was +the first to see the light, and with him all impurity came from the +womb;[22] Jacob was born clean and sweet of body. Esau was brought +forth with hair, beard, and teeth, both front and back,[23] and he was +blood-red, a sign of his future sanguinary nature.[24] On account of +his ruddy appearance he remained uncircumcised. Isaac, his father, +feared that it was due to poor circulation of the blood, and he +hesitated to perform the circumcision. He decided to wait until Esau +should attain his thirteenth year, the age at which Ishmael had +received the sign of the covenant. But when Esau grew up, he refused to +give heed to his father's wish, and so he was left uncircumcised.[25] +The opposite of his brother in this as in all respects, Jacob was born +with the sign of the covenant upon his body, a rare distinction.[26] +But Esau also bore a mark upon him at birth, the figure of a serpent, +the symbol of all that is wicked and hated of God.[27] + +The names conferred upon the brothers are pregnant with meaning. The +older was called Esau, because he was 'Asui, fully developed when he +was born, and the name of the younger was given to him by God, to point +to some important events in the future of Israel by the numerical value +of each letter. The first letter in Ya'akob, Yod, with the value of +ten, stands for the decalogue; the second, 'Ayin, equal to seventy, for +the seventy elders, the leaders of Israel; the third, Kof, a hundred, +for the Temple, a hundred ells in height; and the last, Bet, for the +two tables of stone.[28] + +THE FAVORITE OF ABRAHAM + +While Esau and Jacob were little, their characters could not be judged +properly. They were like the myrtle and the thorn-bush, which look +alike in the early stages of their growth. After they have attained +full size, the myrtle is known by its fragrance, and the thorn-bush by +its thorns. + +In their childhood, both brothers went to school, but when they reached +their thirteenth year, and were of age, their ways parted. Jacob +continued his studies in the Bet ha Midrash of Shem and Eber, and Esau +abandoned himself to idolatry and an immoral life.[29] Both were +hunters of men, Esau tried to capture them in order to turn them away +from God, and Jacob, to turn them toward God.[30] In spite of his +impious deeds, Esau possessed the art of winning his father's love. His +hypocritical conduct made Isaac believe that his first-born son was +extremely pious. "Father," he would ask Isaac, "what is the tithe on +straw and salt?" The question made him appear God-fearing in the eyes +of his father, because these two products are the very ones that are +exempt from tithing.[31] Isaac failed to notice, too, that his older +son gave him forbidden food to eat. What he took for the flesh of young +goats was dog's meat.[32] + +Rebekah was more clear-sighted. She knew her sons as they really were, +and therefore her love for Jacob was exceeding great. The oftener she +heard his voice, the deeper grew her affection for him.[33] Abraham +agreed with her. He also loved his grandson Jacob, for he knew that in +him his name and his seed would be called. And he said unto Rebekah, +"My daughter, watch over my son Jacob, for he shall be in my stead on +the earth and for a blessing in the midst of the children of men, and +for the glory of the whole seed of Shem." Having admonished Rebekah +thus to keep guard over Jacob, who was destined to be the bearer of the +blessing given to Abraham by God, he called for his grandson, and in +the presence of Rebekah he blessed him, and said: "Jacob, my beloved +son, whom my soul loveth, may God bless thee from above the firmament, +and may He give thee all the blessing wherewith He blessed Adam, and +Enoch, and Noah, and Shem, and all the things of which He told me, and +all the things which He promised to give me may He cause to cleave to +thee and to thy seed forever, according to the days of the heavens +above the earth. And the spirit of Mastema shall not rule over thee or +over thy seed, to turn thee from the Lord, who is thy God from +henceforth and forever. And may the Lord God be a father to thee, and +mayest thou be His first-born son, and may He be a father to thy people +always. Go in peace, my son."[34] + +And Abraham had good reason to be particularly fond of Jacob, for it +was due to the merits of his grandson that he had been rescued from the +fiery furnace.[35] + +Isaac and Rebekah, knowing of Abraham's love for their young son, sent +their father a meal by Jacob on the last Feast of Pentecost which +Abraham was permitted to celebrate on earth, that he might eat and +bless the Creator of all things before he died. Abraham knew that his +end was approaching, and he thanked the Lord for all the good He had +granted him during the days of his life, and blessed Jacob and bade him +walk in the ways of the Lord, and especially he was not to marry a +daughter of the Canaanites. Then Abraham prepared for death. He placed +two of Jacob's fingers upon his eyes, and thus holding them closed he +fell into his eternal sleep, while Jacob lay beside him on the bed. The +lad did not know of his grandfather's death, until he called him, on +awakening next morning, "Father, father," and received no answer.[36] + +THE SALE OF THE BIRTHRIGHT + +Though Abraham reached a good old age, beyond the limit of years +vouchsafed later generations, he yet died five years before his +allotted time. The intention was to let him live to be one hundred and +eighty years old, the same age as Isaac's at his death, but on account +of Esau God brought his life to an abrupt close. For some time Esau had +been pursuing his evil inclinations in secret. Finally he dropped his +mask, and on the day of Abraham's death he was guilty of five crimes: +he ravished a betrothed maiden, committed murder, doubted the +resurrection of the dead, scorned the birthright, and denied God. Then +the Lord said: "I promised Abraham that he should go to his fathers in +peace. Can I now permit him to be a witness of his grandson's rebellion +against God, his violation of the laws of chastity, and his shedding of +blood? It is better for him to die now in peace."[37] + +The men slain by Esau on this day were Nimrod and two of his adjutants. +A long-standing feud had existed between Esau and Nimrod, because the +mighty hunter before the Lord was jealous of Esau, who also devoted +himself assiduously to the chase. Once when he was hunting it happened +that Nimrod was separated from his people, only two men were with him. +Esau, who lay in ambush, noticed his isolation, and waited until he +should pass his covert. Then he threw himself upon Nimrod suddenly, and +felled him and his two companions, who hastened to his succor. The +outcries of the latter brought the attendants of Nimrod to the spot +where he lay dead, but not before Esau had stripped him of his +garments, and fled to the city with them.[38] + +These garments of Nimrod had an extraordinary effect upon cattle, +beasts, and birds. Of their own accord they would come and prostrate +themselves before him who was arrayed in them. Thus Nimrod and Esau +after him were able to rule over men and beasts.[39] + +After slaying Nimrod, Esau hastened cityward in great fear of his +victim's followers. Tired and exhausted he arrived at home to find +Jacob busy preparing a dish of lentils. Numerous male and female slaves +were in Isaac's household. Nevertheless Jacob was so simple and modest +in his demeanor that, if he came home late from the Bet ha-Midrash, he +would disturb none to prepare his meal, but would do it himself.[40] On +this occasion he was cooking lentils for his father, to serve to him as +his mourner's meal after the death of Abraham. Adam and Eve had eaten +lentils after the murder of Abel, and so had the parents of Haran, when +he perished in the fiery furnace. The reason they are used for the +mourner's meal is that the round lentil symbolizes death: as the lentil +rolls, so death, sorrow, and mourning constantly roll about among men, +from one to the other.[41] + +Esau accosted Jacob thus, "Why art thou preparing lentils?" + +Jacob: "Because our grandfather passed away; they shall be a sign of my +grief and mourning, that he may love me in the days to come." + +Esau: "Thou fool! Dost thou really think it possible that man should +come to life again after he has been dead and has mouldered in the +grave?"[42] He continued to taunt Jacob. "Why dost thou give thyself so +much trouble?" he said. "Lift up thine eyes, and thou wilt see that all +men eat whatever comes to hand—fish, creeping and crawling creatures, +swine's flesh, and all sorts of things like these, and thou vexest +thyself about a dish of lentils." + +Jacob: "If we act like other men, what shall we do on the day of the +Lord, the day on which the pious will receive their reward, when a +herald will proclaim: Where is He that weigheth the deeds of men, where +is He that counteth?" + +Esau: "Is there a future world? Or will the dead be called back to +life? If it were so, why hath not Adam returned? Hast thou heard that +Noah, through whom the world was raised anew, hath reappeared? Yea, +Abraham, the friend of God, more beloved of Him than any man, hath he +come to life again?" + +Jacob: "If thou art of opinion that there is no future world, and that +the dead do not rise to new life, then why dost thou want thy +birthright? Sell it to me, now, while it is yet possible to do so. Once +the Torah is revealed, it cannot be done. Verily, there is a future +world, in which the righteous receive their reward. I tell thee this, +lest thou say later I deceived thee."[43] + +Jacob was little concerned about the double share of the inheritance +that went with the birthright. What he thought of was the priestly +service, which was the prerogative of the first-born in ancient times, +and Jacob was loth to have his impious brother Esau play the priest, he +who despised all Divine service.[44] + +The scorn manifested by Esau for the resurrection of the dead he felt +also for the promise of God to give the Holy Land to the seed of +Abraham. He did not believe in it, and therefore he was willing to cede +his birthright and the blessing attached thereto in exchange for a mess +of pottage.[45] In addition, Jacob paid him in coin,[46] and, besides, +he gave him what was more than money, the wonderful sword of +Methuselah, which Isaac had inherited from Abraham and bestowed upon +Jacob.[47] + +Esau made game of Jacob. He invited his associates to feast at his +brother's table, saying, "Know ye what I did to this Jacob? I ate his +lentils, drank his wine, amused myself at his expense, and sold my +birthright to him." All that Jacob replied was, "Eat and may it do thee +good!" But the Lord said, "Thou despisest the birthright, therefore I +shall make thee despised in all generations." And by way of punishment +for denying God and the resurrection of the dead, the descendants of +Esau were cut off from the world.[48] + +As naught was holy to Esau, Jacob made him swear, concerning the +birthright, by the life of their father, for he knew Esau's love for +Isaac, that it was strong.[49] Nor did he fail to have a document made +out, duly signed by witnesses, setting forth that Esau had sold him the +birthright together with his claim upon a place in the Cave of +Machpelah.[50] + +Though no blame can attach to Jacob for all this, yet he secured the +birthright from him by cunning, and therefore the descendants of Jacob +had to serve the descendants of Esau.[51] + +ISAAC WITH THE PHILISTINES + +The life of Isaac was a faithful reflex of the life of his father. +Abraham had to leave his birthplace; so also Isaac. Abraham was exposed +to the risk of losing his wife; so also Isaac. The Philistines were +envious of Abraham; so also of Isaac. Abraham long remained childless; +so also Isaac. Abraham begot one pious son and one wicked son; so also +Isaac. And, finally, as in the time of Abraham, so also in the time of +Isaac, a famine came upon the land.[52] + +At first Isaac intended to follow the example of his father and remove +to Egypt, but God appeared unto him, and spake: "Thou art a perfect +sacrifice, without a blemish, and as a burnt offering is made unfit if +it is taken outside of the sanctuary, so thou wouldst be profaned if +thou shouldst happen outside of the Holy Land. Remain in the land, and +endeavor to cultivate it. In this land dwells the Shekinah, and in days +to come I will give unto thy children the realms possessed by mighty +rulers, first a part thereof, and the whole in the Messianic time."[53] + +Isaac obeyed the command of God, and he settled in Gerar. When he +noticed that the inhabitants of the place began to have designs upon +his wife, he followed the example of Abraham, and pretended she was his +sister.[54] The report of Rebekah's beauty reached the king himself, +but he was mindful of the great danger to which he had once exposed +himself on a similar occasion, and he left Isaac and his wife +unmolested.[55] After they had been in Gerar for three months, +Abimelech noticed that the manner of Isaac, who lived in the outer +court of the royal palace, was that of a husband toward Rebekah.[56] He +called him to account, saying, "It might have happened to the king +himself to take the woman thou didst call thy sister."[57] Indeed, +Isaac lay under the suspicion of having illicit intercourse with +Rebekah, for at first the people of the place would not believe that +she was his wife. When Isaac persisted in his statement,[58] Abimelech +sent his grandees for them, ordered them to be arrayed in royal +vestments, and had it proclaimed before them, as they rode through the +city: "These two are man and wife. He that toucheth this man or his +wife shall surely be put to death." + +Thereafter the king invited Isaac to settle in his domains, and he +assigned fields and vineyards to him for cultivation, the best the land +afforded.[59] But Isaac was not self-interested. The tithe of all he +possessed he gave to the poor of Gerar. Thus he was the first to +introduce the law of tithing for the poor, as his father Abraham had +been the first to separate the priests' portion from his fortune.[60] +Isaac was rewarded by abundant harvests; the land yielded a hundred +times more than was expected, though the soil was barren and the year +unfruitful. He grew so rich that people wished to have "the dung from +Isaac's she-mules rather than Abimelech's gold and silver."[61] But his +wealth called forth the envy of the Philistines, for it is +characteristic of the wicked that they begrudge their fellow-men the +good, and rejoice when they see evil descend upon them, and envy brings +hatred in its wake, and so the Philistines first envied Isaac, and then +hated him. In their enmity toward him, they stopped the wells which +Abraham had had his servants dig. Thus they broke their covenant with +Abraham and were faithless, and they have only themselves to blame if +they were exterminated later on by the Israelites. + +Isaac departed from Gerar, and began to dig again the wells of water +which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father, and which the +Philistines had stopped. His reverence for his father was so great that +he even restored the names by which Abraham had called the wells. To +reward him for his filial respect, the Lord left the name of Isaac +unchanged, while his father and his son had to submit to new names.[62] + +After four attempts to secure water, Isaac was successful; he found the +well of water that followed the Patriarchs. Abraham had obtained it +after three diggings. Hence the name of the well, Beer-sheba, "the well +of seven diggings," the same well that will supply water to Jerusalem +and its environs in the Messianic time.[63] + +Isaac's success with his wells but served to increase the envy of the +Philistines, for he had come upon water in a most unlikely spot and, +besides, in a year of drouth. But "the Lord fulfils the desire of them +that fear Him." As Isaac executed the will of his Creator, so God +accomplished his desire.[64] And Abimelech, the king of Gerar, speedily +came to see that God was on the side of Isaac, for, to chastise him for +having instigated Isaac's removal from Gerar, his house was ravaged by +robbers in the night, and he himself was stricken with leprosy.[65] The +wells of the Philistines ran dry as soon as Isaac left Gerar, and also +the trees failed to yield their fruit. None could be in doubt but that +these things were the castigation for their unkindness. + +Now Abimelech entreated his friends, especially the administrator of +his kingdom, to accompany him to Isaac and help him win back his +friendship.[66] Abimelech and the Philistines spake thus to Isaac: "We +have convinced ourselves that the Shekinah is with thee, and therefore +we desire thee to renew the covenant which thy father made with us, +that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we also did not touch thee." Isaac +consented. It illustrates the character of the Philistines strikingly +that they took credit unto themselves for having done him no hurt. It +shows that they would have been glad to inflict harm upon him, for "the +soul of the wicked desireth evil." + +The place in which the covenant was made between Isaac and the +Philistines was called Shib'ah, for two reasons, because an oath was +"sworn" there, and as a memorial of the fact that even the heathen are +bound to observe the "seven" Noachian laws.[67] + +For all the wonders executed by God for Isaac, and all the good he +enjoyed throughout his life, he is indebted to the merits of his +father. For his own merits he will be rewarded in future.[68] On the +great day of judgment it will be Isaac who will redeem his descendants +from Gehenna. On that day the Lord will speak to Abraham, "Thy children +have sinned," and Abraham will make reply, "Then let them be wiped out, +that Thy Name be sanctified." The Lord will turn to Jacob, thinking +that he who had suffered so much in bringing his sons to manhood's +estate would display more love for his posterity. But Jacob will give +the same answer as Abraham. Then God will say: "The old have no +understanding, and the young no counsel. I will now go to Isaac. +Isaac," God will address him, "thy children have sinned," and Isaac +will reply: "O Lord of the world, sayest Thou my children, and not +THINE? When they stood at Mount Sinai and declared themselves ready to +execute all Thy bidding before even they heard it, Thou didst call +Israel 'My first-born,' and now they are MY children, and not THINE! +Let us consider. The years of a man are seventy. From these twenty are +to be deducted, for Thou inflictest no punishment upon those under +twenty. Of the fifty years that are left, one-half are to be deducted +for the nights passed in sleep. There remain only twenty-five years, +and these are to be diminished by twelve and a half, the time spent in +praying, eating, and attending to other needs in life, during which men +commit no sins. That leaves only twelve years and a half. If Thou wilt +take these upon Thyself, well and good. If not, do Thou take one-half +thereof, and I will take the other half." The descendants of Isaac will +then say, "Verily, thou art our true father!" But he will point to God, +and admonish them, "Nay, give not your praises to me, but to God +alone," and Israel, with eyes directed heavenward, will say, "Thou, O +Lord, art our Father; our Redeemer from everlasting is Thy name."[69] + +It was Isaac, or, as he is sometimes called, Elihu the son of Barachel, +who revealed the wonderful mysteries of nature in his arguments with +Job.[70] + +At the end of the years of famine, God appeared unto Isaac, and bade +him return to Canaan. Isaac did as he was commanded, and he settled in +Hebron. At this time he sent his younger son Jacob to the Bet +ha-Midrash of Shem and Eber, to study the law of the Lord. Jacob +remained there thirty-two years. As for Esau, he refused to learn, and +he remained in the house of his father. The chase was his only +occupation, and as he pursued beasts, so he pursued men, seeking to +capture them with cunning and deceit. + +On one of his hunting expeditions, Esau came to Mount Seir, where he +became acquainted with Judith, of the family of Ham, and he took her +unto himself as his wife, and brought her to his father at Hebron. + +Ten years later, when Shem his teacher died, Jacob returned home, at +the age of fifty. Another six years passed, and Rebekah received the +joyful news that her sister-in-law 'Adinah, the wife of Laban, who, +like all the women of his house, had been childless until then, had +given birth to twin daughters, Leah and Rachel.[71] Rebekah, weary of +her life on account of the woman chosen by her older son, exhorted +Jacob not to marry one of the daughters of Canaan, but a maiden of the +family of Abraham. He assured his mother that the words of Abraham, +bidding him to marry no woman of the Canaanites, were graven upon his +memory, and for this reason he was still unmarried, though he had +attained the age of sixty-two, and Esau had been urging him for +twenty-two years past to follow his example and wed a daughter of the +people of the land in which they lived. He had heard that his uncle +Laban had daughters, and he was resolved to choose one of them as his +wife. Deeply moved by the words of her son, Rebekah thanked him and +gave praise unto God with the words: "Blessed be the Lord God, and may +His Holy Name be blessed for ever and ever, who hath given me Jacob as +a pure son and a holy seed; for he is Thine, and Thine shall his seed +be continually and throughout all the generations for evermore. Bless +him, O Lord, and place in my mouth the blessing of righteousness, that +I may bless him." + +And when the spirit of the Lord came over her, she laid her hands upon +the head of Jacob and gave him her maternal blessing. It ended with the +words, "May the Lord of the world love thee, as the heart of thy +affectionate mother rejoices in thee, and may He bless thee."[72] + +ISAAC BLESSES JACOB + +Esau's marriage with the daughters of the Canaanites was an abomination +not only in the eyes of his mother, but also in the eyes of his father. +He suffered even more than Rebekah through the idolatrous practices of +his daughters in-law. It is the nature of man to oppose less resistance +than woman to disagreeable circumstances. A bone is not harmed by a +collision that would shiver an earthen pot in pieces. Man, who is +created out of the dust of the ground, has not the endurance of woman +formed out of bone. Isaac was made prematurely old by the conduct of +his daughters-in-law, and he lost the sight of his eyes. Rebekah had +been accustomed in the home of her childhood to the incense burnt +before idols, and she could therefore bear it under her own roof-tree. +Unlike her, Isaac had never had any such experience while he abode with +his parents, and he was stung by the smoke arising from the sacrifices +offered to their idols by his daughters-in-law in his own house.[73] +Isaac's eyes had suffered earlier in life, too. When he lay bound upon +the altar, about to be sacrificed by his father, the angels wept, and +their tears fell upon his eyes, and there they remained and weakened +his sight. + +At the same time he had brought the scourge of blindness down upon +himself by his love for Esau. He justified the wicked for a bribe, the +bribe of Esau's filial love, and loss of vision is the punishment that +follows the taking of bribes. "A gift," it is said, "blinds the eyes of +the wise." + +Nevertheless his blindness proved a benefit for Isaac as well as Jacob. +In consequence of his physical ailments, Isaac had to keep at home, and +so he was spared the pain of being pointed out by the people as the +father of the wicked Esau.[74] And, again, if his power of vision had +been unimpaired, he would not have blessed Jacob. As it was, God +treated him as a physician treats a sick man who is forbidden to drink +wine, for which, however, he has a strong desire. To placate him, the +physician orders that warm water be given him in the dark, and he be +told that it is wine.[75] + +When Isaac reached the age of one hundred and twenty three, and was +thus approaching the years attained by his mother, he began to meditate +upon his end. It is proper that a man should prepare for death when he +comes close to the age at which either of his parents passed out of +life. Isaac reflected that he did not know whether the age allotted to +him was his mother's or his father's, and he therefore resolved to +bestow his blessing upon his older son, Esau, before death should +overtake him.[76] He summoned Esau, and he said, "My son," and Esau +replied, "Here am I," but the holy spirit interposed: "Though he +disguises his voice and makes it sound sweet, put no confidence in him. +There are seven abominations in his heart. He will destroy seven holy +places—the Tabernacle, the sanctuaries at Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob, and +Gibeon, and the first and the second Temple." + +Gently though Esau continued to speak to his father, he yet longed for +his end to come.[77] But Isaac was stricken with spiritual as well as +physical blindness. The holy spirit deserted him, and he could not +discern the wickedness of his older son. He bade him sharpen his +slaughtering knives and beware of bringing him the flesh of an animal +that had died of itself, or had been torn by a beast, and he was to +guard also against putting an animal before Isaac that had been stolen +from its rightful owner. "Then," continued Isaac, "will I bless him who +is worthy of being blessed."[78] + +This charge was laid upon Esau on the eve of the Passover, and Isaac +said to him: "To-night the whole world will sing the Hallel unto God. +It is the night when the storehouses of dew are unlocked. Therefore +prepare dainties for me, that my soul may bless thee before I die." But +the holy spirit interposed, "Eat not the bread of him that hath an evil +eye."[79] Isaac's longing for tidbits was due to his blindness. As the +sightless cannot behold the food they eat, they do not enjoy it with +full relish, and their appetite must be tempted with particularly +palatable morsels. + +Esau sallied forth to procure what his father desired, little recking +the whence or how, whether by robbery or theft.[80] To hinder the quick +execution of his father's order, God sent Satan on the chase with Esau. +He was to delay him as long as possible. Esau would catch a deer and +leave him lying bound, while he pursued other game. Immediately Satan +would come and liberate the deer, and when Esau returned to the spot, +his victim was not to be found. This was repeated several times. Again +and again the quarry was run down, and bound, and liberated, so that +Jacob was able meanwhile to carry out the plan of Rebekah whereby he +would be blessed instead of Esau. + +Though Rebekah had not heard the words that had passed between Isaac +and Esau, they nevertheless were revealed to her through the holy +spirit,[81] and she resolved to restrain her husband from taking a +false step. She was not actuated by love for Jacob, but by the wish of +keeping Isaac from committing a detestable act.[82] Rebekah said to +Jacob: "This night the storehouses of dew are unlocked; it is the night +during which the celestial beings chant the Hallel unto God, the night +set apart for the deliverance of thy children from Egypt, on which +they, too, will sing the Hallel. Go now and prepare savory meat for thy +father, that he may bless thee before his death.[83] Do as I bid thee, +obey me as thou art wont, for thou art my son whose children, every +one, will be good and God-fearing—not one shall be graceless." + +In spite of his great respect for his mother,[84] Jacob refused at +first to heed her command. He feared he might commit a sin,[85] +especially as he might thus bring his father's curse down upon him. As +it was, Isaac might still have a blessing for him, after giving Esau +his. But Rebekah allayed his anxieties, with the words: "When Adam was +cursed, the malediction fell upon his mother, the earth, and so shall +I, thy mother, bear the imprecation, if thy father curses thee. +Moreover, if the worst comes to the worst, I am prepared to step before +thy father and tell him, 'Esau is a villain, and Jacob is a righteous +man.'" + +Thus constrained by his mother, Jacob, in tears and with body bowed, +went off to execute the plan made by Rebekah.[86] As he was to provide +a Passover meal, she bade him get two kids, one for the Passover +sacrifice and one for the festival sacrifice.[87] To soothe Jacob's +conscience, she added that her marriage contract entitled her to two +kids daily. "And," she continued, "these two kids will bring good unto +thee, the blessing of thy father, and they will bring good unto thy +children, for two kids will be the atoning sacrifice offered on the Day +of Atonement." + +Jacob's hesitation was not yet removed. His father, he feared, would +touch him and convince himself that he was not hairy, and therefore not +his son Esau. Accordingly, Rebekah tore the skins of the two kids into +strips and sewed them together, for Jacob was so tall a giant that +otherwise they would not have sufficed to cover his hands.[88] To make +Jacob's disguise complete, Rebekah felt justified in putting Esau's +wonderful garments on him. They were the high priestly raiment in which +God had clothed Adam, "the first-born of the world," for in the days +before the erection of the Tabernacle all the first-born males +officiated as priests. From Adam these garments descended to Noah, who +transmitted them to Shem, and Shem bequeathed them to Abraham, and +Abraham to his son Isaac, from whom they reached Esau as the older of +his two sons. It was the opinion of Rebekah that as Jacob had bought +the birthright from his brother, he had thereby come into possession of +the garments as well.[89] There was no need for her to go and fetch +them from the house of Esau. He knew his wives far too well to entrust +so precious a treasure to them; they were in the safe-keeping of his +mother. Besides, he used them most frequently in the house of his +parents. As a rule, he did not lay much stress upon decent apparel. He +was willing to appear on the street clad in rags, but he considered it +his duty to wait upon his father arrayed in his best. "My father," Esau +was in the habit of saying, "is a king in my sight, and it would ill +become me to serve before him in any thing but royal apparel." To the +great respect he manifested toward his father, the descendants of Esau +owe all their good fortune on earth. Thus doth God reward a good deed. + +Rebekah led Jacob equipped and arrayed in this way to the door of +Isaac's chamber. There she parted from him with the words, +"Henceforward may thy Creator assist thee."[90] Jacob entered, +addressing Isaac with "Father," and receiving the response, "Here am I! +Who art thou, my son?" he replied equivocally, "It is I, thy first-born +son is Esau." He sought to avoid a falsehood, and yet not betray that +he was Jacob.[91] Isaac then said: "Thou art greatly in haste to secure +thy blessing. Thy father Abraham was seventy-five years old when he was +blessed, and thou art but sixty-three." Jacob replied awkwardly, +"Because the Lord thy God sent me good speed." Isaac concluded at once +that this was not Esau, for he would not have mentioned the name of +God, and he made up his mind to feel the son before him and make sure +who he was. Terror seized upon Jacob at the words of Isaac, "Come near, +I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son." A cold sweat covered his +body, and his heart melted like wax. Then God caused the archangels +Michael and Gabriel to descend. The one seized his right hand, the +other his left hand, while the Lord God Himself supported him, that his +courage might not fail him. Isaac felt him, and, finding his hands +hairy, he said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands are the +hands of Esau," words in which he conveyed the prophecy that so long as +the voice of Jacob is heard in the houses of prayer and of learning, +the hands of Esau will not be able to prevail against him. "Yes," he +continued, "it is the voice of Jacob, the voice that imposes silence +upon those on earth and in heaven," for even the angels may not raise +their voices in praise of God until Israel has finished his prayers. + +Isaac's scruples about blessing the son before him were not yet +removed, for with his prophetical eye he foresaw that this one would +have descendants who would vex the Lord. At the same time, it was +revealed to him that even the sinners in Israel would turn penitents, +and then he was ready to bless Jacob. He bade him come near and kiss +him, to indicate that it would be Jacob who would imprint the last kiss +upon Isaac before he was consigned to the grave—he and none other. When +Jacob stood close to him, he discerned the fragrance of Paradise +clinging to him, and he exclaimed, "See, the smell of my son is as the +smell of the field which the Lord hath blessed."[92] + +The fragrance emanating from Jacob was not the only thing about him +derived from Paradise. The archangel Michael had fetched thence the +wine which Jacob gave his father to drink,[93] that an exalted mood +might descend upon him, for only when a man is joyously excited the +Shekinah rests upon him.[94] The holy spirit filled Isaac, and he gave +Jacob his tenfold blessing: "God give thee of the dew of heaven," the +celestial dew wherewith God will awaken the pious to new life in days +to come; "and of the fatness of the earth," the goods of this world; +"and plenty of corn and wine," the Torah and the commandments which +bestow the same joy upon man as abundant harvests;[95] "peoples shall +serve thee," the Japhethites and the Hamites; "nations shall bow down +to thee," the Shemite nations; "thou wilt be lord over thy brethren," +the Ishmaelites and the descendants of Keturah; "thy mother's sons will +bow down to thee," Esau and his princes; "cursed be every one that +curseth thee," like Balaam; "and blessed be every one that blesseth +thee," like Moses.[96] + +For each blessing invoked upon Jacob by his father Isaac, a similar +blessing was bestowed upon him by God Himself in the same words. As +Isaac blessed him with dew, so also God: "And the remnant of Jacob +shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew from the Lord." Isaac +blessed him with the fatness of the earth, so also God: "And he shall +give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the ground withal; and +bread of the increase of the ground, and it shall be fat and +plenteous." Isaac blessed him with plenty of corn and wine, so also +God: "I will send you corn and wine." Isaac said, "Peoples shall serve +thee," so also God: "Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their +queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their +faces to the earth, and lick the dust of thy feet." Isaac said, +"Nations shall bow down to thee," so also God: "And He will make thee +high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and +in honor." + +To this double blessing his mother Rebekah joined hers: "For He shall +give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They +shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy feet against a +stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; the young lion and the +serpent shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love +upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because +he hath known my name." + +The holy spirit added in turn: "He shall call upon me, and I will +answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and +honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my +salvation."[97] + +Jacob left the presence of his father crowned like a bridegroom, +adorned like a bride, and bathed in celestial dew, which filled his +bones with marrow, and transformed him into a hero and a giant.[98] + +Of a miracle done for him at that very moment Jacob himself was not +aware. Had he tarried with his father an instant longer, Esau would +have met him there, and would surely have slain him. It happened that +exactly as Jacob was on the point of leaving the tent of his father, +carrying in his hands the plates off which Isaac had eaten, he noticed +Esau approaching, and he concealed himself behind the door. +Fortunately, it was a revolving door, so that though he could see Esau, +he could not be seen by him. + +ESAU'S TRUE CHARACTER REVEALED + +Esau arrived after a delay of four hours.[99] In spite of all the +efforts he had put forth, he had not succeeded in catching any game, +and he was compelled to kill a dog and prepare its flesh for his +father's meal.[100] All this had made Esau ill-humored, and when he +bade his father partake of the meal, the invitation sounded harsh. "Let +my father arise," he said, "and eat of his son's venison." Jacob had +spoken differently; he had said, "Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat of my +venison." The words of Esau terrified Isaac greatly. His fright +exceeded that which he had felt when his father was about to offer him +as a sacrifice, and he cried out, "Who then is he that hath been the +mediator between me and the Lord, to make the blessing reach +Jacob?"—words meant to imply that he suspected Rebekah of having +instigated Jacob's act. + +Isaac's alarm was caused by his seeing hell at the feet of Esau. +Scarcely had he entered the house when the walls thereof began to get +hot on account of the nearness of hell, which he brought along with +him. Isaac could not but exclaim, "Who will be burnt down yonder, I or +my son Jacob?" and the Lord answered him, "Neither thou nor Jacob, but +the hunter." + +Isaac told Esau that the meat set before him by Jacob had had +marvellous qualities. Any savor that one desired it possessed, it was +even endowed with the taste of the food that God will grant the pious +in the world to come. "I know not," he said, "what the meat was. But I +had only to wish for bread, and it tasted like bread, or fish, or +locusts, or flesh of animals, in short, it had the taste of any dainty +one could wish for." When Esau heard the word "flesh," he began to +weep, and he said: "To me Jacob gave no more than a dish of lentils, +and in payment for it he took my birthright. What must he have taken +from thee for flesh of animals?" Hitherto Isaac had been in great +anguish on account of the thought that he had committed a wrong in +giving his blessing to his younger son instead of the first-born, to +whom it belonged by law and custom. But when he heard that Jacob had +acquired the birthright from Esau, he said, "I gave my blessing to the +right one!" + +In his dismay, Isaac had had the intention of cursing Jacob for having +wrested the blessing from him through cunning. God prevented him from +carrying out his plan. He reminded him that he would but curse himself, +seeing that his blessing contained the words, "Cursed be every one that +curseth thee." But Isaac was not willing to acknowledge his blessing +valid as applied to Jacob, until he was informed that his second son +was the possessor of the birthright. Only then did he say, "Yea, he +shall be blessed," whereat Esau cried with an exceeding great and +bitter cry. By way of punishment for having been the cause of such +distress, a descendant of Jacob, Mordecai, was also made to cry with a +loud and bitter cry, and his grief was brought forth by the Amalekite +Haman, the descendant of Esau. At the words of Isaac, "Thy brother came +with wisdom, and hath taken away thy blessing," Esau spat out in +vexation, and said, "He took away my birthright, and I kept silence, +and now that he takes away my blessing, should I also keep +silence?[101] Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath supplanted me +these two times."[102] + +Isaac continued to speak to Esau: "Behold, I have made him thy lord, he +is thy king, and do what thou wilt, thy blessings will still belong to +him; all his brethren have I given to him for slaves, and what slaves +possess belongs to their owner. There is nothing for it, thou must be +content that thou wilt receive thy bread baked from thy master." The +Lord took it ill of Isaac that he cheered him with such kind words. "To +Mine enemy," He reproached him, "thou sayest, 'What shall I do for +thee, my son?'" Isaac replied, "O that he might find grace with Thee!" +God: "He is a recreant." Isaac: "Doth he not act righteously when he +honors his parents?" God: "In the land of uprightness will he deal +wrongfully, he will stretch his hand forth in days to come against the +Temple." Isaac: "Then let him enjoy much good in this world, that he +may not behold the abiding-place of the Lord in the world to +come."[103] + +When it became plain to Esau that he could not induce his father to +annul the blessing bestowed upon Jacob, he tried to force a blessing +for himself by an underhand trick. He said: "Hast thou but one +blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father, else it will +be said thou hast but one blessing to bestow. Suppose both Jacob and I +had been righteous men, had not then thy God had two blessings, one for +each?" The Lord Himself made reply: "Silence! Jacob will bless the +twelve tribes, and each blessing will be different from every other." +But Isaac felt great pity for his older son, and he wanted to bless +him, but the Shekinah forsook him, and he could not carry out what he +purposed. Thereupon Esau began to weep. He shed three tears—one ran +from his right eye, the second from his left eye, and the third +remained hanging from his eyelash. God said, "This villain cries for +his very life, and should I let him depart empty-handed?" and then He +bade Isaac bless his older son.[104] + +The blessing of Isaac ran thus: "Behold, of the fat of the earth shall +be thy dwelling," by which he meant Greater Greece, in Italy; "and of +the dew of heaven from above," referring to Bet-Gubrin; "and by thy +sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt serve thy brother," but when he +casts off the yoke of the Lord, then shalt thou "shake his yoke from +off thy neck," and thou wilt be his master.[105] + +The blessing which Isaac gave to his older son was bound to no +condition whatsoever. Whether he deserved them or not, Esau was to +enjoy the goods of this world. Jacob's blessing, however, depended upon +his pious deeds; through them he would have a just claim upon earthly +prosperity. Isaac thought: "Jacob is a righteous man, he will not +murmur against God, though it should come to pass that suffering be +inflicted upon him in spite of his upright life. But that reprobate +Esau, if he should do a good deed, or pray to God and not be heard, he +would say, 'As I pray to the idols for naught, so it is in vain to pray +to God.'" For this reason did Isaac bestow an unconditional blessing +upon Esau.[106] + +JACOB LEAVES HIS FATHER'S HOUSE + +Esau hated his brother Jacob on account of the blessing that his father +had given him, and Jacob was very much afraid of his brother Esau, and +he fled to the house of Eber, the son of Shem, and he concealed himself +there fourteen years on account of his brother Esau, and he continued +there to learn the ways of the Lord and His commandments. When Esau saw +that Jacob had fled and escaped from him, and Jacob had cunningly +obtained the blessing, then Esau grieved exceedingly, and he was also +vexed at his father and mother. He also rose up and took his wife, and +went away from his father and mother to the land of Seir. There he +married his second wife, Basemath, the daughter of Elon the Hittite, +and he called her name Adah, saying that the blessing had in that time +passed from him. After dwelling in Seir for six months, Esau returned +to the land of Canaan, and placed his two wives in his father's house +in Hebron. And the wives of Esau vexed and provoked Isaac and Rebekah +with their works, for they walked not in the ways of the Lord, but +served their fathers' gods of wood and stone, as their fathers had +taught them, and they were more wicked than their fathers. They +sacrificed and burnt incense to the Baalim, and Isaac and Rebekah +became weary of them. And at the end of fourteen years of Jacob's +residing in the house of Eber, Jacob desired to see his father and his +mother, and he returned home. Esau had forgotten in those days what +Jacob had done to him, in having taken the blessing from him, but when +Esau saw Jacob returning to his parents, he remembered what Jacob had +done to him, and he was greatly incensed against him, and he sought to +slay him.[107] + +But Esau would not kill Jacob while his father was yet alive, lest +Isaac beget another son. He wanted to be sure of being the only +heir.[108] However, his hatred against Jacob was so great that he +determined to hasten the death of his father and then dispatch Jacob. +Such murderous plans Esau cherished in his heart, though he denied that +he was harboring them. But God spoke, "Probably thou knowest not that I +examine the hearts of men, for I am the Lord that searcheth the heart." +And not God alone knew the secret desires of Esau. Rebekah, like all +the Mothers, was a prophetess, and she delayed not to warn Jacob of the +danger that hung over him. "Thy brother," she said to him, "is as sure +of accomplishing his wicked purpose as though thou wert dead. Now +therefore, my son, obey my voice, and arise, flee thou to Laban my +brother, to Haran, and tarry with him for seven years, until thy +brother's fury turn away." In the goodness of her heart, Rebekah could +not but believe that the anger of Esau was only a fleeting passion, and +would disappear in the course of time. But she was mistaken, his hate +persisted until the end of his life.[109] + +Courageous as he was, Jacob would not run away from danger. He said to +his mother, "I am not afraid; if he wishes to kill me, I will kill +him," to which she replied, "Let me not be bereaved of both my sons in +one day."[110] By words Rebekah again showed her prophetic gift. As she +spoke, so it happened—when their time came, Esau was slain while the +burial of Jacob was taking place.[111] + +And Jacob said to Rebekah: "Behold, thou knowest that my father has +become old and does not see, and if I leave him and go away, he will be +angry and will curse me. I will not go; if he sends me, only then will +I go."[112] + +Accordingly, Rebekah went to Isaac, and amid tears she spoke to him +thus: "If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, what good shall +my life do me?"[113] And Isaac called Jacob, and charged him, and said +unto him: "Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, for +thus did our father Abraham command us according to the word of the +Lord, which He had commanded him, saying, 'Unto thy seed will I give +the land; if thy children keep My covenant that I have made with thee, +then will I also perform to thy children that which I have spoken unto +thee, and I will not forsake them.' Now therefore, my son, hearken to +my voice, to all that I shall command thee, and refrain from taking a +wife from amongst the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Haran, to the +house of Bethuel, thy mother's father, and take thee a wife from thence +of the daughters of Laban, thy mother's brother. Take heed lest thou +shouldst forget the Lord thy God and all His ways in the land to which +thou goest, and shouldst join thyself to the people of the land, and +pursue vanity, and forsake the Lord thy God. But when thou comest to +the land, serve the Lord. Do not turn to the right or to the left from +the way which I commanded thee, and which thou didst learn. And may the +Almighty God grant thee favor before the people of the land, that thou +mayest take a wife there according to thy choice, one who is good and +upright in the way of the Lord. And may God give unto thee and thy seed +the blessing of thy father Abraham and make thee fruitful and multiply +thee, and mayest thou become a multitude of people in the land whither +thou goest, and may God cause thee to return to thy land, the land of +thy father's dwelling, with children and with great riches, with joy +and with pleasure."[114] + +As the value of a document is attested by its concluding words, the +signature of the witnesses, so Isaac confirmed the blessing he had +bestowed upon Jacob.[116] That none might say Jacob had secured it by +intrigue and cunning, he blessed him again with three blessings, in +these words, "In so far as I am endowed with the power of blessing, I +bestow blessing upon thee. May God, with whom there is endless +blessing, give thee His, and also the blessing wherewith Abraham +desired to bless me, desisting only in order not to provoke the +jealousy of Ishmael."[116] + +Seeing with his prophetic eye that the seed of Jacob would once be +compelled to go into exile, Isaac offered up one more petition, that +God would bring the exiles back again. He said, "He shall deliver thee +in six troubles, and in the seventh there shall no evil touch thee." +And also Rebekah prayed to God in behalf of Jacob: "O Lord of the +world, let not the purpose prosper which Esau harbors against Jacob. +Put a bridle upon him, that he accomplish not all he wills to do."[117] + +When Esau observed that even his father's love had passed from him to +Jacob, he went away, to Ishmael, and he addressed him as follows: "Lo, +as thy father gave all his possessions to thy brother Isaac, and +dismissed thee with empty hands, so my father purposeth to do to me. +Make thyself ready then, go forth and slay thy brother, and I will slay +mine, and then we two shall divide the whole world between us." And +Ishmael replied: "Why dost thou want me to slay thy father? thou canst +do it thyself." Esau said: "It hath happened aforetime that a man +killed his brother—Cain murdered Abel. But that a son should kill his +father is unheard of." + +Esau did not really shrink back from parricide, only it chanced not to +fit the plan he had hatched. "If Ishmael slays my father," he said to +himself, "I am the rightful redeemer, and I shall kill Ishmael to +avenge my father, and if, then, I murder Jacob, too, everything will +belong to me, as the heir of my father and my uncle."[118] This shows +that Esau's marriage with Mahalath, the daughter of Ishmael and +grandchild of Abraham, was not concluded out of regard for his parents, +who were opposed to his two other wives, daughters of the Canaanites. +All he desired was to enter into amicable relations with Ishmael in +order to execute his devilish plan.[119] + +But Esau reckoned without his host. The night before his wedding with +Mahalath Ishmael died, and Nebaioth, the son of Ishmael, stepped into +his father's place, and gave away his sister.[120] How little it had +been in Esau's mind to make his parents happy by taking a granddaughter +of Abraham to wife, appears from the fact that he kept his two other +wives, the Canaanitish women. The daughter of Ishmael followed the +example of her companions, and thus she but added to the grief caused +the parents of Esau by their daughters-in-law.[121] And the opportunity +might have been a most favorable one for Esau to turn aside from his +godless ways and amend his conduct, for the bridegroom is pardoned on +his wedding day for all his sins committed in years gone by.[122] + +Scarcely had Jacob left his father's house, when Rebekah began to weep, +for she was sorely distressed about him. Isaac comforted her, saying: +"Weep not for Jacob! In peace doth he depart, and in peace will he +return. The Lord, God Most High, will guard him against all evil and be +with him. He will not forsake him all the days of his life. Have no +fear for him, for he walketh on the right path, he is a perfect man, +and he hath faith in God—he will not perish."[123] + +JACOB PURSUED BY ELIPHAZ AND ESAU + +When Jacob went away to go to Haran, Esau called his son Eliphaz, and +secretly spoke unto him, saying: "Now hasten, take thy sword in thy +hand and pursue Jacob, and pass before him in the road, and lurk for +him and slay him with thy sword in one of the mountains, and take all +belonging unto him, and come back." And Eliphaz was dexterous and +expert with the bow, as his father had taught him, and he was a noted +hunter in the field and a valiant man. And Eliphaz did as his father +had commanded him. And Eliphaz was at that time thirteen years old, and +he arose and went and took ten of his mother's brothers with him, and +pursued Jacob. And he followed Jacob closely, and when he overtook him, +he lay in ambush for him on the borders of the land of Canaan, opposite +to the city of Shechem. And Jacob saw Eliphaz and his men pursuing +after him, and Jacob stood in the place in which he was going in order +to know what it was, for he did not understand their purpose. Eliphaz +drew his sword and went on advancing, he and his men, toward Jacob, and +Jacob said unto them, "Wherefore have you come hither, and why do you +pursue with your swords?" Eliphaz came near to Jacob, and answered as +follows, "Thus did my father command me, and now therefore I will not +deviate from the orders which my father gave me." And when Jacob saw +that Esau had impressed his command urgently upon Eliphaz, he +approached and supplicated Eliphaz and his men, saying, "Behold, all +that I have, and that which my father and mother gave unto me, that +take unto thee and go from me, and do not slay me, and may this thing +that thou wilt do with me be accounted unto thee as righteousness." And +the Lord caused Jacob to find favor in the sight of Eliphaz and his +men, and they hearkened to the voice of Jacob, and they did not put him +to death, but took all his belongings, together with the silver and +gold that he had brought with him from Beer-sheba. They left him +nothing. When Eliphaz and his men returned to Esau, and told him all +that had happened to them with Jacob, he was wroth with his son Eliphaz +and with his men, because they had not put Jacob to death. And they +answered, and said unto Esau, "Because Jacob supplicated us in this +matter, not to slay him, our pity was moved toward him, and we took all +belonging to him, and we came back." Esau then took all the silver and +gold which Eliphaz had taken from Jacob, and he put them by in his +house.[124] + +Nevertheless Esau did not give up the hope of intercepting Jacob on his +flight and slaying him. He pursued him, and with his men occupied the +road along which he had to journey to Haran. There a great miracle +happened to Jacob. When he observed what Esau's intention was, he +turned off toward the Jordan river, and, with eyes directed to God, he +cleft the waters with his wanderer's staff, and succeeded in crossing +to the other side. But Esau was not to be deterred. He kept up the +pursuit, and reached the hot springs at Baarus before his brother, who +had to pass by there. Jacob, not knowing that Esau was on the watch for +him, decided to bathe in the spring, saying, "I have neither bread nor +other things needful, so I will at least warm my body in the waters of +the well." While he was in the bath, Esau occupied every exit, and +Jacob would surely have perished in the hot water, if the Lord had not +caused a miracle to come to pass. A new opening formed of itself, and +through it Jacob escaped. Thus were fulfilled the words, "When thou +passest through the waters, I will be with thee; when thou walkest +through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt," for Jacob was saved from +the waters of the Jordan and from the fire of the hot spring. + +At the same time with Jacob, a rider, leaving his horse and his clothes +on the shore, had stepped into the river to cool off, but he was +overwhelmed by the waves, and he met his death. Jacob put on the dead +man's clothes, mounted his horse, and went off. It was a lucky chance, +for Eliphaz had stripped him of everything, even his clothes, and the +miracle of the river had happened only that he might not be forced to +appear naked among men.[125] + +Though Jacob was robbed of all his possessions, his courage did not +fail him. He said: "Should I lose hope in my Creator? I set my eyes +upon the merits of my fathers. For the sake of them the Lord will give +me His aid." And God said: "Jacob, thou puttest thy trust in the merits +of thy fathers, therefore I will not suffer thy foot to be moved; He +that keepeth thee will not slumber. Yea, still more! While a keeper +watcheth only by day as a rule, and sleepeth by night, I will guard +thee day and night, for, behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither +slumber nor sleep. The Lord will keep thee from all evil, from Esau as +well as Laban; He will keep thy soul, that the Angel of Death do thee +no hurt; He will keep thy going out and thy coming in, He will support +thee now thou art leaving Canaan, and when thou returnest to +Canaan."[126] + +Jacob was reluctant to leave the Holy Land before he received direct +permission from God. "My parents," he reflected, "bade me go forth and +sojourn outside of the land, but who knows whether it be the will of +God that I do as they say, and beget children outside of the Holy +Land?"[127] Accordingly, he betook himself to Beer-sheba. There, where +the Lord had given permission to Isaac to depart from Canaan and go to +Philistia, he would learn the will of the Lord concerning himself. + +He did not follow the example of his father and grandfather and take +refuge with Abimelech, because he feared the king might force also him +into a covenant, and make it impossible for his descendants of many +generations to take possession of the Philistine land. Nor could he +stay at home, because of his fear that Esau might wrest the birthright +and the blessing from him, and to that he would not and could not +agree.[128] He was as little disposed to take up the combat with Esau, +for he knew the truth of the maxim, "He who courts danger will be +overcome by it; he who avoids danger will overcome it." Both Abraham +and Isaac had lived according to this rule. His grandfather had fled +from Nimrod, and his father had gone away from the Philistines.[129] + +THE DAY OF MIRACLES + +Jacob's journey to Haran was a succession of miracles. The first of the +five that befell for his sake in the course of it was that the sun sank +while Jacob was passing Mount Moriah, though it was high noon at the +time. He was following the spring that appeared wherever the Patriarchs +went or settled. It accompanied Jacob from Beer-sheba to Mount Moriah, +a two days' journey. When he arrived at the holy hill, the Lord said to +him: "Jacob, thou hast bread in thy wallet, and the spring of waters is +near by to quench thy thirst. Thus thou hast food and drink, and here +thou canst lodge for the night." But Jacob replied: "The sun has barely +passed the fifth of its twelve day stages, why should I lie down to +sleep at so unseemly an hour?" But then Jacob perceived that the sun +was about to sink, and he prepared to make ready his bed.[130] It was +the Divine purpose not to let Jacob pass the site of the future Temple +without stopping; he was to tarry there at least one night. Also, God +desired to appear unto Jacob, and He shows Himself unto His faithful +ones only at night.[131] At the same time Jacob was saved from the +pursuit of Esau, who had to desist on account of the premature +darkness.[132] + +Jacob took twelve stones from the altar on which his father Isaac had +lain bound as a sacrifice, and he said: "It was the purpose of God to +let twelve tribes arise, but they have not been begotten by Abraham or +Isaac. If, now, these twelve stones will unite into a single one, then +shall I know for a certainty that I am destined to become the father of +the twelve tribes." At this time the second miracle came to pass, the +twelve stones joined themselves together and made one, which he put +under his head, and at once it became soft and downy like a pillow. It +was well that he had a comfortable couch. He was in great need of rest, +for it was the first night in fourteen years that he did not keep +vigils. During all those years, passed in Eber's house of learning, he +had devoted the nights to study. And for twenty years to come he was +not to sleep, for while he was with his uncle Laban, he spent all the +night and every night reciting the Psalms.[133] + +On the whole it was a night of marvels. He dreamed a dream in which the +course of the world's history was unfolded to him. On a ladder set up +on the earth, with the top of it reaching to heaven, he beheld the two +angels who had been sent to Sodom. For one hundred and thirty-eight +years they had been banished from the celestial regions, because they +had betrayed their secret mission to Lot. They had accompanied Jacob +from his father's house thither, and now they were ascending +heavenward. When they arrived there, he heard them call the other +angels, and say, "Come ye and see the countenance of the pious Jacob, +whose likeness appears on the Divine throne, ye who yearned long to see +it," and then he beheld the angels descend from heaven to gaze upon +him.[134] He also saw the angels of the four kingdoms ascending the +ladder. The angel of Babylon mounted seventy rounds, the angel of +Media, fifty-two, that of Greece, one hundred and eighty, and that of +Edom mounted very high, saying, "I will ascend above the heights of the +clouds, I will be like the Most High," and Jacob heard a voice +remonstrating, "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the +uttermost parts of the pit." God Himself reproved Edom, saying, "Though +thou mount on high as the eagle, and though thy nest be set among the +stars, I will bring thee down from thence."[135] + +Furthermore, God showed unto Jacob the revelation at Mount Sinai, the +translation of Elijah, the Temple in its glory and in its spoliation, +Nebuchadnezzar's attempt to burn the three holy children in the fiery +furnace, and Daniel's encounter with Bel.[136] + +In this, the first prophetic dream dreamed by Jacob,[137] God made him +the promise that the land upon which he was lying would be given to +him, but the land he lay upon was the whole of Palestine, which God had +folded together and put under him. "And," the promise continued, "thy +seed will be like unto the dust of the earth. As the earth survives all +things, so thy children will survive all the nations of the earth. But +as the earth is trodden upon by all, so thy children, when they commit +trespasses, will be trodden upon by the nations of the earth."[138] +And, furthermore, God promised that Jacob should spread out to the west +and to the east, a greater promise than that given to his fathers +Abraham and Isaac, to whom He had allotted a limited land. Jacob's was +an unbounded possession.[139] + +From this wondrous dream Jacob awoke with a start of fright, on account +of the vision he had had of the destruction of the Temple.[140] He +cried out, "How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the +house of God, wherein is the gate of heaven through which prayer +ascends to Him." He took the stone made out of the twelve, and set it +up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it, which had flowed +down from heaven for him, and God sank this anointed stone unto the +abyss, to serve as the centre of the earth, the same stone, the Eben +Shetiyah,[141] that forms the centre of the sanctuary, whereon the +Ineffable Name is graven, the knowledge of which makes a man master +over nature, and over life and death.[142] + +Jacob cast himself down before the Eben Shetiyah, and entreated God to +fulfil the promise He had given him, and also he prayed that God grant +him honorable sustenance. For God had not mentioned bread to eat and +raiment to put on, that Jacob might learn to have faith in the Lord. +Then he vowed to give the tenth of all he owned unto God, if He would +but grant his petition. Thus Jacob was the first to take a vow upon +himself,[143] and the first, too, to separate the tithe from his +income.[144] + +God had promised him almost all that is desirable, but he feared he +might forfeit the pledged blessings through his sinfulness,[145] and +again he prayed earnestly that God bring him back to his father's house +unimpaired in body, possessions, and knowledge,[146] and guard him, in +the strange land whither he was going, against idolatry, an immoral +life, and bloodshed.[147] + +His prayer at an end, Jacob set out on his way to Haran, and the third +wonder happened. In the twinkling of an eye he arrived at his +destination. The earth jumped from Mount Moriah to Haran. A wonder like +this God has executed only four times in the whole course of +history.[148] + +The first thing to meet his eye in Haran was the well whence the +inhabitants drew their supply of water. Although it was a great city, +Haran suffered from dearth of water, and therefore the well could not +be used by the people free of charge. Jacob's sojourn in the city +produced a change. By reason of his meritorious deeds the water springs +were blessed, and the city had water enough for its needs. + +Jacob saw a number of people by the well, and he questioned them, "My +brethren, whence be ye?" He thus made himself a model for all to +follow. A man should be companionable, and address others like brothers +and friends, and not wait for them to greet him. Each one should strive +to be the first to give the salutation of peace, that the angels of +peace and compassion may come to meet him. When he was informed that +the by-standers hailed from Haran, he made inquiry about the character +and vocation of his uncle Laban, and whether they were on terms of +friendly intercourse with him. They answered briefly: "There is peace +between us, but if thou art desirous of inquiring further, here comes +Rachel the daughter of Laban. From her thou canst learn all thou hast a +mind to learn." They knew that women like to talk, wherefore they +referred him to Rachel.[149] + +Jacob found it strange that so many should be standing idle by the +well, and he questioned further: "Are you day laborers? then it is too +early for you to put by your work. But if you are pasturing your own +sheep, why do you not water your flocks and let them feed?"[150] They +told him they were waiting until all the shepherds brought their flocks +thither, and together rolled the stone from the mouth of the well. +While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with her father's +sheep, for Laban had no sons, and a pest having broken out shortly +before among his cattle, so few sheep were left that a maiden like +Rachel could easily tend them. Now, when Jacob saw the daughter of his +mother's brother approaching, he rolled the great stone from the mouth +of the well as easily as a cork is drawn from a bottle—the fourth +wonder of this extraordinary day. Jacob's strength was equal to the +strength of all the shepherds; with his two arms alone he accomplished +what usually requires the united forces of a large assemblage of men. +He had been divinely endowed with this supernatural strength on leaving +the Holy Land. God had caused the dew of the resurrection to drop down +upon him, and his physical strength was so great that even in a combat +with the angels he was victorious.[152] + +The fifth and last wonder of the day was that the water rose from the +depths of the well to the very top, there was no need to draw it up, +and there it remained all the twenty years that Jacob abode in +Haran.[153] + +JACOB WITH LABAN + +Rachel's coming to the well at the moment when Jacob reached the +territory belonging to Haran was an auspicious omen. To meet young +maidens on first entering a city is a sure sign that fortune is +favorable to one's undertakings. Experience proves this through +Eliezer, Jacob, Moses, and Saul. They all encountered maidens when they +approached a place new to them, and they all met with success.[154] + +Jacob treated Rachel at once as his cousin, which caused significant +whispering among the by-standers. They censured Jacob for his demeanor +toward her, for since God had sent the deluge upon the world, on +account of the immoral life led by men, great chastity had prevailed, +especially among the people of the east. The talk of the men reduced +Jacob to tears. Scarcely had he kissed Rachel when he began to weep, +for he repented of having done it. + +There was reason enough for tears. Jacob could not but remember sadly +that Eliezer, his grandfather's slave, had brought ten camels laden +with presents with him to Haran, when he came to sue for a bride for +Isaac, while he had not even a ring to give to Rachel. Moreover, he +foresaw that his favorite wife Rachel would not lie beside him in the +grave, and this, too, made him weep. + +As soon as Rachel heard that Jacob was her cousin, she ran home to tell +her father about his coming. Her mother was no longer among the living, +else she would naturally have gone to her. In great haste Laban ran to +receive Jacob. He reflected, if Eliezer, the bondman, had come with ten +camels, what would not the favorite son of the family bring with him, +and when he saw that Jacob was unattended, he concluded that he carried +great sums of money in his girdle, and he threw his arms about his +waist to find out whether his supposition was true. Disappointed in +this, he yet did not give up hope that his nephew Jacob was a man of +substance. Perhaps he concealed precious stones in his mouth, and he +kissed him in order to find out whether he had guessed aright. But +Jacob said to him: "Thou thinkest I have money. Nay, thou art mistaken, +I have but words."[155] Then he went on to tell him how it had come +about that he stood before him empty-handed. He said that his father +Isaac had sent him on his way provided with gold, silver, and money, +but he had encountered Eliphaz, who had threatened to slay him. To this +assailant Jacob had spoken thus: "Know that the descendants of Abraham +have an obligation to meet, they will have to serve four hundred years +in a land that is not theirs. If thou slayest me, then you, the seed of +Esau, will have to pay the debt. It were better, therefore, to take all +I have, and spare my life, so that what is owing may be paid by me. +Hence," Jacob continued, "I stand before thee bare of all the substance +carried off by Eliphaz."[156] + +This tale of his nephew's poverty filled Laban with dismay. "What," he +exclaimed, "shall I have to give food and drink for a month or, +perhaps, even a year to this fellow, who has come to me empty-handed!" +He betook himself to his teraphim, to ask them for counsel upon the +matter, and they admonished him, saying: "Beware of sending him away +from thy house. His star and his constellation are so lucky that good +fortune will attend all his undertakings, and for his sake the blessing +of the Lord will rest upon all thou doest, in thy house or in thy +field." + +Laban was satisfied with the advice of the teraphim, but he was +embarrassed as to the way in which he was to attach Jacob to his house. +He did not venture to offer him service, lest Jacob's conditions be +impossible of fulfilment. Again he resorted to the teraphim, and asked +them with what reward to tempt his nephew, and they replied: "A wife is +his wage; he will ask nothing else of thee but a wife. It is his nature +to be attracted by women, and whenever he threatens to leave thee, do +but offer him another wife, and he will not depart." + +Laban went back to Jacob, and said, "Tell me, what shall thy wages be?" +and he replied, "Thinkest thou I came hither to make money? I came only +to get me a wife,"[158] for Jacob had no sooner beheld Rachel than he +fell in love with her and made her a proposal of marriage. Rachel +consented, but added the warning: "My father is cunning, and thou art +not his match." Jacob: "I am his brother in cunning." Rachel: "But is +deception becoming unto the pious?" Jacob: "Yes, 'with the righteous +righteousness is seemly, and with the deceiver deception.' But," +continued Jacob, "tell me wherein he may deal cunningly with me." +Rachel: "I have an older sister, whom he desires to see married before +me, and he will try to palm her off on thee instead of me." To be +prepared for Laban's trickery, Jacob and Rachel agreed upon a sign by +which he would recognize her in the nuptial night.[159] + +Thus warned to be on his guard against Laban, Jacob worded his +agreement with him regarding his marriage to Rachel with such precision +that no room was left for distortion or guile. Jacob said: "I know that +the people of this place are knaves, therefore I desire to put the +matter very clearly to thee. I will serve thee seven years for Rachel, +hence not Leah; for thy daughter, that thou bringest me not some other +woman likewise named Rachel; for the younger daughter, that thou +exchangest not their names in the meantime." + +Nothing of all this availed: "It profits not if a villain is cast into +a sawmill"—neither force nor gentle words can circumvent a rascal. +Laban deceived not only Jacob, but also the guests whom he invited to +the wedding. + +THE MARRIAGE OF JACOB + +After Jacob had served Laban seven years, he said to his uncle: "The +Lord destined me to be the father of twelve tribes. I am now +eighty-four years old, and if I do not take thought of the matter now, +when can I?"[160] Thereupon Laban consented to let him have his +daughter Rachel to wife, and he was married forty-four years after his +brother Esau. The Lord often defers the happiness of the pious, while +He permits the wicked to enjoy the fulfilment of their desires +soon.[161] Esau, however, had purposely chosen his fortieth year for +his marriage; he had wanted to indicate that he was walking in the +footsteps of his father Isaac, who had likewise married at forty years +of age. Esau was like a swine that stretches out its feet when it lies +down, to show that it is cloven-footed like the clean animals, though +it is none the less one of the unclean animals. Until his fortieth year +Esau made a practice of violating the wives of other men, and then at +his marriage he acted as though he were following the example of his +pious father. Accordingly, the woman he married was of his own kind, +Judith, a daughter of Heth, for God said: "This one, who is designed +for stubble, to be burnt by fire, shall take unto wife one of a people +also destined for utter destruction." They, Esau and his wife, +illustrated the saying, "Not for naught does the raven consort with the +crow; they are birds of a feather."[162] + +Far different it was with Jacob. He married the two pious and lovely +sisters, Leah and Rachel, for Leah, like her younger sister, was +beautiful of countenance, form, and stature. She had but one defect, +her eyes were weak, and this malady she had brought down upon herself, +through her own action. Laban, who had two daughters, and Rebekah, his +sister, who had two sons, had agreed by letter, while their children +were still young, that the older son of the one was to marry the older +daughter of the other, and the younger son the younger daughter. When +Leah grew to maidenhood, and inquired about her future husband, all her +tidings spoke of his villainous character, and she wept over her fate +until her eyelashes dropped from their lids. But Rachel grew more and +more beautiful day by day, for all who spoke of Jacob praised and +extolled him, and "good tidings make the bones fat." + +In view of the agreement between Laban and Rebekah, Jacob refused to +marry the older daughter Leah. As it was, Esau was his mortal enemy, on +account of what had happened regarding the birthright and the paternal +blessing. If, now, Jacob married the maiden appointed for him, Esau +would never forgive his younger brother. Therefore Jacob resolved to +take to wife Rachel, the younger daughter of his uncle.[163] + +Laban was of another mind. He purposed to marry of his older daughter +first, for he knew that Jacob would consent to serve him a second +period of seven years for love of Rachel. On the day of the wedding he +assembled the inhabitants of Haran, and addressed them as follows: "Ye +know well that we used to suffer from lack of water, and as soon as +this pious man Jacob came to dwell among us, we had water in +abundance." "What hast thou in mind to do?" they asked Laban. He +replied: "If ye have naught to say against it, I will deceive him and +give him Leah to wife. He loves Rachel with an exceeding great love, +and for her sake he will tarry with us yet seven other years." "Do as +it pleaseth thee," his friends said. "Well, then," said Laban, "let +each one of you give me a pledge that ye will not betray my purpose." + +With the pledges they left with him, Laban bought wine, oil, and meat +for the wedding feast, and he set a meal before them which they had +themselves paid for. Because he deceived his fellow-citizens thus, +Laban is called Arami, "the deceiver." They feasted all day long, until +late at night, and when Jacob expressed his astonishment at the +attention shown him, they said to him: "Through thy piety thou didst a +great service of lovingkindness unto us, our supply of water was +increased unto abundance, and we desire to show our gratitude +therefor." And, indeed, they tried to give him a hint of Laban's +purpose. In the marriage ode which they sang they used the refrain +"Halia," in the hope that he would understand it as Ha Leah, "This is +Leah." But Jacob was unsuspicious and noticed nothing. + +When the bride was led into the nuptial chamber, the guests +extinguished all the candles, much to Jacob's amazement. But their +explanation satisfied him. "Thinkest thou," they said, "we have as +little sense of decency as thy countrymen?" Jacob therefore did not +discover the deception practiced upon him until morning. During the +night Leah responded whenever he called Rachel, for which he reproached +her bitterly when daylight came. "O thou deceiver, daughter of a +deceiver, why didst thou answer me when I called Rachel's name?" "Is +there a teacher without a pupil?" asked Leah, in return. "I but +profited by thy instruction. When thy father called thee Esau, didst +thou not say, Here am I?"[164] + +Jacob was greatly enraged against Laban, and he said to him: "Why didst +thou deal treacherously with me? Take back thy daughter, and let me +depart, seeing thou didst act wickedly toward me."[165] Laban pacified +him, however, saying, "It is not so done in our place, to give the +younger before the first-born," and Jacob agreed to serve yet seven +other years for Rachel, and after the seven days of the feast of Leah's +wedding were fulfilled, he married Rachel.[166] + +With Leah and Rachel, Jacob received the handmaids Zilpah and Bilhah, +two other daughters of Laban, whom his concubines had borne unto +him.[167] + +THE BIRTH OF JACOB'S CHILDREN + +The ways of God are not like unto the ways of men. A man clings close +to his friend while he has riches, and forsakes him when he falls into +poverty. But when God sees a mortal unsteady and faltering, He reaches +a hand out to him, and raises him up. Thus it happened with Leah. She +was hated by Jacob, and God visited her in mercy. Jacob's aversion to +Leah began the very morning after their wedding, when his wife taunted +him with not being wholly free from cunning and craft himself. Then God +said, "Help can come to Leah only if she gives birth to a child; then +the love of her husband will return to her."[168] God remembered the +tears she had shed when she prayed that her doom, chaining her to that +recreant Esau, be averted from her, and so wondrous are the uses of +prayer that Leah, besides turning aside the impending decree, was +permitted to marry Jacob before her sister and be the first to bear him +a child. There was another reason why the Lord was compassionately +inclined toward Leah. She had gotten herself talked about. The sailors +on the sea, the travellers along the highways, the women at their +looms, they all gossiped about Leah, saying, "She is not within what +her seeming is without. She appears to be pious, but if she were, she +would not have deceived her sister."[169] To put an end to all this +tattle, God granted her the distinction of bearing a son at the end of +seven months after her marriage. He was one of a pair of twins, the +other child being a daughter. So it was with eleven of the sons of +Jacob, all of them except Joseph were born twins with a girl, and the +twin sister and brother married later on.[170] Altogether it was an +extraordinary childbirth, for Leah was barren, not formed by nature to +bear children. + +She called her first-born son Reuben, which means "See the normal man," +for he was neither big nor little, neither dark nor fair, but exactly +normal.[171] In calling her oldest child Reuben, "See the son," Leah +indicated his future character. "Behold the difference," the name +implied, "between my first-born son and the first-born son of my father +in-law. Esau sold his birthright to Jacob of his own free will, and yet +he hated him. As for my first-born son, although his birthright was +taken from him without his consent, and given to Joseph, it was +nevertheless he who rescued Joseph from the hands of his +brethren."[172] + +Leah called her second son Shime'on, "Yonder is sin," for one of his +descendants was that Zimri who was guilty of vile trespasses with the +daughters of Moab.[173] + +The name of her third son, Levi, was given him by God Himself, not by +his mother. The Lord summoned him through the angel Gabriel, and +bestowed the name upon him as one who is "crowned" with the twenty-four +gifts that are the tribute due to the priests.[174] + +At the birth of her fourth son, Leah returned thanks to God for a +special reason. She knew that Jacob would beget twelve sons, and if +they were distributed equally among his four wives, each would bear +three. But now it appeared that she had one more than her due share, +and she called him Jehudah, "thanks unto God." She was thus the first +since the creation of the world to give thanks to God,[175] and her +example was followed by David and Daniel, the descendants of her son +Judah. + +When Rachel saw that her sister had borne Jacob four sons, she envied +Leah. Not that she begrudged her the good fortune she enjoyed, she only +envied her for her piety, saying to herself that it was to her +righteous conduct that she owed the blessing of many children.[176] +Then she besought Jacob: "Pray unto God for me, that He grant me +children, else my life is no life. Verily, there are four that may be +regarded as though they were dead, the blind, the leper, the childless, +and he who was once rich and has lost his fortune." Jacob's anger was +kindled against Rachel, and he said: "It were better thou shouldst +address thy petition to God, and not to me, for am I in God's stead, +who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?"[177] God was +displeased with this answer that Jacob made to his sad wife. He rebuked +him with the words: "Is it thus thou wouldst comfort a grief-stricken +heart? As thou livest, the day will come when thy children will stand +before the son of Rachel, and he will use the same words thou hast but +now used, saying, 'Am I in the place of the Lord?'" + +Rachel also made reply to Jacob, saying: "Did not thy father, too, +entreat God for thy mother with earnest words, beseeching Him to remove +her barrenness?" Jacob: "It is true, but Isaac had no children, and I +have several." Rachel: "Remember thy grandfather Abraham, thou canst +not deny that he had children when he supplicated God in behalf of +Sarah!" Jacob: "Wouldst thou do for me what Sarah did for my +grandfather?" Rachel: "Pray, what did she?" Jacob: "She herself brought +a rival into her house." Rachel: "If that is all that is necessary, I +am ready to follow the example of Sarah, and I pray that as she was +granted a child for having invited a rival, so may I be blessed, +too."[178] Thereupon Rachel gave Jacob Bilhah, her freed handmaid, to +wife, and she bore him a son, whom Rachel called Dan, saying, "As the +Lord was gracious unto me and gave me a son according to my petition, +so He will permit Samson, the descendant of Dan, to judge his people, +that it fall not into the hands of the Philistines."[179] Bilhah's +second son Rachel named Naphtali, saying, "Mine is the bond that binds +Jacob to this place, for it was for my sake that he came to Laban." At +the same time she wanted to convey by this name that the Torah, which +is as sweet as Nofet, "honeycomb," would be taught in the territory of +Naphtali.[180] And the name had still a third meaning: "As God hath +heard my fervent prayer for a son, so He will hearken unto the fervent +prayer of the Naphtalites when they are beset by their enemies."[181] + +Leah, seeing that she had left bearing, while Bilhah, her sister's +handmaid, bore Jacob two sons, concluded that it was Jacob's destiny to +have four wives, her sister and herself, and their half-sisters Bilhah +and Zilpah. Therefore she also gave him her handmaid to wife.[182] +Zilpah was the youngest of the four women. It was the custom of that +time to give the older daughter the older handmaid, and the younger +daughter the younger handmaid, as their dowry, when they got married. +Now, in order to make Jacob believe that his wife was the younger +daughter he had served for, Laban had given Leah the younger handmaid +as her marriage portion. This Zilpah was so young that her body +betrayed no outward signs of pregnancy, and nothing was known of her +condition until her son was born. Leah called the boy Gad, which means +"fortune," or it may mean "the cutter," for from Gad was descended the +prophet Elijah, who brings good fortune to Israel, and he also cuts +down the heathen world.[183] Leah had other reasons, too, for choosing +this name of double meaning. The tribe of Gad had the good fortune of +entering into possession of its allotment in the Holy Land before any +of the others,[184] and, also, Gad the son of Jacob was born +circumcised.[185] + +To Zilpah's second son Leah gave the name of Asher, "praise," for, she +said, "Unto me all manner of praise is due, for I brought my handmaid +into the house of my husband as wife. Sarah did likewise, but only +because she had no children, and so it was also with Rachel. But as for +me, I had children, and nevertheless I subdued my passion, and without +jealousy I gave my handmaid to my husband for wife. Verily, all will +praise and extol me."[186] Furthermore she spoke: "As the women will +praise me, so the sons of Asher will in time to come praise God for +their fruitful possession in the Holy Land."[187] + +The next son born unto Jacob was Issachar, "a reward," and once more it +was Leah who was permitted to bring forth the child, as a reward from +God for her pious desire to have the twelve tribes come into the world. +To secure this result, she left no means untried.[188] + +It happened once that her oldest son Reuben was tending his father's +ass during the harvest, and he bound him to a root of dudaim, and went +his way. On returning, he found the dudaim torn out of the ground, and +the ass lying dead beside it. The beast had uprooted it in trying to +get loose, and the plant has a peculiar quality, whoever tears it up +must die.[189] As it was the time of the harvest, when it is permitted +for any one to take a plant from a field, and as dudaim is, besides, a +plant which the owner of a field esteems lightly, Reuben carried it +home. Being a good son, he did not keep it for himself, but gave it to +his mother. Rachel desired the dudaim, and she asked the plant of Leah, +who parted with it to her sister, but on the condition that Jacob, when +he returned from work in the evening, should tarry with her for a +while. It was altogether unbecoming conduct in Rachel to dispose thus +of her husband. She gained the dudaim, but she lost two tribes. If she +had acted otherwise, she would have borne four sons instead of two. And +she suffered another punishment, her body was not permitted to rest in +the grave beside her husband's. + +Jacob came home from the field after night had fallen, for he observed +the law obliging a day laborer to work until darkness sets in, and +Jacob's zeal in the affairs of Laban was as great in the last seven +years, after his marriage, as in the first seven, while he was serving +for the hand of Rachel.[190] When Leah heard the braying of Jacob's +ass, she ran to meet her husband,[191] and without giving him time to +wash his feet, she insisted upon his turning aside into her tent.[192] +At first Jacob refused to go, but God compelled him to enter, for unto +God it was known that Leah acted from pure, disinterested motives.[193] +Her dudaim secured two sons for her, Issachar, the father of the tribe +that devotes itself to the study of the Torah, whence his name meaning +"reward," and Zebulon, whose descendants carried on commerce, using +their profits to enable their brethren of Issachar to keep at their +studies.[194] Leah called this last-born son of hers Zebulon, +"dwelling-place," for she said, "Now will my husband dwell with me, +seeing that I have borne him six sons, and, also, the sons of Zebulon +will have a goodly dwelling-place in the Holy Land."[195] + +Leah bore once more, and this last time it was a daughter, a man child +turned into a woman by her prayer. When she conceived for the seventh +time, she spake as follows: "God promised Jacob twelve sons. I bore him +six, and each of the two handmaids has borne him two. If, now, I were +to bring forth another son, my sister Rachel would not be equal even +unto the handmaids." Therefore she prayed to God to change the male +embryo in her womb into a female, and God hearkened unto her +prayer.[196] + +Now all the wives of Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, united +their prayers with the prayer of Jacob, and together they besought God +to remove the curse of barrenness from Rachel. On New Year's Day, the +day whereon God sits in judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth, He +remembered Rachel, and granted her a son.[197] And Rachel spake, "God +hath taken away my reproach," for all the people had said that she was +not a pious woman, else had she borne children, and now that God had +hearkened to her, and opened her womb, such idle talk no longer had any +reason.[198] + +By bearing a son, she had escaped another disgrace. She had said to +herself: "Jacob hath a mind to return to the land of his birth, and my +father will not be able to hinder his daughters who have borne him +children from following their husband thither with their children. But +he will not let me, the childless wife, go, too, and he will keep me +here and marry me to one of the uncircumcised."[199] She said +furthermore, "As my son hath removed my reproach, so Joshua, his +descendant, will roll away a reproach from the Israelites, when he +circumcises them beyond Jordan."[200] + +Rachel called her son Joseph, "increase," saying, "God will give me an +additional son." Prophetess as she was, she foresaw she would have a +second son. But an increase added on by God is larger than the original +capital itself. Benjamin, the second son, whom Rachel regarded merely +as a supplement, had ten sons, while Joseph begot only two. These +twelve together may be considered the twelve tribes borne by +Rachel.[201] Had Rachel not used the form of expression, "The Lord add +to me another son," she herself would have begotten twelve tribes with +Jacob.[202] + +JACOB FLEES BEFORE LABAN + +Jacob had only been waiting for Joseph to be born to begin preparations +for his journey home. The holy spirit had revealed to him that the +house of Joseph would work the destruction of the house of Esau, and, +therefore, Jacob exclaimed at the birth of Joseph, "Now I need not fear +Esau or his legions."[203] + +About this time, Rebekah sent her nurse Deborah, the daughter of Uz, +accompanied by two of Isaac's servants, to Jacob, to urge him to return +to his father's house, now that his fourteen years of service had come +to an end. Then Jacob approached Laban, and spoke, "Give me my wives +and my children, that I may go unto mine own place, and to my country, +for my mother has sent messengers unto me, bidding me to return to my +father's house."[204] Laban answered, saying, "O that I might find +favor in thine eyes! By a sign it was made known unto me that God +blesseth me for thy sake." What Laban had in mind was the treasure he +had found on the day Jacob came to him, and he considered that a token +of his beneficent powers.[205] Indeed, God had wrought many a thing in +the house of Laban that testified to the blessings spread abroad by the +pious. Shortly before Jacob came, a pest had broken out among Laban's +cattle, and with his arrival it ceased.[206] And Laban had had no son, +but during Jacob's sojourn in Haran sons were born unto him.[207] + +All the hire he asked in return for his labor and for the blessings he +had brought Laban was the speckled and spotted among the goats of his +herd, and the black among the sheep. Laban assented to his conditions, +saying, "Behold, I would it might be according to thy word." The +arch-villain Laban, whose tongue wagged in all directions, and who made +all sorts of promises that were never kept, judged others by himself, +and therefore suspected Jacob of wanting to deceive him.[208] And yet, +in the end, it was Laban himself who broke his word. No less than a +hundred times he changed the agreement between them. Nevertheless his +unrighteous conduct was of no avail. Though a three days' journey had +been set betwixt Laban's flocks and Jacob's, the angels were wont to +bring the sheep belonging to Laban down to Jacob's sheep, and Jacob's +droves grew constantly larger and better.[209] Laban had given only the +feeble and sick to Jacob, yet the young of the flock, raised under +Jacob's tendance, were so excellent in quality that people bought them +at a heavy price.[210] And Jacob had no need to resort to the peeled +rods. He had but to speak, and the flocks bare according to his +desire.[211] What Laban deserved was utter ruin, for having permitted +the pious Jacob to work for him without hire, and after his wages had +been changed ten times, and ten times Laban had tried to overreach him, +God rewarded him in this way.[212] But his good luck with the flocks +was only what Jacob deserved. Every faithful laborer is rewarded by God +in this world, quite regardless of what awaits him in the world to +come.[213] With empty hands Jacob had come to Laban, and he left him +with herds numbering six hundred thousand. Their increase had been +marvellous, an increase that will be equalled only in the Messianic +time.[214] + +The wealth and good fortune of Jacob called forth the envy of Laban and +his sons, and they could not hide their vexation in their intercourse +with him. And the Lord said unto Jacob, "Thy father-in-law's +countenance is not toward thee as beforetime, and yet thou tarriest +with him? Do thou rather return unto the land of thy fathers, and there +I will let My Shekinah rest upon thee, for I cannot permit the Shekinah +to reside outside of the Holy Land."[215] Immediately Jacob sent the +fleet messenger Naphtali[216] to Rachel and Leah to summon them to a +consultation, and he chose as the place of meeting the open field, +where none could overhear what was said.[217] + +His two wives approved the plan of returning to his home, and Jacob +resolved at once to go away with all his substance, without as much as +acquainting Laban with his intention. Laban was gone to shear his +sheep, and so Jacob could execute his plan without delay. + +That her father might not learn about their flight from his teraphim, +Rachel stole them, and she took them and concealed them upon the camel +upon which she sat, and she went on. And this is the manner they used +to make the images: They took a man who was the first-born, slew him +and took the hair off his head, then salted the head, and anointed it +with oil, then they wrote "the Name" upon a small tablet of copper or +gold, and placed it under his tongue. The head with the tablet under +the tongue was then put in a house where lights were lighted before it, +and at the time when they bowed down to it, it spoke to them on all +matters that they asked of it, and that was due to the power of the +Name which was written upon it.[218] + +THE COVENANT WITH LABAN + +Jacob departed and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward +Gilead, for the holy spirit revealed to him that God would bring help +there to his children in the days of Jephthah. Meantime the shepherds +of Haran observed that the well, which had been filled to overflowing +since the arrival of Jacob in their place, ran dry suddenly. For three +days they watched and waited, in the hope that the waters would return +in the same abundance as before. Disappointed, they finally told Laban +of the misfortune, and he divined at once that Jacob had departed +thence, for he knew that the blessing had been conferred upon Haran +only for the sake of his son-in-law's merits.[219] + +On the morrow Laban rose early, assembled all the people of the city, +and pursued Jacob with the intention of killing him when he overtook +him. But the archangel Michael appeared unto him, and bade him take +heed unto himself, that he do not the least unto Jacob, else would he +suffer death himself.[220] This message from heaven came to Laban +during the night, for when, in extraordinary cases, God finds it +necessary to reveal Himself unto the heathen, He does it only in the +dark, clandestinely as it were, while He shows Himself to the prophets +of the Jews openly, during daylight. + +Laban accomplished the journey in one day for which Jacob had taken +seven,[221] and he overtook him at the mountain of Gilead. When he came +upon Jacob, he found him in the act of praying and giving praise unto +God.[222] Immediately Laban fell to remonstrating with his son-in-law +for having stolen away unawares to him. He showed his true character +when he said, "It is in the power of my hand to do thee hurt, but the +God of thy father spake unto me yesternight, saying, Take heed to +thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." That is the +way of the wicked, they boast of the evil they can do. Laban wanted to +let Jacob know that only the dream warning him against doing aught that +was harmful to Jacob prevented him from carrying out the wicked design +he had formed against him.[223] + +Laban continued to take Jacob to task, and he concluded with the words, +"And now, though thou wouldst needs be gone, because thou sore longedst +after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?" When +he pronounced the last words, his grandchildren interrupted him, +saying, "We are ashamed of thee, grandfather, that in thy old age thou +shouldst use such words as 'my gods.'" Laban searched all the tents for +his idols, going first to the tent of Jacob, which was Rachel's at the +same time, for Jacob always dwelt with his favorite wife. Finding +nothing, he went thence to Leah's tent, and to the tents of the two +handmaids, and, noticing that Rachel was feeling about here and there, +his suspicions were aroused, and he entered her tent a second time. He +would now have found what he was looking for, if a miracle had not come +to pass. The teraphim were transformed into drinking vessels, and Laban +had to desist from his fruitless search. + +Now Jacob, who did not know that Rachel had stolen her father's +teraphim in order to turn him aside from his idolatrous ways, was wroth +with Laban, and began to chide with him. In the quarrel between them, +Jacob's noble character manifested itself. Notwithstanding his +excitement, he did not suffer a single unbecoming word to escape him. +He only reminded Laban of the loyalty and devotion with which he had +served him, doing for him what none other would or could have done. He +said: "I dealt wrongfully with the lion, for God had appointed of +Laban's sheep for the lion's daily sustenance, and I deprived him +thereof. Could another shepherd have done thus? Yes, the people abused +me, calling me robber and sneak thief, for they thought that only by +stealing by day and stealing by night could I replace the animals torn +by wild beasts. And as to my honesty," he continued, "is it likely +there is another son-in-law who, having lived with his father-in-law, +hath not taken some little thing from the household of his +father-in-law, a knife, or other trifle? But thou hast felt about all +my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? Not so much +as a needle or a nail." + +In his indignation, and conscious of his innocence, Jacob exclaimed, +"With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live," words which +contained a curse—the thief was cursed with premature death, and +therefore Rachel had to die in giving birth to Benjamin. Indeed, the +curse would have taken effect at once, had it not been the wish of God +that Rachel should bear Jacob his youngest son.[224] + +After the quarrel, the two men made a treaty, and with his gigantic +strength Jacob set up a huge rock as a memorial, and a heap of stones +as a sign of their covenant. In this matter Jacob followed the example +of his fathers, who likewise had covenanted with heathen nations, +Abraham with the Jebusites, and Isaac with the Philistines. Therefore +Jacob did not hesitate to make a treaty with the Arameans.[225] Jacob +summoned his sons, calling them brethren, for they were his peers in +piety and strength, and he bade them cast up heaps of stones. Thereupon +he swore unto his father-in-law that he would take no wives beside his +four daughters, either while they were alive or after their death, and +Laban, on his part, swore that he would not pass over the heaps or over +the pillar unto Jacob with hostile intent,[226] and he took the oath by +the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, while Jacob made mention of +the Fear of Isaac. He refrained from using the term "the God of Isaac," +because God never unites His name with that of a living person, for the +reason that so long as a man has not ended his years, no trust may be +put in him, lest he be seduced by the evil inclination. It is true, +when He appeared unto Jacob at Beth-el, God called Himself "the God of +Isaac." There was a reason for the unusual phrase. Being blind, Isaac +led a retired life, within his tent, and the evil inclination had no +power over him any more. But though God had full confidence in Isaac, +yet Jacob could not venture to couple the name of God with the name of +a living man, wherefore he took his oath by "the Fear of Isaac."[227] + +Early in the morning after the day of covenanting, Laban rose up, and +kissed his grandchildren and his daughters, and blessed them. But these +acts and words of his did not come from the heart; in his innermost +thoughts he regretted that Jacob and his family and his substance had +escaped him.[228] His true feelings he betrayed in the message which he +sent to Esau at once upon his return to Haran, by the hand of his son +Beor and ten companions of his son. The message read: "Hast thou heard +what Jacob thy brother has done unto me, who first came to me naked and +bare, and I went to meet him, and took him to my house with honor, and +brought him up, and gave him my two daughters for wives, and also two +of my maids? And God blessed him on my account, and he increased +abundantly, and had sons and daughters and maid-servants, and also an +uncommon stock of flocks and herds, camels and asses, also silver and +gold in abundance. But when he saw that his wealth increased, he left +me while I went to shear my sheep, and he rose up and fled in secrecy. +And he put his wives and children upon camels, and he led away all his +cattle and substance which he acquired in my land, and he resolved to +go to his father Isaac, to the land of Canaan. And he did not suffer me +to kiss my sons and daughters, and he carried away my daughters as +captives of the sword, and he also stole my gods, and he fled. And now +I have left him in the mountain of the brook of Jabbok, he and all +belonging to him, not a jot of his substance is lacking. If it be thy +wish to go to him, go, and there wilt thou find him, and thou canst do +unto him as thy soul desireth."[229] + +Jacob had no need to fear either Laban or Esau, for on his journey he +was accompanied by two angel hosts, one going with him from Haran to +the borders of the Holy Land, where he was received by the other host, +the angels of Palestine.[230] Each of these hosts consisted of no less +than six hundred thousand angels,[231] and when he beheld them, Jacob +said: "Ye belong neither to the host of Esau, who is preparing to go +out to war against me, nor the host of Laban, who is about to pursue me +again. Ye are the hosts of the holy angels sent by the Lord." And he +gave the name Mahanaim, Double-Host, to the spot on which the second +army relieved the first.[232] + +JACOB AND ESAU PREPARE TO MEET + +The message of Laban awakened Esau's old hatred toward Jacob with +increased fury, and he assembled his household, consisting of sixty +men. With them and three hundred and forty inhabitants of Seir, he went +forth to do battle with Jacob and kill him. He divided his warriors +into seven cohorts, giving to his son Eliphaz his own division of +sixty, and putting the other six divisions under as many of the +Horites. + +While Esau was hastening onward to meet Jacob, the messengers which +Laban had sent to Esau came to Rebekah and told her that Esau and his +four hundred men were about to make war upon Jacob, with the purpose of +slaying him and taking possession of all he had. Anxious lest Esau +should execute his plan while yet Jacob was on the journey, she hastily +dispatched seventy-two of the retainers of Isaac's household, to give +him help. Jacob, tarrying on the banks of the brook Jabbok, rejoiced at +the sight of these men, and he greeted them with the words, "This is +God's helping host," wherefore he called the place of their meeting +Mahanaim, Host. + +After the warriors sent by Rebekah had satisfied his questions +regarding the welfare of his parents, they delivered his mother's +message unto him, thus: "I have heard, my son, that thy brother Esau +hath gone forth against thee on the road, with men of the children of +Seir the Horite, and therefore, my son, hearken to my voice, and take +counsel with thyself what thou wilt do, and when he cometh up to thee, +supplicate him, and do not speak roughly to him, and give him a present +from what thou possessest, and from what God has favored thee with. And +when he asketh thee concerning thy affairs, conceal nothing from him, +perhaps he may turn from his anger against thee, and thou wilt thereby +save thy soul, thou and all belonging to thee, for it is thy duty to +honor him, since he is thy elder brother." + +And when Jacob heard the words of his mother which the messengers had +spoken to him, he lifted up his voice and wept bitterly, and did as his +mother commanded him. + +He sent messengers to Esau to placate him, and they said unto him: +"Thus speaketh thy servant Jacob: My lord, think not that the blessing +which my father bestowed upon me profited me. Twenty years I served +Laban, and he deceived me, and changed my hire ten times, as thou well +knowest. Yet did I labor sorely in his house, and God saw my +affliction, my labor, and the work of my hands, and afterward He caused +me to find grace and favor in the sight of Laban. And through God's +great mercy and kindness, I acquired oxen and asses and cattle and +men-servants and maid servants. And now I am coming to my country and +to my home, to my father and mother, who are in the land of Canaan. And +I have sent to let my lord know all this in order to find favor in the +eyes of my lord, so that he may not imagine that I have become a man of +substance, or that the blessing with which my father blessed me has +benefited me."[233] + +Furthermore spake the messengers: "Why dost thou envy me in respect to +the blessing wherewith my father blessed me? Is it that the sun shineth +in my land, and not in thine? Or doth the dew and the rain fall only +upon my land, and not upon thine? If my father blessed me with the dew +of heaven, he blessed thee with the fatness of the earth, and if he +spoke to me, Peoples will serve thee, he hath said unto thee, By thy +sword shalt thou live. How long, then, wilt thou continue to envy me? +Come, now, let us set up a covenant between us, that we will share +equally all the vexations that may occur." + +Esau would not agree to this proposal, his friends dissuaded him +therefrom, saying, "Accept not these conditions, for God hath said to +Abraham, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land +that is not theirs, and shall serve the people thereof, and the aliens +shall afflict them four hundred years. Wait, therefore, until Jacob and +his family go down into Egypt to pay off this debt." + +Jacob also sent word to Esau, saying: "Though I dwelt with that heathen +of the heathen, Laban, yet have I not forgotten my God, but I fulfil +the six hundred and thirteen commandments of the Torah.[234] If thy +mind be set upon peace, thou wilt find me ready for peace. But if thy +desire be war, thou wilt find me ready for war. I have with me men of +valor and strength, they have but to utter a word, and God fulfils it. +I tarried with Laban until Joseph should be born, he who is destined to +subdue thee.[235] And though my descendants be held in bondage in this +world, yet a day will come when they will rule over their rulers."[236] + +In reply to all these gentle words, Esau spoke with arrogance: "Surely +I have heard, and truly it has been told unto me what Jacob has been to +Laban, who brought him up in his house, and gave him his daughters for +wives, and he begot sons and daughters, and abundantly increased in +wealth and riches in Laban's house and with his help. And when he saw +that his wealth was abundant and his riches were great, he fled with +all belonging to him from Laban's house, and he carried away Laban's +daughters from their father as captives of the sword, without telling +him of it. And not only to Laban hath Jacob done thus, but also unto me +hath he done so, and he hath twice supplanted me, and shall I be +silent? Now, I have this day come with my camp to meet him, and I will +do unto him according to the desire of my heart." + +The messengers dispatched by Jacob now returned to him, and reported +these words of Esau unto him.[237] They also told him that his brother +was advancing against him with an army consisting of four hundred +crowned heads, each leading a host of four hundred men.[238] "It is +true, thou art his brother, and thou treatest him as a brother should," +they said to Jacob, "but he is an Esau, thou must be made aware of his +villainy."[239] + +Jacob bore in mind the promise of God, that He would bring him back to +his father's house in peace, yet the report about his brother's purpose +alarmed him greatly. A pious man may never depend upon promises of +earthly good. God does not keep the promise if he is guilty of the +smallest conceivable trespass, and Jacob feared that he might have +forfeited happiness by reason of a sin committed by him. Moreover, he +was anxious lest Esau be the one favored by God, inasmuch as he had +these twenty years been fulfilling two Divine commands that Jacob had +had to disregard. Esau had been living in the Holy Land, Jacob outside +of it; the former had been in attendance upon his parents, the latter +dwelling at a distance from them. And much as he feared defeat, Jacob +also feared the reverse, that he might be victorious over Esau, or +might even slay his brother, which would be as bad as to be slain by +him. And he was depressed by another apprehension, that his father had +died, for he reasoned that Esau would not take such warlike steps +against his own brother, were his father still alive.[240] + +When his wives saw the anxiety that possessed Jacob, they began to +quarrel with him, and reproach him for having taken them away from +their father's house, though he knew that such danger threatened from +Esau.[241] Then Jacob determined to apply the three means that might +save him from the fate impending: he would cry to God for help, appease +Esau's wrath with presents, and hold himself in readiness for war if +the worst came to the worst.[242] + +He prayed to God: "O Thou God of my father Abraham, and God of my +father Isaac, God of all who walk in the ways of the pious and do like +unto them! I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all +the truth, which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant. O Lord of the +world, as Thou didst not suffer Laban to execute his evil designs +against me, so also bring to naught the purpose of Esau, who desireth +to slay me. O Lord of the world, in Thy Torah which Thou wilt give us +on Mount Sinai it is written, And whether it be cow or ewe, ye shall +not kill it and her young both in one day. If this wretch should come +and murder my children and their mothers at the same time, who would +then desire to read Thy Torah which Thou wilt give us on Mount Sinai? +And yet Thou didst speak, For the sake of thy merits and for the merits +of thy fathers I will do good unto thee, and in the future world thy +children shall be as numerous as the sand of the sea." + +As Jacob prayed for his own deliverance, so also he prayed for the +salvation of his descendants, that they might not be annihilated by the +descendants of Esau. + +Such was the prayer of Jacob when he saw Esau approaching from afar, +and God heard his petition and looked upon his tears, and He gave him +the assurance that for his sake his descendants, too, would be redeemed +from all distress.[243] + +Then the Lord sent three angels, and they went before Esau, and they +appeared unto Esau and his people as hundreds and thousands of men +riding upon horses. They were furnished with all sorts of weapons, and +divided into four columns. And one division went on, and they found +Esau coming with four hundred men, and the division ran toward them, +and terrified them. Esau fell off his horse in alarm, and all his men +separated from him in great fear, while the approaching column shouted +after them, "Verily, we are the servants of Jacob, the servant of God, +and who can stand against us?" Esau then said unto them, "O, then my +lord and brother Jacob is your lord, whom I have not seen these twenty +years, and now that I have this day come to see him, do you treat me in +this manner?" The angels answered, "As the Lord liveth, were not Jacob +thy brother, we had not left one remaining of thee and thy people, but +on account of Jacob we will do nothing to thee." This division passed +from Esau, and when he had gone from there about a league, the second +division came toward him, and they also did unto Esau and his men as +the first had done to them, and when they permitted him to go on, the +third came and did like the first, and when the third had passed also, +and Esau still continued with his men on the road to Jacob, the fourth +division came and did to them as the others had done. And Esau was +greatly afraid of his brother, because he thought that the four columns +of the army which he had encountered were the servants of Jacob. + +After Jacob had made an end of praying, he divided all that journeyed +with him into two companies, and he set over them Damesek and Alinus, +the two sons of Eliezer, the bondman of Abraham, and their sons.[244] +Jacob's example teaches us not to conceal the whole of our fortune in +one hiding-place, else we run the danger of losing everything at one +stroke. + +Of his cattle he sent a part to Esau as a present, first dividing it +into three droves in order to impress his brother more. When Esau +received the first drove, he would think he had the whole gift that had +been sent to him, and suddenly he would be astonished by the appearance +of the second portion, and again by the third. Jacob knew his brother's +avarice only too well.[245] + +The men who were the bearers of Jacob's present to Esau were charged +with the following message, "This is an offering to my lord Esau from +his slave Jacob." But God took these words of Jacob in ill part, +saying, "Thou profanest what is holy when thou callest Esau lord." +Jacob excused himself; he was but flattering the wicked in order to +escape death at his hands.[246] + +JACOB WRESTLES WITH THE ANGEL + +The servants of Jacob went before him with the present for Esau, and he +followed with his wives and his children. As he was about to pass over +the ford of Jabbok, he observed a shepherd, who likewise had sheep and +camels. The stranger approached Jacob and proposed that they should +ford the stream together, and help each other move their cattle over, +and Jacob assented, on the condition that his possessions should be put +across first. In the twinkling of an eye Jacob's sheep were transferred +to the other side of the stream by the shepherd. Then the flocks of the +shepherd were to be moved by Jacob, but no matter how many he took over +to the opposite bank, always there remained some on the hither shore. +There was no end to the cattle, though Jacob labored all the night +through. At last he lost patience, and he fell upon the shepherd and +caught him by the throat, crying out, "O thou wizard, thou wizard, at +night no enchantment succeeds!" The angel thought, "Very well, let him +know once for all with whom he has had dealings," and with his finger +he touched the earth, whence fire burst forth. But Jacob said, "What! +thou thinkest thus to affright me, who am made wholly of fire?"[247] + +The shepherd was no less a personage than the archangel Michael, and in +his combat with Jacob he was assisted by the whole host of angels under +his command. He was on the point of inflicting a dangerous wound upon +Jacob, when God appeared, and all the angels, even Michael himself, +felt their strength ooze away. Seeing that he could not prevail against +Jacob, the archangel touched the hollow of his thigh, and injured him, +and God rebuked him, saying, "Dost thou act as is seemly, when thou +causest a blemish in My priest Jacob?" Michael said in astonishment, +"Why, it is I who am Thy priest!" But God said, "Thou art My priest in +heaven, and he is My priest on earth." Thereupon Michael summoned the +archangel Raphael, saying, "My comrade, I pray thee, help me out of my +distress, for thou art charged with the healing of all disease," and +Raphael cured Jacob of the injury Michael had inflicted. + +The Lord continued to reproach Michael, saying, "Why didst thou do harm +unto My first-born son?" and the archangel answered, "I did it only to +glorify Thee," and then God appointed Michael as the guardian angel of +Jacob and his seed unto the end of all generations, with these words: +"Thou art a fire, and so is Jacob a fire; thou art the head of the +angels, and he is the head of the nations; thou art supreme over all +the angels, and he is supreme over all the peoples. Therefore he who is +supreme over all the angels shall be appointed unto him who is supreme +over all the peoples, that he may entreat mercy for him from the +Supreme One over all." + +Then Michael said unto Jacob, "How is it possible that thou who couldst +prevail against me, the most distinguished of the angels, art afraid of +Esau?" + +When the day broke, Michael said to Jacob, "Let me go, for the day +breaketh," but Jacob held him back, saying, "Art thou a thief, or a +gambler with dice, that thou fearest the daylight?" At that moment +appeared many different hosts of angels, and they called unto Michael: +"Ascend, O Michael, the time of song hath come, and if thou art not in +heaven to lead the choir, none will sing." And Michael entreated Jacob +with supplications to let him go, for he feared the angels of 'Arabot +would consume him with fire, if he were not there to start the songs of +praise at the proper time. Jacob said, "I will not let thee go, except +thou bless me," whereto Michael made reply: "Who is greater, the +servant or the son? I am the servant, and thou art the son. Why, then, +cravest thou my blessing?"[248] Jacob urged as an argument, "The angels +that visited Abraham did not leave without blessing him," but Michael +held, "They were sent by God for that very purpose, and I was not." Yet +Jacob insisted upon his demand, and Michael pleaded with him, saying, +"The angels that betrayed a heavenly secret were banished from their +place for one hundred and thirty eight years. Dost thou desire that I +should acquaint thee with what would cause my banishment likewise?" In +the end the angel nevertheless had to yield; Jacob could not be moved, +and Michael took counsel with himself thus: "I will reveal a secret to +him, and if God demands to know why I revealed it, I will make answer, +Thy children stand upon their wishes with Thee, and Thou dost yield to +them. How, then, could I have left Jacob's wish unfulfilled?" + +Then Michael spoke to Jacob, saying: "A day will come when God will +reveal Himself unto thee, and He will change thy name, and I shall be +present when He changeth it.[249] Thy name shall be called no more +Jacob, but Israel, for happy thou, of woman born, who didst enter the +heavenly palace, and didst escape thence with thy life." And Michael +blessed Jacob with the words, "May it be the will of God that thy +descendants be as pious as thou art."[250] + +At the same time the archangel reminded Jacob that he had promised to +give a tithe of his possessions unto God, and at once Jacob separated +five hundred and fifty head of cattle from his herds, which counted +fifty-five hundred. Then Michael went on, "But thou hast sons, and of +them thou hast not set apart the tenth." Jacob proceeded to pass his +sons in review: Reuben, Joseph, Dan, and Gad being the first-born, each +of his mother, were exempt, and there remained but eight sons, and when +he had named them, down to Benjamin, he had to go back and begin over +again with Simon, the ninth, and finish with Levi as the tenth. + +Michael took Levi with him into heaven, and presented him before God, +saying, "O Lord of the world, this one is Thy lot, and the tenth +belonging unto Thee," and God stretched forth His hand and blessed Levi +with the blessing that his children should be the servants of God on +earth as the angels were His servants on high. Michael spoke again, +"Doth not a king provide for the sustenance of his servants?" whereupon +God appointed for the Levites all that was holy unto the Lord.[251] + +Then Jacob spoke to the angel: "My father conferred the blessing upon +me that was intended for Esau, and now I desire to know whether thou +wilt acknowledge the blessing as mine, or wilt bring charges against me +on account of it." And the angel said: "I acknowledge the blessing to +be thine by right. Thou didst not gain it by craft and cunning, and I +and all the heavenly powers recognize it to be valid, for thou hast +shown thyself master over the mighty powers of the heavens as over Esau +and his legions."[252] + +And even then Jacob would not let the angel depart, he had to reveal +his name to him first, and the angel made known to him that it was +Israel, the same name that Jacob would once bear.[253] + +At last the angel departed, after Jacob had blessed him, and Jacob +called the place of wrestling Penuel, the same place to which before he +had given the name Mahanaim, for both words have but one meaning, the +place of encounter with angels.[254] + +THE MEETING BETWEEN ESAU AND JACOB + +At the break of day the angel left off from wrestling with Jacob. The +dawn on that day was of particularly short duration. The sun rose two +hours before his time, by way of compensation for having set early, on +the day on which Jacob passed Mount Moriah on his journey to Haran, to +induce him to turn aside and lodge for a night on the future Temple +place.[255] Indeed, the power of the sun on this same day was +altogether remarkable. He shone with the brilliance and ardor with +which he was invested during the six days of the creation, and as he +will shine at the end of days, to make whole the halt and the blind +among the Jews and to consume the heathen. This same healing and +devastating property he had on that day, too, for Jacob was cured, +while Esau and his princes were all but burnt up by his terrible +heat.[256] + +Jacob was in dire need of healing lotions for the injury he had +sustained in the encounter with the angel. The combat between them had +been grim, the dust whirled up by the scuffle rose to the very throne +of God.[257] Though Jacob prevailed against his huge opponent, as big +as one-third of the whole world, throwing him to the ground and keeping +him pinned down, yet the angel had injured him by clutching at the +sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, so that it was +dislocated, and Jacob halted upon his thigh.[258] The healing power of +the sun restored him, nevertheless his children took it upon themselves +not to eat the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, +for they reproached themselves with having been the cause of his +mishap, they should not have left him alone in that night.[259] + +Now, although Jacob had prepared for the worst, for open hostilities +even, yet when he saw Esau and his men, he thought it discreet to make +separate divisions of the households of Leah, Rachel, and the +handmaids, and divide the children unto each of them. And he put the +handmaids and their children foremost, and Leah and her children after, +and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. It was the stratagem which the fox +used with the lion. Once upon a time the king of beasts was wroth with +his subjects, and they looked hither and thither for a spokesman who +mastered the art of appeasing their ruler. The fox offered himself for +the undertaking, saying, "I know three hundred fables which will allay +his fury." His offer was accepted with joy. On the way to the lion, the +fox suddenly stood still, and in reply to the questions put to him, he +said, "I have forgotten one hundred of the three hundred fables." +"Never mind," said those accompanying him, "two hundred will serve the +purpose." A little way further on the fox again stopped suddenly, and, +questioned again, he confessed that he had forgotten half of the two +hundred remaining fables. The animals with him still consoled him that +the hundred he knew would suffice. But the fox halted a third time, and +then he admitted that his memory had failed him entirely, and he had +forgotten all the fables he knew, and he advised that every animal +approach the king on his own account and endeavor to appease his anger. +At first Jacob had had courage enough to enter the lists with Esau in +behalf of all with him. Now he came to the conclusion to let each one +try to do what he could for himself. + +However, Jacob was too fond a father to expose his family to the first +brunt of the danger. He himself passed over before all the rest, +saying, "It is better that they attack me than my children."[260] After +him came the handmaids and their children. His reason for placing them +there was that, if Esau should be overcome by passion for the women, +and try to violate them, he would thus meet the handmaids first, and in +the meantime Jacob would have the chance of preparing for more +determined resistance in the defense of the honor of his wives.[261] +Joseph and Rachel came last, and Joseph walked in front of his mother, +though Jacob had ordered the reverse. But the son knew both the beauty +of his mother and the lustfulness of his uncle, and therefore he tried +to hide Rachel from the sight of Esau.[262] + +In the vehemence of his rage against Jacob, Esau vowed that he would +not slay him with bow and arrow, but would bite him dead with his +mouth, and suck his blood. But he was doomed to bitter disappointment, +for Jacob's neck turned as hard as ivory, and in his helpless fury Esau +could but gnash his teeth.[263] The two brothers were like the ram and +the wolf. A wolf wanted to tear a ram in pieces, and the ram defended +himself with his horns, striking them deep into the flesh of the wolf. +Both began to howl, the wolf because he could not secure his prey, and +the ram from fear that the wolf renew his attacks. Esau bawled because +his teeth were hurt by the ivory-like flesh of Jacob's neck, and Jacob +feared that his brother would make a second attempt to bite him.[264] + +Esau addressed a question to his brother. "Tell me," he said, "what was +the army I met?" for on his march against Jacob he had had a most +peculiar experience with a great host of forty thousand warriors. It +consisted of various kinds of troops, armor-clad soldiers walking on +foot, mounted on horses, and seated in chariots, and they all threw +themselves upon Esau when they met. He demanded to know whence they +came, and the strange soldiers hardly interrupted their savage +onslaught to reply that they belonged to Jacob. Only when Esau told +them that Jacob was his brother did they leave off, saying, "Woe to us +if our master hears that we did thee harm." This was the army and the +encounter Esau inquired about as soon as he met his brother. But the +army was a host of angels, who had the appearance of warriors to Esau +and his men.[265] Also the messengers sent by Jacob to Esau had been +angels, for no mere human being could be induced to go forth and face +the recreant.[266] + +Jacob now gave Esau the presents intended for him, a tenth of all his +cattle,[267] and also pearls and precious stones,[268] and, besides, a +falcon for the chase.[269] But even the animals refused to give up +their gentle master Jacob and become the property of the villain Esau. +They all ran away when Jacob wanted to hand them over to his brother, +and the result was that the only ones that reached Esau were the feeble +and the lame, all that could not make good their escape.[270] + +At first Esau declined the presents offered to him. Naturally, that was +a mere pretense. While refusing the gifts with words, he held his hand +outstretched ready to receive them.[271] Jacob took the hint, and +insisted that he accept them, saying: "Nay, I pray thee, if now I have +found grace in thy sight, then receive my present at my hand, forasmuch +as I have seen thy face, as I have seen the face of angels, and thou +art pleased with me." The closing words were chosen with +well-calculated purpose. Jacob wanted Esau to derive the meaning that +he had intercourse with angels, and to be inspired with awe. Jacob was +like the man invited to a banquet by his mortal enemy who has been +seeking an opportunity to slay him. When the guest divines the purpose +for which he has been brought thither, he says to the host: "What a +magnificent and delicious meal this is! But once before in my life did +I partake of one like it, and that was when I was bidden by the king to +his table"—enough to drive terror to the heart of the would-be slayer. +He takes good care not to harm a man on such intimate terms with the +king as to be invited to his table![272] + +Jacob had valid reason for recalling his encounter with the angel, for +it was the angel of Esau who had measured his strength with Jacob's, +and had been overcome.[273] + +As Esau accepted the presents of Jacob willingly on this first +occasion, so he continued to accept them for a whole year; daily Jacob +gave him presents as on the day of their meeting, for, he said, "'A +gift doth blind the eyes of the wise,' and how much more doth it blind +the wicked! Therefore will I give him presents upon presents, perhaps +he will let me alone." Besides, he did not attach much value to the +possessions he had acquired outside of the Holy Land. Such possessions +are not a blessing, and he did not hesitate to part with them. + +Beside the presents which Jacob gave Esau, he also paid out a large sum +of money to him for the Cave of Machpelah. Immediately upon his arrival +in the Holy Land he sold all he had brought with him from Haran, and a +pile of gold was the proceeds of the sale. He spoke to Esau, saying: +"Like me thou hast a share in the Cave of Machpelah, wilt thou take +this pile of gold for thy portion therein?" "What care I for the Cave?" +returned Esau. "Gold is what I want," and for his share in Machpelah he +took the gold realized from the sale of the possessions Jacob had +accumulated outside of the Holy Land. But God "filled the vacuum +without delay," and Jacob was as rich as before.[274] + +Wealth was not an object of desire to Jacob. He would have been well +content, in his own behalf and in behalf of his family, to resign all +earthly treasures in favor of Esau and his family. He said to Esau: "I +foresee that in future days suffering will be inflicted by thy children +upon mine. But I do not demur, thou mayest exercise thy dominion and +wear thy crown until the time when the Messiah springs from my loins, +and receives the rule from thee." These words spoken by Jacob will be +realized in days to come, when all the nations will rise up against the +kingdom of Edom, and take away one city after another from him, one +realm after another, until they reach Bet-Gubrin, and then the Messiah +will appear and assume his kingship. The angel of Edom will flee for +refuge to Bozrah, but God will appear there, and slay him, for though +Bozrah is one of the cities of refuge, yet will the Lord exercise the +right of the avenger therein. He will seize the angel by his hair, and +Elijah will slaughter him, letting the blood spatter the garments of +God.[275] All this Jacob had in mind when he said to Esau, "Let my +lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant, until I come unto my +lord unto Seir." Jacob himself never went to Seir. What he meant was +the Messianic time when Israel shall go to Seir, and take possession +thereof.[276] + +Jacob tarried in Succoth a whole year, and he opened a house of +learning there.[277] Then he journeyed on to Shechem, while Esau betook +himself to Seir, saying to himself, "How long shall I be a burden to my +brother?" for it was during Jacob's sojourn at Succoth that Esau +received daily presents from Jacob.[278] + +And Jacob, after abiding these many years in a strange land, came to +Shechem in peace, unimpaired in mind and body. He had forgotten none of +the knowledge he had acquired before; the gifts he gave to Esau did not +encroach upon his wealth; the injury inflicted by the angel that +wrestled with him had been healed, and likewise his children were sound +and healthy.[279] + +Jacob entered Shechem on a Friday, late in the afternoon, and his first +concern was to lay out the boundaries of the city, that the laws of the +Sabbath might not be transgressed. As soon as he was settled in the +place, he sent presents to the notables. A man must be grateful to a +city from which he derives benefits. No less did the common people +enjoy his bounty. For them he opened a market where he sold all wares +at low prices.[280] + +Also he lost no time in buying a parcel of ground, for it is the duty +of every man of substance who comes to the Holy Land from outside to +make himself the possessor of land there.[281] He gave a hundred lambs +for his estate, a hundred yearling sheep, and a hundred pieces of +money, and received in return a bill of sale, to which he attached his +signature, using the letters Yod-He for it. And then he erected an +altar to God upon his land, and he said, "Thou art the Lord of all +celestial things, and I am the lord of all earthly things." But God +said, "Not even the overseer of the synagogue arrogates privileges in +the synagogue, and thou assumest lordship with a high hand? Forsooth, +on the morrow thy daughter will go abroad, and she shall be +humbled."[282] + +THE OUTRAGE AT SHECHEM + +While Jacob and his sons were sitting in the house of learning, +occupied with the study of the Torah,[283] Dinah went abroad to see the +dancing and singing women, whom Shechem had hired to dance and play in +the streets in order to entice her forth.[284] Had she remained at +home, nothing would have happened to her. But she was a woman, and all +women like to show themselves in the street.[285] When Shechem caught +sight of her, he seized her by main force, young though she was,[286] +and violated her in beastly fashion.[287] + +This misfortune befell Jacob as a punishment for his excessive +self-confidence. In his negotiations with Laban, he had used the +expression, "My righteousness shall answer for me hereafter." Besides, +on his return to Palestine, when he was preparing to meet his brother, +he concealed his daughter Dinah in a chest, lest Esau desire to have +her for wife, and he be obliged to give her to him. God spoke to him, +saying: "Herein hast thou acted unkindly toward thy brother, and +therefore Dinah will have to marry Job, one that is neither circumcised +nor a proselyte. Thou didst refuse to give her to one that is +circumcised, and one that is uncircumcised will take her. Thou didst +refuse to give her to Esau in lawful wedlock, and now she will fall a +victim to the ravisher's illicit passion."[288] + +When Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter, he sent twelve +servants to fetch Dinah from Shechem's house, but Shechem went out to +them with his men, and drove them from his house, and he would not +suffer them to come unto Dinah, and he kissed and embraced her before +their eyes. Jacob then sent two maidens of his servants' daughters to +remain with Dinah in the house of Shechem. Shechem bade three of his +friends go to his father Hamor, the son of Haddakum, the son of Pered, +and say, "Get me this damsel to wife." Hamor tried at first to persuade +his son not to take a Hebrew woman to wife, but when Shechem persisted +in his request, he did according to the word of his son, and went forth +to communicate with Jacob concerning the matter. In the meanwhile the +sons of Jacob returned from the field, and, kindled with wrath, they +spoke unto their father, saying, "Surely death is due to this man and +his household, because the Lord God of the whole earth commanded Noah +and his children that man shall never rob nor commit adultery. Now, +behold, Shechem has ravaged and committed fornication with our sister, +and not one of all the people of the city spake a word to him." And +whilst they were speaking, Hamor came to speak to Jacob the words of +his son concerning Dinah, and after he ceased to speak, Shechem himself +came to Jacob and repeated the request made by his father. Simon and +Levi answered Hamor and Shechem deceitfully, saying: "All you have +spoken unto us we will do. And, behold, our sister is in your house, +but keep away from her until we send to our father Isaac concerning +this matter, for we can do nothing without his counsel. He knows the +ways of our father Abraham, and whatever he saith unto us we will tell +you, we will conceal nothing from you." + +Shechem and his father went home thereafter, satisfied with the result +achieved, and when they had gone, the sons of Jacob asked him to seek +counsel and pretext in order to kill all the inhabitants of the city, +who had deserved this punishment on account of their wickedness. Then +Simon said to them: "I have good counsel to give you. Bid them be +circumcised. If they consent not, we shall take our daughter from them, +and go away. And if they consent to do this, then, when they are in +pain, we shall attack them and slay them." The next morning Shechem and +his father came again to Jacob, to speak concerning Dinah, and the sons +of Jacob spoke deceitfully to them, saying: "We told our father Isaac +all your words, and your words pleased him, but he said, that thus did +Abraham his father command him from God, that any man that is not of +his descendants, who desireth to take one of his daughters to wife, +shall cause every male belonging to him to be circumcised." + +Shechem and his father hastened to do the wishes of the sons of Jacob, +and they persuaded also the men of the city to do likewise, for they +were greatly esteemed by them, being the princes of the land. + +On the next day, Shechem and his father rose up early in the morning, +and they assembled all the men of the city, and they called for the +sons of Jacob, and they circumcised Shechem, his father, his five +brothers, and all the males in the city, six hundred and forty-five men +and two hundred and seventy-six lads. Haddakum, the grandfather of +Shechem, and his six brothers would not be circumcised, and they were +greatly incensed against the people of the city for submitting to the +wishes of the sons of Jacob. + +In the evening of the second day, Shechem and his father sent to have +eight little children whom their mothers had concealed brought to them +to be circumcised. Haddakum and his six brothers sprang at the +messengers, and sought to slay them, and sought to slay also Shechem, +Hamor, and Dinah. They chided Shechem and his father for doing a thing +that their fathers had never done, which would raise the ire of the +inhabitants of the land of Canaan against them, as well as the ire of +all the children of Ham, and that on account of a Hebrew woman. +Haddakum and his brothers finished by saying: "Behold, to-morrow we +will go and assemble our Canaanitish brethren, and we will come and +smite you and all in whom you trust, that there shall not be a remnant +left of you or them." + +When Hamor and his son Shechem and all the people of the city heard +this, they were sore afraid, and they repented what they had done, and +Shechem and his father answered Haddakum and his brothers: "Because we +saw that the Hebrews would not accede to our wishes concerning their +daughter, we did this thing, but when we shall have obtained our +request from them, we will then do unto them that which is in your +hearts and in ours, as soon as we shall become strong." + +Dinah, who heard their words, hastened and dispatched one of her +maidens whom her father had sent to take care of her in Shechem's +house, and informed Jacob and his sons of the conspiracy plotted +against them. When the sons of Jacob heard this, they were filled with +wrath, and Simon and Levi swore, and said, "As the Lord liveth, by +to-morrow there shall not be a remnant left In the whole city." + +They began the extermination by killing eighteen of the twenty young +men who had concealed themselves and were not circumcised, and two of +them fled and escaped to some lime pits that were in the city. Then +Simon and Levi slew all the city, not leaving a male over, and while +they were looking for spoils outside of the city, three hundred women +rose against them and threw stones and dust upon them, but Simon +single-handed slew them all, and returned to the city, where he joined +Levi. Then they took away from the people outside of the city their +sheep, their oxen, their cattle, and also the women and the little +children, and they led all these away, and took them to the city to +their father Jacob. The number of women whom they did not slay, but +only took captive, was eighty-five virgins, among them a young damsel +of great beauty by the name of Bunah, whom Simon took to wife. The +number of the males which they took captive and did not slay was +forty-seven, and all these men and women were servants to the sons of +Jacob, and to their children after them, until the day they left Egypt. + +A WAR FRUSTRATED + +When Simon and Levi had gone from the city, the two young men who had +concealed themselves in the lime pits, and were not slain amongst the +people of the city, rose up, and they found the city desolate, without +a man, only weeping women, and they cried out, saying, "Behold, this is +the evil which the sons of Jacob did who destroyed one of the Canaanite +cities, and were not afraid of all the land of Canaan." + +They left the city and went to Tappuah, and told the inhabitants all +that the sons of Jacob had done to the city of Shechem. Jashub, the +king of Tappuah, sent to Shechem to see whether these young men told +the truth, for he did not believe them, saying, "How could two men +destroy a large city like Shechem?" The messengers of Jashub returned, +and they reported, "The city is destroyed, not a man is left there, +only weeping women, neither are there flocks and cattle there, for all +that was in the city was taken away by the sons of Jacob." + +Jashub wondered thereat, for the like had not been heard from the days +of Nimrod, and not even from the remotest times, that two men should be +able to destroy so large a city, and he decided to go to war against +the Hebrews, and avenge the cause of the people of Shechem. His +counsellors said to him: "If two of them laid waste a whole city, +surely if thou goest against them, they all will rise up against us, +and destroy us. Therefore, send to the kings round about, that we all +together fight against the sons of Jacob, and prevail against them." + +The seven kings of the Amorites, when they heard the evil that the sons +of Jacob had done to the city of Shechem, assembled together, with all +their armies, ten thousand men, with drawn swords, and they came to +fight against the sons of Jacob. And Jacob was greatly afraid, and he +said to Simon and Levi, "Why have you brought such evil upon me? I was +at rest, and you provoked the inhabitants of the land against me by +your acts." + +Then Judah spoke to his father: "Was it for naught that Simon and Levi +killed the inhabitants of Shechem? Verily, it was because Shechem +dishonored our sister, and transgressed the command of our God to Noah +and his children, and not one of the inhabitants of the city interfered +in the matter. Now, why art thou afraid, and why art thou displeased at +my brethren? Surely, our God, who delivered the city of Shechem and its +people into their hand, He will also deliver into our hands all the +Canaanitish kings who are coming against us. Now cast away thy fears, +and pray to God to assist us and deliver us." + +Judah then addressed his brethren, saying: "The Lord our God is with +us! Fear naught, then! Stand ye forth, each man girt with his weapons +of war, his bow and his sword, and we will go and fight against the +uncircumcised. The Lord is our God, He will save us." + +Jacob, his eleven sons, and one hundred servants belonging to Isaac, +who had come to their assistance, marched forward to meet the Amorites, +a people exceedingly numerous, like unto the sand upon the sea-shore. +The sons of Jacob sent unto their grandfather Isaac, at Hebron, +requesting him to pray unto the Lord to protect them from the hand of +the Canaanites, and he prayed as follows: "O Lord God, Thou didst +promise my father, saying, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of +heaven, and also me Thou didst promise that Thou wouldst establish Thy +word to my father. Now, O Lord, God of the whole world, pervert, I pray +Thee, the counsel of these kings, that they may not fight against my +sons, and impress the hearts of their kings and their people with the +terror of my sons, and bring down their pride that they turn away from +my sons. Deliver my sons and their servants from them with Thy strong +hand and outstretched arm, for power and might are in Thy hands to do +all this." + +Jacob also prayed unto God, and said: "O Lord God, powerful and exalted +God, who hast reigned from days of old, from then until now and +forever! Thou art He who stirreth up wars and causeth them to cease. In +Thy hand are power and might to exalt and to bring low. O may my prayer +be acceptable unto Thee, that Thou mayest turn to me with Thy mercies, +to impress the hearts of these kings and their people with the terror +of my sons, and terrify them and their camps, and with Thy great +kindness deliver all those that trust in Thee, for Thou art He who +subdues the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet." + +God heard the prayers of Isaac and Jacob, and He filled the hearts of +all the advisers of the Canaanite kings with great fear and terror, and +when the kings, who were undecided whether to undertake a campaign +against the sons of Jacob, consulted them, they said: "Are you silly, +or is there no understanding in you, that you propose to fight with the +Hebrews? Why do you take delight in your own destruction this day? +Behold, two of them came to the city of Shechem without fear or terror, +and they put all the inhabitants of the city to the sword, no man stood +up against them, and how will you be able to fight with them all?" + +The royal counsellors then proceeded to enumerate all the mighty things +God had done for Abraham, Jacob, and the sons of Jacob, such as had not +been done from days of old and by any of the gods of the nations. When +the kings heard all the words of their advisers, they were afraid of +the sons of Jacob, and they would not fight against them. They turned +back with their armies on that day, each to his own city. But the sons +of Jacob kept their station that day till evening, and seeing that the +kings did not advance to do battle with them in order to avenge the +inhabitants of Shechem whom they had killed, they returned home.[289] + +The wrath of the Lord descended upon the inhabitants of Shechem to the +uttermost on account of their wickedness. For they had sought to do +unto Sarah and Rebekah as they did unto Dinah, but the Lord had +prevented them. Also they had persecuted Abraham when he was a +stranger, and they had vexed his flocks when they were big with young, +and Eblaen, one born in his house, they had handled most shamefully. +And thus they did to all strangers, taking away their wives by +force.[290] + +THE WAR WITH THE NINEVITES + +The destruction of Shechem by Simon and Levi terrified the heathen all +around. If two sons of Jacob had succeeded in ruining a great city like +Shechem, they argued, what would Jacob and all his sons accomplish +acting together? Jacob meanwhile left Shechem, hindered by none, and +with all his possessions he set out, to betake himself to his father +Isaac. But after an eight days' march he encountered a powerful army, +which had been dispatched from Nineveh to levy tribute upon the whole +world and subjugate it. On coming in the vicinity of Shechem, this army +heard to what the city had been exposed at the hands of the sons of +Jacob, and fury seized the men, and they resolved to make war upon +Jacob. + +But Jacob said to his sons: "Fear not, God will be your helper, and He +will fight for you against your enemies. Only you must put away from +you the strange gods in your possession, and you must purify +yourselves, and wash your garments clean." + +Girt with his sword, Jacob advanced against the enemy, and in the first +onslaught he slew twelve thousand of the weak in the army. Then Judah +spake to him, and said, "Father, thou art tired and exhausted, let me +fight the enemy alone." And Jacob replied, saying, "Judah, my son, I +know thy strength and thy bravery, that they are exceeding great, so +that none in the world is like unto thee therein." His countenance like +a lion's and inflamed with wrath, Judah attacked the army, and slew +twelve myriads of tried and famous warriors. The battle raged hot in +front and in the rear, and Levi his brother hastened to his aid, and +together they won a victory over the Ninevites. Judah alone slew five +thousand more soldiers, and Levi dealt blows right and left with such +vigor that the men of the enemy's army fell like grain under the scythe +of the reaper. + +Alarmed about their fate, the people of Nineveh said: "How long shall +we fight with these devils? Let us return to our land, lest they +exterminate us root and branch, without leaving a remnant." But their +king desired to restrain them, and he said: "O ye heroes, ye men of +might and valor, have you lost your senses that you ask to return to +your land? Is this your bravery? After you have subdued many kingdoms +and countries, ye are not able to hold out against twelve men? If the +nations and the kings whom we have made tributary to ourselves hear of +this, they will rise up against us as a man, and make a laughing-stock +of us, and do with us according to their desire. Take courage, ye men +of the great city of Nineveh, that your honor and your name be exalted, +and you become not a mockery in the mouth of your enemies." + +These words of their king inspired the warriors to continue the +campaign. They sent messengers to all the lands to ask for help, and, +reinforced by their allies, the Ninevites assaulted Jacob a second +time. He spoke to his sons, saying, "Take courage and be men, fight +against your enemies." His twelve sons then took up their stand in +twelve different places, leaving considerable intervals between one and +another, and Jacob, a sword in his right hand and a bow in his left, +advanced to the combat. It was a desperate encounter for him. He had to +ward off the enemy to the right and the left. Nevertheless he inflicted +a severe blow, and when a band of two thousand men beset him, he leapt +up in the air and over them and vanished from their sight. Twenty-two +myriads he slew on this day, and when evening came he planned to flee +under cover of darkness. But suddenly ninety thousand men appeared, and +he was compelled to continue the fight. He rushed at them with his +sword, but it broke, and he had to defend himself by grinding huge +rocks into lime powder, and this he threw at the enemy and blinded them +so that they could see nothing. Luckily, darkness was about to fall, +and he could permit himself to take rest for the night. + +In the morning, Judah said to Jacob, "Father, thou didst fight the +whole of yesterday, and thou art weary and exhausted. Let me fight this +day." When the warriors caught sight of Judah's lion face and his lion +teeth, and heard his lion voice, they were greatly afraid. Judah hopped +and jumped over the army like a flea, from one warrior to the next, +raining blows down upon them incessantly, and by evening he had slain +eighty thousand and ninety-six men, armed with swords and bows. But +fatigue overcame him, and Zebulon took up his station at his brother's +left hand, and mowed down eighty thousand of the enemy. Meantime Judah +regained some of his strength, and, rising up in wrath and fury, and +gnashing his teeth with a noise like unto thunder claps in midsummer, +he put the army to flight. It ran a distance of eighteen miles, and +Judah could enjoy a respite that night. + +But the army reappeared on the morrow, ready for battle again, to take +revenge on Jacob and his children. They blew their trumpets, whereupon +Jacob spake to his sons, "Go forth and fight with your enemies." +Issachar and Gad said that this day they would take the combat upon +themselves, and their father bade them do it while their brothers kept +guard and held themselves in readiness to aid and relieve the two +combatants when they showed signs of weariness and exhaustion. + +The leaders of the day slew forty-eight thousand warriors, and put to +flight twelve myriads more, who concealed themselves in a cave. +Issachar and Gad fetched trees from the woods, piled the trunks up in +front of the opening of the cave, and set fire to them. When the fire +blazed with a fierce flame, the warriors spoke, saying: "Why should we +stay in this cave and perish with the smoke and the heat? Rather will +we go forth and fight with our enemies, then we may have a chance of +saving ourselves." They left the cave, going through openings at the +side, and they attacked Issachar and Gad in front and behind. Dan and +Naphtali saw the plight of their brothers and ran to their assistance. +They laid about with their swords, hewing a way for themselves to +Issachar and Gad, and, united with them, they, too, opposed the foe. + +It was the third day of the conflict, and the Ninevites were reinforced +by an army as numerous as the sand on the sea-shore. All the sons of +Jacob united to oppose it, and they routed the host. But when they +pursued after the enemy, the fugitives faced about and resumed the +battle, saying: "Why should we run away? Let us rather fight them, +perhaps we may be victorious, now they are weary." A stubborn combat +ensued, and when Jacob saw the vehement attack upon his children, he +himself sprang into the thick of the battle and dealt blows right and +left. Nevertheless the heathen were victorious, and succeeded in +separating Judah from his brethren. As soon as Jacob was aware of the +peril of his son, he whistled, and Judah responded, and his brethren +hastened to his aid. Judah was fatigued and parched with thirst, and +there was no water for him to drink, but he dug his finger into the +ground with such force that water gushed out in the sight of the whole +army. Then said one warrior to another, "I will flee before these +devils, for God fights on their side," and he and all the army fled +precipitately, pursued by the sons of Jacob. Soldiers without number +they slew, and then they went back to their tents. On their return they +noticed that Joseph was missing, and they feared he had been killed or +taken captive. Naphtali ran after the retreating enemy, to make search +for Joseph, and he found him still fighting against the Ninevite army. +He joined Joseph, and killed countless soldiers, and of the fugitives +many drowned, and the men that were besetting Joseph ran off and left +him in safety. + +At the end of the war Jacob continued his journey, unhindered, to his +father Isaac.[291] + +THE WAR WITH THE AMORITES + +At first the people that lived round about Shechem made no attempt to +molest Jacob, who had returned thither after a while, together with his +household, to take up his abode there and establish himself. But at the +end of seven years the heathen began to harass him. The kings of the +Amorites assembled together against the sons of Jacob to slay them in +the Valley of Shechem. "Is it not enough," they said, "that they have +slain all the men of Shechem? Should they be permitted now to take +possession of their land, too?" and they advanced to render battle. + +Judah leapt into the midst of the ranks of the foot soldiers of the +allied kings, and slew first of all Jashub, the king of Tappuah, who +was clad in iron and brass from top to toe. The king was mounted, and +from his horse he cast his spears downward with both hands, in front of +him and in back, without ever missing his aim, for he was a mighty +warrior, and he could throw javelins with one hand or the other. +Nevertheless Judah feared neither him nor his prowess. He ran toward +him, snatching a stone of sixty sela'im from the ground and hurling it +at him. Jashub was at a distance of one hundred and seventy-seven ells +and one-third of an ell, and, protected with iron armor and throwing +spears, he moved forward upon Judah. But Judah struck him on his shield +with the stone, and unhorsed him. When the king attempted to rise, +Judah hastened to his side to slay him before he could get on his feet. +But Jashub was nimble, he stood ready to attack Judah, shield to +shield, and he drew his sword to cut off Judah's head. Quickly Judah +raised his shield to catch the blow upon it, but it broke in pieces. +What did Judah now? He wrested the shield of his opponent away from +him, and swung his sword against Jashub's feet, cutting them off above +the ankles. The king fell prostrate, his sword slipped from his grasp, +and Judah hastened to him and severed his head from his body. + +While Judah was removing the armor of his slain adversary, nine of +Jashub's followers appeared. Judah slung a stone against the head of +the first of them that approached him, with such force that he dropped +his shield, which Judah snatched from the ground and used to defend +himself against his eight assailants. His brother Levi came and stood +next to him, and shot off an arrow that killed Elon, king of Gaash, and +then Judah killed the eight men. And his father Jacob came and killed +Zerori king of Shiloh. None of the heathen could prevail against these +sons of Jacob, they had not the courage to stand up before them, but +took to flight, and the sons of Jacob pursued after them, and each slew +a thousand men of the Amorites on that day, before the going down of +the sun. And the other sons of Jacob set forth from the Hill of +Shechem, where they had taken up their stand, and they also pursued +after them as far as Hazor. Before this city they had another severe +encounter with the enemy, more severe than that in the Valley of +Shechem. Jacob let his arrows fly, and slew Pirathon king of Hazor, and +then Pasusi king of Sartan, Laban king of Aram, and Shebir king of +Mahanaim. + +Judah was the first to mount the walls of Hazor. As he approached the +top, four warriors attacked him, but he slew them without stopping in +his ascent, and before his brother Naphtali could bring him succor. +Naphtali followed him, and the two stood upon the wall, Judah to the +right and Naphtali to the left, and thence they dealt out death to the +warriors. The other sons of Jacob followed their two brothers in turn, +and made an end of exterminating the heathen host on that day. They +subjugated Hazor, slew the warriors thereof, let no man escape with his +life, and despoiled the city of all therein. + +On the day following they went to Sartan, and again a bloody battle +took place. Sartan was situated upon high land, and the hill before the +city was likewise very high, so that none could come near unto it, and +also none could come near unto the citadel, because the wall thereof +was high. Nevertheless they made themselves masters of the city. They +scaled the walls of the citadel, Judah on the east side being the first +to ascend, then Gad on the west side, Simon and Levi on the north, and +Reuben and Dan on the south, and Naphtali and Issachar set fire to the +hinges upon which the gates of the city were hung. + +In the same way the sons of Jacob subdued five other cities, Tappuah, +Arbel, Shiloh, Mahanaim, and Gaash, making an end of all of them in +five days. On the sixth day all the Amorites assembled, and they came +to Jacob and his sons unarmed, bowed down before them, and sued for +peace. And the sons of Jacob made peace with the heathen, who ceded +Timna to them, and all the land of Harariah. In that day also Jacob +concluded peace with them, and they made restitution to the sons of +Jacob for all the cattle they had taken, two head for one, and they +restored all the spoil they had carried off. And Jacob turned to go to +Timna, and Judah went to Arbel, and thenceforth the Amorites troubled +them no more.[292] + +ISAAC BLESSES LEVI AND JUDAH + +If a man voweth a vow, and he does not fulfil it in good time, he will +stumble through three grave sins, idolatry, unchastity, and bloodshed. +Jacob had been guilty of not accomplishing promptly the vow he had +taken upon himself at Beth-el, and therefore punishment overtook +him—his daughter was dishonored, his sons slew men, and they kept the +idols found among the spoils of Shechem.[293] Therefore, when Jacob +prostrated himself before God after the bloody outrage at Shechem, He +bade him arise, and go to Beth-el and accomplish the vow he had vowed +there.[294] Before Jacob set out for the holy place to do the bidding +of God, he took the idols which were in the possession of his sons, and +the teraphim which Rachel had stolen from her father, and he shivered +them in pieces, and buried[295] the bits under an oak upon Mount +Gerizim,[296] uprooting the tree with one hand, concealing the remains +of the idols in the hollow left in the earth, and planting the oak +again with one hand.[297] + +Among the destroyed idols was one in the form of a dove, and this the +Samaritans dug up later and worshipped. + +On reaching Beth-el he erected an altar to the Lord, and on a pillar he +set up the stone whereon he had rested his head during the night which +he had passed there on his journey to Haran.[298] Then he bade his +parents come to Beth-el and take part in his sacrifice. But Isaac sent +him a message, saying, "O my son Jacob, that I might see thee before I +die," whereupon Jacob hastened to his parents, taking Levi and Judah +with him. When his grandchildren stepped before Isaac, the darkness +that shrouded his eyes dropped away, and he said, "My son, are these +thy children, for they resemble thee?" And the spirit of prophecy +entered his mouth, and he grasped Levi with his right hand and Judah +with his left in order to bless them, and he spoke these words to Levi: +"May the Lord bring thee and thy seed nigh unto Him before all flesh, +that ye serve in His sanctuary like the Angel of the Face and the Holy +Angels. Princes, judges, and rulers shall they be unto all the seed of +the children of Jacob. The word of God they will proclaim in +righteousness, and all His judgments they will execute in justice, and +they will make manifest His ways unto the children of Jacob, and unto +Israel His paths." And unto Judah he spake, saying: "Be ye princes, +thou and one of thy sons, over the sons of Jacob. In thee shall be the +help of Jacob, and the salvation of Israel shall be found in thee. And +when thou sittest upon the throne of the glory of thy justice, perfect +peace shall reign over all the seed of the children of my beloved +Abraham." + +On the morrow, Isaac told his son that he would not accompany him to +Beth-el on account of his great age, but he bade him not delay longer +to fulfil his vow, and gave him permission to take his mother Rebekah +with him to the holy place. And Rebekah and her nurse Deborah went to +Beth-el with Jacob.[299] + +JOY AND SORROW IN THE HOUSE OF JACOB + +Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, and some of the servants of Isaac had +been sent to Jacob by his mother, while he still abode with Laban, to +summon him home at the end of his fourteen years' term of service. As +Jacob did not at once obey his mother's behest, the two servants of +Isaac returned to their master, but Deborah remained with Jacob then +and always. Therefore, when Deborah died in Beth-el, Jacob mourned for +her, and he buried her below Beth-el under the palm-tree,[300] the same +under which the prophetess Deborah sat later, when the children of +Israel came to her for judgment.[301] + +But a short time elapsed after the death of the nurse Deborah, and +Rebekah died, too. Her passing away was not made the occasion for +public mourning. The reason was that, as Abraham was dead, Isaac blind, +and Jacob away from home, there remained Esau as the only mourner to +appear in public and represent her family, and beholding that villain, +it was feared, might tempt a looker-on to cry out, "Accursed be the +breasts that gave thee suck." To avoid this, the burial of Rebekah took +place at night. + +God appeared unto Jacob to comfort him in his grief,[302] and with Him +appeared the heavenly family. It was a sign of grace, for all the while +the sons of Jacob had been carrying idols with them the Lord had not +revealed Himself to Jacob.[303] At this time God announced to Jacob the +birth of Benjamin soon to occur, and the birth of Manasseh and Ephraim, +who also were to be founders of tribes, and furthermore He told him +that these three would count kings among their descendants, Saul and +Ish-bosheth, of the seed of Benjamin, Jeroboam the Ephraimite, and Jehu +of the tribe of Manasseh. In this vision, God confirmed the change of +his name from Jacob to Israel, promised him by the angel with whom he +had wrestled on entering the Holy Land, and finally God revealed to him +that he would be the last of the three with whose names the Name of God +would appear united, for God is called only the God of Abraham, the God +of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and never the God of any one else.[304] + +In token of this revelation from God, Jacob set up a pillar of stone, +and he poured out a drink offering thereon, as in a later day the +priests were to offer libations in the Temple on the Feast of +Tabernacles,[305] and the libation brought by Jacob at Beth-el was as +much as all the waters in the Sea of Tiberias.[306] + +At the time when Deborah and Rebekah died, occurred also the death of +Rachel, at the age of thirty-six,[307] but not before her prayer was +heard, that she bear Jacob a second son, for she died in giving birth +to Benjamin. Twelve years she had borne no child, then she fasted +twelve days, and her petition was granted her. She brought forth the +youngest son of Jacob, whom he called Benjamin, the son of days, +because he was born in his father's old age,[308] and with him a twin +sister was born.[309] + +Rachel was buried in the way to Ephrath, because Jacob, gifted with +prophetic spirit, foresaw that the exiles would pass this place on +their march to Babylon, and as they passed, Rachel would entreat God's +mercy for the poor outcasts.[310] + +Jacob journeyed on to Jerusalem.[311] + +During Rachel's lifetime, her couch had always stood in the tent of +Jacob. After her death, he ordered the couch of her handmaid Bilhah to +be carried thither. Reuben was sorely vexed thereat, and he said, "Not +enough that Rachel alive curtailed the rights of my mother, she must +needs give her annoyance also after death!" He went and took the couch +of his mother Leah and placed it in Jacob's tent instead of Bilhah's +couch.[312] Reuben's brothers learned of his disrespectful act from +Asher. He had found it out in one way or another, and had told it to +his brethren, who ruptured their relations with him, for they would +have nothing to do with an informer, and they did not become reconciled +with Asher until Reuben himself confessed his transgression.[313] For +it was not long before Reuben recognized that he had acted +reprehensibly toward his father, and he fasted and put on sackcloth, +and repented of his misdeed. He was the first among men to do penance, +and therefore God said to him: "Since the beginning of the world it +hath not happened that a man hath sinned and then repented thereof. +Thou art the first to do penance, and as thou livest, a prophet of thy +seed, Hosea, shall be the first to proclaim, 'O Israel, return.' "[314] + +ESAU'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST JACOB + +When Isaac felt his end approaching, he called his two sons to him, and +charged them with his last wish and will, and gave them his blessing. +He said: "I adjure you by the exalted Name, the praised, honored, +glorious, immutable, and mighty One, who hath made heaven and earth and +all things together, that ye fear Him, and serve Him, and each shall +love his brother in mercy and justice, and none wish evil unto the +other, now and henceforth unto all eternity, all the days of your life, +that ye may enjoy good fortune in all your undertakings, and that ye +perish not." + +Furthermore he commanded them to bury him in the Cave of Machpelah, by +the side of his father Abraham, in the grave which he had dug for +himself with his own hands. Then he divided his possessions between his +two sons, giving Esau the larger portion, and Jacob the smaller. But +Esau said, "I sold my birthright to Jacob, and I ceded it to him, and +it belongs unto him." Isaac rejoiced greatly that Esau acknowledged the +rights of Jacob of his own accord, and he closed his eyes in +peace.[315] + +The funeral of Isaac was not disturbed by any unseemly act, for Esau +was sure of his heritage in accordance with the last wishes expressed +by his father. But when the time came to divide Isaac's possessions +between the two brothers, Esau said to Jacob, "Divide the property of +our father into two portions, but I as the elder claim the right of +choosing the portion I desire." What did Jacob do? He knew well that +"the eye of the wicked never beholds treasures enough to satisfy it," +so he divided their common heritage in the following way: all the +material possessions of his father formed one portion, and the other +consisted of Isaac's claim upon the Holy Land, together with the Cave +of Machpelah, the tomb of Abraham and Isaac. Esau chose the money and +the other things belonging to Isaac for his inheritance, and to Jacob +were left the Cave and the title to the Holy Land. An agreement to this +effect was drawn up in writing in due form, and on the strength of the +document Jacob insisted upon Esau's leaving Palestine. Esau acquiesced, +and he and his wives and his sons and daughters journeyed to Mount +Seir, where they took up their abode.[316] + +Though Esau gave way before Jacob for the nonce, he returned to the +land to make war upon his brother. Leah had just died, and Jacob and +the sons borne by Leah were mourning for her, and the rest of his sons, +borne unto him by his other wives, were trying to comfort them, when +Esau came upon them with a powerful host of four thousand men, well +equipped for war, clad in armor of iron and brass, all furnished with +bucklers, bows, and swords. They surrounded the citadel wherein Jacob +and his sons dwelt at that time with their servants and children and +households, for they had all assembled to console Jacob for the death +of Leah, and they sat there unconcerned, none entertained a suspicion +that an assault upon them was meditated by any man. And the great army +had already encircled their castle, and still none within suspected any +harm, neither Jacob and his children nor the two hundred servants. Now +when Jacob saw that Esau presumed to make war upon them, and sought to +slay them in the citadel, and was shooting darts at them, he ascended +the wall of the citadel and spake words of peace and friendship and +brotherly love to Esau. He said: "Is this the consolation which thou +hast come to bring me, to comfort me for my wife, who hath been taken +by death? Is this in accordance with the oath thou didst swear twice +unto thy father and thy mother before they died? Thou hast violated thy +oath, and in the hour when thou didst swear unto thy father, thou wast +judged." But Esau made reply: "Neither the children of men nor the +beasts of the field swear an oath to keep it unto all eternity, but on +every day they devise evil against one another, when it is directed +against an enemy, or when they seek to slay an adversary. If the boar +will change his skin and make his bristles as soft as wool, or if he +can cause horns to sprout forth on his head like the horns of a stag or +a ram, then shall I observe the tie of brotherhood with thee." + +Then spoke Judah to his father Jacob, saying: "How long wilt thou stand +yet wasting words of peace and friendship upon him? And he attacks us +unawares, like an enemy, with his mail-clad warriors, seeking to slay +us." Hearing these words, Jacob grasped his bow and killed Adoram the +Edomite, and a second time he bent his bow, and the arrow struck Esau +upon the right thigh. The wound was mortal, and his sons lifted Esau up +and put him upon his ass, and he came to Adora, and there he died. + +Judah made a sally to the south of the citadel, and with him were +Naphtali and Gad, aided by fifty of Jacob's servants; to the east Levi +and Dan went forth with fifty servants; Reuben, Issachar, and Zebulon +with fifty servants, to the north; and Simon, Benjamin, and Enoch, the +last the son of Reuben, with fifty servants, to the west. Judah was +exceedingly brave in battle. Together with Naphtali and Gad he pressed +forward into the ranks of the enemy, and captured one of their iron +towers. On their bucklers they caught the sharp missiles hurled against +them in such numbers that the light of the sun was darkened by reason +of the rocks and darts and stones. Judah was the first to break the +ranks of the enemy, of whom he killed six valiant men, and he was +accompanied on the right by Naphtali and by Gad on the left. They also +hewed down two soldiers each, while their troop of servants killed one +man each. Nevertheless they did not succeed in forcing the army away +from the south of the citadel, not even when all together, Judah and +his brethren, made an united attack upon the enemy, each of them +picking out a victim and slaying him. And they were still unsuccessful +in a third combined attack, though this time each killed two men. + +When Judah saw now that the enemy remained in possession of the field, +and it was impossible to dislodge them, he girded himself with +strength, and an heroic spirit animated him. Judah, Naphtali, and Gad +united, and together they pierced the ranks of the enemy, Judah slaying +ten of them, and his brothers each eight. Seeing this, the servants +took courage, and they joined their leaders and fought at their side. +Judah laid about him to right and to left, always aided by Naphtali and +Gad, and so they succeeded in forcing the enemy one ris further to the +south, away from the citadel. But the hostile army recovered itself, +and maintained a brave stand against all the sons of Jacob, who were +faint from the hardships of the combat, and could not continue to +fight. Thereupon Judah turned to God in prayer, and God hearkened unto +his petition, and He helped them. He set loose a storm from one of His +treasure chambers, and it blew into the faces of the enemy, and filled +their eyes with darkness, and they could not see how to fight. But +Judah and his brothers could see clearly, for the wind blew upon their +backs. Now Judah and his two brothers wrought havoc among them, they +hewed the enemy down as the reaper mows down the stalks of grain and +heaps them up for sheaves. + +After they had routed the division of the army assigned to them on the +south, they hastened to the aid of their brothers, who were defending +the east, north, and west of the citadel with three companies. On each +side the wind blew into the faces of the enemy, and so the sons of +Jacob succeeded in annihilating their army. Four hundred were slain in +battle, and six hundred fled, among the latter Esau's four sons, Reuel, +Jeush, Lotan, and Korah. The oldest of his sons, Eliphaz, took no part +in the war, because he was a disciple of Jacob, and therefore would not +bear arms against him. + +The sons of Jacob pursued after the fleeing remnant of the army as far +as Adora. There the sons of Esau abandoned the body of their father, +and continued their flight to Mount Seir. But the sons of Jacob +remained in Adora over night, and out of respect for their father they +buried the remains of his brother Esau. In the morning they went on in +pursuit of the enemy, and besieged them on Mount Seir. Now the sons of +Esau and all the other fugitives came and fell down before them, bowed +down, and entreated them without cease, until they concluded peace with +them. But the sons of Jacob exacted tribute from them.[317] + +THE DESCENDANTS OF ESAU + +The worthiest among the sons of Esau was his first-born Eliphaz. He had +been raised under the eyes of his grandfather Isaac, from whom he had +learnt the pious way of life.[318] The Lord had even found him worthy +of being endowed with the spirit of prophecy, for Eliphaz the son of +Esau is none other than the prophet Eliphaz, the friend of Job. It was +from the life of the Patriarchs that he drew the admonitions which he +gave unto Job in his disputes with him. Eliphaz spake: "Thou didst ween +thyself the equal of Abraham, and thou didst marvel, therefore, that +God should deal with thee as with the generation of the confusion of +tongues. But Abraham stood the test of ten temptations, and thou +faintest when but one toucheth thee. When any that was not whole came +to thee, thou wouldst console him. To the blind thou wouldst say, If +thou didst build thyself a house, thou wouldst surely put windows in +it, and if God hath denied thee light, it is but that He may be +glorified through thee in the day when 'the eyes of the blind shall be +opened.' To the deaf thou wouldst say, If thou didst fashion a water +pitcher, thou wouldst surely not forget to make ears for it, and if God +created thee without hearing, it is but that He may be glorified +through thee in the day when 'the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.' +In such wise thou didst endeavor to console the feeble and the maimed. +But now it is come unto thee, and thou art troubled. Thou sayest, I am +an upright man, why doth He chastise me? But who, I pray thee, ever +perished, being innocent? Noah was saved from the flood, Abraham from +the fiery furnace, Isaac from the slaughtering knife, Jacob from +angels, Moses from the sword of Pharaoh, and Israel from the Egyptians +that were drowned in the Sea. Thus shall all the wicked fare." + +Job answered Eliphaz, and said, "Look at thy father Esau!" + +But Eliphaz returned: "I have nothing to do with him, the son should +not bear the iniquity of the father. Esau will be destroyed, because he +executed no good deeds, and likewise his dukes will perish. But as for +me, I am a prophet, and my message is not unto Esau, but unto thee, to +make thee render account of thyself." But God rebuked Eliphaz, and +said: "Thou didst speak harsh words unto My servant Job. Therefore +shall Obadiah, one of thy descendants, utter a prophecy of denunciation +against thy father's house, the Edomites."[319] + +The concubine of Eliphaz was Timna, a princess of royal blood, who had +asked to be received into the faith of Abraham and his family, but they +all, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had rejected her, and she said, "Rather +will I be a maid servant unto the dregs of this nation, than mistress +of another nation," and so she was willing to be concubine to Eliphaz. +To punish the Patriarchs for the affront they had offered her, she was +made the mother of Amalek, who inflicted great injury upon Israel.[320] + +Another one of Esau's descendants, Anah, had a most unusual experience. +Once when he was pasturing his father's asses in the wilderness, he led +them to one of the deserts on the shores of the Red Sea, opposite the +wilderness of the nations, and while he was feeding the beasts, a very +heavy storm came from the other side of the sea, and the asses could +not move. Then about one hundred and twenty great and terrible animals +came out from the wilderness at the other side of the sea, and they all +came to the place where the asses were, and they placed themselves +there. From the middle down, these animals were in the shape of a man, +and from the middle up some had the likeness of bears, some of apes, +and they all had tails behind them like the tail of the dukipat, from +between their shoulders reaching down to the earth. The animals mounted +the asses, and they rode away with them, and unto this day no eye hath +seen them. One of them approached Anah, and smote him with its tail, +and then ran off. + +When Anah saw all this, he was exceedingly afraid on account of his +life, and he fled to the city, where he related all that had happened +to him. Many sallied forth to seek the asses, but none could find them. +Anah and his brothers went no more to the same place from that day +forth, for they were greatly afraid on account of their lives.[321] + +This Anah was the offspring of an incestuous marriage; his mother was +at the same time the mother of his father Zibeon. And as he was born of +an unnatural union, so he tried to bring about unnatural unions among +animals. He was the first to mix the breed of the horse and the ass and +produce the mule. As a punishment, God crossed the snake and the +lizard, and they brought forth the habarbar, whose bite is certain +death, like the bite of the white she-mule.[322] + +The descendants of Esau had eight kings before there reigned any king +over the descendants of Jacob. But a time came when the Jews had eight +kings during whose reign the Edomites had none and were subject to the +Jewish kings. This was the time that intervened between Saul, the first +Israelitish king, who ruled over Edom, and Jehoshaphat, for Edom did +not make itself independent of Jewish rule until the time of Joram, the +son of Jehoshaphat. There was a difference between the kings of Esau's +seed and the kings of Jacob's seed. The Jewish people always produced +their kings from their own midst, while the Edomites had to go to alien +peoples to secure theirs.[323] The first Edomite king was the Aramean +Balaam,[324] called Bela in his capacity as ruler of Edom. His +successor Job, called Jobab also, came from Bozrah, and for furnishing +Edom with a king this city will be chastised in time to come. When God +sits in judgment on Edom, Bozrah will be the first to suffer +punishment.[325] + +The rule of Edom was of short duration, while the rule of Israel will +be unto all times, for the standard of the Messiah shall wave forever +and ever.[326] + + + + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS, VOLUME I *** + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will +be renamed. + +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the +United States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part +of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm +concept and trademark. 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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 <a href="https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a>. 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. +</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Title: The Legends of the Jews<br /> + Volume 1</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Author: Louis Ginzberg</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Translator: Henrietta Szold</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Release Date: October, 1998 [eBook #1493]<br /> +[Most recently updated: February 3, 2022]</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Language: English</div> +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'>Character set encoding: UTF-8</div> +<div style='display:block; margin-left:2em; text-indent:-2em'>Produced by: Charles Keller</div> +<div style='margin-top:2em; margin-bottom:4em'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS, VOLUME I ***</div> + +<h1>The Legends of the Jews</h1> + +<h2 class="no-break">by Louis Ginzberg</h2> + +<h3>TRANSLATED PROM THE GERMAN MANUSCRIPT BY<br/> +HENRIETTA SZOLD<br/><br/><br/><br/></h3> + +<h4>VOLUME I<br/> +BIBLE TIMES AND CHARACTERS<br/> +FROM THE CREATION TO JACOB</h4> + +<hr /> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<p class="center"> +To<br/> +MY BROTHER ASHER +</p> + +<hr /> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2>Contents</h2> + +<table summary="" style=""> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#pref01"><b>PREFACE</b></a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#book01"><b>I. THE CREATION OF THE WORLD</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap01">The First Things Created</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap02">The Alphabet</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap03">The First Day</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap04">The Second Day</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap05">The Third Day</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap06">The Fourth Day</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap07">The Fifth Day</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap08">The Sixth Day</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap09">All Things Praise the Lord.</a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#book02"><b>II. ADAM</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap10">Man and the World</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap11">The Angels and the Creation of Man</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap12">The Creation of Adam</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap13">The Soul of Man</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap14">The Ideal Man</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap15">The Fall of Satan</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap16">Woman</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap17">Adam and Eve in Paradise</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap18">The Fall of Man</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap19">The Punishment</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap20">Sabbath in Heaven</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap21">Adam's Repentance</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap22">The Book of Raziel</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap23">The Sickness of Adam</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap24">Eve's Story of the Fall</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap25">The Death of Adam</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap26">The Death of Eve.</a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#book03"><b>III. THE TEN GENERATIONS</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap27">The Birth of Cain</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap28">Fratricide</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap29">The Punishment of Cain</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap30">The Inhabitants of the Seven Earths</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap31">The Descendants of Cain</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap32">The Descendants of Adam and Lilith</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap33">Seth and His Descendants</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap34">Enosh</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap35">The Fall of the Angels</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap36">Enoch, Ruler and Teacher</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap37">The Ascension of Enoch</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap38">The Translation of Enoch</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap39">Methuselah.</a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#book04"><b>IV. NOAH</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap40">The Birth of Noah</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap41">The Punishment of the Fallen Angels</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap42">The Generation of the Deluge</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap43">The Holy Book</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap44">The Inmates of the Ark</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap45">The Flood</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap46">Noah Leaves the Ark</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap47">The Curse of Drunkenness</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap48">Noah's Descendants Spread Abroad</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap49">The Depravity of Mankind</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap50">Nimrod</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap51">The Tower of Babel.</a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#book05"><b>V. ABRAHAM</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap52">The Wicked Generations</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap53">The Birth of Abraham</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap54">The Babe Proclaims God</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap55">Abraham's First Appearance in Public</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap56">The Preacher of the True Faith</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap57">In the Fiery Furnace</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap58">Abraham Emigrates to Haran</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap59">The Star in the East</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap60">The True Believer</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap61">The Iconoclast</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap62">Abraham in Canaan</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap63">His Sojourn in Egypt</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap64">The First Pharaoh</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap65">The War of the Kings</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap66">The Covenant of the Pieces</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap67">The Birth of Ishmael</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap68">The Visit of the Angels</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap69">The Cities of Sin</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap70">Abraham Pleads for the Sinners</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap71">The Destruction of the Sinful Cities</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap72">Among the Philistines</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap73">The Birth of Isaac</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap74">Ishmael Cast Off</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap75">The Two Wives of Ishmael</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap76">The Covenant with Abimelech</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap77">Satan Accuses Abraham</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap78">The Journey to Moriah</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap79">The Akedah</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap80">The Death and Burial of Sarah</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap81">Eliezer's Mission</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap82">The Wooing of Rebekah</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap83">The Last Years of Abraham</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap84">A Herald of Death</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap85">Abraham Views Earth and Heaven</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap86">The Patron of Hebron.</a><br /><br /></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#book06"><b>VI. JACOB</b></a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap87">The Birth of Esau and Jacob</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap88">The Favorite of Abraham</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap89">The Sale of the Birthright</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap90">Isaac with the Philistines</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap91">Isaac Blesses Jacob</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap92">Esau's True Character Revealed</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap93">Jacob Leaves His Father's House</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap94">Jacob Pursued by Eliphaz and Esau</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap95">The Day of Miracles</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap96">Jacob with Laban</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap97">The Marriage of Jacob</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap98">The Birth of Jacob's Children</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap99">Jacob Flees before Laban</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap100">The Covenant with Laban</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap101">Jacob and Esau Prepare to Meet</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap102">Jacob Wrestles with the Angel</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap103">The Meeting between Esau and Jacob</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap104">The Outrage at Shechem</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap105">A War Frustrated</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap106">The War with the Ninevites</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap107">The War with the Amorites</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap108">Isaac Blesses Levi and Judah</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap109">Joy and Sorrow in the House of Jacob</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap110">Esau's Campaign against Jacob</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td> <a href="#chap111">The Descendants of Esau.</a></td> +</tr> + +</table> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="pref01"></a>PREFACE</h2> + +<p class="poem"> +Was sich nie und nirgends hat begeben, das allein veraltet nie. +</p> + +<p> +The term Rabbinic was applied to the Jewish Literature of post-Biblical times +by those who conceived the Judaism of the later epoch to be something different +from the Judaism of the Bible, something actually opposed to it. Such observers +held that the Jewish nation ceased to exist with the moment when its political +independence was destroyed. For them the Judaism of the later epoch has been a +Judaism of the Synagogue, the spokesmen of which have been the scholars, the +Rabbis. And what this phase of Judaism brought forth has been considered by +them to be the product of the schools rather than the product of practical, +pulsating life. Poetic phantasmagoria, frequently the vaporings of morbid +visionaries, is the material out of which these scholars construct the +theologic system of the Rabbis, and fairy tales, the spontaneous creations of +the people, which take the form of sacred legend in Jewish literature, are +denominated the Scriptural exegesis of the Rabbis, and condemned incontinently +as nugae rabbinorum. +</p> + +<p> +As the name of a man clings to him, so men cling to names. For the primitive +savage the name is part of the essence of a person or thing, and even in the +more advanced stages of culture, judgments are not always formed in agreement +with facts as they are, but rather according to the names by which they are +called. The current estimate of Rabbinic Literature is a case in point. With +the label Rabbinic later ages inherited from former ages a certain distorted +view of the literature so designated. To this day, and even among scholars that +approach its investigation with unprejudiced minds, the opinion prevails that +it is purely a learned product. And yet the truth is that the most prominent +feature of Rabbinic Literature is its popular character. +</p> + +<p> +The school and the home are not mutually opposed to each other in the +conception of the Jews. They study in their homes, and they live in their +schools. Likewise there is no distinct class of scholars among them, a class +that withdraws itself from participation in the affairs of practical life. Even +in the domain of the Halakah, the Rabbis were not so much occupied with +theoretic principles of law as with the concrete phenomena of daily existence. +These they sought to grasp and shape. And what is true of the Halakah is true +with greater emphasis of the Haggadah, which is popular in the double sense of +appealing to the people and being produced in the main by the people. To speak +of the Haggadah of the Tannaim and Amoraim is as far from fact as to speak of +the legends of Shakespeare and Scott. The ancient authors and their modern +brethren of the guild alike elaborate legendary material which they found at +hand. +</p> + +<p> +It has been held by some that the Haggadah contains no popular legends, that it +is wholly a factitious, academic product. A cursory glance at the +pseudepigraphic literature of the Jews, which is older than the Haggadah +literature by several centuries, shows how untenable this view is. That the one +literature should have drawn from the other is precluded by historical facts. +At a very early time the Synagogue disavowed the pseudepigraphic literature, +which was the favorite reading matter of the sectaries and the Christians. +Nevertheless the inner relation between them is of the closest kind. The only +essential difference is that the Midrashic form prevails in the Haggadah, and +the parenetic or apocalyptic form in the pseudepigrapha. The common element +must therefore depart from the Midrash on the one hand and from parenesis on +the other. +</p> + +<p> +Folklore, fairy tales, legends, and all forms of story telling akin to these +are comprehended, in the terminology of the post-Biblical literature of the +Jews, under the inclusive description Haggadah, a name that can be explained by +a circumlocution, but cannot be translated. Whatever it is applied to is +thereby characterized first as being derived from the Holy Scriptures, and then +as being of the nature of a story. And, in point of fact, this dualism sums up +the distinguishing features of Jewish Legend. More than eighteen centuries ago +the Jewish historian Josephus observed that "though we be deprived of our +wealth, of our cities, or of the other advantages we have, our law continues +immortal." The word he meant to use was not law, but Torah, only he could not +find an equivalent for it in Greek. A singer of the Synagogue a thousand years +after Josephus, who expressed his sentiments in Hebrew, uttered the same +thought: "The Holy City and all her daughter cities are violated, they lie in +ruins, despoiled of their ornaments, their splendor darkened from sight. Naught +is left to us save one eternal treasure alone—the Holy Torah." The sadder the +life of the Jewish people, the more it felt the need of taking refuge in its +past. The Scripture, or, to use the Jewish term, the Torah, was the only +remnant of its former national independence, and the Torah was the magic means +of making a sordid actuality recede before a glorious memory. To the Scripture +was assigned the task of supplying nourishment to the mind as well as the soul, +to the intellect as well as the imagination, and the result is the Halakah and +the Haggadah. +</p> + +<p> +The fancy of the people did not die out in the post-Biblical time, but the bent +of its activity was determined by the past. +</p> + +<p> +Men craved entertainment in later times as well as in the earlier, only instead +of resorting for its subject-matter to what happened under their eyes, they +drew from the fountain-head of the past. The events in the ancient history of +Israel, which was not only studied, but lived over again daily, stimulated the +desire to criticize it. The religious reflections upon nature laid down in the +myths of the people, the fairy tales, which have the sole object of pleasing, +and the legends, which are the people's verdict upon history—all these were +welded into one product. The fancy of the Jewish people was engaged by the past +reflected in the Bible, and all its creations wear a Biblical hue for this +reason. This explains the peculiar form of the Haggadah. +</p> + +<p> +But what is spontaneously brought forth by the people is often preserved only +in the form impressed upon it by the feeling and the thought of the poet, or by +the speculations of the learned. Also Jewish legends have rarely been +transmitted in their original shape. They have been perpetuated in the form of +Midrash, that is, Scriptural exegesis. The teachers of the Haggadah, called +Rabbanan d'Aggadta in the Talmud, were no folklorists, from whom a faithful +reproduction of legendary material may be expected. Primarily they were +homilists, who used legends for didactic purposes, and their main object was to +establish a close connection between the Scripture and the creations of the +popular fancy, to give the latter a firm basis and secure a long term of life +for them. +</p> + +<p> +One of the most important tasks of the modern investigation of the Haggadah is +to make a clean separation between the original elements and the later learned +additions. Hardly a beginning has been made in this direction. But as long as +the task of distinguishing them has not been accomplished, it is impossible to +write out the Biblical legends of the Jews without including the supplemental +work of scholars in the products of the popular fancy. +</p> + +<p> +In the present work, "The Legends of the Jews," I have made the first attempt +to gather from the original sources all Jewish legends, in so far as they refer +to Biblical personages and events, and reproduce them with the greatest +attainable completeness and accuracy. I use the expression Jewish, rather than +Rabbinic, because the sources from which I have levied contributions are not +limited to the Rabbinic literature. As I expect to take occasion elsewhere to +enter into a description of the sources in detail, the following data must +suffice for the present. +</p> + +<p> +The works of the Talmudic Midrashic literature are of the first importance. +Covering the period from the second to the fourteenth century, they contain the +major part of the Jewish legendary material. Akin to this in content if not +always in form is that derived from the Targumim, of which the oldest versions +were produced not earlier than the fourth century, and the most recent not +later than the tenth. The Midrashic literature has been preserved only in +fragmentary form. Many Haggadot not found in our existing collections are +quoted by the authors of the Middle Ages. Accordingly, a not inconsiderable +number of the legends here printed are taken from medieval Bible commentators +and homilists. I was fortunate in being able to avail myself also of fragments +of Midrashim of which only manuscript copies are extant. +</p> + +<p> +The works of the older Kabbalah are likewise treasuries of quotations from lost +Midrashim, and it was among the Kabbalists, and later among the Hasidim, that +new legends arose. The literatures produced in these two circles are therefore +of great importance for the present purpose. +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore, Jewish legends can be culled not from the writings of the +Synagogue alone; they appear also in those of the Church. Certain Jewish works +repudiated by the Synagogue were accepted and mothered by the Church. This is +the literature usually denominated apocryphal-pseudepigraphic. From the point +of view of legends, the apocryphal books are of subordinate importance, while +the pseudepigrapha are of fundamental value. Even quantitatively the latter are +an imposing mass. Besides the Greek writings of the Hellenist Jews, they +contain Latin, Syrian, Ethiopic, Aramean, Arabic, Persian, and Old Slavic +products translated directly or indirectly from Jewish works of Palestinian or +Hellenistic origin. The use of these pseudepigrapha requires great caution. +Nearly all of them are embellished with Christian interpolations, and in some +cases the inserted portions have choked the original form so completely that it +is impossible to determine at first sight whether a Jewish or a Christian +legend is under examination. I believe, however, that the pseudepigraphic +material made use of by me is Jewish beyond the cavil of a doubt, and therefore +it could not have been left out of account in a work like the present. +</p> + +<p> +However, in the appreciation of Jewish Legends, it is the Rabbinic writers that +should form the point of departure, and not the pseudepigrapha. The former +represent the main stream of Jewish thought and feeling, the latter only an +undercurrent. If the Synagogue cast out the pseudepigrapha, and the Church +adopted them with a great show of favor, these respective attitudes were not +determined arbitrarily or by chance. The pseudepigrapha originated in circles +that harbored the germs from which Christianity developed later on. The Church +could thus appropriate them as her own with just reason. +</p> + +<p> +In the use of some of the apocryphal and pseudepigraphic writings, I found it +expedient to quote the English translations of them made by others, in so far +as they could be brought into accord with the general style of the book, for +which purpose I permitted myself the liberty of slight verbal changes. In +particulars, I was guided, naturally, by my own conception of the subject, +which the Notes justify in detail. +</p> + +<p> +Besides the pseudepigrapha there are other Jewish sources in Christian garb. In +the rich literature of the Church Fathers many a Jewish legend lies embalmed +which one would seek in vain in Jewish books. It was therefore my special +concern to use the writings of the Fathers to the utmost. +</p> + +<p> +The luxuriant abundance of the material to be presented made it impossible to +give a verbal rendition of each legend. This would have required more than +three times the space at my disposal. I can therefore claim completeness for my +work only as to content. In form it had to suffer curtailment. When several +conflicting versions of the same legend existed, I gave only one in the text, +reserving the other one, or the several others, for the Notes, or, when +practicable, they were fused into one typical legend, the component parts of +which are analyzed in the Notes. In other instances I resorted to the expedient +of citing one version in one place and the others in other appropriate places, +in furtherance of my aim, to give a smooth presentation of the matter, with as +few interruptions to the course of the narrative as possible. For this reason I +avoided such transitional phrases as "Some say," "It has been maintained," etc. +That my method sometimes separates things that belong together cannot be +considered a grave disadvantage, as the Index at the end of the work will +present a logical rearrangement of the material for the benefit of the +interested student. I also did not hesitate to treat of the same personage in +different chapters, as, for instance, many of the legends bearing upon Jacob, +those connected with the latter years of the Patriarch, do not appear in the +chapter bearing his name, but will be found in the sections devoted to Joseph, +for the reason that once the son steps upon the scene, he becomes the central +figure, to which the life and deeds of the father are subordinated. Again, in +consideration of lack of space the Biblical narratives underlying the legends +had to be omitted—surely not a serious omission in a subject with which +widespread acquaintance may be presupposed as a matter of course. +</p> + +<p> +As a third consequence of the amplitude of the material, it was thought +advisable to divide it into several volumes. The references, the explanations +of the sources used, and the interpretations given, and, especially, numerous +emendations of the text of the Midrashim and the pseudepigrapha, which +determined my conception of the passages so emended, will be found in the last +volume, the fourth, which will contain also an Introduction to the History of +Jewish Legends, a number of Excursuses, and the Index. +</p> + +<p> +As the first three volumes are in the hands of the printer almost in their +entirety, I venture to express the hope that the whole work will appear within +measurable time, the parts following each other at short intervals. +</p> + +<p class="right"> +LOUIS GINZBERG. +</p> + +<p class="letter"> +NEW YORK, March 24, 1909 +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="book01"></a>I<br/> +THE CREATION OF THE WORLD</h2> + +<h3><a name="chap01"></a>THE FIRST THINGS CREATED</h3> + +<p> +In the beginning, two thousand years before the heaven and the earth, seven +things were created: the Torah written with black fire on white fire, and lying +in the lap of God; the Divine Throne, erected in the heaven which later was +over the heads of the Hayyot; Paradise on the right side of God, Hell on the +left side; the Celestial Sanctuary directly in front of God, having a jewel on +its altar graven with the Name of the Messiah, and a Voice that cries aloud, +"Return, ye children of men."[1] +</p> + +<p> +When God resolved upon the creation of the world, He took counsel with the +Torah.[2] Her advice was this: "O Lord, a king without an army and without +courtiers and attendants hardly deserves the name of king, for none is nigh to +express the homage due to him." The answer pleased God exceedingly. Thus did He +teach all earthly kings, by His Divine example, to undertake naught without +first consulting advisers.[3] +</p> + +<p> +The advice of the Torah was given with some reservations. She was skeptical +about the value of an earthly world, on account of the sinfulness of men, who +would be sure to disregard her precepts. But God dispelled her doubts. He told +her, that repentance had been created long before, and sinners would have the +opportunity of mending their ways. Besides, the Temple service would be +invested with atoning power, and Paradise and hell were intended to do duty as +reward and punishment. Finally, the Messiah was appointed to bring salvation, +which would put an end to all sinfulness.[4] +</p> + +<p> +Nor is this world inhabited by man the first of things earthly created by God. +He made several worlds before ours, but He destroyed them all, because He was +pleased with none until He created ours.[5] But even this last world would have +had no permanence, if God had executed His original plan of ruling it according +to the principle of strict justice. It was only when He saw that justice by +itself would undermine the world that He associated mercy with justice, and +made them to rule jointly.[6] Thus, from the beginning of all things prevailed +Divine goodness, without which nothing could have continued to exist. If not +for it, the myriads of evil spirits had soon put an end to the generations of +men. But the goodness of God has ordained, that in every Nisan, at the time of +the spring equinox, the seraphim shall approach the world of spirits, and +intimidate them so that they fear to do harm to men. Again, if God in His +goodness had not given protection to the weak, the tame animals would have been +extirpated long ago by the wild animals. In Tammuz, at the time of the summer +solstice, when the strength of behemot is at its height, he roars so loud that +all the animals hear it, and for a whole year they are affrighted and timid, +and their acts become less ferocious than their nature is. Again, in Tishri, at +the time of the autumnal equinox, the great bird ziz[7] flaps his wings and +utters his cry, so that the birds of prey, the eagles and the vultures, blench, +and they fear to swoop down upon the others and annihilate them in their greed. +And, again, were it not for the goodness of God, the vast number of big fish +had quickly put an end to the little ones. But at the time of the winter +solstice, in the month of Tebet, the sea grows restless, for then leviathan +spouts up water, and the big fish become uneasy. They restrain their appetite, +and the little ones escape their rapacity. +</p> + +<p> +Finally, the goodness of God manifests itself in the preservation of His people +Israel. It could not have survived the enmity of the Gentiles, if God had not +appointed protectors for it, the archangels Michael and Gabriel.[8] Whenever +Israel disobeys God, and is accused of misdemeanors by the angels of the other +nations, he is defended by his designated guardians, with such good result that +the other angels conceive fear of them. Once the angels of the other nations +are terrified, the nations themselves venture not to carry out their wicked +designs against Israel. +</p> + +<p> +That the goodness of God may rule on earth as in heaven, the Angels of +Destruction are assigned a place at the far end of the heavens, from which they +may never stir, while the Angels of Mercy encircle the Throne of God, at His +behest.[9] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap02"></a>THE ALPHABET</h3> + +<p> +When God was about to create the world by His word, the twenty-two letters of +the alphabet[10] descended from the terrible and august crown of God whereon +they were engraved with a pen of flaming fire. They stood round about God, and +one after the other spake and entreated, "Create the world through me!" The +first to step forward was the letter Taw. It said: "O Lord of the world! May it +be Thy will to create Thy world through me, seeing that it is through me that +Thou wilt give the Torah to Israel by the hand of Moses, as it is written, +'Moses commanded us the Torah.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, made reply, and +said, "No!" Taw asked, "Why not?" and God answered: "Because in days to come I +shall place thee as a sign of death upon the foreheads of men." As soon as Taw +heard these words issue from the mouth of the Holy One, blessed be He, it +retired from His presence disappointed. +</p> + +<p> +The Shin then stepped forward, and pleaded: "O Lord of the world, create Thy +world through me: seeing that Thine own name Shaddai begins with me." +Unfortunately, it is also the first letter of Shaw, lie, and of Sheker, +falsehood, and that incapacitated it. Resh had no better luck. It was pointed +out that it was the initial letter of Ra', wicked, and Rasha' evil, and after +that the distinction it enjoys of being the first letter in the Name of God, +Rahum, the Merciful, counted for naught. The Kof was rejected, because Kelalah, +curse, outweighs the advantage of being the first in Kadosh, the Holy One. In +vain did Zadde call attention to Zaddik, the Righteous One; there was Zarot, +the misfortunes of Israel, to testify against it. Pe had Podeh, redeemer, to +its credit, but Pesha: transgression, reflected dishonor upon it. 'Ain was +declared unfit, because, though it begins 'Anawah, humility, it performs the +same service for 'Erwah, immorality. Samek said: "O Lord, may it be Thy will to +begin the creation with me, for Thou art called Samek, after me, the Upholder +of all that fall." But God said: "Thou art needed in the place in which thou +art;[11] thou must continue to uphold all that fall." Nun introduces Ner, "the +lamp of the Lord," which is "the spirit of men," but it also introduces Ner, +"the lamp of the wicked," which will be put out by God. Mem starts Melek, king, +one of the titles of God. As it is the first letter of Mehumah, confusion, as +well, it had no chance of accomplishing its desire. The claim of Lamed bore its +refutation within itself. It advanced the argument that it was the first letter +of Luhot, the celestial tables for the Ten Commandments; it forgot that the +tables were shivered in pieces by Moses. Kaf was sure of victory Kisseh, the +throne of God, Kabod, His honor, and Keter, His crown, all begin with it. God +had to remind it that He would smite together His hands, Kaf, in despair over +the misfortunes of Israel. Yod at first sight seemed the appropriate letter for +the beginning of creation, on account of its association with Yah, God, if only +Yezer ha-Ra' the evil inclination, had not happened to begin with it, too. Tet +is identified with Tob, the good. However, the truly good is not in this world; +it belongs to the world to come. Het is the first letter of Hanun, the Gracious +One; but this advantage is offset by its place in the word for sin, Hattat. +Zain suggests Zakor, remembrance, but it is itself the word for weapon, the +doer of mischief. Waw and He compose the Ineffable Name of God; they are +therefore too exalted to be pressed into the service of the mundane world. If +Dalet had stood only for Dabar, the Divine Word, it would have been used, but +it stands also for Din, justice, and under the rule of law without love the +world would have fallen to ruin. Finally, in spite of reminding one of Gadol, +great, Gimel would not do, because Gemul, retribution, starts with it. +</p> + +<p> +After the claims of all these letters had been disposed of, Bet stepped before +the Holy One, blessed be He, and pleaded before Him: "O Lord of the world! May +it be Thy will to create Thy world through me, seeing that all the dwellers in +the world give praise daily unto Thee through me, as it is said, 'Blessed be +the Lord forever. Amen, and Amen.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, at once +granted the petition of Bet. He said, "Blessed be he that cometh in the name of +the Lord." And He created His world through Bet, as it is said, "Bereshit God +created the heaven and the earth." The only letter that had refrained from +urging its claims was the modest Alef, and God rewarded it later for its +humility by giving it the first place in the Decalogue.[12] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap03"></a>THE FIRST DAY</h3> + +<p> +On the first day of creation God produced ten things:[13] the heavens and the +earth, Tohu and Bohu, light and darkness, wind and water, the duration of the +day[14] and the duration of the night.[15] +</p> + +<p> +Though the heavens and the earth consist of entirely different elements,[16] +they were yet created as a unit, "like the pot and its cover."[17] The heavens +were fashioned from the light of God's garment, and the earth from the snow +under the Divine Throne.[18] Tohu is a green band which encompasses the whole +world, and dispenses darkness, and Bohu consists of stones in the abyss, the +producers of the waters. The light created at the very beginning is not the +same as the light emitted by the sun, the moon, and the stars, which appeared +only on the fourth day. The light of the first day was of a sort that would +have enabled man to see the world at a glance from one end to the other. +Anticipating the wickedness of the sinful generations of the deluge and the +Tower of Babel, who were unworthy to enjoy the blessing of such light, God +concealed it, but in the world to come it will appear to the pious in all its +pristine glory.[19] +</p> + +<p> +Several heavens were created,[20] seven in fact,[21] each to serve a purpose of +its own. The first, the one visible to man, has no function except that of +covering up the light during the night time; therefore it disappears every +morning. The planets are fastened to the second of the heavens; in the third +the manna is made for the pious in the hereafter; the fourth contains the +celestial Jerusalem together with the Temple, in which Michael ministers as +high priest, and offers the souls of the pious as sacrifices. In the fifth +heaven, the angel hosts reside, and sing the praise of God, though only during +the night, for by day it is the task of Israel on earth to give glory to God on +high. The sixth heaven is an uncanny spot; there originate most of the trials +and visitations ordained for the earth and its inhabitants. Snow lies heaped up +there and hail; there are lofts full of noxious dew, magazines stocked with +storms, and cellars holding reserves of smoke. Doors of fire separate these +celestial chambers, which are under the supervision of the archangel Metatron. +Their pernicious contents defiled the heavens until David's time. The pious +king prayed God to purge His exalted dwelling of whatever was pregnant with +evil; it was not becoming that such things should exist near the Merciful One. +Only then they were removed to the earth. +</p> + +<p> +The seventh heaven, on the other hand, contains naught but what is good and +beautiful: right, justice, and mercy, the storehouses of life, peace, and +blessing, the souls of the pious, the souls and spirits of unborn generations, +the dew with which God will revive the dead on the resurrection day, and, above +all, the Divine Throne, surrounded by the seraphim, the ofanim, the holy +Hayyot, and the ministering angels.[22] +</p> + +<p> +Corresponding to the seven heavens, God created seven earths, each separated +from the next by five layers. Over the lowest earth, the seventh, called Erez, +lie in succession the abyss, the Tohu, the Bohu, a sea, and waters.[23] Then +the sixth[24] earth is reached, the Adamah, the scene of the magnificence of +God. In the same way the Adamah is separated from the fifth earth, the Arka, +which contains Gehenna, and Sha'are Mawet, and Sha'are Zalmawet, and Beer +Shahat, and Tit ha-Yawen, and Abaddon, and Sheol,[25] and there the souls of +the wicked are guarded by the Angels of Destruction. In the same way Arka is +followed by Harabah, the dry, the place of brooks and streams in spite of its +name, as the next, called Yabbashah, the mainland, contains the rivers and the +springs. Tebel, the second earth, is the first mainland inhabited by living +creatures, three hundred and sixty-five species,[26] all essentially different +from those of our own earth. Some have human heads set on the body of a lion, +or a serpent, or an ox; others have human bodies topped by the head of one of +these animals. Besides, Tebel is inhabited by human beings with two heads and +four hands and feet, in fact with all their organs doubled excepting only the +trunk.[27] It happens sometimes that the parts of these double persons quarrel +with each other, especially while eating and drinking, when each claims the +best and largest portions for himself. This species of mankind is distinguished +for great piety, another difference between it and the inhabitants of our +earth. +</p> + +<p> +Our own earth is called Heled, and, like the others, it is separated from the +Tebel by an abyss, the Tohu, the Bohu, a sea, and waters. +</p> + +<p> +Thus one earth rises above the other, from the first to the seventh, and over +the seventh earth the heavens are vaulted, from the first to the seventh, the +last of them attached to the arm of God. The seven heavens form a unity, the +seven kinds of earth form a unity, and the heavens and the earth together also +form a unity.[28] +</p> + +<p> +When God made our present heavens and our present earth, "the new heavens and +the new earth"[29] were also brought forth, yea, and the hundred and ninety-six +thousand worlds which God created unto His Own glory.[30] +</p> + +<p> +It takes five hundred years to walk from the earth to the heavens, and from one +end of a heaven to the other, and also from one heaven to the next,[31] and it +takes the same length of time to travel from the east to the west, or from the +south to the north.[32] Of all this vast world only one-third is inhabited, the +other two-thirds being equally divided between water and waste desert land. +</p> + +<p> +Beyond the inhabited parts to the east is Paradise[33] with its seven +divisions, each assigned to the pious of a certain degree. The ocean is +situated to the west, and it is dotted with islands upon islands, inhabited by +many different peoples. Beyond it, in turn, are the boundless steppes full of +serpents and scorpions, and destitute of every sort of vegetation, whether +herbs or trees. To the north are the supplies of hell-fire, of snow, hail, +smoke, ice, darkness, and windstorms, and in that vicinity sojourn all sorts of +devils, demons, and malign spirits. Their dwelling-place is a great stretch of +land, it would take five hundred years to traverse it. Beyond lies hell. To the +south is the chamber containing reserves of fire, the cave of smoke, and the +forge of blasts and hurricanes.[34] Thus it comes that the wind blowing from +the south brings heat and sultriness to the earth. Were it not for the angel +Ben Nez, the Winged, who keeps the south wind back with his pinions, the world +would be consumed.[35] Besides, the fury of its blast is tempered by the north +wind, which always appears as moderator, whatever other wind may be +blowing.[36] +</p> + +<p> +In the east, the west, and the south, heaven and earth touch each other, but +the north God left unfinished, that any man who announced himself as a god +might be set the task of supplying the deficiency, and stand convicted as a +pretender.[37] +</p> + +<p> +The construction of the earth was begun at the centre, with the foundation +stone of the Temple, the Eben Shetiyah,[38] for the Holy Land is at the central +point of the surface of the earth, Jerusalem is at the central point of +Palestine, and the Temple is situated at the centre of the Holy City. In the +sanctuary itself the Hekal is the centre, and the holy Ark occupies the centre +of the Hekal, built on the foundation stone, which thus is at the centre of the +earth.[39] Thence issued the first ray of light, piercing to the Holy Land, and +from there illuminating the whole earth.[40] The creation of the world, +however, could not take place until God had banished the ruler of the dark.[41] +"Retire," God said to him, "for I desire to create the world by means of +light." Only after the light had been fashioned, darkness arose, the light +ruling in the sky, the darkness on the earth.[42] The power of God displayed +itself not only in the creation of the world of things, but equally in the +limitations which He imposed upon each. The heavens and the earth stretched +themselves out in length and breadth as though they aspired to infinitude, and +it required the word of God to call a halt to their encroachments.[43] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap04"></a>THE SECOND DAY</h3> + +<p> +On the second day God brought forth four creations, the firmament, hell, fire, +and the angels.[44] The firmament is not the same as the heavens of the first +day. It is the crystal stretched forth over the heads of the Hayyot, from which +the heavens derive their light, as the earth derives its light from the sun. +This firmament saves the earth from being engulfed by the waters of the +heavens; it forms the partition between the waters above and the waters +below.[45] It was made to crystallize into the solid it is by the heavenly +fire, which broke its bounds, and condensed the surface of the firmament. Thus +fire made a division between the celestial and the terrestrial at the time of +creation, as it did at the revelation on Mount Sinai.[46] The firmament is not +more than three fingers thick,[47] nevertheless it divides two such heavy +bodies as the waters below, which are the foundations for the nether world, and +the waters above, which are the foundations for the seven heavens, the Divine +Throne, and the abode of the angels.[48] +</p> + +<p> +The separation of the waters into upper and lower waters was the only act of +the sort done by God in connection with the work of creation.[49] All other +acts were unifying. It therefore caused some difficulties. When God commanded, +"Let the waters be gathered together, unto one place, and let the dry land +appear," certain parts refused to obey. They embraced each other all the more +closely. In His wrath at the waters, God determined to let the whole of +creation resolve itself into chaos again. He summoned the Angel of the Face, +and ordered him to destroy the world. The angel opened his eyes wide, and +scorching fires and thick clouds rolled forth from them, while he cried out, +"He who divides the Red Sea in sunder!"—and the rebellious waters stood. The +all, however, was still in danger of destruction. Then began the singer of +God's praises: "O Lord of the world, in days to come Thy creatures will sing +praises without end to Thee, they will bless Thee boundlessly, and they will +glorify Thee without measure. Thou wilt set Abraham apart from all mankind as +Thine own; one of his sons Thou wilt call 'My first-born'; and his descendants +will take the yoke of Thy kingdom upon themselves. In holiness and purity Thou +wilt bestow Thy Torah upon them, with the words, 'I am the Lord your God,' +whereunto they will make answer, 'All that God hath spoken we will do.' And now +I beseech Thee, have pity upon Thy world, destroy it not, for if Thou +destroyest it, who will fulfil Thy will?" God was pacified; He withdrew the +command ordaining the destruction of the world, but the waters He put under the +mountains, to remain there forever.[50] The objection of the lower waters to +division and Separation[51] was not their only reason for rebelling. The waters +had been the first to give praise to God, and when their separation into upper +and lower was decreed, the waters above rejoiced, saying, "Blessed are we who +are privileged to abide near our Creator and near His Holy Throne." Jubilating +thus, they flew upward, and uttered song and praise to the Creator of the +world. Sadness fell upon the waters below. They lamented: "Woe unto us, we have +not been found worthy to dwell in the presence of God, and praise Him together +with our companions." Therefore they attempted to rise upward, until God +repulsed them, and pressed them under the earth.[52] Yet they were not left +unrewarded for their loyalty. Whenever the waters above desire to give praise +to God, they must first seek permission from the waters below.[53] +</p> + +<p> +The second day of creation was an untoward day in more than the one respect +that it introduced a breach where before there had been nothing but unity; for +it was the day that saw also the creation of hell. Therefore God could not say +of this day as of the others, that He "saw that it was good." A division may be +necessary, but it cannot be called good, and hell surely does not deserve the +attribute of good.[54] Hell[55] has seven divisions,[36] one beneath the other. +They are called Sheol, Abaddon, Beer Shahat, Tit ha-Yawen, Sha'are Mawet, +Sha'are Zalmawet: and Gehenna. It requires three hundred years to traverse the +height, or the width, or the depth of each division, and it would take six +thousand three hundred[37] years to go over a tract of land equal in extent to +the seven divisions.[38] +</p> + +<p> +Each of the seven divisions in turn has seven subdivisions, and in each +compartment there are seven rivers of fire and seven of hail. The width of each +is one thousand ells, its depth one thousand, and its length three hundred, and +they flow one from the other, and are supervised by ninety thousand Angels of +Destruction. There are, besides, in every compartment seven thousand caves, in +every cave there are seven thousand crevices, and in every crevice seven +thousand scorpions. Every scorpion has three hundred rings, and in every ring +seven thousand pouches of venom, from which flow seven rivers of deadly poison. +If a man handles it, he immediately bursts, every limb is torn from his body, +his bowels are cleft asunder, and he falls upon his face.[56] There are also +five different kinds of fire in hell. One devours and absorbs, another devours +and does not absorb, while the third absorbs and does not devour, and there is +still another fire, which neither devours nor absorbs, and furthermore a fire +which devours fire. There are coals big as mountains, and coals big as hills, +and coals as large as the Dead Sea, and coals like huge stones, and there are +rivers of pitch and sulphur flowing and seething like live coals.[60] +</p> + +<p> +The third creation of the second day was the angel hosts, both the ministering +angels and the angels of praise. The reason they had not been called into being +on the first day was, lest men believe that the angels assisted God in the +creation of the heavens and the earth.[61] The angels that are fashioned from +fire have forms of fire,[62] but only so long as they remain in heaven. When +they descend to earth, to do the bidding of God here below, either they are +changed into wind, or they assume the guise of men.[63] There are ten ranks or +degrees among the angels.[64] +</p> + +<p> +The most exalted in rank are those surrounding the Divine Throne on all sides, +to the right, to the left, in front, and behind, under the leadership of the +archangels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, and Raphael.[65] +</p> + +<p> +All the celestial beings praise God with the words, "Holy, holy, holy, is the +Lord of hosts," but men take precedence of the angels herein. They may not +begin their song of praise until the earthly beings have brought their homage +to God.[66] Especially Israel is preferred to the angels. When they encircle +the Divine Throne in the form of fiery mountains and flaming hills, and attempt +to raise their voices in adoration of the Creator, God silences them with the +words, "Keep quiet until I have heard the songs, praises, prayers, and sweet +melodies of Israel." Accordingly, the ministering angels and all the other +celestial hosts wait until the last tones of Israel's doxologies rising aloft +from earth have died away, and then they proclaim in a loud voice, "Holy, holy, +holy, is the Lord of hosts." When the hour for the glorification of God by the +angels draws nigh, the august Divine herald, the angel Sham'iel, steps to the +windows[67] of the lowest heaven to hearken to the songs, prayers, and praises +that ascend from the synagogues and the houses of learning, and when they are +finished, he announces the end to the angels in all the heavens. The +ministering angels, those who come in contact with the sublunary world,[68] now +repair to their chambers to take their purification bath. They dive into a +stream of fire and flame seven times, and three hundred and sixty-five times +they examine themselves carefully, to make sure that no taint clings to their +bodies.[69] Only then they feel privileged to mount the fiery ladder and join +the angels of the seventh heaven, and surround the throne of God with Hashmal +and all the holy Hayyot. Adorned with millions of fiery crowns, arrayed in +fiery garments, all the angels in unison, in the same words, and with the same +melody, intone songs of praise to God.[70] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap05"></a>THE THIRD DAY</h3> + +<p> +Up to this time the earth was a plain, and wholly covered with water. Scarcely +had the words of God, "Let the waters be gathered together," made themselves +heard, when mountains appeared all over and hills,[71] and the water collected +in the deep-lying basins. But the water was recalcitrant, it resisted the order +to occupy the lowly spots, and threatened to overflow the earth, until God +forced it back into the sea, and encircled the sea with sand. Now, whenever the +water is tempted to transgress its bounds, it beholds the sand, and +recoils.[72] +</p> + +<p> +The waters did but imitate their chief Rahab, the Angel of the Sea, who +rebelled at the creation of the world. God had commanded Rahab to take in the +water. But he refused, saying, "I have enough." The punishment for his +disobedience was death. His body rests in the depths of the sea, the water +dispelling the foul odor that emanates from it.[73] +</p> + +<p> +The main creation of the third day was the realm of plants, the terrestrial +plants as well as the plants of Paradise. First of all the cedars of Lebanon +and the other great trees were made. In their pride at having been put first, +they shot up high in the air. They considered themselves the favored among +plants. Then God spake, "I hate arrogance and pride, for I alone am exalted, +and none beside," and He created the iron on the same day, the substance with +which trees are felled down. The trees began to weep, and when God asked the +reason of their tears, they said: "We cry because Thou hast created the iron to +uproot us therewith. All the while we had thought ourselves the highest of the +earth, and now the iron, our destroyer, has been called into existence." God +replied: "You yourselves will furnish the axe with a handle. Without your +assistance the iron will not be able to do aught against you."[74] +</p> + +<p> +The command to bear seed after their kind was given to the trees alone. But the +various sorts of grass reasoned, that if God had not desired divisions +according to classes, He would not have instructed the trees to bear fruit +after their kind with the seed thereof in it, especially as trees are inclined +of their own accord to divide themselves into species. The grasses therefore +reproduced themselves also after their kinds. This prompted the exclamation of +the Prince of the World, "Let the glory of the Lord endure forever; let the +Lord rejoice in His works."[75] +</p> + +<p> +The most important work done on the third day was the creation of Paradise. Two +gates of carbuncle form the entrance to Paradise,[76] and sixty myriads of +ministering angels keep watch over them. Each of these angels shines with the +lustre of the heavens. When the just man appears before the gates, the clothes +in which he was buried are taken off him, and the angels array him in seven +garments of clouds of glory, and place upon his head two crowns, one of +precious stones and pearls, the other of gold of Parvaim,[77] and they put +eight myrtles in his hand, and they utter praises before him and say to him, +"Go thy way, and eat thy bread with joy." And they lead him to a place full of +rivers, surrounded by eight hundred kinds of roses and myrtles. Each one has a +canopy according to his merits,[78] and under it flow four rivers, one of milk, +the other of balsam, the third of wine, and the fourth of honey. Every canopy +is overgrown by a vine of gold, and thirty pearls hang from it, each of them +shining like Venus. Under each canopy there is a table of precious stones and +pearls, and sixty angels stand at the head of every just man, saying unto him: +"Go and eat with joy of the honey, for thou hast busied thyself with the Torah, +and she is sweeter than honey, and drink of the wine preserved in the grape +since the six days of creation,[79] for thou hast busied thyself with the +Torah, and she is compared to wine." The least fair of the just is beautiful as +Joseph and Rabbi Johanan, and as the grains of a silver pomegranate upon which +fall the rays of the sun.[80] There is no light, "for the light of the +righteous is the shining light." And they undergo four transformations every +day, passing through four states. In the first the righteous is changed into a +child. He enters the division for children, and tastes the joys of childhood. +Then he is changed into a youth, and enters the division for the youths, with +whom he enjoys the delights of youth. Next he becomes an adult, in the prime of +life, and he enters the division of men, and enjoys the pleasures of manhood. +Finally, he is changed into an old man. He enters the division for the old, and +enjoys the pleasures of age. +</p> + +<p> +There are eighty myriads of trees in every corner of Paradise, the meanest +among them choicer than all the spice trees. In every corner there are sixty +myriads of angels singing with sweet voices, and the tree of life stands in the +middle and shades the whole of Paradise.[81] It has fifteen thousand tastes, +each different from the other, and the perfumes thereof vary likewise. Over it +hang seven clouds of glory, and winds blow upon it from all four sides,[82] so +that its odor is wafted from one end of the world to the other. Underneath sit +the scholars and explain the Torah. Over each of them two canopies are spread, +one of stars, the other of sun and moon, and a curtain of clouds of glory +separates the one canopy from the other.[83] Beyond Paradise begins Eden, +containing three hundred and ten worlds[84] and seven compartments for seven +different classes of the pious. In the first are "the martyr victims of the +government," like Rabbi Akiba and his colleagues;[85] in the second those who +were drowned;[86] in the third[87] Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai and his disciples; +in the fourth those who were carried off in the cloud of glory;[88] in the +fifth the penitents, who occupy a place which even a perfectly pious man cannot +obtain; in the sixth are the youths[89] who have not tasted of sin in their +lives; in the seventh are those poor who studied Bible and Mishnah, and led a +life of self-respecting decency. And God sits in the midst of them and expounds +the Torah to them.[90] +</p> + +<p> +As for the seven divisions of Paradise, each of them is twelve myriads of miles +in width and twelve myriads of miles in length. In the first division dwell the +proselytes who embraced Judaism of their own free will, not from compulsion. +The walls are of glass and the wainscoting of cedar. The prophet Obadiah,[91] +himself a proselyte, is the overseer of this first division. The second +division is built of silver, and the wainscoting thereof is of cedar. Here +dwell those who have repented, and Manasseh, the penitent son of Hezekiah, +presides over them. The third division is built of silver and gold. Here dwell +Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and all the Israelites who came out of Egypt, and +the whole generation that lived in the desert.[92] Also David is there, +together with all his sons[93] except Absalom, one of them, Chileab, still +alive. And all the kings of Judah are there, with the exception of Manasseh, +the son of Hezekiah, who presides in the second division, over the penitents. +Moses and Aaron preside over the third division. Here are precious vessels of +silver and gold and jewels and canopies and beds and thrones and lamps, of +gold, of precious stones, and of pearls, the best of everything there is in +heaven.[94] The fourth division is built of beautiful rubies,[95] and its +wainscoting is of olive wood. Here dwell the perfect and the steadfast in +faith, and their wainscoting is of olive wood, because their lives were bitter +as olives to them. The fifth division is built of silver and gold and refined +gold,[96] and the finest of gold and glass and bdellium, and through the midst +of it flows the river Gihon. The wainscoting is of silver and gold, and a +perfume breathes through it more exquisite than the perfume of Lebanon. The +coverings of the silver and gold beds are made of purple and blue, woven by +Eve, and of scarlet and the hair of goats, woven by angels. Here dwells the +Messiah on a palanquin made of the wood of Lebanon, "the pillars thereof of +silver, the bottom of gold, the seat of it purple." With him is Elijah. He +takes the head of Messiah, and places it in his bosom, and says to him, "Be +quiet, for the end draweth nigh." On every Monday and Thursday and on Sabbaths +and holidays, the Patriarchs come to him, and the twelve sons of Jacob, and +Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, and all the kings of Israel and of Judah, and +they weep with him and comfort him, and say unto him, "Be quiet and put trust +in thy Creator, for the end draweth nigh." Also Korah and his company, and +Dathan, Abiram, and Absalom come to him on every Wednesday, and ask him: "How +long before the end comes full of wonders? When wilt thou bring us life again, +and from the abysses of the earth lift us?" The Messiah answers them, "Go to +your fathers and ask them"; and when they hear this, they are ashamed, and do +not ask their fathers. +</p> + +<p> +In the sixth division dwell those who died in performing a pious act, and in +the seventh division those who died from illness inflicted as an expiation for +the sins of Israel.[97] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap06"></a>THE FOURTH DAY</h3> + +<p> +The fourth day of creation produced the sun, the moon, and the stars. These +heavenly spheres were not actually fashioned on this day; they were created on +the first day, and merely were assigned their places in the heavens on the +fourth.[98] At first the sun and the moon enjoyed equal powers and +prerogatives.[99] The moon spoke to God, and said: "O Lord, why didst Thou +create the world with the letter Bet?" God replied: "That it might be made +known unto My creatures that there are two worlds." The moon: "O Lord: which of +the two worlds is the larger, this world or the world to come?" God: "The world +to come is the larger." The moon: "O Lord, Thou didst create two worlds, a +greater and a lesser world; Thou didst create the heaven and the earth, the +heaven exceeding the earth; Thou didst create fire and water, the water +stronger than the fire, because it can quench the fire; and now Thou hast +created the sun and the moon, and it is becoming that one of them should be +greater than the other." Then spake God to the moon: "I know well, thou wouldst +have me make Thee greater than the sun. As a punishment I decree that thou +mayest keep but one-sixtieth of thy light." The moon made supplication: "Shall +I be punished so severely for having spoken a single word?" God relented: "In +the future world I will restore thy light, so that thy light may again be as +the light of the sun." The moon was not yet satisfied. "O Lord," she said, "and +the light of the sun, how great will it be in that day?" Then the wrath of God +was once more enkindled: "What, thou still plottest against the sun? As thou +livest, in the world to come his light shall be sevenfold the light he now +sheds."[100] The Sun runs his course like a bridegroom. He sits upon a throne +with a garland on his head.[101] Ninety-six angels accompany him on his daily +journey, in relays of eight every hour, two to the left of him, and two to the +right, two before Him, and two behind. Strong as he is, he could complete his +course from south to north in a single instant, but three hundred and +sixty-five angels restrain him by means of as many grappling-irons. Every day +one looses his hold, and the sun must thus spend three hundred and sixty-five +days on his course. The progress of the sun in his circuit is an uninterrupted +song of praise to God. And this song alone makes his motion possible. +Therefore, when Joshua wanted to bid the sun stand still, he had to command him +to be silent. His song of praise hushed, the sun stood still.[102] +</p> + +<p> +The sun is double-faced; one face, of fire, is directed toward the earth, and +one of hail, toward heaven, to cool off the prodigious heat that streams from +the other face, else the earth would catch afire. In winter the sun turns his +fiery face upward, and thus the cold is produced.[103] When the sun descends in +the west in the evening, he dips down into the ocean and takes a bath, his fire +is extinguished, and therefore he dispenses neither light nor warmth during the +night. But as soon as he reaches the east in the morning, he laves himself in a +stream of flame, which imparts warmth and light to him, and these he sheds over +the earth. In the same way the moon and the stars take a bath in a stream of +hail before they enter upon their service for the night.[104] +</p> + +<p> +When the sun and the moon are ready to start upon their round of duties, they +appear before God, and beseech him to relieve them of their task, so that they +may be spared the sight of sinning mankind. Only upon compulsion they proceed +with their daily course. Coming from the presence of God, they are blinded by +the radiance in the heavens, and they cannot find their way. God, therefore, +shoots off arrows, by the glittering light of which they are guided. It is on +account of the sinfulness of man, which the sun is forced to contemplate on his +rounds, that he grows weaker as the time of his going down approaches, for sins +have a defiling and enfeebling effect, and he drops from the horizon as a +sphere of blood, for blood is the sign of corruption.[105] As the sun sets +forth on his course in the morning, his wings touch the leaves on the trees of +Paradise, and their vibration is communicated to the angels and the holy +Hayyot, to the other plants, and also to the trees and plants on earth, and to +all the beings on earth and in heaven. It is the signal for them all to cast +their eyes upward. As soon as they see the Ineffable Name, which is engraved in +the sun, they raise their voices in songs of praise to God. At the same moment +a heavenly voice is heard to say, "Woe to the sons of men that consider not the +honor of God like unto these creatures whose voices now rise aloft in +adoration."[106] These words, naturally, are not heard by men; as little as +they perceive the grating of the sun against the wheel to which all the +celestial bodies are attached, although the noise it makes is extraordinarily +loud.[107] This friction of the sun and the wheel produces the motes dancing +about in the sunbeams. They are the carriers of healing to the sick,[108] the +only health-giving creations of the fourth day, on the whole an unfortunate +day, especially for children, afflicting them with disease.[109] When God +punished the envious moon by diminishing her light and splendor, so that she +ceased to be the equal of the sun as she had been originally,[110] she +fell,[111] and tiny threads were loosed from her body. These are the +stars.[112] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap07"></a>THE FIFTH DAY</h3> + +<p> +On the fifth day of creation God took fire[118] and water, and out of these two +elements He made the fishes of the sea.[114] The animals in the water are much +more numerous than those on land. For every species on land, excepting only the +weasel, there is a corresponding species in the water, and, besides, there are +many found only in the water.[115] +</p> + +<p> +The ruler over the sea-animals is leviathan.[116] With all the other fishes he +was made on the fifth day.[117] Originally he was created male and female like +all the other animals. But when it appeared that a pair of these monsters might +annihilate the whole earth with their united strength, God killed the +female.[119] So enormous is leviathan that to quench his thirst he needs all +the water that flows from the Jordan into the sea.[119] His food consists of +the fish which go between his jaws of their own accord.[120] When he is hungry, +a hot breath blows from his nostrils, and it makes the waters of the great sea +seething hot. Formidable though behemot, the other monster, is, he feels +insecure until he is certain that leviathan has satisfied his thirst.[121] The +only thing that can keep him in check is the stickleback, a little fish which +was created for the purpose, and of which he stands in great awe.[122] But +leviathan is more than merely large and strong; he is wonderfully made besides. +His fins radiate brilliant light, the very sun is obscured by it,[123] and also +his eyes shed such splendor that frequently the sea is illuminated suddenly by +it.[121] No wonder that this marvellous beast is the plaything of God, in whom +He takes His pastime.[124] +</p> + +<p> +There is but one thing that makes leviathan repulsive, his foul smell: which is +so strong that if it penetrated thither, it would render Paradise itself an +impossible abode.[125] +</p> + +<p> +The real purpose of leviathan is to be served up as a dainty to the pious in +the world to come. The female was put into brine as soon as she was killed, to +be preserved against the time when her flesh will be needed.[126] The male is +destined to offer a delectable sight to all beholders before he is consumed. +When his last hour arrives, God will summon the angels to enter into combat +with the monster. But no sooner will leviathan cast his glance at them than +they will flee in fear and dismay from the field of battle. They will return to +the charge with swords, but in vain, for his scales can turn back steel like +straw. They will be equally unsuccessful when they attempt to kill him by +throwing darts and slinging stones; such missiles will rebound without leaving +the least impression on his body. Disheartened, the angels will give up the +combat, and God will command leviathan and behemot to enter into a duel with +each other. The issue will be that both will drop dead, behemot slaughtered by +a blow of leviathan's fins, and leviathan killed by a lash of behemot's tail. +From the skin of leviathan God will construct tents to shelter companies of the +pious while they enjoy the dishes made of his flesh. The amount assigned to +each of the pious will be in proportion to his deserts, and none will envy or +begrudge the other his better share. What is left of leviathan's skin will be +stretched out over Jerusalem as a canopy, and the light streaming from it will +illumine the whole world, and what is left of his flesh after the pious have +appeased their appetite, will be distributed among the rest of men, to carry on +traffic therewith.[127] +</p> + +<p> +On the same day with the fishes, the birds were created, for these two kinds of +animals are closely related to each other. Fish are fashioned out of water, and +birds out of marshy ground saturated with water.[128] +</p> + +<p> +As leviathan is the king of fishes, so the ziz is appointed to rule over the +birds.[129] His name comes from the variety of tastes his flesh has; it tastes +like this, zeh, and like that, zeh.[130] The ziz is as monstrous of size as +leviathan himself. His ankles rest on the earth, and his head reaches to the +very sky.[121] +</p> + +<p> +It once happened that travellers on a vessel noticed a bird. As he stood in the +water, it merely covered his feet, and his head knocked against the sky. The +onlookers thought the water could not have any depth at that point, and they +prepared to take a bath there. A heavenly voice warned them: "Alight not here! +Once a carpenter's axe slipped from his hand at this spot, and it took it seven +years to touch bottom." The bird the travellers saw was none other than the +ziz.[132] His wings are so huge that unfurled they darken the sun.[133] They +protect the earth against the storms of the south; without their aid the earth +would not be able to resist the winds blowing thence.[134] Once an egg of the +ziz fell to the ground and broke. The fluid from it flooded sixty cities, and +the shock crushed three hundred cedars. Fortunately such accidents do not occur +frequently. As a rule the bird lets her eggs slide gently into her nest. This +one mishap was due to the fact that the egg was rotten, and the bird cast it +away carelessly. The ziz has another name, Renanin,[135] because he is the +celestial singer.[136] On account of his relation to the heavenly regions he is +also called Sekwi, the seer, and, besides, he is called "son of the nest,"[137] +because his fledgling birds break away from the shell without being hatched by +the mother bird; they spring directly from the nest, as it were.[138] Like +leviathan, so ziz is a delicacy to be served to the pious at the end of time, +to compensate them for the privations which abstaining from the unclean fowls +imposed upon them.[139] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap08"></a>THE SIXTH DAY</h3> + +<p> +As the fish were formed out of water, and the birds out of boggy earth well +mixed with water, so the mammals were formed out of solid earth,[140] and as +leviathan is the most notable representative of the fish kind, and ziz of the +bird kind, so behemot is the most notable representative of the mammal kind. +Behemot matches leviathan in strength, and he had to be prevented, like +leviathan, from multiplying and increasing, else the world could not have +continued to exist; after God had created him male and female, He at once +deprived him of the desire to propagate his kind.[141] He is so monstrous that +he requires the produce of a thousand mountains for his daily food. All the +water that flows through the bed of the Jordan in a year suffices him exactly +for one gulp. It therefore was necessary to give him one stream entirely for +his own use, a stream flowing forth from Paradise, called Yubal.[142] Behemot, +too, is destined to be served to the pious as an appetizing dainty, but before +they enjoy his flesh, they will be permitted to view the mortal combat between +leviathan and behemot, as a reward for having denied themselves the pleasures +of the circus and its gladiatorial contests.[143] +</p> + +<p> +Leviathan, ziz, and behemot are not the only monsters; there are many others, +and marvellous ones, like the reem, a giant animal, of which only one couple, +male and female, is in existence. Had there been more, the world could hardly +have maintained itself against them. The act of copulation occurs but once in +seventy years between them, for God has so ordered it that the male and female +reem are at opposite ends of the earth, the one in the east, the other in the +west. The act of copulation results in the death of the male. He is bitten by +the female and dies of the bite. The female becomes pregnant and remains in +this state for no less than twelve years. At the end of this long period she +gives birth to twins, a male and a female. The year preceding her delivery she +is not able to move. She would die of hunger, were it not that her own spittle +flowing copiously from her mouth waters and fructifies the earth near her, and +causes it to bring forth enough for her maintenance. For a whole year the +animal can but roll from side to side, until finally her belly bursts, and the +twins issue forth. Their appearance is thus the signal for the death of the +mother reem. She makes room for the new generation, which in turn is destined +to suffer the same fate as the generation that went before. Immediately after +birth, the one goes eastward and the other westward, to meet only after the +lapse of seventy years, propagate themselves, and perish.[144] A traveller who +once saw a reem one day old described its height to be four parasangs, and the +length of its head one parasang and a half.[145] Its horns measure one hundred +ells, and their height is a great deal more.[146] +</p> + +<p> +One of the most remarkable creatures is the "man of the mountain," Adne Sadeh, +or, briefly, Adam.[147] His form is exactly that of a human being, but he is +fastened to the ground by means of a navel-string, upon which his life depends. +The cord once snapped, he dies. This animal keeps himself alive with what is +produced by the soil around about him as far as his tether permits him to +crawl. No creature may venture to approach within the radius of his cord, for +he seizes and demolishes whatever comes in his reach. To kill him, one may not +go near to him, the navel-string must be severed from a distance by means of a +dart, and then he dies amid groans and moans.[143] Once upon a time a traveller +happened in the region where this animal is found. He overheard his host +consult his wife as to what to do to honor their guest, and resolve to serve +"our man," as he said. Thinking he had fallen among cannibals, the stranger ran +as fast as his feet could carry him from his entertainer, who sought vainly to +restrain him. Afterward, he found out that there had been no intention of +regaling him with human flesh, but only with the flesh of the strange animal +called "man."[146] As the "man of the mountain" is fixed to the ground by his +navel-string, so the barnacle-goose is grown to a tree by its bill. It is hard +to say whether it is an animal and must be slaughtered to be fit for food, or +whether it is a plant and no ritual ceremony is necessary before eating +it.[150] +</p> + +<p> +Among the birds the phoenix is the most wonderful. When Eve gave all the +animals some of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, the phoenix was the only +bird that refused to eat thereof, and he was rewarded with eternal life. When +he has lived a thousand years, his body shrinks, and the feathers drop from it, +until he is as small as an egg. This is the nucleus of the new bird.[151] +</p> + +<p> +The phoenix is also called "the guardian of the terrestrial sphere." He runs +with the sun on his circuit, and he spreads out his wings and catches up the +fiery rays of the sun.[152] If he were not there to intercept them, neither man +nor any other animate being would keep alive. On his right wing the following +words are inscribed in huge letters,[153] about four thousand stadia high: +"Neither the earth produces me, nor the heavens, but only the wings of fire." +His food consists of the manna of heaven and the dew of the earth. His +excrement is a worm, whose excrement in turn is the cinnamon used by kings and +princes.[152] Enoch, who saw the phoenix birds when he was translated, +describes them as flying creatures, wonderful and strange in appearance, with +the feet and tails of lions, and the heads of crocodiles; their appearance is +of a purple color like the rainbow; their size nine hundred measures. Their +wings are like those of angels, each having twelve, and they attend the chariot +of the sun and go with him, bringing heat and dew as they are ordered by God. +In the morning when the sun starts on his daily course, the phoenixes and the +chalkidri[154] sing, and every bird flaps its wings, rejoicing the Giver of +light, and they sing a song at the command of the Lord.[155] Among reptiles the +salamander and the shamir are the most marvellous. The salamander originates +from a fire of myrtle wood[156] which has been kept burning for seven years +steadily by means of magic arts. Not bigger than a mouse, it yet is invested +with peculiar properties. One who smears himself with its blood is +invulnerable,[157] and the web woven by it is a talisman against fire.[158] The +people who lived at the deluge boasted that, were a fire flood to come, they +would protect themselves with the blood of the salamander.[159] +</p> + +<p> +King Hezekiah owes his life to the salamander. His wicked father, King Ahaz, +had delivered him to the fires of Moloch, and he would have been burnt, had his +mother not painted him with the blood of the salamander, so that the fire could +do him no harm.[160] +</p> + +<p> +The shamir was made at twilight on the sixth day of creation together with +other extraordinary things.[161] It is about as large as a barley corn, and it +possesses the remarkable property of cutting the hardest of diamonds. For this +reason it was used for the stones in the breastplate worn by the high priest. +First the names of the twelve tribes were traced with ink on the stones to be +set into the breastplate, then the shamir was passed over the lines, and thus +they were graven. The wonderful circumstance was that the friction wore no +particles from the stones. The shamir was also used for hewing into shape the +stones from which the Temple was built, because the law prohibited iron tools +to be used for the work in the Temple.[162] The shamir may not be put in an +iron vessel for safe-keeping, nor in any metal vessel, it would burst such a +receptacle asunder. It is kept wrapped up in a woollen cloth, and this in turn +is placed in a lead basket filled with barley bran.[163] The shamir was guarded +in Paradise until Solomon needed it. He sent the eagle thither to fetch the +worm.[164] With the destruction of the Temple the shamir vanished.[165] A +similar fate overtook the tahash, which had been created only that its skin +might be used for the Tabernacle. Once the Tabernacle was completed, the tahash +disappeared. It had a horn on its forehead, was gaily colored like the +turkey-cock, and belonged to the class of clean animals.[166] Among the fishes +there are also wonderful creatures, the sea-goats and the dolphins, not to +mention leviathan. A sea-faring man once saw a sea-goat on whose horns the +words were inscribed: "I am a little sea-animal, yet I traversed three hundred +parasangs to offer myself as food to the leviathan."[167] The dolphins are half +man and half fish; they even have sexual intercourse with human beings; +therefore they are called also "sons of the sea," for in a sense they represent +the human kind in the waters.[163] +</p> + +<p> +Though every species in the animal world was created during the last two days +of the six of creation,[169] yet many characteristics of certain animals +appeared later. Cats and mice, foes now, were friends originally. Their later +enmity had a distinct cause. On one occasion the mouse appeared before God and +spoke: "I and the cat are partners, but now we have nothing to eat." The Lord +answered: "Thou art intriguing against thy companion, only that thou mayest +devour her. As a punishment, she shall devour thee." Thereupon the mouse: "O +Lord of the world, wherein have I done wrong?" God replied: "O thou unclean +reptile, thou shouldst have been warned by the example of the moon, who lost a +part of her light, because she spake ill of the sun, and what she lost was +given to her opponent.[170] The evil intentions thou didst harbor against thy +companion shall be punished in the same way. Instead of thy devouring her, she +shall devour thee." The mouse: "O Lord of the world! Shall my whole kind be +destroyed?" God: "I will take care that a remnant of thee is spared." In her +rage the mouse bit the cat, and the cat in turn threw herself upon the mouse, +and hacked into her with her teeth until she lay dead. Since that moment the +mouse stands in such awe of the cat that she does not even attempt to defend +herself against her enemy's attacks, and always keeps herself in hiding.[171] +Similarly dogs and cats maintained a friendly relation to each other, and only +later on became enemies. A dog and a cat were partners, and they shared with +each other whatever they had. It once happened that neither could find anything +to eat for three days. Thereupon the dog proposed that they dissolve their +partnership. The cat should go to Adam, in whose house there would surely be +enough for her to eat, while the dog should seek his fortune elsewhere. Before +they separated, they took an oath never to go to the same master. The cat took +up her abode with Adam, and she found sufficient mice in his house to satisfy +her appetite. Seeing how useful she was in driving away and extirpating mice, +Adam treated her most kindly. The dog, on the other hand, saw bad times. The +first night after their separation he spent in the cave of the wolf, who had +granted him a night's lodging. At night the dog caught the sound of steps, and +he reported it to his host, who bade him repulse the intruders. They were wild +animals. Little lacked and the dog would have lost his life. Dismayed, the dog +fled from the house of the wolf, and took refuge with the monkey. But he would +not grant him even a single night's lodging; and the fugitive was forced to +appeal to the hospitality of the sheep. Again the dog heard steps in the middle +of the night. Obeying the bidding of his host, he arose to chase away the +marauders, who turned out to be wolves. The barking of the dog apprised the +wolves of the presence of sheep, so that the dog innocently caused the sheep's +death. Now he had lost his last friend. Night after night he begged for +shelter, without ever finding a home. Finally, he decided to repair to the +house of Adam, who also granted him refuge for one night. When wild animals +approached the house under cover of darkness, the dog began to bark, Adam +awoke, and with his bow and arrow he drove them away. Recognizing the dog's +usefulness, he bade him remain with him always. But as soon as the cat espied +the dog in Adam's house, she began to quarrel with him, and reproach him with +having broken his oath to her. Adam did his best to pacify the cat. He told her +he had himself invited the dog to make his home there, and he assured her she +would in no wise be the loser by the dog's presence; he wanted both to stay +with him. But it was impossible to appease the cat. The dog promised her not to +touch anything intended for her. She insisted that she could not live in one +and the same house with a thief like the dog. Bickerings between the dog and +the cat became the order of the day. Finally the dog could stand it no longer, +and he left Adam's house, and betook himself to Seth's. By Seth he was welcomed +kindly, and from Seth's house, he continued to make efforts at reconciliation +with the cat. In vain. Yes, the enmity between the first dog and the first cat +was transmitted to all their descendants until this very day.[172] +</p> + +<p> +Even the physical peculiarities of certain animals were not original features +with them, but owed their existence to something that occurred subsequent to +the days of creation. The mouse at first had quite a different mouth from its +present mouth. In Noah's ark, in which all animals, to ensure the preservation +of every kind, lived together peaceably, the pair of mice were once sitting +next to the cat. Suddenly the latter remembered that her father was in the +habit of devouring mice, and thinking there was no harm in following his +example, she jumped at the mouse, who vainly looked for a hole into which to +slip out of sight. Then a miracle happened; a hole appeared where none had been +before, and the mouse sought refuge in it. The cat pursued the mouse, and +though she could not follow her into the hole, she could insert her paw and try +to pull the mouse out of her covert. Quickly the mouse opened her mouth in the +hope that the paw would go into it, and the cat would be prevented from +fastening her claws in her flesh. But as the cavity of the mouth was not big +enough, the cat succeeded in clawing the cheeks of the mouse. Not that this +helped her much, it merely widened the mouth of the mouse, and her prey after +all escaped the cat.[173] After her happy escape, the mouse betook herself to +Noah and said to him, "O pious man, be good enough to sew up my cheek where my +enemy, the cat, has torn a rent in it." Noah bade her fetch a hair out of the +tail of the swine, and with this he repaired the damage. Thence the little +seam-like line next to the mouth of every mouse to this very day.[174] +</p> + +<p> +The raven is another animal that changed its appearance during its sojourn in +the ark. When Noah desired to send him forth to find out about the state of the +waters, he hid under the wings of the eagle. Noah found him, however, and said +to him, "Go and see whether the waters have diminished." The raven pleaded: +"Hast thou none other among all the birds to send on this errand?" Noah: "My +power extends no further than over thee and the dove."[175] But the raven was +not satisfied. He said to Noah with great insolence: "Thou sendest me forth +only that I may meet my death, and thou wishest my death that my wife may be at +thy service."[176] Thereupon Noah cursed the raven thus: "May thy mouth, which +has spoken evil against me, be accursed, and thy intercourse with thy wife be +only through it."[177] All the animals in the ark said Amen. And this is the +reason why a mass of spittle runs from the mouth of the male raven into the +mouth of the female during the act of copulation, and only thus the female is +impregnated.[178] Altogether the raven is an unattractive animal. He is unkind +toward his own young so long as their bodies are not covered with black +feathers,[179] though as a rule ravens love one another.[180] God therefore +takes the young ravens under His special protection. From their own excrement +maggots come forth,[181] which serve as their food during the three days that +elapse after their birth, until their white feathers turn black and their +parents recognize them as their offspring and care for them.[182] +</p> + +<p> +The raven has himself to blame also for the awkward hop in his gait. He +observed the graceful step of the dove, and envious of her tried to enmulate +it. The outcome was that he almost broke his bones without in the least +succeeding in making himself resemble the dove, not to mention that he brought +the scorn of the other animals down upon himself. His failure excited their +ridicule. Then he decided to return to his own original gait, but in the +interval he had unlearnt it, and he could walk neither the one way nor the +other properly. His step had become a hop betwixt and between. Thus we see how +true it is, that he who is dissatisfied with his small portion loses the little +he has in striving for more and better things.[163] +</p> + +<p> +The steer is also one of the animals that have suffered a change in the course +of time. Originally his face was entirely overgrown with hair, but now there is +none on his nose, and that is because Joshua kissed him on his nose during the +siege of Jericho. Joshua was an exceedingly heavy man. Horses, donkeys, and +mules, none could bear him, they all broke down under his weight. What they +could not do, the steer accomplished. On his back Joshua rode to the siege of +Jericho, and in gratitude he bestowed a kiss upon his nose.[134] +</p> + +<p> +The serpent, too, is other than it was at first. Before the fall of man it was +the cleverest of all animals created, and in form it resembled man closely. It +stood upright, and was of extraordinary size.[185] Afterward, it lost the +mental advantages it had possessed as compared with other animals, and it +degenerated physically, too; it was deprived of its feet, so that it could not +pursue other animals and kill them. The mole and the frog had to be made +harmless in similar ways; the former has no eyes, else it were irresistible, +and the frog has no teeth, else no animal in the water were sure of its +life.[186] +</p> + +<p> +While the cunning of the serpent wrought its own undoing, the cunning of the +fox stood him in good stead in many an embarrassing situation. After Adam had +committed the sin of disobedience, God delivered the whole of the animal world +into the power of the Angel of Death, and He ordered him to cast one pair of +each kind into the water. He and leviathan together thus have dominion over all +that has life. When the Angel of Death was in the act of executing the Divine +command upon the fox, he began to weep bitterly. The Angel of Death asked him +the reason of his tears, and the fox replied that he was mourning the sad fate +of his friend. At the same time he pointed to the figure of a fox in the sea, +which was nothing but his own reflection. The Angel of Death, persuaded that a +representative of the fox family had been cast into the water, let him go free. +The fox told his trick to the cat, and she in turn played it on the Angel of +Death.[187] So it happened that neither cats nor foxes are represented in the +water, while all other animals are.[188] +</p> + +<p> +When leviathan passed the animals in review, and missing the fox was informed +of the sly way in which he had eluded his authority, he dispatched great and +powerful fish on the errand of enticing the truant into the water. The fox +walking along the shore espied the large number of fish, and he exclaimed, "How +happy he who may always satisfy his hunger with the flesh of such as these." +The fish told him, if he would but follow them, his appetite could easily be +appeased. At the same time they informed him that a great honor awaited him. +Leviathan, they said, was at death's door, and he had commissioned them to +install the fox as his successor. They were ready to carry him on their backs, +so that he had no need to fear the water, and thus they would convey him to the +throne, which stood upon a huge rock. The fox yielded to these persuasions, and +descended into the water. Presently an uncomfortable feeling took possession of +him. He began to suspect that the tables were turned; he was being made game of +instead of making game of others as usual. He urged the fish to tell him the +truth, and they admitted that they had been sent out to secure his person for +leviathan, who wanted his heart,[189] that he might become as knowing as the +fox, whose wisdom he had heard many extol. The fox said reproachfully: "Why did +you not tell me the truth at once? Then I could have brought my heart along +with me for King Leviathan, who would have showered honors upon me. As it is, +you will surely suffer punishment for bringing me without my heart. The foxes, +you see," he continued, "do not carry their hearts around with them. They keep +them in a safe place, and when they have need of them, they fetch them thence." +The fish quickly swam to shore, and landed the fox, so that he might go for his +heart. No sooner did he feel dry land under his feet than he began to jump and +shout, and when they urged him to go in search of his heart, and follow them, +he said: "O ye fools, could I have followed you into the water, if I had not +had my heart with me? Or exists there a creature able to go abroad without his +heart?" The fish replied: "Come, come, thou art fooling us." Whereupon the fox: +"O ye fools, if I could play a trick on the Angel of Death, how much easier was +it to make game of you?" So they had to return, their errand undone, and +leviathan could not but confirm the taunting judgment of the fox: "In very +truth, the fox is wise of heart, and ye are fools."[190] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap09"></a>ALL THINGS PRAISE THE LORD</h3> + +<p> +"Whatever God created has value." Even the animals and the insects that seem +useless and noxious at first sight have a vocation to fulfil. The snail +trailing a moist streak after it as it crawls, and so using up its vitality, +serves as a remedy for boils. The sting of a hornet is healed by the house-fly +crushed and applied to the wound. The gnat, feeble creature, taking in food but +never secreting it, is a specific against the poison of a viper, and this +venomous reptile itself cures eruptions, while the lizard is the antidote to +the scorpion.[191] Not only do all creatures serve man, and contribute to his +comfort, but also God "teacheth us through the beasts of the earth, and maketh +us wise through the fowls of heaven." He endowed many animals with admirable +moral qualities as a pattern for man. If the Torah had not been revealed to us, +we might have learnt regard for the decencies of life from the cat, who covers +her excrement with earth; regard for the property of others from the ants, who +never encroach upon one another's stores; and regard for decorous conduct from +the cock, who, when he desires to unite with the hen, promises to buy her a +cloak long enough to reach to the ground, and when the hen reminds him of his +promise, he shakes his comb and says, "May I be deprived of my comb, if I do +not buy it when I have the means." The grasshopper also has a lesson to teach +to man. All the summer through it sings, until its belly bursts, and death +claims it. Though it knows the fate that awaits it, yet it sings on. So man +should do his duty toward God, no matter what the consequences. The stork +should be taken as a model in two respects. He guards the purity of his family +life zealously, and toward his fellows he is compassionate and merciful. Even +the frog can be the teacher of man. By the side of the water there lives a +species of animals which subsist off aquatic creatures alone. When the frog +notices that one of them is hungry, he goes to it of his own accord, and offers +himself as food, thus fulfilling the injunction, "If thine enemy be hungry, +give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink."[192] +</p> + +<p> +The whole of creation was called into existence by God unto His glory,[193] and +each creature has its own hymn of praise wherewith to extol the Creator. Heaven +and earth, Paradise and hell, desert and field, rivers and seas—all have their +own way of paying homage to God. The hymn of the earth is, "From the uttermost +part of the earth have we heard songs, glory to the Righteous." The sea +exclaims, "Above the voices of many waters, the mighty breakers of the sea, the +Lord on high is mighty." +</p> + +<p> +Also the celestial bodies and the elements proclaim the praise of their +Creator—the sun, moon, and stars, the clouds and the winds, lightning and dew. +The sun says, "The sun and moon stood still in their habitation, at the light +of Thine arrows as they went, at the shining of Thy glittering spear"; and the +stars sing, "Thou art the Lord, even Thou alone; Thou hast made heaven, the +heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all things that are +thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and Thou preservest them all; and +the host of heaven worshippeth Thee." +</p> + +<p> +Every plant, furthermore, has a song of praise. The fruitful tree sings, "Then +shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy, before the Lord, for He cometh; +for He cometh to judge the earth"; and the ears of grain on the field sing, +"The pastures are covered with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with +corn; they shout for joy, they also sing." +</p> + +<p> +Great among singers of praise are the birds, and greatest among them is the +cock. When God at midnight goes to the pious in Paradise, all the trees therein +break out into adoration, and their songs awaken the cock, who begins in turn +to praise God. Seven times he crows, each time reciting a verse. The first +verse is: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting +doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is the King of glory? The Lord +strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle." The second verse: "Lift up your +heads, O ye gates; yea, lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of +glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the +King of glory." The third: "Arise, ye righteous, and occupy yourselves with the +Torah, that your reward may be abundant in the world hereafter." The fourth: "I +have waited for Thy salvation, O Lord!" The fifth: "How long wilt thou sleep, O +sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?" The sixth: "Love not sleep, +lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with +bread." And the seventh verse sung by the cock runs: "It is time to work for +the Lord, for they have made void Thy law." +</p> + +<p> +The song of the vulture is: "I will hiss for them, and gather them; for I have +redeemed them, and they shall increase as they have increased"—the same verse +with which the bird will in time to come announce the advent of the Messiah, +the only difference being, that when he heralds the Messiah he will sit upon +the ground and sing his verse, while at all other times he is seated elsewhere +when he sings it. +</p> + +<p> +Nor do the other animals praise God less than the birds. Even the beasts of +prey give forth adoration. The lion says: "The Lord shall go forth as a mighty +man; He shall stir up jealousy like a man of war; He shall cry, yea, He shall +shout aloud; He shall do mightily against his enemies." And the fox exhorts +unto justice with the words: "Woe unto him that buildeth his house by +unrighteousness, and his chambers by injustice; that useth his neighbor's +service without wages, and giveth him not his hire." +</p> + +<p> +Yea, the dumb fishes know how to proclaim the praise of their Lord. "The voice +of the Lord is upon the waters," they say, "the God of glory thundereth, even +the Lord upon many waters"; while the frog exclaims, "Blessed be the name of +the glory of His kingdom forever and ever." +</p> + +<p> +Contemptible though they are, even the reptiles give praise unto their Creator. +The mouse extols God with the words: "Howbeit Thou art just in all that is come +upon me; for Thou hast dealt truly, but I have done wickedly." And the cat +sings: "Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the +Lord."[194] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="book02"></a>II<br/> +ADAM</h2> + +<h3><a name="chap10"></a>MAN AND THE WORLD</h3> + +<p> +With ten Sayings God created the world, although a single Saying would have +sufficed. God desired to make known how severe is the punishment to be meted +out to the wicked, who destroy a world created with as many as ten Sayings, and +how goodly the reward destined for the righteous, who preserve a world created +with as many as ten Sayings.[1] +</p> + +<p> +The world was made for man, though he was the last-comer among its creatures. +This was design. He was to find all things ready for him. God was the host who +prepared dainty dishes, set the table, and then led His guest to his seat. At +the same time man's late appearance on earth is to convey an admonition to +humility. Let him beware of being proud, lest he invite the retort that the +gnat is older than he.[2] +</p> + +<p> +The superiority of man to the other creatures is apparent in the very manner of +his creation, altogether different from theirs. He is the only one who was +created by the hand of God.[3] The rest sprang from the word of God. The body +of man is a microcosm, the whole world in miniature, and the world in turn is a +reflex of man. The hair upon his head corresponds to the woods of the earth, +his tears to a river, his mouth to the ocean.[4] Also, the world resembles the +ball of his eye: the ocean that encircles the earth is like unto the white of +the eye, the dry land is the iris, Jerusalem the pupil, and the Temple the +image mirrored in the pupil of the eye.[5] But man is more than a mere image of +this world. He unites both heavenly and earthly qualities within himself. In +four he resembles the angels, in four the beasts. His power of speech, his +discriminating intellect, his upright walk, the glance of his eye—they all make +an angel of him. But, on the other hand, he eats and drinks, secretes the waste +matter in his body, propagates his kind, and dies, like the beast of the field. +Therefore God said before the creation of man: "The celestials are not +propagated, but they are immortal; the beings on earth are propagated, but they +die. I will create man to be the union of the two, so that when he sins, when +he behaves like a beast, death shall overtake him; but if he refrains from sin, +he shall live forever."[6] God now bade all beings in heaven and on earth +contribute to the creation of man, and He Himself took part in it. Thus they +all will love man, and if he should sin, they will be interested in his +preservation.[7] +</p> + +<p> +The whole world naturally was created for the pious, the God-fearing man, whom +Israel produces with the helpful guidance of the law of God revealed to him.[8] +It was, therefore, Israel who was taken into special consideration at the time +man was made. All other creatures were instructed to change their nature, if +Israel should ever need their help in the course of his history. The sea was +ordered to divide before Moses, and the heavens to give ear to the words of the +leader; the sun and the moon were bidden to stand still before Joshua, the +ravens to feed Elijah, the fire to spare the three youths in the furnace, the +lion to do no harm to Daniel, the fish to spew forth Jonah, and the heavens to +open before Ezekiel.[9] +</p> + +<p> +In His modesty, God took counsel with the angels, before the creation of the +world, regarding His intention of making man. He said: "For the sake of Israel, +I will create the world. As I shall make a division between light and darkness, +so I will in time to come do for Israel in Egypt—thick darkness shall be over +the land, and the children of Israel shall have light in their dwellings; as I +shall make a separation between the waters under the firmament and the waters +above the firmament, so I will do for Israel—I will divide the waters for him +when he crosses the Red Sea; as on the third day I shall create plants, so I +will do for Israel—I will bring forth manna for him in the wilderness; as I +shall create luminaries to divide day from night, so I will do for Israel—I +will go before him by day in a pillar of cloud and by night in a pillar of +fire; as I shall create the fowl of the air and the fishes of the sea, so I +will do for Israel—I will bring quails for him from the sea; and as I shall +breathe the breath of life into the nostrils of man, so I will do for Israel—I +will give the Torah unto him, the tree of life." The angels marvelled that so +much love should be lavished upon this people of Israel, and God told them: "On +the first day of creation, I shall make the heavens and stretch them out; so +will Israel raise up the Tabernacle as the dwelling-place of My glory. On the +second day, I shall put a division between the terrestrial waters and the +heavenly waters; so will he hang up a veil in the Tabernacle to divide the Holy +Place and the Most Holy. On the third day, I shall make the earth put forth +grass and herb; so will he, in obedience to My commands, eat herbs on the first +night of the Passover, and prepare showbread for Me. On the fourth day, I shall +make the luminaries; so will he make a golden candlestick for Me. On the fifth +day, I shall create the birds; so will he fashion the cherubim with +outstretched wings. On the sixth day, I shall create man; so will Israel set +aside a man of the sons of Aaron as high priest for My service."[10] +</p> + +<p> +Accordingly, the whole of creation was conditional. God said to the things He +made on the first six days: "If Israel accepts the Torah, you will continue and +endure; otherwise, I shall turn everything back into chaos again." The whole +world was thus kept in suspense and dread until the day of the revelation on +Sinai, when Israel received and accepted the Torah, and so fulfilled the +condition made by God at the time when He created the universe.[11] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap11"></a>THE ANGELS AND THE CREATION OF MAN</h3> + +<p> +God in His wisdom hiving resolved to create man, He asked counsel of all around +Him before He proceeded to execute His purpose—an example to man, be he never +so great and distinguished, not to scorn the advice of the humble and lowly. +First God called upon heaven and earth, then upon all other things He had +created, and last upon the angels. +</p> + +<p> +The angels were not all of one opinion. The Angel of Love favored the creation +of man, because he would be affectionate and loving; but the Angel of Truth +opposed it, because he would be full of lies. And while the Angel of Justice +favored it, because he would practice justice, the Angel of Peace opposed it, +because he would be quarrelsome. +</p> + +<p> +To invalidate his protest, God cast the Angel of Truth down from heaven to +earth, and when the others cried out against such contemptuous treatment of +their companion, He said, "Truth will spring back out of the earth." +</p> + +<p> +The objections of the angels would have been much stronger, had they known the +whole truth about man. God had told them only about the pious, and had +concealed from them that there would be reprobates among mankind, too. And yet, +though they knew but half the truth, the angels were nevertheless prompted to +cry out: "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that +Thou visitest him?" God replied: "The fowl of the air and the fish of the sea, +what were they created for? Of what avail a larder full of appetizing dainties, +and no guest to enjoy them?" And the angels could not but exclaim: "O Lord, our +Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Do as is pleasing in Thy +sight."[12] +</p> + +<p> +For not a few of the angels their opposition bore fatal consequences. When God +summoned the band under the archangel Michael, and asked their opinion on the +creation of man, they answered scornfully: "What is man, that Thou art mindful +of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" God thereupon stretched +forth His little finger, and all were consumed by fire except their chief +Michael. And the same fate befell the band under the leadership of the +archangel Gabriel; he alone of all was saved from destruction. +</p> + +<p> +The third band consulted was commanded by the archangel Labbiel. Taught by the +horrible fate of his predecessors, he warned his troop: "You have seen what +misfortune overtook the angels who said 'What is man, that Thou art mindful of +him?' Let us have a care not to do likewise, lest we suffer the same dire +punishment. For God will not refrain from doing in the end what He has planned. +Therefore it is advisable for us to yield to His wishes." Thus warned, the +angels spoke: "Lord of the world, it is well that Thou hast thought of creating +man. Do Thou create him according to Thy will. And as for us, we will be his +attendants and his ministers, and reveal unto him all our secrets." Thereupon +God changed Labbiel's name to Raphael, the Rescuer, because his host of angels +had been rescued by his sage advice. He was appointed the Angel of Healing, who +has in his safe-keeping all the celestial remedies, the types of the medical +remedies used on earth.[12] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap12"></a>THE CREATION OF ADAM</h3> + +<p> +When at last the assent of the angels to the creation of man was given, God +said to Gabriel: "Go and fetch Me dust from the four corners of the earth, and +I will create man therewith." Gabriel went forth to do the bidding of the Lord, +but the earth drove him away, and refused to let him gather up dust from it. +Gabriel remonstrated: "Why, O Earth, dost thou not hearken unto the voice of +the Lord, who founded thee upon the waters without props or pillars?" The earth +replied, and said: "I am destined to become a curse, and to be cursed through +man, and if God Himself does not take the dust from me, no one else shall ever +do it." When God heard this, He stretched out His hand, took of the dust of the +ground, and created the first man therewith.[14] Of set purpose the dust was +taken from all four corners of the earth, so that if a man from the east should +happen to die in the west, or a man from the west in the east, the earth should +not dare refuse to receive the dead, and tell him to go whence he was taken. +Wherever a man chances to die, and wheresoever he is buried, there will he +return to the earth from which he sprang. Also, the dust was of various +colors—red, black, white, and green—red for the blood, black for the bowels, +white for the bones and veins, and green for the pale skin. +</p> + +<p> +At this early moment the Torah interfered. She addressed herself to God: "O +Lord of the world! The world is Thine, Thou canst do with it as seemeth good in +Thine eyes. But the man Thou art now creating will be few of days and full of +trouble and sin. If it be not Thy purpose to have forbearance and patience with +him, it were better not to call him into being." God replied, "Is it for naught +I am called long-suffering and merciful?"[15] +</p> + +<p> +The grace and lovingkindness of God revealed themselves particularly in His +taking one spoonful of dust from the spot where in time to come the altar would +stand, saying, "I shall take man from the place of atonement, that he may +endure."[19] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap13"></a>THE SOUL OF MAN</h3> + +<p> +The care which God exercised in fashioning every detail of the body of man is +as naught in comparison with His solicitude for the human soul. The soul of man +was created on the first day, for it is the spirit of God moving upon the face +of the waters. Thus, instead of being the last, man is really the first work of +creation.[17] +</p> + +<p> +This spirit, or, to call it by its usual name, the soul of man, possesses five +different powers. By means of one of them she escapes from the body every +night, rises up to heaven, and fetches new life thence for man.[18] +</p> + +<p> +With the soul of Adam the souls of all the generations of men were created. +They are stored up in a promptuary, in the seventh of the heavens, whence they +are drawn as they are needed for human body after human body.[19] +</p> + +<p> +The soul and body of man are united in this way: When a woman has conceived, +the Angel of the Night, Lailah, carries the sperm before God, and God decrees +what manner of human being shall become of it—whether it shall be male or +female, strong or weak, rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, long or short, fat or +thin, and what all its other qualities shall be. Piety and wickedness alone are +left to the determination of man himself. Then God makes a sign to the angel +appointed over the souls, saying, "Bring Me the soul so-and-so, which is hidden +in Paradise, whose name is so-and-so, and whose form is so-and-so." The angel +brings the designated soul, and she bows down when she appears in the presence +of God, and prostrates herself before Him. At that moment, God issues the +command, "Enter this sperm." The soul opens her mouth, and pleads: "O Lord of +the world! I am well pleased with the world in which I have been living since +the day on which Thou didst call me into being. Why dost Thou now desire to +have me enter this impure sperm, I who am holy and pure, and a part of Thy +glory?" God consoles her: "The world which I shall cause thee to enter is +better than the world in which thou hast lived hitherto, and when I created +thee, it was only for this purpose." The soul is then forced to enter the sperm +against her will, and the angel carries her back to the womb of the mother. Two +angels are detailed to watch that she shall not leave it, nor drop out of it, +and a light is set above her, whereby the soul can see from one end of the +world to the other. In the morning an angel carries her to Paradise, and shows +her the righteous, who sit there in their glory, with crowns upon their heads. +The angel then says to the soul, "Dost thou know who these are?" She replies in +the negative, and the angel goes on: "These whom thou beholdest here were +formed, like unto thee, in the womb of their mother. When they came into the +world, they observed God's Torah and His commandments. Therefore they became +the partakers of this bliss which thou seest them enjoy. Know, also thou wilt +one day depart from the world below, and if thou wilt observe God's Torah, then +wilt thou be found worthy of sitting with these pious ones. But if not, thou +wilt be doomed to the other place." +</p> + +<p> +In the evening, the angel takes the soul to hell, and there points out the +sinners whom the Angels of Destruction are smiting with fiery scourges, the +sinners all the while crying out Woe! Woe! but no mercy is shown unto them. The +angel then questions the soul as before, "Dost thou know who these are?" and as +before the reply is negative. The angel continues: "These who are consumed with +fire were created like unto thee. When they were put into the world, they did +not observe God's Torah and His commandments. Therefore have they come to this +disgrace which thou seest them suffer. Know, thy destiny is also to depart from +the world. Be just, therefore, and not wicked, that thou mayest gain the future +world." +</p> + +<p> +Between morning and evening the angel carries the soul around, and shows her +where she will live and where she will die, and the place where she will +buried, and he takes her through the whole world, and points out the just and +the sinners and all things. In the evening, he replaces her in the womb of the +mother, and there she remains for nine months. +</p> + +<p> +When the time arrives for her to emerge from the womb into the open world, the +same angel addresses the soul, "The time has come for thee to go abroad into +the open world." The soul demurs, "Why dost thou want to make me go forth into +the open world?" The angel replies: "Know that as thou wert formed against thy +will, so now thou wilt be born against thy will, and against thy will thou +shalt die, and against thy will thou shalt give account of thyself before the +King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He." But the soul is reluctant to leave +her place. Then the angel fillips the babe on the nose, extinguishes the light +at his head, and brings him forth into the world against his will. Immediately +the child forgets all his soul has seen and learnt, and he comes into the world +crying, for he loses a place of shelter and security and rest. +</p> + +<p> +When the time arrives for man to quit this world, the same angel appears and +asks him, "Dost thou recognize me?" And man replies, "Yes; but why dost thou +come to me to-day, and thou didst come on no other day?" The angel says, "To +take thee away from the world, for the time of thy departure has arrived." Then +man falls to weeping, and his voice penetrates to all ends of the world, yet no +creature hears his voice, except the cock alone. Man remonstrates with the +angel, "From two worlds thou didst take me, and into this world thou didst +bring me." But the angel reminds him: "Did I not tell thee that thou wert +formed against thy will, and thou wouldst be born against thy will, and against +thy will thou wouldst die? And against thy will thou wilt have to give account +and reckoning of thyself before the Holy One, blessed be He."[20] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap14"></a>THE IDEAL MAN</h3> + +<p> +Like all creatures formed on the six days of creation, Adam came from the hands +of the Creator fully and completely developed. He was not like a child, but +like a man of twenty years of age.[21] The dimensions of his body were +gigantic, reaching from heaven to earth, or, what amounts to the same, from +east to west.[22] Among later generations of men, there were but few who in a +measure resembled Adam in his extraordinary size and physical perfections. +Samson possessed his strength, Saul his neck, Absalom his hair, Asahel his +fleetness of foot, Uzziah his forehead, Josiah his nostrils, Zedekiah his eyes, +and Zerubbabel his voice. History shows that these physical excellencies were +no blessings to many of their possessors; they invited the ruin of almost all. +Samson's extraordinary strength caused his death; Saul killed himself by +cutting his neck with his own sword; while speeding swiftly, Asahel was pierced +by Abner's spear; Absalom was caught up by his hair in an oak, and thus +suspended met his death; Uzziah was smitten with leprosy upon his forehead; the +darts that killed Josiah entered through his nostrils, and Zedekiah's eyes were +blinded.[23] +</p> + +<p> +The generality of men inherited as little of the beauty as of the portentous +size of their first father. The fairest women compared with Sarah are as apes +compared with a human being. Sarah's relation to Eve is the same, and, again, +Eve was but as an ape compared with Adam. His person was so handsome that the +very sole of his foot obscured the splendor of the sun.[24] +</p> + +<p> +His spiritual qualities kept pace with his personal charm, for God had +fashioned his soul with particular care. She is the image of God, and as God +fills the world, so the soul fills the human body; as God sees all things, and +is seen by none, so the soul sees, but cannot be seen; as God guides the world, +so the soul guides the body; as God in His holiness is pure, so is the soul; +and as God dwells in secret, so doth the soul.[25] +</p> + +<p> +When God was about to put a soul into Adam's clod-like body, He said: "At which +point shall I breathe the soul into him? Into the mouth? Nay, for he will use +it to speak ill of his fellow-man. Into the eyes? With them he will wink +lustfully. Into the ears? They will hearken to slander and blasphemy. I will +breathe her into his nostrils; as they discern the unclean and reject it, and +take in the fragrant, so the pious will shun sin, and will cleave to the words +of the Torah"[26] +</p> + +<p> +The perfections of Adam's soul showed themselves as soon as he received her, +indeed, while he was still without life. In the hour that intervened between +breathing a soul into the first man and his becoming alive, God revealed the +whole history of mankind to him. He showed him each generation and its leaders; +each generation and its prophets; each generation and its teachers; each +generation and its scholars; each generation and its statesmen; each generation +and its judges; each generation and its pious members; each generation and its +average, commonplace members; and each generation and its impious members. The +tale of their years, the number of their days, the reckoning of their hours, +and the measure of their steps, all were made known unto him.[27] +</p> + +<p> +Of his own free will Adam relinquished seventy of his allotted years. His +appointed span was to be a thousand years, one of the Lord's days. But he saw +that only a single minute of life was apportioned to the great soul of David, +and he made a gift of seventy years to her, reducing his own years to nine +hundred and thirty.' +</p> + +<p> +The wisdom of Adam displayed itself to greatest advantage when he gave names to +the animals. Then it appeared that God, in combating the arguments of the +angels that opposed the creation of man, had spoken well, when He insisted that +man would possess more wisdom than they themselves. When Adam was barely an +hour old, God assembled the whole world of animals before him and the angels. +The latter were called upon to name the different kinds, but they were not +equal to the task. Adam, however, spoke without hesitation: "O Lord of the +world! The proper name for this animal is ox, for this one horse, for this one +lion, for this one camel." And so he called all in turn by name, suiting the +name to the peculiarity of the animal. Then God asked him what his name was to +be, and he said Adam, because he had been created out of Adamah, dust of the +earth. Again, God asked him His own name, and he said: "Adonai, Lord, because +Thou art Lord over all creatures"—the very name God had given unto Himself, the +name by which the angels call Him, the name that will remain immutable +evermore.[29] But without the gift of the holy spirit, Adam could not have +found names for all; he was in very truth a prophet, and his wisdom a prophetic +quality.[30] +</p> + +<p> +The names of the animals were not the only inheritance handed down by Adam to +the generations after him, for mankind owes all crafts to him, especially the +art of writing, and he was the inventor of all the seventy languages.[31] And +still another task he accomplished for his descendants. God showed Adam the +whole earth, and Adam designated what places were to be settled later by men, +and what places were to remain waste.[32] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap15"></a>THE FALL OF SATAN</h3> + +<p> +The extraordinary qualities with which Adam was blessed, physical and spiritual +as well, aroused the envy of the angels. They attempted to consume him with +fire, and he would have perished, had not the protecting hand of God rested +upon him, and established peace between him and the heavenly host.[33] In +particular, Satan was jealous of the first man, and his evil thoughts finally +led to his fall. After Adam had been endowed with a soul, God invited all the +angels to come and pay him reverence and homage. Satan, the greatest of the +angels in heaven, with twelve wings, instead of six like all the others, +refused to pay heed to the behest of God, saying, "Thou didst create us angels +from the splendor of the Shekinah, and now Thou dost command us to cast +ourselves down before the creature which Thou didst fashion out of the dust of +the ground!" God answered, "Yet this dust of the ground has more wisdom and +understanding than thou." Satan demanded a trial of wit with Adam, and God +assented thereto, saying: "I have created beasts, birds, and reptiles, I shall +have them all come before thee and before Adam. If thou art able to give them +names, I shall command Adam to show honor unto thee, and thou shalt rest next +to the Shekinah of My glory. But if not, and Adam calls them by the names I +have assigned to them, then thou wilt be subject to Adam, and he shall have a +place in My garden, and cultivate it." Thus spake God, and He betook Himself to +Paradise, Satan following Him. When Adam beheld God, he said to his wife, "O +come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Now +Satan attempted to assign names to the animals. He failed with the first two +that presented themselves, the ox and the cow. God led two others before him, +the camel and the donkey, with the same result. Then God turned to Adam, and +questioned him regarding the names of the same animals, framing His questions +in such wise that the first letter of the first word was the same as the first +letter of the name of the animal standing before him. Thus Adam divined the +proper name, and Satan was forced to acknowledge the superiority of the first +man. Nevertheless he broke out in wild outcries that reached the heavens, and +he refused to do homage unto Adam as he had been bidden.[34] The host of angels +led by him did likewise, in spite of the urgent representations of Michael, who +was the first to prostrate himself before Adam in order to show a good example +to the other angels. Michael addressed Satan: "Give adoration to the image of +God! But if thou doest it not, then the Lord God will break out in wrath +against thee." Satan replied: "If He breaks out in wrath against me, I will +exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will be like the Most High!" At once +God flung Satan and his host out of heaven, down to the earth, and from that +moment dates the enmity between Satan and man.' +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap16"></a>WOMAN</h3> + +<p> +When Adam opened his eyes the first time, and beheld the world about him, he +broke into praise of God, "How great are Thy works, O Lord!" But his admiration +for the world surrounding him did not exceed the admiration all creatures +conceived for Adam. They took him to be their creator, and they all came to +offer him adoration. But he spoke: "Why do you come to worship me? Nay, you and +I together will acknowledge the majesty and the might of Him who hath created +us all. 'The Lord reigneth,'" he continued, "'He is apparelled with +majesty.'"[36] +</p> + +<p> +And not alone the creatures on earth, even the angels thought Adam the lord of +all, and they were about to salute him with "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of +hosts," when God caused sleep to fall upon him, and then the angels knew that +he was but a human being.[37] +</p> + +<p> +The purpose of the sleep that enfolded Adam was to give him a wife, so that the +human race might develop, and all creatures recognize the difference between +God and man. When the earth heard what God had resolved to do, it began to +tremble and quake. "I have not the strength," it said, "to provide food for the +herd of Adam's descendants." But God pacified it with the words, "I and thou +together, we will find food for the herd." Accordingly, time was divided +between God and the earth; God took the night, and the earth took the day. +Refreshing sleep nourishes and strengthens man, it affords him life and rest, +while the earth brings forth produce with the help of God, who waters it. Yet +man must work the earth to earn his food.[38] +</p> + +<p> +The Divine resolution to bestow a companion on Adam met the wishes of man, who +had been overcome by a feeling of isolation when the animals came to him in +pairs to be named.[39] To banish his loneliness, Lilith was first given to Adam +as wife. Like him she had been created out of the dust of the ground. But she +remained with him only a short time, because she insisted upon enjoying full +equality with her husband. She derived her rights from their identical origin. +With the help of the Ineffable Name, which she pronounced, Lilith flew away +from Adam, and vanished in the air. Adam complained before God that the wife He +had given him had deserted him, and God sent forth three angels to capture her. +They found her in the Red Sea, and they sought to make her go back with the +threat that, unless she went, she would lose a hundred of her demon children +daily by death. But Lilith preferred this punishment to living with Adam. She +takes her revenge by injuring babes—baby boys during the first night of their +life, while baby girls are exposed to her wicked designs until they are twenty +days old. The only way to ward off the evil is to attach an amulet bearing the +names of her three angel captors to the children, for such had been the +agreement between them.[40] +</p> + +<p> +The woman destined to become the true companion of man was taken from Adam's +body, for "only when like is joined unto like the union is indissoluble."[41] +The creation of woman from man was possible because Adam originally had two +faces, which were separated at the birth of Eve.[42] +</p> + +<p> +When God was on the point of making Eve, He said: "I will not make her from the +head of man, lest she carry her head high in arrogant pride; not from the eye, +lest she be wanton-eyed; not from the ear, lest she be an eavesdropper; not +from the neck, lest she be insolent; not from the mouth, lest she be a tattler; +not from the heart, lest she be inclined to envy; not from the hand, lest she +be a meddler; not from the foot, lest she be a gadabout. I will form her from a +chaste portion of the body," and to every limb and organ as He formed it, God +said, "Be chaste! Be chaste!" Nevertheless, in spite of the great caution used, +woman has all the faults God tried to obviate. The daughters of Zion were +haughty and walked with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes; Sarah was an +eavesdropper in her own tent, when the angel spoke with Abraham; Miriam was a +talebearer, accusing Moses; Rachel was envious of her sister Leah; Eve put out +her hand to take the forbidden fruit, and Dinah was a gadabout.[43] +</p> + +<p> +The physical formation of woman is far more complicated than that of man, as it +must be for the function of child-bearing, and likewise the intelligence of +woman matures more quickly than the intelligence of man.[44] Many of the +physical and psychical differences between the two sexes must be attributed to +the fact that man was formed from the ground and woman from bone. Women need +perfumes, while men do not; dust of the ground remains the same no matter how +long it is kept; flesh, however, requires salt to keep it in good condition. +The voice of women is shrill, not so the voice of men; when soft viands are +cooked, no sound is heard, but let a bone be put in a pot, and at once it +crackles. A man is easily placated, not so a woman; a few drops of water +suffice to soften a clod of earth; a bone stays hard, and if it were to soak in +water for days. The man must ask the woman to be his wife, and not the woman +the man to be her husband, because it is man who has sustained the loss of his +rib, and he sallies forth to make good his loss again. The very differences +between the sexes in garb and social forms go back to the origin of man and +woman for their reasons. Woman covers her hair in token of Eve's having brought +sin into the world; she tries to hide her shame; and women precede men in a +funeral cortege, because it was woman who brought death into the world. And the +religious commands addressed to women alone are connected with the history of +Eve. Adam was the heave offering of the world, and Eve defiled it. As +expiation, all women are commanded to separate a heave offering from the dough. +And because woman extinguished the light of man's soul, she is bidden to kindle +the Sabbath light.[45] +</p> + +<p> +Adam was first made to fall into a deep sleep before the rib for Eve was taken +from his side. For, had he watched her creation, she would not have awakened +love in him. To this day it is true that men do not appreciate the charms of +women whom they have known and observed from childhood up. Indeed, God had +created a wife for Adam before Eve, but he would not have her, because she had +been made in his presence. Knowing well all the details of her formation, he +was repelled by her.[46] But when he roused himself from his profound sleep, +and saw Eve before him in all her surprising beauty and grace, he exclaimed, +"This is she who caused my heart to throb many a night!" Yet he discerned at +once what the nature of woman was. She would, he knew, seek to carry her point +with man either by entreaties and tears, or flattery and caresses. He said, +therefore, "This is my never-silent bell!"[47] +</p> + +<p> +The wedding of the first couple was celebrated with pomp never repeated in the +whole course of history since. God Himself, before presenting her to Adam, +attired and adorned Eve as a bride. Yea, He appealed to the angels, saying: +"Come, let us perform services of friendship for Adam and his helpmate, for the +world rests upon friendly services, and they are more pleasing in My sight than +the sacrifices Israel will offer upon the altar." The angels accordingly +surrounded the marriage canopy, and God pronounced the blessings upon the +bridal couple, as the Hazan does under the Huppah. The angels then danced and +played upon musical instruments before Adam and Eve in their ten bridal +chambers of gold, pearls, and precious stones, which God had prepared for them. +</p> + +<p> +Adam called his wife Ishah, and himself he called Ish, abandoning the name +Adam, which he had borne before the creation of Eve, for the reason that God +added His own name Yah to the names of the man and the woman—Yod to Ish and He +to Ishah—to indicate that as long as they walked in the ways of God and +observed His commandments, His name would shield them against all harm. But if +they went astray, His name would be withdrawn, and instead of Ish there would +remain Esh, fire, a fire issuing from each and consuming the other.[48] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap17"></a>ADAM AND EVE IN PARADISE</h3> + +<p> +The Garden of Eden was the abode of the first man and woman, and the souls of +all men must pass through it after death, before they reach their final +destination. For the souls of the departed must go through seven portals before +they arrive in the heaven 'Arabot. There the souls of the pious are transformed +into angels, and there they remain forever, praising God and feasting their +sight upon the glory of the Shekinah. The first portal is the Cave of +Machpelah, in the vicinity of Paradise, which is under the care and supervision +of Adam. If the soul that presents herself at the portal is worthy, he calls +out, "Make room! Thou art welcome!" The soul then proceeds until she arrives at +the gate of Paradise guarded by the cherubim and the flaming sword. If she is +not found worthy, she is consumed by the sword; otherwise she receives a +pass-bill, which admits her to the terrestrial Paradise. Therein is a pillar of +smoke and light extending from Paradise to the gate of heaven, and it depends +upon the character of the soul whether she can climb upward on it and reach +heaven. The third portal, Zebul, is at the entrance of heaven. If the soul is +worthy, the guard opens the portal and admits her 'to the heavenly Temple. +Michael presents her to God, and conducts her to the seventh portal, 'Arabot, +within which the souls of the pious, changed to angels, praise the Lord, and +feed on the glory of the Shekinah.[49] +</p> + +<p> +In Paradise stand the tree of life and the tree of knowledge, the latter +forming a hedge about the former. Only he who has cleared a path for himself +through the tree of knowledge can come close to the tree of life, which is so +huge that it would take a man five hundred years to traverse a distance equal +to the diameter of the trunk, and no less vast is the space shaded by its crown +of branches. From beneath it flows forth the water that irrigates the whole +earth,[50] parting thence into four streams, the Ganges, the Nile, the Tigris, +and the Euphrates.[51] But it was only during the days of creation that the +realm of plants looked to the waters of the earth for nourishment. Later on God +made the plants dependent upon the rain, the upper waters. The clouds rise from +earth to heaven, where water is poured into them as from a conduit.[52] The +plants began to feel the effect of the water only after Adam was created. +Although they had been brought forth on the third day, God did not permit them +to sprout and appear above the surface of the earth, until Adam prayed to Him +to give food unto them, for God longs for the prayers of the pious.[53] +</p> + +<p> +Paradise being such as it was, it was, naturally, not necessary for Adam to +work the land. True, the Lord God put the man into the Garden of Eden to dress +it and to keep it, but that only means he is to study the Torah there and +fulfil the commandments of God.[54] There were especially six commandments +which every human being is expected to heed: man should not worship idols; nor +blaspheme God; nor commit murder, nor incest, nor theft and robbery; and all +generations have the duty of instituting measures of law and order.[55] One +more such command there was, but it was a temporary injunction. Adam was to eat +only the green things of the field. But the prohibition against the use of +animals for food was revoked in Noah's time, after the deluge. Nevertheless, +Adam was not cut off from the enjoyment of meat dishes. Though he was not +permitted to slaughter animals for the appeasing of his appetite, the angels +brought him meat and wine, serving him like attendants.[56] And as the angels +ministered to his wants, so also the animals. They were wholly under his +dominion, and their food they took out of his hand and out of Eve's.[57] In all +respects, the animal world had a different relation to Adam from their relation +to his descendants. Not only did they know the language of man,[58] but they +respected the image of God, and they feared the first human couple, all of +which changed into the opposite after the fall of man.[59] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap18"></a>THE FALL OF MAN</h3> + +<p> +Among the animals the serpent was notable. Of all of them he had the most +excellent qualities, in some of which he resembled man. Like man he stood +upright upon two feet, and in height he was equal to the camel. Had it not been +for the fall of man, which brought misfortune to them, too, one pair of +serpents would have sufficed to perform all the work man has to do, and, +besides, they would have supplied him with silver, gold, gems, and pearls. As a +matter of fact, it was the very ability of the serpent that led to the ruin of +man and his own ruin. His superior mental gifts caused him to become an +infidel. It likewise explains his envy of man, especially of his conjugal +relations. Envy made him meditate ways and means of bringing about the death of +Adam.[60] He was too well acquainted with the character of the man to attempt +to exercise tricks of persuasion upon him, and he approached the woman, knowing +that women are beguiled easily. The conversation with Eve was cunningly +planned, she could not but be caught in a trap. The serpent began, "Is it true +that God hath said, Ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden?" "We may," +rejoined Eve, "eat of the fruit of all the trees in the garden, except that +which is in the midst of the garden, and that we may not even touch, lest we be +stricken with death." She spoke thus, because in his zeal to guard her against +the transgressing of the Divine command, Adam had forbidden Eve to touch the +tree, though God had mentioned only the eating of the fruit. It remains a +truth, what the proverb says, "Better a wall ten hands high that stands, than a +wall a hundred ells high that cannot stand." It was Adam's exaggeration that +afforded the serpent the possibility of persuading Eve to taste of the +forbidden fruit. The serpent pushed Eve against the tree, and said: "Thou seest +that touching the tree has not caused thy death. As little will it hurt thee to +eat the fruit of the tree. Naught but malevolence has prompted the prohibition, +for as soon as ye eat thereof, ye shall be as God. As He creates and destroys +worlds, so will ye have the power to create and destroy. As He doth slay and +revive, so will ye have the power to slay and revive.[61] He Himself ate first +of the fruit of the tree, and then He created the world. Therefore doth He +forbid you to eat thereof, lest you create other worlds. Everyone knows that +'artisans of the same guild hate one another.' Furthermore, have ye not +observed that every creature hath dominion over the creature fashioned before +itself? The heavens were made on the first day, and they are kept in place by +the firmament made on the second day. The firmament, in turn, is ruled by the +plants, the creation of the third day, for they take up all the water of the +firmament. The sun and the other celestial bodies, which were created on the +fourth day, have power over the world of plants. They can ripen their fruits +and flourish only through their influence. The creation of the fifth day, the +animal world, rules over the celestial spheres. Witness the ziz, which can +darken the sun with its pinions. But ye are masters of the whole of creation, +because ye were the last to be created. Hasten now and eat of the fruit of the +tree in the midst of the garden, and become independent of God, lest He bring +forth still other creatures to bear rule over you."[62] +</p> + +<p> +To give due weight to these words, the serpent began to shake the tree +violently and bring down its fruit. He ate thereof, saying: "As I do not die of +eating the fruit, so wilt thou not die." Now Eve could not but say to herself, +"All that my master"—so she called Adam—"commanded me is but lies," and she +determined to follow the advice of the serpent.[63] Yet she could not bring +herself to disobey the command of God utterly. She made a compromise with her +conscience. First she ate only the outside skin of the fruit, and then, seeing +that death did not fell her, she ate the fruit itself.[64] Scarce had she +finished, when she saw the Angel of Death before her. Expecting her end to come +immediately, she resolved to make Adam eat of the forbidden fruit, too, lest he +espouse another wife after her death.[65] It required tears and lamentations on +her part to prevail upon Adam to take the baleful step. Not yet satisfied, she +gave of the fruit to all other living beings, that they, too, might be subject +to death.[66] All ate, and they all are mortal, with the exception of the bird +malham, who refused the fruit, with the words: "Is it not enough that ye have +sinned against God, and have brought death to others? Must ye still come to me +and seek to persuade me into disobeying God's command, that I may eat and die +thereof? I will not do your bidding." A heavenly voice was heard then to say to +Adam and Eve: "To you was the command given. Ye did not heed it; ye did +transgress it, and ye did seek to persuade the bird malham. He was steadfast, +and he feared Me, although I gave him no command. Therefore he shall never +taste of death, neither he nor his descendants—they all shall live forever in +Paradise."[67] +</p> + +<p> +Adam spoke to Eve: "Didst thou give me of the tree of which I forbade thee to +eat? Thou didst give me thereof, for my eyes are opened, and the teeth in my +mouth are set on edge." Eve made answer, "As my teeth were set on edge, so may +the teeth of all living beings be set on edge."[68] The first result was that +Adam and Eve became naked. Before, their bodies had been overlaid with a horny +skin, and enveloped with the cloud of glory. No sooner had they violated the +command given them than the cloud of glory and the horny skin dropped from +them, and they stood there in their nakedness, and ashamed.[69] Adam tried to +gather leaves from the trees to cover part of their bodies, but he heard one +tree after the other say: "There is the thief that deceived his Creator. Nay, +the foot of pride shall not come against me, nor the hand of the wicked touch +me. Hence, and take no leaves from me!" Only the fig-tree granted him +permission to take of its leaves. That was because the fig was the forbidden +fruit itself. Adam had the same experience as that prince who seduced one of +the maid-ser vants in the palace. When the king, his father, chased him out, he +vainly sought a refuge with the other maid-servants, but only she who had +caused his disgrace would grant him assistance.[70] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap19"></a>THE PUNISHMENT</h3> + +<p> +As long as Adam stood naked, casting about for means of escape from his +embarrassment, God did not appear unto him, for one should not "strive to see a +man in the hour of his disgrace." He waited until Adam and Eve had covered +themselves with fig leaves.[71] But even before God spoke to him, Adam knew +what was impending. He heard the angels announce, "God betaketh Himself unto +those that dwell in Paradise." He heard more, too. He heard what the angels +were saying to one another about his fall, and what they were saying to God. In +astonishment the angels exclaimed: "What! He still walks about in Paradise? He +is not yet dead?" Whereupon God: "I said to him, 'In the day that thou eatest +thereof, thou shalt surely die!' Now, ye know not what manner of day I +meant—one of My days of a thousand years, or one of your days. I will give him +one of My days. He shall have nine hundred and thirty years to live, and +seventy to leave to his descendants."[72] +</p> + +<p> +When Adam and Eve heard God approaching, they hid among the trees—which would +not have been possible before the fall. Before he committed his trespass, +Adam's height was from the heavens to the earth, but afterward it was reduced +to one hundred ells.[73] Another consequence of his sin was the fear Adam felt +when he heard the voice of God: before his fall it had not disquieted him in +the least.[74] Hence it was that when Adam said, "I heard Thy voice in the +garden, and I was afraid," God replied, "Aforetime thou wert not afraid, and +now thou art afraid?"[75] +</p> + +<p> +God refrained from reproaches at first. Standing at the gate of Paradise, He +but asked, "Where art thou, Adam?" Thus did God desire to teach man a rule of +polite behavior, never to enter the house of another without announcing +himself.[76] It cannot be denied, the words "Where art thou?" were pregnant +with meaning. They were intended to bring home to Adam the vast difference +between his latter and his former state—between his supernatural size then and +his shrunken size now; between the lordship of God over him then and the +lordship of the serpent over him now.[77] At the same time, God wanted to give +Adam the opportunity of repenting of his sin, and he would have received Divine +forgiveness for it. But so far from repenting of it, Adam slandered God, and +uttered blasphemies against Him.[78] When God asked him, "Hast thou eaten of +the tree whereof I commanded thee thou shouldst not eat?" he did not confess +his sin, but excused himself with the words: "O Lord of the world! As long as I +was alone, I did not fall into sin, but as soon as this woman came to me, she +tempted me." God replied: "I gave her unto thee as a help, and thou art +ungrateful when thou accusest her, saying, 'She gave me of the tree.' Thou +shouldst not have obeyed her, for thou art the head, and not she."[79] God, who +knows all things, had foreseen exactly this, and He had not created Eve until +Adam had asked Him for a helpmate, so that he might not have apparently good +reason for reproaching God with having created woman.[80] +</p> + +<p> +As Adam tried to shift the blame for his misdeed from himself, so also Eve. +She, like her husband, did not confess her transgression and pray for pardon, +which would have been granted to her.[81] Gracious as God is, He did not +pronounce the doom upon Adam and Eve until they showed themselves stiff-necked. +Not so with the serpent. God inflicted the curse upon the serpent without +hearing his defense; for the serpent is a villain, and the wicked are good +debaters. If God had questioned him, the serpent would have answered: "Thou +didst give them a command, and I did contradict it. Why did they obey me, and +not Thee?"[82] Therefore God did not enter into an argument with the serpent, +but straightway decreed the following ten punishments: The mouth of the serpent +was closed, and his power of speech taken away; his hands and feet were hacked +off; the earth was given him as food; he must suffer great pain in sloughing +his skin; enmity is to exist between him and man; if he eats the choicest +viands, or drinks the sweetest beverages, they all change into dust in his +mouth; the pregnancy of the female serpent lasts seven years; men shall seek to +kill him as soon as they catch sight of him; even in the future world, where +all beings will be blessed, he will not escape the punishment decreed for him; +he will vanish from out of the Holy Land if Israel walks in the ways of +God.[83] +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore, God spake to the serpent: "I created thee to be king over all +animals, cattle and the beasts of the field alike; but thou wast not satisfied. +Therefore thou shalt be cursed above all cattle and above every beast of the +field. I created thee of upright posture; but thou wast not satisfied. +Therefore thou shalt go upon thy belly. I created thee to eat the same food as +man; but thou wast not satisfied. Therefore thou shalt eat dust all the days of +thy life. Thou didst seek to cause the death of Adam in order to espouse his +wife. Therefore I will put enmity between thee and the woman." How true it +is—he who lusts after what is not his due, not only does he not attain his +desire, but he also loses what he has! +</p> + +<p> +As angels had been present when the doom was pronounced upon the serpent—for +God had convoked a Sanhedrin of seventy-one angels when He sat in judgment upon +him—so the execution of the decree against him was entrusted to angels. They +descended from heaven, and chopped off his hands and feet. His suffering was so +great that his agonized cries could be heard from one end of the world to the +other.[84] +</p> + +<p> +The verdict against Eve also consisted of ten curses, the effect of which is +noticeable to this day in the physical, spiritual, and social state of +woman.[85] It was not God Himself who announced her fate to Eve. The only woman +with whom God ever spoke was Sarah. In the case of Eve, He made use of the +services of an interpreter.[86] +</p> + +<p> +Finally, also the punishment of Adam was tenfold: he lost his celestial +clothing—God stripped it off him; in sorrow he was to earn his daily bread; the +food he ate was to be turned from good into bad; his children were to wander +from land to land; his body was to exude sweat; he was to have an evil +inclination; in death his body was to be a prey of the worms; animals were to +have power over him, in that they could slay him; his days were to be few and +full of trouble; in the end he was to render account of all his doings on +earth. +</p> + +<p> +These three sinners were not the only ones to have punishment dealt out to +them. The earth fared no better, for it had been guilty of various +misdemeanors. In the first place, it had not entirely heeded the command of God +given on the third day, to bring forth "tree of fruit." What God had desired +was a tree the wood of which was to be as pleasant to the taste as the fruit +thereof. The earth, however, produced a tree bearing fruit, the tree itself not +being edible.[88] Again, the earth did not do its whole duty in connection with +the sin of Adam. God had appointed the sun and the earth witnesses to testify +against Adam in case he committed a trespass. The sun, accordingly, had grown +dark the instant Adam became guilty of disobedience, but the earth, not knowing +how to take notice of Adam's fall, disregarded it altogether.[89] The earth +also had to suffer a tenfold punishment: independent before, she was hereafter +to wait to be watered by the rain from above; sometimes the fruits of the earth +fail; the grain she brings forth is stricken with blasting and mildew; she must +produce all sorts of noxious vermin; thenceforth she was to be divided into +valleys and mountains; she must grow barren trees, bearing no fruit; thorns and +thistles sprout from her; much is sown in the earth, but little is harvested; +in time to come the earth will have to disclose her blood, and shall no more +cover her slain; and, finally, she shall, one day, "wax old like a +garment."[90] +</p> + +<p> +When Adam heard the words, "Thorns and thistles shall it bring forth," +concerning the ground, a sweat broke out on his face, and he said: "What! Shall +I and my cattle eat from the same manger?" The Lord had mercy upon him, and +spoke, "In view of the sweat of thy face, thou shalt eat bread."[91] +</p> + +<p> +The earth is not the only thing created that was made to suffer through the sin +of Adam. The same fate overtook the moon. When the serpent seduced Adam and +Eve, and exposed their nakedness, they wept bitterly, and with them wept the +heavens, and the sun and the stars, and all created beings and things up to the +throne of God. The very angels and the celestial beings were grieved by the +trans gression of Adam. The moon alone laughed, wherefore God grew wroth, and +obscured her light. Instead of shining steadily like the sun, all the length of +the day, she grows old quickly, and must be born and reborn, again and +again.[92] The callous conduct of the moon offended God, not only by way of +contrast with the compassion of all other creatures, but because He Himself was +full of pity for Adam and his wife. He made clothes for them out of the skin +stripped from the serpent.[93] He would have done even more. He would have +permitted them to remain in Paradise, if only they had been penitent. But they +refused to repent, and they had to leave, lest their godlike understanding urge +them to ravage the tree of life, and they learn to live forever. As it was, +when God dismissed them from Paradise, He did not allow the Divine quality of +justice to prevail entirely. He associated mercy with it. As they left, He +said: "O what a pity that Adam was not able to observe the command laid upon +him for even a brief span of time!" +</p> + +<p> +To guard the entrance to Paradise, God appointed the cherubim, called also the +ever-turning sword of flames, because angels can turn themselves from one shape +into another at need.[94] Instead of the tree of life, God gave Adam the Torah, +which likewise is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and he was +permitted to take up his abode in the vicinity of Paradise in the east.[95] +</p> + +<p> +Sentence pronounced upon Adam and Eve and the serpent, the Lord commanded the +angels to turn the man and the woman out of Paradise. They began to weep and +supplicate bitterly, and the angels took pity upon them and left the Divine +command unfulfilled, until they could petition God to mitigate His severe +verdict. But the Lord was inexorable, saying, "Was it I that committed a +trespass, or did I pronounce a false judgment?" Also Adam's prayer, to be given +of the fruit of the tree of life, was turned aside, with the promise, however, +that if he would lead a pious life, he would be given of the fruit on the day +of resurrection, and he would then live forever. +</p> + +<p> +Seeing that God had resolved unalterably, Adam began to weep again and implore +the angels to grant him at least permission to take sweet-scented spices with +him out of Paradise, that outside, too, he might be able to bring offerings +unto God, and his prayers be accepted before the Lord. Thereupon the angels +came before God, and spake: "King unto everlasting, command Thou us to give +Adam sweet-scented spices of Paradise," and God heard their prayer. Thus Adam +gathered saffron, nard, calamus, and cinnamon, and all sorts of seeds besides +for his sustenance. Laden with these, Adam and Eve left Paradise, and came upon +earth.[96] They had enjoyed the splendors of Paradise but a brief span of +time—but a few hours. It was in the first hour of the sixth day of creation +that God conceived the idea of creating man; in the second hour, He took +counsel with the angels; in the third, He gathered the dust for the body of +man; in the fourth, He formed Adam; in the fifth, He clothed him with skin; in +the sixth, the soulless shape was complete, so that it could stand upright; in +the seventh, a soul was breathed into it; in the eighth, man was led into +Paradise; in the ninth, the Divine command prohibiting the fruit of the tree in +the midst of the garden was issued to him; in the tenth, he transgressed the +command; in the eleventh, he was judged; and in the twelfth hour of the day, he +was cast out of Paradise, in atonement for his sin. +</p> + +<p> +This eventful day was the first of the month of Tishri. Therefore God spoke to +Adam: "Thou shalt be the prototype of thy children. As thou hast been judged by +Me on this day and absolved, so thy children Israel shall be judged by Me on +this New Year's Day, and they shall be absolved."[97] +</p> + +<p> +Each day of creation brought forth three things: the first, heaven, earth, and +light; the second, the firmament, Gehenna, and the angels; the third, trees, +herbs, and Paradise; the fourth, sun, moon, and stars; and the fifth, fishes, +birds, and leviathan. As God intended to rest on the seventh day, the Sabbath, +the sixth day had to do double duty. It brought forth six creations: Adam, Eve, +cattle, reptiles, the beasts of the field, and demons. The demons were made +shortly before the Sabbath came in, and they are, therefore, incorporeal +spirits—the Lord had no time to create bodies for them.[98] +</p> + +<p> +In the twilight, between the sixth day and the Sabbath, ten creations were, +brought forth: the rainbow, invisible until Noah's time; the manna; +watersprings, whence Israel drew water for his thirst in the desert; the +writing upon the two tables of stone given at Sinai; the pen with which the +writing was written; the two tables themselves; the mouth of Balaam's she-ass; +the grave of Moses; the cave in which Moses and Elijah dwelt; and the rod of +Aaron, with its blossoms and its ripe almonds.[99] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap20"></a>SABBATH IN HEAVEN</h3> + +<p> +Before the world was created, there was none to praise God and know Him. +Therefore He created the angels and the holy Hayyot, the heavens and their +host, and Adam as well. They all were to praise and glorify their Creator. +During the week of creation, however, there was no suitable time to proclaim +the splendor and praise of the Lord. Only on the Sabbath, when all creation +rested, the beings on earth and in heaven, all together, broke into song and +adoration when God ascended His throne and sate upon it.[100] It was the Throne +of Joy upon which He sate, and He had all the angels pass before Him—the angel +of the water, the angel of the rivers, the angel of the mountains, the angel of +the hills, the angel of the abysses, the angel of the deserts, the angel of the +sun, the angel of the moon, the angel of the Pleiades, the angel of Orion, the +angel of the herbs, the angel of Paradise, the angel of Gehenna, the angel of +the trees, the angel of the reptiles, the angel of the wild beasts, the angel +of the domestic animals, the angel of the fishes, the angel of the locusts, the +angel of the birds, the chief angel of the angels, the angel of each heaven, +the chief angel of each division of the heavenly hosts, the chief angel of the +holy Hayyot, the chief angel of the cherubim, the chief angel of the ofanim, +and all the other splendid, terrible, and mighty angel chiefs. They all +appeared before God with great joy, laved in a stream of joy, and they rejoiced +and danced and sang, and extolled the Lord with many praises and many +instruments. The ministering angels began, "Let the glory of the Lord endure +forever!" And the rest of the angels took up the song with the words, "Let the +Lord rejoice in His works!" 'Arabot, the seventh heaven, was filled with joy +and glory, splendor and strength, power and might and pride and magnificence +and grandeur, praise and jubilation, song and gladness, steadfastness and +righteousness, honor and adoration. +</p> + +<p> +Then God bade the Angel of the Sabbath seat himself upon a throne of glory, and +He brought before him the chiefs of the angels of all the heavens and all the +abysses, and bade them dance and rejoice, saying, "Sabbath it is unto the +Lord!" and the exalted princes of the heavens responded, "Unto the Lord it is +Sabbath!" Even Adam was permitted to ascend to the highest heaven, to take part +in the rejoicing over the Sabbath. +</p> + +<p> +By bestowing Sabbath joy upon all beings, not excepting Adam, thus did the Lord +dedicate His creation. Seeing the majesty of the Sabbath, its honor and +greatness, and the joy it conferred upon all, being the fount of all joy, Adam +intoned a song of praise for the Sabbath day. Then God said to him, "Thou +singest a song of praise to the Sabbath day, and singest none to Me, the God of +the Sabbath?" Thereupon the Sabbath rose from his seat, and prostrated himself +before God, saying, "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord," and the +whole of creation added, "And to sing praises unto Thy Name, O Most High!"[101] +</p> + +<p> +This was the first Sabbath, and this its celebration in heaven by God and the +angels. The angels were informed at the same time that in days to come Israel +would hallow the day in similar manner. God told them: "I will set aside for +Myself a people from among all the peoples. This people will observe the +Sabbath, and I will sanctify it to be My people, and I will be God unto it. +From all that I have seen, I have chosen the seed of Israel wholly, and I have +inscribed him as My first-born son, and I sanctified him unto Myself unto all +eternity, him and the Sabbath, that he keep the Sabbath and hallow it from all +work."[102] +</p> + +<p> +For Adam the Sabbath had a peculiar significance. When he was made to depart +out of Paradise in the twilight of the Sabbath eve, the angels called after +him, "Adam did not abide in his glory overnight!" Then the Sabbath appeared +before God as Adam's defender, and he spoke: "O Lord of the world! During the +six working days no creature was slain. If Thou wilt begin now by slaying Adam, +what will become of the sanctity and the blessing of the Sabbath?" In this way +Adam was rescued from the fires of hell, the meet punishment for his sins, and +in gratitude he composed a psalm in honor of the Sabbath, which David later +embodied in his Psalter.[103] +</p> + +<p> +Still another opportunity was given to Adam to learn and appreciate the value +of the Sabbath. The celestial light, whereby Adam could survey the world from +end to end, should properly have been made to disappear immediately after his +sin. But out of consideration for the Sabbath, God had let this light continue +to shine, and the angels, at sundown on the sixth day, intoned a song of praise +and thanksgiving to God, for the radiant light shining through the night. Only +with the going out of the Sabbath day the celestial light ceased, to the +consternation of Adam, who feared that the serpent would attack him in the +dark. But God illumined his understanding, and he learned to rub two stones +against each other and produce light for his needs.[104] +</p> + +<p> +The celestial light was but one of the seven precious gifts enjoyed by Adam +before the fall and to be granted to man again only in the Messianic time. The +others are the resplendence of his countenance; life eternal; his tall stature; +the fruits of the soil; the fruits of the tree; and the luminaries of the sky, +the sun and the moon, for in the world to come the light of the moon shall be +as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold.[105] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap21"></a>ADAM'S REPENTANCE</h3> + +<p> +Cast out of Paradise, Adam and Eve built a hut for themselves, and for seven +days they sat in it in great distress, mourning and lamenting. At the end of +the seven days, tormented by hunger, they came forth and sought food. For seven +other days, Adam journeyed up and down in the land, looking for such dainties +as he had enjoyed in Paradise. In vain; he found nothing. Then Eve spoke to her +husband: "My lord, if it please thee, slay me. Mayhap God will then take thee +back into Paradise, for the Lord God became wroth with thee only on account of +me." But Adam rejected her plan with abhorrence, and both went forth again on +the search for food. Nine days passed, and still they found naught resembling +what they had had in Paradise. They saw only food fit for cattle and beasts. +Then Adam proposed: "Let us do penance, mayhap the Lord God will forgive us and +have pity on us, and give us something to sustain our life." Knowing that Eve +was not vigorous enough to undergo the mortification of the flesh which he +purposed to inflict upon himself, he prescribed a penance for her different +from his own. He said to her: "Arise, and go to the Tigris, take a stone and +stand upon it in the deepest part of the river, where the water will reach as +high as thy neck. And let no speech issue forth from thy mouth, for we are +unworthy to supplicate God, our lips are unclean by reason of the forbidden +fruit of the tree. Remain in the water for thirty-seven days." +</p> + +<p> +For himself Adam ordained forty days of fasting, while he stood in the river +Jordan in the same way as Eve was to take up her stand in the waters of the +Tigris. After he had adjusted the stone in the middle of the Jordan, and +mounted it, with the waters surging up to his neck, he said: "I adjure thee, O +thou water of the Jordan! Afflict thyself with me, and gather unto me all +swimming creatures that live in thee. Let them surround me and sorrow with me, +and let them not beat their own breasts with grief, but let them beat me. Not +they have sinned, only I alone!" Very soon they all came, the dwellers in the +Jordan, and they encompassed him, and from that moment the water of the Jordan +stood still and ceased from flowing. +</p> + +<p> +The penance which Adam and Eve laid upon themselves awakened misgivings in +Satan. He feared God might forgive their sin, and therefore essayed to hinder +Eve in her purpose. After a lapse of eighteen days he appeared unto her in the +guise of an angel. As though in distress on account of her, he began to cry, +saying: "Step up out of the river, and weep no longer. The Lord God hath heard +your mourning, and your penitence hath been accepted by Him. All the angels +supplicated the Lord in your behalf, and He hath sent me to fetch you out of +the water and give you the sustenance that you enjoyed in Paradise, and for +which you have been mourning." Enfeebled as she was by her penances and +mortifications, Eve yielded to the solicitations of Satan, and he led her to +where her husband was. Adam recognized him at once, and amid tears he cried +out: "O Eve, Eve, where now is thy penitence? How couldst thou let our +adversary seduce thee again—him who robbed us of our sojourn in Paradise and +all spiritual joy?" Thereupon Eve, too, began to weep and cry out: "Woe unto +thee, O Satan! Why strivest thou against us without any reason? What have we +done unto thee that thou shouldst pursue us so craftily?" With a deep-fetched +sigh, Satan told them how that Adam, of whom he had been jealous, had been the +real reason of his fall. Having lost his glory through him, he had intrigued to +have him driven from Paradise. +</p> + +<p> +When Adam heard the confession of Satan, he prayed to God: "O Lord my God! In +Thy hands is my life. Remove from me this adversary, who seeks to deliver my +soul to destruction, and grant me the glory he has forfeited." Satan +disappeared forthwith, but Adam continued his penance, standing in the waters +of the Jordan for forty days.[106] +</p> + +<p> +While Adam stood in the river, he noticed that the days were growing shorter, +and he feared the world might be darkened on account of his sin, and go under +soon. To avert the doom, he spent eight days in prayer and fasting. But after +the winter solstice, when he saw that the days grew longer again, he spent +eight days in rejoicing, and in the following year he celebrated both periods, +the one before and the one after the solstice. This is why the heathen +celebrate the calends and the saturnalia in honor of their gods, though Adam +had consecrated those days to the honor of God.[107] +</p> + +<p> +The first time Adam witnessed the sinking of the sun be was also seized with +anxious fears. It happened at the conclusion of the Sabbath, and Adam said, +"Woe is me! For my sake, because I sinned, the world is darkened, and it will +again become void and without form. Thus will be executed the punishment of +death which God has pronounced against me!" All the night he spent in tears, +and Eve, too, wept as she sat opposite to him. When day began to dawn, he +understood that what he had deplored was but the course of nature, and he +brought an offering unto God, a unicorn whose horn was created before his +hoofs,[108] and he sacrificed it on the spot on which later the altar was to +stand in Jerusalem.[109] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap22"></a>THE BOOK OF RAZIEL</h3> + +<p> +After Adam's expulsion from Paradise, he prayed to God in these words: "O God, +Lord of the world! Thou didst create the whole world unto the honor and glory +of the Mighty One, and Thou didst as was pleasing unto Thee. Thy kingdom is +unto all eternity, and Thy reign unto all generations. Naught is hidden from +Thee, and naught is concealed from Thine eyes. Thou didst create me as Thy +handiwork, and didst make me the ruler over Thy creatures, that I might be the +chief of Thy works. But the cunning, accursed serpent seduced me with the tree +of desire and lusts, yea, he seduced the wife of my bosom. But Thou didst not +make known unto me what shall befall my children and the generations after me. +I know well that no human being can be righteous in Thine eyes, and what is my +strength that I should step before Thee with an impudent face? I have no mouth +wherewith to speak and no eye wherewith to see, for I did sin and commit a +trespass, and, by reason of my sins, I was driven forth from Paradise. I must +plough the earth whence I was taken, and the other inhabitants of the earth, +the beasts, no longer, as once, stand in awe and fear of me. From the time I +ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, wisdom departed from me, and I +am a fool that knoweth naught, an ignorant man that understandeth not. Now, O +merciful and gracious God, I pray to Thee to turn again Thy compassion to the +head of Thy works, to the spirit which Thou didst instil into him, and the soul +Thou didst breathe into him. Meet me with Thy grace, for Thou art gracious, +slow to anger, and full of love. O that my prayer would reach unto the throne +of Thy glory, and my supplication unto the throne of Thy mercy, and Thou +wouldst incline to me with lovingkindness. May the words of my mouth be +acceptable, that Thou turn not away from my petition. Thou wert from +everlasting, and Thou wilt be unto everlasting; Thou wert king, and Thou wilt +ever be king. Now, have Thou mercy upon the work of Thy hands. Grant me +knowledge and understanding, that I may know what shall befall me, and my +posterity, and all the generations that come after me, and what shall befall me +on every day and in every month, and mayest Thou not withhold from me the help +of Thy servants and of Thy angels." +</p> + +<p> +On the third day after he had offered up this prayer, while he was sitting on +the banks of the river that flows forth out of Paradise, there appeared to him, +in the heat of the day, the angel Raziel, bearing a book in his hand. The angel +addressed Adam thus: "O Adam, why art thou so fainthearted? Why art thou +distressed and anxious? Thy words were heard at the moment when thou didst +utter thy supplication and entreaties, and I have received the charge to teach +thee pure words and deep understanding, to make thee wise through the contents +of the sacred book in my hand, to know what will happen to thee until the day +of thy death. And all thy descendants and all the later generations, if they +will but read this book in purity, with a devout heart and an humble mind, and +obey its precepts, will become like unto thee. They, too, will foreknow what +things shall happen, and in what month and on what day or in what night. All +will be manifest to them—they will know and understand whether a calamity will +come, a famine or wild beasts, floods or drought; whether there will be +abundance of grain or dearth; whether the wicked will rule the world; whether +locusts will devastate the land; whether the fruits will drop from the trees +unripe; whether boils will afflict men; whether wars will prevail, or diseases +or plagues among men and cattle; whether good is resolved upon in heaven, or +evil; whether blood will flow, and the death-rattle of the slain be heard in +the city. And now, Adam, come and give heed unto what I shall tell thee +regarding the manner of this book and its holiness." +</p> + +<p> +Raziel, the angel, then read from the book, and when Adam heard the words of +the holy volume as they issued from the mouth of the angel, he fell down +affrighted. But the angel encouraged him. "Arise, Adam," he said, "be of good +courage, be not afraid, take the book from me and keep it, for thou wilt draw +knowledge from it thyself and become wise, and thou wilt also teach its +contents to all those who shall be found worthy of knowing what it contains." +</p> + +<p> +In the moment when Adam took the book, a flame of fire shot up from near the +river, and the angel rose heavenward with it. Then Adam knew that he who had +spoken to him was an angel of God, and it was from the Holy King Himself that +the book had come, and he used it in holiness and purity. It is the book out of +which all things worth knowing can be learnt, and all mysteries, and it teaches +also how to call upon the angels and make them appear before men, and answer +all their questions. But not all alike can use the book, only he who is wise +and God-fearing, and resorts to it in holiness. Such an one is secure against +all wicked counsels, his life is serene, and when death takes him from this +world, he finds repose in a place where there are neither demons nor evil +spirits, and out of the hands of the wicked he is quickly rescued.[110] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap23"></a>THE SICKNESS OF ADAM</h3> + +<p> +When Adam had lived to be nine hundred and thirty years old, a sickness seized +him, and he felt that his days were drawing to an end. He summoned all his +descendants, and assembled them before the door of the house of worship in +which he had always offered his prayers to God, to give them his last blessing. +His family were astonished to find him stretched out on the bed of sickness, +for they did not know what pain and suffering were.[111] They thought he was +overcome with longing after the fruits of Paradise, and for lack of them was +depressed. Seth announced his willingness to go to the gates of Paradise and +beg God to let one of His angels give him of its fruits. But Adam explained to +them what sickness and pain are, and that God had inflicted them upon him as a +punishment for his sin.[112] Adam suffered violently; tears and groans were +wrung from him. Eve sobbed, and said, "Adam, my lord, give me the half of thy +sickness, I will gladly bear it. Is it not on account of me that this hath come +upon thee? On account of me thou undergoest pain and anguish." +</p> + +<p> +Adam bade Eve go with Seth to the gates of Paradise and entreat God to have +mercy upon him, and send His angel to catch up some of the oil of life flowing +from the tree of His mercy and give it to his messengers. The ointment would +bring him rest, and banish the pain consuming him. On his way to Paradise, Seth +was attacked by a wild beast. Eve called out to the assailant, "How durst thou +lay hand on the image of God?" The ready answer came: "It is thine own fault. +Hadst thou not opened thy mouth to eat of the forbidden fruit, my mouth would +not be opened now to destroy a human being." But Seth remonstrated: "Hold thy +tongue! Desist from the image of God until the day of judgment." And the beast +gave way, saying, "See, I refrain myself from the image of God," and it slunk +away to its covert.[113] +</p> + +<p> +Arrived at the gates of Paradise, Eve and Seth began to cry bitterly, and they +besought God with many lamentations to give them oil from the tree of His +mercy. For hours they prayed thus. At last the archangel Michael appeared, and +informed them that he came as the messenger of God to tell them that their +petition could not be granted. Adam would die in a few days, and as he was +subject to death, so would be all his descendants. Only at the time of the +resurrection, and then only to the pious, the oil of life would be dispensed, +together with all the bliss and all the delights of Paradise.[114] Returned to +Adam, they reported what had happened, and he said to Eve: "What misfortune +didst thou bring upon us when thou didst arouse great wrath! See, death is the +portion of all our race! Call hither our children and our children's children, +and tell them the manner of our sinning." And while Adam lay prostrate upon the +bed of pain, Eve told them the story of their fall.[115] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap24"></a>EVE'S STORY OF THE FALL</h3> + +<p> +After I was created, God divided Paradise and all the animals therein between +Adam and me. The east and the north were assigned to Adam, together with the +male animals. I was mistress of the west and the south and all the female +animals. Satan, smarting under the disgrace of having been dismissed from the +heavenly host, resolved to bring about our ruin and avenge himself upon the +cause of his discomfiture. He won the serpent over to his side, and pointed out +to him that before the creation of Adam the animals could enjoy all that grew +in Paradise, and now they were restricted to the weeds. To drive Adam from +Paradise would therefore be for the good of all. The serpent demurred, for he +stood in awe of the wrath of God. But Satan calmed his fears, and said, "Do +thou but become my vessel,[117] and I shall speak a word through thy mouth +wherewith thou wilt succeed in seducing man." +</p> + +<p> +The serpent thereupon suspended himself from the wall surrounding Paradise, to +carry on his conversation with me from without. And this happened at the very +moment when my two guardian angels had betaken themselves to heaven to +supplicate the Lord. I was quite alone therefore, and when Satan assumed the +appearance of an angel, bent over the wall of Paradise, and intoned seraphic +songs of praise, I was deceived, and thought him an angel. A conversation was +held between us, Satan speaking through the mouth of the serpent: +</p> + +<p> +"Art thou Eve?" +</p> + +<p> +"Yes, it is I." +</p> + +<p> +"What art thou doing in Paradise?" +</p> + +<p> +"The Lord has put us here to cultivate it and eat of its fruits." +</p> + +<p> +"That is good. Yet you eat not of all the trees." +</p> + +<p> +"That we do, excepting a single one, the tree that stands in the midst of +Paradise. Concerning it alone, God has forbidden us to eat of it, else, the +Lord said, ye will die." +</p> + +<p> +The serpent made every effort to persuade me that I had naught to fear—that God +knew that in the day that Adam and I ate of the fruit of the tree, we should be +as He Himself. It was jealousy that had made Him say,[118] "Ye shall not eat of +it." In spite of all his urging, I remained steadfast and refused to touch the +tree. Then the serpent engaged to pluck the fruit for me. Thereupon I opened +the gate of Paradise, and he slipped in. Scarcely was he within, when he said +to me, "I repent of my words, I would rather not give thee of the fruit of the +forbidden tree." It was but a cunning device to tempt me more. He consented to +give me of the fruit only after I swore to make my husband eat of it, too. This +is the oath he made me take: "By the throne of God, by the cherubim, and by the +tree of life, I shall give my husband of this fruit, that he may eat, too." +Thereupon the serpent ascended the tree and injected his poison, the poison of +the evil inclination, into the fruit,[119] and bent the branch on which it grew +to the ground. I took hold of it, but I knew at once that I was stripped of the +righteousness in which I had been clothed.[120] I began to weep, because of it +and because of the oath the serpent had forced from me. +</p> + +<p> +The serpent disappeared from the tree, while I sought leaves wherewith to cover +my nakedness, but all the trees within my reach had cast off their leaves at +the moment when I ate of the forbidden fruit.[121] There was only one that +retained its leaves, the fig-tree, the very tree the fruit of which had been +forbidden to me.[122] I summoned Adam, and by means of blasphemous words I +prevailed upon him to eat of the fruit. As soon as it had passed his lips, he +knew his true condition, and he exclaimed against me: "Thou wicked woman, what +bast thou brought down upon me? Thou hast removed me from the glory of God." +</p> + +<p> +At the same time Adam and I heard the archangel Michael[123] blow his trumpet, +and all the angels cried out: "Thus saith the Lord, Come ye with Me to Paradise +and hearken unto the sentence which I will pronounce upon Adam."[124] +</p> + +<p> +We hid ourselves because we feared the judgment of God. Sitting in his chariot +drawn by cherubim, the Lord, accompanied by angels uttering His praise, +appeared in Paradise. At His coming the bare trees again put forth leaves.[125] +His throne was erected by the tree of life, and God addressed Adam: "Adam, +where dost thou keep thyself in hiding? Thinkest thou I cannot find thee? Can a +house conceal itself from its architect?"[126] +</p> + +<p> +Adam tried to put the blame on me, who had promised to hold him harmless before +God. And I in turn accused the serpent. But God dealt out justice to all three +of us. To Adam He said: "Because thou didst not obey My commands, but didst +hearken unto the voice of thy wife, cursed is the ground in spite of thy work. +When thou dost cultivate it, it will not yield thee its strength. Thorns and +thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and in the sweat of thy face shalt thou +eat bread. Thou wilt suffer many a hardship, thou wilt grow weary, and yet find +no rest. Bitterly oppressed, thou shalt never taste of any sweetness. Thou +shalt be scourged by heat, and yet pinched by cold. Thou shalt toil greatly, +and yet not gain wealth. Thou shalt grow fat, and yet cease to live. And the +animals over which thou art the master will rise up against thee, because thou +didst not keep my command."[127] +</p> + +<p> +Upon me God pronounced this sentence: "Thou shalt suffer anguish in childbirth +and grievous torture. In sorrow shalt thou bring forth children, and in the +hour of travail, when thou art near to lose thy life, thou wilt confess and +cry, 'Lord, Lord, save me this time, and I will never again indulge in carnal +pleasure,' and yet thy desire shall ever and ever be unto thy husband."[128] +</p> + +<p> +At the same time all sorts of diseases were decreed upon us. God said to Adam: +"Because thou didst turn aside from My covenant, I will inflict seventy plagues +upon thy flesh. The pain of the first plague shall lay hold on thy eyes; the +pain of the second plague upon thy hearing, and one after the other all the +plagues shall come upon thee."[129] The serpent God addressed thus: "Because +thou becamest the vessel of the Evil One,[130] deceiving the innocent, cursed +art thou above all cattle and above every beast of the field. Thou shalt be +robbed of the food thou wast wont to eat, and dust shalt thou eat all the days +of thy life. Upon thy breast and thy belly shalt thou go, and of thy hands and +thy feet thou shalt be deprived. Thou shalt not remain in possession of thy +ears, nor of thy wings, nor of any of thy limbs wherewith thou didst seduce the +woman and her husband, bringing them to such a pass that they must be driven +forth from Paradise. And I will put enmity between thee and the seed of man. It +shall bruise thy head, and, thou shalt bruise his heel until the day of +judgment."[131] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap25"></a>THE DEATH OF ADAM</h3> + +<p> +On the last day of Adam's life, Eve said to him, "Why should I go on living, +when thou art no more? How long shall I have to linger on after thy death? Tell +me this!" Adam assured her she would not tarry long. They would die together, +and be buried together in the same place. He commanded her not to touch his +corpse until an angel from God had made provision regarding it, and she was to +begin at once to pray to God until his soul escaped from his body. +</p> + +<p> +While Eve was on her knees in prayer, an angel came,[132] and bade her rise. +"Eve, arise from thy penance," he commanded. "Behold, thy husband hath left his +mortal coil. Arise, and see his spirit go up to his Creator, to appear before +Him." And, lo, she beheld a chariot of light, drawn by four shining eagles, and +preceded by angels. In this chariot lay the soul of Adam, which the angels were +taking to heaven. Arrived there, they burnt incense until the clouds of smoke +enveloped the heavens. Then they prayed to God to have mercy upon His image and +the work of His holy hands. In her awe and fright, Eve summoned Seth, and she +bade him look upon the vision and explain the celestial sights beyond her +understanding. She asked, "Who may the two Ethiopians be, who are adding their +prayers to thy father's?" Seth told her, they were the sun and the moon, turned +so black because they could not shine in the face of the Father of light.[133] +Scarcely had he spoken, when an angel blew a trumpet, and all the angels cried +out with awful voices, "Blessed be the glory of the Lord by His creatures, for +He has shown mercy unto Adam, the work of His hands!" A seraph then seized +Adam, and carried him off to the river Acheron, washed him three times, and +brought him before the presence of God, who sat upon His throne, and, +stretching out His hand, lifted Adam up and gave him over to the archangel +Michael, with the words, "Raise him to the Paradise of the third heaven, and +there thou shalt leave him until the great and fearful day ordained by Me." +Michael executed the Divine behest, and all the angels sang a song of praise, +extolling God for the pardon He had accorded Adam. +</p> + +<p> +Michael now entreated God to let him attend to the preparation of Adam's body +for the grave. Permission being given, Michael repaired to earth, accompanied +by all the angels. When they entered the terrestrial Paradise, all the trees +blossomed forth, and the perfume wafted thence lulled all men into slumber +except Seth alone. Then God said to Adam, as his body lay on the ground: "If +thou hadst kept My commandment, they would not rejoice who brought thee hither. +But I tell thee, I will turn the joy of Satan and his consorts into sorrow, and +thy sorrow shall be turned into joy. I will restore thee to thy dominion, and +thou shalt sit upon the throne of thy seducer, while he shall be damned, with +those who hearken unto him."[134] +</p> + +<p> +Thereupon, at the bidding of God, the three great archangels[135] covered the +body of Adam with linen, and poured sweet-smelling oil upon it. With it they +interred also the body of Abel, which had lain unburied since Cain had slain +him, for all the murderer's efforts to hide it had been in vain. The corpse +again and again sprang forth from the earth, and a voice issued thence, +proclaiming, "No creature shall rest in the earth until the first one of all +has returned the dust to me of which it was formed."[136] The angels carried +the two bodies to Paradise, Adam's and Abel's—the latter had all this time been +lying on a stone on which angels had placed it—and they buried them both on the +spot whence God had taken the dust wherewith to make Adam.[137] +</p> + +<p> +God called unto the body of Adam, "Adam! Adam!" and it answered, "Lord, here am +I!" Then God said: "I told thee once, Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou +return. Now I promise thee resurrection. I will awaken thee on the day of +judgment, when all the generations of men that spring from thy loins, shall +arise from the grave." God then sealed up the grave, that none might do him +harm during the six days to elapse until his rib should be restored to him +through the death of Eve.[138] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap26"></a>THE DEATH OF EVE</h3> + +<p> +The interval between Adam's death and her own Eve spent in weeping. She was +distressed in particular that she knew not what had become of Adam's body, for +none except Seth had been awake while the angel interred it. When the hour of +her death drew nigh, Eve supplicated to be buried in the selfsame spot in which +the remains of her husband rested. She prayed to God: "Lord of all powers! +Remove not Thy maid-servant from the body of Adam, from which Thou didst take +me, from whose limbs Thou didst form me. Permit me, who am an unworthy and +sinning woman, to enter into his habitation. As we were together in Paradise, +neither separated from the other; as together we were tempted to transgress Thy +law, neither separated from the other, so, O Lord, separate us not now." To the +end of her prayer she added the petition, raising her eyes heavenward, "Lord of +the world! Receive my spirit!" and she gave up her soul to God. +</p> + +<p> +The archangel Michael came and taught Seth how to prepare Eve for burial, and +three angels descended and interred her body in the grave with Adam and Abel. +Then Michael spoke to Seth, "Thus shalt thou bury all men that die until the +resurrection day." And again, having given him this command, he spoke: "Longer +than six days ye shall not mourn.[139] The repose of the seventh day is the +token of the resurrection in the latter day, for on the seventh day the Lord +rested from all the work which He had created and made."[140] +</p> + +<p> +Though death was brought into the world through Adam, yet he cannot be held +responsible for the death of men. Once on a time he said to God: "I am not +concerned about the death of the wicked, but I should not like the pious to +reproach me and lay the blame for their death upon me. I pray Thee, make no +mention of my guilt." And God promised to fulfil his wish. Therefore, when a +man is about to die, God appears to him, and bids him set down in writing all +he has done during his life, for, He tells him, "Thou art dying by reason of +thy evil deeds." The record finished, God orders him to seal it with his seal. +This is the writing God will bring out on the judgment day, and to each will be +made known his deeds.[141] As soon as life is extinct in a man, he is presented +to Adam, whom he accuses of having caused his death. But Adam repudiates the +charge: "I committed but one trespass. Is there any among you, and be he the +most pious, who has not been guilty of more than one?"[142] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="book03"></a>III<br/> +THE TEN GENERATIONS</h2> + +<h3><a name="chap27"></a>THE BIRTH OF CAIN</h3> + +<p> +There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, to show how long-suffering is the +Lord, for all the generations provoked Him unto wrath, until He brought the +deluge upon them.[1] By reason of their impiousness God changed His plan of +calling one thousand generations into being between the creation of the world +and the revelation of the law at Mount Sinai; nine hundred and seventy-four He +suppressed before the flood.[2] +</p> + +<p> +Wickedness came into the world with the first being born of woman, Cain, the +oldest son of Adam. When God bestowed Paradise upon the first pair of mankind, +He warned them particularly against carnal intercourse with each other. But +after the fall of Eve, Satan, in the guise of the serpent, approached her, and +the fruit of their union was Cain, the ancestor of all the impious generations +that were rebellious toward God, and rose up against Him. Cain's descent from +Satan, who is the angel Samael, was revealed in his seraphic appearance. At his +birth, the exclamation was wrung from Eve, "I have gotten a man through an +angel of the Lord."[3] +</p> + +<p> +Adam was not in the company of Eve during the time of her pregnancy with Cain. +After she had succumbed a second time to the temptations of Satan, and +permitted herself to be interrupted in her penance,[4] she left her husband and +journeyed westward, because she feared her presence might continue to bring him +misery. Adam remained in the east. When the days of Eve to be delivered were +fulfilled, and she began to feel the pangs of travailing, she prayed to God for +help. But He hearkened not unto her supplications. "Who will carry the report +to my lord Adam?" she asked herself. "Ye luminaries in the sky, I beg you, tell +it to my master Adam when ye return to the east!" In that self same hour, Adam +cried out: "The lamentation of Eve has pierced to my ear! Mayhap the serpent +has again assaulted her," and he hastened to his wife. Finding her in grievous +pain, he besought God in her behalf, and twelve angels appeared, together with +two heavenly powers.[5] All these took up their post to right of her and to +left of her, while Michael, also standing on her right side, passed his hand +over her, from her face downward to her breast, and said to her, "Be thou +blessed, Eve, for the sake of Adam. Because of his solicitations and his +prayers I was sent to grant thee our assistance. Make ready to give birth to +thy child!" Immediately her son was born, a radiant figure.[6] A little while +and the babe stood upon his feet, ran off, and returned holding in his hands a +stalk of straw, which he gave to his mother. For this reason he was named Cain, +the Hebrew word for stalk of straw. +</p> + +<p> +Now Adam took Eve and the boy to his home in the east. God sent him various +kinds of seeds by the hand of the angel Michael, and he was taught how to +cultivate the ground and make it yield produce and fruits, to sustain himself +and his family and his posterity.[7] +</p> + +<p> +After a while, Eve bore her second son, whom she named Hebel, because, she +said, he was born but to die. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap28"></a>FRATRICIDE</h3> + +<p> +The slaying of Abel by Cain did not come as a wholly unexpected event to his +parents. In a dream Eve had seen the blood of Abel flow into the mouth of Cain, +who drank it with avidity, though his brother entreated him not to take all. +When she told her dream to Adam, he said, lamenting, "O that this may not +portend the death of Abel at the hand of Cain!" He separated the two lads, +assigning to each an abode of his own, and to each he taught a different +occupation. Cain became a tiller of the ground, and Abel a keeper of sheep. It +was all in vain. In spite of these precautions, Cain slew his brother.[9] +</p> + +<p> +His hostility toward Abel had more than one reason. It began when God had +respect unto the offering of Abel, and accepted it by sending heavenly fire +down to consume it, while the offering of Cain was rejected.[10] They brought +their sacrifices on the fourteenth day of Nisan, at the instance of their +father, who had spoken thus to his sons: "This is the day on which, in times to +come, Israel will offer sacrifices. Therefore, do ye, too, bring sacrifices to +your Creator on this day, that He may take pleasure in you." The place of +offering which they chose was the spot whereon the altar of the Temple at +Jerusalem stood later.[11] Abel selected the best of his flocks for his +sacrifice, but Cain ate his meal first, and after he had satisfied his +appetite, he offered unto God what was left over, a few grains of flax seed. As +though his offense had not been great enough in offering unto God fruit of the +ground which had been cursed by God![12] What wonder that his sacrifice was not +received with favor! Besides, a chastisement was inflicted upon him. His face +turned black as smoke.[13] Nevertheless, his disposition underwent no change, +even when God spoke to him thus: "If thou wilt amend thy ways, thy guilt will +be forgiven thee; if not, thou wilt be delivered into the power of the evil +inclination. It coucheth at the door of thy heart, yet it depends upon thee +whether thou shalt be master over it, or it shall be master over thee."[14] +</p> + +<p> +Cain thought he had been wronged, and a dispute followed between him and Abel. +"I believed," he said, "that the world was created through goodness,[15] but I +see that good deeds bear no fruit. God rules the world with arbitrary power, +else why had He respect unto thy offering, and not unto mine also?" Abel +opposed him; he maintained that God rewards good deeds, without having respect +unto persons. If his sacrifice had been accepted graciously by God, and Cain's +not, it was because his deeds were good, and his brother's wicked.[16] +</p> + +<p> +But this was not the only cause of Cain's hatred toward Abel. Partly love for a +woman brought about the crime. To ensure the propagation of the human race, a +girl, destined to be his wife, was born together with each of the sons of Adam. +Abel's twin sister was of exquisite beauty, and Cain desired her.[17] Therefore +he was constantly brooding over ways and means of ridding himself of his +brother. +</p> + +<p> +The opportunity presented itself ere long. One day a sheep belonging to Abel +tramped over a field that had been planted by Cain. In a rage, the latter +called out, "What right hast thou to live upon my land and let thy sheep +pasture yonder?" Abel retorted: "What right hast thou to use the products of my +sheep, to make garments for thyself from their wool? If thou wilt take off the +wool of my sheep wherein thou art arrayed, and wilt pay me for the flesh of the +flocks which thou hast eaten, then I will quit thy land as thou desirest, and +fly into the air, if I can do it." Cain thereupon said, "And if I were to kill +thee, who is there to demand thy blood of me?" Abel replied: "God, who brought +us into the world, will avenge me. He will require my blood at thine hand, if +thou shouldst slay me. God is the Judge, who will visit their wicked deeds upon +the wicked, and their evil deeds upon the evil. Shouldst thou slay me, God will +know thy secret, and He will deal out punishment unto thee." +</p> + +<p> +These words but added to the anger of Cain, and he threw himself upon his +brother.[18] Abel was stronger than he, and he would have got the worst of it, +but at the last moment he begged for mercy, and the gentle Abel released his +hold upon him. Scarcely did he feel himself free, when he turned against Abel +once more, and slew him. So true is the saying, "Do the evil no good, lest evil +fall upon thee."[19] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap29"></a>THE PUNISHMENT OF CAIN</h3> + +<p> +The manner of Abel's death was the most cruel conceivable. Not knowing what +injury was fatal, Cain pelted all parts of his body with stones, until one +struck him on the neck and inflicted death. +</p> + +<p> +After committing the murder, Cain resolved to flee, saying, "My parents will +demand account of me concerning Abel, for there is no other human being on +earth." This thought had but passed through his mind when God appeared unto +him, and addressed him in these words: "Before thy parents thou canst flee, but +canst thou go out from My presence, too? 'Can any hide himself in secret places +that I shall not see him?' Alas for Abel that he showed thee mercy, and +refrained from killing thee, when he had thee in his power! Alas that he +granted thee the opportunity of slaying him!" +</p> + +<p> +Questioned by God, "Where is Abel thy brother?" Cain answered: "Am I my +brother's keeper? Thou art He who holdest watch over all creatures, and yet +Thou demandest account of me! True, I slew him, but Thou didst create the evil +inclination in me. Thou guardest all things; why, then, didst Thou permit me to +slay him? Thou didst Thyself slay him, for hadst Thou looked with a favorable +countenance toward my offering as toward his, I had had no reason for envying +him, and I had not slain him." But God said, "The voice of thy brother's blood +issuing from his many wounds crieth out against thee,[20] and likewise the +blood of all the pious who might have sprung from the loins of Abel." +</p> + +<p> +Also the soul of Abel denounced the murderer, for she could find rest nowhere. +She could neither soar heavenward, nor abide in the grave with her body, for no +human soul had done either before.[21] But Cain still refused to confess his +guilt. He insisted that he had never seen a man killed, and how was he to +suppose that the stones which he threw at Abel would take his life? Then, on +account of Cain, God cursed the ground, that it might not yield fruit unto +him.[22] With a single punishment both Cain and the earth were chastised, the +earth because it retained the corpse of Abel, and did not cast it above +ground.[23] +</p> + +<p> +In the obduracy of his heart, Cain spake: "O Lord of the world! Are there +informers who denounce men before Thee? My parents are the only living human +beings, and they know naught of my deed. Thou abidest in the heavens, and how +shouldst Thou know what things happen on earth?" God said in reply: "Thou fool! +I carry the whole world. I have made it, and I will bear it"—a reply that gave +Cain the opportunity of feigning repentance. "Thou bearest the whole world," he +said, "and my sin Thou canst not bear?[24] Verily, mine iniquity is too great +to be borne! Yet, yesterday Thou didst banish my father from Thy presence, +to-day Thou dost banish me. In sooth, it will be said, it is Thy way to +banish."[25] +</p> + +<p> +Although this was but dissimulation, and not true repentance, yet God granted +Cain pardon, and removed the half of his chastisement from him. Originally, the +decree had condemned him to be a fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Now he +was no longer to roam about forever, but a fugitive he was to remain. And so +much was hard enough to have to suffer, for the earth quaked under Cain, and +all the animals, the wild and the tame, among them the accursed serpent, +gathered together and essayed to devour him in order to avenge the innocent +blood of Abel. Finally Cain could bear it no longer, and, breaking out in +tears, he cried: "Whither shall I go from Thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee +from Thy presence?"[26] To protect him from the onslaught of the beasts, God +inscribed one letter of His Holy Name upon his forehead, and furthermore He +addressed the animals: "Cain's punishment shall not be like unto the punishment +of future murderers. He has shed blood, but there was none to give him +instruction. Henceforth, however, he who slays another shall himself be slain." +Then God gave him the dog as a protection against the wild beasts, and to mark +him as a sinner, He afflicted him with leprosy. +</p> + +<p> +Cain's repentance, insincere though it was, bore a good result. When Adam met +him, and inquired what doom had been decreed against him, Cain told how his +repentance had propitiated God, and Adam exclaimed, "So potent is repentance, +and I knew it not!" Thereupon he composed a hymn of praise to God, beginning +with the words, "It is a good thing to confess thy sins unto the Lord!"[29] +</p> + +<p> +The crime committed by Cain had baneful consequences, not for himself alone, +but for the whole of nature also. Before, the fruits which the earth bore unto +him when he tilled the ground had tasted like the fruits of Paradise. Now his +labor produced naught but thorns and thistles.[29] The ground changed and +deteriorated at the very moment of Abel's violent end. The trees and the plants +in the part of the earth whereon the victim lived refused to yield their +fruits, on account of their grief over him, and only at the birth of Seth those +that grew in the portion belonging to Abel began to flourish and bear again. +But never did they resume their former powers. While, before, the vine had +borne nine hundred and twenty-six different varieties of fruit, it now brought +forth but one kind. And so it was with all other species. They will regain +their pristine powers only in the world to come.[30] +</p> + +<p> +Nature was modified also by the burial of the corpse of Abel. For a long time +it lay there exposed, above ground, because Adam and Eve knew not what to do +with it. They sat beside it and wept, while the faithful dog of Abel kept guard +that birds and beasts did it no harm. On a sudden, the mourning parents +observed how a raven scratched the earth away in one spot, and then hid a dead +bird of his own kind in the ground. Adam, following the example of the raven, +buried the body of Abel, and the raven was rewarded by God. His young are born +with white feathers, wherefore the old birds desert them, not recognizing them +as their offspring. They take them for serpents. God feeds them until their +plumage turns black, and the parent birds return to them. As an additional +reward, God grants their petition when the ravens pray for rain.[31] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap30"></a>THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEVEN EARTHS</h3> + +<p> +When Adam was cast out of Paradise, he first reached the lowest of the seven +earths, the Erez, which is dark, without a ray of light, and utterly void. Adam +was terrified, particularly by the flames of the ever-turning sword, which is +on this earth. After he had done penance, God led him to the second earth, the +Adamah, where there is light reflected from its own sky and from its +phantom-like stars and constellations. Here dwell the phantom-like beings that +issued from the union of Adam with the spirits. They are always sad; the +emotion of joy is not known to them. They leave their own earth and repair to +the one inhabited by men, where they are changed into evil spirits. Then they +return to their abode for good, repent of their wicked deeds, and till the +ground, which, however, bears neither wheat nor any other of the seven +species.[34] In this Adamah, Cain, Abel, and Seth were born. After the murder +of Abel, Cain was sent back to the Erez, where he was frightened into +repentance by its darkness and by the flames of the ever-turning sword. +Accepting his penitence, God permitted him to ascend to the third earth, the +Arka, which receives some light from the sun. The Arka was surrendered to the +Cainites forever, as their perpetual domain. They till the ground, and plant +trees, but they have neither wheat nor any other of the seven species. +</p> + +<p> +Some of the Cainites are giants, some of them are dwarfs. They have two heads, +wherefore they can never arrive at a decision; they are always at loggerheads +with themselves.[34] It may happen that they are pious now, only to be inclined +to do evil the next moment. +</p> + +<p> +In the Ge, the fourth earth, live the generation of the Tower of Babel and +their descendants. God banished them thither because the fourth earth is not +far from Gehenna, and therefore close to the flaming fire.[35] The inhabitants +of the Ge are skilful in all arts, and accomplished in all departments of +science and knowledge, and their abode overflows with wealth. When an +inhabitant of our earth visits them, they give him the most precious thing in +their possession, but then they lead him to the Neshiah, the fifth earth, where +he becomes oblivious of his origin and his home. The Neshiah is inhabited by +dwarfs without noses; they breathe through two holes instead. They have no +memory; once a thing has happened, they forget it completely, whence their +earth is called Neshiah, "forgetting." The fourth and fifth earths are like the +Arka; they have trees, but neither wheat nor any other of the seven species. +</p> + +<p> +The sixth earth, the Ziah, is inhabited by handsome men, who are the owners of +abundant wealth, and live in palatial residences, but they lack water, as the +name of their territory, Ziah, "drought," indicates. Hence vegetation is sparse +with them, and their tree culture meets with indifferent success. They hasten +to any waterspring that is discovered, and sometimes they succeed in slipping +through it up to our earth, where they satisfy their sharp appetite for the +food eaten by the inhabitants of our earth. For the rest, they are men of +steadfast faith, more than any other class of mankind.[36] +</p> + +<p> +Adam remained in the Adamah until after the birth of Seth. Then, passing the +third earth, the Arka, the abiding place of the Cainites, and the next three +earths as well, the Ge, the Neshiah, and the Ziah, God transported him to the +Tebel, the seventh earth, the earth inhabited by men. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap31"></a>THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN</h3> + +<p> +Cain knew only too well that his blood-guiltiness would be visited upon him in +the seventh generation. Thus had God decreed against him.[37] He endeavored, +therefore, to immortalize his name by means of monuments,[38] and he became a +builder of cities. The first of them he called Enoch, after his son, because it +was at the birth of Enoch that he began to enjoy a measure of rest and +peace.[39] Besides, he founded six other cities.[40] This building of cities +was a godless deed, for he surrounded them with a wall, forcing his family to +remain within. All his other doings were equally impious. The punishment God +had ordained for him did not effect any improvement. He sinned in order to +secure his own pleasure, though his neighbors suffered injury thereby. He +augmented his household substance by rapine and violence; he excited his +acquaintances to procure pleasures and spoils by robbery, and he became a great +leader of men into wicked courses. He also introduced a change in the ways of +simplicity wherein men had lived before, and he was the author of measures and +weights. And whereas men lived innocently and generously while they knew +nothing of such arts, he changed the world into cunning craftiness.[41] +</p> + +<p> +Like unto Cain were all his descendants, impious and godless, wherefore God +resolved to destroy them.[42] +</p> + +<p> +The end of Cain overtook him in the seventh generation of men, and it was +inflicted upon him by the hand of his great-grandson Lamech. This Lamech was +blind, and when he went a-hunting, he was led by his young son, who would +apprise his father when game came in sight, and Lamech would then shoot at it +with his bow and arrow. Once upon a time he and his son went on the chase, and +the lad discerned something horned in the distance. He naturally took it to be +a beast of one kind or another, and he told the blind Lamech to let his arrow +fly. The aim was good, and the quarry dropped to the ground. When they came +close to the victim, the lad exclaimed: "Father, thou hast killed something +that resembles a human being in all respects, except it carries a horn on its +forehead!" Lamech knew at once what had happened—he had killed his ancestor +Cain, who had been marked by God with a horn.[43] In despair he smote his hands +together, inadvertently killing his son as he clasped them. Misfortune still +followed upon misfortune. The earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the four +generations sprung from Cain—Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, and Methushael. Lamech, +sightless as he was, could not go home; he had to remain by the side of Cain's +corpse and his son's. Toward evening, his wives, seeking him, found him there. +When they heard what he had done, they wanted to separate from him, all the +more as they knew that whoever was descended from Cain was doomed to +annihilation. But Lamech argued, "If Cain, who committed murder of malice +aforethought, was punished only in the seventh generation, then I, who had no +intention of killing a human being, may hope that retribution will be averted +for seventy and seven generations." With his wives, Lamech repaired to Adam, +who heard both parties, and decided the case in favor of Lamech.[44] +</p> + +<p> +The corruptness of the times, and especially the depravity of Cain's stock, +appears in the fact that Lamech, as well as all the men in the generation of +the deluge, married two wives, one with the purpose of rearing children, the +other in order to pursue carnal indulgences, for which reason the latter was +rendered sterile by artificial means. As the men of the time were intent upon +pleasure rather than desirous of doing their duty to the human race, they gave +all their love and attention to the barren women, while their other wives spent +their days like widows, joyless and in gloom. +</p> + +<p> +The two wives of Lamech, Adah and Zillah, bore him each two children, Adah two +sons, Jabal and Jubal, and Zillah a son, Tubal-cain, and a daughter, Naamah. +Jabal was the first among men to erect temples to idols, and Jubal invented the +music sung and played therein. Tubal-cain was rightly named, for he completed +the work of his ancestor Cain. Cain committed murder, and Tubal-cain, the first +who knew how to sharpen iron and copper, furnished the instruments used in wars +and combats. Naamah, "the lovely," earned her name from the sweet sounds which +she drew from her cymbals when she called the worshippers to pay homage to +idols.[45] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap32"></a>THE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM AND LILITH</h3> + +<p> +When the wives of Lamech heard the decision of Adam, that they were to continue +to live with their husband, they turned upon him, saying, "O physician, heal +thine own lameness!" They were alluding to the fact that he himself had been +living apart from his wife since the death of Abel, for he had said, "Why +should I beget children, if it is but to expose them to death?"[46] +</p> + +<p> +Though he avoided intercourse with Eve, he was visited in his sleep by female +spirits, and from his union with them sprang shades and demons of various +kinds,[47] and they were endowed with peculiar gifts. +</p> + +<p> +Once upon a time there lived in Palestine a very rich and pious man, who had a +son named Rabbi Hanina. He knew the whole of the Torah by heart. When he was at +the point of death, he sent for his son, Rabbi Hanina, and bade him, as his +last request, to study the Torah day and night, fulfil the commands of the law, +and be a faithful friend to the poor. He also told him that he and his wife, +the mother of Rabbi Hanina, would die on the selfsame day, and the seven days +of mourning for the two would end on the eve of the Passover. He enjoined him +not to grieve excessively, but to go to market on that day, and buy the first +article offered to him, no matter how costly it might be. If it happened to be +an edible, he was to prepare it and serve it with much ceremony. His expense +and trouble would receive their recompense. All happened as foretold: the man +and his wife died upon the same day, and the end of the week of mourning +coincided with the eve of the Passover. The son in turn carried out his +father's behest: he repaired to market, and there he met an old man who offered +a silver dish for sale. Although the price asked was exorbitant, yet he bought +it, as his father had bidden. The dish was set upon the Seder table, and when +Rabbi Hanina opened it, he found a second dish within, and inside of this a +live frog, jumping and hopping around gleefully. He gave the frog food and +drink, and by the end of the festival he was grown so big that Rabbi Hanina +made a cabinet for him, in which he ate and lived. In the course of time, the +cabinet became too small, and the Rabbi built a chamber, put the frog within, +and gave him abundant food and drink. All this he did that he might not violate +his father's last wish. But the frog waxed and grew; he consumed all his host +owned, until, finally, Rabbi Hanina was stripped bare of all his possessions. +Then the frog opened his mouth and began to speak. "My dear Rabbi Hanina," he +said, "do not worry! Seeing thou didst raise me and care for me, thou mayest +ask of me whatever thy heart desireth, and it shall be granted thee." Rabbi +Hanina made reply, "I desire naught but that thou shouldst teach me the whole +of the Torah." The frog assented, and he did, indeed, teach him the whole of +the Torah, and the seventy languages of men besides.[48] His method was to +write a few words upon a scrap of paper, which he had his pupil swallow. Thus +he acquired not alone the Torah and the seventy tongues, but also the language +of beasts and birds. Thereupon the frog spoke to the wife of Rabbi Hanina: +"Thou didst tend me well, and I have given thee no recompense. But thy reward +will be paid thee before I depart from you, only you must both accompany me to +the woods. There you shall see what I shall do for you." Accordingly, they went +to the woods with him. Arrived there, the frog began to cry aloud, and at the +sound all sorts of beasts and birds assembled. These he commanded to produce +precious stones, as many as they could carry. Also they were to bring herbs and +roots for the wife of Rabbi Hanina, and he taught her how to use them as +remedies for all varieties of disease. All this they were bidden to take home +with them. When they were about to return, the frog addressed them thus: "May +the Holy One, blessed be He, have mercy upon you, and requite you for all the +trouble you took on my account, without so much as inquiring who I am. Now I +shall make my origin known to you. I am the son of Adam, a son whom he begot +during the hundred and thirty years of his separation from Eve. God has endowed +me with the power of assuming any form or guise I desire." Rabbi Hanina and his +wife departed for their home, and they became very rich, and enjoyed the +respect and confidence of the king.[49] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap33"></a>SETH AND HIS DESCENDANTS</h3> + +<p> +The exhortations of the wives of Lamech took effect upon Adam. After a +separation of one hundred and thirty years, he returned to Eve, and the love he +now bore her was stronger by far than in the former time. She was in his +thoughts even when she was not present to him bodily. The fruit of their +reunion was Seth, who was destined to be the ancestor of the Messiah.[50] +</p> + +<p> +Seth was so formed from birth that the rite of circumcision could be dispensed +with. He was thus one of the thirteen men born perfect in a way.[51] Adam begot +him in his likeness and image, different from Cain, who had not been in his +likeness and image. Thus Seth became, in a genuine sense, the father of the +human race, especially the father of the pious, while the depraved and godless +are descended from Cain.[52] +</p> + +<p> +Even during the lifetime of Adam the descendants of Cain became exceedingly +wicked, dying successively, one after another, each more wicked than the +former. They were intolerable in war, and vehement in robberies, and if any one +were slow to murder people, yet was he bold in his profligate behavior in +acting unjustly and doing injury for gain. +</p> + +<p> +Now as to Seth. When he was brought up, and came to those years in which he +could discern what was good, he became a virtuous man, and as he was himself of +excellent character, so he left children behind him who imitated his virtues. +All these proved to be of good disposition. They also inhabited one and the +same country without dissensions, and in a happy condition, without any +misfortune's falling upon them, until they died. They also were the inventors +of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is concerned with the heavenly bodies and +their order. And that their inventions might not be lost before they were +sufficiently known, they made two pillars, upon Adam's prediction that the +world was to be destroyed at one time by the force of fire and at another time +by the violence and quantity of water. The one was of brick, the other of +stone, and they inscribed their discoveries on both, that in case the pillar of +brick should be destroyed by the flood, the pillar of stone might remain, and +exhibit these discoveries to mankind, and also inform them that there was +another pillar, of brick, erected by them.[53] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap34"></a>ENOSH</h3> + +<p> +Enosh was asked who his father was, and he named Seth. The questioners, the +people of his time, continued: "Who was the father of Seth?" Enosh: +"Adam."—"And who was the father of Adam?"—"He had neither father nor mother, +God formed him from the dust of the earth."—"But man has not the appearance of +dust!"—"After death man returns to dust, as God said, 'And man shall turn again +unto dust;' but on the day of his creation, man was made in the image of +God."—"How was the woman created?"—"Male and female He created them."—"But +how?"—"God took water and earth, and moulded them together in the form of +man."—"But how?" pursued the questioners. +</p> + +<p> +Enosh took six clods of earth, mixed them, and moulded them, and formed an +image of dust and clay. "But," said the people, "this image does not walk, nor +does it possess any breath of life." He then essayed to show them how God +breathed the breath of life into the nostrils of Adam, but when he began to +blow his breath into the image he had formed, Satan entered it, and the figure +walked, and the people of his time who had been inquiring these matters of +Enosh went astray after it, saying, "What is the difference between bowing down +before this image and paying homage to a man?"[54] +</p> + +<p> +The generation of Enosh were thus the first idol worshippers, and the +punishment for their folly was not delayed long. God caused the sea to +transgress its bounds, and a portion of the earth was flooded. This was the +time also when the mountains became rocks, and the dead bodies of men began to +decay. And still another consequence of the sin of idolatry was that the +countenances of the men of the following generations were no longer in the +likeness and image of God, as the countenances of Adam, Seth, and Enosh had +been. They resembled centaurs and apes, and the demons lost their fear of +men.[55] +</p> + +<p> +But there was a still more serious consequence from the idolatrous practices +introduced in the time of Enosh. When God drove Adam forth from Paradise, the +Shekinah remained behind, enthroned above a cherub under the tree of life. The +angels descended from heaven and repaired thither in hosts, to receive their +instructions, and Adam and his descendants sat by the gate to bask in the +splendor of the Shekinah, sixty-five thousand times more radiant than the +splendor of the sun. This brightness of the Shekinah makes all upon whom it +falls exempt from disease, and neither insects nor demons can come nigh unto +them to do them harm. +</p> + +<p> +Thus it was until the time of Enosh, when men began to gather gold, silver, +gems, and pearls from all parts of the earth, and made idols thereof a thousand +parasangs high. What was worse, by means of the magic arts taught them by the +angels Uzza and Azzael, they set themselves as masters over the heavenly +spheres, and forced the sun, the moon, and the stars to be subservient to +themselves instead of the Lord. This impelled the angels to ask God: "'What is +man, that Thou art mindful of him?' Why didst Thou abandon the highest of the +heavens, the seat of Thy glory and Thy exalted Throne in 'Arabot, and descend +to men, who pay worship to idols, putting Thee upon a level with them?" The +Shekinah was induced to leave the earth and ascend to heaven, amid the blare +and flourish of the trumpets of the myriads of angel hosts.[56] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap35"></a>THE FALL OF THE ANGELS</h3> + +<p> +The depravity of mankind, which began to show itself in the time of Enosh, had +increased monstrously in the time of his grandson Jared, by reason of the +fallen angels. When the angels saw the beautiful, attractive daughters of men, +they lusted after them, and spoke: "We will choose wives for ourselves only +from among the daughters of men, and beget children with them." Their chief +Shemhazai said, "I fear me, ye will not put this plan of yours into execution, +and I alone shall have to suffer the consequences of a great sin." Then they +answered him, and said: "We will all swear an oath, and we will bind ourselves, +separately and together, not to abandon the plan, but to carry it through to +the end." +</p> + +<p> +Two hundred angels descended to the summit of Mount Hermon, which owes its name +to this very occurrence, because they bound themselves there to fulfil their +purpose, on the penalty of Herem, anathema. Under the leadership of twenty +captains they defiled themselves with the daughters of men, unto whom they +taught charms, conjuring formulas, how to cut roots, and the efficacy of +plants. The issue from these mixed marriages was a race of giants, three +thousand ells tall, who consumed the possessions of men. When all had vanished, +and they could obtain nothing more from them, the giants turned against men and +devoured many of them, and the remnant of men began to trespass against the +birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, eating their flesh and drinking their +blood. +</p> + +<p> +Then the earth complained about the impious evil-doers. But the fallen angels +continued to corrupt mankind. Azazel taught men how to make slaughtering +knives, arms, shields, and coats of mail. He showed them metals and how to work +them, and armlets and all sorts of trinkets, and the use of rouge for the eyes, +and how to beautify the eyelids, and how to ornament themselves with the rarest +and most precious jewels and all sorts of paints. The chief of the fallen +angels, Shemhazai, instructed them in exorcisms and how to cut roots; Armaros +taught them how to raise spells; Barakel, divination from the stars; Kawkabel, +astrology; Ezekeel, augury from the clouds; Arakiel, the signs of the earth; +Samsaweel, the signs of the sun; and Seriel, the signs of the moon.[57] +</p> + +<p> +While all these abominations defiled the earth, the pious Enoch lived in a +secret place. None among men knew his abode, or what had become of him, for he +was sojourning with the angel watchers and holy ones. Once he heard the call +addressed to him: "Enoch, thou scribe of justice, go unto the watchers of the +heavens, who have left the high heavens, the eternal place of holiness, +defiling themselves with women, doing as men do, taking wives unto themselves, +and casting themselves into the arms of destruction upon earth. Go and proclaim +unto them that they shall find neither peace nor pardon. For every time they +take joy in their offspring, they shall see the violent death of their sons, +and sigh over the ruin of their children. They will pray and supplicate +evermore, but never shall they attain to mercy or peace." +</p> + +<p> +Enoch repaired to Azazel and the other fallen angels, to announce the doom +uttered against them. They all were filled with fear. Trembling seized upon +them, and they implored Enoch to set up a petition for them and read it to the +Lord of heaven, for they could not speak with God as aforetime, nor even raise +their eyes heavenward, for shame on account of their sins. Enoch granted their +request, and in a vision he was vouchsafed the answer which he was to carry +back to the angels. It appeared to Enoch that he was wafted into heaven upon +clouds, and was set down before the throne of God. God spake: "Go forth and say +to the watchers of heaven who have sent thee hither to intercede for them: +Verily, it is you who ought to plead in behalf of men, not men in behalf of you +I Why did ye forsake the high, holy, and eternal heavens, to pollute yourselves +with the daughters of men, taking wives unto yourselves, doing like the races +of the earth, and begetting giant sons? Giants begotten by flesh and spirits +will be called evil spirits on earth, and on the earth will be their +dwelling-place. Evil spirits proceed from their bodies, because they are +created from above, and from the holy watchers is their beginning and primal +origin; they will be evil spirits on earth, and evil spirits they will be +named. And the spirits of heaven have their dwelling in heaven, but the spirits +of the earth, which were born upon the earth, have their dwelling on the earth. +And the spirits of the giants will devour, oppress, destroy, attack, do battle, +and cause destruction on the earth, and work affliction. They will take no kind +of food, nor will they thirst, and they will be invisible. And these spirits +will rise up against the children of men and against the women, because they +have proceeded from them. Since the days of murder and destruction and the +death of the giants, when the spirits went forth from the soul of their flesh, +in order to destroy without incurring judgment—thus will they destroy until the +day when the great consummation of the great world be consummated. And now as +to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them, who had been +aforetime in heaven, say to them: You have been in heaven, and though the +hidden things had not yet been revealed to you, you know worthless mysteries, +and in the hardness of your hearts you have recounted these to the women, and +through these mysteries women and men work much evil on earth. Say to them +therefore: You have no peace!"[58] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap36"></a>ENOCH, RULER AND TEACHER</h3> + +<p> +After Enoch had lived a long time secluded from men, he once heard the voice of +an angel calling to him: "Enoch, Enoch, make thyself ready and leave the house +and the secret place wherein thou hast kept thyself hidden, and assume dominion +over men, to teach them the ways in which they shall walk, and the deeds which +they shall do, in order that they may walk in the ways of God." +</p> + +<p> +Enoch left his retreat and betook himself to the haunts of men. He gathered +them about him, and instructed them in the conduct pleasing to God. He sent +messengers all over to announce, "Ye who desire to know the ways of God and +righteous conduct, come ye to Enoch!" Thereupon a vast concourse of people +thronged about him, to hear the wisdom he would teach and learn from his mouth +what is good and right. Even kings and princes, no less than one hundred and +thirty in number, assembled about him, and submitted themselves to his +dominion, to be taught and guided by him, as he taught and guided all the +others. Peace reigned thus over the whole world all the two hundred and +forty-three years during which the influence of Enoch prevailed. +</p> + +<p> +At the expiration of this period, in the year in which Adam died, and was +buried with great honors by Seth, Enosh, Enoch, and Methuselah, Enoch resolved +to retire again from intercourse with men, and devote himself wholly to the +service of God. But he withdrew gradually. First he would spend three days in +prayer and praise of God, and on the fourth day he would return to his +disciples and grant them instruction. Many years passed thus, then he appeared +among them but once a week, later, once a month, and, finally, once a year. The +kings, princes, and all others who were desirous of seeing Enoch and hearkening +to his words did not venture to come close to him during the times of his +retirement. Such awful majesty sat upon his countenance, they feared for their +very life if they but looked at him. They therefore resolved that all men +should prefer their requests before Enoch on the day he showed himself unto +them. +</p> + +<p> +The impression made by the teachings of Enoch upon all who heard them was +powerful. They prostrated themselves before him, and cried "Long live the king! +Long live the king!" On a certain day, while Enoch was giving audience to his +followers, an angel appeared and made known unto him that God had resolved to +install him as king over the angels in heaven, as until then he had reigned +over men. He called together all the inhabitants of the earth, and addressed +them thus: "I have been summoned to ascend into heaven, and I know not on what +day I shall go thither. Therefore I will teach you wisdom and righteousness +before I go hence." A few days yet Enoch spent among men, and all the time left +to him he gave instruction in wisdom, knowledge, God-fearing conduct, and +piety, and established law and order, for the regulation of the affairs of men. +Then those gathered near him saw a gigantic steed descend from the skies, and +they told Enoch of it, who said, "The steed is for me, for the time has come +and the day when I leave you, never to be seen again." So it was. The steed +approached Enoch, and he mounted upon its back, all the time instructing the +people, exhorting them, enjoining them to serve God and walk in His ways. Eight +hundred thousand of the people followed a day's journey after him. But on the +second day Enoch urged his retinue to turn back: "Go ye home, lest death +overtake you, if you follow me farther." Most of them heeded his words and went +back, but a number remained with him for six days, though he admonished them +daily to return and not bring death down upon themselves. On the sixth day of +the journey, he said to those still accompanying him, "Go ye home, for on the +morrow I shall ascend to heaven, and whoever will then be near me, he will +die." Nevertheless, some of his companions remained with him, saying: +"Whithersoever thou goest, we will go. By the living God, death alone shall +part us." +</p> + +<p> +On the seventh day Enoch was carried into the heavens in a fiery chariot drawn +by fiery chargers. The day thereafter, the kings who had turned back in good +time sent messengers to inquire into the fate of the men who had refused to +separate themselves from Enoch, for they had noted the number of them. They +found snow and great hailstones upon the spot whence Enoch had risen, and, when +they searched beneath, they discovered the bodies of all who had remained +behind with Enoch. He alone was not among them; he was on high in heaven.[59] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap37"></a>THE ASCENSION OF ENOCH</h3> + +<p> +This was not the first time Enoch had been in heaven. Once before, while he +sojourned among men, he had been permitted to see all there is on earth and in +the heavens. On a time when he was sleeping, a great grief came upon his heart, +and he wept in his dream, not knowing what the grief meant, nor what would +happen to him. And there appeared to him two men, very tall. Their faces shone +like the sun, and their eyes were like burning lamps, and fire came forth from +their lips; their wings were brighter than gold, their hands whiter than snow. +They stood at the head of Enoch's bed, and called him by his name. He awoke +from his sleep, and hastened and made obeisance to them, and was terrified. And +these men said to him: "Be of good cheer, Enoch, be not afraid; the everlasting +God hath sent us to thee, and lo! to-day thou shalt ascend with us into heaven. +And tell thy sons and thy servants, and let none seek thee, till the Lord bring +thee back to them." +</p> + +<p> +Enoch did as he was told, and after he had spoken to his sons, and instructed +them not to turn aside from God, and to keep His judgment, these two men +summoned him, and took him on their wings, and placed him on the clouds, which +moved higher and higher, till they set him down in the first heaven. Here they +showed him the two hundred angels who rule the stars, and their heavenly +service. Here he saw also the treasuries of snow and ice, of clouds and dew. +</p> + +<p> +From there they took him to the second heaven, where he saw the fallen angels +imprisoned, they who obeyed not the commandments of God, and took counsel of +their own will. The fallen angels said to Enoch, "O man of God! Pray for us to +the Lord," and he answered: "Who am I, a mortal man, that I should pray for +angels? Who knows whither I go, or what awaits me?" +</p> + +<p> +They took him from thence to the third heaven, where they showed him Paradise, +with all the trees of beautiful colors, and their fruits, ripe and luscious, +and all kinds of food which they produced, springing up with delightful +fragrance. In the midst of Paradise he saw the tree of life, in that place in +which God rests when He comes into Paradise. This tree cannot be described for +its excellence and sweet fragrance, and it is beautiful, more than any created +thing, and on all its sides it is like gold and crimson in appearance, and +transparent as fire, and it covers everything. From its root in the garden +there go forth four streams, which pour out honey, milk, oil, and wine, and +they go down to the Paradise of Eden, that lies on the confines between the +earthly region of corruptibility and the heavenly region of incorruptibility, +and thence they go along the earth. He also saw the three hundred angels who +keep the garden, and with never-ceasing voices and blessed singing they serve +the Lord every day. The angels leading Enoch explained to him that this place +is prepared for the righteous, while the terrible place prepared for the +sinners is in the northern regions of the third heaven. He saw there all sorts +of tortures, and impenetrable gloom, and there is no light there, but a gloomy +fire is always burning. And all that place has fire on all sides, and on all +sides cold and ice, thus it burns and freezes. And the angels, terrible and +without pity, carry savage weapons, and their torture is unmerciful. +</p> + +<p> +The angels took him then to the fourth heaven, and showed him all the comings +in and goings forth, and all the rays of the light of the sun and the moon. He +saw the fifteen myriads of angels who go out with the sun, and attend him +during the day, and the thousand angels who attend him by night. Each angel has +six wings, and they go before the chariot of the sun, while one hundred angels +keep the sun warm, and light it up. He saw also the wonderful and strange +creatures named phoenixes and chalkidri, who attend the chariot of the sun, and +go with him, bringing heat and dew. They showed him also the six gates in the +east of the fourth heaven, by which the sun goes forth, and the six gates in +the west where he sets, and also the gates by which the moon goes out, and +those by which she enters. In the middle of the fourth heaven he saw an armed +host, serving the Lord with cymbals and organs and unceasing voices. +</p> + +<p> +In the fifth heaven he saw many hosts of the angels called Grigori. Their +appearance was like men, and their size was greater than the size of the +giants, their countenances were withered, and their lips silent. On his +question who they were, the angels leading him answered, "These are the +Grigori, who with their prince Salamiel rejected the holy Lord." Enoch then +said to the Grigori, "Why wait ye, brethren, and serve ye not before the face +of the Lord, and why perform ye not your duties before the face of the Lord, +and anger not your Lord to the end?" The Grigori listened to the rebuke, and +when the trumpets resounded together with a loud call, they also began to sing +with one voice, and their voices went forth before the Lord with sadness and +tenderness. +</p> + +<p> +In the seventh heaven he saw the seven bands of archangels who arrange and +study the revolutions of the stars and the changes of the moon and the +revolution of the sun, and superintend the good or evil conditions of the +world. And they arrange teachings and instructions and sweet speaking and +singing and all kinds of glorious praise. They hold in subjection all living +things, both in heaven and on earth. In the midst of them are seven phoenixes, +and seven cherubim, and seven six-winged creatures, singing with one voice. +</p> + +<p> +When Enoch reached the seventh heaven, and saw all the fiery hosts of great +archangels and incorporeal powers and lordships and principalities and powers, +he was afraid and trembled with a great terror. Those leading him took hold of +him, and brought him into the midst of them, and said to him, "Be of good +cheer, Enoch, be not afraid," and they showed him the Lord from afar, sitting +on His lofty throne, while all the heavenly hosts, divided in ten classes, +having approached, stood on the ten steps according to their rank, and made +obeisance to the Lord. And so they proceeded to their places in joy and mirth +and boundless light, singing songs with low and gentle voices, and gloriously +serving Him. They leave not nor depart day or night, standing before the face +of the Lord, working His will, cherubim and seraphim, standing around His +throne. And the six-winged creatures overshadow all His throne, singing with a +soft voice before the face of the Lord, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of +hosts; heaven and earth are full of His glory." When he had seen all these, the +angels leading him said to him, "Enoch, up to this time we were ordered to +accompany thee." They departed, and he saw them no more. Enoch remained at the +extremity of the seventh heaven, in great terror, saying to himself, "Woe is +me! What has come upon me!" But then Gabriel came and said unto him, "Enoch, be +not afraid, stand up and come with me, and stand up before the face of the Lord +forever." And Enoch answered: "O my lord, my spirit has departed from me with +fear and trembling. Call the men to me who have brought me to the place! Upon +them I have relied, and with them I would go before the face of the Lord." And +Gabriel hurried him away like a leaf carried off by the wind, and set him +before the face of the Lord. Enoch fell down and worshipped the Lord, who said +to him: "Enoch, be not afraid! Rise up and stand before My face forever." And +Michael lifted him up, and at the command of the Lord took his earthly robe +from him, and anointed him with the holy oil, and clothed him, and when he +gazed upon himself, he looked like one of God's glorious ones, and fear and +trembling departed from him. God called then one of His archangels who was more +wise than all the others, and wrote down all the doings of the Lord, and He +said to him, "Bring forth the books from My store-place, and give a reed to +Enoch, and interpret the books to him." The angel did as he was commanded, and +he instructed Enoch thirty days and thirty nights, and his lips never ceased +speaking, while Enoch was writing down all the things about heaven and earth, +angels and men, and all that is suitable to be instructed in. He also wrote +down all about the souls of men, those of them which are not born, and the +places prepared for them forever. He copied all accurately, and he wrote three +hundred and sixty-six books. After he had received all the instructions from +the archangel, God revealed unto him great secrets, which even the angels do +not know. He told him how, out of the lowest darkness, the visible and the +invisible were created, how He formed heaven, light, water, and earth, and also +the fall of Satan and the creation and sin of Adam He narrated to him, and +further revealed to him that the duration of the world will be seven thousand +years, and the eighth millennium will be a time when there is no computation, +no end, neither years, nor months, nor weeks, nor days, nor hours. +</p> + +<p> +The Lord finished this revelation to Enoch with the words: "And now I give thee +Samuil and Raguil, who brought thee to Me. Go with them upon the earth, and +tell thy sons what things I have said to thee, and what thou hast seen from the +lowest heaven up to My throne. Give them the works written out by thee, and +they shall read them, and shall distribute the books to their children's +children and from generation to generation and from nation to nation. And I +will give thee My messenger Michael for thy writings and for the writings of +thy fathers, Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, and Jared thy father. And I +shall not require them till the last age, for I have instructed My two angels, +Ariuk and Mariuk, whom I have put upon the earth as their guardians, and I have +ordered them in time to guard them, that the account of what I shall do in thy +family may not be lost in the deluge to come. For on account of the wickedness +and iniquity of men, I will bring a deluge upon the earth, and I will destroy +all, but I will leave a righteous man of thy race with all his house, who shall +act according to My will. From their seed will be raised up a numerous +generation, and on the extinction of that family, I will show them the books of +thy writings and of thy father, and the guardians of them on earth will show +them to the men who are true and please Me. And they shall tell to another +generation, and they, having read them, shall be glorified at last more than +before." +</p> + +<p> +Enoch was then sent to earth to remain there for thirty days to instruct his +sons, but before he left heaven, God sent an angel to him whose appearance was +like snow, and his hands were like ice. Enoch looked at him, and his face was +chilled, that men might be able to endure the sight of him. The angels who took +him to heaven put him upon his bed, in the place where his son Methuselah was +expecting him by day and by night. Enoch assembled his sons and all his +household, and instructed them faithfully about all things he had seen, heard, +and written down, and he gave his books to his sons, to keep them and read +them, admonishing them not to conceal the books, but tell them to all desiring +to know. When the thirty days had been completed, the Lord sent darkness upon +the earth, and there was gloom, and it hid the men standing with Enoch. And the +angels hasted and took Enoch, and carried him to the highest heaven, where the +Lord received him and set him before His face, and the darkness departed from +the earth, and there was light. And the people saw, and did not understand how +Enoch was taken, and they glorified God. +</p> + +<p> +Enoch was born on the sixth day of the month of Siwan, and he was taken to +heaven in the same month, Siwan, on the same day and in the same hour when he +was born. And Methuselah hasted and all his brethren, the sons of Enoch, and +built an altar in the place called Achuzan, whence Enoch was taken up to +heaven. The elders and all the people came to the festivity and brought their +gifts to the sons of Enoch, and made a great festivity, rejoicing and being +merry for three days, praising God, who had given such a sign by means of +Enoch, who had found favor with them.[60] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap38"></a>THE TRANSLATION OF ENOCH</h3> + +<p> +The sinfulness of men was the reason why Enoch was translated to heaven. Thus +Enoch himself told Rabbi Ishmael. When the generation of the deluge +transgressed, and spoke to God, saying, "Depart from us, for we do not desire +to know Thy ways," Enoch was carried to heaven, to serve there as a witness +that God was not a cruel God in spite of the destruction decreed upon all +living beings on earth. +</p> + +<p> +When Enoch, under the guidance of the angel 'Anpiel, was carried from earth to +heaven, the holy beings, the ofanim, the seraphim, the cherubim, all those who +move the throne of God, and the ministering spirits whose substance is of +consuming fire, they all, at a distance of six hundred and fifty million and +three hundred parasangs, noticed the presence of a human being, and they +exclaimed: "Whence the odor of one born of woman? How comes he into the highest +heaven of the fire-coruscating angels?" But God replied: "O My servants and +hosts, ye, My cherubim, ofanim, and seraphim, let this not be an offense unto +you, for all the children of men denied Me and My mighty dominion, and they +paid homage to the idols, so that I transferred the Shekinah from earth to +heaven. But this man Enoch is the elect of men. He has more faith, justice, and +righteousness than all the rest, and he is the only reward I have derived from +the terrestrial world." +</p> + +<p> +Before Enoch could be admitted to service near the Divine throne, the gates of +wisdom were opened unto him, and the gates of understanding, and of +discernment, of life, peace, and the Shekinah, of strength and power, of might, +loveliness, and grace, of humility and fear of sin. Equipped by God with +extraordinary wisdom, sagacity, judgment, knowledge, learning, +compassionateness, love, kindness, grace, humility, strength, power, might, +splendor, beauty, shapeliness, and all other excellent qualities, beyond the +endowment of any of the celestial beings, Enoch received, besides, many +thousand blessings from God, and his height and his breadth became equal to the +height and the breadth of the world, and thirty-six wings were attached to his +body, to the right and to the left, each as large as the world, and three +hundred and sixty-five thousand eyes were bestowed upon him, each brilliant as +the sun. A magnificent throne was erected for him beside the gates of the +seventh celestial palace, and a herald proclaimed throughout the heavens +concerning him, who was henceforth to be called Metatron in the celestial +regions: "I have appointed My servant Metatron as prince and chief over all the +princes in My realm, with the exception only of the eight august and exalted +princes that bear My name. Whatever angel has a request to prefer to Me, shall +appear before Metatron, and what he will command at My bidding, ye must observe +and do, for the prince of wisdom and the prince of understanding are at his +service, and they will reveal unto him the sciences of the celestials and the +terrestrials, the knowledge of the present order of the world and the knowledge +of the future order of the world. Furthermore, I have made him the guardian of +the treasures of the palaces in the heaven 'Arabot, and of the treasures of +life that are in the highest heaven." +</p> + +<p> +Out of the love He bore Enoch, God arrayed him in a magnificent garment, to +which every kind of luminary in existence was attached, and a crown gleaming +with forty-nine jewels, the splendor of which pierced to all parts of the seven +heavens and to the four corners of the earth. In the presence of the heavenly +family, He set this crown upon the head of Enoch, and called him "the little +Lord." It bears also the letters by means of which heaven and earth were +created, and seas and rivers, mountains and valleys, planets and +constellations, lightning and thunder, snow and hail, storm and whirlwind—these +and also all things needed in the world, and the mysteries of creation. Even +the princes of the heavens, when they see Metatron, tremble before him, and +prostrate themselves; his magnificence and majesty, the splendor and beauty +radiating from him overwhelm them, even the wicked Samael, the greatest of +them, even Gabriel the angel of the fire, Bardiel the angel of the hail, Ruhiel +the angel of the wind, Barkiel the angel of the lightning, Za'miel the angel of +the hurricane, Zakkiel the angel of the storm, Sui'el the angel of the +earthquake, Za'fiel the angel of the showers, Ra'miel the angel of the thunder, +Ra'shiel the angel of the whirlwind, Shalgiel the angel of the snow, Matriel +the angel of the rain, Shamshiel the angel of the day, Leliel the angel of the +night, Galgliel the angel of the solar system, Ofaniel the angel of the wheel +of the moon, Kokabiel the angel of the stars, and Rahtiel the angel of the +constellations. +</p> + +<p> +When Enoch was transformed into Metatron, his body was turned into celestial +fire—his flesh became flame, his veins fire, his bones glimmering coals, the +light of his eyes heavenly brightness, his eyeballs torches of fire, his hair a +flaring blaze, all his limbs and organs burning sparks, and his frame a +consuming fire. To right of him sparkled flames of fire, to left of him burnt +torches of fire, and on all sides he was engirdled by storm and whirlwind, +hurricane and thundering.[61] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap39"></a>METHUSELAH</h3> + +<p> +After the translation of Enoch, Methuselah was proclaimed ruler of the earth by +all the kings. He walked in the footsteps of his father, teaching truth, +knowledge, and fear of God to the children of men all his life, and deviating +from the path of rectitude neither to the right nor the left.[62] He delivered +the world from thousands of demons, the posterity of Adam which he had begotten +with Lilith, that she-devil of she-devils. These demons and evil spirits, as +often as they encountered a man, had sought to injure and even slay him, until +Methuselah appeared, and supplicated the mercy of God. He spent three days in +fasting, and then God gave him permission to write the Ineffable Name upon his +sword, wherewith he slew ninety-four myriads of the demons in a minute, until +Agrimus, the first-born of them, came to him and entreated him to desist, at +the same time handing the names of the demons and imps over to him. And so +Methuselah placed their kings in iron fetters, while the remainder fled away +and hid themselves in the innermost chambers and recesses of the ocean. And it +is on account of the wonderful sword by means of which the demons were killed +that he was called Methuselah.[63] +</p> + +<p> +He was so pious a man that he composed two hundred and thirty parables in +praise of God for every word he uttered. When he died, the people heard a great +commotion in the heavens, and they saw nine hundred rows of mourners +corresponding to the nine hundred orders of the Mishnah which he had studied, +and tears flowed from the eyes of the holy beings down upon the spot where he +died. Seeing the grief of the celestials, the people on earth also mourned over +the demise of Methuselah, and God rewarded them therefor. He added seven days +to the time of grace which He had ordained before bringing destruction upon the +earth by a flood of waters.[64] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="book04"></a>IV<br/> +NOAH</h2> + +<h3><a name="chap40"></a>THE BIRTH OF NOAH</h3> + +<p> +Methuselah took a wife for his son Lamech, and she bore him a man child. The +body of the babe was white as snow and red as a blooming rose, and the hair of +his head and his long locks were white as wool, and his eyes like the rays of +the sun. When he opened his eyes, he lighted up the whole house, like the sun, +and the whole house was very full of light.[1] And when he was taken from the +hand of the midwife, he opened his mouth and praised the Lord of +righteousness.[2] His father Lamech was afraid of him, and fled, and came to +his own father Methuselah. And he said to him: "I have begotten a strange son; +he is not like a human being, but resembles the children of the angels of +heaven, and his nature is different, and he is not like us, and his eyes are as +the rays of the sun, and his countenance is glorious.[3] And it seems to me +that he is not sprung from me, but from the angels, and I fear that in his days +a wonder may be wrought on the earth. And now, my father, I am here to petition +thee and implore thee, that thou mayest go to Enoch, our father, and learn from +him the truth, for his dwelling place is among the angels." +</p> + +<p> +And when Methuselah heard the words of his son, he went to Enoch, to the ends +of the earth, and he cried aloud, and Enoch heard his voice, and appeared +before him, and asked him the reason of his coming. Methuselah told him the +cause of his anxiety, and requested him to make the truth known to him. Enoch +answered, and said: "The Lord will do a new thing in the earth. There will come +a great destruction on the earth, and a deluge for one year. This son who is +born unto thee will be left on the earth, and his three children will be saved +with him, when all mankind that are on the earth shall die. And there will be a +great punishment on the earth, and the earth will be cleansed from all +impurity. And now make known to thy son Lamech that he who was born is in truth +his son, and call his name Noah, for he will be left to you, and he and his +children will be saved from the destruction which will come upon the earth." +When Methuselah had heard the words of his father, who showed him all the +secret things, he returned home, and he called the child Noah, for he would +cause the earth to rejoice in compensation for all destruction.[4] +</p> + +<p> +By the name Noah he was called only by his grandfather Methuselah; his father +and all others called him Menahem. His generation was addicted to sorcery, and +Methuselah apprehended that his grandson might be bewitched if his true name +were known, wherefore he kept it a secret. Menahem, Comforter, suited him as +well as Noah; it indicated that he would be a consoler, if but the evil-doers +of his time would repent of their misdeeds.[5] At his very birth it was felt +that he would bring consolation and deliverance. When the Lord said to Adam, +"Cursed is the ground for thy sake," he asked, "For how long a time?" and the +answer made by God was, "Until a man child shall be born whose conformation is +such that the rite of circumcision need not be practiced upon him." This was +fulfilled in Noah, he was circumcised from his mother's womb. +</p> + +<p> +Noah had scarcely come into the world when a marked change was noticeable. +Since the curse brought upon the earth by the sin of Adam, it happened that +wheat being sown, yet oats would sprout and grow. This ceased with the +appearance of Noah: the earth bore the products planted in it. And it was Noah +who, when he was grown to manhood, invented the plough, the scythe, the hoe, +and other implements for cultivating the ground. Before him men had worked the +land with their bare hands.[6] +</p> + +<p> +There was another token to indicate that the child born unto Lamech was +appointed for an extraordinary destiny. When God created Adam, He gave him +dominion over all things: the cow obeyed the ploughman, and the furrow was +willing to be drawn. But after the fall of Adam all things rebelled against +him: the cow refused obedience to the ploughman, and also the furrow was +refractory. Noah was born, and all returned to its state preceding the fall of +man. +</p> + +<p> +Before the birth of Noah, the sea was in the habit of transgressing its bounds +twice daily, morning and evening, and flooding the land up to the graves. After +his birth it kept within its confines. And the famine that afflicted the world +in the time of Lamech, the second of the ten great famines appointed to come +upon it, ceased its ravages with the birth of Noah.[7] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap41"></a>THE PUNISHMENT OF THE FALLEN ANGELS</h3> + +<p> +Grown to manhood, Noah followed in the ways of his grandfather Methuselah, +while all other men of the time rose up against this pious king. So far from +observing his precepts, they pursued the evil inclination of their hearts, and +perpetrated all sorts of abominable deeds.[8] Chiefly the fallen angels and +their giant posterity caused the depravity of mankind. The blood spilled by the +giants cried unto heaven from the ground, and the four archangels accused the +fallen angels and their sons before God, whereupon He gave the following orders +to them: Uriel was sent to Noah to announce to him that the earth would be +destroyed by a flood, and to teach him how to save his own life. Raphael was +told to put the fallen angel Azazel into chains, cast him into a pit of sharp +and pointed stones in the desert Dudael, and cover him with darkness, and so +was he to remain until the great day of judgment, when he would be thrown into +the fiery pit of hell, and the earth would be healed of the corruption he had +contrived upon it. Gabriel was charged to proceed against the bastards and the +reprobates, the sons of the angels begotten with the daughters of men, and +plunge them into deadly conflicts with one another. Shemhazai's ilk were handed +over to Michael, who first caused them to witness the death of their children +in their bloody combat with each other, and then he bound them and pinned them +under the hills of the earth, where they will remain for seventy generations, +until the day of judgment, to be carried thence to the fiery pit of hell.[9] +</p> + +<p> +The fall of Azazel and Shemhazai came about in this way. When the generation of +the deluge began to practice idolatry, God was deeply grieved. The two angels +Shemhazai and Azazel arose, and said: "O Lord of the world! It has happened, +that which we foretold at the creation of the world and of man, saying, 'What +is man, that Thou art mindful of him?'" And God said, "And what will become of +the world now without man?" Whereupon the angels: "We will occupy ourselves +with it." Then said God: "I am well aware of it, and I know that if you inhabit +the earth, the evil inclination will overpower you, and you will be more +iniquitous than ever men." The angels pleaded, "Grant us but permission to +dwell among men, and Thou shalt see how we will sanctify Thy Name." God yielded +to their wish, saying, "Descend and sojourn among men!" +</p> + +<p> +When the angels came to earth, and beheld the daughters of men in all their +grace and beauty, they could not restrain their passion. Shemhazai saw a maiden +named Istehar, and he lost his heart to her. She promised to surrender herself +to him, if first he taught her the Ineffable Name, by means of which he raised +himself to heaven. He assented to her condition. But once she knew it, she +pronounced the Name, and herself ascended to heaven, without fulfilling her +promise to the angel. God said, "Because she kept herself aloof from sin, we +will place her among the seven stars, that men may never forget her," and she +was put in the constellation of the Pleiades. +</p> + +<p> +Shemhazai and Azazel, however, were not deterred from entering into alliances +with the daughters of men, and to the first two sons were born. Azazel began to +devise the finery and the ornaments by means of which women allure men. +Thereupon God sent Metatron to tell Shemhazai that He had resolved to destroy +the world and bring on a deluge. The fallen angel began to weep and grieve over +the fate of the world and the fate of his two sons. If the world went under, +what would they have to eat, they who needed daily a thousand camels, a +thousand horses, and a thousand steers? +</p> + +<p> +These two sons of Shemhazai, Hiwwa and Hiyya by name, dreamed dreams. The one +saw a great stone which covered the earth, and the earth was marked all over +with lines upon lines of writing. An angel came, and with a knife obliterated +all the lines, leaving but four letters upon the stone. The other son saw a +large pleasure grove planted with all sorts of trees. But angels approached +bearing axes, and they felled the trees, sparing a single one with three of its +branches. +</p> + +<p> +When Hiwwa and Hiyya awoke, they repaired to their father, who interpreted the +dreams for them, saying, "God will bring a deluge, and none will escape with +his life, excepting only Noah and his sons." When they heard this, the two +began to cry and scream, but their father consoled them: "Soft, soft! Do not +grieve. As often as men cut or haul stones, or launch vessels, they shall +invoke your names, Hiwwa! Hiyya!" This prophecy soothed them. +</p> + +<p> +Shemhazai then did penance. He suspended himself between heaven and earth, and +in this position of a penitent sinner he hangs to this day. But Azazel +persisted obdurately in his sin of leading mankind astray by means of sensual +allurements. For this reason two he-goats were sacrificed in the Temple on the +Day of Atonement, the one for God, that He pardon the sins of Israel, the other +for Azazel, that he bear the sins of Israel.[10] +</p> + +<p> +Unlike Istehar, the pious maiden, Naamah, the lovely sister of Tubal-cain, led +the angels astray with her beauty, and from her union with Shamdon sprang the +devil Asmodeus.[11] She was as shameless as all the other descendants of Cain, +and as prone to bestial indulgences. Cainite women and Cainite men alike were +in the habit of walking abroad naked, and they gave themselves up to every +conceivable manner of lewd practices. Of such were the women whose beauty and +sensual charms tempted the angels from the path of virtue. The angels, on the +other hand, no sooner had they rebelled against God and descended to earth than +they lost their transcendental qualities, and were invested with sublunary +bodies, so that a union with the daughters of men became possible. The +offspring of these alliances between the angels and the Cainite women were the +giants,[12] known for their strength and their sinfulness; as their very name, +the Emim, indicates, they inspired fear. They have many other names. Sometimes +they go by the name Rephaim, because one glance at them made one's heart grow +weak; or by the name Gibborim, simply giants, because their size was so +enormous that their thigh measured eighteen ells; or by the name Zamzummim, +because they were great masters in war; or by the name Anakim, because they +touched the sun with their neck; or by the name Ivvim, because, like the snake, +they could judge of the qualities of the soil; or finally, by the name +Nephilim, because, bringing the world to its fall, they themselves fell.[13] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap42"></a>THE GENERATION OF THE DELUGE</h3> + +<p> +While the descendants of Cain resembled their father in his sinfulness and +depravity, the descendants of Seth led a pious, well-regulated life, and the +difference between the conduct of the two stocks was reflected in their +habitations. The family of Seth was settled upon the mountains in the vicinity +of Paradise, while the family of Cain resided in the field of Damascus, the +spot whereon Abel was slain by Cain. +</p> + +<p> +Unfortunately, at the time of Methuselah, following the death of Adam, the +family of Seth became corrupted after the manner of the Cainites. The two +strains united with each other to execute all kinds of iniquitous deeds. The +result of the marriages between them were the Nephilim, whose sins brought the +deluge upon the world. In their arrogance they claimed the same pedigree as the +posterity of Seth, and they compared themselves with princes and men of noble +descent.[14] +</p> + +<p> +The wantonness of this generation was in a measure due to the ideal conditions +under which mankind lived before the flood. They knew neither toil nor care, +and as a consequence of their extraordinary prosperity they grew insolent. In +their arrogance they rose up against God. A single sowing bore a harvest +sufficient for the needs of forty years, and by means of magic arts they could +compel the very sun and moon to stand ready to do their service.[15] The +raising of children gave them no trouble. They were born after a few days' +pregnancy, and immediately after birth they could walk and talk; they +themselves aided the mother in severing the navel string. Not even demons could +do them harm. Once a new-born babe, running to fetch a light whereby his mother +might cut the navel string, met the chief of the demons, and a combat ensued +between the two. Suddenly the crowing of a cock was heard, and the demon made +off, crying out to the child, "Go and report unto thy mother, if it had not +been for the crowing of the cock, I had killed thee!" Whereupon the child +retorted, "Go and report unto thy mother, if it had not been for my uncut navel +string, I had killed thee!"[16] +</p> + +<p> +It was their care-free life that gave them space and leisure for their +infamies. For a time God, in His long-suffering kindness, passed by the +iniquities of men, but His forbearance ceased when once they began to lead +unchaste lives, for "God is patient with all sins save only an immoral +life."[17] +</p> + +<p> +The other sin that hastened the end of the iniquitous generation was their +rapacity. So cunningly were their depredations planned that the law could not +touch them. If a countryman brought a basket of vegetables to market, they +would edge up to it, one after the other, and abstract a bit, each in itself of +petty value, but in a little while the dealer would have none left to sell.[18] +</p> + +<p> +Even after God had resolved upon the destruction of the sinners, He still +permitted His mercy to prevail, in that He sent Noah unto them, who exhorted +them for one hundred and twenty years to amend their ways, always holding the +flood over them as a threat. As for them, they but derided him. When they saw +him occupying himself with the building of the ark, they asked, "Wherefore this +ark?" +</p> + +<p> +Noah: "God will bring a flood upon you." +</p> + +<p> +The sinners: "What sort of flood? If He sends a fire flood, against that we +know how to protect ourselves. If it is a flood of waters, then, if the waters +bubble up from the earth, we will cover them with iron rods, and if they +descend from above, we know a remedy against that, too." +</p> + +<p> +Noah: "The waters will ooze out from under your feet, and you will not be able +to ward them off." +</p> + +<p> +Partly they persisted in their obduracy of heart because Noah had made known to +them that the flood would not descend so long as the pious Methuselah sojourned +among them. The period of one hundred and twenty years which God had appointed +as the term of their probation having expired, Methuselah died, but out of +regard for the memory of this pious man God gave them another week's respite, +the week of mourning for him. During this time of grace, the laws of nature +were suspended, the sun rose in the west and set in the east. To the sinners +God gave the dainties that await man in the future world, for the purpose of +showing them what they were forfeiting.[19] But all this proved unavailing, +and, Methuselah and the other pious men of the generation having departed this +life, God brought the deluge upon the earth.[20] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap43"></a>THE HOLY BOOK</h3> + +<p> +Great wisdom was needed for building the ark, which was to have space for all +beings on earth, even the spirits. Only the fishes did not have to be provided +for.[21] Noah acquired the necessary wisdom from the book given to Adam by the +angel Raziel, in which all celestial and all earthly knowledge is recorded. +</p> + +<p> +While the first human pair were still in Paradise, it once happened that +Samael, accompanied by a lad, approached Eve and requested her to keep a +watchful eye upon his little son until he should return. Eve gave him the +promise. When Adam came back from a walk in Paradise, he found a howling, +screaming child with Eve, who, in reply to his question, told him it was +Samael's. Adam was annoyed, and his annoyance grew as the boy cried and +screamed more and more violently. In his vexation he dealt the little one a +blow that killed him. But the corpse did not cease to wail and weep, nor did it +cease when Adam cut it up into bits. To rid himself of the plague, Adam cooked +the remains, and he and Eve ate them. Scarcely had they finished, when Samael +appeared and demanded his son. The two malefactors tried to deny everything; +they pretended they had no knowledge of his son. But Samael said to them: +"What! You dare tell lies, and God in times to come will give Israel the Torah +in which it is said, 'Keep thee far from a false word'?" +</p> + +<p> +While they were speaking thus, suddenly the voice of the slain lad was heard +proceeding from the heart of Adam and Eve, and it addressed these words to +Samael: "Go hence! I have penetrated to the heart of Adam and the heart of Eve, +and never again shall I quit their hearts, nor the hearts of their children, or +their children's children, unto the end of all generations." +</p> + +<p> +Samael departed, but Adam was sore grieved, and he put on sackcloth and ashes, +and he fasted many, many days, until God appeared unto him, and said: "My son, +have no fear of Samael. I will give thee a remedy that will help thee against +him, for it was at My instance that he went to thee." Adam asked, "And what is +this remedy?" God: "The Torah." Adam: "And where is the Torah?" God then gave +him the book of the angel Raziel, which he studied day and night. After some +time had passed, the angels visited Adam, and, envious of the wisdom he had +drawn from the book, they sought to destroy him cunningly by calling him a god +and prostrating themselves before him, in spite of his remonstrance, "Do not +prostrate yourselves before me, but magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt +His Name together." However, the envy of the angels was so great that they +stole the book God had given Adam from him, and threw it in the sea. Adam +searched for it everywhere in vain, and the loss distressed him sorely. Again +he fasted many days, until God appeared unto him, and said: "Fear not! I will +give the book back to thee," and He called Rahab, the Angel of the Sea, and +ordered him to recover the book from the sea and restore it to Adam. And so he +did.[22] +</p> + +<p> +Upon the death of Adam, the holy book disappeared, but later the cave in which +it was hidden was revealed to Enoch in a dream. It was from this book that +Enoch drew his knowledge of nature, of the earth and of the heavens, and he +became so wise through it that his wisdom exceeded the wisdom of Adam. Once he +had committed it to memory, Enoch hid the book again. +</p> + +<p> +Now, when God resolved upon bringing the flood on the earth, He sent the +archangel Raphael to Noah, as the bearer of the following message: "I give thee +herewith the holy book, that all the secrets and mysteries written therein may +be made manifest unto thee, and that thou mayest know how to fulfil its +injunction in holiness, purity, modesty, and humbleness. Thou wilt learn from +it how to build an ark of the wood of the gopher tree, wherein thou, and thy +sons, and thy wife shall find protection." +</p> + +<p> +Noah took the book, and when he studied it, the holy spirit came upon him, and +he knew all things needful for the building of the ark and the gathering +together of the animals. The book, which was made of sapphires, he took with +him into the ark, having first enclosed it in a golden casket. All the time he +spent in the ark it served him as a time-piece, to distinguish night from day. +Before his death, he entrusted it to Shem, and he in turn to Abraham. From +Abraham it descended through Jacob, Levi, Moses, and Joshua to Solomon, who +learnt all his wisdom from it, and his skill in the healing art, and also his +mastery over the demons.[23] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap44"></a>THE INMATES OF THE ARK</h3> + +<p> +The ark was completed according to the instructions laid down in the Book of +Raziel. Noah's next task was gathering in the animals. No less than thirty-two +species of birds and three hundred and sixty-five of reptiles he had to take +along with him. But God ordered the animals to repair to the ark, and they +trooped thither, and Noah did not have to do so much as stretch out a +finger.[24] Indeed, more appeared than were required to come, and God +instructed him to sit at the door of the ark and note which of the animals lay +down as they reached the entrance and which stood. The former belonged in the +ark, but not the latter. Taking up his post as he had been commanded, Noah +observed a lioness with her two cubs. All three beasts crouched. But the two +young ones began to struggle with the mother, and she arose and stood up next +to them. Then Noah led the two cubs into the ark. The wild beasts, and the +cattle, and the birds which were not accepted remained standing about the ark +all of seven days, for the assembling of the animals happened one week before +the flood began to descend. On the day whereon they came to the ark, the sun +was darkened, and the foundations of the earth trembled, and lightning flashed, +and the thunder boomed, as never before. And yet the sinners remained +impenitent. In naught did they change their wicked doings during those last +seven days. +</p> + +<p> +When finally the flood broke loose, seven hundred thousand of the children of +men gathered around the ark, and implored Noah to grant them protection. With a +loud voice he replied, and said: "Are ye not those who were rebellious toward +God, saying, 'There is no God'? Therefore He has brought ruin upon you, to +annihilate you and destroy you from the face of the earth. Have I not been +prophesying this unto you these hundred and twenty years, and you would not +give heed unto the voice of God? Yet now you desire to be kept alive!" Then the +sinners cried out: "So be it! We all are ready now to turn back to God, if only +thou wilt open the door of thy ark to receive us, that we may live and not +die." Noah made answer, and said: "That ye do now, when your need presses hard +upon you. Why did you not turn to God during all the hundred and twenty years +which the Lord appointed unto you as the term of repentance? Now do ye come, +and ye speak thus, because distress besets your lives. Therefore God will not +hearken unto you and give you ear; naught will you accomplish!" +</p> + +<p> +The crowd of sinners tried to take the entrance to the ark by storm, but the +wild beasts keeping watch around the ark set upon them, and many were slain, +while the rest escaped, only to meet death in the waters of the flood.[25] The +water alone could not have made an end of them, for they were giants in stature +and strength. When Noah threatened them with the scourge of God, they would +make reply: "If the waters of the flood come from above, they will never reach +up to our necks; and if they come from below, the soles of our feet are large +enough to dam up the springs." But God bade each drop pass through Gehenna +before it fell to earth, and the hot rain scalded the skin of the sinners. The +punishment that overtook them was befitting their crime. As their sensual +desires had made them hot, and inflamed them to immoral excesses, so they were +chastised by means of heated water.[26] +</p> + +<p> +Not even in the hour of the death struggle could the sinners suppress their +vile instincts. When the water began to stream up out of the springs, they +threw their little children into them, to choke the flood.[27] +</p> + +<p> +It was by the grace of God, not on account of his merits, that Noah found +shelter in the ark before the overwhelming force of the waters.[28] Although he +was better than his contemporaries, he was yet not worthy of having wonders +done for his sake. He had so little faith that he did not enter the ark until +the waters had risen to his knees. With him his pious wife Naamah, the daughter +of Enosh, escaped the peril, and his three sons, and the wives of his three +sons. +</p> + +<p> +Noah had not married until he was four hundred and ninety-eight years old. Then +the Lord had bidden him to take a wife unto himself. He had not desired to +bring children into the world, seeing that they would all have to perish in the +flood, and he had only three sons, born unto him shortly before the deluge +came.[30] God had given him so small a number of offspring that he might be +spared the necessity of building the ark on an overlarge scale in case they +turned out to be pious. And if not, if they, too, were depraved like the rest +of their generation, sorrow over their destruction would but be increased in +proportion to their number.[31] +</p> + +<p> +As Noah and his family were the only ones not to have a share in the +corruptness of the age, so the animals received into the ark were such as had +led a natural life. For the animals of the time were as immoral as the men: the +dog united with the wolf, the cock with the pea-fowl, and many others paid no +heed to sexual purity. Those that were saved were such as had kept themselves +untainted.[32] +</p> + +<p> +Before the flood the number of unclean animals had been greater than the number +of the clean. Afterward the ratio was reversed, because while seven pairs of +clean animals were preserved in the ark, but two pairs of the unclean were +preserved.[33] +</p> + +<p> +One animal, the reem, Noah could not take into the ark. On account of its huge +size it could not find room therein. Noah therefore tied it to the ark, and it +ran on behind.[34] Also, he could not make space for the giant Og, the king of +Bashan. He sat on top of the ark securely, and in this way escaped the flood of +waters. Noah doled out his food to him daily, through a hole, because Og had +promised that he and his descendants would serve him as slaves in +perpetuity.[35] +</p> + +<p> +Two creatures of a most peculiar kind also found refuge in the ark. Among the +beings that came to Noah there was Falsehood asking for shelter. He was denied +admission, because he had no companion, and Noah was taking in the animals only +by pairs. Falsehood went off to seek a partner, and he met Misfortune, whom he +associated with himself on the condition that she might appropriate what +Falsehood earned. The pair were then accepted in the ark. When they left it, +Falsehood noticed that whatever he gathered together disappeared at once, and +he betook himself to his companion to seek an explanation, which she gave him +in the following words, "Did we not agree to the condition that I might take +what you earn?" and Falsehood had to depart empty-handed. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap45"></a>THE FLOOD</h3> + +<p> +The assembling of the animals in the ark was but the smaller part of the task +imposed upon Noah. His chief difficulty was to provide food for a year and +accommodations for them. Long afterward Shem, the son of Noah, related to +Eliezer, the servant of Abraham, the tale of their experiences with the animals +in the ark. This is what he said: "We had sore troubles in the ark. The day +animals had to be fed by day, and the night animals by night. My father knew +not what food to give to the little zikta. Once he cut a pomegranate in half, +and a worm dropped out of the fruit, and was devoured by the zikta. Thenceforth +my father would knead bran, and let it stand until it bred worms, which were +fed to the animal. The lion suffered with a fever all the time, and therefore +he did not annoy the others, because he did not relish dry food. The animal +urshana my father found sleeping in a corner of the vessel, and he asked him +whether he needed nothing to eat. He answered, and said: 'I saw thou wast very +busy, and I did not wish to add to thy cares.' Whereupon my father said, 'May +it be the will of the Lord to keep thee alive forever,' and the blessing was +realized."[37] +</p> + +<p> +The difficulties were increased when the flood began to toss the ark from side +to side. All inside of it were shaken up like lentils in a pot. The lions began +to roar, the oxen lowed, the wolves howled, and all the animals gave vent to +their agony, each through the sounds it had the power to utter. +</p> + +<p> +Also Noah and his sons, thinking that death was nigh, broke into tears. Noah +prayed to God: "O Lord, help us, for we are not able to bear the evil that +encompasses us. The billows surge about us, the streams of destruction make us +afraid, and death stares us in the face. O hear our prayer, deliver us, incline +Thyself unto us, and be gracious unto us! Redeem us and save us!"[38] +</p> + +<p> +The flood was produced by a union of the male waters, which are above the +firmament, and the female waters issuing from the earth.[39] The upper waters +rushed through the space left when God removed two stars out of the +constellation Pleiades. Afterward, to put a stop to the flood, God had to +transfer two stars from the constellation of the Bear to the constellation of +the Pleiades. That is why the Bear runs after the Pleiades. She wants her two +children back, but they will be restored to her only in the future world.[40] +</p> + +<p> +There were other changes among the celestial spheres during the year of the +flood. All the time it lasted, the sun and the moon shed no light, whence Noah +was called by his name, "the resting one," for in his life the sun and the moon +rested. The ark was illuminated by a precious stone, the light of which was +more brilliant by night than by day, so enabling Noah to distinguish between +day and night.[41] +</p> + +<p> +The duration of the flood was a whole year. It began on the seventeenth day of +Heshwan, and the rain continued for forty days, until the twenty-seventh of +Kislew. The punishment corresponded to the crime of the sinful generation. They +had led immoral lives, and begotten bastard children, whose embryonic state +lasts forty days. From the twenty seventh of Kislew until the first of Siwan, a +period of one hundred and fifty days, the water stood at one and the same +height, fifteen ells above the earth. During that time all the wicked were +destroyed, each one receiving the punishment due to him.[42] Cain was among +those that perished, and thus the death of Abel was avenged.[43] So powerful +were the waters in working havoc that the corpse of Adam was not spared in its +grave.[44] +</p> + +<p> +On the first of Siwan the waters began to abate, a quarter of an ell a day, and +at the end of sixty days, on the tenth day of Ab, the summits of the mountains +showed themselves. But many days before, on the tenth of Tammuz, Noah had sent +forth the raven, and a week later the dove, on the first of her three sallies, +repeated at intervals of a week. It took from the first of Ab until the first +of Tishri for the waters to subside wholly from the face of the earth. Even +then the soil was so miry that the dwellers in the ark had to remain within +until the twenty-seventh day of Heshwan, completing a full sun year, consisting +of twelve moons and eleven days.[45] +</p> + +<p> +Noah had experienced difficulty all along in ascertaining the state of the +waters. When he desired to dispatch the raven, the bird said: "The Lord, thy +Master, hates me, and thou dost hate me, too. Thy Master hates me, for He bade +thee take seven pairs of the clean animals into the ark, and but two pairs of +the unclean animals, to which I belong. Thou hatest me, for thou dost not +choose, as a messenger, a bird of one of the kinds of which there are seven +pairs in the ark, but thou sendest me, and of my kind there is but one pair. +Suppose, now, I should perish by reason of heat or cold, would not the world be +the poorer by a whole species of animals? Or can it be that thou hast cast a +lustful eye upon my mate, and desirest to rid thyself of me?" Where unto Noah +made answer, and said: "Wretch! I must live apart from my own wife in the ark. +How much less would such thoughts occur to my mind as thou imputest to me!"[46] +</p> + +<p> +The raven's errand had no success, for when he saw the body of a dead man, he +set to work to devour it, and did not execute the orders given to him by Noah. +Thereupon the dove was sent out. Toward evening she returned with an olive leaf +in her bill, plucked upon the Mount of Olives at Jerusalem, for the Holy Land +had not been ravaged by the deluge. As she plucked it, she said to God: "O Lord +of the world, let my food be as bitter as the olive, but do Thou give it to me +from Thy hand, rather than it should be sweet, and I be delivered into the +power of men."[47] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap46"></a>NOAH LEAVES THE ARK</h3> + +<p> +Though the earth assumed its old form at the end of the year of punishment, +Noah did not abandon the ark until he received the command of God to leave it. +He said to himself, "As I entered the ark at the bidding of God, so I will +leave it only at His bidding." Yet, when God bade Noah go out of the ark, he +refused, because he feared that after he had lived upon the dry land for some +time, and begotten children, God would bring another flood. He therefore would +not leave the ark until God swore He would never visit the earth with a flood +again.[48] +</p> + +<p> +When he stepped out from the ark into the open, he began to weep bitterly at +sight of the enormous ravages wrought by the flood, and he said to God: "O Lord +of the world! Thou art called the Merciful, and Thou shouldst have had mercy +upon Thy creatures." God answered, and said: "O thou foolish shepherd, now thou +speakest to Me. Thou didst not so when I addressed kind words to thee, saying: +'I saw thee as a righteous man and perfect in thy generation, and I will bring +the flood upon the earth to destroy all flesh. Make an ark for thyself of +gopher wood.' Thus spake I to thee, telling thee all these circumstances, that +thou mightest entreat mercy for the earth. But thou, as soon as thou didst hear +that thou wouldst be rescued in the ark, thou didst not concern thyself about +the ruin that would strike the earth. Thou didst but build an ark for thyself, +in which thou wast saved. Now that the earth is wasted, thou openest thy mouth +to supplicate and pray." +</p> + +<p> +Noah realized that he had been guilty of folly. To propitiate God and +acknowledge his sin, he brought a sacrifice.[49] God accepted the offering with +favor, whence he is called by his name Noah.[50] The sacrifice was not offered +by Noah with his own hands; the priestly services connected with it were +performed by his son Shem. There was a reason for this. One day in the ark Noah +forgot to give his ration to the lion, and the hungry beast struck him so +violent a blow with his paw that he was lame forever after, and, having a +bodily defect, he was not permitted to do the offices of a priest.[51] +</p> + +<p> +The sacrifices consisted of an ox, a sheep, a goat, two turtle doves, and two +young pigeons. Noah had chosen these kinds because he supposed they were +appointed for sacrifices, seeing that God had commanded him to take seven pairs +of them into the ark with him. The altar was erected in the same place on which +Adam and Cain and Abel had brought their sacrifices, and on which later the +altar was to be in the sanctuary at Jerusalem.[52] +</p> + +<p> +After the sacrifice was completed, God blessed Noah and his sons. He made them +to be rulers of the world as Adam had been,[53] and He gave them a command, +saying, "Be fruitful and multiply upon the earth," for during their sojourn in +the ark, the two sexes, of men and animals alike, had lived apart from each +other, because while a public calamity rages continence is becoming even to +those who are left unscathed. This law of conduct had been violated by none in +the ark except by Ham, by the dog, and by the raven. They all received a +punishment. Ham's was that his descendants were men of dark-hued skin.[54] +</p> + +<p> +As a token that He would destroy the earth no more, God set His bow in the +cloud. Even if men should be steeped in sin again, the bow proclaims to them +that their sins will cause no harm to the world. Times came in the course of +the ages when men were pious enough not to have to live in dread of punishment. +In such times the bow was not visible.[55] +</p> + +<p> +God accorded permission to Noah and his descendants to use the flesh of animals +for food, which had been forbidden from the time of Adam until then. But they +were to abstain from the use of blood. He ordained the seven Noachian laws, the +observance of which is incumbent upon all men, not upon Israel alone. God +enjoined particularly the command against the shedding of human blood. Whoso +would shed man's blood, his blood would be shed. Even if human judges let the +guilty man go free, his punishment would overtake him. He would die an +unnatural death, such as he had inflicted upon his fellow-man. Yea, even beasts +that slew men, even of them would the life of men be required.[56] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap47"></a>THE CURSE OF DRUNKENNESS</h3> + +<p> +Noah lost his epithet "the pious" when he began to occupy himself with the +growing of the vine. He became a "man of the ground," and this first attempt to +produce wine at the same time produced the first to drink to excess, the first +to utter curses upon his associates, and the first to introduce slavery. This +is the way it all came about. Noah found the vine which Adam had taken with him +from Paradise, when he was driven forth. He tasted the grapes upon it, and, +finding them palatable, he resolved to plant the vine and tend it.[57] On the +selfsame day on which he planted it, it bore fruit, he put it in the +wine-press, drew off the juice, drank it, became drunken, and was +dishonored—all on one day. His assistant in the work of cultivating the vine +was Satan, who had happened along at the very moment when he was engaged in +planting the slip he had found. Satan asked him: "What is it thou art planting +here?" +</p> + +<p> +Noah: "A vineyard." +</p> + +<p> +Satan: "And what may be the qualities of what it produces?" +</p> + +<p> +Noah: "The fruit it bears is sweet, be it dry or moist. It yields wine that +rejoiceth the heart of man." +</p> + +<p> +Satan: "Let us go into partnership in this business of planting a vineyard." +</p> + +<p> +Noah: "Agreed!" +</p> + +<p> +Satan thereupon slaughtered a lamb, and then, in succession, a lion, a pig, and +a monkey. The blood of each as it was killed he made to flow under the vine. +Thus he conveyed to Noah what the qualities of wine are: before man drinks of +it, he is innocent as a lamb; if he drinks of it moderately, he feels as strong +as a lion; if he drinks more of it than he can bear, he resembles the pig; and +if he drinks to the point of intoxication, then he behaves like a monkey, he +dances around, sings, talks obscenely, and knows not what he is doing.[58] +</p> + +<p> +This deterred Noah no more than did the example of Adam, whose fall had also +been due to wine, for the forbidden fruit had been the grape, with which he had +made himself drunk.[59] +</p> + +<p> +In his drunken condition Noah betook himself to the tent of his wife. His son +Ham saw him there, and he told his brothers what he had noticed, and said: "The +first man had but two sons, and one slew the other; this man Noah has three +sons, yet he desires to beget a fourth besides." Nor did Ham rest satisfied +with these disrespectful words against his father. He added to this sin of +irreverence the still greater outrage of attempting to perform an operation +upon his father designed to prevent procreation. +</p> + +<p> +When Noah awoke from his wine and became sober, he pronounced a curse upon Ham +in the person of his youngest son Canaan. To Ham himself he could do no harm, +for God had conferred a blessing upon Noah and his three sons as they departed +from the ark. Therefore he put the curse upon the last-born son of the son that +had prevented him from begetting a younger son than the three he had. The +descendants of Ham through Canaan therefore have red eyes, because Ham looked +upon the nakedness of his father; they have misshapen lips, because Ham spoke +with his lips to his brothers about the unseemly condition of his father; they +have twisted curly hair, because Ham turned and twisted his head round to see +the nakedness of his father; and they go about naked, because Ham did not cover +the nakedness of his father. Thus he was requited, for it is the way of God to +mete out punishment measure for measure. +</p> + +<p> +Canaan had to suffer vicariously for his father's sin. Yet some of the +punishment was inflicted upon him on his own account, for it had been Canaan +who had drawn the attention of Ham to Noah's revolting condition. Ham, it +appears, was but the worthy father of such a son.[61] The last will and +testament of Canaan addressed to his children read as follows: "Speak not the +truth; hold not yourselves aloof from theft; lead a dissolute life; hate your +master with an exceeding great hate; and love one another."[62] +</p> + +<p> +As Ham was made to suffer requital for his irreverence, so Shem and Japheth +received a reward for the filial, deferential way in which they took a garment +and laid it upon both their shoulders, and walking backward, with averted +faces, covered the nakedness of their father. Naked the descendants of Ham, the +Egyptians and Ethiopians, were led away captive and into exile by the king of +Assyria, while the descendants of Shem, the Assyrians, even when the angel of +the Lord burnt them in the camp, were not exposed, their garments remained upon +their corpses unsinged. And in time to come, when Gog shall suffer his defeat, +God will provide both shrouds and a place of burial for him and all his +multitude, the posterity of Japheth. +</p> + +<p> +Though Shem and Japheth both showed themselves to be dutiful and deferential, +yet it was Shem who deserved the larger meed of praise. He was the first to set +about covering his father. Japheth joined him after the good deed had been +begun. Therefore the descendants of Shem received as their special reward the +tallit, the garment worn by them, while the Japhethites have only the toga.[63] +A further distinction accorded to Shem was the mention of his name in +connection with God's in the blessing of Noah. "Blessed be the Lord, the God of +Shem," he said, though as a rule the name of God is not joined to the name of a +living person, only to the name of one who has departed this life.[64] +</p> + +<p> +The relation of Shem to Japheth was expressed in the blessing their father +pronounced upon them: God will grant a land of beauty to Japheth, and his sons +will be proselytes dwelling in the academies of Shem.[65] At the same time Noah +conveyed by his words that the Shekinah would dwell only in the first Temple, +erected by Solomon, a son of Shem, and not in the second Temple, the builder of +which would be Cyrus, a descendant of Japheth.[66] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap48"></a>NOAH'S DESCENDANTS SPREAD ABROAD</h3> + +<p> +When it became known to Ham that his father had cursed him, he fled ashamed, +and with his family he settled in the city built by him, and named Neelatamauk +for his wife. Jealous of his brother, Japheth followed his example. He likewise +built a city which he named for his wife, Adataneses. Shem was the only one of +the sons of Noah who did not abandon him. In the vicinity of his father's home, +by the mountain, he built his city, to which he also gave his wife's name, +Zedeketelbab. The three cities are all near Mount Lubar, the eminence upon +which the ark rested. The first lies to the south of it, the second to the +west, and the third to the east. +</p> + +<p> +Noah endeavored to inculcate the ordinances and the commands known to him upon +his children and his children's children. In particular he admonished them +against the fornication, the uncleanness, and all the iniquity which had +brought the flood down upon the earth. He reproached them with living apart +from one another, and with their jealousies, for he feared that, after his +death, they might go so far as to shed human blood. Against this he warned them +impressively, that they be not annihilated from the earth like those that went +before. Another law which he enjoined upon them, to observe it, was the law +ordaining that the fruit of a tree shall not be used the first three years it +bears, and even in the fourth year it shall be the portion of the priests +alone, after a part thereof has been offered upon the altar of God. And having +made an end of giving his teachings and injunctions, Noah said: "For thus did +Enoch, your ancestor, exhort his son Methuselah, and Methuselah his son Lamech, +and Lamech delivered all unto me as his father had bidden him, and now I do +exhort you, my children, as Enoch exhorted his son. When he lived, in his +generation, which was the seventh generation of man, he commanded it and +testified it unto his children and his children's children, until the day of +his death."[67] +</p> + +<p> +In the year 1569 after the creation of the world, Noah divided the earth by lot +among his three sons, in the presence of an angel. Each one stretched forth his +hand and took a slip from the bosom of Noah. Shem's slip was inscribed with the +middle of the earth, and this portion became the inheritance of his descendants +unto all eternity. Noah rejoiced that the lot had assigned it to Shem. Thus was +fulfilled his blessing upon him, "And God in the habitation of Shem," for three +holy places fell within his precincts—the Holy of Holies in the Temple, Mount +Sinai, the middle point of the desert, and Mount Zion, the middle point of the +navel of the earth. +</p> + +<p> +The south fell to the lot of Ham, and the north became the inheritance of +Japheth. The land of Ham is hot, Japheth's cold, but Shem's is neither hot nor +cold, its temperature is hot and cold mixed.[68] +</p> + +<p> +This division of the earth took place toward the end of the life of Peleg, the +name given to him by his father Eber, who, being a prophet, knew that the +division of the earth would take place in the time of his son.[69] The brother +of Peleg was called Joktan, because the duration of the life of man was +shortened in his time.[70] +</p> + +<p> +In turn, the three sons of Noah, while they were still standing in the presence +of their father, divided each his portion among his children, Noah threatening +with his curse any who should stretch out his hand to take a portion not +assigned to him by lot. And they all cried, "So be it! So be it!"[71] +</p> + +<p> +Thus were divided one hundred and four lands and ninety-nine islands among +seventy-two nations, each with a language of its own, using sixteen different +sets of characters for writing. To Japheth were allotted forty-four lands, +thirty-three islands, twenty-two languages, and five kinds of writing; Ham +received thirty-four lands, thirty-three islands, twenty-four languages, and +five kinds of writing; and Shem twenty-six lands, thirty-three islands, +twenty-six languages, and six kinds of writing—one set of written characters +more to Shem than to either of his brothers, the extra set being the +Hebrew.[72] +</p> + +<p> +The land appointed as the inheritance of the twelve sons of Jacob was +provisionally granted to Canaan, Zidon, Heth, the Jebusites, the Amorites, the +Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the Sinites, the Arvadites, the +Zemarites, and the Hamathites. It was the duty of these nations to take care of +the land until the rightful owners should come.[73] +</p> + +<p> +No sooner had the children of Noah and their children's children taken +possession of the habitations apportioned to them, than the unclean spirits +began to seduce men and torment them with pain and all sorts of suffering +leading to spiritual and physical death. Upon the entreaties of Noah God sent +down the angel Raphael, who banished nine-tenths of the unclean spirits from +the earth, leaving but one-tenth for Mastema, to punish sinners through them. +Raphael, supported by the chief of the unclean spirits, at that time revealed +to Noah all the remedies residing in plants, that he might resort to them at +need. Noah recorded them in a book, which he transmitted to his son Shem.[74] +This is the source to which go back all the medical books whence the wise men +of India, Aram, Macedonia, and Egypt draw their knowledge. The sages of India +devoted themselves particularly to the study of curative trees and spices; the +Arameans were well versed in the knowledge of the properties of grains and +seeds, and they translated the old medical books into their language. The wise +men of Macedonia were the first to apply medical knowledge practically, while +the Egyptians sought to effect cures by means of magic arts and by means of +astrology, and they taught the Midrash of the Chaldees, composed by Kangar, the +son of Ur, the son of Kesed. Medical skill spread further and further until the +time of aesculapius. This Macedonian sage, accompanied by forty learned +magicians, journeyed from country to country, until they came to the land +beyond India, in the direction of Paradise. They hoped there to find some wood +of the tree of life, and thus spread their fame abroad over the whole world. +Their hope was frustrated. When they arrived at the spot, they found healing +trees and wood of the tree of life, but when they were in the act of stretching +forth their hands to gather what they desired, lightning darted out of the +ever-turning sword, smote them to the ground, and they were all burnt. With +them disappeared all knowledge of medicine, and it did not revive until the +time of the first Artaxerxes, under the Macedonian sage Hippocrates, +Dioscorides of Baala, Galen of Caphtor, and the Hebrew Asaph.[75] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap49"></a>THE DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND</h3> + +<p> +With the spread of mankind corruption increased. While Noah was still alive, +the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth appointed princes over each of the +three groups—Nimrod for the descendants of Ham, Joktan for the descendants of +Shem, and Phenech for the descendants of Japheth. Ten years before Noah's +death, the number of those subject to the three princes amounted to millions. +When this great concourse of men came to Babylonia upon their journeyings, they +said to one another: "Behold, the time is coming when, at the end of days, +neighbor will be separated from neighbor, and brother from brother, and one +will carry on war against the other. Go to, let us build us a city, and a +tower, whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a great name upon +the earth. And now let us make bricks, and each one write his name upon his +brick." All agreed to this proposal, with the exception of twelve pious men, +Abraham among them. They refused to join the others. They were seized by the +people, and brought before the three princes, to whom they gave the following +reason for their refusal: "We will not make bricks, nor remain with you, for we +know but one God, and Him we serve; even if you burn us in the fire together +with the bricks, we will not walk in your ways." Nimrod and Phenech flew into +such a passion over the twelve men that they resolved to throw them into the +fire. Joktan, however, besides being a God-fearing man, was of close kin to the +men on trial, and he essayed to save them. He proposed to his two colleagues to +grant them a seven days' respite. His plan was accepted, such deference being +paid him as the primate among the three. The twelve were incarcerated in the +house of Joktan. In the night he charged fifty of his attendants to mount the +prisoners upon mules and take them to the mountains. Thus they would escape the +threatened punishment. Joktan provided them with food for a month. He was sure +that in the meantime either a change of sentiment would come about, and the +people desist from their purpose, or God would help the fugitives. Eleven of +the prisoners assented to the plan with gratitude. Abraham alone rejected it, +saying: "Behold, to-day we flee to the mountains to escape from the fire, but +if wild beasts rush out from the mountains and devour us, or if food is +lacking, so that we die by famine, we shall be found fleeing before the people +of the land and dying in our sins. Now, as the Lord liveth, in whom I trust, I +will not depart from this place wherein they have imprisoned me, and if I am to +die through my sins, then will I die by the will of God, according to His +desire." +</p> + +<p> +In vain Joktan endeavored to persuade Abraham to flee. He persisted in his +refusal. He remained behind alone in the prison house, while the other eleven +made their escape. At the expiration of the set term, when the people returned +and demanded the death of the twelve captives, Joktan could produce only +Abraham. His excuse was that the rest had broken loose during the night. The +people were about to throw themselves upon Abraham and cast him into the lime +kiln. Suddenly an earthquake was felt, the fire darted from the furnace, and +all who were standing round about, eighty four thousand of the people, were +consumed, while Abraham remained untouched. Thereupon he repaired to his eleven +friends in the mountains, and told them of the miracle that had befallen for +his sake. They all returned with him, and, unmolested by the people, they gave +praise and thanks to God.[76] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap50"></a>NIMROD</h3> + +<p> +The first among the leaders of the corrupt men was Nimrod.[77] His father Cush +had married his mother at an advanced age, and Nimrod, the offspring of this +belated union, was particularly dear to him as the son of his old age. He gave +him the clothes made of skins with which God had furnished Adam and Eve at the +time of their leaving Paradise. Cush himself had gained possession of them +through Ham. From Adam and Eve they had descended to Enoch, and from him to +Methuselah, and to Noah, and the last had taken them with him into the ark. +When the inmates of the ark were about to leave their refuge, Ham stole the +garments and kept them concealed, finally passing them on to his first-born son +Cush. Cush in turn hid them for many years. When his son Nimrod reached his +twentieth year, he gave them to him.[78] These garments had a wonderful +property. He who wore them was both invincible and irresistible. The beasts and +birds of the woods fell down before Nimrod as soon as they caught sight of him +arrayed in them,[79] and he was equally victorious in his combats with men.[80] +The source of his unconquerable strength was not known to them. They attributed +it to his personal prowess, and therefore they appointed him king over +themselves.[81] This was done after a conflict between the descendants of Cush +and the descendants of Japheth, from which Nimrod emerged triumphant, having +routed the enemy utterly with the assistance of a handful of warriors. He chose +Shinar as his capital. Thence he extended his dominion farther and farther, +until he rose by cunning and force to be the sole ruler of the whole world, the +first mortal to hold universal sway, as the ninth ruler to possess the same +power will be the Messiah.[82] +</p> + +<p> +His impiousness kept pace with his growing power. Since the flood there had +been no such sinner as Nimrod. He fashioned idols of wood and stone, and paid +worship to them. But not satisfied to lead a godless life himself, he did all +he could to tempt his subjects into evil ways, wherein he was aided and abetted +by his son Mardon. This son of his outstripped his father in iniquity. It was +their time and their life that gave rise to the proverb, "Out of the wicked +cometh forth wickedness."[83] +</p> + +<p> +The great success that attended all of Nimrod's undertakings produced a +sinister effect. Men no longer trusted in God, but rather in their own prowess +and ability,[84] an attitude to which Nimrod tried to convert the whole +world.[85] Therefore people said, "Since the creation of the world there has +been none like Nimrod, a mighty hunter of men and beasts, and a sinner before +God."[86] +</p> + +<p> +And not all this sufficed unto Nimrod's evil desire. Not enough that he turned +men away from God, he did all he could to make them pay Divine honors unto +himself. He set himself up as a god, and made a seat for himself in imitation +of the seat of God. It was a tower built out of a round rock, and on it he +placed a throne of cedar wood, upon which arose, one above the other, four +thrones, of iron, copper, silver, and gold. Crowning all, upon the golden +throne, lay a precious stone, round in shape and gigantic in size. This served +him as a seat, and as he sate upon it, all nations came and paid him Divine +homage.[87] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap51"></a>THE TOWER OF BABEL</h3> + +<p> +The iniquity and godlessness of Nimrod reached their climax in the building of +the Tower of Babel. His counsellors had proposed the plan of erecting such a +tower, Nimrod had agreed to it, and it was executed in Shinar by a mob of six +hundred thousand men. The enterprise was neither more nor less than rebellion +against God, and there were three sorts of rebels among the builders. The first +party spoke, Let us ascend into the heavens and wage warfare with Him; the +second party spoke, Let us ascend into the heavens, set up our idols, and pay +worship unto them there; and the third party spoke, Let us ascend into the +heavens, and ruin them with our bows and spears. +</p> + +<p> +Many, many years were passed in building the tower. It reached so great a +height that it took a year to mount to the top. A brick was, therefore, more +precious in the sight of the builders than a human being. If a man fell down, +and met his death, none took notice of it, but if a brick dropped, they wept, +because it would take a year to replace it. So intent were they upon +accomplishing their purpose that they would not permit a woman to interrupt +herself in her work of brick-making when the hour of travail came upon her. +Moulding bricks she gave birth to her child, and, tying it round her body in a +sheet, she went on moulding bricks. +</p> + +<p> +They never slackened in their work, and from their dizzy height they constantly +shot arrows toward heaven, which, returning, were seen to be covered with +blood. They were thus fortified in their delusion, and they cried, "We have +slain all who are in heaven." Thereupon God turned to the seventy angels who +encompass His throne, and He spake: "Go to, let us go down, and there confound +their language, that they may not understand one another's speech." Thus it +happened. Thenceforth none knew what the other spoke. One would ask for the +mortar, and the other handed him a brick; in a rage, he would throw the brick +at his partner and kill him. Many perished in this manner, and the rest were +punished according to the nature of their rebellious conduct. Those who had +spoken, "Let us ascend into the heavens, set up our idols, and pay worship unto +them there," God transformed into apes and phantoms; those who had proposed to +assault the heavens with their arms, God set against each other so that they +fell in the combat; and those who had resolved to carry on a combat with God in +heaven were scattered broadcast over the earth. As for the unfinished tower, a +part sank into the earth, and another part was consumed by fire; only one-third +of it remained standing.[88] The place of the tower has never lost its peculiar +quality. Whoever passes it forgets all he knows.[89] +</p> + +<p> +The punishment inflicted upon the sinful generation of the tower is +comparatively lenient. On account of rapine the generation of the flood were +utterly destroyed, while the generation of the tower were preserved in spite of +their blasphemies and all their other acts offensive to God. The reason is that +God sets a high value upon peace and harmony. Therefore the generation of the +deluge, who gave themselves up to depredation, and bore hatred to one another, +were extirpated, root and branch, while the generation of the Tower of Babel +dwelling amicably together, and loving one another, were spared alive, at least +a remnant of them.[90] +</p> + +<p> +Beside the chastisement of sin and sinners by the confounding of speech, +another notable circumstance was connected with the descent of God upon +earth—one of only ten such descents to occur between the creation of the world +and the day of judgment. It was on this occasion that God and the seventy +angels that surround His throne cast lots concerning the various nations. Each +angel received a nation, and Israel fell to the lot of God. To every nation a +peculiar language was assigned, Hebrew being reserved for Israel—the language +made use of by God at the creation of the world.[91] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="book05"></a>V<br/> +ABRAHAM</h2> + +<h3><a name="chap52"></a>THE WICKED GENERATIONS</h3> + +<p> +Ten generations there were from Noah to Abraham, to show how great is the +clemency of God, for all the generations provoked His wrath, until Abraham our +father came and received the reward of all of them.[1] For the sake of Abraham +God had shown himself long-suffering and patient during the lives of these ten +generations. Yea, more, the world itself had been created for the sake of his +merits.[2] His advent had been made manifest to his ancestor Reu, who uttered +the following prophecy at the birth of his son Serug: "From this child he shall +be born in the fourth generation that shall set his dwelling over the highest, +and he shall be called perfect and spotless, and shall be the father of +nations, and his covenant shall not be dissolved, and his seed shall be +multiplied forever."[3] +</p> + +<p> +It was, indeed, high time that the "friend of God"[4] should make his +appearance upon earth. The descendants of Noah were sinking from depravity to +lower and lower depths of depravity. They were beginning to quarrel and slay, +eat blood, build fortified cities and walls and towers, and set one man over +the whole nation as king, and wage wars, people against people, and nations +against nations, and cities against cities, and do all manner of evil, and +acquire weapons, and teach warfare unto their children. And they began also to +take captives and sell them as slaves. And they made unto themselves molten +images, which they worshipped, each one the idol he had molten for himself, for +the evil spirits under their leader Mastema led them astray into sin and +uncleanness. For this reason Reu called his son Serug, because all mankind had +turned aside unto sin and transgression. When he grew to manhood, the name was +seen to have been chosen fittingly, for he, too, worshipped idols, and when he +himself had a son, Nahor by name, he taught him the arts of the Chaldees, how +to be a soothsayer and practice magic according to signs in the heavens. When, +in time, a son was born to Nahor, Mastema sent ravens and other birds to +despoil the earth and rob men of the proceeds of their work. As soon as they +had dropped the seed in the furrows, and before they could cover it over with +earth, the birds picked it up from the surface of the ground, and Nahor called +his son Terah, because the ravens and the other birds plagued men, devoured +their seed, and reduced them to destitution.[6] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap53"></a>THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM</h3> + +<p> +Terah married Emtelai, the daughter of Karnabo,[6] and the offspring of their +union was Abraham. His birth had been read in the stars by Nimrod,[7] for this +impious king was a cunning astrologer, and it was manifest to him that a man +would be born in his day who would rise up against him and triumphantly give +the lie to his religion. In his terror at the fate foretold him in the stars, +he sent for his princes and governors, and asked them to advise him in the +matter. They answered, and said: "Our unanimous advice is that thou shouldst +build a great house, station a guard at the entrance thereof, and make known in +the whole of thy realm that all pregnant women shall repair thither together +with their midwives, who are to remain with them when they are delivered. When +the days of a woman to be delivered are fulfilled, and the child is born, it +shall be the duty of the midwife to kill it, if it be a boy. But if the child +be a girl, it shall be kept alive, and the mother shall receive gifts and +costly garments, and a herald shall proclaim, 'Thus is done unto the woman who +bears a daughter!'" +</p> + +<p> +The king was pleased with this counsel, and he had a proclamation published +throughout his whole kingdom, summoning all the architects to build a great +house for him, sixty ells high and eighty wide. After it was completed, he +issued a second proclamation, summoning all pregnant women thither, and there +they were to remain until their confinement. Officers were appointed to take +the women to the house, and guards were stationed in it and about it, to +prevent the women from escaping thence. He furthermore sent midwives to the +house, and commanded them to slay the men children at their mothers' breasts. +But if a woman bore a girl, she was to be arrayed in byssus, silk, and +embroidered garments, and led forth from the house of detention amid great +honors. No less than seventy thousand children were slaughtered thus. Then the +angels appeared before God, and spoke, "Seest Thou not what he doth, yon sinner +and blasphemer, Nimrod son of Canaarl, who slays so many innocent babes that +have done no harm?" God answered, and said: "Ye holy angels, I know it and I +see it, for I neither slumber nor sleep. I behold and I know the secret things +and the things that are revealed, and ye shall witness what I will do unto this +sinner and blasphemer, for I will turn My hand against him to chastise him."[8] +</p> + +<p> +It was about this time that Terah espoused the mother of Abraham, and she was +with child. When her body grew large at the end of three months of +pregnancy,[9] and her countenance became pale, Terah said unto her, "What ails +thee, my wife, that thy countenance is so pale and thy body so swollen?" She +answered, and said, "Every year I suffer with this malady."[10] But Terah would +not be put off thus. He insisted: "Show me thy body. It seems to me thou art +big with child. If that be so, it behooves us not to violate the command of our +god Nimrod."[11] When he passed his hand over her body, there happened a +miracle. The child rose until it lay beneath her breasts, and Terah could feel +nothing with his hands. He said to his wife, "Thou didst speak truly," and +naught became visible until the day of her delivery. +</p> + +<p> +When her time approached, she left the city in great terror and wandered toward +the desert, walking along the edge of a valley,[12] until she happened across a +cave. She entered this refuge, and on the next day she was seized with throes, +and she gave birth to a son. The whole cave was filled with the light of the +child's countenance as with the splendor of the sun, and the mother rejoiced +exceedingly. The babe she bore was our father Abraham. +</p> + +<p> +His mother lamented, and said to her son: "Alas that I bore thee at a time when +Nimrod is king. For thy sake seventy thousand men children were slaughtered, +and I am seized with terror on account of thee, that he hear of thy existence, +and slay thee. Better thou shouldst perish here in this cave than my eye should +behold thee dead at my breast." She took the garment in which she was clothed, +and wrapped it about the boy. Then she abandoned him in the cave, saying, "May +the Lord be with thee, may He not fail thee nor forsake thee."[13] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap54"></a>THE BABE PROCLAIMS GOD</h3> + +<p> +Thus Abraham was deserted in the cave, without a nurse, and he began to wail. +God sent Gabriel down to give him milk to drink, and the angel made it to flow +from the little finger of the baby's right hand, and he sucked at it until he +was ten days old.[14] Then he arose and walked about, and he left the cave, and +went along the edge of the valley.[15] When the sun sank, and the stars came +forth, he said, "These are the gods!" But the dawn came, and the stars could be +seen no longer, and then he said, "I will not pay worship to these, for they +are no gods." Thereupon the sun came forth, and he spoke, "This is my god, him +will I extol." But again the sun set, and he said, "He is no god," and +beholding the moon, he called her his god to whom he would pay Divine homage. +Then the moon was obscured, and he cried out: "This, too, is no god! There is +One who sets them all in motion."[16] +</p> + +<p> +He was still communing with himself when the angel Gabriel approached him and +met him with the greeting, "Peace be with thee," and Abraham returned, "With +thee be peace," and asked, "Who art thou?" And Gabriel answered, and said, "I +am the angel Gabriel, the messenger of God," and he led Abraham to a spring of +water near by, and Abraham washed his face and his hands and feet, and he +prayed to God, bowing down and prostrating himself. +</p> + +<p> +Meantime the mother of Abraham thought of him in sorrow and tears, and she went +forth from the city to seek him in the cave in which she had abandoned him. Not +finding her son, she wept bitterly, and said, "Woe unto me that I bore thee but +to become a prey of wild beasts, the bears and the lions and the wolves!" She +went to the edge of the valley, and there she found her son. But she did not +recognize him, for he had grown very large. She addressed the lad, "Peace be +with thee!" and he returned, "With thee be peace!" and he continued, "Unto what +purpose didst thou come to the desert?" She replied, "I went forth from the +city to seek my son." Abraham questioned further, "Who brought thy son hither?" +and the mother replied thereto: "I had become pregnant from my husband Terah, +and when the days of my delivery were fulfilled, I was in anxiety about my son +in my womb, lest our king come, the son of Canaan, and slay him as he had slain +the seventy thousand other men children. Scarcely had I reached the cave in +this valley when the throes of travailing seized me, and I bore a son, whom I +left behind in the cave, and I went home again. Now am I come to seek him, but +I find him not." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham then spoke, "As to this child thou tellest of, how old was it?" +</p> + +<p> +The mother: "It was about twenty days old." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Is there a woman in the world who would forsake her new-born son in +the desert, and come to seek him after twenty days?" +</p> + +<p> +The mother: "Peradventure God will show Himself a merciful God!" +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "I am the son whom thou hast come to seek in this valley!" +</p> + +<p> +The mother: "My son, how thou art grown! But twenty days old, and thou canst +already walk, and talk with thy mouth!"[17] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "So it is, and thus, O my mother, it is made known unto thee that +there is in the world a great, terrible, living, and ever-existing God, who +doth see, but who cannot be seen. He is in the heavens above, and the whole +earth is full of His glory." +</p> + +<p> +The mother: "My son, is there a God beside Nimrod?" +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Yes, mother, the God of the heavens and the God of the earth, He is +also the God of Nimrod son of Canaan. Go, therefore, and carry this message +unto Nimrod." +</p> + +<p> +The mother of Abraham returned to the city and told her husband Terah how she +had found their son. Terah, who was a prince and a magnate in the house of the +king, betook himself to the royal palace, and cast himself down before the king +upon his face. It was the rule that one who prostrated himself before the king +was not permitted to lift up his head until the king bade him lift it up. +Nimrod gave permission to Terah to rise and state his request. Thereupon Terah +related all that had happened with his wife and his son. When Nimrod heard his +tale, abject fear seized upon him, and he asked his counsellors and princes +what to do with the lad. They answered, and said: "Our king and our god! +Wherefore art thou in fear by reason of a little child? There are myriads upon +myriads of princes in thy realm,[18] rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, +rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens, and overseers without number. Let the +pettiest of the princes go and fetch the boy and put him in prison." But the +king interposed, "Have ye ever seen a baby of twenty days walking with his +feet, speaking with his mouth, and proclaiming with his tongue that there is a +God in heaven, who is One, and none beside Him, who sees and is not seen?" All +the assembled princes were horror struck at these words.[19] +</p> + +<p> +At this time Satan in human form appeared, clad in black silk garb, and he cast +himself down before the king. Nimrod said, "Raise thy head and state thy +request." Satan asked the king: "Why art thou terrified, and why are ye all in +fear on account of a little lad? I will counsel thee what thou shalt do: Open +thy arsenal and give weapons unto all the princes, chiefs, and governors, and +unto all the warriors, and send them to fetch him unto thy service and to be +under thy dominion." +</p> + +<p> +This advice given by Satan the king accepted and followed. He sent a great +armed host to bring Abraham to him. When the boy saw the army approach him, he +was sore afraid, and amid tears he implored God for help. In answer to his +prayer, God sent the angel Gabriel to him, and he said: "Be not afraid and +disquieted, for God is with thee. He will rescue thee out of the hands of all +thine adversaries." God commanded Gabriel to put thick, dark clouds between +Abraham and his assailants. Dismayed by the heavy clouds, they fled, returning +to Nimrod, their king, and they said to him, "Let us depart and leave this +realm," and the king gave money unto all his princes and his servants, and +together with the king they departed and journeyed to Babylon.[20] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap55"></a>ABRAHAM'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC</h3> + +<p> +Now Abraham, at the command of God, was ordered by the angel Gabriel to follow +Nimrod to Babylon. He objected that he was in no wise equipped to undertake a +campaign against the king, but Gabriel calmed him with the words: "Thou needest +no provision for the way, no horse to ride upon, no warriors to carry on war +with Nimrod, no chariots, nor riders. Do thou but sit thyself upon my shoulder, +and I shall bear thee to Babylon." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham did as he was bidden, and in the twinkling of an eye he found himself +before the gates of the city of Babylon.[21] At the behest of the angel, he +entered the city, and he called unto the dwellers therein with a loud voice: +"The Eternal, He is the One Only God, and there is none beside. He is the God +of the heavens, and the God of the gods, and the God of Nimrod. Acknowledge +this as the truth, all ye men, women, and children. Acknowledge also that I am +Abraham His servant, the trusted steward of His house." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham met his parents in Babylon, and also he saw the angel Gabriel, who bade +him proclaim the true faith to his father and his mother. Therefore Abraham +spake to them, and said: "Ye serve a man of your own kind, and you pay worship +to an image of Nimrod. Know ye not that it has a mouth, but it speaks not; an +eye, but it sees not; an ear, but it hears not; nor does it walk upon its feet, +and there is no profit in it, either unto itself or unto others?" +</p> + +<p> +When Terah heard these words, he persuaded Abraham to follow him into the +house, where his son told him all that had happened—how in one day he had +completed a forty days' journey. Terah thereupon went to Nimrod and reported to +him that his son Abraham had suddenly appeared in Babylon.[22] The king sent +for Abraham, and he came before him with his father. Abraham passed the +magnates and the dignitaries until he reached the royal throne, upon which he +seized hold, shaking it and crying out with a loud voice: "O Nimrod, thou +contemptible wretch, that deniest the essence of faith, that deniest the living +and immutable God, and Abraham His servant, the trusted steward of His house. +Acknowledge Him, and repeat after me the words: The Eternal is God, the Only +One, and there is none beside; He is incorporeal, living, ever-existing; He +slumbers not and sleeps not, who hath created the world that men might believe +in Him. And confess also concerning me, and say that I am the servant of God +and the trusted steward of His house."[23] +</p> + +<p> +While Abraham proclaimed this with a loud voice, the idols fell upon their +faces, and with them also King Nimrod.[24] For a space of two hours and a half +the king lay lifeless, and when his soul returned upon him, he spoke and said, +"Is it thy voice, O Abraham, or the voice of thy God?" And Abraham answered, +and said, "This voice is the voice of the least of all creatures called into +existence by God." Thereupon Nimrod said, "Verily, the God of Abraham is a +great and powerful God, the King of all kings," and he commanded Terah to take +his son and remove him, and return again unto his own city, and father and son +did as the king had ordered.[25] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap56"></a>THE PREACHER OF THE TRUE FAITH</h3> + +<p> +When Abraham attained the age of twenty years, his father Terah fell ill. He +spoke as follows to his sons Haran and Abraham, "I adjure you by your lives, my +sons, sell these two idols for me, for I have not enough money to meet our +expenses." Haran executed the wish of his father, but if any one accosted +Abraham, to buy an idol from him, and asked him the price, he would answer, +"Three manehs," and then question in turn, "How old art thou?" "Thirty years," +the reply would be. "Thou art thirty years of age, and yet thou wouldst worship +this idol which I made but to-day?" The man would depart and go his way, and +another would approach Abraham, and ask, "How much is this idol?" and "Five +manehs" would be the reply, and again Abraham would put the question, "How old +art thou?"—"Fifty years."—"And dost thou who art fifty years of age bow down +before this idol which was made but to-day?" Thereupon the man would depart and +go his way. Abraham then took two idols, put a rope about their necks, and, +with their faces turned downward, he dragged them along the ground, crying +aloud all the time: "Who will buy an idol wherein there is no profit, either +unto itself or unto him that buys it in order to worship it? It has a mouth, +but it speaketh not; eyes, but it seeth not; feet, but it walketh not; ears, +but it heareth not." +</p> + +<p> +The people who heard Abraham were amazed exceedingly at his words. As he went +through the streets, he met an old woman who approached him with the purpose of +buying an idol, good and big, to be worshipped and loved. "Old woman, old +woman," said Abraham, "I know no profit therein, either in the big ones or in +the little ones, either unto themselves or unto others. And," he continued to +speak to her, "what has become of the big image thou didst buy from my brother +Haran, to worship it?" "Thieves," she replied, "came in the night and stole it, +while I was still at the bath." "If it be thus," Abraham went on questioning +her, "how canst thou pay homage to an idol that cannot save itself from +thieves, let alone save others, like thyself, thou silly old woman, out of +misfortune? How is it possible for thee to say that the image thou worshippest +is a god? If it be a god, why did it not save itself out of the hands of those +thieves? Nay, in the idol there is no profit, either unto itself or unto him +that adores it."[26] +</p> + +<p> +The old woman rejoined, "If what thou sayest be true, whom shall I serve?" +"Serve the God of all gods," returned Abraham, "the Lord of lords, who hath +created heaven and earth, the sea and all therein—the God of Nimrod and the God +of Terah, the God of the east, the west, the south, and the north. Who is +Nimrod, the dog, who calleth himself a god, that worship be offered unto him?" +</p> + +<p> +Abraham succeeded in opening the eyes of the old woman, and she became a +zealous missionary for the true God. When she discovered the thieves who had +carried off her idol, and they restored it to her, she broke it in pieces with +a stone, and as she wended her way through the streets, she cried aloud, "Who +would save his soul from destruction, and be prosperous in all his doings, let +him serve the God of Abraham." Thus she converted many men and women to the +true belief. +</p> + +<p> +Rumors of the words and deeds of the old woman reached the king, and he sent +for her. When she appeared before him, he rebuked her harshly, asking her how +she dared serve any god but himself. The old woman replied: "Thou art a liar, +thou deniest the essence of faith, the One Only God, beside whom there is no +other god. Thou livest upon His bounty, but thou payest worship to another, and +thou dost repudiate Him, and His teachings, and Abraham His servant." +</p> + +<p> +The old woman had to pay for her zeal for the faith with her life. Nevertheless +great fear and terror took possession of Nimrod, because the people became more +and more attached to the teachings of Abraham, and he knew not how to deal with +the man who was undermining the old faith. At the advice of his princes, he +arranged a seven days' festival, at which all the people were bidden to appear +in their robes of state, their gold and silver apparel. By such display of +wealth and power he expected to intimidate Abraham and bring him back to the +faith of the king. Through his father Terah, Nimrod invited Abraham to come +before him, that he might have the opportunity of seeing his greatness and +wealth, and the glory of his dominion, and the multitude of his princes and +attendants. But Abraham refused to appear before the king. On the other hand, +he granted his father's request that in his absence he sit by his idols and the +king's, and take care of them. +</p> + +<p> +Alone with the idols, and while he repeated the words, "The Eternal He is God, +the Eternal He is God!" he struck the king's idols from their thrones, and +began to belabor them with an axe. With the biggest he started, and with the +smallest he ended. He hacked off the feet of one, and the other he beheaded. +This one had his eyes struck out, the other had his hands crushed.[27] After +all were mutilated, he went away, having first put the axe into the hand of the +largest idol. +</p> + +<p> +The feast ended, the king returned, and when he saw all his idols shivered in +pieces, he inquired who had perpetrated the mischief. Abraham was named as the +one who had been guilty of the outrage, and the king summoned him and +questioned him as to his motive for the deed. Abraham replied: "I did not do +it; it was the largest of the idols who shattered all the rest. Seest thou not +that he still has the axe in his hand? And if thou wilt not believe my words, +ask him and he will tell thee." +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap57"></a>IN THE FIERY FURNACE</h3> + +<p> +Now the king was exceedingly wroth at Abraham, and ordered him to be cast into +prison, where he commanded the warden not to give him bread or water.[28] But +God hearkened unto the prayer of Abraham, and sent Gabriel to him in his +dungeon. For a year the angel dwelt with him, and provided him with all sorts +of food, and a spring of fresh water welled up before him, and he drank of it. +At the end of a year, the magnates of the realm presented themselves before the +king, and advised him to cast Abraham into the fire, that the people might +believe in Nimrod forever. Thereupon the king issued a decree that all the +subjects of the king in all his provinces, men and women, young and old, should +bring wood within forty days, and he caused it to be thrown into a great +furnace and set afire.[29] The flames shot up to the skies, and the people were +sore afraid of the fire. Now the warden of the prison was ordered to bring +Abraham forth and cast him in the flames. The warden reminded the king that +Abraham had not had food or drink a whole year, and therefore must be dead, but +Nimrod nevertheless desired him to step in front of the prison and call his +name. If he made reply, he was to be hauled out to the pyre. If he had +perished, his remains were to receive burial, and his memory was to be wiped +out henceforth. +</p> + +<p> +Greatly amazed the warden was when his cry, "Abraham, art thou alive?" was +answered with "I am living." He questioned further, "Who has been bringing thee +food and drink all these many days?" and Abraham replied: "Food and drink have +been bestowed upon me by Him who is over all things, the God of all gods and +the Lord of all lords, who alone doeth wonders, He who is the God of Nimrod and +the God of Terah and the God of the whole world. He dispenseth food and drink +unto all beings. He sees, but He cannot be seen, He is in the heavens above, +and He is present in all places, for He Himself superviseth all things and +provideth for all." +</p> + +<p> +The miraculous rescue of Abraham from death by starvation and thirst convinced +the prison-keeper of the truth of God and His prophet Abraham, and he +acknowledged his belief in both publicly. The king's threat of death unless he +recanted could not turn him away from his new and true faith. When the hangman +raised his sword and set it at his throat to kill him, he exclaimed, "The +Eternal He is God, the God of the whole world as well as of the blasphemer +Nimrod." But the sword could not cut his flesh. The harder it was pressed +against his throat, the more it broke into pieces.[30] +</p> + +<p> +Nimrod, however, was not to be turned aside from his purpose, to make Abraham +suffer death by fire. One of the princes was dispatched to fetch him forth. But +scarcely did the messenger set about the task of throwing him into the fire, +when the flame leapt forth from the furnace and consumed him. Many more +attempts were made to cast Abraham into the furnace, but always with the same +success—whoever seized him to pitch him in was himself burnt, and a large +number lost their lives. Satan appeared in human shape, and advised the king to +place Abraham in a catapult and sling him into the fire. Thus no one would be +required to come near the flame. Satan himself constructed the catapult. Having +proved it fit three times by means of stones put in the machine, they bound +Abraham, hand and foot, and were about to consign him to the flames. At that +moment Satan, still disguised in human shape, approached Abraham, and said, "If +thou desirest to deliver thyself from the fire of Nimrod, bow down before him +and believe in him." But Abraham rejected the tempter with the words, "May the +Eternal rebuke thee, thou vile, contemptible, accursed blasphemer!" and Satan +departed from him. +</p> + +<p> +Then the mother of Abraham came to him and implored him to pay homage to Nimrod +and escape the impending misfortune. But he said to her: "O mother, water can +extinguish Nimrod's fire, but the fire of God will not die out for evermore. +Water cannot quench it."[31] When his mother heard these words, she spake, "May +the God whom thou servest rescue thee from the fire of Nimrod!" +</p> + +<p> +Abraham was finally placed in the catapult, and he raised his eyes heavenward, +and spoke, "O Lord my God, Thou seest what this sinner purposes to do unto +me!"[32] His confidence in God was unshakable. When the angels received the +Divine permission to save him, and Gabriel approached him, and asked, "Abraham, +shall I save thee from the fire?" he replied, "God in whom I trust, the God of +heaven and earth, will rescue me," and God, seeing the submissive spirit of +Abraham, commanded the fire, "Cool off and bring tranquillity to my servant +Abraham."[33] +</p> + +<p> +No water was needed to extinguish the fire. The logs burst into buds, and all +the different kinds of wood put forth fruit, each tree bearing its own kind. +The furnace was transformed into a royal pleasance, and the angels sat therein +with Abraham. When the king saw the miracle, he said: "Great witchcraft! Thou +makest it known that fire hath no power over thee, and at the same time thou +showest thyself unto the people sitting in a pleasure garden." But the princes +of Nimrod interposed all with one voice, "Nay, our lord, this is not +witchcraft, it is the power of the great God, the God of Abraham, beside whom +there is no other god, and we acknowledge that He is God, and Abraham is His +servant." All the princes and all the people believed in God at this hour, in +the Eternal, the God of Abraham, and they all cried out, "The Lord He is God in +heaven above and upon the earth beneath; there is none else."[34] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham was the superior, not only of the impious king Nimrod and his +attendants, but also of the pious men of his time, Noah, Shem, Eber, and +Asshur.[35] Noah gave himself no concern whatsoever in the matter of spreading +the pure faith in God. He took an interest in planting his vineyard, and was +immersed in material pleasures. Shem and Eber kept in hiding, and as for +Asshur, he said, "How can I live among such sinners?" and departed out of the +land.[36] The only one who remained unshaken was Abraham. "I will not forsake +God," he said, and therefore God did not forsake him, who had hearkened neither +unto his father nor unto his mother. +</p> + +<p> +The miraculous deliverance of Abraham from the fiery furnace, together with his +later fortunes, was the fulfilment and explanation of what his father Terah had +read in the stars. He had seen the star of Haran consumed by fire, and at the +same time fill and rule the whole world. The meaning was plain now. Haran was +irresolute in his faith, he could not decide whether to adhere to Abraham or +the idolaters. When it befell that those who would not serve idols were cast +into the fiery furnace, Haran reasoned in this manner: "Abraham, being my +elder, will be called upon before me. If he comes forth out of the fiery trial +triumphant, I will declare my allegiance to him; otherwise I will take sides +against him." After God Himself had rescued Abraham from death, and Haran's +turn came to make his confession of faith, he announced his adherence to +Abraham. But scarcely had he come near the furnace,[37] when he was seized by +the flames and consumed, because he was lacking in firm faith in God. Terah had +read the stars well, it now appeared: Haran was burnt, and his daughter +Sarah[38] became the wife of Abraham, whose descendants fill the earth.[39] In +another way the death of Haran was noteworthy. It was the first instance, since +the creation of the world, of a son's dying while his father was still +alive.[40] +</p> + +<p> +The king, the princes, and all the people, who had been witnesses of the +wonders done for Abraham, came to him, and prostrated themselves before him. +But Abraham said: "Do not bow down before me, but before God, the Master of the +universe, who hath created you. Serve Him and walk in His ways, for He it was +who delivered me from the flames, and He it is who hath created the soul and +the spirit of every human being, who formeth man in the womb of his mother, and +bringeth him into the world. He saveth from all sickness those who put their +trust in Him." +</p> + +<p> +The king then dismissed Abraham, after loading him down with an abundance of +precious gifts, among them two slaves who had been raised in the royal palace. +'Ogi was the name of the one, Eliezer the name of the other. The princes +followed the example of the king, and they gave him silver, and gold, and gems. +But all these gifts did not rejoice the heart of Abraham so much as the three +hundred followers that joined him and became adherents of his religion. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap58"></a>ABRAHAM EMIGRATES TO HARAN</h3> + +<p> +For a period of two years Abraham could devote himself undisturbed to his +chosen task of turning the hearts of men to God and His teachings.[41] In his +pious undertaking he was aided by his wife Sarah, whom he had married in the +meantime. While he exhorted the men and sought to convert them, Sarah addressed +herself to the women.[42] She was a helpmeet worthy of Abraham. Indeed, in +prophetical powers she ranked higher than her husband.[43] She was sometimes +called Iscah, "the seer," on that account.[44] +</p> + +<p> +At the expiration of two years it happened that Nimrod dreamed a dream. In his +dream he found himself with his army near the fiery furnace in the valley into +which Abraham had been cast. A man resembling Abraham stepped out of the +furnace, and he ran after the king with drawn sword, the king fleeing before +him in terror. While running, the pursuer threw an egg at Nimrod's head, and a +mighty stream issued therefrom, wherein the king's whole host was drowned. The +king alone survived, with three men. When Nimrod examined his companions, he +observed that they wore royal attire, and in form and stature they resembled +himself. The stream changed back into an egg again, and a little chick broke +forth from it, and it flew up, settled upon the head of the king, and put out +one of his eyes. +</p> + +<p> +The king was confounded in his sleep, and when he awoke, his heart beat like a +trip-hammer, and his fear was exceeding great. In the morning, when he arose, +he sent and called for his wise men and his magicians, and told them his dream. +One of his wise men, Anoko by name, stood up, and said: "Know, O king, this +dream points to the misfortune which Abraham and his descendants will bring +upon thee. A time will come when he and his followers will make war upon thy +army, and they will annihilate it. Thou and the three kings, thy allies, will +be the only ones to escape death. But later thou wilt lose thy life at the +hands of one of the descendants of Abraham. Consider, O king, that thy wise men +read this fate of thine in the stars, fifty-two years ago, at the birth of +Abraham. As long as Abraham liveth upon the ground, thou shalt not be +stablished, nor thy kingdom." Nimrod took Anoko's words to heart, and +dispatched some of his servants to seize Abraham and kill him. It happened that +Eliezer, the slave whom Abraham had received as a present from Nimrod, was at +that time at the royal court. With great haste he sped to Abraham to induce him +to flee before the king's bailiffs. His master accepted his advice, and took +refuge in the house of Noah and Shem, where he lay in hiding a whole month. The +king's officers reported that despite zealous efforts Abraham was nowhere to be +found. Thenceforth the king did not concern himself about Abraham. +</p> + +<p> +When Terah visited his son in his hiding-place, Abraham proposed that they +leave the land and take up their abode in Canaan, in order to escape the +pursuit of Nimrod. He said: "Consider that it was not for thy sake that Nimrod +overloaded thee with honors, but for his own profit. Though he continue to +confer the greatest of benefactions upon thee, what are they but earthly +vanity? for riches and possessions profit not in the day of wrath and fury. +Hearken unto my voice, O my father, let us depart for the land of Canaan, and +serve the God that hath created thee, that it may be well with thee." +</p> + +<p> +Noah and Shem aided and abetted the efforts of Abraham to persuade Terah, +whereupon Terah consented to leave his country, and he, and Abraham, and Lot, +the son of Haran, departed for Haran with their households. They found the land +pleasant, and also the inhabitants thereof, who readily yielded to the +influence of Abraham's humane spirit and his piety. Many of them obeyed his +precepts and became God-fearing and good.[45] +</p> + +<p> +Terah's resolve to quit his native land for the sake of Abraham and take up his +abode in strange parts, and his impulse to do it before even the Divine call +visited Abraham himself—this the Lord accounted a great merit unto Terah, and +he was permitted to see his son Abraham rule as king over the whole world. For +when the miracle happened, and Isaac was born unto his aged parents, the whole +world repaired to Abraham and Sarah, and demanded to know what they had done +that so great a thing should be accomplished for them. Abraham told them all +that had happened between Nimrod and himself, how he had been ready to be burnt +for the glory of God, and how the Lord had rescued him from the flames. In +token of their admiration for Abraham and his teachings, they appointed him to +be their king, and in commemoration of Isaac's wondrous birth, the money coined +by Abraham bore the figures of an aged husband and wife on the obverse side, +and of a young man and his wife on the reverse side, for Abraham and Sarah both +were rejuvenated at the birth of Isaac, Abraham's white hair turned black, and +the lines in Sarah's face were smoothed out. +</p> + +<p> +For many years Terah continued to live a witness of his son's glory, for his +death did not occur until Isaac was a youth of thirty-five.[46] And a still +greater reward waited upon his good deed. God accepted his repentance, and when +he departed this life, he entered into Paradise, and not into hell, though he +had passed the larger number of his days in sin. Indeed, it had been his fault +that Abraham came near losing his life at the hands of Nimrod.[47] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap59"></a>THE STAR IN THE EAST</h3> + +<p> +Terah had been a high official at the court of Nimrod, and he was held in great +consideration by the king and his suite. A son was born unto him whom he called +Abram, because the king had raised him to an exalted place. In the night of +Abraham's birth, the astrologers and the wise men of Nimrod came to the house +of Terah, and ate and drank, and rejoiced with him that night. When they left +the house, they lifted up their eyes toward heaven to look at the stars, and +they saw, and, behold, one great star came from the east and ran athwart the +heavens and swallowed up the four stars at the four corners. They all were +astonished at the sight, but they understood this matter, and knew its import. +They said to one another: "This only betokens that the child that hath been +born unto Terah this night will grow up and be fruitful, and he will multiply +and possess all the earth, he and his children forever, and he and his seed +will slay great kings and inherit their lands." +</p> + +<p> +They went home that night, and in the morning they rose up early, and assembled +in their meeting-house. They spake, and said to one another: "Lo, the sight +that we saw last night is hidden from the king, it has not been made known to +him, and should this thing become known to him in the latter days, he will say +to us, Why did you conceal this matter from me? and then we shall all suffer +death. Now, let us go and tell the king the sight which we saw, and the +interpretation thereof, and we shall be clear from this thing." And they went +to the king and told him the sight they had seen, and their interpretation +thereof, and they added the advice that he pay the value of the child to Terah, +and slay the babe. +</p> + +<p> +Accordingly, the king sent for Terah, and when he came, he spake to him: "It +hath been told unto me that a son was born to thee yesternight, and a wondrous +sign was observed in the heavens at his birth. Now give me the boy, that we may +slay him before evil comes upon us from him, and I will give thee thy house +full of silver and gold in exchange for him." Terah answered: "This thing which +thou promisest unto me is like the words which a man spoke to a mule, saying, +'I will give thee a great heap of barley, a houseful thereof, on condition that +I cut off thy head!' The mule replied, 'Of what use will all the barley be to +me, if thou cuttest off my head? Who will eat it when thou givest it to me?' +Thus also do I say: What shall I do with silver and gold after the death of my +son? Who shall inherit me?" But when Terah saw how the king's anger burned +within him at these words, he added, "Whatever the king desireth to do unto his +servant, that let him do, even my son is at the king's disposal, without value +or exchange, he and his two older brethren." +</p> + +<p> +The king spake, however, saying, "I will purchase thy youngest son for a +price." And Terah made answer, "Let my king give me three days' time to +consider the matter and consult about it with my family." The king agreed to +this condition, and on the third day he sent to Terah, saying, "Give me thy son +for a price, as I spoke unto thee, and if thou wilt not do this, I will send +and slay all thou hast in thy house, there shall not be a dog left unto thee." +</p> + +<p> +Then Terah took a child which his handmaid had borne unto him that day, and he +brought the babe to the king, and received value for him, and the king took the +child and dashed his head against the ground, for he thought it was Abraham. +But Terah took his son Abraham, together with the child's mother and his nurse, +and concealed them in a cave, and thither he carried provisions to them once a +month, and the Lord was with Abraham in the cave, and he grew up, but the king +and all his servants thought that Abraham was dead. +</p> + +<p> +And when Abraham was ten years old, he and his mother and his nurse went out +from the cave, for the king and his servants had forgotten the affair of +Abraham. +</p> + +<p> +In that time all the inhabitants of the earth, with the exception of Noah and +his household, transgressed against the Lord, and they made unto themselves +every man his god, gods of wood and stone, which could neither speak, nor hear, +nor deliver from distress. The king and all his servants, and Terah with his +household, were the first to worship images of wood and stone. Terah made +twelve gods of large size, of wood and of stone, corresponding to the twelve +months of the year, and he paid homage to them monthly in turn.[48] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap60"></a>THE TRUE BELIEVER</h3> + +<p> +Once Abraham went into the temple of the idols in his father's house, to bring +sacrifices to them, and he found one of them, Marumath by name, hewn out of +stone, lying prostrate on his face before the iron god of Nahor. The idol was +too heavy for him to raise it alone, and he called his father to help him put +Marumath back in his place. While they were handling the image, its head +dropped off, and Terah took a stone, and chiselled another Marumath, setting +the head of the first upon the new body. Then Terah continued and made five +more gods, and all these he delivered to Abraham, and bade him sell them in the +streets of the city. +</p> + +<p> +Abraham saddled his mule, and went to the inn where merchants from Fandana in +Syria put up on their way to Egypt. He hoped to dispose of his wares there. +When he reached the inn, one of the camels belonging to the merchants belched, +and the sound frightened his mule so that it ran off pell-mell and broke three +of the idols. The merchants not only bought the two sound idols from him, they +also gave him the price of the broken ones, for Abraham had told them how +distressed he was to appear before his father with less money than he had +expected to receive for his handiwork. +</p> + +<p> +This incident made Abraham reflect upon the worthlessness of idols, and he said +to himself: "What are these evil things done by my father? Is not he the god of +his gods, for do they not come into being by reason of his carving and +chiselling and contriving? Were it not more seemly that they should pay worship +to him than he to them, seeing they are the work of his hands?" Meditating +thus, he reached his father's house, and he entered and handed his father the +money for the five images, and Terah rejoiced, and said, "Blessed art thou unto +my gods, because thou didst bring me the price of the idols, and my labor was +not in vain." But Abraham made reply: "Hear, my father Terah, blessed are thy +gods through thee, for thou art their god, since thou didst fashion them, and +their blessing is destruction and their help is vanity. They that help not +themselves, how can they help thee or bless me?" +</p> + +<p> +Terah grew very wrathful at Abraham, that he uttered such speech against his +gods, and Abraham, thinking upon his father's anger, left him and went from the +house. But Terah called him back, and said, "Gather together the chips of the +oak wood from which I made images before thou didst return, and prepare my +dinner for me." Abraham made ready to do his father's bidding, and as he took +up the chips he found a little god among them, whose forehead bore the +inscription "God Barisat." He threw the chips upon the fire, and set Barisat up +next to it, saying: "Attention! Take care, Barisat, that the fire go not out +until I come back. If it burns low, blow into it, and make it flame up again." +Speaking thus, he went out. When he came in again, he found Barisat lying prone +upon his back, badly burnt. Smiling, he said to himself, "In truth, Barisat, +thou canst keep the fire alive and prepare food," and while he spoke, the idol +was consumed to ashes. Then he took the dishes to his father, and he ate and +drank and was glad and blessed his god Marumath. But Abraham said to his +father, "Bless not thy god Marumath, but rather thy god Barisat, for he it was +who, out of his great love for thee, threw himself into the fire that thy meal +might be cooked." "Where is he now?" exclaimed Terah, and Abraham answered, "He +hath become ashes in the fierceness of the fire." Terah said, "Great is the +power of Barisat! I will make me another this day, and to-morrow he will +prepare my food for me." +</p> + +<p> +These words of his father made Abraham laugh in his mind, but his soul was +grieved at his obduracy, and he proceeded to make clear his views upon the +idols, saying: "Father, no matter which of the two idols thou blessest, thy +behavior is senseless, for the images that stand in the holy temple are more to +be worshipped than thine. Zucheus, the god of my brother Nahor, is more +venerable than Marumath, because he is made cunningly of gold, and when he +grows old, he will be worked over again. But when thy Marumath becomes dim, or +is shivered in pieces, he will not be renewed, for he is of stone. And the god +Joauv, who stands above the other gods with Zucheus, is more venerable than +Barisat, made of wood, because he is hammered out of silver, and ornamented by +men, to show his magnificence. But thy Barisat, before thou didst fashion him +into a god with thy axe, was rooted in the earth, standing there great and +wonderful, with the glory of branches and blossoms. Now he is dry, and gone is +his sap. From his height he has fallen to the earth, from grandeur he came to +pettiness, and the appearance of his face has paled away, and he himself was +burnt in the fire, and he was consumed unto ashes, and he is no more. And thou +didst then say, 'I will make me another this day, and to-morrow he will prepare +my food for me.' Father," Abraham continued, and said, "the fire is more to be +worshipped than thy gods of gold and silver and wood and stone, because it +consumes them. But also the fire I call not god, because it is subject to the +water, which quenches it. But also the water I call not god, because it is +sucked up by the earth, and I call the earth more venerable, because it +conquers the water. But also the earth I call not god, because it is dried out +by the sun, and I call the sun more venerable than the earth, because he +illumines the whole world with his rays. But also the sun I call not god, +because his light is obscured when darkness cometh up. Nor do I call the moon +and the stars gods, because their light, too, is extinguished when their time +to shine is past. But hearken unto this, my father Terah, which I will declare +unto thee, The God who hath created all things, He is the true God, He hath +empurpled the heavens, and gilded the sun, and given radiance to the moon and +also the stars, and He drieth out the earth in the midst of many waters, and +also thee hath He put upon the earth, and me hath He sought out in the +confusion of my thoughts."[49] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap61"></a>THE ICONOCLAST</h3> + +<p> +But Terah could not be convinced, and in reply to Abraham's question, who the +God was that had created heaven and earth and the children of men, he took him +to the hall wherein stood twelve great idols and a large number of little +idols, and pointing to them he said, "Here are they who have made all thou +seest on earth, they who have created also me and thee and all men on the +earth," and he bowed down before his gods, and left the hall with his son. +</p> + +<p> +Abraham went thence to his mother, and he spoke to her, saying: "Behold, my +father has shown those unto me who made heaven and earth and all the sons of +men. Now, therefore, hasten and fetch a kid from the flock, and make of it +savory meat, that I may bring it to my father's gods, perhaps I may thereby +become acceptable to them." His mother did according to his request, but when +Abraham brought the offering to the gods, he saw that they had no voice, no +hearing, no motion, and not one of them stretched forth his hand to eat. +Abraham mocked them, and said, "Surely, the savory meat that I prepared doth +not please you, or perhaps it is too little for you! Therefore I will prepare +fresh savory meat to-morrow, better and more plentiful than this, that I may +see what cometh therefrom." But the gods remained mute and without motion +before the second offering of excellent savory meat as before the first +offering, and the spirit of God came over Abraham, and he cried out, and said: +"Woe unto my father and his wicked generation, whose hearts are all inclined to +vanity, who serve these idols of wood and stone, which cannot eat, nor smell, +nor hear, nor speak, which have mouths without speech, eyes without sight, ears +without hearing, hands without feeling, and legs without motion!" +</p> + +<p> +Abraham then took a hatchet in his hand, and broke all his father's gods, and +when he had done breaking them he placed the hatchet in the hand of the biggest +god among them all, and he went out. Terah, having heard the crash of the +hatchet on the stone, ran to the room of the idols, and he reached it at the +moment when Abraham was leaving it, and when he saw what had happened, he +hastened after Abraham, and he said to him, "What is this mischief thou hast +done to my gods?" Abraham answered: "I set savory meat before them, and when I +came nigh unto them, that they might eat, they all stretched out their hands to +take of the meat, before the big one had put forth his hand to eat. This one, +enraged against them on account of their behavior, took the hatchet and broke +them all, and, behold, the hatchet is yet in his hands, as thou mayest see." +</p> + +<p> +Then Terah turned in wrath upon Abraham, and he said: "Thou speakest lies unto +me! Is there spirit, soul, or power in these gods to do all thou hast told me? +Are they not wood and stone? and have I not myself made them? It is thou that +didst place the hatchet in the hand of the big god, and thou sayest he smote +them all." Abraham answered his father, and said: "How, then, canst thou serve +these idols in whom there is no power to do anything? Can these idols in which +thou trustest deliver thee? Can they hear thy prayers when thou callest upon +them?" After having spoken these and similar words, admonishing his father to +mend his ways and refrain from worshipping idols, he leapt up before Terah, +took the hatchet from the big idol, broke it therewith, and ran away. +</p> + +<p> +Terah hastened to Nimrod, bowed down before him, and besought him to hear his +story, about his son who had been born to him fifty years back, and how he had +done to his gods, and how he had spoken. "Now, therefore, my lord and king," he +said, "send for him that he may come before thee, and do thou judge him +according to the law, that we may be delivered from his evil." When Abraham was +brought before the king, he told him the same story as he had told Terah, about +the big god who broke the smaller ones, but the king replied, "Idols do neither +speak, nor eat, nor move." Then Abraham reproached him for worshipping gods +that can do nothing, and admonished him to serve the God of the universe. His +last words were, "If thy wicked heart will not hearken to my words, to cause +thee to forsake thy evil ways and serve the Eternal God, then wilt thou die in +shame in the latter days, thou, thy people, and all that are connected with +thee, who hear thy words, and walk in thy evil ways." +</p> + +<p> +The king ordered Abraham to be put into prison, and at the end of ten days he +caused all the princes and great men of the realm to appear before him, and to +them he put the case of Abraham. Their verdict was that he should be burnt, +and, accordingly, the king had a fire prepared for three days and three nights, +in his furnace at Kasdim, and Abraham was to be carried thither from prison to +be burnt. +</p> + +<p> +All the inhabitants of the land, about nine hundred thousand men, and the women +and the children besides, came to see what would be done with Abraham. And when +he was brought forth, the astrologers recognized him, and they said to the +king, "Surely, this is the man whom we knew as a child, at whose birth the +great star swallowed the four stars. Behold, his father did transgress thy +command, and he made a mockery of thee, for he did bring thee another child, +and him didst thou kill." +</p> + +<p> +Terah was greatly terrified, for he was afraid of the king's wrath, and he +admitted that he had deceived the king, and when the king said, "Tell me who +advised thee to do this. Hide naught, and thou shalt not die," he falsely +accused Haran, who had been thirty-two years old at the time of Abraham's +birth, of having advised him to deceive the king. At the command of the king, +Abraham and Haran, stripped of all their clothes except their hosen, and their +hands and feet bound with linen cords, were cast into the furnace. Haran, +because his heart was not perfect with the Lord, perished in the fire, and also +the men who cast them into the furnace were burnt by the flames which leapt out +over them, and Abraham alone was saved by the Lord, and he was not burnt, +though the cords with which he was bound were consumed. For three days and +three nights Abraham walked in the midst of the fire, and all the servants of +the king came and told him, "Behold, we have seen Abraham walking about in the +midst of the fire."[50] +</p> + +<p> +At first the king would not believe them, but when some of his faithful princes +corroborated the words of his servants, he rose up and went to see for himself. +He then commanded his servants to take Abraham from the fire, but they could +not, because the flames leapt toward them from the furnace, and when they tried +again, at the king's command, to approach the furnace, the flames shot out and +burnt their faces, so that eight of their number died. The king then called +unto Abraham, and said: "O servant of the God who is in heaven, go forth from +the midst of the fire, and come hither and stand before me," and Abraham came +and stood before the king. And the king spoke to Abraham, and said, "How cometh +it that thou wast not burnt in the fire?" And Abraham made answer, "The God of +heaven and earth in whom I trust, and who hath all things in His power, He did +deliver me from the fire into which thou didst cast me."[51] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap62"></a>ABRAHAM IN CANAAN</h3> + +<p> +With ten temptations Abraham was tempted, and he withstood them all, showing +how great was the love of Abraham.[52] The first test to which he was subjected +was the departure from his native land. The hardships were many and severe +which he encountered, and he was loth to leave his home, besides. He spoke to +God, and said, "Will not the people talk about me, and say, 'He is endeavoring +to bring the nations under the wings of the Shekinah, yet he leaves his old +father in Haran, and he goes away.'" But God answered him, and said: "Dismiss +all care concerning thy father and thy kinsmen from thy thoughts. Though they +speak words of kindness to thee, yet are they all of one mind, to ruin +thee."[53] +</p> + +<p> +Then Abraham forsook his father in Haran, and journeyed to Canaan, accompanied +by the blessing of God, who said unto him, "I will make of thee a great nation, +and I will bless thee, and make thy name great." These three blessings were to +counteract the evil consequences which, he feared, would follow emigration, for +travelling from place to place interferes with the growth of the family, it +lessens one's substance, and it diminishes the consideration one enjoys.[54] +The greatest of all blessings, however, was the word of God, "And be thou a +blessing." The meaning of this was that whoever came in contact with Abraham +was blessed. Even the mariners on the sea were indebted to him for prosperous +voyages.[55] Besides, God held out the promise to him that in time to come his +name would be mentioned in the Benedictions, God would be praised as the Shield +of Abraham, a distinction accorded to no other mortal except David.[56] But the +words, "And be thou a blessing," will be fulfilled only in the future world, +when the seed of Abraham shall be known among the nations and his offspring +among the peoples as "the seed which the Lord hath blessed."[57] +</p> + +<p> +When Abraham first was bidden to leave his home, he was not told to what land +he was to journey—all the greater would be his reward for executing the command +of God.[58] And Abraham showed his trust in God, for he said, "I am ready to go +whithersoever Thou sendest me." The Lord then bade him go to a land wherein He +would reveal Himself, and when he went to Canaan later, God appeared to him, +and he knew that it was the promised land.[59] +</p> + +<p> +On entering Canaan, Abraham did not yet know that it was the land appointed as +his inheritance. Nevertheless he rejoiced when he reached it. In Mesopotamia +and in Aramnaharaim, the inhabitants of which he had seen eating, drinking, and +acting wantonly, he had always wished, "O that my portion may not be in this +land," but when he came to Canaan, he observed that the people devoted +themselves industriously to the cultivation of the land, and he said, "O that +my portion may be in this land!" God then spoke to him, and said, "Unto thy +seed will I give this land."[60] Happy in these joyous tidings, Abraham erected +an altar to the Lord to give thanks unto Him for the promise, and then he +journeyed on, southward, in the direction of the spot whereon the Temple was +once to stand. In Hebron he again erected an altar, thus taking possession of +the land in a measure. And likewise he raised an altar in Ai, because he +foresaw that a misfortune would befall his offspring there, at the conquest of +the land under Joshua. The altar, he hoped, would obviate the evil results that +might follow. +</p> + +<p> +Each altar raised by him was a centre for his activities as a missionary. As +soon as he came to a place in which he desired to sojourn, he would stretch a +tent first for Sarah, and next for himself, and then he would proceed at once +to make proselytes and bring them under the wings of the Shekinah. Thus he +accomplished his purpose of inducing all men to proclaim the Name of God.[61] +</p> + +<p> +For the present Abraham was but a stranger in his promised land. After the +partition of the earth among the sons of Noah, when all had gone to their +allotted portions, it happened that Canaan son of Ham saw that the land +extending from the Lebanon to the River of Egypt was fair to look upon, and he +refused to go to his own allotment, westward by the sea. He settled in the land +upon Lebanon, eastward and westward from the border of the Jordan and the +border of the sea. And Ham, his father, and his brothers Cush and Mizraim spoke +to him, and said: "Thou livest in a land that is not thine, for it was not +assigned unto us when the lots were drawn. Do not thus! But if thou persistest, +ye, thou and thy children, will fall, accursed, in the land, in a rebellion. +Thy settling here was rebellion, and through rebellion thy children will be +felled down, and thy seed will be destroyed unto all eternity. Sojourn not in +the land of Shem, for unto Shem and unto the children of Shem was it +apportioned by lot. Accursed art thou, and accursed wilt thou be before all the +children of Noah on account of the curse, for we took an oath before the holy +Judge and before our father Noah." +</p> + +<p> +But Canaan hearkened not unto the words of his father and his brothers. He +dwelt in the land of the Lebanon from Hamath even unto the entrance of Egypt, +he and his sons.[62] Though the Canaanites had taken unlawful possession of the +land, yet Abraham respected their rights; he provided his camels with muzzles, +to prevent them from pasturing upon the property of others.[63] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap63"></a>HIS SOJOURN IN EGYPT</h3> + +<p> +Scarcely had Abraham established himself in Canaan, when a devastating famine +broke out—one of the ten God appointed famines for the chastisement of men. The +first of them came in the time of Adam, when God cursed the ground for his +sake; the second was this one in the time of Abraham; the third compelled Isaac +to take up his abode among the Philistines; the ravages of the fourth drove the +sons of Jacob into Egypt to buy grain for food; the fifth came in the time of +the Judges, when Elimelech and his family had to seek refuge in the land of +Moab; the sixth occurred during the reign of David, and it lasted three years; +the seventh happened in the day of Elijah, who had sworn that neither rain nor +dew should fall upon the earth; the eighth was the one in the time of Elisha, +when an ass's head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver; the ninth is the +famine that comes upon men piecemeal, from time to time; and the tenth will +scourge men before the advent of Messiah, and this last will be "not a famine +of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord."[64] +</p> + +<p> +The famine in the time of Abraham prevailed only in Canaan, and it had been +inflicted upon the land in order to test his faith. He stood this second +temptation as he had the first. He murmured not, and he showed no sign of +impatience toward God, who had bidden him shortly before to abandon his native +land for a land of starvation.[65] The famine compelled him to leave Canaan for +a time, and he repaired to Egypt, to become acquainted there with the wisdom of +the priests and, if necessary, give them instruction in the truth.[66] +</p> + +<p> +On this journey from Canaan to Egypt, Abraham first observed the beauty of +Sarah. Chaste as he was, he had never before looked at her, but now, when they +were wading through a stream, he saw the reflection of her beauty in the water +like the brilliance of the sun.[67] Wherefore he spoke to her thus, "The +Egyptians are very sensual, and I will put thee in a casket that no harm befall +me on account of thee." At the Egyptian boundary, the tax collectors asked him +about the contents of the casket, and Abraham told them he had barley in it. +"No," they said, "it contains wheat." "Very well," replied Abraham, "I am +prepared to pay the tax on wheat." The officers then hazarded the guess, "It +contains pepper!" Abraham agreed to pay the tax on pepper, and when they +charged him with concealing gold in the casket, he did not refuse to pay the +tax on gold, and finally on precious stones. Seeing that he demurred to no +charge, however high, the tax collectors, made thoroughly suspicious, insisted +upon his unfastening the casket and letting them examine the contents. When it +was forced open, the whole of Egypt was resplendent with the beauty of Sarah. +In comparison with her, all other beauties were like apes compared with men. +She excelled Eve herself.[68] The servants of Pharaoh outbid one another in +seeking to obtain possession of her, though they were of opinion that so +radiant a beauty ought not to remain the property of a private individual. They +reported the matter to the king,[69] and Pharaoh sent a powerful armed force to +bring Sarah to the palace,[70] and so bewitched was he by her charms that those +who had brought him the news of her coming into Egypt were loaded down with +bountiful gifts.[71] +</p> + +<p> +Amid tears, Abraham offered up a prayer. He entreated God in these words: "Is +this the reward for my confidence in Thee? For the sake of Thy grace and Thy +lovingkindness, let not my hope be put to shame."[72] Sarah also implored God, +saying: "O God, Thou didst bid my lord Abraham leave his home, the land of his +fathers, and journey to Canaan, and Thou didst promise him to do good unto him +if he fulfilled Thy commands. And now we have done as Thou didst command us to +do. We left our country and our kindred, and we journeyed to a strange land, +unto a people which we knew not heretofore. We came hither to save our people +from starvation, and now hath this terrible misfortune befallen. O Lord, help +me and save me from the hand of this enemy, and for the sake of Thy grace show +me good." +</p> + +<p> +An angel appeared unto Sarah while she was in the presence of the king, to whom +he was not visible, and he bade her take courage, saying, "Fear naught, Sarah, +for God hath heard thy prayer." The king questioned Sarah as to the man in the +company of whom she had come to Egypt, and Sarah called Abraham her brother. +Pharaoh pledged himself to make Abraham great and powerful, to do for him +whatever she wished. He sent much gold and silver to Abraham, and diamonds and +pearls, sheep and oxen, and men slaves and women slaves, and he assigned a +residence to him within the precincts of the royal palace.[73] In the love he +bore Sarah, he wrote out a marriage contract, deeding to her all he owned in +the way of gold and silver, and men slaves and women slaves, and the province +of Goshen besides, the province occupied in later days by the descendants of +Sarah, because it was their property. Most remarkable of all, he gave her his +own daughter Hagar as slave, for he preferred to see his daughter the servant +of Sarah to reigning as mistress in another harem.[74] +</p> + +<p> +His free-handed generosity availed naught. During the night, when he was about +to approach Sarah, an angel appeared armed with a stick, and if Pharaoh but +touched Sarah's shoe to remove it from her foot, the angel planted a blow upon +his hand, and when he grasped her dress, a second blow followed. At each blow +he was about to deal, the angel asked Sarah whether he was to let it descend, +and if she bade him give Pharaoh a moment to recover himself, he waited and did +as she desired. And another great miracle came to pass. Pharaoh, and his +nobles, and his servants, the very walls of his house and his bed were +afflicted with leprosy, and he could not indulge his carnal desires.[75] This +night in which Pharaoh and his court suffered their well deserved punishment +was the night of the fifteenth of Nisan, the same night wherein God visited the +Egyptians in a later time in order to redeem Israel, the descendants of +Sarah.[76] +</p> + +<p> +Horrified by the plague sent upon him, Pharaoh inquired how he could rid +himself thereof. He applied to the priests, from whom he found out the true +cause of his affliction, which was corroborated by Sarah. He then sent for +Abraham and returned his wife to him, pure and untouched, and excused himself +for what had happened, saying that he had had the intention of connecting +himself in marriage with him, whom he had thought to be the brother of +Sarah.[77] He bestowed rich gifts upon the husband and the wife, and they +departed for Canaan, after a three months' sojourn in Egypt.[78] +</p> + +<p> +Arrived in Canaan they sought the same night-shelters at which they had rested +before, in order to pay their accounts, and also to teach by their example that +it is not proper to seek new quarters unless one is forced to it.[79] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham's sojourn in Egypt was of great service to the inhabitants of the +country, because he demonstrated to the wise men of the land how empty and vain +their views were, and also he taught them astronomy and astrology, unknown in +Egypt before his time.[80] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap64"></a>THE FIRST PHARAOH</h3> + +<p> +The Egyptian ruler, whose meeting with Abraham had proved so untoward an event, +was the first to bear the name Pharaoh. The succeeding kings were named thus +after him. The origin of the name is connected with the life and adventures of +Rakyon, Have-naught, a man wise, handsome, and poor, who lived in the land of +Shinar. Finding himself unable to support himself in Shinar, he resolved to +depart for Egypt, where he expected to display his wisdom before the king, +Ashwerosh, the son of 'Anam. Perhaps he would find grace in the eyes of the +king, who would give Rakyon the opportunity of supporting himself and rising to +be a great man. When he reached Egypt, he learnt that it was the custom of the +country for the king to remain in retirement in his palace, removed from the +sight of the people. Only on one day of the year he showed himself in public, +and received all who had a petition to submit to him. Richer by a +disappointment, Rakyon knew not how he was to earn a livelihood in the strange +country. He was forced to spend the night in a ruin, hungry as he was. The next +day he decided to try to earn something by selling vegetables. By a lucky +chance he fell in with some dealers in vegetables, but as he did not know the +customs of the country, his new undertaking was not favored with good fortune. +Ruffians assaulted him, snatched his wares from him, and made a laughing-stock +of him. The second night, which he was compelled to spend in the ruin again, a +sly plan ripened in his mind. He arose and gathered together a crew of thirty +lusty fellows. He took them to the graveyard, and bade them, in the name of the +king, charge two hundred pieces of silver for every body they buried. Otherwise +interment was to be prevented. In this way he succeeded in amassing great +wealth within eight months. Not only did he acquire silver, gold, and precious +gems, but also he attached a considerable force, armed and mounted, to his +person. +</p> + +<p> +On the day on which the king appeared among the people, they began to complain +of this tax upon the dead. They said: "What is this thou art inflicting upon +thy servants—permitting none to be buried unless they pay thee silver and gold! +Has a thing like this come to pass in the world since the days of Adam, that +the dead should not be interred unless money be paid therefor! We know well +that it is the privilege of the king to take an annual tax from the living. But +thou takest tribute from the dead, too, and thou exactest it day by day. O +king, we cannot endure this any longer, for the whole of the city is ruined +thereby." +</p> + +<p> +The king, who had had no suspicion of Rakyon's doings, fell into a great rage +when the people gave him information about them. He ordered him and his armed +force to appear before him. Rakyon did not come empty-handed. He was preceded +by a thousand youths and maidens, mounted upon steeds and arrayed in state +apparel. These were a present to the king. When he himself stepped before the +king, he delivered gold, silver, and diamonds to him in great abundance, and a +magnificent charger. These gifts and the display of splendor did not fail of +taking effect upon the king, and when Rakyon, in well-considered words and with +a pliant tongue, described the undertaking, he won not only the king to his +side, but also the whole court, and the king said to him, "No longer shalt thou +be called Rakyon, Have-naught, but Pharaoh, Paymaster, for thou didst collect +taxes from the dead." +</p> + +<p> +So profound was the impression made by Rakyon that the king, the grandees, and +the people, all together resolved to put the guidance of the realm in the hands +of Pharaoh. Under the suzerainty of Ashwerosh he administered law and justice +throughout the year; only on the one day when he showed himself to the people +did the king himself give judgment and decide cases. Through the power thus +conferred upon him and through cunning practices, Pharaoh succeeded in usurping +royal authority, and he collected taxes from all the inhabitants of Egypt. +Nevertheless he was beloved of the people, and it was decreed that every ruler +of Egypt should thenceforth bear the name Pharaoh.[81] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap65"></a>THE WAR OF THE KINGS</h3> + +<p> +On his return from Egypt Abraham's relations to his own family were disturbed +by annoying circumstances. Strife developed between the herdmen of his cattle +and the herdmen of Lot's cattle. Abraham furnished his herds with muzzles, but +Lot made no such provision, and when the shepherds that pastured Abraham's +flocks took Lot's shepherds to task on account of the omission, the latter +replied: "It is known of a surety that God said unto Abraham, 'To thy seed will +I give the land.' But Abraham is a sterile mule. Never will he have children. +On the morrow he will die, and Lot will be his heir. Thus the flocks of Lot are +but consuming what belongs to them or their master." But God spoke: "Verily, I +said unto Abraham I would give the land unto his seed, but only after the seven +nations shall have been destroyed from out of the land. To-day the Canaanites +are therein, and the Perizzites. They still have the right of habitation." +</p> + +<p> +Now, when the strife extended from the servants to the masters, and Abraham +vainly called his nephew Lot to account for his unbecoming behavior, Abraham +decided he would have to part from his kinsman, though he should have to compel +Lot thereto by force. Lot thereupon separated himself not from Abraham alone, +but from the God of Abraham also, and he betook himself to a district in which +immorality and sin reigned supreme, wherefore punishment overtook him, for his +own flesh seduced him later unto sin. +</p> + +<p> +God was displeased with Abraham for not living in peace and harmony with his +own kindred, as he lived with all the world beside. On the other hand, God also +took it in ill part that Abraham was accepting Lot tacitly as his heir, though +He had promised him, in clear, unmistakable words, "To thy seed will I give the +land." After Abraham had separated himself from Lot, he received the assurance +again that Canaan should once belong to his seed, which God would multiply as +the sand which is upon the sea-shore. As the sand fills the whole earth, so the +offspring of Abraham would be scattered over the whole earth, from end to end; +and as the earth is blessed only when it is moistened with water, so his +offspring would be blessed through the Torah, which is likened unto water; and +as the earth endures longer than metal, so his offspring would endure forever, +while the heathen would vanish; and as the earth is trodden upon, so his +offspring would be trodden upon by the four kingdoms.[82] +</p> + +<p> +The departure of Lot had a serious consequence, for the war waged by Abraham +against the four kings is intimately connected with it. Lot desired to settle +in the well-watered circle of the Jordan, but the only city of the plain that +would receive him was Sodom, the king of which admitted the nephew of Abraham +out of consideration for the latter.[83] The five impious kings planned first +to make war upon Sodom on account of Lot and then advance upon Abraham.[84] For +one of the five, Amraphel, was none other than Nimrod, Abraham's enemy from of +old. The immediate occasion for the war was this: Chedorlaomer, one of Nimrod's +generals, rebelled against him after the builders of the tower were dispersed, +and he set himself up as king of Elam. Then he subjugated the Hamitic tribes +living in the five cities of the plain of the Jordan, and made them tributary. +For twelve years they were faithful to their sovereign ruler Chedorlaomer, but +then they refused to pay the tribute, and they persisted in their +insubordination for thirteen years. Making the most of Chedorlaomer's +embarrassment, Nimrod led a host of seven thousand warriors against his former +general. In the battle fought between Elam and Shinar, Nimrod suffered a +disastrous defeat, he lost six hundred of his army, and among the slain was the +king's son Mardon. Humiliated and abased, he returned to his country, and he +was forced to acknowledge the suzerainty of Chedorlaomer, who now proceeded to +form an alliance with Arioch king of Ellasar, and Tidal, the king of several +nations, the purpose of which was to crush the cities of the circle of the +Jordan. The united forces of these kings, numbering eight hundred thousand, +marched upon the five cities, subduing whatever they encountered in their +course,[85] and annihilating the descendants of the giants. Fortified places, +unwalled cities, and flat, open country, all fell in their hands.[86] They +pushed on through the desert as far as the spring issuing from the rock at +Kadesh, the spot appointed by God as the place of pronouncing judgment against +Moses and Aaron on account of the waters of strife. Thence they turned toward +the central portion of Palestine, the country of dates, where they encountered +the five godless kings, Bera, the villain, king of Sodom; Birsha, the sinner, +king of Gomorrah; Shinab, the father-hater, king of Admah; Shemeber, the +voluptuary, king of Zeboiim; and the king of Bela, the city that devours its +inhabitants. The five were routed in the fruitful Vale of Siddim, the canals of +which later formed the Dead Sea. They that remained of the rank and file fled +to the mountains, but the kings fell into the slime pits and stuck there. Only +the king of Sodom was rescued, miraculously, for the purpose that he might +convert those heathen to faith in God that had not believed in the wonderful +deliverance of Abraham from the fiery furnace.[87] +</p> + +<p> +The victors despoiled Sodom of all its goods and victuals, and took Lot, +boasting, "We have taken the son of Abraham's brother captive," so betraying +the real object of their undertaking; their innermost desire was to strike at +Abraham.[88] +</p> + +<p> +It was on the first evening of the Passover, and Abraham was eating of the +unleavened bread,[89] when the archangel Michael brought him the report of +Lot's captivity. This angel bears another name besides, Palit, the escaped, +because when God threw Samael and his host from their holy place in heaven, the +rebellious leader held on to Michael and tried to drag him along downward, and +Michael escaped falling from heaven only through the help of God.[90] +</p> + +<p> +When the report of his nephew's evil state reached Abraham, he straightway +dismissed all thought of his dissensions with Lot from his mind, and only +considered ways and means of deliverance.[91] He convoked his disciples to whom +he had taught the true faith, and who all called themselves by the name +Abraham.[92] He gave them gold and silver, saying at the same time: "Know that +we go to war for the purpose of saving human lives. Therefore, do ye not direct +your eyes upon money, here lie gold and silver before you." Furthermore he +admonished them in these words: "We are preparing to go to war. Let none join +us who hath committed a trespass, and fears that Divine punishment will descend +upon him." Alarmed by his warning, not one would obey his call to arms, they +were fearful on account of their sins. Eliezer alone remained with him, +wherefore God spake, and said: "All forsook thee save only Eliezer. Verily, I +shall invest him with the strength of the three hundred and eighteen men whose +aid thou didst seek in vain."[93] +</p> + +<p> +The battle fought with the mighty hosts of the kings, from which Abraham +emerged victorious, happened on the fifteenth of Nisan, the night appointed for +miraculous deeds.[94] The arrows and stones hurled at him effected naught,[95] +but the dust of the ground, the chaff, and the stubble which he threw at the +enemy were transformed into death-dealing javelins and swords.[96] Abraham, as +tall as seventy men set on end, and requiring as much food and drink as seventy +men, marched forward with giant strides, each of his steps measuring four +miles, until he overtook the kings, and annihilated their troops. Further he +could not go, for he had reached Dan, where Jeroboam would once raise the +golden calves, and on this ominous spot Abraham's strength diminished.[97] +</p> + +<p> +His victory was possible only because the celestial powers espoused his side. +The planet Jupiter made the night bright for him, and an angel, Lailah by name, +fought for him.[98] In a true sense, it was a victory of God. All the nations +acknowledged his more than human achievement, and they fashioned a throne for +Abraham, and erected it on the field of battle. When they attempted to seat him +upon it, amid exclamations of "Thou art our king! Thou art our prince! Thou art +our god!" Abraham warded them off, and said, "The universe has its King, and it +has its God!" He declined all honors, and returned his property unto each man. +Only the little children he kept by himself. He reared them in the knowledge of +God, and later they atoned for the disgrace of their parents. +</p> + +<p> +Somewhat arrogantly the king of Sodom set out to meet Abraham. He was proud +that a great miracle, his rescue from the slime pit, had been performed for +him, too. He made Abraham the proposition that he keep the despoiled goods for +himself.[99] But Abraham refused them, and said: "I have lift up mine hand unto +the Lord, God Most High, who hath created the world for the sake of the pious, +that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught that is thine. I +have no right upon any goods taken as spoils,[100] save only that which the +young men have eaten, and the portion of the men who tarried by the stuff, +though they went not down to the battle itself." The example of Abraham in +giving a share in the spoils even unto the men not concerned directly in the +battle, was followed later by David, who heeded not the protest of the wicked +men and the base fellows with him, that the watchers who staid by the stuff +were not entitled to share alike with the warriors that had gone down to the +battle.[101] +</p> + +<p> +In spite of his great success, Abraham nevertheless was concerned about the +issue of the war. He feared that the prohibition against shedding the blood of +man had been transgressed, and he also dreaded the resentment of Shem, whose +descendants had perished in the encounter. But God reassured him, and said: "Be +not afraid! Thou hast but extirpated the thorns, and as to Shem, he will bless +thee rather than curse thee." So it was. When Abraham returned from the war, +Shem, or, as he is sometimes called, Melchizedek, the king of righteousness, +priest of God Most High, and king of Jerusalem, came forth to meet him with +bread and wine.[102] And this high priest instructed Abraham in the laws of the +priesthood and in the Torah, and to prove his friendship for him he blessed +him, and called him the partner of God in the possession of the world, seeing +that through him the Name of God had first been made known among men.[103] But +Melchizedek arranged the words of his blessing in an unseemly way. He named +Abraham first and then God. As a punishment, he was deposed by God from the +priestly dignity, and instead it was passed over to Abraham, with whose +descendants it remained forever.[104] +</p> + +<p> +As a reward for the sanctification of the Holy Name, which Abraham had brought +about when he refused to keep aught of the goods taken in battle,[105] his +descendants received two commands, the command of the threads in the borders of +their garments, and the command of the latchets to be bound upon their hands +and to be used as frontlets between their eyes. Thus they commemorate that +their ancestor refused to take so much as a thread or a latchet. And because he +would not touch a shoe-latchet of the spoils, his descendants cast their shoe +upon Edom.[106] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap66"></a>THE COVENANT OF THE PIECES</h3> + +<p> +Shortly after the war, God revealed Himself unto Abraham, to soothe his +conscience as to the spilling of innocent blood, for it was a scruple that gave +him much anguish of spirit. God assured him at the same time that He would +cause pious men to arise among his descendants, who, like himself, would be a +shield unto their generation.[107] As a further distinction, God gave him leave +to ask what he would have, rare grace accorded to none beside, except Jacob, +Solomon, Ahaz, and the Messiah. Abraham spoke, and said: "O Lord of the world, +if in time to come my descendants should provoke Thy wrath, it were better I +remained childless. Lot, for the sake of whom I journeyed as far as Damascus, +where God was my protection, would be well pleased to be my heir. Moreover, I +have read in the stars, 'Abraham, thou wilt beget no children.'" Thereupon God +raised Abraham above the vault of the skies, and He said, "Thou art a prophet, +not an astrologer!"[108] Now Abraham demanded no sign that he would be blessed +with offspring. Without losing another word, he believed in the Lord, and he +was rewarded for his simple faith by a share in this world and a share in the +world to come as well, and, besides, the redemption of Israel from the exile +will take place as a recompense for his firm trust.[109] +</p> + +<p> +But though he believed the promise made him with a full and abiding faith, he +yet desired to know by what merit of theirs his descendants would maintain +themselves. Therefore God bade him bring Him a sacrifice of three heifers, +three she-goats, three rams, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon, thus indicating +to Abraham the various sacrifices that should once be brought in the Temple, to +atone for the sins of Israel and further his welfare.[110] "But what will +become of my descendants," asked Abraham, "after the Temple is destroyed?" God +replied, and said, "If they read the order of sacrifices as they will be set +down in the Scriptures, I will account it unto them as though they had offered +the sacrifices, and I will forgive all their sins."[111] And God continued and +revealed to Abraham the course of Israel's history and the history of the whole +world: The heifer of three years indicates the dominion of Babylon, the +she-goat of three years stands for the empire of the Greeks, the ram of three +years for the Medo-Persian power, the rule of Ishmael is represented by the +ram, and Israel is the innocent dove. +</p> + +<p> +Abraham took him these animals and divided them in the midst. Had he not done +so, Israel would not have been able to resist the power of the four kingdoms. +But the birds he divided not, to indicate that Israel will remain whole. And +the birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abraham drove them away. +Thus was announced the advent of the Messiah, who will cut the heathen in +pieces, but Abraham bade Messiah wait until the time appointed unto him.[112] +And as the Messianic time was made known unto Abraham, so also the time of the +resurrection of the dead. When he laid the halves of the pieces over against +each other, the animals became alive again, as the bird flew over them.[112] +</p> + +<p> +While he was preparing these sacrifices, a vision of great import was granted +to Abraham. The sun sank, and a deep sleep fell upon him, and he beheld a +smoking furnace, Gehenna, the furnace that God prepares for the sinner; and he +beheld a flaming torch, the revelation on Sinai, where all the people saw +flaming torches; and he beheld the sacrifices to be brought by Israel; and an +horror of great darkness fell upon him, the dominion of the four kingdoms. And +God spake to him: "Abraham, as long as thy children fulfil the two duties of +studying the Torah and performing the service in the Temple, the two +visitations, Gehenna and alien rule, will be spared them. But if they neglect +the two duties, they will have to suffer the two chastisements; only thou +mayest choose whether they shall be punished by means of Gehenna or by means of +the dominion of the stranger." All the day long Abraham wavered, until God +called unto him: "How long wilt thou halt between two opinions? Decide for one +of the two, and let it be for the dominion of the stranger!" Then God made +known to him the four hundred years' bondage of Israel in Egypt, reckoning from +the birth of Isaac, for unto Abraham himself was the promise given that he +should go to his fathers in peace, and feel naught of the arrogance of the +stranger oppressor. At the same time, it was made known to Abraham that his +father Terah would have a share in the world to come, for he had done penance +for his sinful deeds. Furthermore it was revealed to him that his son Ishmael +would turn into the path of righteousness while yet his father was alive, and +his grandson Esau would not begin his impious way of life until he himself had +passed away. And as he received the promise of their deliverance together with +the announcement of the slavery of his seed, in a land not theirs, so it was +made known to him that God would judge the four kingdoms and destroy them.[114] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap67"></a>THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL</h3> + +<p> +The covenant of the pieces, whereby the fortunes of his descendants were +revealed to Abraham, was made at a time when he was still childless.[115] As +long as Abraham and Sarah dwelt outside of the Holy Land, they looked upon +their childlessness as a punishment for not abiding within it. But when a ten +years' sojourn in Palestine found her barren as before, Sarah perceived that +the fault lay with her.[116] Without a trace of jealousy she was ready to give +her slave Hagar to Abraham as wife,[117] first making her a freed woman.[118] +For Hagar was Sarah's property, not her husband's. She had received her from +Pharaoh, the father of Hagar. Taught and bred by Sarah, she walked in the same +path of righteousness as her mistress,[119] and thus was a suitable companion +for Abraham, and, instructed by the holy spirit, he acceded to Sarah's +proposal. +</p> + +<p> +No sooner had Hagar's union with Abraham been consummated, and she felt that +she was with child, than she began to treat her former mistress contemptuously, +though Sarah was particularly tender toward her in the state in which she was. +When noble matrons came to see Sarah, she was in the habit of urging them to +pay a visit to "poor Hagar," too. The dames would comply with her suggestion, +but Hagar would use the opportunity to disparage Sarah. "My lady Sarah," she +would say, "is not inwardly what she appears to be outwardly. She makes the +impression of a righteous, pious woman, but she is not, for if she were, how +could her childlessness be explained after so many years of marriage, while I +became pregnant at once?" +</p> + +<p> +Sarah scorned to bicker with her slave, yet the rage she felt found vent in +these words to Abraham:[120] "It is thou who art doing me wrong. Thou hearest +the words of Hagar, and thou sayest naught to oppose them, and I hoped that +thou wouldst take my part. For thy sake did I leave my native land and the +house of my father, and I followed thee into a strange land with trust in God. +In Egypt I pretended to be thy sister, that no harm might befall thee. When I +saw that I should bear no children, I took the Egyptian woman, my slave Hagar, +and gave her unto thee for wife, contenting myself with the thought that I +would rear the children she would bear. Now she treats me disdainfully in thy +presence. O that God might look upon the injustice which hath been done unto +me, to judge between thee and me, and have mercy upon us, restore peace to our +home, and grant us offspring, that we have no need of children from Hagar, the +Egyptian bondwoman of the generation of the heathen that cast thee in the fiery +furnace!"[121] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham, modest and unassuming as he was, was ready to do justice to Sarah, and +he conferred full power upon her to dispose of Hagar according to her pleasure. +He added but one caution, "Having once made her a mistress, we cannot again +reduce her to the state of a bondwoman." Unmindful of this warning, Sarah +exacted the services of a slave from Hagar. Not alone this, she tormented her, +and finally she cast an evil eye upon her, so that the unborn child dropped +from her, and she ran away. On her flight she was met by several angels, and +they bade her return, at the same time making known to her that she would bear +a son who should be called Ishmael—one of the six men who have been given a +name by God before their birth, the others being Isaac, Moses, Solomon, Josiah, +and the Messiah.[122] +</p> + +<p> +Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael the command was issued to Abraham +that he put the sign of the covenant upon his body and upon the bodies of the +male members of his household. Abraham was reluctant at first to do the bidding +of God, for he feared that the circumcision of his flesh would raise a barrier +between himself and the rest of mankind. But God said unto him, "Let it suffice +thee that I am thy God and thy Lord, as it sufficeth the world that I am its +God and its Lord."[123] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham then consulted with his three true friends, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, +regarding the command of the circumcision. The first one spoke, and said, "Thou +art nigh unto a hundred years old, and thou considerest inflicting such pain +upon thyself?" The advice of the second was also against it. "What," said +Eshcol, "thou choosest to mark thyself so that thy enemies may recognize thee +without fail?" Mamre, the third, was the only one to advise obedience to the +command of God. "God succored thee from the fiery furnace," he said, "He helped +thee in the combat with the kings, He provided for thee during the famine, and +thou dost hesitate to execute His behest concerning the circumcision?"[124] +Accordingly, Abraham did as God had commanded, in bright daylight, bidding +defiance to all, that none might say, "Had we seen him attempt it, we should +have prevented him."[125] +</p> + +<p> +The circumcision was performed on the tenth day of Tishri, the Day of +Atonement, and upon the spot on which the altar was later to be erected in the +Temple, for the act of Abraham remains a never-ceasing atonement for +Israel.[126] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap68"></a>THE VISIT OF THE ANGELS</h3> + +<p> +On the third day after his circumcision, when Abraham was suffering dire +pain,[127] God spoke to the angels, saying, "Go to, let us pay a visit to the +sick." The angels refused, and said: "What is man, that Thou art mindful of +him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? And Thou desirest to betake +Thyself to a place of uncleanness, a place of blood and filth?" But God replied +unto them, "Thus do ye speak. As ye live, the savor of this blood is sweeter to +me than myrrh and incense, and if you do not desire to visit Abraham, I will go +alone."[128] +</p> + +<p> +The day whereon God visited him was exceedingly hot, for He had bored a hole in +hell, so that its heat might reach as far as the earth, and no wayfarer venture +abroad on the highways, and Abraham be left undisturbed in his pain.[129] But +the absence of strangers caused Abraham great vexation, and he sent his servant +Eliezer forth to keep a lookout for travellers. When the servant returned from +his fruitless search, Abraham himself, in spite of his illness and the +scorching heat, prepared to go forth on the highway and see whether he would +not succeed where failure had attended Eliezer, whom he did not wholly trust at +any rate, bearing in mind the well-known saying, "No truth among slaves."[130] +At this moment God appeared to him, surrounded by the angels. Quickly Abraham +attempted to rise from his seat, but God checked every demonstration of +respect, and when Abraham protested that it was unbecoming to sit in the +presence of the Lord, God said, "As thou livest, thy descendants at the age of +four and five will sit in days to come in the schools and in the synagogues +while I reside therein."[131] +</p> + +<p> +Meantime Abraham beheld three men. They were the angels Michael, Gabriel, and +Raphael. They had assumed the form of human beings to fulfil his wish for +guests toward whom to exercise hospitality. Each of them had been charged by +God with a special mission, besides, to be executed on earth. Raphael was to +heal the wound of Abraham, Michael was to bring Sarah the glad tidings that she +would bear a son, and Gabriel was to deal destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah. +Arrived at the tent of Abraham, the three angels noticed that he was occupied +in nursing himself, and they withdrew.[132] Abraham, however, hastened after +them through another door of the tent, which had wide open entrances on all +sides.[133] He considered the duty of hospitality more important than the duty +of receiving the Shekinah. Turning to God, he said, "O Lord, may it please Thee +not to leave Thy servant while he provides for the entertainment of his +guests."[134] Then he addressed himself to the stranger walking in the middle +between the other two, whom by this token he considered the most +distinguished,—it was the archangel Michael—and he bade him and his companions +turn aside into his tent. The manner of his guests, who treated one another +politely, made a good impression upon Abraham. He was assured that they were +men of worth whom he was entertaining.[135] But as they appeared outwardly like +Arabs, and the people worshipped the dust of their feet, he bade them first +wash their feet, that they might not defile his tent.[136] +</p> + +<p> +He did not depend upon his own judgment in reading the character of his guests. +By his tent a tree was planted, which spread its branches out over all who +believed in God, and afforded them shade. But if idolaters went under the tree, +the branches turned upward, and cast no shade upon the ground. Whenever Abraham +saw this sign, he would at once set about the task of converting the +worshippers of the false gods. And as the tree made a distinction between the +pious and the impious, so also between the clean and the unclean. Its shade was +denied them as long as they refrained from taking the prescribed ritual bath in +the spring that flowed out from its roots, the waters of which rose at once for +those whose uncleanness was of a venial character and could be removed +forthwith, while others had to wait seven days for the water to come up. +Accordingly, Abraham bade the three men lean against the trunk of the tree. +Thus he would soon learn their worth or their unworthiness.[137] +</p> + +<p> +Being of the truly pious, "who promise little, but perform much,"[133] Abraham +said only: "I will fetch a morsel of bread, and comfort ye your heart, seeing +that ye chanced to pass my tent at dinner time. Then, after ye have given +thanks to God, ye may pass on."[139] But when the meal was served to the +guests, it was a royal banquet, exceeding Solomon's at the time of his most +splendid magnificence. Abraham himself ran unto the herd, to fetch cattle for +meat. He slaughtered three calves, that he might be able to set a "tongue with +mustard" before each of his guests.[140] In order to accustom Ishmael to +God-pleasing deeds, he had him dress the calves,[141] and he bade Sarah bake +the bread. But as he knew that women are apt to treat guests niggardly, he was +explicit in his request to her. He said, "Make ready quickly three measures of +meal, yea, fine meal." As it happened, the bread was not brought to the table, +because it had accidentally become unclean, and our father Abraham was +accustomed to eat his daily bread only in a clean state.[142] Abraham himself +served his guests, and it appeared to him that the three men ate. But this was +an illusion. In reality the angels did not eat,[143] only Abraham, his three +friends, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, and his son Ishmael partook of the banquet, +and the portions set before the angels were devoured by a heavenly fire.[144] +</p> + +<p> +Although the angels remained angels even in their human disguise, nevertheless +the personality of Abraham was so exalted that in his presence the archangels +felt insignificant.[145] +</p> + +<p> +After the meal the angels asked after Sarah, though they knew that she was in +retirement in her tent, but it was proper for them to pay their respects to the +lady of the house and send her the cup of wine over which the blessing had been +said.[146] Michael, the greatest of the angels, thereupon announced the birth +of Isaac. He drew a line upon the wall, saying, "When the sun crosses this +point, Sarah will be with child, and when he crosses the next point, she will +give birth to a child." This communication, which was intended for Sarah and +not for Abraham, to whom the promise had been revealed long before,[147] the +angels made at the entrance to her tent, but Ishmael stood between the angel +and Sarah, for it would not have been seemly to deliver the message in secret, +with none other by. Yet, so radiant was the beauty of Sarah that a beam of it +struck the angel, and made him look up. In the act of turning toward her, he +heard her laugh within herself:[148] "Is it possible that these bowels can yet +bring forth a child, these shrivelled breasts give suck? And though I should be +able to bear, yet is not my lord Abraham old?"[149] +</p> + +<p> +And the Lord said unto Abraham: "Am I too old to do wonders? And wherefore doth +Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?"[150] The +reproach made by God was directed against Abraham as well as against Sarah, for +he, too, had showed himself of little faith when he was told that a son would +be born unto him. But God mentioned only Sarah's incredulity, leaving Abraham +to become conscious of his defect himself.[151] +</p> + +<p> +Regardful of the peace of their family life, God had not repeated Sarah's words +accurately to Abraham. Abraham might have taken amiss what his wife had said +about his advanced years, and so precious is the peace between husband and wife +that even the Holy One, blessed be He, preserved it at the expense of +truth.[152] +</p> + +<p> +After Abraham had entertained his guests, he went with them to bring them on +their way, for, important as the duty of hospitality is, the duty of speeding +the parting guest is even more important.[153] Their way lay in the direction +of Sodom, whither two of the angels were going, the one to destroy it, and the +second to save Lot, while the third, his errand to Abraham fulfilled, returned +to heaven.[154] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap69"></a>THE CITIES OF SIN</h3> + +<p> +The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah and the three other cities of the plain +were sinful and godless. In their country there was an extensive vale, where +they foregathered annually with their wives and their children and all +belonging to them, to celebrate a feast lasting several days and consisting of +the most revolting orgies. If a stranger merchant passed through their +territory, he was besieged by them all, big and little alike, and robbed of +whatever he possessed. Each one appropriated a bagatelle, until the traveller +was stripped bare. If the victim ventured to remonstrate with one or another, +he would show him that he had taken a mere trifle, not worth talking about. And +the end was that they hounded him from the city. +</p> + +<p> +Once upon a time it happened that a man journeying from Elam arrived in Sodom +toward evening. No one could be found to grant him shelter for the night. +Finally a sly fox named Hedor invited him cordially to follow him to his house. +The Sodomite had been attracted by a rarely magnificent carpet, strapped to the +stranger's ass by means of a rope. He meant to secure it for himself. The +friendly persuasions of Hedor induced the stranger to remain with him two days, +though he had expected to stay only overnight. When the time came for him to +continue on his journey, he asked his host for the carpet and the rope. Hedor +said: "Thou hast dreamed a dream, and this is the interpretation of thy dream: +the rope signifies that thou wilt have a long life, as long as a rope; the +varicolored carpet indicates that thou wilt own an orchard wherein thou wilt +plant all sorts of fruit trees." The stranger insisted that his carpet was a +reality, not a dream fancy, and he continued to demand its return. Not only did +Hedor deny having taken anything from his guest, he even insisted upon pay for +having interpreted his dream to him. His usual price for such services, he +said, was four silver pieces, but in view of the fact that he was his guest, he +would, as a favor to him, content himself with three pieces of silver. +</p> + +<p> +After much wrangling, they put their case before one of the judges of Sodom, +Sherek by name, and he said to the plaintiff, "Hedor is known in this city as a +trustworthy interpreter of dreams, and what he tells thee is true." The +stranger declared himself not satisfied with the verdict, and continued to urge +his side of the case. Then Sherek drove both the plaintiff and the defendant +from the court room. Seeing this, the inhabitants gathered together and chased +the stranger from the city, and lamenting the loss of his carpet, he had to +pursue his way. +</p> + +<p> +As Sodom had a judge worthy of itself, so also had the other cities—Sharkar in +Gomorrah, Zabnak in Admah, and Manon in Zeboiim. Eliezer, the bondman of +Abraham, made slight changes in the names of these judges, in accordance with +the nature of what they did: the first he called Shakkara, Liar; the second +Shakrura, Arch-deceiver; the third Kazban, Falsifier; and the fourth, +Mazle-Din, Perverter of Judgment. At the suggestion of these judges, the cities +set up beds on their commons. When a stranger arrived, three men seized him by +his head, and three by his feet, and they forced him upon one of the beds. If +he was too short to fit into it exactly, his six attendants pulled and wrenched +his limbs until he filled it out; if he was too long for; it, they tried to jam +him in with all their combined strength, until the victim was on the verge of +death. Hit outcrles were met with the words, "Thus will be done to any man that +comes into our land." +</p> + +<p> +After a while travellers avoided these cities, but if some poor devil was +betrayed occasionally into entering them, they would give him gold and silver, +but never any bread, so that he was bound to die of starvation. Once he was +dead, the residents of the city came and took back the marked gold and silver +which they had given him, and they would quarrel about the distribution of his +clothes, for they would bury him naked. +</p> + +<p> +Once Eliezer, the bondman of Abraham, went to Sodom, at the bidding of Sarah, +to inquire after the welfare of Lot. He happened to enter the city at the +moment when the people were robbing a stranger of his garments. Eliezer +espoused the cause of the poor wretch, and the Sodomites turned against him; +one threw a stone at his forehead and caused considerable loss of blood. +Instantly, the assailant, seeing the blood gush forth, demanded payment for +having performed the operation of cupping. Eliezer refused to pay for the +infliction of a wound upon him, and he was haled before the judge Shakkara. The +decision went against him, for the law of the land gave the assailant the right +to demand payment. Eliezer quickly picked up a stone and threw it at the +judge's forehead. When he saw that the blood was flowing profusely, he said to +the judge, "Pay my debt to the man and give me the balance." +</p> + +<p> +The cause of their cruelty was their exceeding great wealth. Their soil was +gold, and in their miserliness and their greed for more and more gold, they +wanted to prevent strangers from enjoying aught of their riches. Accordingly, +they flooded the highways with streams of water, so that the roads to their +city were obliterated, and none could find the way thither. They were as +heartless toward beasts as toward men. They begrudged the birds what they ate, +and therefore extirpated them.[155] They behaved impiously toward one another, +too, not shrinking back from murder to gain possession of more gold. If they +observed that a man owned great riches, two of them would conspire against him. +They would beguile him to the vicinity of ruins, and while the one kept him on +the spot by pleasant converse, the other would undermine the wall near which he +stood, until it suddenly crashed down upon him and killed him. Then the two +plotters would divide his wealth between them. +</p> + +<p> +Another method of enriching themselves with the property of others was in vogue +among them. They were adroit thieves. When they made up their minds to commit +theft, they would first ask their victim to take care of a sum of money for +them, which they smeared with strongly scented oil before handing it over to +him. The following night they would break into his house, and rob him of his +secret treasures, led to the place of concealment by the smell of the oil. +</p> + +<p> +Their laws were calculated to do injury to the poor. The richer a man, the more +was he favored before the law. The owner of two oxen was obliged to render one +day's shepherd service, but if he had but one ox, he had to give two days' +service. A poor orphan, who was thus forced to tend the flocks a longer time +than those who were blessed with large herds, killed all the cattle entrusted +to him in order to take revenge upon his oppressors, and he insisted, when the +skins were assigned, that the owner of two head of cattle should have but one +skin, but the owner of one head should receive two skins, in correspondence to +the method pursued in assigning the work. For the use of the ferry, a traveller +had to pay four zuz, but if he waded through the water, he had to pay eight +zuz.[156] +</p> + +<p> +The cruelty of the Sodomites went still further. Lot had a daughter, Paltit, so +named because she had been born to him shortly after he escaped captivity +through the help of Abraham. Paltit lived in Sodom, where she had married. Once +a beggar came to town, and the court issued a proclamation that none should +give him anything to eat, in order that he might die of starvation. But Paltit +had pity upon the unfortunate wretch, and every day when she went to the well +to draw water, she supplied him with a piece of bread, which she hid in her +water pitcher. The inhabitants of the two sinful cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, +could not understand why the beggar did not perish, and they suspected that +some one was giving him food in secret. Three men concealed themselves near the +beggar, and caught Paltit in the act of giving him something to eat. She had to +pay for her humanity with death; she was burnt upon a pyre. +</p> + +<p> +The people of Admah were no better than those of Sodom. Once a stranger came to +Admah, intending to stay overnight and continue his journey the next morning. +The daughter of a rich man met the stranger, and gave him water to drink and +bread to eat at his request. When the people of Admah heard of this infraction +of the law of the land, they seized the girl and arraigned her before the +judge, who condemned her to death. The people smeared her with honey from top +to toe, and exposed her where bees would be attracted to her. The insects stung +her to death, and the callous people paid no heed to her heartrending cries. +Then it was that God resolved upon the destruction of these sinners.[157] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap70"></a>ABRAHAM PLEADS FOR THE SINNERS</h3> + +<p> +When God saw that there was no righteous man among the inhabitants of the +sinful cities, and there would be none among their descendants, for the sake of +whose merits the rest might be treated with lenient consideration, He resolved +to annihilate them one and all.[158] But before judgment was executed, the Lord +made known unto Abraham what He would do to Sodom, Gomorrah, and the other +cities of the plain, for they formed a part of Canaan, the land promised unto +Abraham, and therefore did God say, "I will not destroy them without the +consent of Abraham."[159] +</p> + +<p> +Like a compassionate father, Abraham importuned the grace of God in behalf of +the sinners. He spoke to God, and said: "Thou didst take an oath that no more +should all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood. Is it meet that Thou +shouldst evade Thy oath and destroy cities by fire? Shall the Judge of all the +earth not do right Himself? Verily, if Thou desirest to maintain the world, +Thou must give up the strict line of justice. If Thou insistest upon the right +alone, there can be no world." Whereupon God said to Abraham: "Thou takest +delight in defending My creatures, and thou wouldst not call them guilty. +Therefore I spoke with none but thee during the ten generations since +Noah."[160] Abraham ventured to use still stronger words in order to secure the +safety of the godless. "That be far from Thee," he said, "to slay the righteous +with the wicked, that the dwellers on the earth say not, 'It is His trade to +destroy the generations of men in a cruel manner; for He destroyed the +generation of Enosh, then the generation of the flood, and then He sent the +confusion of tongues. He sticks ever to His trade.'" +</p> + +<p> +God made reply: "I will let all the generations I have destroyed pass before +thee, that thou mayest see they have not suffered the extreme punishment they +deserved. But if thou thinkest that I did not act justly, then instruct thou Me +in what I must do, and I will endeavor to act in accordance with thy words." +And Abraham had to admit that God had not diminished in aught the justice due +to every creature in this world or the other world.[161] Nevertheless he +continued to speak, and he said: "Wilt Thou consume the cities, if there be ten +righteous men in each?" And God said, "No, if I find fifty righteous therein, I +will not destroy the cities."[162] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, I who would have been +turned long since into dust of the ground by Amraphel and into ashes by Nimrod, +had it not been for Thy grace.[163] Peradventure there shall lack five of the +fifty righteous for Zoar, the smallest of the five cities. Wilt Thou destroy +all the city for lack of five?" +</p> + +<p> +God: "I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Peradventure there be ten pious in each of the four cities, then +forgive Zoar in Thy grace, for its sins are not so great in number as the sins +of the others." +</p> + +<p> +God granted his petition, yet Abraham continued to plead, and he asked whether +God would not be satisfied if there were but thirty righteous, ten in each of +the three larger cities, and would pardon the two smaller ones, even though +there were no righteous therein, whose merits would intercede for them. This, +too, the Lord granted, and furthermore He promised not to destroy the cities if +but twenty righteous were found therein; yes, God conceded that He would +preserve the five cities for the sake of ten righteous therein.[164] More than +this Abraham did not ask, for he knew that eight righteous ones, Noah and his +wife, and his three sons and their wives, had not sufficed to avert the doom of +the generation of the flood, and furthermore he hoped that Lot, his wife, and +their four daughters, together with the husbands of their daughters, would make +up the number ten. What he did not know was that even the righteous in these +sin-laden cities, though better than the rest, were far from good.[165] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham did not cease to pray for the deliverance of the sinners even after the +Shekinah had removed from him. But his supplications and his intercessions were +in vain.[166] For fifty-two years God had warned the godless; He had made +mountains to quake and tremble. But they hearkened not unto the voice of +admonition. They persisted in their sins, and their well-merited punishment +overtook them.[167] God forgives all sins, only not an immoral life. And as all +these sinners led a life of debauchery, they were burnt with fire.[168] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap71"></a>THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SINFUL CITIES</h3> + +<p> +The angels left Abraham at noon time, and they reached Sodom at the approach of +evening. As a rule, angels proclaim their errand with the swiftness of +lightning, but these were angels of mercy, and they hesitated to execute their +work of destruction, ever hoping that the evil would be turned aside from +Sodom.[169] With nightfall, the fate of Sodom was sealed irrevocably, and the +angels arrived there.[170] +</p> + +<p> +Bred in the house of Abraham, Lot had learnt from him the beautiful custom of +extending hospitality, and when he saw the angels before him in human form, +thinking they were wayfarers, he bade them turn aside and tarry all night in +his house. But as the entertainment of strangers was forbidden in Sodom on +penalty of death, he dared invite them only under cover of the darkness of +night,[171] and even then he had to use every manner of precaution, bidding the +angels to follow him by devious ways. +</p> + +<p> +The angels, who had accepted Abraham's hospitality without delay, first refused +to comply with Lot's request, for it is a rule of good breeding to show +reluctance when an ordinary man invites one, but to accept the invitation of a +great man at once. Lot, however, was insistent, and carried them into his house +by main force.[172] At home he had to overcome the opposition of his wife, for +she said, "If the inhabitants of Sodom hear of this, they will slay thee." +</p> + +<p> +Lot divided his dwelling in two parts, one for himself and his guests, the +other for his wife, so that, if aught happened, his wife would be spared.[173] +Nevertheless it was she who betrayed him. She went to a neighbor and borrowed +some salt, and to the question, whether she could not have supplied herself +with salt during daylight hours, she replied, "We had enough salt, until some +guests came to us; for them we needed more." In this way the presence of +strangers was bruited abroad in the city.[174] +</p> + +<p> +In the beginning the angels were inclined to hearken to the petition of Lot in +behalf of the sinners, but when all the people of the city, big and little, +crowded around the house of Lot with the purpose of committing a monstrous +crime, the angels warded off his prayers, saying, "Hitherto thou couldst +intercede for them, but now no longer." It was not the first time that the +inhabitants of Sodom wanted to perpetrate a crime of this sort. They had made a +law some time before that all strangers were to be treated in this horrible +way. Lot, who was appointed chief judge on the very day of the angels' coming, +tried to induce the people to desist from their purpose, saying to them, "My +brethren, the generation of the deluge was extirpated in consequence of such +sins as you desire to commit, and you would revert to them?" But they replied: +"Back! And though Abraham himself came hither, we should have no consideration +for him. Is it possible that thou wouldst set aside a law which thy +predecessors administered?"[175] +</p> + +<p> +Even Lot's moral sense was no better than it should have been. It is the duty +of a man to venture his life for the honor of his wife and his daughters, but +Lot was ready to sacrifice the honor of his daughters, wherefor he was punished +severely later on.[176] +</p> + +<p> +The angels told Lot who they were, and what the mission that had brought them +to Sodom, and they charged him to flee from the city with his wife and his four +daughters, two of them married, and two betrothed.[177] Lot communicated their +bidding to his sons-in-law, and they mocked at him, and said: "O thou fool! +Violins, cymbals, and flutes resound in the city, and thou sayest Sodom will be +destroyed!" Such scoffing but hastened the execution of the doom of Sodom.[178] +The angel Michael laid hold upon the hand of Lot, and his wife and his +daughters, while with his little finger the angel Gabriel touched the rock +whereon the sinful cities were built, and overturned them. At the same time the +rain that was streaming down upon the two cities was changed into +brimstone.[179] +</p> + +<p> +When the angels had brought forth Lot and his family and set them without the +city, he bade them run for their lives, and not look behind, lest they behold +the Shekinah, which had descended to work the destruction of the cities. The +wife of Lot could not control herself. Her mother love made her look behind to +see if her married daughters were following. She beheld the Shekinah, and she +became a pillar of salt. This pillar exists unto this day. The cattle lick it +all day long, and in the evening it seems to have disappeared, but when morning +comes it stands there as large as before.[180] +</p> + +<p> +The savior angel had urged Lot himself to take refuge with Abraham. But he +refused, and said: "As long as I dwelt apart from Abraham, God compared my +deeds with the deeds of my fellow-citizens, and among them I appeared as a +righteous man. If I should return to Abraham, God will see that his good deeds +outweigh mine by far."[181] The angel then granted his plea that Zoar be left +undestroyed. This city had been founded a year later than the other four; it +was only fifty-one years old, and therefore the measure of its sins was not so +full as the measure of the sins of the neighboring cities.[182] +</p> + +<p> +The destruction of the cities of the plain took place at dawn of the sixteenth +day of Nisan, for the reason that there were moon and sun worshippers among the +inhabitants. God said: "If I destroy them by day, the moon worshippers will +say, Were the moon here, she would prove herself our savior; and if I destroy +them by night, the sun worshippers will say, Were the sun here, he would prove +himself our savior. I will therefore let their chastisement overtake them on +the sixteenth day of Nisan at an hour at which the moon and the sun are both in +the skies."[183] +</p> + +<p> +The sinful inhabitants of the cities of the plain not only lost their life in +this world, but also their share in the future world. As for the cities +themselves, however, they will be restored in the Messianic time.[184] +</p> + +<p> +The destruction of Sodom happened at the time at which Abraham was performing +his morning devotions, and for his sake it was established as the proper hour +for the morning prayer unto all times.[185] When he turned his eyes toward +Sodom and beheld the rising smoke, he prayed for the deliverance of Lot, and +God granted his petition—the fourth time that Lot became deeply indebted to +Abraham. Abraham had taken him with him to Palestine, he had made him rich in +flocks, herds, and tents, he had rescued him from captivity, and by his prayer +he saved him from the destruction of Sodom. The descendants of Lot, the +Ammonites and the Moabites, instead of showing gratitude to the Israelites, the +posterity of Abraham, committed four acts of hostility against them. They +sought to compass the destruction of Israel by means of Balaam's curses, they +waged open war against him at the time of Jephthah, and also at the time of +Jehoshaphat, and finally they manifested their hatred against Israel at the +destruction of the Temple. Hence it is that God appointed four prophets, +Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zephaniah, to proclaim punishment unto the +descendants of Lot, and four times their sin is recorded in Holy Writ.[186] +</p> + +<p> +Though Lot owed his deliverance to the petition of Abraham, yet it was at the +same time his reward for not having betrayed Abraham in Egypt, when he +pretended to be the brother of Sarah.[187] But a greater reward still awaits +him. The Messiah will be a descendant of his, for the Moabitess Ruth is the +great-grandmother of David, and the Ammonitess Naamah is the mother of +Rehoboam, and the Messiah is of the line of these two kings.[188] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap72"></a>AMONG THE PHILISTINES</h3> + +<p> +The destruction of Sodom induced Abraham to journey to Gerar. Accustomed to +extend hospitality to travellers and wayfarers, he no longer felt comfortable +in a district in which all traffic had ceased by reason of the ruined cities. +There was another reason for Abraham's leaving his place; the people spoke too +much about the ugly incident with Lot's daughters.[189] +</p> + +<p> +Arrived in the land of the Philistines, he again, as aforetime in Egypt, came +to an understanding with Sarah, that she was to call herself his sister. When +the report of her beauty reached the king, he ordered her to be brought before +him, and he asked her who her companion was, and she told him that Abraham was +her brother. Entranced by her beauty, Abimelech the king took Sarah to wife, +and heaped marks of honor upon Abraham in accordance with the just claims of a +brother of the queen. Toward evening, before retiring, while he was still +seated upon his throne, Abimelech fell into a sleep, and he slept until the +morning, and in the dream he dreamed he saw an angel of the Lord raising his +sword to deal him a death blow. Sore frightened, he asked the cause, and the +angel replied, and said: "Thou wilt die on account of the woman thou didst take +into thy house this day, for she is the wife of Abraham, the man whom thou +didst cite before thee. Return his wife unto him! But if thou restore her not, +thou shalt surely die, thou and all that are thine." +</p> + +<p> +In that night the voice of a great crying was heard in the whole land of the +Philistines, for they saw the figure of a man walking about, with sword in +hand, slaying all that came in his way. At the same time it happened that in +men and beasts alike all the apertures of the body closed up, and the land was +seized with indescribable excitement. In the morning, when the king awoke, in +agony and terror, he called all his servants and told his dream in their ears. +One of their number said: "O lord and king! Restore this woman unto the man, +for he is her husband. It is but his way in a strange land to pretend that she +is his sister. Thus did he with the king of Egypt, too, and God sent heavy +afflictions upon Pharaoh when he took the woman unto himself. Consider, also, O +lord and king, what hath befallen this night in the land; great pain, wailing, +and confusion there was, and we know that it came upon us only because of this +woman."[190] +</p> + +<p> +There were some among his servants who spake: "Be not afraid of dreams! What +dreams make known to man is but falsehood." Then God appeared unto Abimelech +again and commanded him to let Sarah go free, otherwise he would be a dead +man.[191] Abimelech replied: "Is this Thy way? Then, I ween, the generation of +the flood and the generation of the confusion of tongues were innocent, too! +The man himself did say unto me, She is my sister, and she, even she herself +said, He is my brother, and all the people of their household said the same +words." And God said unto him: "Yea, I know that thou hast not yet committed a +trespass, for I withheld thee from sinning. Thou didst not know that Sarah was +a man's wife.[192] But is it becoming to question a stranger, no sooner does he +set foot upon thy territory, about the woman accompanying him, whether she be +his wife or his sister? Abraham, who is a prophet, knew beforehand the danger +to himself if he revealed the whole truth.[193] But, being a prophet, he also +knows that thou didst not touch his wife, and he shall pray for thee, and thou +shalt live." +</p> + +<p> +The smoke was still rising from the ruins of Sodom, and Abimelech and his +people, seeing it, feared that a like fate might overtake them.[194] The king +called Abraham and reproached him for having caused such great misfortune +through his false statements concerning Sarah. Abraham excused his conduct by +his apprehension that, the fear of God not being in the place, the inhabitants +of the land slay him for his wife.[195] Abraham went on and told the history of +his whole life, and he said: "When I dwelt in the house of my father, the +nations of the world sought to do me harm, but God proved Himself my Redeemer. +When the nations of the world tried to lead me astray to idolatry, God revealed +Himself to me, and He said, 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, +and from thy father's house.' And when the nations of the world were about to +go astray, God sent two prophets, my kinsmen Shem and Eber, to admonish +them."[196] +</p> + +<p> +Abimelech gave rich gifts to Abraham, wherein he acted otherwise than Pharaoh +in similar circumstances. The Egyptian king gave gifts to Sarah, but Abimelech +was God fearing, and desired that Abraham pray for him.[197] To Sarah he gave a +costly robe that covered her whole person, hiding her seductive charms from the +view of beholders. At the same time it was a reproach to Abraham, that he had +not fitted Sarah out with the splendor due to his wife.[198] +</p> + +<p> +Though Abimelech had done him great injury, Abraham not only granted him the +forgiveness he craved, but also he prayed for him to God. Thus he is an +exemplar unto all. "Man should be pliant as a reed, not hard like the cedar." +He should be easily appeased, and slow to anger, and as soon as he who has +sinned against him asks for pardon, he should forgive him with all his heart. +Even if deep and serious injury has been done to him, he should not be +vengeful, nor bear his brother a grudge in his heart.[199] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham prayed thus for Abimelech: "O Lord of the world! Thou hast created man +that he may increase and propagate his kind. Grant that Abimelech and his house +may multiply and increase!"[200] God fulfilled Abraham's petition in behalf of +Abimelech and his people, and it was the first time it happened in the history +of mankind that God fulfilled the prayer of one human being for the benefit of +another.[201] Abimelech and his subjects were healed of all their diseases, and +so efficacious was the prayer offered by Abraham that the wife of Abimelech, +barren hitherto, bore a child.[202] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap73"></a>THE BIRTH OF ISAAC</h3> + +<p> +When the prayer of Abraham for Abimelech was heard, and the king of the +Philistines recovered, the angels raised a loud cry, and spoke to God thus: "O +Lord of the world! All these years hath Sarah been barren, as the wife of +Abimelech was. Now Abraham prayed to Thee, and the wife of Abimelech hath been +granted a child. It is just and fair that Sarah should be remembered and +granted a child." These words of the angels, spoken on the New Year's Day, when +the fortunes of men are determined in heaven for the whole year, bore a result. +Barely seven months later, on the first day of the Passover, Isaac was born. +</p> + +<p> +The birth of Isaac was a happy event, and not in the house of Abraham alone. +The whole world rejoiced, for God remembered all barren women at the same time +with Sarah. They all bore children. And all the blind were made to see, all the +lame were made whole, the dumb were made to speak, and the mad were restored to +reason. And a still greater miracle happened: on the day of Isaac's birth the +sun shone with such splendor as had not been seen since the fall of man, and as +he will shine again only in the future world.[203] +</p> + +<p> +To silence those who asked significantly, "Can one a hundred years old beget a +son?" God commanded the angel who has charge over the embryos, to give them +form and shape, that he fashion Isaac precisely according to the model of +Abraham, so that all seeing Isaac might exclaim, "Abraham begot Isaac."[204] +</p> + +<p> +That Abraham and Sarah were blessed with offspring only after they had attained +so great an age, had an important reason. It was necessary that Abraham should +bear the sign of the covenant upon his body before he begot the son who was +appointed to be the father of Israel.[205] And as Isaac was the first child +born to Abraham after he was marked with the sign, he did not fail to celebrate +his circumcision with much pomp and ceremony on the eighth day.[206] Shem, +Eber, Abimelech king of the Philistines, and his whole retinue, Phicol the +captain of his host in it—they all were present, and also Terah and his son +Nahor, in a word, all the great ones round about.[207] On this occasion Abraham +could at last put a stop to the talk of the people, who said, "Look at this old +couple! They picked up a foundling on the highway, and they pretend he is their +own son, and to make their statement seem credible, they arrange a feast in his +honor." Abraham had invited not only men to the celebration, but also the wives +of the magnates with their infants, and God permitted a miracle to be done. +Sarah had enough milk in her breasts to suckle all the babes there,[208] and +they who drew from her breasts had much to thank her for. Those whose mothers +had harbored only pious thoughts in their minds when they let them drink the +milk that flowed from the breasts of the pious Sarah, they became proselytes +when they grew up; and those whose mothers let Sarah nurse them only in order +to test her, they grew up to be powerful rulers, losing their dominion only at +the revelation on Mount Sinai, because they would not accept the Torah. All +proselytes and pious heathen are the descendants of these infants.[209] +</p> + +<p> +Among the guests of Abraham were the thirty-one kings and thirty-one viceroys +of Palestine who were vanquished by Joshua at the conquest of the Holy Land. +Even Og king of Bashan was present, and he had to suffer the teasing of the +other guests, who rallied him upon having called Abraham a sterile mule, who +would never have offspring. Og, on his part, pointed at the little boy with +contempt, and said, "Were I to lay my finger upon him, he would be crushed." +Whereupon God said to him: "Thou makest mock of the gift given to Abraham! As +thou livest, thou shalt look upon millions and myriads of his descendants, and +in the end thou shalt fall into their hands."[210] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap74"></a>ISHMAEL CAST OFF</h3> + +<p> +When Isaac grew up, quarrels broke out between him and Ishmael, on account of +the rights of the first-born. Ishmael insisted he should receive a double +portion of the inheritance after the death of Abraham, and Isaac should receive +only one portion. Ishmael, who had been accustomed from his youth to use the +bow and arrow, was in the habit of aiming his missiles in the direction of +Isaac, saying at the same time that he was but jesting.[211] Sarah, however, +insisted that Abraham make over to Isaac all he owned, that no disputes might +arise after his death,[212] "for," she said, "Ishmael is not worthy of being +heir with my son, nor with a man like Isaac, and certainly not with my son +Isaac."[213] Furthermore, Sarah insisted that Abraham divorce himself from +Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, and send away the woman and her son, so that +there be naught in common between them and her own son, either in this world or +in the future world. +</p> + +<p> +Of all the trials Abraham had to undergo, none was so hard to bear as this, for +it grieved him sorely to separate himself from his son. God appeared to him in +the following night, and said to him: "Abraham, knowest thou not that Sarah was +appointed to be thy wife from her mother's womb? She is thy companion and the +wife of thy youth, and I named not Hagar as thy wife, nor Sarah as thy +bondwoman. What Sarah spoke unto thee was naught but truth, and let it not be +grievous in thy sight because of the lad, and because of thy bondwoman." The +next morning Abraham rose up early, gave Hagar her bill of divorcement, and +sent her away with her son, first binding a rope about her loins that all might +see she was a bondwoman.[214] +</p> + +<p> +The evil glance cast upon her stepson by Sarah made him sick and feverish, so +that Hagar had to carry him, grown-up as he was. In his fever he drank often of +the water in the bottle given her by Abraham as she left his house, and the +water was quickly spent. That she might not look upon the death of her child, +Hagar cast Ishmael under the willow shrubs growing on the selfsame spot whereon +the angels had once spoken with her and made known to her that she would bear a +son. In the bitterness of her heart, she spoke to God, and said, "Yesterday +Thou didst say to me, I will greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be +numbered for multitude, and to-day my son dies of thirst." Ishmael himself +cried unto God, and his prayer and the merits of Abraham brought them help in +their need, though the angels appeared against Ishmael before God. They said, +"Wilt Thou cause a well of water to spring up for him whose descendants will +let Thy children of Israel perish with thirst?" But God replied, and said, +"What is Ishmael at this moment—righteous or wicked?" and when the angels +called him righteous, God continued, "I treat man according to his deserts at +each moment."[215] +</p> + +<p> +At that moment Ishmael was pious indeed, for he was praying to God in the +following words: "O Lord of the world! If it be Thy will that I shall perish, +then let me die in some other way, not by thirst, for the tortures of thirst +are great beyond all others." Hagar, instead of praying to God, addressed her +supplications to the idols of her youth. The prayer of Ishmael was acceptable +before God, and He bade Miriam's well spring up, the well created in the +twilight of the sixth day of creation.[216] Even after this miracle Hagar's +faith was no stronger than before. She filled the bottle with water, because +she feared it might again be spent, and no other would be nigh. Thereupon she +journeyed to Egypt with her son, for "Throw the stick into the air as thou +wilt, it will always land on its point." Hagar had come from Egypt, and to +Egypt she returned, to choose a wife for her son.[217] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap75"></a>THE TWO WIVES OF ISHMAEL</h3> + +<p> +The wife of Ishmael bore four sons and a daughter, and afterward Ishmael, his +mother, and his wife and children went and returned to the wilderness. They +made themselves tents in the wilderness in which they dwelt, and they continued +to encamp and journey, month by month and year by year. And God gave Ishmael +flocks, and herds, and tents, on account of Abraham his father, and the man +increased in cattle. And some time after, Abraham said to Sarah, his wife, "I +will go and see my son Ishmael; I yearn to look upon him, for I have not seen +him for a long time." And Abraham rode upon one of his camels to the +wilderness, to seek his son Ishmael, for he heard that he was dwelling in a +tent in the wilderness with all belonging to him. And Abraham went to the +wilderness, and he reached the tent of Ishmael about noon, and he asked after +him. He found the wife of Ishmael sitting in the tent with her children, and +her husband and his mother were not with them. And Abraham asked the wife of +Ishmael, saying, "Where has Ishmael gone?" And she said, "He has gone to the +field to hunt game." And Abraham was still mounted upon the camel, for he would +not alight upon the ground, as he had sworn to his wife Sarah that he would not +get off from the camel. And Abraham said to Ishmael's wife, "My daughter, give +me a little water, that I may drink, for I am fatigued and tired from the +journey." And Ishmael's wife answered, and said to Abraham, "We have neither +water nor bread," and she was sitting in the tent, and did not take any notice +of Abraham. She did not even ask him who he was. But all the while she was +beating her children in the tent, and she was cursing them, and she also cursed +her husband Ishmael, and spoke evil of him, and Abraham heard the words of +Ishmael's wife to her children, and it was an evil thing in his eyes. And +Abraham called to the woman to come out to him from the tent, and the woman +came out, and stood face to face with Abraham, while Abraham was still mounted +upon the camel. And Abraham said to Ishmael's wife, "When thy husband Ishmael +returns home, say these words to him: A very old man from the land of the +Philistines came hither to seek thee, and his appearance was thus and so, and +thus was his figure. I did not ask him who he was, and seeing thou wast not +here, he spoke unto me, and said, When Ishmael thy husband returns, tell him, +Thus did the man say, When thou comest home, put away this tent-pin which thou +hast placed here, and place another tent-pin in its stead." And Abraham +finished his instructions to the woman, and he turned and went off on the camel +homeward. And when Ishmael returned to the tent, he heard the words of his +wife, and he knew that it was his father, and that his wife had not honored +him. And Ishmael understood his father's words that he had spoken to his wife, +and he hearkened to the voice of his father, and he divorced his wife, and she +went away. And Ishmael afterward went to the land of Canaan, and he took +another wife, and he brought her to his tent, to the place where he dwelt. +</p> + +<p> +And at the end of three years, Abraham said, "I will go again and see Ishmael +my son, for I have not seen him for a long time." And he rode upon his camel, +and went to the wilderness, and he reached the tent of Ishmael about noon. And +he asked after Ishmael, and his wife came out of the tent, and she said, "He is +not here, my lord, for he has gone to hunt in the fields and feed the camels," +and the woman said to Abraham, "Turn in, my lord, into the tent, and eat a +morsel of bread, for thy soul must be wearied on account of the journey." And +Abraham said to her, "I will not stop, for I am in haste to continue my +journey, but give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty," and the woman +hastened and ran into the tent, and she brought out water and bread to Abraham, +which she placed before him, urging him to eat and drink, and he ate and drank, +and his heart was merry, and he blessed his son Ishmael. And he finished his +meal, and he blessed the Lord, and he said to Ishmael's wife: "When Ishmael +comes home, say these words to him: A very old man from the land of the +Philistines came hither, and asked after thee, and thou wast not here, and I +brought him out bread and water, and he ate and drank, and his heart was merry. +And he spoke these words to me, When Ishmael thy husband comes home, say unto +him, The tent-pin which thou hast is very good, do not put it away from the +tent." And Abraham finished commanding the woman, and he rode off to his home, +to the land of the Philistines, and when Ishmael came to his tent, his wife +went forth to meet him with joy and a cheerful heart, and she told him the +words of the old man. Ishmael knew that it was his father, and that his wife +had honored him, and he praised the Lord. And Ishmael then took his wife and +his children and his cattle and all belonging to him, and he journeyed from +there, and he went to his father in the land of the Philistines. And Abraham +related to Ishmael all that had happened between him and the first wife that +Ishmael had taken, according to what she had done. And Ishmael and his children +dwelt with Abraham many days in that land, and Abraham dwelt in the land of the +Philistines a long time.[218] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap76"></a>THE COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH</h3> + +<p> +After a sojourn of twenty-six years in the land of the Philistines, Abraham +departed thence, and he settled in the neighborhood of Hebron. There he was +visited by Abimelech with twenty of his grandees,[219] who requested him to +make an alliance with the Philistines. +</p> + +<p> +As long as Abraham was childless, the heathen did not believe in his piety, but +when Isaac was born, they said to him, "God is with thee." But again they +entertained doubt of his piety when he cast off Ishmael. They said, "Were he a +righteous man, he would not drive his first-born forth from his house." But +when they observed the impious deeds of Ishmael, they said, "God is with thee +in all thou doest." That Abraham was the favorite of God, they saw in this, +too, that although Sodom was destroyed and all traffic had come to a standstill +in that region, yet Abraham's treasure chambers were filled. For these reasons, +the Philistines sought to form an alliance with him, to remain in force for +three generations to come, for it is to the third generation that the love of a +father extends. +</p> + +<p> +Before Abraham concluded the covenant with Abimelech, king of the Philistines, +he reproved him on account of a well, for "Correction leads to love," and +"There is no peace without correction." The herdmen of Abraham and those of +Abimelech had left their dispute about the well to decision by ordeal: the well +was to belong to the party for whose sheep the waters would rise so that they +could drink of them. But the shepherds of Abimelech disregarded the agreement, +and they wrested the well for their own use.[220] As a witness and a perpetual +sign that the well belonged to him, Abraham set aside seven sheep, +corresponding to the seven Noachian laws binding upon all men alike.[221] But +God said, "Thou didst give him seven sheep. As thou livest, the Philistines +shall one day slay seven righteous men, Samson, Hophni, Phinehas, and Saul with +his three sons, and they will destroy seven holy places, and they will keep the +holy Ark in their country as booty of war for a period of seven months, and +furthermore only the seventh generation of thy descendants will be able to +rejoice in the possession of the land promised to them."[222] After concluding +the alliance with Abimelech, who acknowledged Abraham's right upon the well, +Abraham called the place Beer-sheba, because there they swore both of them unto +a covenant of friendship. +</p> + +<p> +In Beer-sheba Abraham dwelt many years, and thence he endeavored to spread the +law of God. He planted a large grove there, and he made four gates for it, +facing the four sides of the earth, east, west, north, and south, and he +planted a vineyard therein. If a traveller came that way, he entered by the +gate that faced him, and he sat in the grove, and ate, and drank, until he was +satisfied, and then he departed. For the house of Abraham was always open for +all passers-by, and they came daily to eat and drink there. If one was hungry, +and he came to Abraham, he would give him what he needed, so that he might eat +and drink and be satisfied; and if one was naked, and he came to Abraham, he +would clothe him with the garments of the poor man's choice, and give him +silver and gold, and make known to him the Lord, who had created him and set +him on earth.[223] After the wayfarers had eaten, they were in the habit of +thanking Abraham for his kind entertainment of them, whereto he would reply: +"What, ye give thanks unto me! Rather return thanks to your host, He who alone +provides food and drink for all creatures." Then the people would ask, "Where +is He?" and Abraham would answer them, and say: "He is the Ruler of heaven and +earth. He woundeth and He healeth, He formeth the embryo in the womb of the +mother and bringeth it forth into the world, He causeth the plants and the +trees to grow, He killeth and He maketh alive, He bringeth down to Sheol and +bringeth up." When the people heard such words, they would ask, "How shall we +return thanks to God and manifest our gratitude unto Him?" And Abraham would +instruct them in these words: "Say, Blessed be the Lord who is blessed! Blessed +be He that giveth bread and food unto all flesh!" In this manner did Abraham +teach those who had enjoyed his hospitality how to praise and thank God.[224] +Abraham's house thus became not only a lodging-place for the hungry and +thirsty, but also a place of instruction where the knowledge of God and His law +were taught.[225] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap77"></a>SATAN ACCUSES ABRAHAM</h3> + +<p> +In spite of the lavish hospitality practiced in the house of Abraham, it +happened once that a poor man, or rather an alleged poor man, was turned away +empty-handed, and this was the immediate reason for the last of Abraham's +temptations, the sacrifice of his favorite son Isaac. It was the day on which +Abraham celebrated the birth of Isaac with a great banquet, to which all the +magnates of the time were bidden with their wives. Satan, who always appears at +a feast in which no poor people participate, and keeps aloof from those to +which poor guests are invited, turned up at Abraham's banquet in the guise of a +beggar asking alms at the door. He had noticed that Abraham had invited no poor +man, and he knew that his house was the right place for him. +</p> + +<p> +Abraham was occupied with the entertainment of his distinguished guests, and +Sarah was endeavoring to convince their wives, the matrons, that Isaac was her +child in very truth, and not a spurious child. No one concerned himself about +the beggar at the door, who thereupon accused Abraham before God.[226] +</p> + +<p> +Now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the +Lord, and Satan came also among them.[227] And the Lord said unto Satan, "From +whence comest thou?" and Satan answered the Lord, and said, "From going to and +fro on the earth, and from walking up and down in it." And the Lord said unto +Satan, "What hast thou to say concerning all the children of the earth?" and +Satan answered the Lord, and said: "I have seen all the children of the earth +serving Thee and remembering Thee, when they require aught from Thee. And when +Thou givest them what they require from Thee, then they forsake Thee, and they +remember Thee no more. Hast Thou seen Abraham, the son of Terah, who at first +had no children, and he served Thee and erected altars to Thee wherever he +came, and he brought offerings upon them, and he proclaimed Thy name +continually to all the children of the earth? And now his son Isaac is born to +him, he has forsaken Thee. He made a great feast for all the inhabitants of the +land, and the Lord he has forgotten. For amidst all that he has done, he +brought Thee no offering, neither burnt offering nor peace offering, neither +one lamb nor goat of all that he had killed in the day that his son was weaned. +Even from the time of his son's birth till now, being thirty-seven years, he +built no altar before Thee, nor brought up any offering to Thee, for he saw +that Thou didst give what he requested before Thee, and he therefore forsook +Thee." And the Lord said to Satan: "Hast thou considered My servant Abraham? +For there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man before Me +for a burnt offering, and that feareth God and escheweth evil. As I live, were +I to say unto him, Bring up Isaac thy son before Me, he would not withhold him +from Me, much less if I told him to bring up a burnt offering before Me from +his flocks or herds." And Satan answered the Lord, and said, "Speak now unto +Abraham as Thou hast said, and Thou wilt see whether he will not transgress and +cast aside Thy words this day."[228] +</p> + +<p> +God wished to try Isaac also. Ishmael once boasted to Isaac, saying, "I was +thirteen years old when the Lord spoke to my father to circumcise us, and I did +not transgress His word, which He commanded my father." And Isaac answered +Ishmael, saying, "What dost thou boast to me about this, about a little bit of +thy flesh which thou didst take from thy body, concerning which the Lord +commanded thee? As the Lord liveth, the God of my father Abraham, if the Lord +should say unto my father, Take now thy son Isaac and bring him up as an +offering before Me, I would not refrain, but I would joyfully accede to it." +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap78"></a>THE JOURNEY TO MORIAH</h3> + +<p> +And the Lord thought to try Abraham and Isaac in this matter.[229] And He said +to Abraham, "Take now thy son." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "I have two sons, and I do not know which of them Thou commandest me +to take." +</p> + +<p> +God: "Thine only son." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "The one is the only son of his mother, and the other is the only son +of his mother." +</p> + +<p> +God: "Whom thou lovest." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "I love this one and I love that one." +</p> + +<p> +God: "Even Isaac."[230] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "And where shall I go?" +</p> + +<p> +God: "To the land I will show thee, and offer Isaac there for a burnt +offering." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Am I fit to perform the sacrifice, am I a priest? Ought not rather +the high priest Shem to do it?" +</p> + +<p> +God: "When thou wilt arrive at that place, I will consecrate thee and make thee +a priest."[231] +</p> + +<p> +And Abraham said within himself, "How shall I separate my son Isaac from Sarah +his mother?" And he came into the tent, and he sate before Sarah his wife, and +he spake these words to her: "My son Isaac is grown up, and he has not yet +studied the service of God. Now, to-morrow I will go and bring him to Shem and +Eber his son, and there he will learn the ways of the Lord, for they will teach +him to know the Lord, and to know how to pray unto the Lord that He may answer +him, and to know the way of serving the Lord his God." And Sarah said, "Thou +hast spoken well. Go, my lord, and do unto him as thou hast said, but remove +him not far from me, neither let him remain there too long, for my soul is +bound within his soul." And Abraham said unto Sarah, "My daughter, let us pray +to the Lord our God that He may do good with us." And Sarah took her son Isaac, +and he abode with her all that night, and she kissed and embraced him, and she +laid injunctions upon him till morning, and she said to Abraham: "O my lord, I +pray thee, take heed of thy son, and place thine eyes over him, for I have no +other son nor daughter but him. O neglect him not. If he be hungry, give him +bread, and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink; do not let him go on +foot, neither let him sit in the sun, neither let him go by himself on the +road, neither turn him from whatever he may desire, but do unto him as he may +say to thee." +</p> + +<p> +After spending the whole night in weeping on account of Isaac, she got up in +the morning and selected a very fine and beautiful garment from those that +Abimelech had given to her. And she dressed Isaac therewith, and she put a +turban upon his head, and she fastened a precious stone in the top of the +turban, and she gave them provisions for the road. And Sarah went out with +them, and she accompanied them upon the road to see them off, and they said to +her, "Return to the tent." And when Sarah heard the words of her son Isaac, she +wept bitterly, and Abraham wept with her, and their son wept with them, a great +weeping, also those of their servants who went with them wept greatly. And +Sarah caught hold of Isaac, and she held him in her arms, and she embraced him, +and continued to weep with him, and Sarah said, "Who knoweth if I shall ever +see thee again after this day?" +</p> + +<p> +Abraham departed with Isaac amid great weeping, while Sarah and the servants +returned to the tent.[232] He took two of his young men with him, Ishmael and +Eliezer, and while they were walking in the road, the young men spoke these +words to each other. Said Ishmael to Eliezer: "Now my father Abraham is going +with Isaac to bring him up for a burnt offering to the Lord, and when he +returneth, he will give unto me all that he possesses, to inherit after him, +for I am his first-born." Eliezer answered: "Surely, Abraham did cast thee off +with thy mother, and swear that thou shouldst not inherit anything of all he +possesses. And to whom will he give all that he has, all his precious things, +but unto his servant, who has been faithful in his house, to me, who have +served him night and day, and have done all that he desired me?" The holy +spirit answered, "Neither this one nor that one will inherit Abraham."[233] +</p> + +<p> +And while Abraham and Isaac were proceeding along the road, Satan came and +appeared to Abraham in the figure of a very aged man, humble and of contrite +spirit, and said to him: "Art thou silly or foolish, that thou goest to do this +thing to thine only son? God gave thee a son in thy latter days, in thine old +age, and wilt thou go and slaughter him, who did not commit any violence, and +wilt thou cause the soul of thine only son to perish from the earth? Dost thou +not know and understand that this thing cannot be from the Lord? For the Lord +would not do unto man such evil, to command him, Go and slaughter thy son." +Abraham, hearing these words, knew that it was Satan, who endeavored to turn +him astray from the way of the Lord, and he rebuked him that he went away. And +Satan returned and came to Isaac, and he appeared unto him in the figure of a +young man, comely and well-favored, saying unto him: "Dost thou not know that +thy silly old father bringeth thee to the slaughter this day for naught? Now, +my son, do not listen to him, for he is a silly old man, and let not thy +precious soul and beautiful figure be lost from the earth." And Isaac told +these words to his father, but Abraham said to him, "Take heed of him, and do +not listen to his words, for he is Satan endeavoring to lead us astray from the +commands of our God." And Abraham rebuked Satan again, and Satan went from +them, and, seeing he could not prevail over them, he transformed himself into a +large brook of water in the road, and when Abraham, Isaac, and the two young +men reached that place, they saw a brook large and powerful as the mighty +waters. And they entered the brook, trying to pass it, but the further they +went, the deeper the brook, so that the water reached up to their necks, and +they were all terrified on account of the water. But Abraham recognized the +place, and he knew that there had been no water there before, and he said to +his son: "I know this place, on which there was no brook nor water. Now, +surely, it is Satan who doth all this to us, to draw us aside this day from the +commands of God." And Abraham rebuked Satan, saying unto him: "The Lord rebuke +thee, O Satan. Begone from us, for we go by the command of God." And Satan was +terri fied at the voice of Abraham, and he went away from them, and the place +became dry land again as it was at first. And Abraham went with Isaac toward +the place that God had told him.[234] +</p> + +<p> +Satan then appeared unto Sarah in the figure of an old man, and said unto her, +"Where did thine husband go?" She said, "To his work." "And where did thy son +Isaac go?" he inquired further, and she answered, "He went with his father to a +place of study of the Torah." Satan said: "O thou poor old woman, thy teeth +will be set on edge on account of thy son, as thou knowest not that Abraham +took his son with him on the road to sacrifice him." In this hour Sarah's loins +trembled, and all her limbs shook. She was no more of this world. Nevertheless +she aroused herself, and said, "All that God hath told Abraham, may he do it +unto life and unto peace."[235] +</p> + +<p> +On the third day of his journey, Abraham lifted up his eyes and saw the place +at a distance, which God had told him. He noticed upon the mountain a pillar of +fire reaching from the earth to heaven, and a heavy cloud in which the glory of +God was seen. Abraham said to Isaac, "My son, dost thou see on that mountain +which we perceive at a distance that which I see upon it?" And Isaac answered, +and said unto his father, "I see, and, lo, a pillar of fire and a cloud, and +the glory of the Lord is seen upon the cloud." Abraham knew then that Isaac was +accepted before the Lord for an offering. He asked Ishmael and Eliezer, "Do you +also see that which we see upon the mountain?" They answered, "We see nothing +more than like the other mountains," and Abraham knew that they were not +accepted before the Lord to go with them.[236] Abraham said to them, "Abide ye +here with the ass, you are like the ass—as little as it sees, so little do you +see.[237] I and Isaac my son go to yonder mount, and worship there before the +Lord, and this eve we will return to you."[238] An unconscious prophecy had +come to Abraham, for he prophesied that he and Isaac would both return from the +mountain.[239] Eliezer and Ishmael remained in that place, as Abraham had +commanded, while he and Isaac went further. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap79"></a>THE 'AKEDAH</h3> + +<p> +And while they were walking along, Isaac spake unto his father, "Behold, the +fire and the wood, but where then is the lamb for a burnt offering before the +Lord?" And Abraham answered Isaac, saying, "The Lord hath chosen thee, my son, +for a perfect burnt offering, instead of the lamb." And Isaac said unto his +father, "I will do all that the Lord hath spoken to thee with joy and +cheerfulness of heart." And Abraham again said unto Isaac his son, "Is there in +thy heart any thought or counsel concerning this which is not proper? Tell me, +my son, I pray thee! O my son, conceal it not from me." And Isaac answered, "As +the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, there is nothing in my heart to cause +me to deviate either to the right or the left from the word that He hath spoken +unto thee. Neither limb nor muscle hath moved or stirred on account of this, +nor is there in my heart any thought or evil counsel concerning this. But I am +joyful and cheerful of heart in this matter, and I say, Blessed is the Lord who +has this day chosen me to be a burnt offering before Him." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham greatly rejoiced at the words of Isaac, and they went on and came +together to that place that the Lord had spoken of.[240] And Abraham approached +to build the altar in that place, and Abraham did build, while Isaac handed him +stones and mortar, until they finished erecting the altar. And Abraham took the +wood and arranged it upon the altar, and he bound Isaac, to place him upon the +wood which was upon the altar, to slay him for a burnt offering before the +Lord.[241] Isaac spake hereupon: "Father, make haste, bare thine arm, and bind +my hands and feet securely, for I am a young man, but thirty-seven years of +age, and thou art an old man. When I behold the slaughtering knife in thy hand, +I may perchance begin to tremble at the sight and push against thee, for the +desire unto life is bold. Also I may do myself an injury and make myself unfit +to be sacrificed. I adjure thee, therefore, my father, make haste, execute the +will of thy Creator, delay not. Turn up thy garment, gird thy loins, and after +that thou hast slaughtered me, burn me unto fine ashes. Then gather the ashes, +and bring them to Sarah, my mother, and place them in a casket in her chamber. +At all hours, whenever she enters her chamber, she will remember her son Isaac +and weep for him." +</p> + +<p> +And again Isaac spoke: "As soon as thou hast slaughtered me, and hast separated +thyself from me, and returnest to Sarah my mother, and she asketh thee, Where +is my son Isaac? what wilt thou answer her, and what will you two do in your +old age?" Abraham answered, and said, "We know we can survive thee by a few +days only. He who was our Comfort before thou wast born, will comfort us now +and henceforth." +</p> + +<p> +After he had laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac on the altar, upon the +wood, Abraham braced his arms, rolled up his garments, and leaned his knees +upon Isaac with all his strength. And God, sitting upon His throne, high and +exalted, saw how the hearts of the two were the same, and tears were rolling +down from the eyes of Abraham upon Isaac, and from Isaac down upon the wood, so +that it was submerged in tears. When Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took +the knife to slay his son, God spoke to the angels: "Do you see how Abraham my +friend proclaims the unity of My Name in the world? Had I hearkened unto you at +the time of the creation of the world, when ye spake, What is man, that Thou +art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? who would there +have been to make known the unity of My Name in this world?" The angels then +broke into loud weeping, and they exclaimed: "The highways lie waste, the +wayfaring man ceaseth, he hath broken the covenant. Where is the reward of +Abraham, he who took the wayfarers into his house, gave them food and drink, +and went with them to bring them on the way? The covenant is broken, whereof +Thou didst speak to him, saying, 'For in Isaac shall thy seed be called,' and +saying, 'My covenant will I establish with Isaac,' for the slaughtering knife +is set upon his throat." +</p> + +<p> +The tears of the angels fell upon the knife, so that it could not cut Isaac's +throat, but from terror his soul escaped from him. Then God spoke to the +archangel Michael, and said: "Why standest thou here? Let him not be +slaughtered." Without delay, Michael, anguish in his voice, cried out: +"Abraham! Abraham! Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing +unto him!" Abraham made answer, and he said: "God did command me to slaughter +Isaac, and thou dost command me not to slaughter him! The words of the Teacher +and the words of the disciple—unto whose words doth one hearken?"[242] Then +Abraham heard it said: "By Myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, because thou +hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in +blessing 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 thy seed +shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in thy seed shall all the nations of +the earth be blessed, because thou hast obeyed My voice." +</p> + +<p> +At once Abraham left off from Isaac, who returned to life, revived by the +heavenly voice admonishing Abraham not to slaughter his son. Abraham loosed his +bonds, and Isaac stood upon his feet, and spoke the benediction, "Blessed art +Thou, O Lord, who quickenest the dead."[243] +</p> + +<p> +Then spake Abraham to God, "Shall I go hence without having offered up a +sacrifice?" Whereunto God replied, and said, "Lift up thine eyes, and behold +the sacrifice behind thee."[244] And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and, behold, +behind him a ram caught in the thicket, which God had created in the twilight +of Sabbath eve in the week of creation, and prepared since then as a burnt +offering instead of Isaac. And the ram had been running toward Abraham, when +Satan caught hold of him and entangled his horns in the thicket, that he might +not advance to Abraham. And Abraham, seeing this, fetched him from the thicket, +and brought him upon the altar as an offering in the place of his son Isaac. +And Abraham sprinkled the blood of the ram upon the altar, and he exclaimed, +and said, "This is instead of my son, and may this be considered as the blood +of my son before the Lord." And whatsoever Abraham did by the altar, he +exclaimed, and said, "This is instead of my son, and may it be considered +before the Lord in place of my son." And God accepted the sacrifice of the ram, +and it was accounted as though it had been Isaac.[245] +</p> + +<p> +As the creation of this ram had been extraordinary, so also was the use to +which all parts of his carcass were put. Not one thing went to waste. The ashes +of the parts burnt upon the altar formed the foundation of the inner altar, +whereon the expiatory sacrifice was brought once a year, on the Day of +Atonement, the day on which the offering of Isaac took place. Of the sinews of +the ram, David made ten strings for his harp upon which he played. The skin +served Elijah for his girdle, and of his two horns, the one was blown at the +end of the revelation on Mount Sinai, and the other will be used to proclaim +the end of the Exile, when the "great horn shall be blown, and they shall come +which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and they that were outcasts +in the land of Egypt, and they shall worship the Lord in the holy mountain at +Jerusalem."[246] +</p> + +<p> +When God commanded the father to desist from sacrificing Isaac, Abraham said: +"One man tempts another, because he knoweth not what is in the heart of his +neighbor. But Thou surely didst know that I was ready to sacrifice my son!" +</p> + +<p> +God: "It was manifest to Me, and I foreknew it, that thou wouldst withhold not +even thy soul from Me." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "And why, then, didst Thou afflict me thus?" +</p> + +<p> +God: "It was My wish that the world should become acquainted with thee, and +should know that it is not without good reason that I have chosen thee from all +the nations. Now it hath been witnessed unto men that thou fearest God."[247] +</p> + +<p> +Hereupon God opened the heavens, and Abraham heard the words, "By Myself I +swear!" +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Thou swearest, and also I swear, I will not leave this altar until I +have said what I have to say." +</p> + +<p> +God: "Speak whatsoever thou hast to speak!" +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Didst Thou not promise me Thou wouldst let one come forth out of mine +own bowels, whose seed should fill the whole world?" +</p> + +<p> +God: "Yes." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Whom didst Thou mean?" +</p> + +<p> +God: "Isaac." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Didst Thou not promise me to make my seed as numerous as the sand of +the sea-shore?" +</p> + +<p> +God: "Yes." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "Through which one of my children?" +</p> + +<p> +God: "Through Isaac." +</p> + +<p> +Abraham: "I might have reproached Thee, and said, O Lord of the world, +yesterday Thou didst tell me, In Isaac shall Thy seed be called, and now Thou +sayest, Take thy son, thine only son, even Isaac, and offer him for a burnt +offering. But I refrained myself, and I said nothing. Thus mayest Thou, when +the children of Isaac commit trespasses and because of them fall upon evil +times, be mindful of the offering of their father Isaac, and forgive their sins +and deliver them from their suffering." +</p> + +<p> +God: "Thou hast said what thou hadst to say, and I will now say what I have to +say. Thy children will sin before me in time to come, and I will sit in +judgment upon them on the New Year's Day. If they desire that I should grant +them pardon, they shall blow the ram's horn on that day, and I, mindful of the +ram that was substituted for Isaac as a sacrifice, will forgive them for their +sins."[248] +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore, the Lord revealed unto Abraham that the Temple, to be erected on +the spot of Isaac's offering, would be destroyed,[249] and as the ram +substituted for Isaac extricated himself from one tree but to be caught in +another, so his children would pass from kingdom to kingdom—delivered from +Babylonia they would be subjugated by Media, rescued from Media they would be +enslaved by Greece, escaped from Greece they would serve Rome—yet in the end +they would be redeemed in a final redemption, at the sound of the ram's horn, +when "the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the +south."[250] +</p> + +<p> +The place on which Abraham had erected the altar was the same whereon Adam had +brought the first sacrifice, and Cain and Abel had offered their gifts to +God—the same whereon Noah raised an altar to God after he left the ark;[251] +and Abraham, who knew that it was the place appointed for the Temple, called it +Yireh, for it would be the abiding place of the fear and the service of +God.[252] But as Shem had given it the name Shalem, Place of Peace, and God +would not give offence to either Abraham or Shem, He united the two names, and +called the city by the name Jerusalem.[253] +</p> + +<p> +After the sacrifice on Mount Moriah, Abraham returned to Beer-sheba, the scene +of so many of his joys.[254] Isaac was carried to Paradise by angels, and there +he sojourned for three years. Thus Abraham returned home alone, and when Sarah +beheld him, she exclaimed, "Satan spoke truth when he said that Isaac was +sacrificed," and so grieved was her soul that it fled from her body.[255] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap80"></a>THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH</h3> + +<p> +While Abraham was engaged in the sacrifice, Satan went to Sarah, and appeared +to her in the figure of an old man, very humble and meek, and said to her: +"Dost thou not know all that Abraham has done unto thine only son this day? He +took Isaac, and built an altar, slaughtered him, and brought him up as a +sacrifice. Isaac cried and wept before his father, but he looked not at him, +neither did he have compassion upon him." After saying these words to Sarah, +Satan went away from her, and she thought him to be an old man from amongst the +sons of men who had been with her son. Sarah lifted up her voice, and cried +bitterly, saying: "O my son, Isaac, my son, O that I had this day died instead +of thee I It grieves me for thee! After that I have reared thee and have +brought thee up, my joy is turned into mourning over thee. In my longing for a +child, I cried and prayed, till I bore thee at ninety. Now hast thou served +this day for the knife and the fire. But I console myself, it being the word of +God, and thou didst perform the command of thy God, for who can transgress the +word of our God, in whose hands is the soul of every living creature? Thou art +just, O Lord our God, for all Thy works are good and righteous, for I also +rejoice with the word which Thou didst command, and while mine eye weepeth +bitterly, my heart rejoiceth." And Sarah laid her head upon the bosom of one of +her handmaids, and she became as still as a stone. +</p> + +<p> +She rose up afterward and went about making inquiries concerning her son, till +she came to Hebron, and no one could tell her what had happened to her son. Her +servants went to seek him in the house of Shem and Eber, and they could not +find him, and they sought throughout the land, and he was not there. And, +behold, Satan came to Sarah in the shape of an old man, and said unto her, "I +spoke falsely unto thee, for Abraham did not kill his son, and he is not dead," +and when she heard the word, her joy was so exceedingly violent that her soul +went out through joy. +</p> + +<p> +When Abraham with Isaac returned to Beer-sheba, they sought for Sarah and could +not find her, and when they made inquiries concerning her, they were told that +she had gone as far as Hebron to seek them. Abraham and Isaac went to her to +Hebron, and when they found that she was dead, they cried bitterly over her, +and Isaac said: "O my mother, my mother, how hast thou left me, and whither +hast thou gone? O whither hast thou gone, and how hast thou left me?" And +Abraham and all his servants wept and mourned over her a great and heavy +mourning, even that Abraham did not pray, but spent his time in mourning and +weeping over Sarah.[257] And, indeed, he had great reason to mourn his loss, +for even in her old age Sarah had retained the beauty of her youth and the +innocence of her childhood.[258] +</p> + +<p> +The death of Sarah was a loss not only for Abraham and his family, but for the +whole country. So long as she was alive, all went well in the land. After her +death confusion ensued. The weeping, lamenting, and wailing over her going +hence was universal, and Abraham, instead of receiving consolation, had to +offer consolation to others. He spoke to the mourning people, and said: "My +children, take not the going hence of Sarah too much to heart. There is one +event unto all, to the pious and the impious alike. I pray you now, give me a +burying-place with you, not as a gift, but for money."[259] +</p> + +<p> +In these last few words Abraham's unassuming modesty was expressed. God had +promised him the whole land, yet when he came to bury his dead, he had to pay +for the grave, and it did not enter his heart to cast aspersions upon the ways +of God. In all humility he spake to the people of Hebron, saying, "I am a +stranger and a sojourner with you." Therefore spake God to him, and said, "Thou +didst bear thyself modestly. As thou livest, I will appoint thee lord and +prince over them."[260] +</p> + +<p> +To the people themselves he appeared an angel, and they answered his words, +saying: "Thou art a prince of God among us. In the choice of our sepulchres +bury thy dead, among the rich if thou wilt, or among the poor if thou +wilt."[261] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham first of all gave thanks to God for the friendly feeling shown to him +by the children of Heth, and then he continued his negotiations for the Cave of +Machpelah.[262] He had long known the peculiar value of this spot. Adam had +chosen it as a burial-place for himself. He had feared his body might be used +for idolatrous purposes after his death; he therefore designated the Cave of +Machpelah as the place of his burial, and in the depths his corpse was laid, so +that none might find it.[263] When he interred Eve there, he wanted to dig +deeper, because he scented the sweet fragrance of Paradise, near the entrance +to which it lay, but a heavenly voice called to him, Enough! Adam himself was +buried there by Seth, and until the time of Abraham the place was guarded by +angels, who kept a fire burning near it perpetually, so that none dared +approach it and bury his dead therein.[264] Now, it happened on the day when +Abraham received the angels in his house, and he wanted to slaughter an ox for +their entertainment, that the ox ran away, and in his pursuit of him Abraham +entered the Cave of Machpelah. There he saw Adam and Eve stretched out upon +couches, candles burning at the head of their resting-places, while a sweet +scent pervaded the cave. +</p> + +<p> +Therefore Abraham wished to acquire the Cave of Machpelah from the children of +Heth, the inhabitants of the city of Jebus. They said to him. "We know that in +time to come God will give these lands unto thy seed, and now do thou swear a +covenant with us that Israel shall not wrest the city of Jebus from its +inhabitants without their consent." Abraham agreed to the condition, and he +acquired the field from Ephron, in whose possession it lay.[265] +</p> + +<p> +This happened the very day on which Ephron had been made the chief of the +children of Heth, and he had been raised to the position so that Abraham might +not have to have dealings with a man of low rank. It was of advantage to +Abraham, too, for Ephron at first refused to sell his field, and only the +threat of the children of Heth to depose him from his office, unless he +fulfilled the desire of Abraham, could induce him to change his +disposition.[266] +</p> + +<p> +Dissembling deceitfully, Ephron then offered to give Abraham the field without +compensation, but when Abraham insisted upon paying for it, Ephron said: "My +lord, hearken unto me. A piece of land worth four hundred shekels of silver, +what is that betwixt me and thee?" showing only too well that the money was of +the greatest consequence to him. Abraham understood his words, and when he came +to pay for the field, he weighed out the sum agreed upon between them in the +best of current coin.[267] A deed, signed by four witnesses, was drawn up, and +the field of Ephron, which was in Machpelah, the field, and the cave which was +therein, were made sure unto Abraham and his descendants for all times. +</p> + +<p> +The burial of Sarah then took place, amid great magnificence and the sympathy +of all. Shem and his son Eber, Abimelech king of the Philistines, Aner, Eshcol, +and Mamre, as well as all the great of the land, followed her bier. A seven +days' mourning was kept for her, and all the inhabitants of the land came to +condole with Abraham and Isaac.[268] +</p> + +<p> +When Abraham entered the cave to place the body of Sarah within, Adam and Eve +refused to remain there, "because," they said, "as it is, we are ashamed in the +presence of God on account of the sin we committed, and now we shall be even +more ashamed on account of your good deeds." Abraham soothed Adam. He promised +to pray to God for him, that the need for shame be removed from him. Adam +resumed his place, and Abraham entombed Sarah, and at the same time he carried +Eve, resisting, back to her place.[269] +</p> + +<p> +One year after the death of Sarah, Abimelech king of the Philistines died, too, +at the age of one hundred and ninety-three years. His successor upon the throne +was his twelve-year old son Benmelek, who took the name of his father after his +accession. Abraham did not fail to pay a visit of condolence at the court of +Abimelech. +</p> + +<p> +Lot also died about this time, at the age of one hundred and forty-two. His +sons, Moab and Ammon, both married Canaanitish wives. Moab begot a son, and +Ammon had six sons, and the descendants of both were numerous exceedingly. +</p> + +<p> +Abraham suffered a severe loss at the same time in the death of his brother +Nahor, whose days ended at Haran, when he had reached the age of one hundred +and seventy two years.[270] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap81"></a>ELIEZER'S MISSION</h3> + +<p> +The death of Sarah dealt Abraham a blow from which he did not recover. So long +as she was alive, he felt himself young and vigorous, but after she had passed +away, old age suddenly overtook him.[271] It was he himself who made the plea +that age be betrayed by suitable signs and tokens. Before the time of Abraham +an old man was not distinguishable externally from a young man, and as Isaac +was the image of his father, it happened frequently that father and son were +mistaken for each other, and a request meant for the one was preferred to the +other. Abraham prayed therefore that old age might have marks to distinguish it +from youth, and God granted his petition, and since the time of Abraham the +appearance of men changes in old age. This is one of the seven great wonders +that have occurred in the course of history.[272] +</p> + +<p> +The blessing of God did not forsake Abraham in old age, either. That it might +not be said it had been granted to him only for the sake of Sarah, God +prospered him after her death, too. Hagar bore him a daughter, and Ishmael +repented of his evil ways and subordinated himself to Isaac. And as Abraham +enjoyed undisturbed happiness in his family, so also outside, in the world. The +kings of the east and the west eagerly besieged the door of his house in order +to derive benefit from his wisdom. From his neck a precious stone was +suspended, which possessed the power of healing the sick who looked upon it. On +the death of Abraham, God attached it to the wheel of the sun. The greatest +blessing enjoyed by him, and by none beside except his son Isaac and Jacob the +son of Isaac, was that the evil inclination had no power over him, so that in +this life he had a foretaste of the future world.[273] +</p> + +<p> +But all these Divine blessings showered upon Abraham were not undeserved. He +was clean of hand, and pure of heart, one that did not lift up his soul unto +vanity.[274] +</p> + +<p> +He fulfilled all the commands that were revealed later, even the Rabbinical +injunctions, as, for instance, the one relating to the limits of a Sabbath +day's journey, wherefor his reward was that God disclosed to him the new +teachings which He expounded daily in the heavenly academy.[275] +</p> + +<p> +But one thing lacked to complete the happiness of Abraham, the marriage of +Isaac. He therefore called his old servant Eliezer unto himself. Eliezer +resembled his master not only externally, in his appearance, but also +spiritually. Like Abraham he possessed full power over the evil +inclination,[276] and like the master, the servant was an adept in the +law.[277] Abraham spake the following words to Eliezer: "I am stricken in age, +and I know not the day of my death. Therefore prepare thyself, and go unto my +country, and to my kindred, and fetch hither a wife for my son."[278] Thus he +spake by reason of the resolution he had taken immediately after the sacrifice +of Isaac on Moriah, for he had there said within himself, that if the sacrifice +had been executed, Isaac would have gone hence childless. He was even ready to +choose a wife for his son from among the daughters of his three friends, Aner, +Eshcol, and Mamre, because he knew them to be pious, and he did not attach much +importance to aristocratic stock. Then spake God to him, and said: "Concern +thyself not about a wife for Isaac.[279] One has already been provided for +him," and it was made known to Abraham that Milcah, the wife of his brother +Nahor, childless until the birth of Isaac, had then been remembered by God and +made fruitful. She bore Bethuel, and he in turn, at the time of Isaac's +sacrifice, begot the daughter destined to be the wife of Isaac.[280] +</p> + +<p> +Mindful of the proverb, "Even if the wheat of thine own place be darnel, use it +for seed," Abraham determined to take a wife for Isaac from his own family. He +argued that as any wife he chose would have to become a proselyte, it would be +best to use his own stock, which had the first claim upon him.[281] +</p> + +<p> +Eliezer now said to his master: "Peradventure no woman will be willing to +follow me unto this land. May I then marry my own daughter to Isaac?" "No," +replied Abraham, "thou art of the accursed race, and my son is of the blessed +race, and curse and blessing cannot be united.[282] But beware thou that thou +bring not my son again unto the land from whence I came, for if thou broughtest +him thither again, it were as though thou tookest him to hell. God who sets the +heavens in motion, He will set this matter right, too,[283] and He that took me +from my father's house, and that spake unto me, and that swore unto me in +Haran, and at the covenant of the pieces, that He would give this land unto my +seed, He shall send His excellent angel before thee, and thou shalt take a wife +for my son from thence." Eliezer then swore to his master concerning the +matter, and Abraham made him take the oath by the sign of the covenant.[284] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap82"></a>THE WOOING OF REBEKAH</h3> + +<p> +Attended by ten men,[285] mounted upon ten camels laden with jewels and +trinkets, Eliezer betook himself to Haran under the convoy of two angels, the +one appointed to keep guard over Eliezer, the other over Rebekah.[286] +</p> + +<p> +The journey to Haran took but a few hours, at evening of the same day he +reached there, because the earth hastened to meet him in a wonderful way.[287] +He made a halt at the well of water, and he prayed to God to permit him to +distinguish the wife appointed for Isaac among the damsels that came to draw +water, by this token, that she alone, and not the others, would give him +drink.[288] Strictly speaking, this wish of his was unseemly, for suppose a +bondwoman had given him water to drink![289] But God granted his request. All +the damsels said they could not give him of their water, because they had to +take it home. Then appeared Rebekah, coming to the well contrary to her wont, +for she was the daughter of a king, Bethuel her father being king of Haran. +When Eliezer addressed his request for water to drink to this young innocent +child, not only was she ready to do his bidding, but she rebuked the other +maidens on account of their discourtesy to a stranger.[290] Eliezer noticed, +too, how the water rose up to her of its own accord from the bottom of the +well, so that she needed not to exert herself to draw it. Having scrutinized +her carefully, he felt certain that she was the wife chosen for Isaac. He gave +her a nose ring, wherein was set a precious stone, half a shekel in weight, +foreshadowing the half-shekel which her descendants would once bring to the +sanctuary year by year. He gave her also two bracelets for her hands, of ten +shekels weight in gold, in token of the two tables of stone and the Ten +Commandments upon them.[291] +</p> + +<p> +When Rebekah, bearing the jewels, came to her mother and to her brother Laban, +this one hastened to Eliezer in order to slay him and take possession of his +goods. Laban soon learnt that he would not be able to do much harm to a giant +like Eliezer. He met him at the moment when Eliezer seized two camels and bore +them across the stream.[292] Besides, on account of Eliezer's close resemblance +to Abraham, Laban thought he saw Abraham before him, and he said: "Come in, +thou blessed of the Lord! It is not becoming that thou shouldst stand without, +I have cleansed my house of idols."[293] +</p> + +<p> +But when Eliezer arrived at the house of Bethuel, they tried to kill him with +cunning. They set poisoned food before him. Luckily, he refused to eat before +he had discharged himself of his errand. While he was telling his story, it was +ordained by God that the dish intended for him should come to stand in front of +Bethuel, who ate of it and died.[294] +</p> + +<p> +Eliezer showed the document he had in which Abraham deeded all his possessions +to Isaac, and he made it known to the kindred of Abraham, how deeply attached +to them his master was, in spite of the long years of separation.[295] Yet he +let them know at the same time that Abraham was not dependent wholly upon them. +He might seek a wife for his son among the daughters of Ishmael or Lot. At +first the kindred of Abraham consented to let Rebekah go with Eliezer, but as +Bethuel had died in the meantime, they did not want to give Rebekah in marriage +without consulting her. Besides, they deemed it proper that she should remain +at home at least during the week of mourning for her father.[296] But Eliezer, +seeing the angel wait for him, would brook no delay, and he said, "The man who +came with me and prospered my way, waits for me without," and as Rebekah +professed herself ready to go at once with Eliezer, her mother and brother +granted her wish and dismissed her with their blessings.[297] But their +blessings did not come from the bottom of their hearts. Indeed, as a rule, the +blessing of the impious is a curse, wherefore Rebekah remained barren for +years. +</p> + +<p> +Eliezer's return to Canaan was as wonderful as his going to Haran had been. A +seventeen days' journey he accomplished in three hours. He left Haran at noon, +and he arrived at Hebron[299] at three o'clock in the afternoon, the time for +the Minhah Prayer, which had been introduced by Isaac. He was in the posture of +praying when Rebekah first laid eyes upon him, wherefore she asked Eliezer what +man this was. She saw he was not an ordinary individual. She noticed the +unusual beauty of Isaac, and also that an angel accompanied him. Thus her +question was not dictated by mere curiosity.[300] At this moment she learnt +through the holy spirit, that she was destined to be the mother of the godless +Esau. Terror seized her at the knowledge, and, trembling, she fell from the +camel and inflicted an injury upon herself.[301] +</p> + +<p> +After Isaac had heard the wonderful adventures of Eliezer, he took Rebekah to +the tent of his mother Sarah, and she showed herself worthy to be her +successor. The cloud appeared again that had been visible over the tent during +the life of Sarah, and had vanished at her death; the light shone again in the +tent of Rebekah that Sarah had kindled at the coming in of the Sabbath, and +that had burnt miraculously throughout the week; the blessing returned with +Rebekah that had hovered over the dough kneaded by Sarah; and the gates of the +tent were opened for the needy, wide and spacious, as they had been during the +lifetime of Sarah.[302] +</p> + +<p> +For three years Isaac had mourned for his mother, and he could find no +consolation in the academy of Shem and Eber, his abiding-place during that +period. But Rebekah comforted him after his mother's death,[303] for she was +the counterpart of Sarah in person and in spirit.[304] +</p> + +<p> +As a reward for having executed to his full satisfaction the mission with which +he had charged him, Abraham set his bondman free.[305] The curse resting upon +Eliezer, as upon all the descendants of Canaan, was transformed into a +blessing, because he ministered unto Abraham loyally.[306] Greatest reward of +all, God found him worthy of entering Paradise alive, a distinction that fell +to the lot of very few.[307] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap83"></a>THE LAST YEARS OF ABRAHAM</h3> + +<p> +Rebekah first saw Isaac as he was coming from the way of Beer-lahai-roi, the +dwelling-place of Hagar, whither he had gone after the death of his mother, for +the purpose of reuniting his father with Hagar,[308] or, as she is also called, +Keturah.[309] +</p> + +<p> +Hagar bore him six sons, who, however, did scant honor to their father, for +they all were idolaters.[310] Abraham, therefore, during his own lifetime, sent +them away from the presence of Isaac, that they might not be singed by Isaac's +flame, and gave them the instruction to journey eastward as far as +possible.[311] There he built a city for them, surrounded by an iron wall, so +high that the sun could not shine into the city. But Abraham provided them with +huge gems and pearls, their lustre more brilliant than the light of the sun, +which will be used in the Messianic time when "the moon shall be confounded and +the sun ashamed."[312] Also Abraham taught them the black art, wherewith they +held sway over demons and spirits. It is from this city in the east that Laban, +Balaam, and Balaam's father Beor derived their sorceries.[313] +</p> + +<p> +Epher, one of the grandsons of Abraham and Keturah, invaded Lybia with an armed +force, and took possession of the country. From this Epher the whole land of +Africa has its name.[314] Aram is also a country made habitable by a kinsman of +Abraham. In his old age Terah contracted a new marriage with Pelilah, and from +this union sprang a son Zoba, who was the father in turn of three sons. The +oldest of these, Aram, was exceedingly rich and powerful, and the old home in +Haran sufficed not for him and his kinsmen, the sons of Nahor, the brother of +Abraham. Aram and his brethren and all that belonged to him therefore departed +from Haran, and they settled in a vale, and they built themselves a city there +which they called Aram-Zoba, to perpetuate the name of the father and his +first-born son. Another Aram, Aram-naharaim, on the Euphrates, was built by +Aram son of Kemuel, a nephew of Abraham. Its real name was Petor, after the son +of Aram, but it is better known as Aram-naharaim. The descendants of Kesed, +another nephew of Abraham, a son of his brother Nahor, established themselves +opposite to Shinar, where they founded the city of Kesed, the city whence the +Chaldees are called Kasdim.[315] +</p> + +<p> +Though Abraham knew full well that Isaac deserved his paternal blessing beyond +all his sons, yet he withheld it from him, that no hostile feelings be aroused +among his descendants. He spake, and said: "I am but flesh and blood, here +to-day, to-morrow in the grave. What I was able to do for my children I have +done. Henceforth let come what God desires to do in His world," and it happened +that immediately after the death of Abraham God Himself appeared unto Isaac, +and gave him His blessing.[316] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap84"></a>A HERALD OF DEATH</h3> + +<p> +When the day of the death of Abraham drew near, the Lord said to Michael, +"Arise and go to Abraham and say to him, Thou shalt depart from life!" so that +he might set his house in order before he died. And Michael went and came to +Abraham and found him sitting before his oxen for ploughing. Abraham, seeing +Michael, but not knowing who he was, saluted him and said to him, "Sit down a +little while, and I will order a beast to be brought, and we will go to my +house, that thou mayest rest with me, for it is toward evening, and arise in +the morning and go whithersoever thou wilt." And Abraham called one of his +servants, and said to him: "Go and bring me a beast, that the stranger may sit +upon it, for he is wearied with his journey." But Michael said, "I abstain from +ever sitting upon any fourfooted beast, let us walk therefore, till we reach +the house." +</p> + +<p> +On their way to the house they passed a huge tree, and Abraham heard a voice +from its branches, singing, "Holy art thou, because thou hast kept the purpose +for which thou wast sent." Abraham hid the mystery in his heart, thinking that +the stranger did not hear it. Arrived at his house, he ordered the servants to +prepare a meal, and while they were busy with their work, he called his son +Isaac, and said to him, "Arise and put water in the vessel, that we may wash +the feet of the stranger." And he brought it as he was commanded, and Abraham +said, "I perceive that in this basin I shall never again wash the feet of any +man coming to us as a guest." Hearing this, Isaac began to weep, and Abraham, +seeing his son weep, also wept, and Michael, seeing them weep, wept also, and +the tears of Michael fell into the water, and became precious stones. +</p> + +<p> +Before sitting down to the table, Michael arose, went out for a moment, as if +to ease nature, and ascended to heaven in the twinkling of an eye, and stood +before the Lord, and said to Him: "Lord and Master, let Thy power know that I +am unable to remind that righteous man of his death, for I have not seen upon +the earth a man like him, compassionate, hospitable, righteous, truthful, +devout, refraining from every evil deed." Then the Lord said to Michael, "Go +down to My friend Abraham, and whatever he may say to thee, that do thou also, +and whatever he may eat, eat thou also with him, and I will cast the thought of +the death of Abraham into the heart of Isaac, his son, in a dream, and Isaac +will relate the dream, and thou shalt interpret it, and he himself will know +his end." And Michael said, "Lord, all the heavenly spirits are incorporeal, +and neither eat nor drink, and this man has set before me a table with an +abundance of all good things earthly and corruptible. Now, Lord, what shall I +do?" The Lord answered him, "Go down to him and take no thought for this, for +when thou sittest down with him, I will send upon thee a devouring spirit, and +it will consume out of thy hands and through thy mouth all that is on the +table." +</p> + +<p> +Then Michael went into the house of Abraham, and they ate and drank and were +merry. And when the supper was ended, Abraham prayed after his custom, and +Michael prayed with him, and each lay down to sleep upon his couch in one room, +while Isaac went to his chamber, lest he be troublesome to the guest. About the +seventh hour of the night, Isaac awoke and came to the door of his father's +chamber, crying out and saying, "Open, father, that I may touch thee before +they take thee away from me." And Abraham wept together with his son, and when +Michael saw them weep, he wept likewise. And Sarah, hearing the weeping, called +forth from her bedchamber, saying: "My lord Abraham, why this weeping? Has the +stranger told thee of thy brother's son Lot, that he is dead? or has aught +befallen us?" Michael answered, and said to her, "Nay, my sister Sarah, it is +not as thou sayest, but thy son Isaac, methinks, beheld a dream, and came to us +weeping, and we, seeing him, were moved in our hearts and wept." Sarah, hearing +Michael speak, knew straightway that it was an angel of the Lord, one of the +three angels whom they had entertained in their house once before, and +therefore she made a sign to Abraham to come out toward the door, to inform him +of what she knew. Abraham said: "Thou hast perceived well, for I, too, when I +washed his feet, knew in my heart that they were the feet that I had washed at +the oak of Mamre, and that went to save Lot." Abraham, returning to his +chamber, made Isaac relate his dream, which Michael interpreted to them, +saying: "Thy son Isaac has spoken truth, for thou shalt go and be taken up into +the heavens, but thy body shall remain on earth, until seven thousand ages are +fulfilled, for then all flesh shall arise. Now, therefore, Abraham, set thy +house in order, for thou wast heard what is decreed concerning thee." Abraham +answered, "Now I know thou art an angel of the Lord, and wast sent to take my +soul, but I will not go with thee, but do thou whatever thou art commanded." +Michael returned to heaven and told God of Abraham's refusal to obey his +summons, and he was again commanded to go down and admonish Abraham not to +rebel against God, who had bestowed many blessings upon him, and he reminded +him that no one who has come from Adam and Eve can escape death, and that God +in His great kindness toward him did not permit the sickle of death to meet +him, but sent His chief captain, Michael, to him. "Wherefore, then," he ended, +"hast thou said to the chief captain, I will not go with thee?" When Michael +delivered these exhortations to Abraham, he saw that it was futile to oppose +the will of God, and he consented to die, but wished to have one desire of his +fulfilled while still alive. He said to Michael: "I beseech thee, lord, if I +must depart from my body, I desire to be taken up in my body, that I may see +the creatures that the Lord has created in heaven and on earth." Michael went +up into heaven, and spake before the Lord concerning Abraham, and the Lord +answered Michael, "Go and take up Abraham in the body and show him all things, +and whatever he shall say to thee, do to him as to My friend." +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap85"></a>ABRAHAM VIEWS EARTH AND HEAVEN</h3> + +<p> +The archangel Michael went down, and took Abraham upon a chariot of the +cherubim, and lifted him up into the air of heaven, and led him upon the cloud, +together with sixty angels, and Abraham ascended upon the chariot over all the +earth, and saw all things that are below on the earth, both good and bad. +Looking down upon the earth, he saw a man committing adultery with a wedded +woman, and turning to Michael he said, "Send fire from heaven to consume them." +Straightway there came down fire and consumed them, for God had commanded +Michael to do whatsoever Abraham should ask him to do. He looked again, and he +saw thieves digging through a house, and Abraham said, "Let wild beasts come +out of the desert, and tear them in pieces," and immediately wild beasts came +out of the desert and devoured them. Again he looked down, and he saw people +preparing to commit murder, and he said, "Let the earth open and swallow them," +and, as he spoke, the earth swallowed them alive. Then God spoke to Michael: +"Turn away Abraham to his own house and let him not go round the whole earth, +because he has no compassion on sinners, but I have compassion on sinners, that +they may turn and live and repent of their sins, and be saved." +</p> + +<p> +So Michael turned the chariot, and brought Abraham to the place of judgment of +all souls. Here he saw two gates, the one broad and the other narrow, the +narrow gate that of the just, which leads to life, they that enter through it +go into Paradise. The broad gate is that of sinners, which leads to destruction +and eternal punishment. Then Abraham wept, saying, "Woe is me, what shall I do? +for I am a man big of body, and how shall I be able to enter by the narrow +gate?" Michael answered, and said to Abraham, "Fear not, nor grieve, for thou +shalt enter by it unhindered, and all they who are like thee." Abraham, +perceiving that a soul was adjudged to be set in the midst, asked Michael the +reason for it, and Michael answered, "Because the judge found its sins and its +righteousness equal, he neither committed it to judgment nor to be saved." +Abraham said to Michael, "Let us pray for this soul, and see whether God will +hear us," and when they rose up from their prayer, Michael informed Abraham +that the soul was saved by the prayer, and was taken by an angel and carried up +to Paradise. Abraham said to Michael, "Let us yet call upon the Lord and +supplicate His compassion and entreat His mercy for the souls of the sinners +whom I formerly, in my anger, cursed and destroyed, whom the earth devoured, +and the wild beasts tore in pieces, and the fire consumed, through my words. +Now I know that I have sinned before the Lord our God." +</p> + +<p> +After the joint prayer of the archangel and Abraham, there came a voice from +heaven, saying, "Abraham, Abraham, I have hearkened to thy voice and thy +prayer, and I forgive thee thy sin, and those whom thou thinkest that I +destroyed, I have called up and brought them into life by My exceeding +kindness, because for a season I have requited them in judgment, and those whom +I destroy living upon earth, I will not requite in death." +</p> + +<p> +When Michael brought Abraham back to his house, they found Sarah dead. Not +seeing what had become of Abraham, she was consumed with grief and gave up her +soul. Though Michael had fulfilled Abraham's wish, and had shown him all the +earth and the judgment and recompense, he still refused to surrender his soul +to Michael, and the archangel again ascended to heaven, and said unto the Lord: +"Thus speaks Abraham, I will not go with thee, and I refrain from laying my +hands on him, because from the beginning he was Thy friend, and he has done all +things pleasing in Thy sight. There is no man like him on earth, not even Job, +the wondrous man." But when the day of the death of Abraham drew nigh, God +commanded Michael to adorn Death with great beauty and send him thus to +Abraham, that he might see him with his eyes. +</p> + +<p> +While sitting under the oak of Mamre, Abraham perceived a flashing of light and +a smell of sweet odor, and turning around he saw Death coming toward him in +great glory and beauty. And Death said unto Abraham: "Think not, Abraham, that +this beauty is mine, or that I come thus to every man. Nay, but if any one is +righteous like thee, I thus take a crown and come to him, but if he is a +sinner, I come in great corruption, and out of their sins I make a crown for my +head, and I shake them with great fear, so that they are dismayed." Abraham +said to him, "And art thou, indeed, he that is called Death?" He answered, and +said, "I am the bitter name," but Abraham answered, "I will not go with thee." +And Abraham said to Death, "Show us thy corruption." And Death revealed his +corruption, showing two heads, the one had the face of a serpent, the other +head was like a sword. All the servants of Abraham, looking at the fierce mien +of Death, died, but Abraham prayed to the Lord, and he raised them up. As the +looks of Death were not able to cause Abraham's soul to depart from him, God +removed the soul of Abraham as in a dream, and the archangel Michael took it up +into heaven. After great praise and glory had been given to the Lord by the +angels who brought Abraham's soul, and after Abraham bowed down to worship, +then came the voice of God, saying thus: "Take My friend Abraham into Paradise, +where are the tabernacles of My righteous ones and the abodes of My saints +Isaac and Jacob in his bosom, where there is no trouble, nor grief, nor +sighing, but peace and rejoicing and life unending."[317] +</p> + +<p> +Abraham's activity did not cease with his death, and as he interceded in this +world for the sinners, so will he intercede for them in the world to come. On +the day of judgment he will sit at the gate of hell, and he will not suffer +those who kept the law of circumcision to enter therein.[318] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap86"></a>THE PATRON OF HEBRON</h3> + +<p> +Once upon a time some Jews lived in Hebron, few in number, but pious and good, +and particularly hospitable. When strangers came to the Cave of Machpelah to +pray there, the inhabitants of the place fairly quarrelled with each other for +the privilege of entertaining the guests, and the one who carried off the +victory rejoiced as though he had found great spoil. +</p> + +<p> +On the eve of the Day of Atonement, it appeared that, in spite of all their +efforts, the dwellers at Hebron could not secure the tenth man needed for +public Divine service, and they feared they would have none on the holy day. +Toward evening, when the sun was about to sink, they descried an old man with +silver white beard, bearing a sack upon his shoulder, his raiment tattered, and +his feet badly swollen from much walking. They ran to meet him, took him to one +of the houses, gave him food and drink, and, after supplying him with new white +garments, they all together went to the synagogue for worship. Asked what his +name was, the stranger replied, Abraham. +</p> + +<p> +At the end of the fast, the residents of Hebron cast lots for the privilege of +entertaining the guest. Fortune favored the beadle, who, the envy of the rest, +bore his guest away to his house. On the way, he suddenly disappeared, and the +beadle could not find him anywhere. In vain all the Jews of the place went on a +quest for him. Their sleepless night, spent in searching, had no result. The +stranger could not be found. But no sooner had the beadle lain down, toward +morning, weary and anxious, to snatch some sleep, than he saw the lost guest +before him, his face luminous as lightning, and his garments magnificent and +studded with gems radiant as the sun. Before the beadle, stunned by fright, +could open his mouth, the stranger spake, and said: "I am Abraham the Hebrew, +your ancestor, who rests here in the Cave of Machpelah. When I saw how grieved +you were at not having the number of men prescribed for a public service, I +came forth to you. Have no fear! Rejoice and be merry of heart!"[319] +</p> + +<p> +On another occasion Abraham granted his assistance to the people of Hebron. The +lord of the city was a heartless man, who oppressed the Jews sorely. One day he +commanded them to pay a large sum of money into his coffers, the whole sum in +uniform coins, all stamped with the same year. It was but a pretext to kill the +Jews. He knew that his demand was impossible of fulfilment. +</p> + +<p> +The Jews proclaimed a fast and day of public prayer, on which to supplicate God +that He turn aside the sword suspended above them. The night following, the +beadle in a dream saw an awe-inspiring old man, who addressed him in the +following words: "Up, quickly! Hasten to the gate of the court, where lies the +money you need. I am your father Abraham. I have beheld the affliction +wherewith the Gentiles oppress you, but God has heard your groans." In great +terror the beadle arose, but he saw no one, yet he went to the spot designated +by the vision, and he found the money and took it to the congregation, telling +his dream at the same time. Amazed, they counted the gold, precisely the amount +required of them by the prince, no more and no less. They surrendered the sum +to him, and he who had considered compliance with his demand impossible, +recognized now that God is with the Jews, and thenceforth they found favor in +his eyes.[320] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div class="chapter"> + +<h2><a name="book06"></a>VI<br/> +JACOB</h2> + +<h3><a name="chap87"></a>THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB</h3> + +<p> +Isaac was the counterpart of his father in body and soul. He resembled him in +every particular—"in beauty, wisdom, strength, wealth, and noble deeds."[1] It +was, therefore, as great an honor for Isaac to be called the son of his father +as for Abraham to be called the father of his son, and though Abraham was the +progenitor of thirty nations, he is always designated as the father of +Isaac.[2] +</p> + +<p> +Despite his many excellent qualities, Isaac married late in life. God permitted +him to meet the wife suitable to him only after he had successfully disproved +the mocking charges of Ishmael, who was in the habit of taunting him with +having been circumcised at the early age of eight days, while Ishmael had +submitted himself voluntarily to the operation when he was thirteen years old. +For this reason God demanded Isaac as a sacrifice when he had attained to full +manhood, at the age of thirty-seven, and Isaac was ready to give up his life. +Ishmael's jibes were thus robbed of their sting, and Isaac was permitted to +marry. But another delay occurred before his marriage could take place. +Directly after the sacrifice on Mount Moriah, his mother died, and he mourned +her for three years.[3] Finally he married Rebekah, who was then a maiden of +fourteen.[4] +</p> + +<p> +Rebekah was "a rose between thorns." Her father was the Aramean Bethuel, and +her brother was Laban, but she did not walk in their ways.[5] Her piety was +equal to Isaac's.[6] Nevertheless their marriage was not entirely happy, for +they lived together no less than twenty years without begetting children.[7] +Rebekah besought her husband to entreat God for the gift of children, as his +father Abraham had done. At first Isaac would not do her bidding. God had +promised Abraham a numerous progeny, and he thought their childlessness was +probably Rebekah's fault, and it was her duty to supplicate God, and not his. +But Rebekah would not desist, and husband and wife repaired to Mount Moriah +together to pray to God there. And Isaac said: "O Lord God of heaven and earth, +whose goodness and mercies fill the earth, Thou who didst take my father from +his father's house and from his birthplace, and didst bring him unto this land, +and didst say unto him, To thee and thy seed will I give the land, and didst +promise him and declare unto him, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of +heaven and as the sand of the sea, now may Thy words be verified which Thou +didst speak unto my father. For Thou art the Lord our God, our eyes are toward +Thee, to give us seed of men as Thou didst promise us, for Thou art the Lord +our God, and our eyes are upon Thee."[8] Isaac prayed furthermore that all +children destined for him might be born unto him from this pious wife of his, +and Rebekah made the same petition regarding her husband Isaac and the children +destined for her. +</p> + +<p> +Their united prayer was heard.[9] Yet it was chiefly for the sake of Isaac that +God gave them children. It is true, Rebekah's piety equalled her husband's, but +the prayer of a pious man who is the son of a pious man is far more efficacious +than the prayer of one who, though pious himself, is descended from a godless +father. +</p> + +<p> +The prayer wrought a great miracle, for Isaac's physique was such that he could +not have been expected to beget children, and equally it was not in the course +of nature that Rebekah should bear children.[10] +</p> + +<p> +When Rebekah had been pregnant seven months,[11] she began to wish that the +curse of childlessness had not been removed from her.[12] She suffered +torturous pain, because her twin sons began their lifelong quarrels in her +womb. They strove to kill each other. If Rebekah walked in the vicinity of a +temple erected to idols, Esau moved in her body, and if she passed a synagogue +or a Bet ha-Midrash, Jacob essayed to break forth from her womb.[13] The +quarrels of the children turned upon such differences as these. Esau would +insist that there was no life except the earthly life of material pleasures, +and Jacob would reply: "My brother, there are two worlds before us, this world +and the world to come. In this world, men eat and drink, and traffic and marry, +and bring up sons and daughters, but all this does not take place in the world +to come. If it please thee, do thou take this world, and I will take the +other."[14] Esau had Samael as his ally, who desired to slay Jacob in his +mother's womb. But the archangel Michael hastened to Jacob's aid. He tried to +burn Samael, and the Lord saw it was necessary to constitute a heavenly court +for the purpose of arbitrating the case of Michael and Samael.[15] Even the +quarrel between the two brothers regarding the birthright had its beginning +before they emerged from the womb of their mother. Each desired to be the first +to come into the world. It was only when Esau threatened to carry his point at +the expense of his mother's life that Jacob gave way.[16] +</p> + +<p> +Rebekah asked other women whether they, too, had suffered such pain during +their pregnancy, and when they told her they had not heard of a case like hers, +except the pregnancy of Nimrod's mother, she betook herself to Mount Moriah, +whereon Shem and Eber had their Bet ha-Midrash. She requested them as well as +Abraham to inquire of God what the cause of her dire suffering was.[17] And +Shem replied: "My daughter, I confide a secret to thee. See to it that none +finds it out. Two nations are in thy womb, and how should thy body contain +them, seeing that the whole world will not be large enough for them to exist in +it together peaceably? Two nations they are, each owning a world of its own, +the one the Torah, the other sin. From the one will spring Solomon, the builder +of the Temple, from the other Vespasian, the destroyer thereof. These two are +what are needed to raise the number of nations to seventy. They will never be +in the same estate. Esau will vaunt lords, while Jacob will bring forth +prophets, and if Esau has princes, Jacob will have kings.[18] They, Israel and +Rome, are the two nations destined to be hated by all the world.[19] One will +exceed the other in strength. First Esau will subjugate the whole world, but in +the end Jacob will rule over all.[20] The older of the two will serve the +younger, provided this one is pure of heart, otherwise the younger will be +enslaved by the older."[21] +</p> + +<p> +The circumstances connected with the birth of her twin sons were as remarkable +as those during the period of Rebekah's pregnancy. Esau was the first to see +the light, and with him all impurity came from the womb;[22] Jacob was born +clean and sweet of body. Esau was brought forth with hair, beard, and teeth, +both front and back,[23] and he was blood-red, a sign of his future sanguinary +nature.[24] On account of his ruddy appearance he remained uncircumcised. +Isaac, his father, feared that it was due to poor circulation of the blood, and +he hesitated to perform the circumcision. He decided to wait until Esau should +attain his thirteenth year, the age at which Ishmael had received the sign of +the covenant. But when Esau grew up, he refused to give heed to his father's +wish, and so he was left uncircumcised.[25] The opposite of his brother in this +as in all respects, Jacob was born with the sign of the covenant upon his body, +a rare distinction.[26] But Esau also bore a mark upon him at birth, the figure +of a serpent, the symbol of all that is wicked and hated of God.[27] +</p> + +<p> +The names conferred upon the brothers are pregnant with meaning. The older was +called Esau, because he was 'Asui, fully developed when he was born, and the +name of the younger was given to him by God, to point to some important events +in the future of Israel by the numerical value of each letter. The first letter +in Ya'akob, Yod, with the value of ten, stands for the decalogue; the second, +'Ayin, equal to seventy, for the seventy elders, the leaders of Israel; the +third, Kof, a hundred, for the Temple, a hundred ells in height; and the last, +Bet, for the two tables of stone.[28] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap88"></a>THE FAVORITE OF ABRAHAM</h3> + +<p> +While Esau and Jacob were little, their characters could not be judged +properly. They were like the myrtle and the thorn-bush, which look alike in the +early stages of their growth. After they have attained full size, the myrtle is +known by its fragrance, and the thorn-bush by its thorns. +</p> + +<p> +In their childhood, both brothers went to school, but when they reached their +thirteenth year, and were of age, their ways parted. Jacob continued his +studies in the Bet ha Midrash of Shem and Eber, and Esau abandoned himself to +idolatry and an immoral life.[29] Both were hunters of men, Esau tried to +capture them in order to turn them away from God, and Jacob, to turn them +toward God.[30] In spite of his impious deeds, Esau possessed the art of +winning his father's love. His hypocritical conduct made Isaac believe that his +first-born son was extremely pious. "Father," he would ask Isaac, "what is the +tithe on straw and salt?" The question made him appear God-fearing in the eyes +of his father, because these two products are the very ones that are exempt +from tithing.[31] Isaac failed to notice, too, that his older son gave him +forbidden food to eat. What he took for the flesh of young goats was dog's +meat.[32] +</p> + +<p> +Rebekah was more clear-sighted. She knew her sons as they really were, and +therefore her love for Jacob was exceeding great. The oftener she heard his +voice, the deeper grew her affection for him.[33] Abraham agreed with her. He +also loved his grandson Jacob, for he knew that in him his name and his seed +would be called. And he said unto Rebekah, "My daughter, watch over my son +Jacob, for he shall be in my stead on the earth and for a blessing in the midst +of the children of men, and for the glory of the whole seed of Shem." Having +admonished Rebekah thus to keep guard over Jacob, who was destined to be the +bearer of the blessing given to Abraham by God, he called for his grandson, and +in the presence of Rebekah he blessed him, and said: "Jacob, my beloved son, +whom my soul loveth, may God bless thee from above the firmament, and may He +give thee all the blessing wherewith He blessed Adam, and Enoch, and Noah, and +Shem, and all the things of which He told me, and all the things which He +promised to give me may He cause to cleave to thee and to thy seed forever, +according to the days of the heavens above the earth. And the spirit of Mastema +shall not rule over thee or over thy seed, to turn thee from the Lord, who is +thy God from henceforth and forever. And may the Lord God be a father to thee, +and mayest thou be His first-born son, and may He be a father to thy people +always. Go in peace, my son."[34] +</p> + +<p> +And Abraham had good reason to be particularly fond of Jacob, for it was due to +the merits of his grandson that he had been rescued from the fiery furnace.[35] +</p> + +<p> +Isaac and Rebekah, knowing of Abraham's love for their young son, sent their +father a meal by Jacob on the last Feast of Pentecost which Abraham was +permitted to celebrate on earth, that he might eat and bless the Creator of all +things before he died. Abraham knew that his end was approaching, and he +thanked the Lord for all the good He had granted him during the days of his +life, and blessed Jacob and bade him walk in the ways of the Lord, and +especially he was not to marry a daughter of the Canaanites. Then Abraham +prepared for death. He placed two of Jacob's fingers upon his eyes, and thus +holding them closed he fell into his eternal sleep, while Jacob lay beside him +on the bed. The lad did not know of his grandfather's death, until he called +him, on awakening next morning, "Father, father," and received no answer.[36] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap89"></a>THE SALE OF THE BIRTHRIGHT</h3> + +<p> +Though Abraham reached a good old age, beyond the limit of years vouchsafed +later generations, he yet died five years before his allotted time. The +intention was to let him live to be one hundred and eighty years old, the same +age as Isaac's at his death, but on account of Esau God brought his life to an +abrupt close. For some time Esau had been pursuing his evil inclinations in +secret. Finally he dropped his mask, and on the day of Abraham's death he was +guilty of five crimes: he ravished a betrothed maiden, committed murder, +doubted the resurrection of the dead, scorned the birthright, and denied God. +Then the Lord said: "I promised Abraham that he should go to his fathers in +peace. Can I now permit him to be a witness of his grandson's rebellion against +God, his violation of the laws of chastity, and his shedding of blood? It is +better for him to die now in peace."[37] +</p> + +<p> +The men slain by Esau on this day were Nimrod and two of his adjutants. A +long-standing feud had existed between Esau and Nimrod, because the mighty +hunter before the Lord was jealous of Esau, who also devoted himself +assiduously to the chase. Once when he was hunting it happened that Nimrod was +separated from his people, only two men were with him. Esau, who lay in ambush, +noticed his isolation, and waited until he should pass his covert. Then he +threw himself upon Nimrod suddenly, and felled him and his two companions, who +hastened to his succor. The outcries of the latter brought the attendants of +Nimrod to the spot where he lay dead, but not before Esau had stripped him of +his garments, and fled to the city with them.[38] +</p> + +<p> +These garments of Nimrod had an extraordinary effect upon cattle, beasts, and +birds. Of their own accord they would come and prostrate themselves before him +who was arrayed in them. Thus Nimrod and Esau after him were able to rule over +men and beasts.[39] +</p> + +<p> +After slaying Nimrod, Esau hastened cityward in great fear of his victim's +followers. Tired and exhausted he arrived at home to find Jacob busy preparing +a dish of lentils. Numerous male and female slaves were in Isaac's household. +Nevertheless Jacob was so simple and modest in his demeanor that, if he came +home late from the Bet ha-Midrash, he would disturb none to prepare his meal, +but would do it himself.[40] On this occasion he was cooking lentils for his +father, to serve to him as his mourner's meal after the death of Abraham. Adam +and Eve had eaten lentils after the murder of Abel, and so had the parents of +Haran, when he perished in the fiery furnace. The reason they are used for the +mourner's meal is that the round lentil symbolizes death: as the lentil rolls, +so death, sorrow, and mourning constantly roll about among men, from one to the +other.[41] +</p> + +<p> +Esau accosted Jacob thus, "Why art thou preparing lentils?" +</p> + +<p> +Jacob: "Because our grandfather passed away; they shall be a sign of my grief +and mourning, that he may love me in the days to come." +</p> + +<p> +Esau: "Thou fool! Dost thou really think it possible that man should come to +life again after he has been dead and has mouldered in the grave?"[42] He +continued to taunt Jacob. "Why dost thou give thyself so much trouble?" he +said. "Lift up thine eyes, and thou wilt see that all men eat whatever comes to +hand—fish, creeping and crawling creatures, swine's flesh, and all sorts of +things like these, and thou vexest thyself about a dish of lentils." +</p> + +<p> +Jacob: "If we act like other men, what shall we do on the day of the Lord, the +day on which the pious will receive their reward, when a herald will proclaim: +Where is He that weigheth the deeds of men, where is He that counteth?" +</p> + +<p> +Esau: "Is there a future world? Or will the dead be called back to life? If it +were so, why hath not Adam returned? Hast thou heard that Noah, through whom +the world was raised anew, hath reappeared? Yea, Abraham, the friend of God, +more beloved of Him than any man, hath he come to life again?" +</p> + +<p> +Jacob: "If thou art of opinion that there is no future world, and that the dead +do not rise to new life, then why dost thou want thy birthright? Sell it to me, +now, while it is yet possible to do so. Once the Torah is revealed, it cannot +be done. Verily, there is a future world, in which the righteous receive their +reward. I tell thee this, lest thou say later I deceived thee."[43] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob was little concerned about the double share of the inheritance that went +with the birthright. What he thought of was the priestly service, which was the +prerogative of the first-born in ancient times, and Jacob was loth to have his +impious brother Esau play the priest, he who despised all Divine service.[44] +</p> + +<p> +The scorn manifested by Esau for the resurrection of the dead he felt also for +the promise of God to give the Holy Land to the seed of Abraham. He did not +believe in it, and therefore he was willing to cede his birthright and the +blessing attached thereto in exchange for a mess of pottage.[45] In addition, +Jacob paid him in coin,[46] and, besides, he gave him what was more than money, +the wonderful sword of Methuselah, which Isaac had inherited from Abraham and +bestowed upon Jacob.[47] +</p> + +<p> +Esau made game of Jacob. He invited his associates to feast at his brother's +table, saying, "Know ye what I did to this Jacob? I ate his lentils, drank his +wine, amused myself at his expense, and sold my birthright to him." All that +Jacob replied was, "Eat and may it do thee good!" But the Lord said, "Thou +despisest the birthright, therefore I shall make thee despised in all +generations." And by way of punishment for denying God and the resurrection of +the dead, the descendants of Esau were cut off from the world.[48] +</p> + +<p> +As naught was holy to Esau, Jacob made him swear, concerning the birthright, by +the life of their father, for he knew Esau's love for Isaac, that it was +strong.[49] Nor did he fail to have a document made out, duly signed by +witnesses, setting forth that Esau had sold him the birthright together with +his claim upon a place in the Cave of Machpelah.[50] +</p> + +<p> +Though no blame can attach to Jacob for all this, yet he secured the birthright +from him by cunning, and therefore the descendants of Jacob had to serve the +descendants of Esau.[51] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap90"></a>ISAAC WITH THE PHILISTINES</h3> + +<p> +The life of Isaac was a faithful reflex of the life of his father. Abraham had +to leave his birthplace; so also Isaac. Abraham was exposed to the risk of +losing his wife; so also Isaac. The Philistines were envious of Abraham; so +also of Isaac. Abraham long remained childless; so also Isaac. Abraham begot +one pious son and one wicked son; so also Isaac. And, finally, as in the time +of Abraham, so also in the time of Isaac, a famine came upon the land.[52] +</p> + +<p> +At first Isaac intended to follow the example of his father and remove to +Egypt, but God appeared unto him, and spake: "Thou art a perfect sacrifice, +without a blemish, and as a burnt offering is made unfit if it is taken outside +of the sanctuary, so thou wouldst be profaned if thou shouldst happen outside +of the Holy Land. Remain in the land, and endeavor to cultivate it. In this +land dwells the Shekinah, and in days to come I will give unto thy children the +realms possessed by mighty rulers, first a part thereof, and the whole in the +Messianic time."[53] +</p> + +<p> +Isaac obeyed the command of God, and he settled in Gerar. When he noticed that +the inhabitants of the place began to have designs upon his wife, he followed +the example of Abraham, and pretended she was his sister.[54] The report of +Rebekah's beauty reached the king himself, but he was mindful of the great +danger to which he had once exposed himself on a similar occasion, and he left +Isaac and his wife unmolested.[55] After they had been in Gerar for three +months, Abimelech noticed that the manner of Isaac, who lived in the outer +court of the royal palace, was that of a husband toward Rebekah.[56] He called +him to account, saying, "It might have happened to the king himself to take the +woman thou didst call thy sister."[57] Indeed, Isaac lay under the suspicion of +having illicit intercourse with Rebekah, for at first the people of the place +would not believe that she was his wife. When Isaac persisted in his +statement,[58] Abimelech sent his grandees for them, ordered them to be arrayed +in royal vestments, and had it proclaimed before them, as they rode through the +city: "These two are man and wife. He that toucheth this man or his wife shall +surely be put to death." +</p> + +<p> +Thereafter the king invited Isaac to settle in his domains, and he assigned +fields and vineyards to him for cultivation, the best the land afforded.[59] +But Isaac was not self-interested. The tithe of all he possessed he gave to the +poor of Gerar. Thus he was the first to introduce the law of tithing for the +poor, as his father Abraham had been the first to separate the priests' portion +from his fortune.[60] Isaac was rewarded by abundant harvests; the land yielded +a hundred times more than was expected, though the soil was barren and the year +unfruitful. He grew so rich that people wished to have "the dung from Isaac's +she-mules rather than Abimelech's gold and silver."[61] But his wealth called +forth the envy of the Philistines, for it is characteristic of the wicked that +they begrudge their fellow-men the good, and rejoice when they see evil descend +upon them, and envy brings hatred in its wake, and so the Philistines first +envied Isaac, and then hated him. In their enmity toward him, they stopped the +wells which Abraham had had his servants dig. Thus they broke their covenant +with Abraham and were faithless, and they have only themselves to blame if they +were exterminated later on by the Israelites. +</p> + +<p> +Isaac departed from Gerar, and began to dig again the wells of water which they +had digged in the days of Abraham his father, and which the Philistines had +stopped. His reverence for his father was so great that he even restored the +names by which Abraham had called the wells. To reward him for his filial +respect, the Lord left the name of Isaac unchanged, while his father and his +son had to submit to new names.[62] +</p> + +<p> +After four attempts to secure water, Isaac was successful; he found the well of +water that followed the Patriarchs. Abraham had obtained it after three +diggings. Hence the name of the well, Beer-sheba, "the well of seven diggings," +the same well that will supply water to Jerusalem and its environs in the +Messianic time.[63] +</p> + +<p> +Isaac's success with his wells but served to increase the envy of the +Philistines, for he had come upon water in a most unlikely spot and, besides, +in a year of drouth. But "the Lord fulfils the desire of them that fear Him." +As Isaac executed the will of his Creator, so God accomplished his desire.[64] +And Abimelech, the king of Gerar, speedily came to see that God was on the side +of Isaac, for, to chastise him for having instigated Isaac's removal from +Gerar, his house was ravaged by robbers in the night, and he himself was +stricken with leprosy.[65] The wells of the Philistines ran dry as soon as +Isaac left Gerar, and also the trees failed to yield their fruit. None could be +in doubt but that these things were the castigation for their unkindness. +</p> + +<p> +Now Abimelech entreated his friends, especially the administrator of his +kingdom, to accompany him to Isaac and help him win back his friendship.[66] +Abimelech and the Philistines spake thus to Isaac: "We have convinced ourselves +that the Shekinah is with thee, and therefore we desire thee to renew the +covenant which thy father made with us, that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we +also did not touch thee." Isaac consented. It illustrates the character of the +Philistines strikingly that they took credit unto themselves for having done +him no hurt. It shows that they would have been glad to inflict harm upon him, +for "the soul of the wicked desireth evil." +</p> + +<p> +The place in which the covenant was made between Isaac and the Philistines was +called Shib'ah, for two reasons, because an oath was "sworn" there, and as a +memorial of the fact that even the heathen are bound to observe the "seven" +Noachian laws.[67] +</p> + +<p> +For all the wonders executed by God for Isaac, and all the good he enjoyed +throughout his life, he is indebted to the merits of his father. For his own +merits he will be rewarded in future.[68] On the great day of judgment it will +be Isaac who will redeem his descendants from Gehenna. On that day the Lord +will speak to Abraham, "Thy children have sinned," and Abraham will make reply, +"Then let them be wiped out, that Thy Name be sanctified." The Lord will turn +to Jacob, thinking that he who had suffered so much in bringing his sons to +manhood's estate would display more love for his posterity. But Jacob will give +the same answer as Abraham. Then God will say: "The old have no understanding, +and the young no counsel. I will now go to Isaac. Isaac," God will address him, +"thy children have sinned," and Isaac will reply: "O Lord of the world, sayest +Thou my children, and not THINE? When they stood at Mount Sinai and declared +themselves ready to execute all Thy bidding before even they heard it, Thou +didst call Israel 'My first-born,' and now they are MY children, and not THINE! +Let us consider. The years of a man are seventy. From these twenty are to be +deducted, for Thou inflictest no punishment upon those under twenty. Of the +fifty years that are left, one-half are to be deducted for the nights passed in +sleep. There remain only twenty-five years, and these are to be diminished by +twelve and a half, the time spent in praying, eating, and attending to other +needs in life, during which men commit no sins. That leaves only twelve years +and a half. If Thou wilt take these upon Thyself, well and good. If not, do +Thou take one-half thereof, and I will take the other half." The descendants of +Isaac will then say, "Verily, thou art our true father!" But he will point to +God, and admonish them, "Nay, give not your praises to me, but to God alone," +and Israel, with eyes directed heavenward, will say, "Thou, O Lord, art our +Father; our Redeemer from everlasting is Thy name."[69] +</p> + +<p> +It was Isaac, or, as he is sometimes called, Elihu the son of Barachel, who +revealed the wonderful mysteries of nature in his arguments with Job.[70] +</p> + +<p> +At the end of the years of famine, God appeared unto Isaac, and bade him return +to Canaan. Isaac did as he was commanded, and he settled in Hebron. At this +time he sent his younger son Jacob to the Bet ha-Midrash of Shem and Eber, to +study the law of the Lord. Jacob remained there thirty-two years. As for Esau, +he refused to learn, and he remained in the house of his father. The chase was +his only occupation, and as he pursued beasts, so he pursued men, seeking to +capture them with cunning and deceit. +</p> + +<p> +On one of his hunting expeditions, Esau came to Mount Seir, where he became +acquainted with Judith, of the family of Ham, and he took her unto himself as +his wife, and brought her to his father at Hebron. +</p> + +<p> +Ten years later, when Shem his teacher died, Jacob returned home, at the age of +fifty. Another six years passed, and Rebekah received the joyful news that her +sister-in-law 'Adinah, the wife of Laban, who, like all the women of his house, +had been childless until then, had given birth to twin daughters, Leah and +Rachel.[71] Rebekah, weary of her life on account of the woman chosen by her +older son, exhorted Jacob not to marry one of the daughters of Canaan, but a +maiden of the family of Abraham. He assured his mother that the words of +Abraham, bidding him to marry no woman of the Canaanites, were graven upon his +memory, and for this reason he was still unmarried, though he had attained the +age of sixty-two, and Esau had been urging him for twenty-two years past to +follow his example and wed a daughter of the people of the land in which they +lived. He had heard that his uncle Laban had daughters, and he was resolved to +choose one of them as his wife. Deeply moved by the words of her son, Rebekah +thanked him and gave praise unto God with the words: "Blessed be the Lord God, +and may His Holy Name be blessed for ever and ever, who hath given me Jacob as +a pure son and a holy seed; for he is Thine, and Thine shall his seed be +continually and throughout all the generations for evermore. Bless him, O Lord, +and place in my mouth the blessing of righteousness, that I may bless him." +</p> + +<p> +And when the spirit of the Lord came over her, she laid her hands upon the head +of Jacob and gave him her maternal blessing. It ended with the words, "May the +Lord of the world love thee, as the heart of thy affectionate mother rejoices +in thee, and may He bless thee."[72] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap91"></a>ISAAC BLESSES JACOB</h3> + +<p> +Esau's marriage with the daughters of the Canaanites was an abomination not +only in the eyes of his mother, but also in the eyes of his father. He suffered +even more than Rebekah through the idolatrous practices of his daughters +in-law. It is the nature of man to oppose less resistance than woman to +disagreeable circumstances. A bone is not harmed by a collision that would +shiver an earthen pot in pieces. Man, who is created out of the dust of the +ground, has not the endurance of woman formed out of bone. Isaac was made +prematurely old by the conduct of his daughters-in-law, and he lost the sight +of his eyes. Rebekah had been accustomed in the home of her childhood to the +incense burnt before idols, and she could therefore bear it under her own +roof-tree. Unlike her, Isaac had never had any such experience while he abode +with his parents, and he was stung by the smoke arising from the sacrifices +offered to their idols by his daughters-in-law in his own house.[73] Isaac's +eyes had suffered earlier in life, too. When he lay bound upon the altar, about +to be sacrificed by his father, the angels wept, and their tears fell upon his +eyes, and there they remained and weakened his sight. +</p> + +<p> +At the same time he had brought the scourge of blindness down upon himself by +his love for Esau. He justified the wicked for a bribe, the bribe of Esau's +filial love, and loss of vision is the punishment that follows the taking of +bribes. "A gift," it is said, "blinds the eyes of the wise." +</p> + +<p> +Nevertheless his blindness proved a benefit for Isaac as well as Jacob. In +consequence of his physical ailments, Isaac had to keep at home, and so he was +spared the pain of being pointed out by the people as the father of the wicked +Esau.[74] And, again, if his power of vision had been unimpaired, he would not +have blessed Jacob. As it was, God treated him as a physician treats a sick man +who is forbidden to drink wine, for which, however, he has a strong desire. To +placate him, the physician orders that warm water be given him in the dark, and +he be told that it is wine.[75] +</p> + +<p> +When Isaac reached the age of one hundred and twenty three, and was thus +approaching the years attained by his mother, he began to meditate upon his +end. It is proper that a man should prepare for death when he comes close to +the age at which either of his parents passed out of life. Isaac reflected that +he did not know whether the age allotted to him was his mother's or his +father's, and he therefore resolved to bestow his blessing upon his older son, +Esau, before death should overtake him.[76] He summoned Esau, and he said, "My +son," and Esau replied, "Here am I," but the holy spirit interposed: "Though he +disguises his voice and makes it sound sweet, put no confidence in him. There +are seven abominations in his heart. He will destroy seven holy places—the +Tabernacle, the sanctuaries at Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob, and Gibeon, and the first +and the second Temple." +</p> + +<p> +Gently though Esau continued to speak to his father, he yet longed for his end +to come.[77] But Isaac was stricken with spiritual as well as physical +blindness. The holy spirit deserted him, and he could not discern the +wickedness of his older son. He bade him sharpen his slaughtering knives and +beware of bringing him the flesh of an animal that had died of itself, or had +been torn by a beast, and he was to guard also against putting an animal before +Isaac that had been stolen from its rightful owner. "Then," continued Isaac, +"will I bless him who is worthy of being blessed."[78] +</p> + +<p> +This charge was laid upon Esau on the eve of the Passover, and Isaac said to +him: "To-night the whole world will sing the Hallel unto God. It is the night +when the storehouses of dew are unlocked. Therefore prepare dainties for me, +that my soul may bless thee before I die." But the holy spirit interposed, "Eat +not the bread of him that hath an evil eye."[79] Isaac's longing for tidbits +was due to his blindness. As the sightless cannot behold the food they eat, +they do not enjoy it with full relish, and their appetite must be tempted with +particularly palatable morsels. +</p> + +<p> +Esau sallied forth to procure what his father desired, little recking the +whence or how, whether by robbery or theft.[80] To hinder the quick execution +of his father's order, God sent Satan on the chase with Esau. He was to delay +him as long as possible. Esau would catch a deer and leave him lying bound, +while he pursued other game. Immediately Satan would come and liberate the +deer, and when Esau returned to the spot, his victim was not to be found. This +was repeated several times. Again and again the quarry was run down, and bound, +and liberated, so that Jacob was able meanwhile to carry out the plan of +Rebekah whereby he would be blessed instead of Esau. +</p> + +<p> +Though Rebekah had not heard the words that had passed between Isaac and Esau, +they nevertheless were revealed to her through the holy spirit,[81] and she +resolved to restrain her husband from taking a false step. She was not actuated +by love for Jacob, but by the wish of keeping Isaac from committing a +detestable act.[82] Rebekah said to Jacob: "This night the storehouses of dew +are unlocked; it is the night during which the celestial beings chant the +Hallel unto God, the night set apart for the deliverance of thy children from +Egypt, on which they, too, will sing the Hallel. Go now and prepare savory meat +for thy father, that he may bless thee before his death.[83] Do as I bid thee, +obey me as thou art wont, for thou art my son whose children, every one, will +be good and God-fearing—not one shall be graceless." +</p> + +<p> +In spite of his great respect for his mother,[84] Jacob refused at first to +heed her command. He feared he might commit a sin,[85] especially as he might +thus bring his father's curse down upon him. As it was, Isaac might still have +a blessing for him, after giving Esau his. But Rebekah allayed his anxieties, +with the words: "When Adam was cursed, the malediction fell upon his mother, +the earth, and so shall I, thy mother, bear the imprecation, if thy father +curses thee. Moreover, if the worst comes to the worst, I am prepared to step +before thy father and tell him, 'Esau is a villain, and Jacob is a righteous +man.'" +</p> + +<p> +Thus constrained by his mother, Jacob, in tears and with body bowed, went off +to execute the plan made by Rebekah.[86] As he was to provide a Passover meal, +she bade him get two kids, one for the Passover sacrifice and one for the +festival sacrifice.[87] To soothe Jacob's conscience, she added that her +marriage contract entitled her to two kids daily. "And," she continued, "these +two kids will bring good unto thee, the blessing of thy father, and they will +bring good unto thy children, for two kids will be the atoning sacrifice +offered on the Day of Atonement." +</p> + +<p> +Jacob's hesitation was not yet removed. His father, he feared, would touch him +and convince himself that he was not hairy, and therefore not his son Esau. +Accordingly, Rebekah tore the skins of the two kids into strips and sewed them +together, for Jacob was so tall a giant that otherwise they would not have +sufficed to cover his hands.[88] To make Jacob's disguise complete, Rebekah +felt justified in putting Esau's wonderful garments on him. They were the high +priestly raiment in which God had clothed Adam, "the first-born of the world," +for in the days before the erection of the Tabernacle all the first-born males +officiated as priests. From Adam these garments descended to Noah, who +transmitted them to Shem, and Shem bequeathed them to Abraham, and Abraham to +his son Isaac, from whom they reached Esau as the older of his two sons. It was +the opinion of Rebekah that as Jacob had bought the birthright from his +brother, he had thereby come into possession of the garments as well.[89] There +was no need for her to go and fetch them from the house of Esau. He knew his +wives far too well to entrust so precious a treasure to them; they were in the +safe-keeping of his mother. Besides, he used them most frequently in the house +of his parents. As a rule, he did not lay much stress upon decent apparel. He +was willing to appear on the street clad in rags, but he considered it his duty +to wait upon his father arrayed in his best. "My father," Esau was in the habit +of saying, "is a king in my sight, and it would ill become me to serve before +him in any thing but royal apparel." To the great respect he manifested toward +his father, the descendants of Esau owe all their good fortune on earth. Thus +doth God reward a good deed. +</p> + +<p> +Rebekah led Jacob equipped and arrayed in this way to the door of Isaac's +chamber. There she parted from him with the words, "Henceforward may thy +Creator assist thee."[90] Jacob entered, addressing Isaac with "Father," and +receiving the response, "Here am I! Who art thou, my son?" he replied +equivocally, "It is I, thy first-born son is Esau." He sought to avoid a +falsehood, and yet not betray that he was Jacob.[91] Isaac then said: "Thou art +greatly in haste to secure thy blessing. Thy father Abraham was seventy-five +years old when he was blessed, and thou art but sixty-three." Jacob replied +awkwardly, "Because the Lord thy God sent me good speed." Isaac concluded at +once that this was not Esau, for he would not have mentioned the name of God, +and he made up his mind to feel the son before him and make sure who he was. +Terror seized upon Jacob at the words of Isaac, "Come near, I pray thee, that I +may feel thee, my son." A cold sweat covered his body, and his heart melted +like wax. Then God caused the archangels Michael and Gabriel to descend. The +one seized his right hand, the other his left hand, while the Lord God Himself +supported him, that his courage might not fail him. Isaac felt him, and, +finding his hands hairy, he said, "The voice is Jacob's voice, but the hands +are the hands of Esau," words in which he conveyed the prophecy that so long as +the voice of Jacob is heard in the houses of prayer and of learning, the hands +of Esau will not be able to prevail against him. "Yes," he continued, "it is +the voice of Jacob, the voice that imposes silence upon those on earth and in +heaven," for even the angels may not raise their voices in praise of God until +Israel has finished his prayers. +</p> + +<p> +Isaac's scruples about blessing the son before him were not yet removed, for +with his prophetical eye he foresaw that this one would have descendants who +would vex the Lord. At the same time, it was revealed to him that even the +sinners in Israel would turn penitents, and then he was ready to bless Jacob. +He bade him come near and kiss him, to indicate that it would be Jacob who +would imprint the last kiss upon Isaac before he was consigned to the grave—he +and none other. When Jacob stood close to him, he discerned the fragrance of +Paradise clinging to him, and he exclaimed, "See, the smell of my son is as the +smell of the field which the Lord hath blessed."[92] +</p> + +<p> +The fragrance emanating from Jacob was not the only thing about him derived +from Paradise. The archangel Michael had fetched thence the wine which Jacob +gave his father to drink,[93] that an exalted mood might descend upon him, for +only when a man is joyously excited the Shekinah rests upon him.[94] The holy +spirit filled Isaac, and he gave Jacob his tenfold blessing: "God give thee of +the dew of heaven," the celestial dew wherewith God will awaken the pious to +new life in days to come; "and of the fatness of the earth," the goods of this +world; "and plenty of corn and wine," the Torah and the commandments which +bestow the same joy upon man as abundant harvests;[95] "peoples shall serve +thee," the Japhethites and the Hamites; "nations shall bow down to thee," the +Shemite nations; "thou wilt be lord over thy brethren," the Ishmaelites and the +descendants of Keturah; "thy mother's sons will bow down to thee," Esau and his +princes; "cursed be every one that curseth thee," like Balaam; "and blessed be +every one that blesseth thee," like Moses.[96] +</p> + +<p> +For each blessing invoked upon Jacob by his father Isaac, a similar blessing +was bestowed upon him by God Himself in the same words. As Isaac blessed him +with dew, so also God: "And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many +peoples as dew from the Lord." Isaac blessed him with the fatness of the earth, +so also God: "And he shall give the rain of thy seed, that thou shalt sow the +ground withal; and bread of the increase of the ground, and it shall be fat and +plenteous." Isaac blessed him with plenty of corn and wine, so also God: "I +will send you corn and wine." Isaac said, "Peoples shall serve thee," so also +God: "Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing mothers; +they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the earth, and lick the dust of +thy feet." Isaac said, "Nations shall bow down to thee," so also God: "And He +will make thee high above all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in +name, and in honor." +</p> + +<p> +To this double blessing his mother Rebekah joined hers: "For He shall give His +angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up +in their hands, lest thou dash thy feet against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon +the lion and adder; the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under +feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him; I +will set him on high, because he hath known my name." +</p> + +<p> +The holy spirit added in turn: "He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I +will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honor him. With long life +will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation."[97] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob left the presence of his father crowned like a bridegroom, adorned like a +bride, and bathed in celestial dew, which filled his bones with marrow, and +transformed him into a hero and a giant.[98] +</p> + +<p> +Of a miracle done for him at that very moment Jacob himself was not aware. Had +he tarried with his father an instant longer, Esau would have met him there, +and would surely have slain him. It happened that exactly as Jacob was on the +point of leaving the tent of his father, carrying in his hands the plates off +which Isaac had eaten, he noticed Esau approaching, and he concealed himself +behind the door. Fortunately, it was a revolving door, so that though he could +see Esau, he could not be seen by him. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap92"></a>ESAU'S TRUE CHARACTER REVEALED</h3> + +<p> +Esau arrived after a delay of four hours.[99] In spite of all the efforts he +had put forth, he had not succeeded in catching any game, and he was compelled +to kill a dog and prepare its flesh for his father's meal.[100] All this had +made Esau ill-humored, and when he bade his father partake of the meal, the +invitation sounded harsh. "Let my father arise," he said, "and eat of his son's +venison." Jacob had spoken differently; he had said, "Arise, I pray thee, sit +and eat of my venison." The words of Esau terrified Isaac greatly. His fright +exceeded that which he had felt when his father was about to offer him as a +sacrifice, and he cried out, "Who then is he that hath been the mediator +between me and the Lord, to make the blessing reach Jacob?"—words meant to +imply that he suspected Rebekah of having instigated Jacob's act. +</p> + +<p> +Isaac's alarm was caused by his seeing hell at the feet of Esau. Scarcely had +he entered the house when the walls thereof began to get hot on account of the +nearness of hell, which he brought along with him. Isaac could not but exclaim, +"Who will be burnt down yonder, I or my son Jacob?" and the Lord answered him, +"Neither thou nor Jacob, but the hunter." +</p> + +<p> +Isaac told Esau that the meat set before him by Jacob had had marvellous +qualities. Any savor that one desired it possessed, it was even endowed with +the taste of the food that God will grant the pious in the world to come. "I +know not," he said, "what the meat was. But I had only to wish for bread, and +it tasted like bread, or fish, or locusts, or flesh of animals, in short, it +had the taste of any dainty one could wish for." When Esau heard the word +"flesh," he began to weep, and he said: "To me Jacob gave no more than a dish +of lentils, and in payment for it he took my birthright. What must he have +taken from thee for flesh of animals?" Hitherto Isaac had been in great anguish +on account of the thought that he had committed a wrong in giving his blessing +to his younger son instead of the first-born, to whom it belonged by law and +custom. But when he heard that Jacob had acquired the birthright from Esau, he +said, "I gave my blessing to the right one!" +</p> + +<p> +In his dismay, Isaac had had the intention of cursing Jacob for having wrested +the blessing from him through cunning. God prevented him from carrying out his +plan. He reminded him that he would but curse himself, seeing that his blessing +contained the words, "Cursed be every one that curseth thee." But Isaac was not +willing to acknowledge his blessing valid as applied to Jacob, until he was +informed that his second son was the possessor of the birthright. Only then did +he say, "Yea, he shall be blessed," whereat Esau cried with an exceeding great +and bitter cry. By way of punishment for having been the cause of such +distress, a descendant of Jacob, Mordecai, was also made to cry with a loud and +bitter cry, and his grief was brought forth by the Amalekite Haman, the +descendant of Esau. At the words of Isaac, "Thy brother came with wisdom, and +hath taken away thy blessing," Esau spat out in vexation, and said, "He took +away my birthright, and I kept silence, and now that he takes away my blessing, +should I also keep silence?[101] Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he hath +supplanted me these two times."[102] +</p> + +<p> +Isaac continued to speak to Esau: "Behold, I have made him thy lord, he is thy +king, and do what thou wilt, thy blessings will still belong to him; all his +brethren have I given to him for slaves, and what slaves possess belongs to +their owner. There is nothing for it, thou must be content that thou wilt +receive thy bread baked from thy master." The Lord took it ill of Isaac that he +cheered him with such kind words. "To Mine enemy," He reproached him, "thou +sayest, 'What shall I do for thee, my son?'" Isaac replied, "O that he might +find grace with Thee!" God: "He is a recreant." Isaac: "Doth he not act +righteously when he honors his parents?" God: "In the land of uprightness will +he deal wrongfully, he will stretch his hand forth in days to come against the +Temple." Isaac: "Then let him enjoy much good in this world, that he may not +behold the abiding-place of the Lord in the world to come."[103] +</p> + +<p> +When it became plain to Esau that he could not induce his father to annul the +blessing bestowed upon Jacob, he tried to force a blessing for himself by an +underhand trick. He said: "Hast thou but one blessing, my father? bless me, +even me also, O my father, else it will be said thou hast but one blessing to +bestow. Suppose both Jacob and I had been righteous men, had not then thy God +had two blessings, one for each?" The Lord Himself made reply: "Silence! Jacob +will bless the twelve tribes, and each blessing will be different from every +other." But Isaac felt great pity for his older son, and he wanted to bless +him, but the Shekinah forsook him, and he could not carry out what he purposed. +Thereupon Esau began to weep. He shed three tears—one ran from his right eye, +the second from his left eye, and the third remained hanging from his eyelash. +God said, "This villain cries for his very life, and should I let him depart +empty-handed?" and then He bade Isaac bless his older son.[104] +</p> + +<p> +The blessing of Isaac ran thus: "Behold, of the fat of the earth shall be thy +dwelling," by which he meant Greater Greece, in Italy; "and of the dew of +heaven from above," referring to Bet-Gubrin; "and by thy sword shalt thou live, +and thou shalt serve thy brother," but when he casts off the yoke of the Lord, +then shalt thou "shake his yoke from off thy neck," and thou wilt be his +master.[105] +</p> + +<p> +The blessing which Isaac gave to his older son was bound to no condition +whatsoever. Whether he deserved them or not, Esau was to enjoy the goods of +this world. Jacob's blessing, however, depended upon his pious deeds; through +them he would have a just claim upon earthly prosperity. Isaac thought: "Jacob +is a righteous man, he will not murmur against God, though it should come to +pass that suffering be inflicted upon him in spite of his upright life. But +that reprobate Esau, if he should do a good deed, or pray to God and not be +heard, he would say, 'As I pray to the idols for naught, so it is in vain to +pray to God.'" For this reason did Isaac bestow an unconditional blessing upon +Esau.[106] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap93"></a>JACOB LEAVES HIS FATHER'S HOUSE</h3> + +<p> +Esau hated his brother Jacob on account of the blessing that his father had +given him, and Jacob was very much afraid of his brother Esau, and he fled to +the house of Eber, the son of Shem, and he concealed himself there fourteen +years on account of his brother Esau, and he continued there to learn the ways +of the Lord and His commandments. When Esau saw that Jacob had fled and escaped +from him, and Jacob had cunningly obtained the blessing, then Esau grieved +exceedingly, and he was also vexed at his father and mother. He also rose up +and took his wife, and went away from his father and mother to the land of +Seir. There he married his second wife, Basemath, the daughter of Elon the +Hittite, and he called her name Adah, saying that the blessing had in that time +passed from him. After dwelling in Seir for six months, Esau returned to the +land of Canaan, and placed his two wives in his father's house in Hebron. And +the wives of Esau vexed and provoked Isaac and Rebekah with their works, for +they walked not in the ways of the Lord, but served their fathers' gods of wood +and stone, as their fathers had taught them, and they were more wicked than +their fathers. They sacrificed and burnt incense to the Baalim, and Isaac and +Rebekah became weary of them. And at the end of fourteen years of Jacob's +residing in the house of Eber, Jacob desired to see his father and his mother, +and he returned home. Esau had forgotten in those days what Jacob had done to +him, in having taken the blessing from him, but when Esau saw Jacob returning +to his parents, he remembered what Jacob had done to him, and he was greatly +incensed against him, and he sought to slay him.[107] +</p> + +<p> +But Esau would not kill Jacob while his father was yet alive, lest Isaac beget +another son. He wanted to be sure of being the only heir.[108] However, his +hatred against Jacob was so great that he determined to hasten the death of his +father and then dispatch Jacob. Such murderous plans Esau cherished in his +heart, though he denied that he was harboring them. But God spoke, "Probably +thou knowest not that I examine the hearts of men, for I am the Lord that +searcheth the heart." And not God alone knew the secret desires of Esau. +Rebekah, like all the Mothers, was a prophetess, and she delayed not to warn +Jacob of the danger that hung over him. "Thy brother," she said to him, "is as +sure of accomplishing his wicked purpose as though thou wert dead. Now +therefore, my son, obey my voice, and arise, flee thou to Laban my brother, to +Haran, and tarry with him for seven years, until thy brother's fury turn away." +In the goodness of her heart, Rebekah could not but believe that the anger of +Esau was only a fleeting passion, and would disappear in the course of time. +But she was mistaken, his hate persisted until the end of his life.[109] +</p> + +<p> +Courageous as he was, Jacob would not run away from danger. He said to his +mother, "I am not afraid; if he wishes to kill me, I will kill him," to which +she replied, "Let me not be bereaved of both my sons in one day."[110] By words +Rebekah again showed her prophetic gift. As she spoke, so it happened—when +their time came, Esau was slain while the burial of Jacob was taking +place.[111] +</p> + +<p> +And Jacob said to Rebekah: "Behold, thou knowest that my father has become old +and does not see, and if I leave him and go away, he will be angry and will +curse me. I will not go; if he sends me, only then will I go."[112] +</p> + +<p> +Accordingly, Rebekah went to Isaac, and amid tears she spoke to him thus: "If +Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, what good shall my life do +me?"[113] And Isaac called Jacob, and charged him, and said unto him: "Thou +shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan, for thus did our father +Abraham command us according to the word of the Lord, which He had commanded +him, saying, 'Unto thy seed will I give the land; if thy children keep My +covenant that I have made with thee, then will I also perform to thy children +that which I have spoken unto thee, and I will not forsake them.' Now +therefore, my son, hearken to my voice, to all that I shall command thee, and +refrain from taking a wife from amongst the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to +Haran, to the house of Bethuel, thy mother's father, and take thee a wife from +thence of the daughters of Laban, thy mother's brother. Take heed lest thou +shouldst forget the Lord thy God and all His ways in the land to which thou +goest, and shouldst join thyself to the people of the land, and pursue vanity, +and forsake the Lord thy God. But when thou comest to the land, serve the Lord. +Do not turn to the right or to the left from the way which I commanded thee, +and which thou didst learn. And may the Almighty God grant thee favor before +the people of the land, that thou mayest take a wife there according to thy +choice, one who is good and upright in the way of the Lord. And may God give +unto thee and thy seed the blessing of thy father Abraham and make thee +fruitful and multiply thee, and mayest thou become a multitude of people in the +land whither thou goest, and may God cause thee to return to thy land, the land +of thy father's dwelling, with children and with great riches, with joy and +with pleasure."[114] +</p> + +<p> +As the value of a document is attested by its concluding words, the signature +of the witnesses, so Isaac confirmed the blessing he had bestowed upon +Jacob.[116] That none might say Jacob had secured it by intrigue and cunning, +he blessed him again with three blessings, in these words, "In so far as I am +endowed with the power of blessing, I bestow blessing upon thee. May God, with +whom there is endless blessing, give thee His, and also the blessing wherewith +Abraham desired to bless me, desisting only in order not to provoke the +jealousy of Ishmael."[116] +</p> + +<p> +Seeing with his prophetic eye that the seed of Jacob would once be compelled to +go into exile, Isaac offered up one more petition, that God would bring the +exiles back again. He said, "He shall deliver thee in six troubles, and in the +seventh there shall no evil touch thee." And also Rebekah prayed to God in +behalf of Jacob: "O Lord of the world, let not the purpose prosper which Esau +harbors against Jacob. Put a bridle upon him, that he accomplish not all he +wills to do."[117] +</p> + +<p> +When Esau observed that even his father's love had passed from him to Jacob, he +went away, to Ishmael, and he addressed him as follows: "Lo, as thy father gave +all his possessions to thy brother Isaac, and dismissed thee with empty hands, +so my father purposeth to do to me. Make thyself ready then, go forth and slay +thy brother, and I will slay mine, and then we two shall divide the whole world +between us." And Ishmael replied: "Why dost thou want me to slay thy father? +thou canst do it thyself." Esau said: "It hath happened aforetime that a man +killed his brother—Cain murdered Abel. But that a son should kill his father is +unheard of." +</p> + +<p> +Esau did not really shrink back from parricide, only it chanced not to fit the +plan he had hatched. "If Ishmael slays my father," he said to himself, "I am +the rightful redeemer, and I shall kill Ishmael to avenge my father, and if, +then, I murder Jacob, too, everything will belong to me, as the heir of my +father and my uncle."[118] This shows that Esau's marriage with Mahalath, the +daughter of Ishmael and grandchild of Abraham, was not concluded out of regard +for his parents, who were opposed to his two other wives, daughters of the +Canaanites. All he desired was to enter into amicable relations with Ishmael in +order to execute his devilish plan.[119] +</p> + +<p> +But Esau reckoned without his host. The night before his wedding with Mahalath +Ishmael died, and Nebaioth, the son of Ishmael, stepped into his father's +place, and gave away his sister.[120] How little it had been in Esau's mind to +make his parents happy by taking a granddaughter of Abraham to wife, appears +from the fact that he kept his two other wives, the Canaanitish women. The +daughter of Ishmael followed the example of her companions, and thus she but +added to the grief caused the parents of Esau by their daughters-in-law.[121] +And the opportunity might have been a most favorable one for Esau to turn aside +from his godless ways and amend his conduct, for the bridegroom is pardoned on +his wedding day for all his sins committed in years gone by.[122] +</p> + +<p> +Scarcely had Jacob left his father's house, when Rebekah began to weep, for she +was sorely distressed about him. Isaac comforted her, saying: "Weep not for +Jacob! In peace doth he depart, and in peace will he return. The Lord, God Most +High, will guard him against all evil and be with him. He will not forsake him +all the days of his life. Have no fear for him, for he walketh on the right +path, he is a perfect man, and he hath faith in God—he will not perish."[123] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap94"></a>JACOB PURSUED BY ELIPHAZ AND ESAU</h3> + +<p> +When Jacob went away to go to Haran, Esau called his son Eliphaz, and secretly +spoke unto him, saying: "Now hasten, take thy sword in thy hand and pursue +Jacob, and pass before him in the road, and lurk for him and slay him with thy +sword in one of the mountains, and take all belonging unto him, and come back." +And Eliphaz was dexterous and expert with the bow, as his father had taught +him, and he was a noted hunter in the field and a valiant man. And Eliphaz did +as his father had commanded him. And Eliphaz was at that time thirteen years +old, and he arose and went and took ten of his mother's brothers with him, and +pursued Jacob. And he followed Jacob closely, and when he overtook him, he lay +in ambush for him on the borders of the land of Canaan, opposite to the city of +Shechem. And Jacob saw Eliphaz and his men pursuing after him, and Jacob stood +in the place in which he was going in order to know what it was, for he did not +understand their purpose. Eliphaz drew his sword and went on advancing, he and +his men, toward Jacob, and Jacob said unto them, "Wherefore have you come +hither, and why do you pursue with your swords?" Eliphaz came near to Jacob, +and answered as follows, "Thus did my father command me, and now therefore I +will not deviate from the orders which my father gave me." And when Jacob saw +that Esau had impressed his command urgently upon Eliphaz, he approached and +supplicated Eliphaz and his men, saying, "Behold, all that I have, and that +which my father and mother gave unto me, that take unto thee and go from me, +and do not slay me, and may this thing that thou wilt do with me be accounted +unto thee as righteousness." And the Lord caused Jacob to find favor in the +sight of Eliphaz and his men, and they hearkened to the voice of Jacob, and +they did not put him to death, but took all his belongings, together with the +silver and gold that he had brought with him from Beer-sheba. They left him +nothing. When Eliphaz and his men returned to Esau, and told him all that had +happened to them with Jacob, he was wroth with his son Eliphaz and with his +men, because they had not put Jacob to death. And they answered, and said unto +Esau, "Because Jacob supplicated us in this matter, not to slay him, our pity +was moved toward him, and we took all belonging to him, and we came back." Esau +then took all the silver and gold which Eliphaz had taken from Jacob, and he +put them by in his house.[124] +</p> + +<p> +Nevertheless Esau did not give up the hope of intercepting Jacob on his flight +and slaying him. He pursued him, and with his men occupied the road along which +he had to journey to Haran. There a great miracle happened to Jacob. When he +observed what Esau's intention was, he turned off toward the Jordan river, and, +with eyes directed to God, he cleft the waters with his wanderer's staff, and +succeeded in crossing to the other side. But Esau was not to be deterred. He +kept up the pursuit, and reached the hot springs at Baarus before his brother, +who had to pass by there. Jacob, not knowing that Esau was on the watch for +him, decided to bathe in the spring, saying, "I have neither bread nor other +things needful, so I will at least warm my body in the waters of the well." +While he was in the bath, Esau occupied every exit, and Jacob would surely have +perished in the hot water, if the Lord had not caused a miracle to come to +pass. A new opening formed of itself, and through it Jacob escaped. Thus were +fulfilled the words, "When thou passest through the waters, I will be with +thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt," for Jacob +was saved from the waters of the Jordan and from the fire of the hot spring. +</p> + +<p> +At the same time with Jacob, a rider, leaving his horse and his clothes on the +shore, had stepped into the river to cool off, but he was overwhelmed by the +waves, and he met his death. Jacob put on the dead man's clothes, mounted his +horse, and went off. It was a lucky chance, for Eliphaz had stripped him of +everything, even his clothes, and the miracle of the river had happened only +that he might not be forced to appear naked among men.[125] +</p> + +<p> +Though Jacob was robbed of all his possessions, his courage did not fail him. +He said: "Should I lose hope in my Creator? I set my eyes upon the merits of my +fathers. For the sake of them the Lord will give me His aid." And God said: +"Jacob, thou puttest thy trust in the merits of thy fathers, therefore I will +not suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not slumber. Yea, +still more! While a keeper watcheth only by day as a rule, and sleepeth by +night, I will guard thee day and night, for, behold, He that keepeth Israel +shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord will keep thee from all evil, from +Esau as well as Laban; He will keep thy soul, that the Angel of Death do thee +no hurt; He will keep thy going out and thy coming in, He will support thee now +thou art leaving Canaan, and when thou returnest to Canaan."[126] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob was reluctant to leave the Holy Land before he received direct permission +from God. "My parents," he reflected, "bade me go forth and sojourn outside of +the land, but who knows whether it be the will of God that I do as they say, +and beget children outside of the Holy Land?"[127] Accordingly, he betook +himself to Beer-sheba. There, where the Lord had given permission to Isaac to +depart from Canaan and go to Philistia, he would learn the will of the Lord +concerning himself. +</p> + +<p> +He did not follow the example of his father and grandfather and take refuge +with Abimelech, because he feared the king might force also him into a +covenant, and make it impossible for his descendants of many generations to +take possession of the Philistine land. Nor could he stay at home, because of +his fear that Esau might wrest the birthright and the blessing from him, and to +that he would not and could not agree.[128] He was as little disposed to take +up the combat with Esau, for he knew the truth of the maxim, "He who courts +danger will be overcome by it; he who avoids danger will overcome it." Both +Abraham and Isaac had lived according to this rule. His grandfather had fled +from Nimrod, and his father had gone away from the Philistines.[129] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap95"></a>THE DAY OF MIRACLES</h3> + +<p> +Jacob's journey to Haran was a succession of miracles. The first of the five +that befell for his sake in the course of it was that the sun sank while Jacob +was passing Mount Moriah, though it was high noon at the time. He was following +the spring that appeared wherever the Patriarchs went or settled. It +accompanied Jacob from Beer-sheba to Mount Moriah, a two days' journey. When he +arrived at the holy hill, the Lord said to him: "Jacob, thou hast bread in thy +wallet, and the spring of waters is near by to quench thy thirst. Thus thou +hast food and drink, and here thou canst lodge for the night." But Jacob +replied: "The sun has barely passed the fifth of its twelve day stages, why +should I lie down to sleep at so unseemly an hour?" But then Jacob perceived +that the sun was about to sink, and he prepared to make ready his bed.[130] It +was the Divine purpose not to let Jacob pass the site of the future Temple +without stopping; he was to tarry there at least one night. Also, God desired +to appear unto Jacob, and He shows Himself unto His faithful ones only at +night.[131] At the same time Jacob was saved from the pursuit of Esau, who had +to desist on account of the premature darkness.[132] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob took twelve stones from the altar on which his father Isaac had lain +bound as a sacrifice, and he said: "It was the purpose of God to let twelve +tribes arise, but they have not been begotten by Abraham or Isaac. If, now, +these twelve stones will unite into a single one, then shall I know for a +certainty that I am destined to become the father of the twelve tribes." At +this time the second miracle came to pass, the twelve stones joined themselves +together and made one, which he put under his head, and at once it became soft +and downy like a pillow. It was well that he had a comfortable couch. He was in +great need of rest, for it was the first night in fourteen years that he did +not keep vigils. During all those years, passed in Eber's house of learning, he +had devoted the nights to study. And for twenty years to come he was not to +sleep, for while he was with his uncle Laban, he spent all the night and every +night reciting the Psalms.[133] +</p> + +<p> +On the whole it was a night of marvels. He dreamed a dream in which the course +of the world's history was unfolded to him. On a ladder set up on the earth, +with the top of it reaching to heaven, he beheld the two angels who had been +sent to Sodom. For one hundred and thirty-eight years they had been banished +from the celestial regions, because they had betrayed their secret mission to +Lot. They had accompanied Jacob from his father's house thither, and now they +were ascending heavenward. When they arrived there, he heard them call the +other angels, and say, "Come ye and see the countenance of the pious Jacob, +whose likeness appears on the Divine throne, ye who yearned long to see it," +and then he beheld the angels descend from heaven to gaze upon him.[134] He +also saw the angels of the four kingdoms ascending the ladder. The angel of +Babylon mounted seventy rounds, the angel of Media, fifty-two, that of Greece, +one hundred and eighty, and that of Edom mounted very high, saying, "I will +ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High," and +Jacob heard a voice remonstrating, "Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to +the uttermost parts of the pit." God Himself reproved Edom, saying, "Though +thou mount on high as the eagle, and though thy nest be set among the stars, I +will bring thee down from thence."[135] +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore, God showed unto Jacob the revelation at Mount Sinai, the +translation of Elijah, the Temple in its glory and in its spoliation, +Nebuchadnezzar's attempt to burn the three holy children in the fiery furnace, +and Daniel's encounter with Bel.[136] +</p> + +<p> +In this, the first prophetic dream dreamed by Jacob,[137] God made him the +promise that the land upon which he was lying would be given to him, but the +land he lay upon was the whole of Palestine, which God had folded together and +put under him. "And," the promise continued, "thy seed will be like unto the +dust of the earth. As the earth survives all things, so thy children will +survive all the nations of the earth. But as the earth is trodden upon by all, +so thy children, when they commit trespasses, will be trodden upon by the +nations of the earth."[138] And, furthermore, God promised that Jacob should +spread out to the west and to the east, a greater promise than that given to +his fathers Abraham and Isaac, to whom He had allotted a limited land. Jacob's +was an unbounded possession.[139] +</p> + +<p> +From this wondrous dream Jacob awoke with a start of fright, on account of the +vision he had had of the destruction of the Temple.[140] He cried out, "How +dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, wherein is the +gate of heaven through which prayer ascends to Him." He took the stone made out +of the twelve, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon the top of it, +which had flowed down from heaven for him, and God sank this anointed stone +unto the abyss, to serve as the centre of the earth, the same stone, the Eben +Shetiyah,[141] that forms the centre of the sanctuary, whereon the Ineffable +Name is graven, the knowledge of which makes a man master over nature, and over +life and death.[142] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob cast himself down before the Eben Shetiyah, and entreated God to fulfil +the promise He had given him, and also he prayed that God grant him honorable +sustenance. For God had not mentioned bread to eat and raiment to put on, that +Jacob might learn to have faith in the Lord. Then he vowed to give the tenth of +all he owned unto God, if He would but grant his petition. Thus Jacob was the +first to take a vow upon himself,[143] and the first, too, to separate the +tithe from his income.[144] +</p> + +<p> +God had promised him almost all that is desirable, but he feared he might +forfeit the pledged blessings through his sinfulness,[145] and again he prayed +earnestly that God bring him back to his father's house unimpaired in body, +possessions, and knowledge,[146] and guard him, in the strange land whither he +was going, against idolatry, an immoral life, and bloodshed.[147] +</p> + +<p> +His prayer at an end, Jacob set out on his way to Haran, and the third wonder +happened. In the twinkling of an eye he arrived at his destination. The earth +jumped from Mount Moriah to Haran. A wonder like this God has executed only +four times in the whole course of history.[148] +</p> + +<p> +The first thing to meet his eye in Haran was the well whence the inhabitants +drew their supply of water. Although it was a great city, Haran suffered from +dearth of water, and therefore the well could not be used by the people free of +charge. Jacob's sojourn in the city produced a change. By reason of his +meritorious deeds the water springs were blessed, and the city had water enough +for its needs. +</p> + +<p> +Jacob saw a number of people by the well, and he questioned them, "My brethren, +whence be ye?" He thus made himself a model for all to follow. A man should be +companionable, and address others like brothers and friends, and not wait for +them to greet him. Each one should strive to be the first to give the +salutation of peace, that the angels of peace and compassion may come to meet +him. When he was informed that the by-standers hailed from Haran, he made +inquiry about the character and vocation of his uncle Laban, and whether they +were on terms of friendly intercourse with him. They answered briefly: "There +is peace between us, but if thou art desirous of inquiring further, here comes +Rachel the daughter of Laban. From her thou canst learn all thou hast a mind to +learn." They knew that women like to talk, wherefore they referred him to +Rachel.[149] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob found it strange that so many should be standing idle by the well, and he +questioned further: "Are you day laborers? then it is too early for you to put +by your work. But if you are pasturing your own sheep, why do you not water +your flocks and let them feed?"[150] They told him they were waiting until all +the shepherds brought their flocks thither, and together rolled the stone from +the mouth of the well. While he was yet speaking with them, Rachel came with +her father's sheep, for Laban had no sons, and a pest having broken out shortly +before among his cattle, so few sheep were left that a maiden like Rachel could +easily tend them. Now, when Jacob saw the daughter of his mother's brother +approaching, he rolled the great stone from the mouth of the well as easily as +a cork is drawn from a bottle—the fourth wonder of this extraordinary day. +Jacob's strength was equal to the strength of all the shepherds; with his two +arms alone he accomplished what usually requires the united forces of a large +assemblage of men. He had been divinely endowed with this supernatural strength +on leaving the Holy Land. God had caused the dew of the resurrection to drop +down upon him, and his physical strength was so great that even in a combat +with the angels he was victorious.[152] +</p> + +<p> +The fifth and last wonder of the day was that the water rose from the depths of +the well to the very top, there was no need to draw it up, and there it +remained all the twenty years that Jacob abode in Haran.[153] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap96"></a>JACOB WITH LABAN</h3> + +<p> +Rachel's coming to the well at the moment when Jacob reached the territory +belonging to Haran was an auspicious omen. To meet young maidens on first +entering a city is a sure sign that fortune is favorable to one's undertakings. +Experience proves this through Eliezer, Jacob, Moses, and Saul. They all +encountered maidens when they approached a place new to them, and they all met +with success.[154] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob treated Rachel at once as his cousin, which caused significant whispering +among the by-standers. They censured Jacob for his demeanor toward her, for +since God had sent the deluge upon the world, on account of the immoral life +led by men, great chastity had prevailed, especially among the people of the +east. The talk of the men reduced Jacob to tears. Scarcely had he kissed Rachel +when he began to weep, for he repented of having done it. +</p> + +<p> +There was reason enough for tears. Jacob could not but remember sadly that +Eliezer, his grandfather's slave, had brought ten camels laden with presents +with him to Haran, when he came to sue for a bride for Isaac, while he had not +even a ring to give to Rachel. Moreover, he foresaw that his favorite wife +Rachel would not lie beside him in the grave, and this, too, made him weep. +</p> + +<p> +As soon as Rachel heard that Jacob was her cousin, she ran home to tell her +father about his coming. Her mother was no longer among the living, else she +would naturally have gone to her. In great haste Laban ran to receive Jacob. He +reflected, if Eliezer, the bondman, had come with ten camels, what would not +the favorite son of the family bring with him, and when he saw that Jacob was +unattended, he concluded that he carried great sums of money in his girdle, and +he threw his arms about his waist to find out whether his supposition was true. +Disappointed in this, he yet did not give up hope that his nephew Jacob was a +man of substance. Perhaps he concealed precious stones in his mouth, and he +kissed him in order to find out whether he had guessed aright. But Jacob said +to him: "Thou thinkest I have money. Nay, thou art mistaken, I have but +words."[155] Then he went on to tell him how it had come about that he stood +before him empty-handed. He said that his father Isaac had sent him on his way +provided with gold, silver, and money, but he had encountered Eliphaz, who had +threatened to slay him. To this assailant Jacob had spoken thus: "Know that the +descendants of Abraham have an obligation to meet, they will have to serve four +hundred years in a land that is not theirs. If thou slayest me, then you, the +seed of Esau, will have to pay the debt. It were better, therefore, to take all +I have, and spare my life, so that what is owing may be paid by me. Hence," +Jacob continued, "I stand before thee bare of all the substance carried off by +Eliphaz."[156] +</p> + +<p> +This tale of his nephew's poverty filled Laban with dismay. "What," he +exclaimed, "shall I have to give food and drink for a month or, perhaps, even a +year to this fellow, who has come to me empty-handed!" He betook himself to his +teraphim, to ask them for counsel upon the matter, and they admonished him, +saying: "Beware of sending him away from thy house. His star and his +constellation are so lucky that good fortune will attend all his undertakings, +and for his sake the blessing of the Lord will rest upon all thou doest, in thy +house or in thy field." +</p> + +<p> +Laban was satisfied with the advice of the teraphim, but he was embarrassed as +to the way in which he was to attach Jacob to his house. He did not venture to +offer him service, lest Jacob's conditions be impossible of fulfilment. Again +he resorted to the teraphim, and asked them with what reward to tempt his +nephew, and they replied: "A wife is his wage; he will ask nothing else of thee +but a wife. It is his nature to be attracted by women, and whenever he +threatens to leave thee, do but offer him another wife, and he will not +depart." +</p> + +<p> +Laban went back to Jacob, and said, "Tell me, what shall thy wages be?" and he +replied, "Thinkest thou I came hither to make money? I came only to get me a +wife,"[158] for Jacob had no sooner beheld Rachel than he fell in love with her +and made her a proposal of marriage. Rachel consented, but added the warning: +"My father is cunning, and thou art not his match." Jacob: "I am his brother in +cunning." Rachel: "But is deception becoming unto the pious?" Jacob: "Yes, +'with the righteous righteousness is seemly, and with the deceiver deception.' +But," continued Jacob, "tell me wherein he may deal cunningly with me." Rachel: +"I have an older sister, whom he desires to see married before me, and he will +try to palm her off on thee instead of me." To be prepared for Laban's +trickery, Jacob and Rachel agreed upon a sign by which he would recognize her +in the nuptial night.[159] +</p> + +<p> +Thus warned to be on his guard against Laban, Jacob worded his agreement with +him regarding his marriage to Rachel with such precision that no room was left +for distortion or guile. Jacob said: "I know that the people of this place are +knaves, therefore I desire to put the matter very clearly to thee. I will serve +thee seven years for Rachel, hence not Leah; for thy daughter, that thou +bringest me not some other woman likewise named Rachel; for the younger +daughter, that thou exchangest not their names in the meantime." +</p> + +<p> +Nothing of all this availed: "It profits not if a villain is cast into a +sawmill"—neither force nor gentle words can circumvent a rascal. Laban deceived +not only Jacob, but also the guests whom he invited to the wedding. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap97"></a>THE MARRIAGE OF JACOB</h3> + +<p> +After Jacob had served Laban seven years, he said to his uncle: "The Lord +destined me to be the father of twelve tribes. I am now eighty-four years old, +and if I do not take thought of the matter now, when can I?"[160] Thereupon +Laban consented to let him have his daughter Rachel to wife, and he was married +forty-four years after his brother Esau. The Lord often defers the happiness of +the pious, while He permits the wicked to enjoy the fulfilment of their desires +soon.[161] Esau, however, had purposely chosen his fortieth year for his +marriage; he had wanted to indicate that he was walking in the footsteps of his +father Isaac, who had likewise married at forty years of age. Esau was like a +swine that stretches out its feet when it lies down, to show that it is +cloven-footed like the clean animals, though it is none the less one of the +unclean animals. Until his fortieth year Esau made a practice of violating the +wives of other men, and then at his marriage he acted as though he were +following the example of his pious father. Accordingly, the woman he married +was of his own kind, Judith, a daughter of Heth, for God said: "This one, who +is designed for stubble, to be burnt by fire, shall take unto wife one of a +people also destined for utter destruction." They, Esau and his wife, +illustrated the saying, "Not for naught does the raven consort with the crow; +they are birds of a feather."[162] +</p> + +<p> +Far different it was with Jacob. He married the two pious and lovely sisters, +Leah and Rachel, for Leah, like her younger sister, was beautiful of +countenance, form, and stature. She had but one defect, her eyes were weak, and +this malady she had brought down upon herself, through her own action. Laban, +who had two daughters, and Rebekah, his sister, who had two sons, had agreed by +letter, while their children were still young, that the older son of the one +was to marry the older daughter of the other, and the younger son the younger +daughter. When Leah grew to maidenhood, and inquired about her future husband, +all her tidings spoke of his villainous character, and she wept over her fate +until her eyelashes dropped from their lids. But Rachel grew more and more +beautiful day by day, for all who spoke of Jacob praised and extolled him, and +"good tidings make the bones fat." +</p> + +<p> +In view of the agreement between Laban and Rebekah, Jacob refused to marry the +older daughter Leah. As it was, Esau was his mortal enemy, on account of what +had happened regarding the birthright and the paternal blessing. If, now, Jacob +married the maiden appointed for him, Esau would never forgive his younger +brother. Therefore Jacob resolved to take to wife Rachel, the younger daughter +of his uncle.[163] +</p> + +<p> +Laban was of another mind. He purposed to marry of his older daughter first, +for he knew that Jacob would consent to serve him a second period of seven +years for love of Rachel. On the day of the wedding he assembled the +inhabitants of Haran, and addressed them as follows: "Ye know well that we used +to suffer from lack of water, and as soon as this pious man Jacob came to dwell +among us, we had water in abundance." "What hast thou in mind to do?" they +asked Laban. He replied: "If ye have naught to say against it, I will deceive +him and give him Leah to wife. He loves Rachel with an exceeding great love, +and for her sake he will tarry with us yet seven other years." "Do as it +pleaseth thee," his friends said. "Well, then," said Laban, "let each one of +you give me a pledge that ye will not betray my purpose." +</p> + +<p> +With the pledges they left with him, Laban bought wine, oil, and meat for the +wedding feast, and he set a meal before them which they had themselves paid +for. Because he deceived his fellow-citizens thus, Laban is called Arami, "the +deceiver." They feasted all day long, until late at night, and when Jacob +expressed his astonishment at the attention shown him, they said to him: +"Through thy piety thou didst a great service of lovingkindness unto us, our +supply of water was increased unto abundance, and we desire to show our +gratitude therefor." And, indeed, they tried to give him a hint of Laban's +purpose. In the marriage ode which they sang they used the refrain "Halia," in +the hope that he would understand it as Ha Leah, "This is Leah." But Jacob was +unsuspicious and noticed nothing. +</p> + +<p> +When the bride was led into the nuptial chamber, the guests extinguished all +the candles, much to Jacob's amazement. But their explanation satisfied him. +"Thinkest thou," they said, "we have as little sense of decency as thy +countrymen?" Jacob therefore did not discover the deception practiced upon him +until morning. During the night Leah responded whenever he called Rachel, for +which he reproached her bitterly when daylight came. "O thou deceiver, daughter +of a deceiver, why didst thou answer me when I called Rachel's name?" "Is there +a teacher without a pupil?" asked Leah, in return. "I but profited by thy +instruction. When thy father called thee Esau, didst thou not say, Here am +I?"[164] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob was greatly enraged against Laban, and he said to him: "Why didst thou +deal treacherously with me? Take back thy daughter, and let me depart, seeing +thou didst act wickedly toward me."[165] Laban pacified him, however, saying, +"It is not so done in our place, to give the younger before the first-born," +and Jacob agreed to serve yet seven other years for Rachel, and after the seven +days of the feast of Leah's wedding were fulfilled, he married Rachel.[166] +</p> + +<p> +With Leah and Rachel, Jacob received the handmaids Zilpah and Bilhah, two other +daughters of Laban, whom his concubines had borne unto him.[167] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap98"></a>THE BIRTH OF JACOB'S CHILDREN</h3> + +<p> +The ways of God are not like unto the ways of men. A man clings close to his +friend while he has riches, and forsakes him when he falls into poverty. But +when God sees a mortal unsteady and faltering, He reaches a hand out to him, +and raises him up. Thus it happened with Leah. She was hated by Jacob, and God +visited her in mercy. Jacob's aversion to Leah began the very morning after +their wedding, when his wife taunted him with not being wholly free from +cunning and craft himself. Then God said, "Help can come to Leah only if she +gives birth to a child; then the love of her husband will return to her."[168] +God remembered the tears she had shed when she prayed that her doom, chaining +her to that recreant Esau, be averted from her, and so wondrous are the uses of +prayer that Leah, besides turning aside the impending decree, was permitted to +marry Jacob before her sister and be the first to bear him a child. There was +another reason why the Lord was compassionately inclined toward Leah. She had +gotten herself talked about. The sailors on the sea, the travellers along the +highways, the women at their looms, they all gossiped about Leah, saying, "She +is not within what her seeming is without. She appears to be pious, but if she +were, she would not have deceived her sister."[169] To put an end to all this +tattle, God granted her the distinction of bearing a son at the end of seven +months after her marriage. He was one of a pair of twins, the other child being +a daughter. So it was with eleven of the sons of Jacob, all of them except +Joseph were born twins with a girl, and the twin sister and brother married +later on.[170] Altogether it was an extraordinary childbirth, for Leah was +barren, not formed by nature to bear children. +</p> + +<p> +She called her first-born son Reuben, which means "See the normal man," for he +was neither big nor little, neither dark nor fair, but exactly normal.[171] In +calling her oldest child Reuben, "See the son," Leah indicated his future +character. "Behold the difference," the name implied, "between my first-born +son and the first-born son of my father in-law. Esau sold his birthright to +Jacob of his own free will, and yet he hated him. As for my first-born son, +although his birthright was taken from him without his consent, and given to +Joseph, it was nevertheless he who rescued Joseph from the hands of his +brethren."[172] +</p> + +<p> +Leah called her second son Shime'on, "Yonder is sin," for one of his +descendants was that Zimri who was guilty of vile trespasses with the daughters +of Moab.[173] +</p> + +<p> +The name of her third son, Levi, was given him by God Himself, not by his +mother. The Lord summoned him through the angel Gabriel, and bestowed the name +upon him as one who is "crowned" with the twenty-four gifts that are the +tribute due to the priests.[174] +</p> + +<p> +At the birth of her fourth son, Leah returned thanks to God for a special +reason. She knew that Jacob would beget twelve sons, and if they were +distributed equally among his four wives, each would bear three. But now it +appeared that she had one more than her due share, and she called him Jehudah, +"thanks unto God." She was thus the first since the creation of the world to +give thanks to God,[175] and her example was followed by David and Daniel, the +descendants of her son Judah. +</p> + +<p> +When Rachel saw that her sister had borne Jacob four sons, she envied Leah. Not +that she begrudged her the good fortune she enjoyed, she only envied her for +her piety, saying to herself that it was to her righteous conduct that she owed +the blessing of many children.[176] Then she besought Jacob: "Pray unto God for +me, that He grant me children, else my life is no life. Verily, there are four +that may be regarded as though they were dead, the blind, the leper, the +childless, and he who was once rich and has lost his fortune." Jacob's anger +was kindled against Rachel, and he said: "It were better thou shouldst address +thy petition to God, and not to me, for am I in God's stead, who hath withheld +from thee the fruit of the womb?"[177] God was displeased with this answer that +Jacob made to his sad wife. He rebuked him with the words: "Is it thus thou +wouldst comfort a grief-stricken heart? As thou livest, the day will come when +thy children will stand before the son of Rachel, and he will use the same +words thou hast but now used, saying, 'Am I in the place of the Lord?'" +</p> + +<p> +Rachel also made reply to Jacob, saying: "Did not thy father, too, entreat God +for thy mother with earnest words, beseeching Him to remove her barrenness?" +Jacob: "It is true, but Isaac had no children, and I have several." Rachel: +"Remember thy grandfather Abraham, thou canst not deny that he had children +when he supplicated God in behalf of Sarah!" Jacob: "Wouldst thou do for me +what Sarah did for my grandfather?" Rachel: "Pray, what did she?" Jacob: "She +herself brought a rival into her house." Rachel: "If that is all that is +necessary, I am ready to follow the example of Sarah, and I pray that as she +was granted a child for having invited a rival, so may I be blessed, too."[178] +Thereupon Rachel gave Jacob Bilhah, her freed handmaid, to wife, and she bore +him a son, whom Rachel called Dan, saying, "As the Lord was gracious unto me +and gave me a son according to my petition, so He will permit Samson, the +descendant of Dan, to judge his people, that it fall not into the hands of the +Philistines."[179] Bilhah's second son Rachel named Naphtali, saying, "Mine is +the bond that binds Jacob to this place, for it was for my sake that he came to +Laban." At the same time she wanted to convey by this name that the Torah, +which is as sweet as Nofet, "honeycomb," would be taught in the territory of +Naphtali.[180] And the name had still a third meaning: "As God hath heard my +fervent prayer for a son, so He will hearken unto the fervent prayer of the +Naphtalites when they are beset by their enemies."[181] +</p> + +<p> +Leah, seeing that she had left bearing, while Bilhah, her sister's handmaid, +bore Jacob two sons, concluded that it was Jacob's destiny to have four wives, +her sister and herself, and their half-sisters Bilhah and Zilpah. Therefore she +also gave him her handmaid to wife.[182] Zilpah was the youngest of the four +women. It was the custom of that time to give the older daughter the older +handmaid, and the younger daughter the younger handmaid, as their dowry, when +they got married. Now, in order to make Jacob believe that his wife was the +younger daughter he had served for, Laban had given Leah the younger handmaid +as her marriage portion. This Zilpah was so young that her body betrayed no +outward signs of pregnancy, and nothing was known of her condition until her +son was born. Leah called the boy Gad, which means "fortune," or it may mean +"the cutter," for from Gad was descended the prophet Elijah, who brings good +fortune to Israel, and he also cuts down the heathen world.[183] Leah had other +reasons, too, for choosing this name of double meaning. The tribe of Gad had +the good fortune of entering into possession of its allotment in the Holy Land +before any of the others,[184] and, also, Gad the son of Jacob was born +circumcised.[185] +</p> + +<p> +To Zilpah's second son Leah gave the name of Asher, "praise," for, she said, +"Unto me all manner of praise is due, for I brought my handmaid into the house +of my husband as wife. Sarah did likewise, but only because she had no +children, and so it was also with Rachel. But as for me, I had children, and +nevertheless I subdued my passion, and without jealousy I gave my handmaid to +my husband for wife. Verily, all will praise and extol me."[186] Furthermore +she spoke: "As the women will praise me, so the sons of Asher will in time to +come praise God for their fruitful possession in the Holy Land."[187] +</p> + +<p> +The next son born unto Jacob was Issachar, "a reward," and once more it was +Leah who was permitted to bring forth the child, as a reward from God for her +pious desire to have the twelve tribes come into the world. To secure this +result, she left no means untried.[188] +</p> + +<p> +It happened once that her oldest son Reuben was tending his father's ass during +the harvest, and he bound him to a root of dudaim, and went his way. On +returning, he found the dudaim torn out of the ground, and the ass lying dead +beside it. The beast had uprooted it in trying to get loose, and the plant has +a peculiar quality, whoever tears it up must die.[189] As it was the time of +the harvest, when it is permitted for any one to take a plant from a field, and +as dudaim is, besides, a plant which the owner of a field esteems lightly, +Reuben carried it home. Being a good son, he did not keep it for himself, but +gave it to his mother. Rachel desired the dudaim, and she asked the plant of +Leah, who parted with it to her sister, but on the condition that Jacob, when +he returned from work in the evening, should tarry with her for a while. It was +altogether unbecoming conduct in Rachel to dispose thus of her husband. She +gained the dudaim, but she lost two tribes. If she had acted otherwise, she +would have borne four sons instead of two. And she suffered another punishment, +her body was not permitted to rest in the grave beside her husband's. +</p> + +<p> +Jacob came home from the field after night had fallen, for he observed the law +obliging a day laborer to work until darkness sets in, and Jacob's zeal in the +affairs of Laban was as great in the last seven years, after his marriage, as +in the first seven, while he was serving for the hand of Rachel.[190] When Leah +heard the braying of Jacob's ass, she ran to meet her husband,[191] and without +giving him time to wash his feet, she insisted upon his turning aside into her +tent.[192] At first Jacob refused to go, but God compelled him to enter, for +unto God it was known that Leah acted from pure, disinterested motives.[193] +Her dudaim secured two sons for her, Issachar, the father of the tribe that +devotes itself to the study of the Torah, whence his name meaning "reward," and +Zebulon, whose descendants carried on commerce, using their profits to enable +their brethren of Issachar to keep at their studies.[194] Leah called this +last-born son of hers Zebulon, "dwelling-place," for she said, "Now will my +husband dwell with me, seeing that I have borne him six sons, and, also, the +sons of Zebulon will have a goodly dwelling-place in the Holy Land."[195] +</p> + +<p> +Leah bore once more, and this last time it was a daughter, a man child turned +into a woman by her prayer. When she conceived for the seventh time, she spake +as follows: "God promised Jacob twelve sons. I bore him six, and each of the +two handmaids has borne him two. If, now, I were to bring forth another son, my +sister Rachel would not be equal even unto the handmaids." Therefore she prayed +to God to change the male embryo in her womb into a female, and God hearkened +unto her prayer.[196] +</p> + +<p> +Now all the wives of Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, united their +prayers with the prayer of Jacob, and together they besought God to remove the +curse of barrenness from Rachel. On New Year's Day, the day whereon God sits in +judgment upon the inhabitants of the earth, He remembered Rachel, and granted +her a son.[197] And Rachel spake, "God hath taken away my reproach," for all +the people had said that she was not a pious woman, else had she borne +children, and now that God had hearkened to her, and opened her womb, such idle +talk no longer had any reason.[198] +</p> + +<p> +By bearing a son, she had escaped another disgrace. She had said to herself: +"Jacob hath a mind to return to the land of his birth, and my father will not +be able to hinder his daughters who have borne him children from following +their husband thither with their children. But he will not let me, the +childless wife, go, too, and he will keep me here and marry me to one of the +uncircumcised."[199] She said furthermore, "As my son hath removed my reproach, +so Joshua, his descendant, will roll away a reproach from the Israelites, when +he circumcises them beyond Jordan."[200] +</p> + +<p> +Rachel called her son Joseph, "increase," saying, "God will give me an +additional son." Prophetess as she was, she foresaw she would have a second +son. But an increase added on by God is larger than the original capital +itself. Benjamin, the second son, whom Rachel regarded merely as a supplement, +had ten sons, while Joseph begot only two. These twelve together may be +considered the twelve tribes borne by Rachel.[201] Had Rachel not used the form +of expression, "The Lord add to me another son," she herself would have +begotten twelve tribes with Jacob.[202] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap99"></a>JACOB FLEES BEFORE LABAN</h3> + +<p> +Jacob had only been waiting for Joseph to be born to begin preparations for his +journey home. The holy spirit had revealed to him that the house of Joseph +would work the destruction of the house of Esau, and, therefore, Jacob +exclaimed at the birth of Joseph, "Now I need not fear Esau or his +legions."[203] +</p> + +<p> +About this time, Rebekah sent her nurse Deborah, the daughter of Uz, +accompanied by two of Isaac's servants, to Jacob, to urge him to return to his +father's house, now that his fourteen years of service had come to an end. Then +Jacob approached Laban, and spoke, "Give me my wives and my children, that I +may go unto mine own place, and to my country, for my mother has sent +messengers unto me, bidding me to return to my father's house."[204] Laban +answered, saying, "O that I might find favor in thine eyes! By a sign it was +made known unto me that God blesseth me for thy sake." What Laban had in mind +was the treasure he had found on the day Jacob came to him, and he considered +that a token of his beneficent powers.[205] Indeed, God had wrought many a +thing in the house of Laban that testified to the blessings spread abroad by +the pious. Shortly before Jacob came, a pest had broken out among Laban's +cattle, and with his arrival it ceased.[206] And Laban had had no son, but +during Jacob's sojourn in Haran sons were born unto him.[207] +</p> + +<p> +All the hire he asked in return for his labor and for the blessings he had +brought Laban was the speckled and spotted among the goats of his herd, and the +black among the sheep. Laban assented to his conditions, saying, "Behold, I +would it might be according to thy word." The arch-villain Laban, whose tongue +wagged in all directions, and who made all sorts of promises that were never +kept, judged others by himself, and therefore suspected Jacob of wanting to +deceive him.[208] And yet, in the end, it was Laban himself who broke his word. +No less than a hundred times he changed the agreement between them. +Nevertheless his unrighteous conduct was of no avail. Though a three days' +journey had been set betwixt Laban's flocks and Jacob's, the angels were wont +to bring the sheep belonging to Laban down to Jacob's sheep, and Jacob's droves +grew constantly larger and better.[209] Laban had given only the feeble and +sick to Jacob, yet the young of the flock, raised under Jacob's tendance, were +so excellent in quality that people bought them at a heavy price.[210] And +Jacob had no need to resort to the peeled rods. He had but to speak, and the +flocks bare according to his desire.[211] What Laban deserved was utter ruin, +for having permitted the pious Jacob to work for him without hire, and after +his wages had been changed ten times, and ten times Laban had tried to +overreach him, God rewarded him in this way.[212] But his good luck with the +flocks was only what Jacob deserved. Every faithful laborer is rewarded by God +in this world, quite regardless of what awaits him in the world to come.[213] +With empty hands Jacob had come to Laban, and he left him with herds numbering +six hundred thousand. Their increase had been marvellous, an increase that will +be equalled only in the Messianic time.[214] +</p> + +<p> +The wealth and good fortune of Jacob called forth the envy of Laban and his +sons, and they could not hide their vexation in their intercourse with him. And +the Lord said unto Jacob, "Thy father-in-law's countenance is not toward thee +as beforetime, and yet thou tarriest with him? Do thou rather return unto the +land of thy fathers, and there I will let My Shekinah rest upon thee, for I +cannot permit the Shekinah to reside outside of the Holy Land."[215] +Immediately Jacob sent the fleet messenger Naphtali[216] to Rachel and Leah to +summon them to a consultation, and he chose as the place of meeting the open +field, where none could overhear what was said.[217] +</p> + +<p> +His two wives approved the plan of returning to his home, and Jacob resolved at +once to go away with all his substance, without as much as acquainting Laban +with his intention. Laban was gone to shear his sheep, and so Jacob could +execute his plan without delay. +</p> + +<p> +That her father might not learn about their flight from his teraphim, Rachel +stole them, and she took them and concealed them upon the camel upon which she +sat, and she went on. And this is the manner they used to make the images: They +took a man who was the first-born, slew him and took the hair off his head, +then salted the head, and anointed it with oil, then they wrote "the Name" upon +a small tablet of copper or gold, and placed it under his tongue. The head with +the tablet under the tongue was then put in a house where lights were lighted +before it, and at the time when they bowed down to it, it spoke to them on all +matters that they asked of it, and that was due to the power of the Name which +was written upon it.[218] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap100"></a>THE COVENANT WITH LABAN</h3> + +<p> +Jacob departed and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward Gilead, for +the holy spirit revealed to him that God would bring help there to his children +in the days of Jephthah. Meantime the shepherds of Haran observed that the +well, which had been filled to overflowing since the arrival of Jacob in their +place, ran dry suddenly. For three days they watched and waited, in the hope +that the waters would return in the same abundance as before. Disappointed, +they finally told Laban of the misfortune, and he divined at once that Jacob +had departed thence, for he knew that the blessing had been conferred upon +Haran only for the sake of his son-in-law's merits.[219] +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow Laban rose early, assembled all the people of the city, and +pursued Jacob with the intention of killing him when he overtook him. But the +archangel Michael appeared unto him, and bade him take heed unto himself, that +he do not the least unto Jacob, else would he suffer death himself.[220] This +message from heaven came to Laban during the night, for when, in extraordinary +cases, God finds it necessary to reveal Himself unto the heathen, He does it +only in the dark, clandestinely as it were, while He shows Himself to the +prophets of the Jews openly, during daylight. +</p> + +<p> +Laban accomplished the journey in one day for which Jacob had taken seven,[221] +and he overtook him at the mountain of Gilead. When he came upon Jacob, he +found him in the act of praying and giving praise unto God.[222] Immediately +Laban fell to remonstrating with his son-in-law for having stolen away unawares +to him. He showed his true character when he said, "It is in the power of my +hand to do thee hurt, but the God of thy father spake unto me yesternight, +saying, Take heed to thyself that thou speak not to Jacob either good or bad." +That is the way of the wicked, they boast of the evil they can do. Laban wanted +to let Jacob know that only the dream warning him against doing aught that was +harmful to Jacob prevented him from carrying out the wicked design he had +formed against him.[223] +</p> + +<p> +Laban continued to take Jacob to task, and he concluded with the words, "And +now, though thou wouldst needs be gone, because thou sore longedst after thy +father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods?" When he pronounced the +last words, his grandchildren interrupted him, saying, "We are ashamed of thee, +grandfather, that in thy old age thou shouldst use such words as 'my gods.'" +Laban searched all the tents for his idols, going first to the tent of Jacob, +which was Rachel's at the same time, for Jacob always dwelt with his favorite +wife. Finding nothing, he went thence to Leah's tent, and to the tents of the +two handmaids, and, noticing that Rachel was feeling about here and there, his +suspicions were aroused, and he entered her tent a second time. He would now +have found what he was looking for, if a miracle had not come to pass. The +teraphim were transformed into drinking vessels, and Laban had to desist from +his fruitless search. +</p> + +<p> +Now Jacob, who did not know that Rachel had stolen her father's teraphim in +order to turn him aside from his idolatrous ways, was wroth with Laban, and +began to chide with him. In the quarrel between them, Jacob's noble character +manifested itself. Notwithstanding his excitement, he did not suffer a single +unbecoming word to escape him. He only reminded Laban of the loyalty and +devotion with which he had served him, doing for him what none other would or +could have done. He said: "I dealt wrongfully with the lion, for God had +appointed of Laban's sheep for the lion's daily sustenance, and I deprived him +thereof. Could another shepherd have done thus? Yes, the people abused me, +calling me robber and sneak thief, for they thought that only by stealing by +day and stealing by night could I replace the animals torn by wild beasts. And +as to my honesty," he continued, "is it likely there is another son-in-law who, +having lived with his father-in-law, hath not taken some little thing from the +household of his father-in-law, a knife, or other trifle? But thou hast felt +about all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? Not so +much as a needle or a nail." +</p> + +<p> +In his indignation, and conscious of his innocence, Jacob exclaimed, "With +whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not live," words which contained a +curse—the thief was cursed with premature death, and therefore Rachel had to +die in giving birth to Benjamin. Indeed, the curse would have taken effect at +once, had it not been the wish of God that Rachel should bear Jacob his +youngest son.[224] +</p> + +<p> +After the quarrel, the two men made a treaty, and with his gigantic strength +Jacob set up a huge rock as a memorial, and a heap of stones as a sign of their +covenant. In this matter Jacob followed the example of his fathers, who +likewise had covenanted with heathen nations, Abraham with the Jebusites, and +Isaac with the Philistines. Therefore Jacob did not hesitate to make a treaty +with the Arameans.[225] Jacob summoned his sons, calling them brethren, for +they were his peers in piety and strength, and he bade them cast up heaps of +stones. Thereupon he swore unto his father-in-law that he would take no wives +beside his four daughters, either while they were alive or after their death, +and Laban, on his part, swore that he would not pass over the heaps or over the +pillar unto Jacob with hostile intent,[226] and he took the oath by the God of +Abraham, and the God of Nahor, while Jacob made mention of the Fear of Isaac. +He refrained from using the term "the God of Isaac," because God never unites +His name with that of a living person, for the reason that so long as a man has +not ended his years, no trust may be put in him, lest he be seduced by the evil +inclination. It is true, when He appeared unto Jacob at Beth-el, God called +Himself "the God of Isaac." There was a reason for the unusual phrase. Being +blind, Isaac led a retired life, within his tent, and the evil inclination had +no power over him any more. But though God had full confidence in Isaac, yet +Jacob could not venture to couple the name of God with the name of a living +man, wherefore he took his oath by "the Fear of Isaac."[227] +</p> + +<p> +Early in the morning after the day of covenanting, Laban rose up, and kissed +his grandchildren and his daughters, and blessed them. But these acts and words +of his did not come from the heart; in his innermost thoughts he regretted that +Jacob and his family and his substance had escaped him.[228] His true feelings +he betrayed in the message which he sent to Esau at once upon his return to +Haran, by the hand of his son Beor and ten companions of his son. The message +read: "Hast thou heard what Jacob thy brother has done unto me, who first came +to me naked and bare, and I went to meet him, and took him to my house with +honor, and brought him up, and gave him my two daughters for wives, and also +two of my maids? And God blessed him on my account, and he increased +abundantly, and had sons and daughters and maid-servants, and also an uncommon +stock of flocks and herds, camels and asses, also silver and gold in abundance. +But when he saw that his wealth increased, he left me while I went to shear my +sheep, and he rose up and fled in secrecy. And he put his wives and children +upon camels, and he led away all his cattle and substance which he acquired in +my land, and he resolved to go to his father Isaac, to the land of Canaan. And +he did not suffer me to kiss my sons and daughters, and he carried away my +daughters as captives of the sword, and he also stole my gods, and he fled. And +now I have left him in the mountain of the brook of Jabbok, he and all +belonging to him, not a jot of his substance is lacking. If it be thy wish to +go to him, go, and there wilt thou find him, and thou canst do unto him as thy +soul desireth."[229] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob had no need to fear either Laban or Esau, for on his journey he was +accompanied by two angel hosts, one going with him from Haran to the borders of +the Holy Land, where he was received by the other host, the angels of +Palestine.[230] Each of these hosts consisted of no less than six hundred +thousand angels,[231] and when he beheld them, Jacob said: "Ye belong neither +to the host of Esau, who is preparing to go out to war against me, nor the host +of Laban, who is about to pursue me again. Ye are the hosts of the holy angels +sent by the Lord." And he gave the name Mahanaim, Double-Host, to the spot on +which the second army relieved the first.[232] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap101"></a>JACOB AND ESAU PREPARE TO MEET</h3> + +<p> +The message of Laban awakened Esau's old hatred toward Jacob with increased +fury, and he assembled his household, consisting of sixty men. With them and +three hundred and forty inhabitants of Seir, he went forth to do battle with +Jacob and kill him. He divided his warriors into seven cohorts, giving to his +son Eliphaz his own division of sixty, and putting the other six divisions +under as many of the Horites. +</p> + +<p> +While Esau was hastening onward to meet Jacob, the messengers which Laban had +sent to Esau came to Rebekah and told her that Esau and his four hundred men +were about to make war upon Jacob, with the purpose of slaying him and taking +possession of all he had. Anxious lest Esau should execute his plan while yet +Jacob was on the journey, she hastily dispatched seventy-two of the retainers +of Isaac's household, to give him help. Jacob, tarrying on the banks of the +brook Jabbok, rejoiced at the sight of these men, and he greeted them with the +words, "This is God's helping host," wherefore he called the place of their +meeting Mahanaim, Host. +</p> + +<p> +After the warriors sent by Rebekah had satisfied his questions regarding the +welfare of his parents, they delivered his mother's message unto him, thus: "I +have heard, my son, that thy brother Esau hath gone forth against thee on the +road, with men of the children of Seir the Horite, and therefore, my son, +hearken to my voice, and take counsel with thyself what thou wilt do, and when +he cometh up to thee, supplicate him, and do not speak roughly to him, and give +him a present from what thou possessest, and from what God has favored thee +with. And when he asketh thee concerning thy affairs, conceal nothing from him, +perhaps he may turn from his anger against thee, and thou wilt thereby save thy +soul, thou and all belonging to thee, for it is thy duty to honor him, since he +is thy elder brother." +</p> + +<p> +And when Jacob heard the words of his mother which the messengers had spoken to +him, he lifted up his voice and wept bitterly, and did as his mother commanded +him. +</p> + +<p> +He sent messengers to Esau to placate him, and they said unto him: "Thus +speaketh thy servant Jacob: My lord, think not that the blessing which my +father bestowed upon me profited me. Twenty years I served Laban, and he +deceived me, and changed my hire ten times, as thou well knowest. Yet did I +labor sorely in his house, and God saw my affliction, my labor, and the work of +my hands, and afterward He caused me to find grace and favor in the sight of +Laban. And through God's great mercy and kindness, I acquired oxen and asses +and cattle and men-servants and maid servants. And now I am coming to my +country and to my home, to my father and mother, who are in the land of Canaan. +And I have sent to let my lord know all this in order to find favor in the eyes +of my lord, so that he may not imagine that I have become a man of substance, +or that the blessing with which my father blessed me has benefited me."[233] +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore spake the messengers: "Why dost thou envy me in respect to the +blessing wherewith my father blessed me? Is it that the sun shineth in my land, +and not in thine? Or doth the dew and the rain fall only upon my land, and not +upon thine? If my father blessed me with the dew of heaven, he blessed thee +with the fatness of the earth, and if he spoke to me, Peoples will serve thee, +he hath said unto thee, By thy sword shalt thou live. How long, then, wilt thou +continue to envy me? Come, now, let us set up a covenant between us, that we +will share equally all the vexations that may occur." +</p> + +<p> +Esau would not agree to this proposal, his friends dissuaded him therefrom, +saying, "Accept not these conditions, for God hath said to Abraham, Know of a +surety that thy seed shall be a stranger in a land that is not theirs, and +shall serve the people thereof, and the aliens shall afflict them four hundred +years. Wait, therefore, until Jacob and his family go down into Egypt to pay +off this debt." +</p> + +<p> +Jacob also sent word to Esau, saying: "Though I dwelt with that heathen of the +heathen, Laban, yet have I not forgotten my God, but I fulfil the six hundred +and thirteen commandments of the Torah.[234] If thy mind be set upon peace, +thou wilt find me ready for peace. But if thy desire be war, thou wilt find me +ready for war. I have with me men of valor and strength, they have but to utter +a word, and God fulfils it. I tarried with Laban until Joseph should be born, +he who is destined to subdue thee.[235] And though my descendants be held in +bondage in this world, yet a day will come when they will rule over their +rulers."[236] +</p> + +<p> +In reply to all these gentle words, Esau spoke with arrogance: "Surely I have +heard, and truly it has been told unto me what Jacob has been to Laban, who +brought him up in his house, and gave him his daughters for wives, and he begot +sons and daughters, and abundantly increased in wealth and riches in Laban's +house and with his help. And when he saw that his wealth was abundant and his +riches were great, he fled with all belonging to him from Laban's house, and he +carried away Laban's daughters from their father as captives of the sword, +without telling him of it. And not only to Laban hath Jacob done thus, but also +unto me hath he done so, and he hath twice supplanted me, and shall I be +silent? Now, I have this day come with my camp to meet him, and I will do unto +him according to the desire of my heart." +</p> + +<p> +The messengers dispatched by Jacob now returned to him, and reported these +words of Esau unto him.[237] They also told him that his brother was advancing +against him with an army consisting of four hundred crowned heads, each leading +a host of four hundred men.[238] "It is true, thou art his brother, and thou +treatest him as a brother should," they said to Jacob, "but he is an Esau, thou +must be made aware of his villainy."[239] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob bore in mind the promise of God, that He would bring him back to his +father's house in peace, yet the report about his brother's purpose alarmed him +greatly. A pious man may never depend upon promises of earthly good. God does +not keep the promise if he is guilty of the smallest conceivable trespass, and +Jacob feared that he might have forfeited happiness by reason of a sin +committed by him. Moreover, he was anxious lest Esau be the one favored by God, +inasmuch as he had these twenty years been fulfilling two Divine commands that +Jacob had had to disregard. Esau had been living in the Holy Land, Jacob +outside of it; the former had been in attendance upon his parents, the latter +dwelling at a distance from them. And much as he feared defeat, Jacob also +feared the reverse, that he might be victorious over Esau, or might even slay +his brother, which would be as bad as to be slain by him. And he was depressed +by another apprehension, that his father had died, for he reasoned that Esau +would not take such warlike steps against his own brother, were his father +still alive.[240] +</p> + +<p> +When his wives saw the anxiety that possessed Jacob, they began to quarrel with +him, and reproach him for having taken them away from their father's house, +though he knew that such danger threatened from Esau.[241] Then Jacob +determined to apply the three means that might save him from the fate +impending: he would cry to God for help, appease Esau's wrath with presents, +and hold himself in readiness for war if the worst came to the worst.[242] +</p> + +<p> +He prayed to God: "O Thou God of my father Abraham, and God of my father Isaac, +God of all who walk in the ways of the pious and do like unto them! I am not +worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast +showed unto Thy servant. O Lord of the world, as Thou didst not suffer Laban to +execute his evil designs against me, so also bring to naught the purpose of +Esau, who desireth to slay me. O Lord of the world, in Thy Torah which Thou +wilt give us on Mount Sinai it is written, And whether it be cow or ewe, ye +shall not kill it and her young both in one day. If this wretch should come and +murder my children and their mothers at the same time, who would then desire to +read Thy Torah which Thou wilt give us on Mount Sinai? And yet Thou didst +speak, For the sake of thy merits and for the merits of thy fathers I will do +good unto thee, and in the future world thy children shall be as numerous as +the sand of the sea." +</p> + +<p> +As Jacob prayed for his own deliverance, so also he prayed for the salvation of +his descendants, that they might not be annihilated by the descendants of Esau. +</p> + +<p> +Such was the prayer of Jacob when he saw Esau approaching from afar, and God +heard his petition and looked upon his tears, and He gave him the assurance +that for his sake his descendants, too, would be redeemed from all +distress.[243] +</p> + +<p> +Then the Lord sent three angels, and they went before Esau, and they appeared +unto Esau and his people as hundreds and thousands of men riding upon horses. +They were furnished with all sorts of weapons, and divided into four columns. +And one division went on, and they found Esau coming with four hundred men, and +the division ran toward them, and terrified them. Esau fell off his horse in +alarm, and all his men separated from him in great fear, while the approaching +column shouted after them, "Verily, we are the servants of Jacob, the servant +of God, and who can stand against us?" Esau then said unto them, "O, then my +lord and brother Jacob is your lord, whom I have not seen these twenty years, +and now that I have this day come to see him, do you treat me in this manner?" +The angels answered, "As the Lord liveth, were not Jacob thy brother, we had +not left one remaining of thee and thy people, but on account of Jacob we will +do nothing to thee." This division passed from Esau, and when he had gone from +there about a league, the second division came toward him, and they also did +unto Esau and his men as the first had done to them, and when they permitted +him to go on, the third came and did like the first, and when the third had +passed also, and Esau still continued with his men on the road to Jacob, the +fourth division came and did to them as the others had done. And Esau was +greatly afraid of his brother, because he thought that the four columns of the +army which he had encountered were the servants of Jacob. +</p> + +<p> +After Jacob had made an end of praying, he divided all that journeyed with him +into two companies, and he set over them Damesek and Alinus, the two sons of +Eliezer, the bondman of Abraham, and their sons.[244] Jacob's example teaches +us not to conceal the whole of our fortune in one hiding-place, else we run the +danger of losing everything at one stroke. +</p> + +<p> +Of his cattle he sent a part to Esau as a present, first dividing it into three +droves in order to impress his brother more. When Esau received the first +drove, he would think he had the whole gift that had been sent to him, and +suddenly he would be astonished by the appearance of the second portion, and +again by the third. Jacob knew his brother's avarice only too well.[245] +</p> + +<p> +The men who were the bearers of Jacob's present to Esau were charged with the +following message, "This is an offering to my lord Esau from his slave Jacob." +But God took these words of Jacob in ill part, saying, "Thou profanest what is +holy when thou callest Esau lord." Jacob excused himself; he was but flattering +the wicked in order to escape death at his hands.[246] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap102"></a>JACOB WRESTLES WITH THE ANGEL</h3> + +<p> +The servants of Jacob went before him with the present for Esau, and he +followed with his wives and his children. As he was about to pass over the ford +of Jabbok, he observed a shepherd, who likewise had sheep and camels. The +stranger approached Jacob and proposed that they should ford the stream +together, and help each other move their cattle over, and Jacob assented, on +the condition that his possessions should be put across first. In the twinkling +of an eye Jacob's sheep were transferred to the other side of the stream by the +shepherd. Then the flocks of the shepherd were to be moved by Jacob, but no +matter how many he took over to the opposite bank, always there remained some +on the hither shore. There was no end to the cattle, though Jacob labored all +the night through. At last he lost patience, and he fell upon the shepherd and +caught him by the throat, crying out, "O thou wizard, thou wizard, at night no +enchantment succeeds!" The angel thought, "Very well, let him know once for all +with whom he has had dealings," and with his finger he touched the earth, +whence fire burst forth. But Jacob said, "What! thou thinkest thus to affright +me, who am made wholly of fire?"[247] +</p> + +<p> +The shepherd was no less a personage than the archangel Michael, and in his +combat with Jacob he was assisted by the whole host of angels under his +command. He was on the point of inflicting a dangerous wound upon Jacob, when +God appeared, and all the angels, even Michael himself, felt their strength +ooze away. Seeing that he could not prevail against Jacob, the archangel +touched the hollow of his thigh, and injured him, and God rebuked him, saying, +"Dost thou act as is seemly, when thou causest a blemish in My priest Jacob?" +Michael said in astonishment, "Why, it is I who am Thy priest!" But God said, +"Thou art My priest in heaven, and he is My priest on earth." Thereupon Michael +summoned the archangel Raphael, saying, "My comrade, I pray thee, help me out +of my distress, for thou art charged with the healing of all disease," and +Raphael cured Jacob of the injury Michael had inflicted. +</p> + +<p> +The Lord continued to reproach Michael, saying, "Why didst thou do harm unto My +first-born son?" and the archangel answered, "I did it only to glorify Thee," +and then God appointed Michael as the guardian angel of Jacob and his seed unto +the end of all generations, with these words: "Thou art a fire, and so is Jacob +a fire; thou art the head of the angels, and he is the head of the nations; +thou art supreme over all the angels, and he is supreme over all the peoples. +Therefore he who is supreme over all the angels shall be appointed unto him who +is supreme over all the peoples, that he may entreat mercy for him from the +Supreme One over all." +</p> + +<p> +Then Michael said unto Jacob, "How is it possible that thou who couldst prevail +against me, the most distinguished of the angels, art afraid of Esau?" +</p> + +<p> +When the day broke, Michael said to Jacob, "Let me go, for the day breaketh," +but Jacob held him back, saying, "Art thou a thief, or a gambler with dice, +that thou fearest the daylight?" At that moment appeared many different hosts +of angels, and they called unto Michael: "Ascend, O Michael, the time of song +hath come, and if thou art not in heaven to lead the choir, none will sing." +And Michael entreated Jacob with supplications to let him go, for he feared the +angels of 'Arabot would consume him with fire, if he were not there to start +the songs of praise at the proper time. Jacob said, "I will not let thee go, +except thou bless me," whereto Michael made reply: "Who is greater, the servant +or the son? I am the servant, and thou art the son. Why, then, cravest thou my +blessing?"[248] Jacob urged as an argument, "The angels that visited Abraham +did not leave without blessing him," but Michael held, "They were sent by God +for that very purpose, and I was not." Yet Jacob insisted upon his demand, and +Michael pleaded with him, saying, "The angels that betrayed a heavenly secret +were banished from their place for one hundred and thirty eight years. Dost +thou desire that I should acquaint thee with what would cause my banishment +likewise?" In the end the angel nevertheless had to yield; Jacob could not be +moved, and Michael took counsel with himself thus: "I will reveal a secret to +him, and if God demands to know why I revealed it, I will make answer, Thy +children stand upon their wishes with Thee, and Thou dost yield to them. How, +then, could I have left Jacob's wish unfulfilled?" +</p> + +<p> +Then Michael spoke to Jacob, saying: "A day will come when God will reveal +Himself unto thee, and He will change thy name, and I shall be present when He +changeth it.[249] Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel, for happy +thou, of woman born, who didst enter the heavenly palace, and didst escape +thence with thy life." And Michael blessed Jacob with the words, "May it be the +will of God that thy descendants be as pious as thou art."[250] +</p> + +<p> +At the same time the archangel reminded Jacob that he had promised to give a +tithe of his possessions unto God, and at once Jacob separated five hundred and +fifty head of cattle from his herds, which counted fifty-five hundred. Then +Michael went on, "But thou hast sons, and of them thou hast not set apart the +tenth." Jacob proceeded to pass his sons in review: Reuben, Joseph, Dan, and +Gad being the first-born, each of his mother, were exempt, and there remained +but eight sons, and when he had named them, down to Benjamin, he had to go back +and begin over again with Simon, the ninth, and finish with Levi as the tenth. +</p> + +<p> +Michael took Levi with him into heaven, and presented him before God, saying, +"O Lord of the world, this one is Thy lot, and the tenth belonging unto Thee," +and God stretched forth His hand and blessed Levi with the blessing that his +children should be the servants of God on earth as the angels were His servants +on high. Michael spoke again, "Doth not a king provide for the sustenance of +his servants?" whereupon God appointed for the Levites all that was holy unto +the Lord.[251] +</p> + +<p> +Then Jacob spoke to the angel: "My father conferred the blessing upon me that +was intended for Esau, and now I desire to know whether thou wilt acknowledge +the blessing as mine, or wilt bring charges against me on account of it." And +the angel said: "I acknowledge the blessing to be thine by right. Thou didst +not gain it by craft and cunning, and I and all the heavenly powers recognize +it to be valid, for thou hast shown thyself master over the mighty powers of +the heavens as over Esau and his legions."[252] +</p> + +<p> +And even then Jacob would not let the angel depart, he had to reveal his name +to him first, and the angel made known to him that it was Israel, the same name +that Jacob would once bear.[253] +</p> + +<p> +At last the angel departed, after Jacob had blessed him, and Jacob called the +place of wrestling Penuel, the same place to which before he had given the name +Mahanaim, for both words have but one meaning, the place of encounter with +angels.[254] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap103"></a>THE MEETING BETWEEN ESAU AND JACOB</h3> + +<p> +At the break of day the angel left off from wrestling with Jacob. The dawn on +that day was of particularly short duration. The sun rose two hours before his +time, by way of compensation for having set early, on the day on which Jacob +passed Mount Moriah on his journey to Haran, to induce him to turn aside and +lodge for a night on the future Temple place.[255] Indeed, the power of the sun +on this same day was altogether remarkable. He shone with the brilliance and +ardor with which he was invested during the six days of the creation, and as he +will shine at the end of days, to make whole the halt and the blind among the +Jews and to consume the heathen. This same healing and devastating property he +had on that day, too, for Jacob was cured, while Esau and his princes were all +but burnt up by his terrible heat.[256] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob was in dire need of healing lotions for the injury he had sustained in +the encounter with the angel. The combat between them had been grim, the dust +whirled up by the scuffle rose to the very throne of God.[257] Though Jacob +prevailed against his huge opponent, as big as one-third of the whole world, +throwing him to the ground and keeping him pinned down, yet the angel had +injured him by clutching at the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of +the thigh, so that it was dislocated, and Jacob halted upon his thigh.[258] The +healing power of the sun restored him, nevertheless his children took it upon +themselves not to eat the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the +thigh, for they reproached themselves with having been the cause of his mishap, +they should not have left him alone in that night.[259] +</p> + +<p> +Now, although Jacob had prepared for the worst, for open hostilities even, yet +when he saw Esau and his men, he thought it discreet to make separate divisions +of the households of Leah, Rachel, and the handmaids, and divide the children +unto each of them. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and +Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. It was the +stratagem which the fox used with the lion. Once upon a time the king of beasts +was wroth with his subjects, and they looked hither and thither for a spokesman +who mastered the art of appeasing their ruler. The fox offered himself for the +undertaking, saying, "I know three hundred fables which will allay his fury." +His offer was accepted with joy. On the way to the lion, the fox suddenly stood +still, and in reply to the questions put to him, he said, "I have forgotten one +hundred of the three hundred fables." "Never mind," said those accompanying +him, "two hundred will serve the purpose." A little way further on the fox +again stopped suddenly, and, questioned again, he confessed that he had +forgotten half of the two hundred remaining fables. The animals with him still +consoled him that the hundred he knew would suffice. But the fox halted a third +time, and then he admitted that his memory had failed him entirely, and he had +forgotten all the fables he knew, and he advised that every animal approach the +king on his own account and endeavor to appease his anger. At first Jacob had +had courage enough to enter the lists with Esau in behalf of all with him. Now +he came to the conclusion to let each one try to do what he could for himself. +</p> + +<p> +However, Jacob was too fond a father to expose his family to the first brunt of +the danger. He himself passed over before all the rest, saying, "It is better +that they attack me than my children."[260] After him came the handmaids and +their children. His reason for placing them there was that, if Esau should be +overcome by passion for the women, and try to violate them, he would thus meet +the handmaids first, and in the meantime Jacob would have the chance of +preparing for more determined resistance in the defense of the honor of his +wives.[261] Joseph and Rachel came last, and Joseph walked in front of his +mother, though Jacob had ordered the reverse. But the son knew both the beauty +of his mother and the lustfulness of his uncle, and therefore he tried to hide +Rachel from the sight of Esau.[262] +</p> + +<p> +In the vehemence of his rage against Jacob, Esau vowed that he would not slay +him with bow and arrow, but would bite him dead with his mouth, and suck his +blood. But he was doomed to bitter disappointment, for Jacob's neck turned as +hard as ivory, and in his helpless fury Esau could but gnash his teeth.[263] +The two brothers were like the ram and the wolf. A wolf wanted to tear a ram in +pieces, and the ram defended himself with his horns, striking them deep into +the flesh of the wolf. Both began to howl, the wolf because he could not secure +his prey, and the ram from fear that the wolf renew his attacks. Esau bawled +because his teeth were hurt by the ivory-like flesh of Jacob's neck, and Jacob +feared that his brother would make a second attempt to bite him.[264] +</p> + +<p> +Esau addressed a question to his brother. "Tell me," he said, "what was the +army I met?" for on his march against Jacob he had had a most peculiar +experience with a great host of forty thousand warriors. It consisted of +various kinds of troops, armor-clad soldiers walking on foot, mounted on +horses, and seated in chariots, and they all threw themselves upon Esau when +they met. He demanded to know whence they came, and the strange soldiers hardly +interrupted their savage onslaught to reply that they belonged to Jacob. Only +when Esau told them that Jacob was his brother did they leave off, saying, "Woe +to us if our master hears that we did thee harm." This was the army and the +encounter Esau inquired about as soon as he met his brother. But the army was a +host of angels, who had the appearance of warriors to Esau and his men.[265] +Also the messengers sent by Jacob to Esau had been angels, for no mere human +being could be induced to go forth and face the recreant.[266] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob now gave Esau the presents intended for him, a tenth of all his +cattle,[267] and also pearls and precious stones,[268] and, besides, a falcon +for the chase.[269] But even the animals refused to give up their gentle master +Jacob and become the property of the villain Esau. They all ran away when Jacob +wanted to hand them over to his brother, and the result was that the only ones +that reached Esau were the feeble and the lame, all that could not make good +their escape.[270] +</p> + +<p> +At first Esau declined the presents offered to him. Naturally, that was a mere +pretense. While refusing the gifts with words, he held his hand outstretched +ready to receive them.[271] Jacob took the hint, and insisted that he accept +them, saying: "Nay, I pray thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then +receive my present at my hand, forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as I have +seen the face of angels, and thou art pleased with me." The closing words were +chosen with well-calculated purpose. Jacob wanted Esau to derive the meaning +that he had intercourse with angels, and to be inspired with awe. Jacob was +like the man invited to a banquet by his mortal enemy who has been seeking an +opportunity to slay him. When the guest divines the purpose for which he has +been brought thither, he says to the host: "What a magnificent and delicious +meal this is! But once before in my life did I partake of one like it, and that +was when I was bidden by the king to his table"—enough to drive terror to the +heart of the would-be slayer. He takes good care not to harm a man on such +intimate terms with the king as to be invited to his table![272] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob had valid reason for recalling his encounter with the angel, for it was +the angel of Esau who had measured his strength with Jacob's, and had been +overcome.[273] +</p> + +<p> +As Esau accepted the presents of Jacob willingly on this first occasion, so he +continued to accept them for a whole year; daily Jacob gave him presents as on +the day of their meeting, for, he said, "'A gift doth blind the eyes of the +wise,' and how much more doth it blind the wicked! Therefore will I give him +presents upon presents, perhaps he will let me alone." Besides, he did not +attach much value to the possessions he had acquired outside of the Holy Land. +Such possessions are not a blessing, and he did not hesitate to part with them. +</p> + +<p> +Beside the presents which Jacob gave Esau, he also paid out a large sum of +money to him for the Cave of Machpelah. Immediately upon his arrival in the +Holy Land he sold all he had brought with him from Haran, and a pile of gold +was the proceeds of the sale. He spoke to Esau, saying: "Like me thou hast a +share in the Cave of Machpelah, wilt thou take this pile of gold for thy +portion therein?" "What care I for the Cave?" returned Esau. "Gold is what I +want," and for his share in Machpelah he took the gold realized from the sale +of the possessions Jacob had accumulated outside of the Holy Land. But God +"filled the vacuum without delay," and Jacob was as rich as before.[274] +</p> + +<p> +Wealth was not an object of desire to Jacob. He would have been well content, +in his own behalf and in behalf of his family, to resign all earthly treasures +in favor of Esau and his family. He said to Esau: "I foresee that in future +days suffering will be inflicted by thy children upon mine. But I do not demur, +thou mayest exercise thy dominion and wear thy crown until the time when the +Messiah springs from my loins, and receives the rule from thee." These words +spoken by Jacob will be realized in days to come, when all the nations will +rise up against the kingdom of Edom, and take away one city after another from +him, one realm after another, until they reach Bet-Gubrin, and then the Messiah +will appear and assume his kingship. The angel of Edom will flee for refuge to +Bozrah, but God will appear there, and slay him, for though Bozrah is one of +the cities of refuge, yet will the Lord exercise the right of the avenger +therein. He will seize the angel by his hair, and Elijah will slaughter him, +letting the blood spatter the garments of God.[275] All this Jacob had in mind +when he said to Esau, "Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over before his servant, +until I come unto my lord unto Seir." Jacob himself never went to Seir. What he +meant was the Messianic time when Israel shall go to Seir, and take possession +thereof.[276] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob tarried in Succoth a whole year, and he opened a house of learning +there.[277] Then he journeyed on to Shechem, while Esau betook himself to Seir, +saying to himself, "How long shall I be a burden to my brother?" for it was +during Jacob's sojourn at Succoth that Esau received daily presents from +Jacob.[278] +</p> + +<p> +And Jacob, after abiding these many years in a strange land, came to Shechem in +peace, unimpaired in mind and body. He had forgotten none of the knowledge he +had acquired before; the gifts he gave to Esau did not encroach upon his +wealth; the injury inflicted by the angel that wrestled with him had been +healed, and likewise his children were sound and healthy.[279] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob entered Shechem on a Friday, late in the afternoon, and his first concern +was to lay out the boundaries of the city, that the laws of the Sabbath might +not be transgressed. As soon as he was settled in the place, he sent presents +to the notables. A man must be grateful to a city from which he derives +benefits. No less did the common people enjoy his bounty. For them he opened a +market where he sold all wares at low prices.[280] +</p> + +<p> +Also he lost no time in buying a parcel of ground, for it is the duty of every +man of substance who comes to the Holy Land from outside to make himself the +possessor of land there.[281] He gave a hundred lambs for his estate, a hundred +yearling sheep, and a hundred pieces of money, and received in return a bill of +sale, to which he attached his signature, using the letters Yod-He for it. And +then he erected an altar to God upon his land, and he said, "Thou art the Lord +of all celestial things, and I am the lord of all earthly things." But God +said, "Not even the overseer of the synagogue arrogates privileges in the +synagogue, and thou assumest lordship with a high hand? Forsooth, on the morrow +thy daughter will go abroad, and she shall be humbled."[282] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap104"></a>THE OUTRAGE AT SHECHEM</h3> + +<p> +While Jacob and his sons were sitting in the house of learning, occupied with +the study of the Torah,[283] Dinah went abroad to see the dancing and singing +women, whom Shechem had hired to dance and play in the streets in order to +entice her forth.[284] Had she remained at home, nothing would have happened to +her. But she was a woman, and all women like to show themselves in the +street.[285] When Shechem caught sight of her, he seized her by main force, +young though she was,[286] and violated her in beastly fashion.[287] +</p> + +<p> +This misfortune befell Jacob as a punishment for his excessive self-confidence. +In his negotiations with Laban, he had used the expression, "My righteousness +shall answer for me hereafter." Besides, on his return to Palestine, when he +was preparing to meet his brother, he concealed his daughter Dinah in a chest, +lest Esau desire to have her for wife, and he be obliged to give her to him. +God spoke to him, saying: "Herein hast thou acted unkindly toward thy brother, +and therefore Dinah will have to marry Job, one that is neither circumcised nor +a proselyte. Thou didst refuse to give her to one that is circumcised, and one +that is uncircumcised will take her. Thou didst refuse to give her to Esau in +lawful wedlock, and now she will fall a victim to the ravisher's illicit +passion."[288] +</p> + +<p> +When Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter, he sent twelve servants +to fetch Dinah from Shechem's house, but Shechem went out to them with his men, +and drove them from his house, and he would not suffer them to come unto Dinah, +and he kissed and embraced her before their eyes. Jacob then sent two maidens +of his servants' daughters to remain with Dinah in the house of Shechem. +Shechem bade three of his friends go to his father Hamor, the son of Haddakum, +the son of Pered, and say, "Get me this damsel to wife." Hamor tried at first +to persuade his son not to take a Hebrew woman to wife, but when Shechem +persisted in his request, he did according to the word of his son, and went +forth to communicate with Jacob concerning the matter. In the meanwhile the +sons of Jacob returned from the field, and, kindled with wrath, they spoke unto +their father, saying, "Surely death is due to this man and his household, +because the Lord God of the whole earth commanded Noah and his children that +man shall never rob nor commit adultery. Now, behold, Shechem has ravaged and +committed fornication with our sister, and not one of all the people of the +city spake a word to him." And whilst they were speaking, Hamor came to speak +to Jacob the words of his son concerning Dinah, and after he ceased to speak, +Shechem himself came to Jacob and repeated the request made by his father. +Simon and Levi answered Hamor and Shechem deceitfully, saying: "All you have +spoken unto us we will do. And, behold, our sister is in your house, but keep +away from her until we send to our father Isaac concerning this matter, for we +can do nothing without his counsel. He knows the ways of our father Abraham, +and whatever he saith unto us we will tell you, we will conceal nothing from +you." +</p> + +<p> +Shechem and his father went home thereafter, satisfied with the result +achieved, and when they had gone, the sons of Jacob asked him to seek counsel +and pretext in order to kill all the inhabitants of the city, who had deserved +this punishment on account of their wickedness. Then Simon said to them: "I +have good counsel to give you. Bid them be circumcised. If they consent not, we +shall take our daughter from them, and go away. And if they consent to do this, +then, when they are in pain, we shall attack them and slay them." The next +morning Shechem and his father came again to Jacob, to speak concerning Dinah, +and the sons of Jacob spoke deceitfully to them, saying: "We told our father +Isaac all your words, and your words pleased him, but he said, that thus did +Abraham his father command him from God, that any man that is not of his +descendants, who desireth to take one of his daughters to wife, shall cause +every male belonging to him to be circumcised." +</p> + +<p> +Shechem and his father hastened to do the wishes of the sons of Jacob, and they +persuaded also the men of the city to do likewise, for they were greatly +esteemed by them, being the princes of the land. +</p> + +<p> +On the next day, Shechem and his father rose up early in the morning, and they +assembled all the men of the city, and they called for the sons of Jacob, and +they circumcised Shechem, his father, his five brothers, and all the males in +the city, six hundred and forty-five men and two hundred and seventy-six lads. +Haddakum, the grandfather of Shechem, and his six brothers would not be +circumcised, and they were greatly incensed against the people of the city for +submitting to the wishes of the sons of Jacob. +</p> + +<p> +In the evening of the second day, Shechem and his father sent to have eight +little children whom their mothers had concealed brought to them to be +circumcised. Haddakum and his six brothers sprang at the messengers, and sought +to slay them, and sought to slay also Shechem, Hamor, and Dinah. They chided +Shechem and his father for doing a thing that their fathers had never done, +which would raise the ire of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan against +them, as well as the ire of all the children of Ham, and that on account of a +Hebrew woman. Haddakum and his brothers finished by saying: "Behold, to-morrow +we will go and assemble our Canaanitish brethren, and we will come and smite +you and all in whom you trust, that there shall not be a remnant left of you or +them." +</p> + +<p> +When Hamor and his son Shechem and all the people of the city heard this, they +were sore afraid, and they repented what they had done, and Shechem and his +father answered Haddakum and his brothers: "Because we saw that the Hebrews +would not accede to our wishes concerning their daughter, we did this thing, +but when we shall have obtained our request from them, we will then do unto +them that which is in your hearts and in ours, as soon as we shall become +strong." +</p> + +<p> +Dinah, who heard their words, hastened and dispatched one of her maidens whom +her father had sent to take care of her in Shechem's house, and informed Jacob +and his sons of the conspiracy plotted against them. When the sons of Jacob +heard this, they were filled with wrath, and Simon and Levi swore, and said, +"As the Lord liveth, by to-morrow there shall not be a remnant left In the +whole city." +</p> + +<p> +They began the extermination by killing eighteen of the twenty young men who +had concealed themselves and were not circumcised, and two of them fled and +escaped to some lime pits that were in the city. Then Simon and Levi slew all +the city, not leaving a male over, and while they were looking for spoils +outside of the city, three hundred women rose against them and threw stones and +dust upon them, but Simon single-handed slew them all, and returned to the +city, where he joined Levi. Then they took away from the people outside of the +city their sheep, their oxen, their cattle, and also the women and the little +children, and they led all these away, and took them to the city to their +father Jacob. The number of women whom they did not slay, but only took +captive, was eighty-five virgins, among them a young damsel of great beauty by +the name of Bunah, whom Simon took to wife. The number of the males which they +took captive and did not slay was forty-seven, and all these men and women were +servants to the sons of Jacob, and to their children after them, until the day +they left Egypt. +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap105"></a>A WAR FRUSTRATED</h3> + +<p> +When Simon and Levi had gone from the city, the two young men who had concealed +themselves in the lime pits, and were not slain amongst the people of the city, +rose up, and they found the city desolate, without a man, only weeping women, +and they cried out, saying, "Behold, this is the evil which the sons of Jacob +did who destroyed one of the Canaanite cities, and were not afraid of all the +land of Canaan." +</p> + +<p> +They left the city and went to Tappuah, and told the inhabitants all that the +sons of Jacob had done to the city of Shechem. Jashub, the king of Tappuah, +sent to Shechem to see whether these young men told the truth, for he did not +believe them, saying, "How could two men destroy a large city like Shechem?" +The messengers of Jashub returned, and they reported, "The city is destroyed, +not a man is left there, only weeping women, neither are there flocks and +cattle there, for all that was in the city was taken away by the sons of +Jacob." +</p> + +<p> +Jashub wondered thereat, for the like had not been heard from the days of +Nimrod, and not even from the remotest times, that two men should be able to +destroy so large a city, and he decided to go to war against the Hebrews, and +avenge the cause of the people of Shechem. His counsellors said to him: "If two +of them laid waste a whole city, surely if thou goest against them, they all +will rise up against us, and destroy us. Therefore, send to the kings round +about, that we all together fight against the sons of Jacob, and prevail +against them." +</p> + +<p> +The seven kings of the Amorites, when they heard the evil that the sons of +Jacob had done to the city of Shechem, assembled together, with all their +armies, ten thousand men, with drawn swords, and they came to fight against the +sons of Jacob. And Jacob was greatly afraid, and he said to Simon and Levi, +"Why have you brought such evil upon me? I was at rest, and you provoked the +inhabitants of the land against me by your acts." +</p> + +<p> +Then Judah spoke to his father: "Was it for naught that Simon and Levi killed +the inhabitants of Shechem? Verily, it was because Shechem dishonored our +sister, and transgressed the command of our God to Noah and his children, and +not one of the inhabitants of the city interfered in the matter. Now, why art +thou afraid, and why art thou displeased at my brethren? Surely, our God, who +delivered the city of Shechem and its people into their hand, He will also +deliver into our hands all the Canaanitish kings who are coming against us. Now +cast away thy fears, and pray to God to assist us and deliver us." +</p> + +<p> +Judah then addressed his brethren, saying: "The Lord our God is with us! Fear +naught, then! Stand ye forth, each man girt with his weapons of war, his bow +and his sword, and we will go and fight against the uncircumcised. The Lord is +our God, He will save us." +</p> + +<p> +Jacob, his eleven sons, and one hundred servants belonging to Isaac, who had +come to their assistance, marched forward to meet the Amorites, a people +exceedingly numerous, like unto the sand upon the sea-shore. The sons of Jacob +sent unto their grandfather Isaac, at Hebron, requesting him to pray unto the +Lord to protect them from the hand of the Canaanites, and he prayed as follows: +"O Lord God, Thou didst promise my father, saying, I will multiply thy seed as +the stars of heaven, and also me Thou didst promise that Thou wouldst establish +Thy word to my father. Now, O Lord, God of the whole world, pervert, I pray +Thee, the counsel of these kings, that they may not fight against my sons, and +impress the hearts of their kings and their people with the terror of my sons, +and bring down their pride that they turn away from my sons. Deliver my sons +and their servants from them with Thy strong hand and outstretched arm, for +power and might are in Thy hands to do all this." +</p> + +<p> +Jacob also prayed unto God, and said: "O Lord God, powerful and exalted God, +who hast reigned from days of old, from then until now and forever! Thou art He +who stirreth up wars and causeth them to cease. In Thy hand are power and might +to exalt and to bring low. O may my prayer be acceptable unto Thee, that Thou +mayest turn to me with Thy mercies, to impress the hearts of these kings and +their people with the terror of my sons, and terrify them and their camps, and +with Thy great kindness deliver all those that trust in Thee, for Thou art He +who subdues the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet." +</p> + +<p> +God heard the prayers of Isaac and Jacob, and He filled the hearts of all the +advisers of the Canaanite kings with great fear and terror, and when the kings, +who were undecided whether to undertake a campaign against the sons of Jacob, +consulted them, they said: "Are you silly, or is there no understanding in you, +that you propose to fight with the Hebrews? Why do you take delight in your own +destruction this day? Behold, two of them came to the city of Shechem without +fear or terror, and they put all the inhabitants of the city to the sword, no +man stood up against them, and how will you be able to fight with them all?" +</p> + +<p> +The royal counsellors then proceeded to enumerate all the mighty things God had +done for Abraham, Jacob, and the sons of Jacob, such as had not been done from +days of old and by any of the gods of the nations. When the kings heard all the +words of their advisers, they were afraid of the sons of Jacob, and they would +not fight against them. They turned back with their armies on that day, each to +his own city. But the sons of Jacob kept their station that day till evening, +and seeing that the kings did not advance to do battle with them in order to +avenge the inhabitants of Shechem whom they had killed, they returned +home.[289] +</p> + +<p> +The wrath of the Lord descended upon the inhabitants of Shechem to the +uttermost on account of their wickedness. For they had sought to do unto Sarah +and Rebekah as they did unto Dinah, but the Lord had prevented them. Also they +had persecuted Abraham when he was a stranger, and they had vexed his flocks +when they were big with young, and Eblaen, one born in his house, they had +handled most shamefully. And thus they did to all strangers, taking away their +wives by force.[290] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap106"></a>THE WAR WITH THE NINEVITES</h3> + +<p> +The destruction of Shechem by Simon and Levi terrified the heathen all around. +If two sons of Jacob had succeeded in ruining a great city like Shechem, they +argued, what would Jacob and all his sons accomplish acting together? Jacob +meanwhile left Shechem, hindered by none, and with all his possessions he set +out, to betake himself to his father Isaac. But after an eight days' march he +encountered a powerful army, which had been dispatched from Nineveh to levy +tribute upon the whole world and subjugate it. On coming in the vicinity of +Shechem, this army heard to what the city had been exposed at the hands of the +sons of Jacob, and fury seized the men, and they resolved to make war upon +Jacob. +</p> + +<p> +But Jacob said to his sons: "Fear not, God will be your helper, and He will +fight for you against your enemies. Only you must put away from you the strange +gods in your possession, and you must purify yourselves, and wash your garments +clean." +</p> + +<p> +Girt with his sword, Jacob advanced against the enemy, and in the first +onslaught he slew twelve thousand of the weak in the army. Then Judah spake to +him, and said, "Father, thou art tired and exhausted, let me fight the enemy +alone." And Jacob replied, saying, "Judah, my son, I know thy strength and thy +bravery, that they are exceeding great, so that none in the world is like unto +thee therein." His countenance like a lion's and inflamed with wrath, Judah +attacked the army, and slew twelve myriads of tried and famous warriors. The +battle raged hot in front and in the rear, and Levi his brother hastened to his +aid, and together they won a victory over the Ninevites. Judah alone slew five +thousand more soldiers, and Levi dealt blows right and left with such vigor +that the men of the enemy's army fell like grain under the scythe of the +reaper. +</p> + +<p> +Alarmed about their fate, the people of Nineveh said: "How long shall we fight +with these devils? Let us return to our land, lest they exterminate us root and +branch, without leaving a remnant." But their king desired to restrain them, +and he said: "O ye heroes, ye men of might and valor, have you lost your senses +that you ask to return to your land? Is this your bravery? After you have +subdued many kingdoms and countries, ye are not able to hold out against twelve +men? If the nations and the kings whom we have made tributary to ourselves hear +of this, they will rise up against us as a man, and make a laughing-stock of +us, and do with us according to their desire. Take courage, ye men of the great +city of Nineveh, that your honor and your name be exalted, and you become not a +mockery in the mouth of your enemies." +</p> + +<p> +These words of their king inspired the warriors to continue the campaign. They +sent messengers to all the lands to ask for help, and, reinforced by their +allies, the Ninevites assaulted Jacob a second time. He spoke to his sons, +saying, "Take courage and be men, fight against your enemies." His twelve sons +then took up their stand in twelve different places, leaving considerable +intervals between one and another, and Jacob, a sword in his right hand and a +bow in his left, advanced to the combat. It was a desperate encounter for him. +He had to ward off the enemy to the right and the left. Nevertheless he +inflicted a severe blow, and when a band of two thousand men beset him, he +leapt up in the air and over them and vanished from their sight. Twenty-two +myriads he slew on this day, and when evening came he planned to flee under +cover of darkness. But suddenly ninety thousand men appeared, and he was +compelled to continue the fight. He rushed at them with his sword, but it +broke, and he had to defend himself by grinding huge rocks into lime powder, +and this he threw at the enemy and blinded them so that they could see nothing. +Luckily, darkness was about to fall, and he could permit himself to take rest +for the night. +</p> + +<p> +In the morning, Judah said to Jacob, "Father, thou didst fight the whole of +yesterday, and thou art weary and exhausted. Let me fight this day." When the +warriors caught sight of Judah's lion face and his lion teeth, and heard his +lion voice, they were greatly afraid. Judah hopped and jumped over the army +like a flea, from one warrior to the next, raining blows down upon them +incessantly, and by evening he had slain eighty thousand and ninety-six men, +armed with swords and bows. But fatigue overcame him, and Zebulon took up his +station at his brother's left hand, and mowed down eighty thousand of the +enemy. Meantime Judah regained some of his strength, and, rising up in wrath +and fury, and gnashing his teeth with a noise like unto thunder claps in +midsummer, he put the army to flight. It ran a distance of eighteen miles, and +Judah could enjoy a respite that night. +</p> + +<p> +But the army reappeared on the morrow, ready for battle again, to take revenge +on Jacob and his children. They blew their trumpets, whereupon Jacob spake to +his sons, "Go forth and fight with your enemies." Issachar and Gad said that +this day they would take the combat upon themselves, and their father bade them +do it while their brothers kept guard and held themselves in readiness to aid +and relieve the two combatants when they showed signs of weariness and +exhaustion. +</p> + +<p> +The leaders of the day slew forty-eight thousand warriors, and put to flight +twelve myriads more, who concealed themselves in a cave. Issachar and Gad +fetched trees from the woods, piled the trunks up in front of the opening of +the cave, and set fire to them. When the fire blazed with a fierce flame, the +warriors spoke, saying: "Why should we stay in this cave and perish with the +smoke and the heat? Rather will we go forth and fight with our enemies, then we +may have a chance of saving ourselves." They left the cave, going through +openings at the side, and they attacked Issachar and Gad in front and behind. +Dan and Naphtali saw the plight of their brothers and ran to their assistance. +They laid about with their swords, hewing a way for themselves to Issachar and +Gad, and, united with them, they, too, opposed the foe. +</p> + +<p> +It was the third day of the conflict, and the Ninevites were reinforced by an +army as numerous as the sand on the sea-shore. All the sons of Jacob united to +oppose it, and they routed the host. But when they pursued after the enemy, the +fugitives faced about and resumed the battle, saying: "Why should we run away? +Let us rather fight them, perhaps we may be victorious, now they are weary." A +stubborn combat ensued, and when Jacob saw the vehement attack upon his +children, he himself sprang into the thick of the battle and dealt blows right +and left. Nevertheless the heathen were victorious, and succeeded in separating +Judah from his brethren. As soon as Jacob was aware of the peril of his son, he +whistled, and Judah responded, and his brethren hastened to his aid. Judah was +fatigued and parched with thirst, and there was no water for him to drink, but +he dug his finger into the ground with such force that water gushed out in the +sight of the whole army. Then said one warrior to another, "I will flee before +these devils, for God fights on their side," and he and all the army fled +precipitately, pursued by the sons of Jacob. Soldiers without number they slew, +and then they went back to their tents. On their return they noticed that +Joseph was missing, and they feared he had been killed or taken captive. +Naphtali ran after the retreating enemy, to make search for Joseph, and he +found him still fighting against the Ninevite army. He joined Joseph, and +killed countless soldiers, and of the fugitives many drowned, and the men that +were besetting Joseph ran off and left him in safety. +</p> + +<p> +At the end of the war Jacob continued his journey, unhindered, to his father +Isaac.[291] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap107"></a>THE WAR WITH THE AMORITES</h3> + +<p> +At first the people that lived round about Shechem made no attempt to molest +Jacob, who had returned thither after a while, together with his household, to +take up his abode there and establish himself. But at the end of seven years +the heathen began to harass him. The kings of the Amorites assembled together +against the sons of Jacob to slay them in the Valley of Shechem. "Is it not +enough," they said, "that they have slain all the men of Shechem? Should they +be permitted now to take possession of their land, too?" and they advanced to +render battle. +</p> + +<p> +Judah leapt into the midst of the ranks of the foot soldiers of the allied +kings, and slew first of all Jashub, the king of Tappuah, who was clad in iron +and brass from top to toe. The king was mounted, and from his horse he cast his +spears downward with both hands, in front of him and in back, without ever +missing his aim, for he was a mighty warrior, and he could throw javelins with +one hand or the other. Nevertheless Judah feared neither him nor his prowess. +He ran toward him, snatching a stone of sixty sela'im from the ground and +hurling it at him. Jashub was at a distance of one hundred and seventy-seven +ells and one-third of an ell, and, protected with iron armor and throwing +spears, he moved forward upon Judah. But Judah struck him on his shield with +the stone, and unhorsed him. When the king attempted to rise, Judah hastened to +his side to slay him before he could get on his feet. But Jashub was nimble, he +stood ready to attack Judah, shield to shield, and he drew his sword to cut off +Judah's head. Quickly Judah raised his shield to catch the blow upon it, but it +broke in pieces. What did Judah now? He wrested the shield of his opponent away +from him, and swung his sword against Jashub's feet, cutting them off above the +ankles. The king fell prostrate, his sword slipped from his grasp, and Judah +hastened to him and severed his head from his body. +</p> + +<p> +While Judah was removing the armor of his slain adversary, nine of Jashub's +followers appeared. Judah slung a stone against the head of the first of them +that approached him, with such force that he dropped his shield, which Judah +snatched from the ground and used to defend himself against his eight +assailants. His brother Levi came and stood next to him, and shot off an arrow +that killed Elon, king of Gaash, and then Judah killed the eight men. And his +father Jacob came and killed Zerori king of Shiloh. None of the heathen could +prevail against these sons of Jacob, they had not the courage to stand up +before them, but took to flight, and the sons of Jacob pursued after them, and +each slew a thousand men of the Amorites on that day, before the going down of +the sun. And the other sons of Jacob set forth from the Hill of Shechem, where +they had taken up their stand, and they also pursued after them as far as +Hazor. Before this city they had another severe encounter with the enemy, more +severe than that in the Valley of Shechem. Jacob let his arrows fly, and slew +Pirathon king of Hazor, and then Pasusi king of Sartan, Laban king of Aram, and +Shebir king of Mahanaim. +</p> + +<p> +Judah was the first to mount the walls of Hazor. As he approached the top, four +warriors attacked him, but he slew them without stopping in his ascent, and +before his brother Naphtali could bring him succor. Naphtali followed him, and +the two stood upon the wall, Judah to the right and Naphtali to the left, and +thence they dealt out death to the warriors. The other sons of Jacob followed +their two brothers in turn, and made an end of exterminating the heathen host +on that day. They subjugated Hazor, slew the warriors thereof, let no man +escape with his life, and despoiled the city of all therein. +</p> + +<p> +On the day following they went to Sartan, and again a bloody battle took place. +Sartan was situated upon high land, and the hill before the city was likewise +very high, so that none could come near unto it, and also none could come near +unto the citadel, because the wall thereof was high. Nevertheless they made +themselves masters of the city. They scaled the walls of the citadel, Judah on +the east side being the first to ascend, then Gad on the west side, Simon and +Levi on the north, and Reuben and Dan on the south, and Naphtali and Issachar +set fire to the hinges upon which the gates of the city were hung. +</p> + +<p> +In the same way the sons of Jacob subdued five other cities, Tappuah, Arbel, +Shiloh, Mahanaim, and Gaash, making an end of all of them in five days. On the +sixth day all the Amorites assembled, and they came to Jacob and his sons +unarmed, bowed down before them, and sued for peace. And the sons of Jacob made +peace with the heathen, who ceded Timna to them, and all the land of Harariah. +In that day also Jacob concluded peace with them, and they made restitution to +the sons of Jacob for all the cattle they had taken, two head for one, and they +restored all the spoil they had carried off. And Jacob turned to go to Timna, +and Judah went to Arbel, and thenceforth the Amorites troubled them no +more.[292] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap108"></a>ISAAC BLESSES LEVI AND JUDAH</h3> + +<p> +If a man voweth a vow, and he does not fulfil it in good time, he will stumble +through three grave sins, idolatry, unchastity, and bloodshed. Jacob had been +guilty of not accomplishing promptly the vow he had taken upon himself at +Beth-el, and therefore punishment overtook him—his daughter was dishonored, his +sons slew men, and they kept the idols found among the spoils of Shechem.[293] +Therefore, when Jacob prostrated himself before God after the bloody outrage at +Shechem, He bade him arise, and go to Beth-el and accomplish the vow he had +vowed there.[294] Before Jacob set out for the holy place to do the bidding of +God, he took the idols which were in the possession of his sons, and the +teraphim which Rachel had stolen from her father, and he shivered them in +pieces, and buried[295] the bits under an oak upon Mount Gerizim,[296] +uprooting the tree with one hand, concealing the remains of the idols in the +hollow left in the earth, and planting the oak again with one hand.[297] +</p> + +<p> +Among the destroyed idols was one in the form of a dove, and this the +Samaritans dug up later and worshipped. +</p> + +<p> +On reaching Beth-el he erected an altar to the Lord, and on a pillar he set up +the stone whereon he had rested his head during the night which he had passed +there on his journey to Haran.[298] Then he bade his parents come to Beth-el +and take part in his sacrifice. But Isaac sent him a message, saying, "O my son +Jacob, that I might see thee before I die," whereupon Jacob hastened to his +parents, taking Levi and Judah with him. When his grandchildren stepped before +Isaac, the darkness that shrouded his eyes dropped away, and he said, "My son, +are these thy children, for they resemble thee?" And the spirit of prophecy +entered his mouth, and he grasped Levi with his right hand and Judah with his +left in order to bless them, and he spoke these words to Levi: "May the Lord +bring thee and thy seed nigh unto Him before all flesh, that ye serve in His +sanctuary like the Angel of the Face and the Holy Angels. Princes, judges, and +rulers shall they be unto all the seed of the children of Jacob. The word of +God they will proclaim in righteousness, and all His judgments they will +execute in justice, and they will make manifest His ways unto the children of +Jacob, and unto Israel His paths." And unto Judah he spake, saying: "Be ye +princes, thou and one of thy sons, over the sons of Jacob. In thee shall be the +help of Jacob, and the salvation of Israel shall be found in thee. And when +thou sittest upon the throne of the glory of thy justice, perfect peace shall +reign over all the seed of the children of my beloved Abraham." +</p> + +<p> +On the morrow, Isaac told his son that he would not accompany him to Beth-el on +account of his great age, but he bade him not delay longer to fulfil his vow, +and gave him permission to take his mother Rebekah with him to the holy place. +And Rebekah and her nurse Deborah went to Beth-el with Jacob.[299] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap109"></a>JOY AND SORROW IN THE HOUSE OF JACOB</h3> + +<p> +Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, and some of the servants of Isaac had been sent +to Jacob by his mother, while he still abode with Laban, to summon him home at +the end of his fourteen years' term of service. As Jacob did not at once obey +his mother's behest, the two servants of Isaac returned to their master, but +Deborah remained with Jacob then and always. Therefore, when Deborah died in +Beth-el, Jacob mourned for her, and he buried her below Beth-el under the +palm-tree,[300] the same under which the prophetess Deborah sat later, when the +children of Israel came to her for judgment.[301] +</p> + +<p> +But a short time elapsed after the death of the nurse Deborah, and Rebekah +died, too. Her passing away was not made the occasion for public mourning. The +reason was that, as Abraham was dead, Isaac blind, and Jacob away from home, +there remained Esau as the only mourner to appear in public and represent her +family, and beholding that villain, it was feared, might tempt a looker-on to +cry out, "Accursed be the breasts that gave thee suck." To avoid this, the +burial of Rebekah took place at night. +</p> + +<p> +God appeared unto Jacob to comfort him in his grief,[302] and with Him appeared +the heavenly family. It was a sign of grace, for all the while the sons of +Jacob had been carrying idols with them the Lord had not revealed Himself to +Jacob.[303] At this time God announced to Jacob the birth of Benjamin soon to +occur, and the birth of Manasseh and Ephraim, who also were to be founders of +tribes, and furthermore He told him that these three would count kings among +their descendants, Saul and Ish-bosheth, of the seed of Benjamin, Jeroboam the +Ephraimite, and Jehu of the tribe of Manasseh. In this vision, God confirmed +the change of his name from Jacob to Israel, promised him by the angel with +whom he had wrestled on entering the Holy Land, and finally God revealed to him +that he would be the last of the three with whose names the Name of God would +appear united, for God is called only the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and +the God of Jacob, and never the God of any one else.[304] +</p> + +<p> +In token of this revelation from God, Jacob set up a pillar of stone, and he +poured out a drink offering thereon, as in a later day the priests were to +offer libations in the Temple on the Feast of Tabernacles,[305] and the +libation brought by Jacob at Beth-el was as much as all the waters in the Sea +of Tiberias.[306] +</p> + +<p> +At the time when Deborah and Rebekah died, occurred also the death of Rachel, +at the age of thirty-six,[307] but not before her prayer was heard, that she +bear Jacob a second son, for she died in giving birth to Benjamin. Twelve years +she had borne no child, then she fasted twelve days, and her petition was +granted her. She brought forth the youngest son of Jacob, whom he called +Benjamin, the son of days, because he was born in his father's old age,[308] +and with him a twin sister was born.[309] +</p> + +<p> +Rachel was buried in the way to Ephrath, because Jacob, gifted with prophetic +spirit, foresaw that the exiles would pass this place on their march to +Babylon, and as they passed, Rachel would entreat God's mercy for the poor +outcasts.[310] +</p> + +<p> +Jacob journeyed on to Jerusalem.[311] +</p> + +<p> +During Rachel's lifetime, her couch had always stood in the tent of Jacob. +After her death, he ordered the couch of her handmaid Bilhah to be carried +thither. Reuben was sorely vexed thereat, and he said, "Not enough that Rachel +alive curtailed the rights of my mother, she must needs give her annoyance also +after death!" He went and took the couch of his mother Leah and placed it in +Jacob's tent instead of Bilhah's couch.[312] Reuben's brothers learned of his +disrespectful act from Asher. He had found it out in one way or another, and +had told it to his brethren, who ruptured their relations with him, for they +would have nothing to do with an informer, and they did not become reconciled +with Asher until Reuben himself confessed his transgression.[313] For it was +not long before Reuben recognized that he had acted reprehensibly toward his +father, and he fasted and put on sackcloth, and repented of his misdeed. He was +the first among men to do penance, and therefore God said to him: "Since the +beginning of the world it hath not happened that a man hath sinned and then +repented thereof. Thou art the first to do penance, and as thou livest, a +prophet of thy seed, Hosea, shall be the first to proclaim, 'O Israel, return.' +"[314] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap110"></a>ESAU'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST JACOB</h3> + +<p> +When Isaac felt his end approaching, he called his two sons to him, and charged +them with his last wish and will, and gave them his blessing. He said: "I +adjure you by the exalted Name, the praised, honored, glorious, immutable, and +mighty One, who hath made heaven and earth and all things together, that ye +fear Him, and serve Him, and each shall love his brother in mercy and justice, +and none wish evil unto the other, now and henceforth unto all eternity, all +the days of your life, that ye may enjoy good fortune in all your undertakings, +and that ye perish not." +</p> + +<p> +Furthermore he commanded them to bury him in the Cave of Machpelah, by the side +of his father Abraham, in the grave which he had dug for himself with his own +hands. Then he divided his possessions between his two sons, giving Esau the +larger portion, and Jacob the smaller. But Esau said, "I sold my birthright to +Jacob, and I ceded it to him, and it belongs unto him." Isaac rejoiced greatly +that Esau acknowledged the rights of Jacob of his own accord, and he closed his +eyes in peace.[315] +</p> + +<p> +The funeral of Isaac was not disturbed by any unseemly act, for Esau was sure +of his heritage in accordance with the last wishes expressed by his father. But +when the time came to divide Isaac's possessions between the two brothers, Esau +said to Jacob, "Divide the property of our father into two portions, but I as +the elder claim the right of choosing the portion I desire." What did Jacob do? +He knew well that "the eye of the wicked never beholds treasures enough to +satisfy it," so he divided their common heritage in the following way: all the +material possessions of his father formed one portion, and the other consisted +of Isaac's claim upon the Holy Land, together with the Cave of Machpelah, the +tomb of Abraham and Isaac. Esau chose the money and the other things belonging +to Isaac for his inheritance, and to Jacob were left the Cave and the title to +the Holy Land. An agreement to this effect was drawn up in writing in due form, +and on the strength of the document Jacob insisted upon Esau's leaving +Palestine. Esau acquiesced, and he and his wives and his sons and daughters +journeyed to Mount Seir, where they took up their abode.[316] +</p> + +<p> +Though Esau gave way before Jacob for the nonce, he returned to the land to +make war upon his brother. Leah had just died, and Jacob and the sons borne by +Leah were mourning for her, and the rest of his sons, borne unto him by his +other wives, were trying to comfort them, when Esau came upon them with a +powerful host of four thousand men, well equipped for war, clad in armor of +iron and brass, all furnished with bucklers, bows, and swords. They surrounded +the citadel wherein Jacob and his sons dwelt at that time with their servants +and children and households, for they had all assembled to console Jacob for +the death of Leah, and they sat there unconcerned, none entertained a suspicion +that an assault upon them was meditated by any man. And the great army had +already encircled their castle, and still none within suspected any harm, +neither Jacob and his children nor the two hundred servants. Now when Jacob saw +that Esau presumed to make war upon them, and sought to slay them in the +citadel, and was shooting darts at them, he ascended the wall of the citadel +and spake words of peace and friendship and brotherly love to Esau. He said: +"Is this the consolation which thou hast come to bring me, to comfort me for my +wife, who hath been taken by death? Is this in accordance with the oath thou +didst swear twice unto thy father and thy mother before they died? Thou hast +violated thy oath, and in the hour when thou didst swear unto thy father, thou +wast judged." But Esau made reply: "Neither the children of men nor the beasts +of the field swear an oath to keep it unto all eternity, but on every day they +devise evil against one another, when it is directed against an enemy, or when +they seek to slay an adversary. If the boar will change his skin and make his +bristles as soft as wool, or if he can cause horns to sprout forth on his head +like the horns of a stag or a ram, then shall I observe the tie of brotherhood +with thee." +</p> + +<p> +Then spoke Judah to his father Jacob, saying: "How long wilt thou stand yet +wasting words of peace and friendship upon him? And he attacks us unawares, +like an enemy, with his mail-clad warriors, seeking to slay us." Hearing these +words, Jacob grasped his bow and killed Adoram the Edomite, and a second time +he bent his bow, and the arrow struck Esau upon the right thigh. The wound was +mortal, and his sons lifted Esau up and put him upon his ass, and he came to +Adora, and there he died. +</p> + +<p> +Judah made a sally to the south of the citadel, and with him were Naphtali and +Gad, aided by fifty of Jacob's servants; to the east Levi and Dan went forth +with fifty servants; Reuben, Issachar, and Zebulon with fifty servants, to the +north; and Simon, Benjamin, and Enoch, the last the son of Reuben, with fifty +servants, to the west. Judah was exceedingly brave in battle. Together with +Naphtali and Gad he pressed forward into the ranks of the enemy, and captured +one of their iron towers. On their bucklers they caught the sharp missiles +hurled against them in such numbers that the light of the sun was darkened by +reason of the rocks and darts and stones. Judah was the first to break the +ranks of the enemy, of whom he killed six valiant men, and he was accompanied +on the right by Naphtali and by Gad on the left. They also hewed down two +soldiers each, while their troop of servants killed one man each. Nevertheless +they did not succeed in forcing the army away from the south of the citadel, +not even when all together, Judah and his brethren, made an united attack upon +the enemy, each of them picking out a victim and slaying him. And they were +still unsuccessful in a third combined attack, though this time each killed two +men. +</p> + +<p> +When Judah saw now that the enemy remained in possession of the field, and it +was impossible to dislodge them, he girded himself with strength, and an heroic +spirit animated him. Judah, Naphtali, and Gad united, and together they pierced +the ranks of the enemy, Judah slaying ten of them, and his brothers each eight. +Seeing this, the servants took courage, and they joined their leaders and +fought at their side. Judah laid about him to right and to left, always aided +by Naphtali and Gad, and so they succeeded in forcing the enemy one ris further +to the south, away from the citadel. But the hostile army recovered itself, and +maintained a brave stand against all the sons of Jacob, who were faint from the +hardships of the combat, and could not continue to fight. Thereupon Judah +turned to God in prayer, and God hearkened unto his petition, and He helped +them. He set loose a storm from one of His treasure chambers, and it blew into +the faces of the enemy, and filled their eyes with darkness, and they could not +see how to fight. But Judah and his brothers could see clearly, for the wind +blew upon their backs. Now Judah and his two brothers wrought havoc among them, +they hewed the enemy down as the reaper mows down the stalks of grain and heaps +them up for sheaves. +</p> + +<p> +After they had routed the division of the army assigned to them on the south, +they hastened to the aid of their brothers, who were defending the east, north, +and west of the citadel with three companies. On each side the wind blew into +the faces of the enemy, and so the sons of Jacob succeeded in annihilating +their army. Four hundred were slain in battle, and six hundred fled, among the +latter Esau's four sons, Reuel, Jeush, Lotan, and Korah. The oldest of his +sons, Eliphaz, took no part in the war, because he was a disciple of Jacob, and +therefore would not bear arms against him. +</p> + +<p> +The sons of Jacob pursued after the fleeing remnant of the army as far as +Adora. There the sons of Esau abandoned the body of their father, and continued +their flight to Mount Seir. But the sons of Jacob remained in Adora over night, +and out of respect for their father they buried the remains of his brother +Esau. In the morning they went on in pursuit of the enemy, and besieged them on +Mount Seir. Now the sons of Esau and all the other fugitives came and fell down +before them, bowed down, and entreated them without cease, until they concluded +peace with them. But the sons of Jacob exacted tribute from them.[317] +</p> + +<h3><a name="chap111"></a>THE DESCENDANTS OF ESAU</h3> + +<p> +The worthiest among the sons of Esau was his first-born Eliphaz. He had been +raised under the eyes of his grandfather Isaac, from whom he had learnt the +pious way of life.[318] The Lord had even found him worthy of being endowed +with the spirit of prophecy, for Eliphaz the son of Esau is none other than the +prophet Eliphaz, the friend of Job. It was from the life of the Patriarchs that +he drew the admonitions which he gave unto Job in his disputes with him. +Eliphaz spake: "Thou didst ween thyself the equal of Abraham, and thou didst +marvel, therefore, that God should deal with thee as with the generation of the +confusion of tongues. But Abraham stood the test of ten temptations, and thou +faintest when but one toucheth thee. When any that was not whole came to thee, +thou wouldst console him. To the blind thou wouldst say, If thou didst build +thyself a house, thou wouldst surely put windows in it, and if God hath denied +thee light, it is but that He may be glorified through thee in the day when +'the eyes of the blind shall be opened.' To the deaf thou wouldst say, If thou +didst fashion a water pitcher, thou wouldst surely not forget to make ears for +it, and if God created thee without hearing, it is but that He may be glorified +through thee in the day when 'the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.' In such +wise thou didst endeavor to console the feeble and the maimed. But now it is +come unto thee, and thou art troubled. Thou sayest, I am an upright man, why +doth He chastise me? But who, I pray thee, ever perished, being innocent? Noah +was saved from the flood, Abraham from the fiery furnace, Isaac from the +slaughtering knife, Jacob from angels, Moses from the sword of Pharaoh, and +Israel from the Egyptians that were drowned in the Sea. Thus shall all the +wicked fare." +</p> + +<p> +Job answered Eliphaz, and said, "Look at thy father Esau!" +</p> + +<p> +But Eliphaz returned: "I have nothing to do with him, the son should not bear +the iniquity of the father. Esau will be destroyed, because he executed no good +deeds, and likewise his dukes will perish. But as for me, I am a prophet, and +my message is not unto Esau, but unto thee, to make thee render account of +thyself." But God rebuked Eliphaz, and said: "Thou didst speak harsh words unto +My servant Job. Therefore shall Obadiah, one of thy descendants, utter a +prophecy of denunciation against thy father's house, the Edomites."[319] +</p> + +<p> +The concubine of Eliphaz was Timna, a princess of royal blood, who had asked to +be received into the faith of Abraham and his family, but they all, Abraham, +Isaac, and Jacob, had rejected her, and she said, "Rather will I be a maid +servant unto the dregs of this nation, than mistress of another nation," and so +she was willing to be concubine to Eliphaz. To punish the Patriarchs for the +affront they had offered her, she was made the mother of Amalek, who inflicted +great injury upon Israel.[320] +</p> + +<p> +Another one of Esau's descendants, Anah, had a most unusual experience. Once +when he was pasturing his father's asses in the wilderness, he led them to one +of the deserts on the shores of the Red Sea, opposite the wilderness of the +nations, and while he was feeding the beasts, a very heavy storm came from the +other side of the sea, and the asses could not move. Then about one hundred and +twenty great and terrible animals came out from the wilderness at the other +side of the sea, and they all came to the place where the asses were, and they +placed themselves there. From the middle down, these animals were in the shape +of a man, and from the middle up some had the likeness of bears, some of apes, +and they all had tails behind them like the tail of the dukipat, from between +their shoulders reaching down to the earth. The animals mounted the asses, and +they rode away with them, and unto this day no eye hath seen them. One of them +approached Anah, and smote him with its tail, and then ran off. +</p> + +<p> +When Anah saw all this, he was exceedingly afraid on account of his life, and +he fled to the city, where he related all that had happened to him. Many +sallied forth to seek the asses, but none could find them. Anah and his +brothers went no more to the same place from that day forth, for they were +greatly afraid on account of their lives.[321] +</p> + +<p> +This Anah was the offspring of an incestuous marriage; his mother was at the +same time the mother of his father Zibeon. And as he was born of an unnatural +union, so he tried to bring about unnatural unions among animals. He was the +first to mix the breed of the horse and the ass and produce the mule. As a +punishment, God crossed the snake and the lizard, and they brought forth the +habarbar, whose bite is certain death, like the bite of the white +she-mule.[322] +</p> + +<p> +The descendants of Esau had eight kings before there reigned any king over the +descendants of Jacob. But a time came when the Jews had eight kings during +whose reign the Edomites had none and were subject to the Jewish kings. This +was the time that intervened between Saul, the first Israelitish king, who +ruled over Edom, and Jehoshaphat, for Edom did not make itself independent of +Jewish rule until the time of Joram, the son of Jehoshaphat. There was a +difference between the kings of Esau's seed and the kings of Jacob's seed. The +Jewish people always produced their kings from their own midst, while the +Edomites had to go to alien peoples to secure theirs.[323] The first Edomite +king was the Aramean Balaam,[324] called Bela in his capacity as ruler of Edom. +His successor Job, called Jobab also, came from Bozrah, and for furnishing Edom +with a king this city will be chastised in time to come. When God sits in +judgment on Edom, Bozrah will be the first to suffer punishment.[325] +</p> + +<p> +The rule of Edom was of short duration, while the rule of Israel will be unto +all times, for the standard of the Messiah shall wave forever and ever.[326] +</p> + +</div><!--end chapter--> + +<div style='display:block; margin-top:4em'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS, VOLUME I ***</div> +<div style='text-align:left'> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Updated editions will replace the previous one—the old editions will +be renamed. +</div> + +<div style='display:block; margin:1em 0'> +Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright +law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, +so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United +States without permission and without paying copyright +royalties. 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If you have a copy of this book and would +like to add the footnotes, please contact Project Gutenberg. + +THE LEGENDS OF THE JEWS + +BY LOUIS GINZBERG + + +TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN MANUSCRIPT BY + +HENRIETTA SZOLD + + +VOLUME I + + +BIBLE TIMES AND CHARACTERS + +FROM THE CREATION TO JACOB + + + + +TO MY BROTHER ASHER + + +PREFACE + + Was sich nie und nirgends hat + begeben, das allein veraltet nie. + + +The term Rabbinic was applied to the Jewish Literature of +post-Biblical times by those who conceived the Judaism of the +later epoch to be something different from the Judaism of the +Bible, something actually opposed to it. Such observers held that +the Jewish nation ceased to exist with the moment when its +political independence was destroyed. For them the Judaism of the +later epoch has been a Judaism of the Synagogue, the spokesmen of +which have been the scholars, the Rabbis. And what this phase of +Judaism brought forth has been considered by them to be the +product of the schools rather than the product of practical, +pulsating life. Poetic phantasmagoria, frequently the vaporings +of morbid visionaries, is the material out of which these +scholars construct the theologic system of the Rabbis, and fairy +tales, the spontaneous creations of the people, which take the +form of sacred legend in Jewish literature, are denominated the +Scriptural exegesis of the Rabbis, and condemned incontinently as +nugae rabbinorum. + +As the name of a man clings to him, so men cling to names. For +the primitive savage the name is part of the essence of a person +or thing, and even in the more advanced stages of culture, +judgments are not always formed in agreement with facts as they +are, but rather according to the names by which they are called. +The current estimate of Rabbinic Literature is a case in point. +With the label Rabbinic later ages inherited from former ages a +certain distorted view of the literature so designated. To this +day, and even among scholars that approach its investigation with +unprejudiced minds, the opinion prevails that it is purely a +learned product. And yet the truth is that the most prominent +feature of Rabbinic Literature is its popular character. + +The school and the home are not mutually opposed to each other in +the conception of the Jews. They study in their homes, and they +live in their schools. Likewise there is no distinct class of +scholars among them, a class that withdraws itself from +participation in the affairs of practical life. Even in the +domain of the Halakah, the Rabbis were not so much occupied with +theoretic principles of law as with the concrete phenomena of +daily existence. These they sought to grasp and shape. And what +is true of the Halakah is true with greater emphasis of the +Haggadah, which is popular in the double sense of appealing to +the people and being produced in the main by the people. To speak +of the Haggadah of the Tannaim and Amoraim is as far from fact as +to speak of the legends of Shakespeare and Scott. The ancient +authors and their modern brethren of the guild alike elaborate +legendary material which they found at hand. + +It has been held by some that the Haggadah contains no popular +legends, that it is wholly a factitious, academic product. A +cursory glance at the pseudepigraphic literature of the Jews, +which is older than the Haggadah literature by several centuries, +shows how untenable this view is. That the one literature should +have drawn from the other is precluded by historical facts. At a +very early time the Synagogue disavowed the pseudepigraphic +literature, which was the favorite reading matter of the +sectaries and the Christians. Nevertheless the inner relation +between them is of the closest kind. The only essential +difference is that the Midrashic form prevails in the Haggadah, +and the parenetic or apocalyptic form in the pseudepigrapha. The +common element must therefore depart from the Midrash on the one +hand and from parenesis on the other. + +Folklore, fairy tales, legends, and all forms of story telling +akin to these are comprehended, in the terminology of the +post-Biblical literature of the Jews, under the inclusive +description Haggadah, a name that can be explained by a +circumlocution, but cannot be translated. Whatever it is applied +to is thereby characterized first as being derived from the Holy +Scriptures, and then as being of the nature of a story. And, in +point of fact, this dualism sums up the distinguishing features +of Jewish Legend. More than eighteen centuries ago the Jewish +historian Josephus observed that "though we be deprived of our +wealth, of our cities, or of the other advantages we have, our +law continues immortal." The word he meant to use was not law, +but Torah, only he could not find an equivalent for it in Greek. +A singer of the Synagogue a thousand years after Josephus, who +expressed his sentiments in Hebrew, uttered the same thought: +"The Holy City and all her daughter cities are violated, they lie +in ruins, despoiled of their ornaments, their splendor darkened +from sight. Naught is left to us save one eternal treasure +alone--the Holy Torah." The sadder the life of the Jewish people, +the more it felt the need of taking refuge in its past. The +Scripture, or, to use the Jewish term, the Torah, was the only +remnant of its former national independence, and the Torah was +the magic means of making a sordid actuality recede before a +glorious memory. To the Scripture was assigned the task of +supplying nourishment to the mind as well as the soul, to the +intellect as well as the imagination, and the result is the +Halakah and the Haggadah. + +The fancy of the people did not die out in the post-Biblical +time, but the bent of its activity was determined by the past. + +Men craved entertainment in later times as well as in the +earlier, only instead of resorting for its subject-matter to what +happened under their eyes, they drew from the fountain-head of +the past. The events in the ancient history of Israel, which was +not only studied, but lived over again daily, stimulated the +desire to criticize it. The religious reflections upon nature +laid down in the myths of the people, the fairy tales, which have +the sole object of pleasing, and the legends, which are the +people's verdict upon history--all these were welded into one +product. The fancy of the Jewish people was engaged by the past +reflected in the Bible, and all its creations wear a Biblical hue +for this reason. This explains the peculiar form of the Haggadah. + +But what is spontaneously brought forth by the people is often +preserved only in the form impressed upon it by the feeling and +the thought of the poet, or by the speculations of the learned. +Also Jewish legends have rarely been transmitted in their +original shape. They have been perpetuated in the form of +Midrash, that is, Scriptural exegesis. The teachers of the +Haggadah, called Rabbanan d'Aggadta in the Talmud, were no +folklorists, from whom a faithful reproduction of legendary +material may be expected. Primarily they were homilists, who used +legends for didactic purposes, and their main object was to +establish a close connection between the Scripture and the +creations of the popular fancy, to give the latter a firm basis +and secure a long term of life for them. + +One of the most important tasks of the modern investigation of +the Haggadah is to make a clean separation between the original +elements and the later learned additions. Hardly a beginning has +been made in this direction. But as long as the task of +distinguishing them has not been accomplished, it is impossible +to write out the Biblical legends of the Jews without including +the supplemental work of scholars in the products of the popular +fancy. + +In the present work, "The Legends of the Jews," I have made the +first attempt to gather from the original sources all Jewish +legends, in so far as they refer to Biblical personages and +events, and reproduce them with the greatest attainable +completeness and accuracy. I use the expression Jewish, rather +than Rabbinic, because the sources from which I have levied +contributions are not limited to the Rabbinic literature. As I +expect to take occasion elsewhere to enter into a description of +the sources in detail, the following data must suffice for the +present. + +The works of the Talmudic Midrashic literature are of the first +importance. Covering the period from the second to the fourteenth +century, they contain the major part of the Jewish legendary +material. Akin to this in content if not always in form is that +derived from the Targumim, of which the oldest versions were +produced not earlier than the fourth century, and the most recent +not later than the tenth. The Midrashic literature has been +preserved only in fragmentary form. Many Haggadot not found in +our existing collections are quoted by the authors of the Middle +Ages. Accordingly, a not inconsiderable number of the legends +here printed are taken from medieval Bible commentators and +homilists. I was fortunate in being able to avail myself also of +fragments of Midrashim of which only manuscript copies are +extant. + +The works of the older Kabbalah are likewise treasuries of +quotations from lost Midrashim, and it was among the Kabbalists, +and later among the Hasidim, that new legends arose. The +literatures produced in these two circles are therefore of great +importance for the present purpose. + +Furthermore, Jewish legends can be culled not from the writings +of the Synagogue alone; they appear also in those of the Church. +Certain Jewish works repudiated by the Synagogue were accepted +and mothered by the Church. This is the literature usually +denominated apocryphal-pseudepigraphic. From the point of view of +legends, the apocryphal books are of subordinate importance, +while the pseudepigrapha are of fundamental value. Even +quantitatively the latter are an imposing mass. Besides the Greek +writings of the Hellenist Jews, they contain Latin, Syrian, +Ethiopic, Aramean, Arabic, Persian, and Old Slavic products +translated directly or indirectly from Jewish works of +Palestinian or Hellenistic origin. The use of these +pseudepigrapha requires great caution. Nearly all of them are +embellished with Christian interpolations, and in some cases the +inserted portions have choked the original form so completely +that it is impossible to determine at first sight whether a +Jewish or a Christian legend is under examination. I believe, +however, that the pseudepigraphic material made use of by me is +Jewish beyond the cavil of a doubt, and therefore it could not +have been left out of account in a work like the present. + +However, in the appreciation of Jewish Legends, it is the +Rabbinic writers that should form the point of departure, and not +the pseudepigrapha. The former represent the main stream of +Jewish thought and feeling, the latter only an undercurrent. If +the Synagogue cast out the pseudepigrapha, and the Church adopted +them with a great show of favor, these respective attitudes were +not determined arbitrarily or by chance. The pseudepigrapha +originated in circles that harbored the germs from which +Christianity developed later on. The Church could thus +appropriate them as her own with just reason. + +In the use of some of the apocryphal and pseudepigraphic +writings, I found it expedient to quote the English translations +of them made by others, in so far as they could be brought into +accord with the general style of the book, for which purpose I +permitted myself the liberty of slight verbal changes. In +particulars, I was guided, naturally, by my own conception of the +subject, which the Notes justify in detail. + +Besides the pseudepigrapha there are other Jewish sources in +Christian garb. In the rich literature of the Church Fathers many +a Jewish legend lies embalmed which one would seek in vain in +Jewish books. It was therefore my special concern to use the +writings of the Fathers to the utmost. + +The luxuriant abundance of the material to be presented made it +impossible to give a verbal rendition of each legend. This would +have required more than three times the space at my disposal. I +can therefore claim completeness for my work only as to content. +In form it had to suffer curtailment. When several conflicting +versions of the same legend existed, I gave only one in the text, +reserving the other one, or the several others, for the Notes, +or, when practicable, they were fused into one typical legend, +the component parts of which are analyzed in the Notes. In other +instances I resorted to the expedient of citing one version in +one place and the others in other appropriate places, in +furtherance of my aim, to give a smooth presentation of the +matter, with as few interruptions to the course of the narrative +as possible. For this reason I avoided such transitional phrases +as "Some say," "It has been maintained," etc. That my method +sometimes separates things that belong together cannot be +considered a grave disadvantage, as the Index at the end of the +work will present a logical rearrangement of the material for the +benefit of the interested student. I also did not hesitate to +treat of the same personage in different chapters, as, for +instance, many of the legends bearing upon Jacob, those connected +with the latter years of the Patriarch, do not appear in the +chapter bearing his name, but will be found in the sections +devoted to Joseph, for the reason that once the son steps upon +the scene, he becomes the central figure, to which the life and +deeds of the father are subordinated. Again, in consideration of +lack of space the Biblical narratives underlying the legends had +to be omitted--surely not a serious omission in a subject with +which widespread acquaintance may be presupposed as a matter of +course. + +As a third consequence of the amplitude of the material, it was +thought advisable to divide it into several volumes. The +references, the explanations of the sources used, and the +interpretations given, and, especially, numerous emendations of +the text of the Midrashim and the pseudepigrapha, which +determined my conception of the passages so emended, will be +found in the last volume, the fourth, which will contain also an +Introduction to the History of Jewish Legends, a number of +Excursuses, and the Index. + +As the first three volumes are in the hands of the printer almost +in their entirety, I venture to express the hope that the whole +work will appear within measurable time, the parts following each +other at short intervals. + +LOUIS GINZBERG. + +NEW YORK, March 24, 1909 + + + +CONTENTS + +PREFACE +I. THE CREATION OF THE WORLD +The First Things Created--The Alphabet--The First Day--The Second +Day--The Third Day--The Fourth Day--The Fifth Day--The Sixth +Day--All Things Praise the Lord. + +II. ADAM +Man and the World--The Angels and the Creation of Man--The +Creation of Adam--The Soul of Man--The Ideal Man--The Fall of +Satan--Woman--Adam and Eve in Paradise--The Fall of Man--The +Punishment--Sabbath in Heaven--Adam's Repentance--The Book of +Raziel--The Sickness of Adam--Eve's Story of the Fall--The Death +of Adam--The Death of Eve. + +III. THE TEN GENERATIONS +The Birth of Cain--Fratricide--The Punishment of Cain--The +Inhabitants of the Seven Earths--The Descendants of Cain--The +Descendants of Adam and Lilith--Seth and His +Descendants--Enosh--The Fall of the Angels--Enoch, Ruler and +Teacher--The Ascension of Enoch--The Translation of +Enoch--Methuselah. + +IV. NOAH +The Birth of Noah--The Punishment of the Fallen Angels--The +Generation of the Deluge--The Holy Book--The Inmates of the +Ark--The Flood--Noah Leaves the Ark--The Curse of +Drunkenness--Noah's Descendants Spread Abroad--The Depravity of +Mankind--Nimrod--The Tower of Babel. + +V. ABRAHAM +The Wicked Generations--The Birth of Abraham--The Babe Proclaims +God--Abraham's First Appearance in Public--The Preacher of the +True Faith--In the Fiery Furnace--Abraham Emigrates to Haran--The +Star in the East--The True Believer--The Iconoclast--Abraham in +Canaan--His Sojourn in Egypt--The First Pharaoh--The War of the +Kings--The Covenant of the Pieces--The Birth of Ishmael--The +Visit of the Angels--The Cities of Sin--Abraham Pleads for the +Sinners--The Destruction of the Sinful Cities--Among the +Philistines--The Birth of Isaac--Ishmael Cast Off--The Two Wives +of Ishmael--The Covenant with Abimelech--Satan Accuses +Abraham--The Journey to Moriah--The Akedah--The Death and Burial +of Sarah--Eliezer's Mission--The Wooing of Rebekah--The Last +Years of Abraham--A Herald of Death--Abraham Views Earth and +Heaven--The Patron of Hebron. + +VI. JACOB +The Birth of Esau and Jacob--The Favorite of Abraham--The Sale of +the Birthright--Isaac with the Philistines--Isaac Blesses +Jacob--Esau's True Character Revealed--Jacob Leaves His Father's +House--Jacob Pursued by Eliphaz and Esau--The Day of +Miracles--Jacob with Laban--The Marriage of Jacob--The Birth of +Jacob's Children--Jacob Flees before Laban--The Covenant with +Laban--Jacob and Esau Prepare to Meet--Jacob Wrestles with the +Angel--The Meeting between Esau and Jacob--The Outrage at +Shechem--A War Frustrated--The War with the Ninevites--The War +with the Amorites--Isaac Blesses Levi and Judah--Joy and Sorrow +in the House of Jacob--Esau's Campaign against Jacob--The +Descendants of Esau. + + + +I + +THE CREATION OF THE WORLD +THE FIRST THINGS CREATED +THE ALPHABET +THE FIRST DAY +THE SECOND DAY +THE THIRD DAY +THE FOURTH DAY +THE FIFTH DAY +THE SIXTH DAY +ALL THINGS PRAISE THE LORD + + + +I + +THE CREATION OF THE WORLD + +THE FIRST THINGS CREATED + +In the beginning, two thousand years before the heaven and the +earth, seven things were created: the Torah written with black +fire on white fire, and lying in the lap of God; the Divine +Throne, erected in the heaven which later was over the heads of +the Hayyot; Paradise on the right side of God, Hell on the left +side; the Celestial Sanctuary directly in front of God, having a +jewel on its altar graven with the Name of the Messiah, and a +Voice that cries aloud, "Return, ye children of men."[1] + +When God resolved upon the creation of the world, He took counsel +with the Torah.[2] Her advice was this: "O Lord, a king without +an army and without courtiers and attendants hardly deserves the +name of king, for none is nigh to express the homage due to him." +The answer pleased God exceedingly. Thus did He teach all earthly +kings, by His Divine example, to undertake naught without first +consulting advisers.[3] + +The advice of the Torah was given with some reservations. She was +skeptical about the value of an earthly world, on account of the +sinfulness of men, who would be sure to disregard her precepts. +But God dispelled her doubts. He told her, that repentance had +been created long before, and sinners would have the opportunity +of mending their ways. Besides, the Temple service would be +invested with atoning power, and Paradise and hell were intended +to do duty as reward and punishment. Finally, the Messiah was +appointed to bring salvation, which would put an end to all +sinfulness.[4] + +Nor is this world inhabited by man the first of things earthly +created by God. He made several worlds before ours, but He +destroyed them all, because He was pleased with none until He +created ours.[5] But even this last world would have had no +permanence, if God had executed His original plan of ruling it +according to the principle of strict justice. It was only when He +saw that justice by itself would undermine the world that He +associated mercy with justice, and made them to rule jointly.[6] +Thus, from the beginning of all things prevailed Divine goodness, +without which nothing could have continued to exist. If not for +it, the myriads of evil spirits had soon put an end to the +generations of men. But the goodness of God has ordained, that in +every Nisan, at the time of the spring equinox, the seraphim +shall approach the world of spirits, and intimidate them so that +they fear to do harm to men. Again, if God in His goodness had +not given protection to the weak, the tame animals would have +been extirpated long ago by the wild animals. In Tammuz, at the +time of the summer solstice, when the strength of behemot is at +its height, he roars so loud that all the animals hear it, and +for a whole year they are affrighted and timid, and their acts +become less ferocious than their nature is. Again, in Tishri, at +the time of the autumnal equinox, the great bird ziz[7] flaps his +wings and utters his cry, so that the birds of prey, the eagles +and the vultures, blench, and they fear to swoop down upon the +others and annihilate them in their greed. And, again, were it +not for the goodness of God, the vast number of big fish had +quickly put an end to the little ones. But at the time of the +winter solstice, in the month of Tebet, the sea grows restless, +for then leviathan spouts up water, and the big fish become +uneasy. They restrain their appetite, and the little ones escape +their rapacity. + +Finally, the goodness of God manifests itself in the preservation +of His people Israel. It could not have survived the enmity of +the Gentiles, if God had not appointed protectors for it, the +archangels Michael and Gabriel.[8] Whenever Israel disobeys God, +and is accused of misdemeanors by the angels of the other +nations, he is defended by his designated guardians, with such +good result that the other angels conceive fear of them. Once the +angels of the other nations are terrified, the nations themselves +venture not to carry out their wicked designs against Israel. + +That the goodness of God may rule on earth as in heaven, the +Angels of Destruction are assigned a place at the far end of the +heavens, from which they may never stir, while the Angels of +Mercy encircle the Throne of God, at His behest.[9] + + +THE ALPHABET + +When God was about to create the world by His word, the +twenty-two letters of the alphabet[10] descended from the +terrible and august crown of God whereon they were engraved with +a pen of flaming fire. They stood round about God, and one after +the other spake and entreated, "Create the world through me!" The +first to step forward was the letter Taw. It said: "O Lord of the +world! May it be Thy will to create Thy world through me, seeing +that it is through me that Thou wilt give the Torah to Israel by +the hand of Moses, as it is written, 'Moses commanded us the +Torah.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, made reply, and said, +"No!" Taw asked, "Why not?" and God answered: "Because in days to +come I shall place thee as a sign of death upon the foreheads of +men." As soon as Taw heard these words issue from the mouth of +the Holy One, blessed be He, it retired from His presence +disappointed. + +The Shin then stepped forward, and pleaded: "O Lord of the world, +create Thy world through me: seeing that Thine own name Shaddai +begins with me." Unfortunately, it is also the first letter of +Shaw, lie, and of Sheker, falsehood, and that incapacitated it. +Resh had no better luck. It was pointed out that it was the +initial letter of Ra', wicked, and Rasha' evil, and after that +the distinction it enjoys of being the first letter in the Name +of God, Rahum, the Merciful, counted for naught. The Kof was +rejected, because Kelalah, curse, outweighs the advantage of +being the first in Kadosh, the Holy One. In vain did Zadde call +attention to Zaddik, the Righteous One; there was Zarot, the +misfortunes of Israel, to testify against it. Pe had Podeh, +redeemer, to its credit, but Pesha: transgression, reflected +dishonor upon it. 'Ain was declared unfit, because, though it +begins 'Anawah, humility, it performs the same service for +'Erwah, immorality. Samek said: "O Lord, may it be Thy will to +begin the creation with me, for Thou art called Samek, after me, +the Upholder of all that fall." But God said: "Thou art needed in +the place in which thou art;[11] thou must continue to uphold all +that fall." Nun introduces Ner, "the lamp of the Lord," which is +"the spirit of men," but it also introduces Ner, "the lamp of the +wicked," which will be put out by God. Mem starts Melek, king, +one of the titles of God. As it is the first letter of Mehumah, +confusion, as well, it had no chance of accomplishing its desire. +The claim of Lamed bore its refutation within itself. It advanced +the argument that it was the first letter of Luhot, the celestial +tables for the Ten Commandments; it forgot that the tables were +shivered in pieces by Moses. Kaf was sure of victory Kisseh, the +throne of God, Kabod, His honor, and Keter, His crown, all begin +with it. God had to remind it that He would smite together His +hands, Kaf, in despair over the misfortunes of Israel. Yod at +first sight seemed the appropriate letter for the beginning of +creation, on account of its association with Yah, God, if only +Yezer ha-Ra' the evil inclination, had not happened to begin with +it, too. Tet is identified with Tob, the good. However, the truly +good is not in this world; it belongs to the world to come. Het +is the first letter of Hanun, the Gracious One; but this +advantage is offset by its place in the word for sin, Hattat. +Zain suggests Zakor, remembrance, but it is itself the word for +weapon, the doer of mischief. Waw and He compose the Ineffable +Name of God; they are therefore too exalted to be pressed into +the service of the mundane world. If Dalet had stood only for +Dabar, the Divine Word, it would have been used, but it stands +also for Din, justice, and under the rule of law without love the +world would have fallen to ruin. Finally, in spite of reminding +one of Gadol, great, Gimel would not do, because Gemul, +retribution, starts with it. + +After the claims of all these letters had been disposed of, Bet +stepped before the Holy One, blessed be He, and pleaded before +Him: "O Lord of the world! May it be Thy will to create Thy world +through me, seeing that all the dwellers in the world give praise +daily unto Thee through me, as it is said, 'Blessed be the Lord +forever. Amen, and Amen.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, at once +granted the petition of Bet. He said, "Blessed be he that cometh +in the name of the Lord." And He created His world through Bet, +as it is said, "Bereshit God created the heaven and the earth." +The only letter that had refrained from urging its claims was the +modest Alef, and God rewarded it later for its humility by giving +it the first place in the Decalogue.[12] + + +THE FIRST DAY + +On the first day of creation God produced ten things:[13] the +heavens and the earth, Tohu and Bohu, light and darkness, wind +and water, the duration of the day[14] and the duration of the +night.[15] + +Though the heavens and the earth consist of entirely different +elements,[16] they were yet created as a unit, "like the pot and +its cover."[17] The heavens were fashioned from the light of +God's garment, and the earth from the snow under the Divine +Throne.[18] Tohu is a green band which encompasses the whole +world, and dispenses darkness, and Bohu consists of stones in the +abyss, the producers of the waters. The light created at the very +beginning is not the same as the light emitted by the sun, the +moon, and the stars, which appeared only on the fourth day. The +light of the first day was of a sort that would have enabled man +to see the world at a glance from one end to the other. +Anticipating the wickedness of the sinful generations of the +deluge and the Tower of Babel, who were unworthy to enjoy the +blessing of such light, God concealed it, but in the world to +come it will appear to the pious in all its pristine glory.[19] + +Several heavens were created,[20] seven in fact,[21] each to +serve a purpose of its own. The first, the one visible to man, +has no function except that of covering up the light during the +night time; therefore it disappears every morning. The planets +are fastened to the second of the heavens; in the third the manna +is made for the pious in the hereafter; the fourth contains the +celestial Jerusalem together with the Temple, in which Michael +ministers as high priest, and offers the souls of the pious as +sacrifices. In the fifth heaven, the angel hosts reside, and sing +the praise of God, though only during the night, for by day it is +the task of Israel on earth to give glory to God on high. The +sixth heaven is an uncanny spot; there originate most of the +trials and visitations ordained for the earth and its +inhabitants. Snow lies heaped up there and hail; there are lofts +full of noxious dew, magazines stocked with storms, and cellars +holding reserves of smoke. Doors of fire separate these celestial +chambers, which are under the supervision of the archangel +Metatron. Their pernicious contents defiled the heavens until +David's time. The pious king prayed God to purge His exalted +dwelling of whatever was pregnant with evil; it was not becoming +that such things should exist near the Merciful One. Only then +they were removed to the earth. + +The seventh heaven, on the other hand, contains naught but what +is good and beautiful: right, justice, and mercy, the storehouses +of life, peace, and blessing, the souls of the pious, the souls +and spirits of unborn generations, the dew with which God will +revive the dead on the resurrection day, and, above all, the +Divine Throne, surrounded by the seraphim, the ofanim, the holy +Hayyot, and the ministering angels.[22] + +Corresponding to the seven heavens, God created seven earths, +each separated from the next by five layers. Over the lowest +earth, the seventh, called Erez, lie in succession the abyss, the +Tohu, the Bohu, a sea, and waters.[23] Then the sixth[24] earth +is reached, the Adamah, the scene of the magnificence of God. In +the same way the Adamah is separated from the fifth earth, the +Arka, which contains Gehenna, and Sha'are Mawet, and Sha'are +Zalmawet, and Beer Shahat, and Tit ha-Yawen, and Abaddon, and +Sheol,[25] and there the souls of the wicked are guarded by the +Angels of Destruction. In the same way Arka is followed by +Harabah, the dry, the place of brooks and streams in spite of its +name, as the next, called Yabbashah, the mainland, contains the +rivers and the springs. Tebel, the second earth, is the first +mainland inhabited by living creatures, three hundred and +sixty-five species,[26] all essentially different from those of +our own earth. Some have human heads set on the body of a lion, +or a serpent, or an ox; others have human bodies topped by the +head of one of these animals. Besides, Tebel is inhabited by +human beings with two heads and four hands and feet, in fact with +all their organs doubled excepting only the trunk.[27] It happens +sometimes that the parts of these double persons quarrel with +each other, especially while eating and drinking, when each +claims the best and largest portions for himself. This species of +mankind is distinguished for great piety, another difference +between it and the inhabitants of our earth. + +Our own earth is called Heled, and, like the others, it is +separated from the Tebel by an abyss, the Tohu, the Bohu, a sea, +and waters. + +Thus one earth rises above the other, from the first to the +seventh, and over the seventh earth the heavens are vaulted, from +the first to the seventh, the last of them attached to the arm of +God. The seven heavens form a unity, the seven kinds of earth +form a unity, and the heavens and the earth together also form a +unity.[28] + +When God made our present heavens and our present earth, "the new +heavens and the new earth"[29] were also brought forth, yea, and +the hundred and ninety-six thousand worlds which God created unto +His Own glory.[30] + +It takes five hundred years to walk from the earth to the +heavens, and from one end of a heaven to the other, and also from +one heaven to the next,[31] and it takes the same length of time +to travel from the east to the west, or from the south to the +north.[32] Of all this vast world only one-third is inhabited, +the other two-thirds being equally divided between water and +waste desert land. + +Beyond the inhabited parts to the east is Paradise[33] with its +seven divisions, each assigned to the pious of a certain degree. +The ocean is situated to the west, and it is dotted with islands +upon islands, inhabited by many different peoples. Beyond it, in +turn, are the boundless steppes full of serpents and scorpions, +and destitute of every sort of vegetation, whether herbs or +trees. To the north are the supplies of hell-fire, of snow, hail, +smoke, ice, darkness, and windstorms, and in that vicinity +sojourn all sorts of devils, demons, and malign spirits. Their +dwelling-place is a great stretch of land, it would take five +hundred years to traverse it. Beyond lies hell. To the south is +the chamber containing reserves of fire, the cave of smoke, and +the forge of blasts and hurricanes.[34] Thus it comes that the +wind blowing from the south brings heat and sultriness to the +earth. Were it not for the angel Ben Nez, the Winged, who keeps +the south wind back with his pinions, the world would be +consumed.[35] Besides, the fury of its blast is tempered by the +north wind, which always appears as moderator, whatever other +wind may be blowing.[36] + +In the east, the west, and the south, heaven and earth touch each +other, but the north God left unfinished, that any man who +announced himself as a god might be set the task of supplying the +deficiency, and stand convicted as a pretender.[37] + +The construction of the earth was begun at the centre, with the +foundation stone of the Temple, the Eben Shetiyah,[38] for the +Holy Land is at the central point of the surface of the earth, +Jerusalem is at the central point of Palestine, and the Temple is +situated at the centre of the Holy City. In the sanctuary itself +the Hekal is the centre, and the holy Ark occupies the centre of +the Hekal, built on the foundation stone, which thus is at the +centre of the earth.[39] Thence issued the first ray of light, +piercing to the Holy Land, and from there illuminating the whole +earth.[40] The creation of the world, however, could not take +place until God had banished the ruler of the dark.[41] "Retire," +God said to him, "for I desire to create the world by means of +light." Only after the light had been fashioned, darkness arose, +the light ruling in the sky, the darkness on the earth.[42] The +power of God displayed itself not only in the creation of the +world of things, but equally in the limitations which He imposed +upon each. The heavens and the earth stretched themselves out in +length and breadth as though they aspired to infinitude, and it +required the word of God to call a halt to their +encroachments.[43] + + +THE SECOND DAY + +On the second day God brought forth four creations, the +firmament, hell, fire, and the angels.[44] The firmament is not +the same as the heavens of the first day. It is the crystal +stretched forth over the heads of the Hayyot, from which the +heavens derive their light, as the earth derives its light from +the sun. This firmament saves the earth from being engulfed by +the waters of the heavens; it forms the partition between the +waters above and the waters below.[45] It was made to crystallize +into the solid it is by the heavenly fire, which broke its +bounds, and condensed the surface of the firmament. Thus fire +made a division between the celestial and the terrestrial at the +time of creation, as it did at the revelation on Mount Sinai.[46] +The firmament is not more than three fingers thick,[47] +nevertheless it divides two such heavy bodies as the waters +below, which are the foundations for the nether world, and the +waters above, which are the foundations for the seven heavens, +the Divine Throne, and the abode of the angels.[48] + +The separation of the waters into upper and lower waters was the +only act of the sort done by God in connection with the work of +creation.[49] All other acts were unifying. It therefore caused +some difficulties. When God commanded, "Let the waters be +gathered together, unto one place, and let the dry land appear," +certain parts refused to obey. They embraced each other all the +more closely. In His wrath at the waters, God determined to let +the whole of creation resolve itself into chaos again. He +summoned the Angel of the Face, and ordered him to destroy the +world. The angel opened his eyes wide, and scorching fires and +thick clouds rolled forth from them, while he cried out, "He who +divides the Red Sea in sunder!"--and the rebellious waters stood. +The all, however, was still in danger of destruction. Then began +the singer of God's praises: "O Lord of the world, in days to +come Thy creatures will sing praises without end to Thee, they +will bless Thee boundlessly, and they will glorify Thee without +measure. Thou wilt set Abraham apart from all mankind as Thine +own; one of his sons Thou wilt call 'My first-born'; and his +descendants will take the yoke of Thy kingdom upon themselves. In +holiness and purity Thou wilt bestow Thy Torah upon them, with +the words, 'I am the Lord your God,' whereunto they will make +answer, 'All that God hath spoken we will do.' And now I beseech +Thee, have pity upon Thy world, destroy it not, for if Thou +destroyest it, who will fulfil Thy will?" God was pacified; He +withdrew the command ordaining the destruction of the world, but +the waters He put under the mountains, to remain there +forever.[50] The objection of the lower waters to division and +Separation[51] was not their only reason for rebelling. The +waters had been the first to give praise to God, and when their +separation into upper and lower was decreed, the waters above +rejoiced, saying, "Blessed are we who are privileged to abide +near our Creator and near His Holy Throne." Jubilating thus, they +flew upward, and uttered song and praise to the Creator of the +world. Sadness fell upon the waters below. They lamented: "Woe +unto us, we have not been found worthy to dwell in the presence +of God, and praise Him together with our companions." Therefore +they attempted to rise upward, until God repulsed them, and +pressed them under the earth.[52] Yet they were not left +unrewarded for their loyalty. Whenever the waters above desire to +give praise to God, they must first seek permission from the +waters below.[53] + +The second day of creation was an untoward day in more than the +one respect that it introduced a breach where before there had +been nothing but unity; for it was the day that saw also the +creation of hell. Therefore God could not say of this day as of +the others, that He "saw that it was good." A division may be +necessary, but it cannot be called good, and hell surely does not +deserve the attribute of good.[54] Hell[55] has seven +divisions,[36] one beneath the other. They are called Sheol, +Abaddon, Beer Shahat, Tit ha-Yawen, Sha'are Mawet, Sha'are +Zalmawet: and Gehenna. It requires three hundred years to +traverse the height, or the width, or the depth of each division, +and it would take six thousand three hundred[37] years to go over +a tract of land equal in extent to the seven divisions.[38] + +Each of the seven divisions in turn has seven subdivisions, and +in each compartment there are seven rivers of fire and seven of +hail. The width of each is one thousand ells, its depth one +thousand, and its length three hundred, and they flow one from +the other, and are supervised by ninety thousand Angels of +Destruction. There are, besides, in every compartment seven +thousand caves, in every cave there are seven thousand crevices, +and in every crevice seven thousand scorpions. Every scorpion has +three hundred rings, and in every ring seven thousand pouches of +venom, from which flow seven rivers of deadly poison. If a man +handles it, he immediately bursts, every limb is torn from his +body, his bowels are cleft asunder, and he falls upon his +face.[56] There are also five different kinds of fire in hell. +One devours and absorbs, another devours and does not absorb, +while the third absorbs and does not devour, and there is still +another fire, which neither devours nor absorbs, and furthermore +a fire which devours fire. There are coals big as mountains, and +coals big as hills, and coals as large as the Dead Sea, and coals +like huge stones, and there are rivers of pitch and sulphur +flowing and seething like live coals.[60] + +The third creation of the second day was the angel hosts, both +the ministering angels and the angels of praise. The reason they +had not been called into being on the first day was, lest men +believe that the angels assisted God in the creation of the +heavens and the earth.[61] The angels that are fashioned from +fire have forms of fire,[62] but only so long as they remain in +heaven. When they descend to earth, to do the bidding of God here +below, either they are changed into wind, or they assume the +guise of men.[63] There are ten ranks or degrees among the +angels.[64] + +The most exalted in rank are those surrounding the Divine Throne +on all sides, to the right, to the left, in front, and behind, +under the leadership of the archangels Michael, Gabriel, Uriel, +and Raphael.[65] + +All the celestial beings praise God with the words, "Holy, holy, +holy, is the Lord of hosts," but men take precedence of the +angels herein. They may not begin their song of praise until the +earthly beings have brought their homage to God.[66] Especially +Israel is preferred to the angels. When they encircle the Divine +Throne in the form of fiery mountains and flaming hills, and +attempt to raise their voices in adoration of the Creator, God +silences them with the words, "Keep quiet until I have heard the +songs, praises, prayers, and sweet melodies of Israel." +Accordingly, the ministering angels and all the other celestial +hosts wait until the last tones of Israel's doxologies rising +aloft from earth have died away, and then they proclaim in a loud +voice, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts." When the hour +for the glorification of God by the angels draws nigh, the august +Divine herald, the angel Sham'iel, steps to the windows[67] of +the lowest heaven to hearken to the songs, prayers, and praises +that ascend from the synagogues and the houses of learning, and +when they are finished, he announces the end to the angels in all +the heavens. The ministering angels, those who come in contact +with the sublunary world,[68] now repair to their chambers to +take their purification bath. They dive into a stream of fire and +flame seven times, and three hundred and sixty-five times they +examine themselves carefully, to make sure that no taint clings +to their bodies.[69] Only then they feel privileged to mount the +fiery ladder and join the angels of the seventh heaven, and +surround the throne of God with Hashmal and all the holy Hayyot. +Adorned with millions of fiery crowns, arrayed in fiery garments, +all the angels in unison, in the same words, and with the same +melody, intone songs of praise to God.[70] + + +THE THIRD DAY + +Up to this time the earth was a plain, and wholly covered with +water. Scarcely had the words of God, "Let the waters be gathered +together," made themselves heard, when mountains appeared all +over and hills,[71] and the water collected in the deep-lying +basins. But the water was recalcitrant, it resisted the order to +occupy the lowly spots, and threatened to overflow the earth, +until God forced it back into the sea, and encircled the sea with +sand. Now, whenever the water is tempted to transgress its +bounds, it beholds the sand, and recoils.[72] + +The waters did but imitate their chief Rahab, the Angel of the +Sea, who rebelled at the creation of the world. God had commanded +Rahab to take in the water. But he refused, saying, "I have +enough." The punishment for his disobedience was death. His body +rests in the depths of the sea, the water dispelling the foul +odor that emanates from it.[73] + +The main creation of the third day was the realm of plants, the +terrestrial plants as well as the plants of Paradise. First of +all the cedars of Lebanon and the other great trees were made. In +their pride at having been put first, they shot up high in the +air. They considered themselves the favored among plants. Then +God spake, "I hate arrogance and pride, for I alone am exalted, +and none beside," and He created the iron on the same day, the +substance with which trees are felled down. The trees began to +weep, and when God asked the reason of their tears, they said: +"We cry because Thou hast created the iron to uproot us +therewith. All the while we had thought ourselves the highest of +the earth, and now the iron, our destroyer, has been called into +existence." God replied: "You yourselves will furnish the axe +with a handle. Without your assistance the iron will not be able +to do aught against you."[74] + +The command to bear seed after their kind was given to the trees +alone. But the various sorts of grass reasoned, that if God had +not desired divisions according to classes, He would not have +instructed the trees to bear fruit after their kind with the seed +thereof in it, especially as trees are inclined of their own +accord to divide themselves into species. The grasses therefore +reproduced themselves also after their kinds. This prompted the +exclamation of the Prince of the World, "Let the glory of the +Lord endure forever; let the Lord rejoice in His works."[75] + +The most important work done on the third day was the creation of +Paradise. Two gates of carbuncle form the entrance to +Paradise,[76] and sixty myriads of ministering angels keep watch +over them. Each of these angels shines with the lustre of the +heavens. When the just man appears before the gates, the clothes +in which he was buried are taken off him, and the angels array +him in seven garments of clouds of glory, and place upon his head +two crowns, one of precious stones and pearls, the other of gold +of Parvaim,[77] and they put eight myrtles in his hand, and they +utter praises before him and say to him, "Go thy way, and eat thy +bread with joy." And they lead him to a place full of rivers, +surrounded by eight hundred kinds of roses and myrtles. Each one +has a canopy according to his merits,[78] and under it flow four +rivers, one of milk, the other of balsam, the third of wine, and +the fourth of honey. Every canopy is overgrown by a vine of gold, +and thirty pearls hang from it, each of them shining like Venus. +Under each canopy there is a table of precious stones and pearls, +and sixty angels stand at the head of every just man, saying unto +him: "Go and eat with joy of the honey, for thou hast busied +thyself with the Torah, and she is sweeter than honey, and drink +of the wine preserved in the grape since the six days of +creation,[79] for thou hast busied thyself with the Torah, and +she is compared to wine." The least fair of the just is beautiful +as Joseph and Rabbi Johanan, and as the grains of a silver +pomegranate upon which fall the rays of the sun.[80] There is no +light, "for the light of the righteous is the shining light." And +they undergo four transformations every day, passing through four +states. In the first the righteous is changed into a child. He +enters the division for children, and tastes the joys of +childhood. Then he is changed into a youth, and enters the +division for the youths, with whom he enjoys the delights of +youth. Next he becomes an adult, in the prime of life, and he +enters the division of men, and enjoys the pleasures of manhood. +Finally, he is changed into an old man. He enters the division +for the old, and enjoys the pleasures of age. + +There are eighty myriads of trees in every corner of Paradise, +the meanest among them choicer than all the spice trees. In every +corner there are sixty myriads of angels singing with sweet +voices, and the tree of life stands in the middle and shades the +whole of Paradise.[81] It has fifteen thousand tastes, each +different from the other, and the perfumes thereof vary likewise. +Over it hang seven clouds of glory, and winds blow upon it from +all four sides,[82] so that its odor is wafted from one end of +the world to the other. Underneath sit the scholars and explain +the Torah. Over each of them two canopies are spread, one of +stars, the other of sun and moon, and a curtain of clouds of +glory separates the one canopy from the other.[83] Beyond +Paradise begins Eden, containing three hundred and ten worlds[84] +and seven compartments for seven different classes of the pious. +In the first are "the martyr victims of the government," like +Rabbi Akiba and his colleagues;[85] in the second those who were +drowned;[86] in the third[87] Rabbi Johanan ben Zakkai and his +disciples; in the fourth those who were carried off in the cloud +of glory;[88] in the fifth the penitents, who occupy a place +which even a perfectly pious man cannot obtain; in the sixth are +the youths[89] who have not tasted of sin in their lives; in the +seventh are those poor who studied Bible and Mishnah, and led a +life of self-respecting decency. And God sits in the midst of +them and expounds the Torah to them.[90] + +As for the seven divisions of Paradise, each of them is twelve +myriads of miles in width and twelve myriads of miles in length. +In the first division dwell the proselytes who embraced Judaism +of their own free will, not from compulsion. The walls are of +glass and the wainscoting of cedar. The prophet Obadiah,[91] +himself a proselyte, is the overseer of this first division. The +second division is built of silver, and the wainscoting thereof +is of cedar. Here dwell those who have repented, and Manasseh, +the penitent son of Hezekiah, presides over them. The third +division is built of silver and gold. Here dwell Abraham, Isaac, +and Jacob, and all the Israelites who came out of Egypt, and the +whole generation that lived in the desert.[92] Also David is +there, together with all his sons[93] except Absalom, one of +them, Chileab, still alive. And all the kings of Judah are there, +with the exception of Manasseh, the son of Hezekiah, who presides +in the second division, over the penitents. Moses and Aaron +preside over the third division. Here are precious vessels of +silver and gold and jewels and canopies and beds and thrones and +lamps, of gold, of precious stones, and of pearls, the best of +everything there is in heaven.[94] The fourth division is built +of beautiful rubies,[95] and its wainscoting is of olive wood. +Here dwell the perfect and the steadfast in faith, and their +wainscoting is of olive wood, because their lives were bitter as +olives to them. The fifth division is built of silver and gold +and refined gold,[96] and the finest of gold and glass and +bdellium, and through the midst of it flows the river Gihon. The +wainscoting is of silver and gold, and a perfume breathes through +it more exquisite than the perfume of Lebanon. The coverings of +the silver and gold beds are made of purple and blue, woven by +Eve, and of scarlet and the hair of goats, woven by angels. Here +dwells the Messiah on a palanquin made of the wood of Lebanon, +"the pillars thereof of silver, the bottom of gold, the seat of +it purple." With him is Elijah. He takes the head of Messiah, and +places it in his bosom, and says to him, "Be quiet, for the end +draweth nigh." On every Monday and Thursday and on Sabbaths and +holidays, the Patriarchs come to him, and the twelve sons of +Jacob, and Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, and all the kings of +Israel and of Judah, and they weep with him and comfort him, and +say unto him, "Be quiet and put trust in thy Creator, for the end +draweth nigh." Also Korah and his company, and Dathan, Abiram, +and Absalom come to him on every Wednesday, and ask him: "How +long before the end comes full of wonders? When wilt thou bring +us life again, and from the abysses of the earth lift us?" The +Messiah answers them, "Go to your fathers and ask them"; and when +they hear this, they are ashamed, and do not ask their fathers. + +In the sixth division dwell those who died in performing a pious +act, and in the seventh division those who died from illness +inflicted as an expiation for the sins of Israel.[97] + + +THE FOURTH DAY + +The fourth day of creation produced the sun, the moon, and the +stars. These heavenly spheres were not actually fashioned on this +day; they were created on the first day, and merely were assigned +their places in the heavens on the fourth.[98] At first the sun +and the moon enjoyed equal powers and prerogatives.[99] The moon +spoke to God, and said: "O Lord, why didst Thou create the world +with the letter Bet?" God replied: "That it might be made known +unto My creatures that there are two worlds." The moon: "O Lord: +which of the two worlds is the larger, this world or the world to +come?" God: "The world to come is the larger." The moon: "O Lord, +Thou didst create two worlds, a greater and a lesser world; Thou +didst create the heaven and the earth, the heaven exceeding the +earth; Thou didst create fire and water, the water stronger than +the fire, because it can quench the fire; and now Thou hast +created the sun and the moon, and it is becoming that one of them +should be greater than the other." Then spake God to the moon: "I +know well, thou wouldst have me make Thee greater than the sun. +As a punishment I decree that thou mayest keep but one-sixtieth +of thy light." The moon made supplication: "Shall I be punished +so severely for having spoken a single word?" God relented: "In +the future world I will restore thy light, so that thy light may +again be as the light of the sun." The moon was not yet +satisfied. "O Lord," she said, "and the light of the sun, how +great will it be in that day?" Then the wrath of God was once +more enkindled: "What, thou still plottest against the sun? As +thou livest, in the world to come his light shall be sevenfold +the light he now sheds."[100] The Sun runs his course like a +bridegroom. He sits upon a throne with a garland on his +head.[101] Ninety-six angels accompany him on his daily journey, +in relays of eight every hour, two to the left of him, and two to +the right, two before Him, and two behind. Strong as he is, he +could complete his course from south to north in a single +instant, but three hundred and sixty-five angels restrain him by +means of as many grappling-irons. Every day one looses his hold, +and the sun must thus spend three hundred and sixty-five days on +his course. The progress of the sun in his circuit is an +uninterrupted song of praise to God. And this song alone makes +his motion possible. Therefore, when Joshua wanted to bid the sun +stand still, he had to command him to be silent. His song of +praise hushed, the sun stood still.[102] + +The sun is double-faced; one face, of fire, is directed toward +the earth, and one of hail, toward heaven, to cool off the +prodigious heat that streams from the other face, else the earth +would catch afire. In winter the sun turns his fiery face upward, +and thus the cold is produced.[103] When the sun descends in the +west in the evening, he dips down into the ocean and takes a +bath, his fire is extinguished, and therefore he dispenses +neither light nor warmth during the night. But as soon as he +reaches the east in the morning, he laves himself in a stream of +flame, which imparts warmth and light to him, and these he sheds +over the earth. In the same way the moon and the stars take a +bath in a stream of hail before they enter upon their service for +the night.[104] + +When the sun and the moon are ready to start upon their round of +duties, they appear before God, and beseech him to relieve them +of their task, so that they may be spared the sight of sinning +mankind. Only upon compulsion they proceed with their daily +course. Coming from the presence of God, they are blinded by the +radiance in the heavens, and they cannot find their way. God, +therefore, shoots off arrows, by the glittering light of which +they are guided. It is on account of the sinfulness of man, which +the sun is forced to contemplate on his rounds, that he grows +weaker as the time of his going down approaches, for sins have a +defiling and enfeebling effect, and he drops from the horizon as +a sphere of blood, for blood is the sign of corruption.[105] As +the sun sets forth on his course in the morning, his wings touch +the leaves on the trees of Paradise, and their vibration is +communicated to the angels and the holy Hayyot, to the other +plants, and also to the trees and plants on earth, and to all the +beings on earth and in heaven. It is the signal for them all to +cast their eyes upward. As soon as they see the Ineffable Name, +which is engraved in the sun, they raise their voices in songs of +praise to God. At the same moment a heavenly voice is heard to +say, "Woe to the sons of men that consider not the honor of God +like unto these creatures whose voices now rise aloft in +adoration."[106] These words, naturally, are not heard by men; as +little as they perceive the grating of the sun against the wheel +to which all the celestial bodies are attached, although the +noise it makes is extraordinarily loud.[107] This friction of the +sun and the wheel produces the motes dancing about in the +sunbeams. They are the carriers of healing to the sick,[108] the +only health-giving creations of the fourth day, on the whole an +unfortunate day, especially for children, afflicting them with +disease.[109] When God punished the envious moon by diminishing +her light and splendor, so that she ceased to be the equal of the +sun as she had been originally,[110] she fell,[111] and tiny +threads were loosed from her body. These are the stars.[112] + + +THE FIFTH DAY + +On the fifth day of creation God took fire[118] and water, and +out of these two elements He made the fishes of the sea.[114] The +animals in the water are much more numerous than those on land. +For every species on land, excepting only the weasel, there is a +corresponding species in the water, and, besides, there are many +found only in the water.[115] + +The ruler over the sea-animals is leviathan.[116] With all the +other fishes he was made on the fifth day.[117] Originally he was +created male and female like all the other animals. But when it +appeared that a pair of these monsters might annihilate the whole +earth with their united strength, God killed the female.[119] So +enormous is leviathan that to quench his thirst he needs all the +water that flows from the Jordan into the sea.[119] His food +consists of the fish which go between his jaws of their own +accord.[120] When he is hungry, a hot breath blows from his +nostrils, and it makes the waters of the great sea seething hot. +Formidable though behemot, the other monster, is, he feels +insecure until he is certain that leviathan has satisfied his +thirst.[121] The only thing that can keep him in check is the +stickleback, a little fish which was created for the purpose, and +of which he stands in great awe.[122] But leviathan is more than +merely large and strong; he is wonderfully made besides. His fins +radiate brilliant light, the very sun is obscured by it,[123] and +also his eyes shed such splendor that frequently the sea is +illuminated suddenly by it.[121] No wonder that this marvellous +beast is the plaything of God, in whom He takes His pastime.[124] + +There is but one thing that makes leviathan repulsive, his foul +smell: which is so strong that if it penetrated thither, it would +render Paradise itself an impossible abode.[125] + +The real purpose of leviathan is to be served up as a dainty to +the pious in the world to come. The female was put into brine as +soon as she was killed, to be preserved against the time when her +flesh will be needed.[126] The male is destined to offer a +delectable sight to all beholders before he is consumed. When his +last hour arrives, God will summon the angels to enter into +combat with the monster. But no sooner will leviathan cast his +glance at them than they will flee in fear and dismay from the +field of battle. They will return to the charge with swords, but +in vain, for his scales can turn back steel like straw. They will +be equally unsuccessful when they attempt to kill him by throwing +darts and slinging stones; such missiles will rebound without +leaving the least impression on his body. Disheartened, the +angels will give up the combat, and God will command leviathan +and behemot to enter into a duel with each other. The issue will +be that both will drop dead, behemot slaughtered by a blow of +leviathan's fins, and leviathan killed by a lash of behemot's +tail. From the skin of leviathan God will construct tents to +shelter companies of the pious while they enjoy the dishes made +of his flesh. The amount assigned to each of the pious will be in +proportion to his deserts, and none will envy or begrudge the +other his better share. What is left of leviathan's skin will be +stretched out over Jerusalem as a canopy, and the light streaming +from it will illumine the whole world, and what is left of his +flesh after the pious have appeased their appetite, will be +distributed among the rest of men, to carry on traffic +therewith.[127] + +On the same day with the fishes, the birds were created, for +these two kinds of animals are closely related to each other. +Fish are fashioned out of water, and birds out of marshy ground +saturated with water.[128] + +As leviathan is the king of fishes, so the ziz is appointed to +rule over the birds.[129] His name comes from the variety of +tastes his flesh has; it tastes like this, zeh, and like that, +zeh.[130] The ziz is as monstrous of size as leviathan himself. +His ankles rest on the earth, and his head reaches to the very +sky.[121] + +It once happened that travellers on a vessel noticed a bird. As +he stood in the water, it merely covered his feet, and his head +knocked against the sky. The onlookers thought the water could +not have any depth at that point, and they prepared to take a +bath there. A heavenly voice warned them: "Alight not here! Once +a carpenter's axe slipped from his hand at this spot, and it took +it seven years to touch bottom." The bird the travellers saw was +none other than the ziz.[132] His wings are so huge that unfurled +they darken the sun.[133] They protect the earth against the +storms of the south; without their aid the earth would not be +able to resist the winds blowing thence.[134] Once an egg of the +ziz fell to the ground and broke. The fluid from it flooded sixty +cities, and the shock crushed three hundred cedars. Fortunately +such accidents do not occur frequently. As a rule the bird lets +her eggs slide gently into her nest. This one mishap was due to +the fact that the egg was rotten, and the bird cast it away +carelessly. The ziz has another name, Renanin,[135] because he is +the celestial singer.[136] On account of his relation to the +heavenly regions he is also called Sekwi, the seer, and, besides, +he is called "son of the nest,"[137] because his fledgling birds +break away from the shell without being hatched by the mother +bird; they spring directly from the nest, as it were.[138] Like +leviathan, so ziz is a delicacy to be served to the pious at the +end of time, to compensate them for the privations which +abstaining from the unclean fowls imposed upon them.[139] + + +THE SIXTH DAY + +As the fish were formed out of water, and the birds out of boggy +earth well mixed with water, so the mammals were formed out of +solid earth,[140] and as leviathan is the most notable +representative of the fish kind, and ziz of the bird kind, so +behemot is the most notable representative of the mammal kind. +Behemot matches leviathan in strength, and he had to be +prevented, like leviathan, from multiplying and increasing, else +the world could not have continued to exist; after God had +created him male and female, He at once deprived him of the +desire to propagate his kind.[141] He is so monstrous that he +requires the produce of a thousand mountains for his daily food. +All the water that flows through the bed of the Jordan in a year +suffices him exactly for one gulp. It therefore was necessary to +give him one stream entirely for his own use, a stream flowing +forth from Paradise, called Yubal.[142] Behemot, too, is destined +to be served to the pious as an appetizing dainty, but before +they enjoy his flesh, they will be permitted to view the mortal +combat between leviathan and behemot, as a reward for having +denied themselves the pleasures of the circus and its +gladiatorial contests.[143] + +Leviathan, ziz, and behemot are not the only monsters; there are +many others, and marvellous ones, like the reem, a giant animal, +of which only one couple, male and female, is in existence. Had +there been more, the world could hardly have maintained itself +against them. The act of copulation occurs but once in seventy +years between them, for God has so ordered it that the male and +female reem are at opposite ends of the earth, the one in the +east, the other in the west. The act of copulation results in the +death of the male. He is bitten by the female and dies of the +bite. The female becomes pregnant and remains in this state for +no less than twelve years. At the end of this long period she +gives birth to twins, a male and a female. The year preceding her +delivery she is not able to move. She would die of hunger, were +it not that her own spittle flowing copiously from her mouth +waters and fructifies the earth near her, and causes it to bring +forth enough for her maintenance. For a whole year the animal can +but roll from side to side, until finally her belly bursts, and +the twins issue forth. Their appearance is thus the signal for +the death of the mother reem. She makes room for the new +generation, which in turn is destined to suffer the same fate as +the generation that went before. Immediately after birth, the one +goes eastward and the other westward, to meet only after the +lapse of seventy years, propagate themselves, and perish.[144] A +traveller who once saw a reem one day old described its height to +be four parasangs, and the length of its head one parasang and a +half.[145] Its horns measure one hundred ells, and their height +is a great deal more.[146] + +One of the most remarkable creatures is the "man of the +mountain," Adne Sadeh, or, briefly, Adam.[147] His form is +exactly that of a human being, but he is fastened to the ground +by means of a navel-string, upon which his life depends. The cord +once snapped, he dies. This animal keeps himself alive with what +is produced by the soil around about him as far as his tether +permits him to crawl. No creature may venture to approach within +the radius of his cord, for he seizes and demolishes whatever +comes in his reach. To kill him, one may not go near to him, the +navel-string must be severed from a distance by means of a dart, +and then he dies amid groans and moans.[143] Once upon a time a +traveller happened in the region where this animal is found. He +overheard his host consult his wife as to what to do to honor +their guest, and resolve to serve "our man," as he said. Thinking +he had fallen among cannibals, the stranger ran as fast as his +feet could carry him from his entertainer, who sought vainly to +restrain him. Afterward, he found out that there had been no +intention of regaling him with human flesh, but only with the +flesh of the strange animal called "man."[146] As the "man of the +mountain" is fixed to the ground by his navel-string, so the +barnacle-goose is grown to a tree by its bill. It is hard to say +whether it is an animal and must be slaughtered to be fit for +food, or whether it is a plant and no ritual ceremony is +necessary before eating it.[150] + +Among the birds the phoenix is the most wonderful. When Eve gave +all the animals some of the fruit of the tree of knowledge, the +phoenix was the only bird that refused to eat thereof, and he was +rewarded with eternal life. When he has lived a thousand years, +his body shrinks, and the feathers drop from it, until he is as +small as an egg. This is the nucleus of the new bird.[151] + +The phoenix is also called "the guardian of the terrestrial +sphere." He runs with the sun on his circuit, and he spreads out +his wings and catches up the fiery rays of the sun.[152] If he +were not there to intercept them, neither man nor any other +animate being would keep alive. On his right wing the following +words are inscribed in huge letters,[153] about four thousand +stadia high: "Neither the earth produces me, nor the heavens, but +only the wings of fire." His food consists of the manna of heaven +and the dew of the earth. His excrement is a worm, whose +excrement in turn is the cinnamon used by kings and princes.[152] +Enoch, who saw the phoenix birds when he was translated, +describes them as flying creatures, wonderful and strange in +appearance, with the feet and tails of lions, and the heads of +crocodiles; their appearance is of a purple color like the +rainbow; their size nine hundred measures. Their wings are like +those of angels, each having twelve, and they attend the chariot +of the sun and go with him, bringing heat and dew as they are +ordered by God. In the morning when the sun starts on his daily +course, the phoenixes and the chalkidri[154] sing, and every bird +flaps its wings, rejoicing the Giver of light, and they sing a +song at the command of the Lord.[155] Among reptiles the +salamander and the shamir are the most marvellous. The salamander +originates from a fire of myrtle wood[156] which has been kept +burning for seven years steadily by means of magic arts. Not +bigger than a mouse, it yet is invested with peculiar properties. +One who smears himself with its blood is invulnerable,[157] and +the web woven by it is a talisman against fire.[158] The people +who lived at the deluge boasted that, were a fire flood to come, +they would protect themselves with the blood of the +salamander.[159] + +King Hezekiah owes his life to the salamander. His wicked father, +King Ahaz, had delivered him to the fires of Moloch, and he would +have been burnt, had his mother not painted him with the blood of +the salamander, so that the fire could do him no harm.[160] + +The shamir was made at twilight on the sixth day of creation +together with other extraordinary things.[161] It is about as +large as a barley corn, and it possesses the remarkable property +of cutting the hardest of diamonds. For this reason it was used +for the stones in the breastplate worn by the high priest. First +the names of the twelve tribes were traced with ink on the stones +to be set into the breastplate, then the shamir was passed over +the lines, and thus they were graven. The wonderful circumstance +was that the friction wore no particles from the stones. The +shamir was also used for hewing into shape the stones from which +the Temple was built, because the law prohibited iron tools to be +used for the work in the Temple.[162] The shamir may not be put +in an iron vessel for safe-keeping, nor in any metal vessel, it +would burst such a receptacle asunder. It is kept wrapped up in a +woollen cloth, and this in turn is placed in a lead basket filled +with barley bran.[163] The shamir was guarded in Paradise until +Solomon needed it. He sent the eagle thither to fetch the +worm.[164] With the destruction of the Temple the shamir +vanished.[165] A similar fate overtook the tahash, which had been +created only that its skin might be used for the Tabernacle. Once +the Tabernacle was completed, the tahash disappeared. It had a +horn on its forehead, was gaily colored like the turkey-cock, and +belonged to the class of clean animals.[166] Among the fishes +there are also wonderful creatures, the sea-goats and the +dolphins, not to mention leviathan. A sea-faring man once saw a +sea-goat on whose horns the words were inscribed: "I am a little +sea-animal, yet I traversed three hundred parasangs to offer +myself as food to the leviathan."[167] The dolphins are half man +and half fish; they even have sexual intercourse with human +beings; therefore they are called also "sons of the sea," for in +a sense they represent the human kind in the waters.[163] + +Though every species in the animal world was created during the +last two days of the six of creation,[169] yet many +characteristics of certain animals appeared later. Cats and mice, +foes now, were friends originally. Their later enmity had a +distinct cause. On one occasion the mouse appeared before God and +spoke: "I and the cat are partners, but now we have nothing to +eat." The Lord answered: "Thou art intriguing against thy +companion, only that thou mayest devour her. As a punishment, she +shall devour thee." Thereupon the mouse: "O Lord of the world, +wherein have I done wrong?" God replied: "O thou unclean reptile, +thou shouldst have been warned by the example of the moon, who +lost a part of her light, because she spake ill of the sun, and +what she lost was given to her opponent.[170] The evil intentions +thou didst harbor against thy companion shall be punished in the +same way. Instead of thy devouring her, she shall devour thee." +The mouse: "O Lord of the world! Shall my whole kind be +destroyed?" God: "I will take care that a remnant of thee is +spared." In her rage the mouse bit the cat, and the cat in turn +threw herself upon the mouse, and hacked into her with her teeth +until she lay dead. Since that moment the mouse stands in such +awe of the cat that she does not even attempt to defend herself +against her enemy's attacks, and always keeps herself in +hiding.[171] Similarly dogs and cats maintained a friendly +relation to each other, and only later on became enemies. A dog +and a cat were partners, and they shared with each other whatever +they had. It once happened that neither could find anything to +eat for three days. Thereupon the dog proposed that they dissolve +their partnership. The cat should go to Adam, in whose house +there would surely be enough for her to eat, while the dog should +seek his fortune elsewhere. Before they separated, they took an +oath never to go to the same master. The cat took up her abode +with Adam, and she found sufficient mice in his house to satisfy +her appetite. Seeing how useful she was in driving away and +extirpating mice, Adam treated her most kindly. The dog, on the +other hand, saw bad times. The first night after their separation +he spent in the cave of the wolf, who had granted him a night's +lodging. At night the dog caught the sound of steps, and he +reported it to his host, who bade him repulse the intruders. They +were wild animals. Little lacked and the dog would have lost his +life. Dismayed, the dog fled from the house of the wolf, and took +refuge with the monkey. But he would not grant him even a single +night's lodging; and the fugitive was forced to appeal to the +hospitality of the sheep. Again the dog heard steps in the middle +of the night. Obeying the bidding of his host, he arose to chase +away the marauders, who turned out to be wolves. The barking of +the dog apprised the wolves of the presence of sheep, so that the +dog innocently caused the sheep's death. Now he had lost his last +friend. Night after night he begged for shelter, without ever +finding a home. Finally, he decided to repair to the house of +Adam, who also granted him refuge for one night. When wild +animals approached the house under cover of darkness, the dog +began to bark, Adam awoke, and with his bow and arrow he drove +them away. Recognizing the dog's usefulness, he bade him remain +with him always. But as soon as the cat espied the dog in Adam's +house, she began to quarrel with him, and reproach him with +having broken his oath to her. Adam did his best to pacify the +cat. He told her he had himself invited the dog to make his home +there, and he assured her she would in no wise be the loser by +the dog's presence; he wanted both to stay with him. But it was +impossible to appease the cat. The dog promised her not to touch +anything intended for her. She insisted that she could not live +in one and the same house with a thief like the dog. Bickerings +between the dog and the cat became the order of the day. Finally +the dog could stand it no longer, and he left Adam's house, and +betook himself to Seth's. By Seth he was welcomed kindly, and +from Seth's house, he continued to make efforts at reconciliation +with the cat. In vain. Yes, the enmity between the first dog and +the first cat was transmitted to all their descendants until this +very day.[172] + +Even the physical peculiarities of certain animals were not +original features with them, but owed their existence to +something that occurred subsequent to the days of creation. The +mouse at first had quite a different mouth from its present +mouth. In Noah's ark, in which all animals, to ensure the +preservation of every kind, lived together peaceably, the pair of +mice were once sitting next to the cat. Suddenly the latter +remembered that her father was in the habit of devouring mice, +and thinking there was no harm in following his example, she +jumped at the mouse, who vainly looked for a hole into which to +slip out of sight. Then a miracle happened; a hole appeared where +none had been before, and the mouse sought refuge in it. The cat +pursued the mouse, and though she could not follow her into the +hole, she could insert her paw and try to pull the mouse out of +her covert. Quickly the mouse opened her mouth in the hope that +the paw would go into it, and the cat would be prevented from +fastening her claws in her flesh. But as the cavity of the mouth +was not big enough, the cat succeeded in clawing the cheeks of +the mouse. Not that this helped her much, it merely widened the +mouth of the mouse, and her prey after all escaped the cat.[173] +After her happy escape, the mouse betook herself to Noah and said +to him, "O pious man, be good enough to sew up my cheek where my +enemy, the cat, has torn a rent in it." Noah bade her fetch a +hair out of the tail of the swine, and with this he repaired the +damage. Thence the little seam-like line next to the mouth of +every mouse to this very day.[174] + +The raven is another animal that changed its appearance during +its sojourn in the ark. When Noah desired to send him forth to +find out about the state of the waters, he hid under the wings of +the eagle. Noah found him, however, and said to him, "Go and see +whether the waters have diminished." The raven pleaded: "Hast +thou none other among all the birds to send on this errand?" +Noah: "My power extends no further than over thee and the +dove."[175] But the raven was not satisfied. He said to Noah with +great insolence: "Thou sendest me forth only that I may meet my +death, and thou wishest my death that my wife may be at thy +service."[176] Thereupon Noah cursed the raven thus: "May thy +mouth, which has spoken evil against me, be accursed, and thy +intercourse with thy wife be only through it."[177] All the +animals in the ark said Amen. And this is the reason why a mass +of spittle runs from the mouth of the male raven into the mouth +of the female during the act of copulation, and only thus the +female is impregnated.[178] Altogether the raven is an +unattractive animal. He is unkind toward his own young so long as +their bodies are not covered with black feathers,[179] though as +a rule ravens love one another.[180] God therefore takes the +young ravens under His special protection. From their own +excrement maggots come forth,[181] which serve as their food +during the three days that elapse after their birth, until their +white feathers turn black and their parents recognize them as +their offspring and care for them.[182] + +The raven has himself to blame also for the awkward hop in his +gait. He observed the graceful step of the dove, and envious of +her tried to enmulate it. The outcome was that he almost broke +his bones without in the least succeeding in making himself +resemble the dove, not to mention that he brought the scorn of +the other animals down upon himself. His failure excited their +ridicule. Then he decided to return to his own original gait, but +in the interval he had unlearnt it, and he could walk neither the +one way nor the other properly. His step had become a hop betwixt +and between. Thus we see how true it is, that he who is +dissatisfied with his small portion loses the little he has in +striving for more and better things.[163] + +The steer is also one of the animals that have suffered a change +in the course of time. Originally his face was entirely overgrown +with hair, but now there is none on his nose, and that is because +Joshua kissed him on his nose during the siege of Jericho. Joshua +was an exceedingly heavy man. Horses, donkeys, and mules, none +could bear him, they all broke down under his weight. What they +could not do, the steer accomplished. On his back Joshua rode to +the siege of Jericho, and in gratitude he bestowed a kiss upon +his nose.[134] + +The serpent, too, is other than it was at first. Before the fall +of man it was the cleverest of all animals created, and in form +it resembled man closely. It stood upright, and was of +extraordinary size.[185] Afterward, it lost the mental advantages +it had possessed as compared with other animals, and it +degenerated physically, too; it was deprived of its feet, so that +it could not pursue other animals and kill them. The mole and the +frog had to be made harmless in similar ways; the former has no +eyes, else it were irresistible, and the frog has no teeth, else +no animal in the water were sure of its life.[186] + +While the cunning of the serpent wrought its own undoing, the +cunning of the fox stood him in good stead in many an +embarrassing situation. After Adam had committed the sin of +disobedience, God delivered the whole of the animal world into +the power of the Angel of Death, and He ordered him to cast one +pair of each kind into the water. He and leviathan together thus +have dominion over all that has life. When the Angel of Death was +in the act of executing the Divine command upon the fox, he began +to weep bitterly. The Angel of Death asked him the reason of his +tears, and the fox replied that he was mourning the sad fate of +his friend. At the same time he pointed to the figure of a fox in +the sea, which was nothing but his own reflection. The Angel of +Death, persuaded that a representative of the fox family had been +cast into the water, let him go free. The fox told his trick to +the cat, and she in turn played it on the Angel of Death.[187] So +it happened that neither cats nor foxes are represented in the +water, while all other animals are.[188] + +When leviathan passed the animals in review, and missing the fox +was informed of the sly way in which he had eluded his authority, +he dispatched great and powerful fish on the errand of enticing +the truant into the water. The fox walking along the shore espied +the large number of fish, and he exclaimed, "How happy he who may +always satisfy his hunger with the flesh of such as these." The +fish told him, if he would but follow them, his appetite could +easily be appeased. At the same time they informed him that a +great honor awaited him. Leviathan, they said, was at death's +door, and he had commissioned them to install the fox as his +successor. They were ready to carry him on their backs, so that +he had no need to fear the water, and thus they would convey him +to the throne, which stood upon a huge rock. The fox yielded to +these persuasions, and descended into the water. Presently an +uncomfortable feeling took possession of him. He began to suspect +that the tables were turned; he was being made game of instead of +making game of others as usual. He urged the fish to tell him the +truth, and they admitted that they had been sent out to secure +his person for leviathan, who wanted his heart,[189] that he +might become as knowing as the fox, whose wisdom he had heard +many extol. The fox said reproachfully: "Why did you not tell me +the truth at once? Then I could have brought my heart along with +me for King Leviathan, who would have showered honors upon me. As +it is, you will surely suffer punishment for bringing me without +my heart. The foxes, you see," he continued, "do not carry their +hearts around with them. They keep them in a safe place, and when +they have need of them, they fetch them thence." The fish quickly +swam to shore, and landed the fox, so that he might go for his +heart. No sooner did he feel dry land under his feet than he +began to jump and shout, and when they urged him to go in search +of his heart, and follow them, he said: "O ye fools, could I have +followed you into the water, if I had not had my heart with me? +Or exists there a creature able to go abroad without his heart?" +The fish replied: "Come, come, thou art fooling us." Whereupon +the fox: "O ye fools, if I could play a trick on the Angel of +Death, how much easier was it to make game of you?" So they had +to return, their errand undone, and leviathan could not but +confirm the taunting judgment of the fox: "In very truth, the fox +is wise of heart, and ye are fools."[190] + + +ALL THINGS PRAISE THE LORD + +"Whatever God created has value." Even the animals and the +insects that seem useless and noxious at first sight have a +vocation to fulfil. The snail trailing a moist streak after it as +it crawls, and so using up its vitality, serves as a remedy for +boils. The sting of a hornet is healed by the house-fly crushed +and applied to the wound. The gnat, feeble creature, taking in +food but never secreting it, is a specific against the poison of +a viper, and this venomous reptile itself cures eruptions, while +the lizard is the antidote to the scorpion.[191] Not only do all +creatures serve man, and contribute to his comfort, but also God +"teacheth us through the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wise +through the fowls of heaven." He endowed many animals with +admirable moral qualities as a pattern for man. If the Torah had +not been revealed to us, we might have learnt regard for the +decencies of life from the cat, who covers her excrement with +earth; regard for the property of others from the ants, who never +encroach upon one another's stores; and regard for decorous +conduct from the cock, who, when he desires to unite with the +hen, promises to buy her a cloak long enough to reach to the +ground, and when the hen reminds him of his promise, he shakes +his comb and says, "May I be deprived of my comb, if I do not buy +it when I have the means." The grasshopper also has a lesson to +teach to man. All the summer through it sings, until its belly +bursts, and death claims it. Though it knows the fate that awaits +it, yet it sings on. So man should do his duty toward God, no +matter what the consequences. The stork should be taken as a +model in two respects. He guards the purity of his family life +zealously, and toward his fellows he is compassionate and +merciful. Even the frog can be the teacher of man. By the side of +the water there lives a species of animals which subsist off +aquatic creatures alone. When the frog notices that one of them +is hungry, he goes to it of his own accord, and offers himself as +food, thus fulfilling the injunction, "If thine enemy be hungry, +give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to +drink."[192] + +The whole of creation was called into existence by God unto His +glory,[193] and each creature has its own hymn of praise +wherewith to extol the Creator. Heaven and earth, Paradise and +hell, desert and field, rivers and seas--all have their own way +of paying homage to God. The hymn of the earth is, "From the +uttermost part of the earth have we heard songs, glory to the +Righteous." The sea exclaims, "Above the voices of many waters, +the mighty breakers of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty." + +Also the celestial bodies and the elements proclaim the praise of +their Creator--the sun, moon, and stars, the clouds and the +winds, lightning and dew. The sun says, "The sun and moon stood +still in their habitation, at the light of Thine arrows as they +went, at the shining of Thy glittering spear"; and the stars +sing, "Thou art the Lord, even Thou alone; Thou hast made heaven, +the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all +things that are thereon, the seas and all that is in them, and +Thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth +Thee." + +Every plant, furthermore, has a song of praise. The fruitful tree +sings, "Then shall all the trees of the wood sing for joy, before +the Lord, for He cometh; for He cometh to judge the earth"; and +the ears of grain on the field sing, "The pastures are covered +with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they +shout for joy, they also sing." + +Great among singers of praise are the birds, and greatest among +them is the cock. When God at midnight goes to the pious in +Paradise, all the trees therein break out into adoration, and +their songs awaken the cock, who begins in turn to praise God. +Seven times he crows, each time reciting a verse. The first verse +is: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye +everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Who is +the King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in +battle." The second verse: "Lift up your heads, O ye gates; yea, +lift them up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall +come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the +King of glory." The third: "Arise, ye righteous, and occupy +yourselves with the Torah, that your reward may be abundant in +the world hereafter." The fourth: "I have waited for Thy +salvation, O Lord!" The fifth: "How long wilt thou sleep, O +sluggard? When wilt thou arise out of thy sleep?" The sixth: +"Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and +thou shalt be satisfied with bread." And the seventh verse sung +by the cock runs: "It is time to work for the Lord, for they have +made void Thy law." + +The song of the vulture is: "I will hiss for them, and gather +them; for I have redeemed them, and they shall increase as they +have increased"--the same verse with which the bird will in time +to come announce the advent of the Messiah, the only difference +being, that when he heralds the Messiah he will sit upon the +ground and sing his verse, while at all other times he is seated +elsewhere when he sings it. + +Nor do the other animals praise God less than the birds. Even the +beasts of prey give forth adoration. The lion says: "The Lord +shall go forth as a mighty man; He shall stir up jealousy like a +man of war; He shall cry, yea, He shall shout aloud; He shall do +mightily against his enemies." And the fox exhorts unto justice +with the words: "Woe unto him that buildeth his house by +unrighteousness, and his chambers by injustice; that useth his +neighbor's service without wages, and giveth him not his hire." + +Yea, the dumb fishes know how to proclaim the praise of their +Lord. "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters," they say, "the +God of glory thundereth, even the Lord upon many waters"; while +the frog exclaims, "Blessed be the name of the glory of His +kingdom forever and ever." + +Contemptible though they are, even the reptiles give praise unto +their Creator. The mouse extols God with the words: "Howbeit Thou +art just in all that is come upon me; for Thou hast dealt truly, +but I have done wickedly." And the cat sings: "Let everything +that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord."[194] + + + +II + +ADAM MAN AND THE WORLD +THE ANGELS AND THE CREATION OF MAN +THE CREATION OF ADAM +THE SOUL OF MAN +THE IDEAL MAN +THE FALL OF SATAN +WOMAN +ADAM AND EVE IN PARADISE +THE FALL OF MAN +THE PUNISHMENT +SABBATH IN HEAVEN +ADAM'S REPENTANCE +THE BOOK OF RAZIEL +THE SICKNESS OF ADAM +EVE'S STORY OF THE FALL +THE DEATH OF ADAM +THE DEATH OF EVE + + + +II + +ADAM + +MAN AND THE WORLD + +With ten Sayings God created the world, although a single Saying +would have sufficed. God desired to make known how severe is the +punishment to be meted out to the wicked, who destroy a world +created with as many as ten Sayings, and how goodly the reward +destined for the righteous, who preserve a world created with as +many as ten Sayings.[1] + +The world was made for man, though he was the last-comer among +its creatures. This was design. He was to find all things ready +for him. God was the host who prepared dainty dishes, set the +table, and then led His guest to his seat. At the same time man's +late appearance on earth is to convey an admonition to humility. +Let him beware of being proud, lest he invite the retort that the +gnat is older than he.[2] + +The superiority of man to the other creatures is apparent in the +very manner of his creation, altogether different from theirs. He +is the only one who was created by the hand of God.[3] The rest +sprang from the word of God. The body of man is a microcosm, the +whole world in miniature, and the world in turn is a reflex of +man. The hair upon his head corresponds to the woods of the +earth, his tears to a river, his mouth to the ocean.[4] Also, the +world resembles the ball of his eye: the ocean that encircles the +earth is like unto the white of the eye, the dry land is the +iris, Jerusalem the pupil, and the Temple the image mirrored in +the pupil of the eye.[5] But man is more than a mere image of +this world. He unites both heavenly and earthly qualities within +himself. In four he resembles the angels, in four the beasts. His +power of speech, his discriminating intellect, his upright walk, +the glance of his eye--they all make an angel of him. But, on the +other hand, he eats and drinks, secretes the waste matter in his +body, propagates his kind, and dies, like the beast of the field. +Therefore God said before the creation of man: "The celestials +are not propagated, but they are immortal; the beings on earth +are propagated, but they die. I will create man to be the union +of the two, so that when he sins, when he behaves like a beast, +death shall overtake him; but if he refrains from sin, he shall +live forever."[6] God now bade all beings in heaven and on earth +contribute to the creation of man, and He Himself took part in +it. Thus they all will love man, and if he should sin, they will +be interested in his preservation.[7] + +The whole world naturally was created for the pious, the +God-fearing man, whom Israel produces with the helpful guidance +of the law of God revealed to him.[8] It was, therefore, Israel +who was taken into special consideration at the time man was +made. All other creatures were instructed to change their nature, +if Israel should ever need their help in the course of his +history. The sea was ordered to divide before Moses, and the +heavens to give ear to the words of the leader; the sun and the +moon were bidden to stand still before Joshua, the ravens to feed +Elijah, the fire to spare the three youths in the furnace, the +lion to do no harm to Daniel, the fish to spew forth Jonah, and +the heavens to open before Ezekiel.[9] + +In His modesty, God took counsel with the angels, before the +creation of the world, regarding His intention of making man. He +said: "For the sake of Israel, I will create the world. As I +shall make a division between light and darkness, so I will in +time to come do for Israel in Egypt--thick darkness shall be over +the land, and the children of Israel shall have light in their +dwellings; as I shall make a separation between the waters under +the firmament and the waters above the firmament, so I will do +for Israel--I will divide the waters for him when he crosses the +Red Sea; as on the third day I shall create plants, so I will do +for Israel--I will bring forth manna for him in the wilderness; +as I shall create luminaries to divide day from night, so I will +do for Israel--I will go before him by day in a pillar of cloud +and by night in a pillar of fire; as I shall create the fowl of +the air and the fishes of the sea, so I will do for Israel--I +will bring quails for him from the sea; and as I shall breathe +the breath of life into the nostrils of man, so I will do for +Israel--I will give the Torah unto him, the tree of life." The +angels marvelled that so much love should be lavished upon this +people of Israel, and God told them: "On the first day of +creation, I shall make the heavens and stretch them out; so will +Israel raise up the Tabernacle as the dwelling-place of My glory. +On the second day, I shall put a division between the terrestrial +waters and the heavenly waters; so will he hang up a veil in the +Tabernacle to divide the Holy Place and the Most Holy. On the +third day, I shall make the earth put forth grass and herb; so +will he, in obedience to My commands, eat herbs on the first +night of the Passover, and prepare showbread for Me. On the +fourth day, I shall make the luminaries; so will he make a golden +candlestick for Me. On the fifth day, I shall create the birds; +so will he fashion the cherubim with outstretched wings. On the +sixth day, I shall create man; so will Israel set aside a man of +the sons of Aaron as high priest for My service."[10] + +Accordingly, the whole of creation was conditional. God said to +the things He made on the first six days: "If Israel accepts the +Torah, you will continue and endure; otherwise, I shall turn +everything back into chaos again." The whole world was thus kept +in suspense and dread until the day of the revelation on Sinai, +when Israel received and accepted the Torah, and so fulfilled the +condition made by God at the time when He created the +universe.[11] + + +THE ANGELS AND THE CREATION OF MAN + +God in His wisdom hiving resolved to create man, He asked counsel +of all around Him before He proceeded to execute His purpose--an +example to man, be he never so great and distinguished, not to +scorn the advice of the humble and lowly. First God called upon +heaven and earth, then upon all other things He had created, and +last upon the angels. + +The angels were not all of one opinion. The Angel of Love favored +the creation of man, because he would be affectionate and loving; +but the Angel of Truth opposed it, because he would be full of +lies. And while the Angel of Justice favored it, because he would +practice justice, the Angel of Peace opposed it, because he would +be quarrelsome. + +To invalidate his protest, God cast the Angel of Truth down from +heaven to earth, and when the others cried out against such +contemptuous treatment of their companion, He said, "Truth will +spring back out of the earth." + +The objections of the angels would have been much stronger, had +they known the whole truth about man. God had told them only +about the pious, and had concealed from them that there would be +reprobates among mankind, too. And yet, though they knew but half +the truth, the angels were nevertheless prompted to cry out: +"What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, +that Thou visitest him?" God replied: "The fowl of the air and +the fish of the sea, what were they created for? Of what avail a +larder full of appetizing dainties, and no guest to enjoy them?" +And the angels could not but exclaim: "O Lord, our Lord, how +excellent is Thy name in all the earth! Do as is pleasing in Thy +sight."[12] + +For not a few of the angels their opposition bore fatal +consequences. When God summoned the band under the archangel +Michael, and asked their opinion on the creation of man, they +answered scornfully: "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? +And the son of man, that Thou visitest him?" God thereupon +stretched forth His little finger, and all were consumed by fire +except their chief Michael. And the same fate befell the band +under the leadership of the archangel Gabriel; he alone of all +was saved from destruction. + + +The third band consulted was commanded by the archangel Labbiel. +Taught by the horrible fate of his predecessors, he warned his +troop: "You have seen what misfortune overtook the angels who +said 'What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?' Let us have a +care not to do likewise, lest we suffer the same dire punishment. +For God will not refrain from doing in the end what He has +planned. Therefore it is advisable for us to yield to His +wishes." Thus warned, the angels spoke: "Lord of the world, it is +well that Thou hast thought of creating man. Do Thou create him +according to Thy will. And as for us, we will be his attendants +and his ministers, and reveal unto him all our secrets." +Thereupon God changed Labbiel's name to Raphael, the Rescuer, +because his host of angels had been rescued by his sage advice. +He was appointed the Angel of Healing, who has in his +safe-keeping all the celestial remedies, the types of the medical +remedies used on earth.[12] + + +THE CREATION OF ADAM + + +When at last the assent of the angels to the creation of man was +given, God said to Gabriel: "Go and fetch Me dust from the four +corners of the earth, and I will create man therewith." Gabriel +went forth to do the bidding of the Lord, but the earth drove him +away, and refused to let him gather up dust from it. Gabriel +remonstrated: "Why, O Earth, dost thou not hearken unto the voice +of the Lord, who founded thee upon the waters without props or +pillars?" The earth replied, and said: "I am destined to become a +curse, and to be cursed through man, and if God Himself does not +take the dust from me, no one else shall ever do it." When God +heard this, He stretched out His hand, took of the dust of the +ground, and created the first man therewith.[14] Of set purpose +the dust was taken from all four corners of the earth, so that if +a man from the east should happen to die in the west, or a man +from the west in the east, the earth should not dare refuse to +receive the dead, and tell him to go whence he was taken. +Wherever a man chances to die, and wheresoever he is buried, +there will he return to the earth from which he sprang. Also, the +dust was of various colors--red, black, white, and green--red for +the blood, black for the bowels, white for the bones and veins, +and green for the pale skin. + +At this early moment the Torah interfered. She addressed herself +to God: "O Lord of the world! The world is Thine, Thou canst do +with it as seemeth good in Thine eyes. But the man Thou art now +creating will be few of days and full of trouble and sin. If it +be not Thy purpose to have forbearance and patience with him, it +were better not to call him into being." God replied, "Is it for +naught I am called long-suffering and merciful?"[15] + +The grace and lovingkindness of God revealed themselves +particularly in His taking one spoonful of dust from the spot +where in time to come the altar would stand, saying, "I shall +take man from the place of atonement, that he may endure."[19] + + +THE SOUL OF MAN + +The care which God exercised in fashioning every detail of the +body of man is as naught in comparison with His solicitude for +the human soul. The soul of man was created on the first day, for +it is the spirit of God moving upon the face of the waters. Thus, +instead of being the last, man is really the first work of +creation.[17] + +This spirit, or, to call it by its usual name, the soul of man, +possesses five different powers. By means of one of them she +escapes from the body every night, rises up to heaven, and +fetches new life thence for man.[18] + +With the soul of Adam the souls of all the generations of men +were created. They are stored up in a promptuary, in the seventh +of the heavens, whence they are drawn as they are needed for +human body after human body.[19] + +The soul and body of man are united in this way: When a woman has +conceived, the Angel of the Night, Lailah, carries the sperm +before God, and God decrees what manner of human being shall +become of it--whether it shall be male or female, strong or weak, +rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, long or short, fat or thin, and +what all its other qualities shall be. Piety and wickedness alone +are left to the determination of man himself. Then God makes a +sign to the angel appointed over the souls, saying, "Bring Me the +soul so-and-so, which is hidden in Paradise, whose name is +so-and-so, and whose form is so-and-so." The angel brings the +designated soul, and she bows down when she appears in the +presence of God, and prostrates herself before Him. At that +moment, God issues the command, "Enter this sperm." The soul +opens her mouth, and pleads: "O Lord of the world! I am well +pleased with the world in which I have been living since the day +on which Thou didst call me into being. Why dost Thou now desire +to have me enter this impure sperm, I who am holy and pure, and a +part of Thy glory?" God consoles her: "The world which I shall +cause thee to enter is better than the world in which thou hast +lived hitherto, and when I created thee, it was only for this +purpose." The soul is then forced to enter the sperm against her +will, and the angel carries her back to the womb of the mother. +Two angels are detailed to watch that she shall not leave it, nor +drop out of it, and a light is set above her, whereby the soul +can see from one end of the world to the other. In the morning an +angel carries her to Paradise, and shows her the righteous, who +sit there in their glory, with crowns upon their heads. The angel +then says to the soul, "Dost thou know who these are?" She +replies in the negative, and the angel goes on: "These whom thou +beholdest here were formed, like unto thee, in the womb of their +mother. When they came into the world, they observed God's Torah +and His commandments. Therefore they became the partakers of this +bliss which thou seest them enjoy. Know, also thou wilt one day +depart from the world below, and if thou wilt observe God's +Torah, then wilt thou be found worthy of sitting with these pious +ones. But if not, thou wilt be doomed to the other place." + +In the evening, the angel takes the soul to hell, and there +points out the sinners whom the Angels of Destruction are smiting +with fiery scourges, the sinners all the while crying out Woe! +Woe! but no mercy is shown unto them. The angel then questions +the soul as before, "Dost thou know who these are?" and as before +the reply is negative. The angel continues: "These who are +consumed with fire were created like unto thee. When they were +put into the world, they did not observe God's Torah and His +commandments. Therefore have they come to this disgrace which +thou seest them suffer. Know, thy destiny is also to depart from +the world. Be just, therefore, and not wicked, that thou mayest +gain the future world." + +Between morning and evening the angel carries the soul around, +and shows her where she will live and where she will die, and the +place where she will buried, and he takes her through the whole +world, and points out the just and the sinners and all things. In +the evening, he replaces her in the womb of the mother, and there +she remains for nine months. + +When the time arrives for her to emerge from the womb into the +open world, the same angel addresses the soul, "The time has come +for thee to go abroad into the open world." The soul demurs, "Why +dost thou want to make me go forth into the open world?" The +angel replies: "Know that as thou wert formed against thy will, +so now thou wilt be born against thy will, and against thy will +thou shalt die, and against thy will thou shalt give account of +thyself before the King of kings, the Holy One, blessed be He." +But the soul is reluctant to leave her place. Then the angel +fillips the babe on the nose, extinguishes the light at his head, +and brings him forth into the world against his will. Immediately +the child forgets all his soul has seen and learnt, and he comes +into the world crying, for he loses a place of shelter and +security and rest. + +When the time arrives for man to quit this world, the same angel +appears and asks him, "Dost thou recognize me?" And man replies, +"Yes; but why dost thou come to me to-day, and thou didst come on +no other day?" The angel says, "To take thee away from the world, +for the time of thy departure has arrived." Then man falls to +weeping, and his voice penetrates to all ends of the world, yet +no creature hears his voice, except the cock alone. Man +remonstrates with the angel, "From two worlds thou didst take me, +and into this world thou didst bring me." But the angel reminds +him: "Did I not tell thee that thou wert formed against thy will, +and thou wouldst be born against thy will, and against thy will +thou wouldst die? And against thy will thou wilt have to give +account and reckoning of thyself before the Holy One, blessed be +He."[20] + + +THE IDEAL MAN + +Like all creatures formed on the six days of creation, Adam came +from the hands of the Creator fully and completely developed. He +was not like a child, but like a man of twenty years of age.[21] +The dimensions of his body were gigantic, reaching from heaven to +earth, or, what amounts to the same, from east to west.[22] Among +later generations of men, there were but few who in a measure +resembled Adam in his extraordinary size and physical +perfections. Samson possessed his strength, Saul his neck, +Absalom his hair, Asahel his fleetness of foot, Uzziah his +forehead, Josiah his nostrils, Zedekiah his eyes, and Zerubbabel +his voice. History shows that these physical excellencies were no +blessings to many of their possessors; they invited the ruin of +almost all. Samson's extraordinary strength caused his death; +Saul killed himself by cutting his neck with his own sword; while +speeding swiftly, Asahel was pierced by Abner's spear; Absalom +was caught up by his hair in an oak, and thus suspended met his +death; Uzziah was smitten with leprosy upon his forehead; the +darts that killed Josiah entered through his nostrils, and +Zedekiah's eyes were blinded.[23] + +The generality of men inherited as little of the beauty as of the +portentous size of their first father. The fairest women compared +with Sarah are as apes compared with a human being. Sarah's +relation to Eve is the same, and, again, Eve was but as an ape +compared with Adam. His person was so handsome that the very sole +of his foot obscured the splendor of the sun.[24] + +His spiritual qualities kept pace with his personal charm, for +God had fashioned his soul with particular care. She is the image +of God, and as God fills the world, so the soul fills the human +body; as God sees all things, and is seen by none, so the soul +sees, but cannot be seen; as God guides the world, so the soul +guides the body; as God in His holiness is pure, so is the soul; +and as God dwells in secret, so doth the soul.[25] + +When God was about to put a soul into Adam's clod-like body, He +said: "At which point shall I breathe the soul into him? Into the +mouth? Nay, for he will use it to speak ill of his fellow-man. +Into the eyes? With them he will wink lustfully. Into the ears? +They will hearken to slander and blasphemy. I will breathe her +into his nostrils; as they discern the unclean and reject it, and +take in the fragrant, so the pious will shun sin, and will cleave +to the words of the Torah"[26] + +The perfections of Adam's soul showed themselves as soon as he +received her, indeed, while he was still without life. In the +hour that intervened between breathing a soul into the first man +and his becoming alive, God revealed the whole history of mankind +to him. He showed him each generation and its leaders; each +generation and its prophets; each generation and its teachers; +each generation and its scholars; each generation and its +statesmen; each generation and its judges; each generation and +its pious members; each generation and its average, commonplace +members; and each generation and its impious members. The tale of +their years, the number of their days, the reckoning of their +hours, and the measure of their steps, all were made known unto +him.[27] + +Of his own free will Adam relinquished seventy of his allotted +years. His appointed span was to be a thousand years, one of the +Lord's days. But he saw that only a single minute of life was +apportioned to the great soul of David, and he made a gift of +seventy years to her, reducing his own years to nine hundred and +thirty.' + +The wisdom of Adam displayed itself to greatest advantage when he +gave names to the animals. Then it appeared that God, in +combating the arguments of the angels that opposed the creation +of man, had spoken well, when He insisted that man would possess +more wisdom than they themselves. When Adam was barely an hour +old, God assembled the whole world of animals before him and the +angels. The latter were called upon to name the different kinds, +but they were not equal to the task. Adam, however, spoke without +hesitation: "O Lord of the world! The proper name for this animal +is ox, for this one horse, for this one lion, for this one +camel." And so he called all in turn by name, suiting the name to +the peculiarity of the animal. Then God asked him what his name +was to be, and he said Adam, because he had been created out of +Adamah, dust of the earth. Again, God asked him His own name, and +he said: "Adonai, Lord, because Thou art Lord over all +creatures"--the very name God had given unto Himself, the name by +which the angels call Him, the name that will remain immutable +evermore.[29] But without the gift of the holy spirit, Adam could +not have found names for all; he was in very truth a prophet, and +his wisdom a prophetic quality.[30] + +The names of the animals were not the only inheritance handed +down by Adam to the generations after him, for mankind owes all +crafts to him, especially the art of writing, and he was the +inventor of all the seventy languages.[31] And still another task +he accomplished for his descendants. God showed Adam the whole +earth, and Adam designated what places were to be settled later +by men, and what places were to remain waste.[32] + + +THE FALL OF SATAN + +The extraordinary qualities with which Adam was blessed, physical +and spiritual as well, aroused the envy of the angels. They +attempted to consume him with fire, and he would have perished, +had not the protecting hand of God rested upon him, and +established peace between him and the heavenly host.[33] In +particular, Satan was jealous of the first man, and his evil +thoughts finally led to his fall. After Adam had been endowed +with a soul, God invited all the angels to come and pay him +reverence and homage. Satan, the greatest of the angels in +heaven, with twelve wings, instead of six like all the others, +refused to pay heed to the behest of God, saying, "Thou didst +create us angels from the splendor of the Shekinah, and now Thou +dost command us to cast ourselves down before the creature which +Thou didst fashion out of the dust of the ground!" God answered, +"Yet this dust of the ground has more wisdom and understanding +than thou." Satan demanded a trial of wit with Adam, and God +assented thereto, saying: "I have created beasts, birds, and +reptiles, I shall have them all come before thee and before Adam. +If thou art able to give them names, I shall command Adam to show +honor unto thee, and thou shalt rest next to the Shekinah of My +glory. But if not, and Adam calls them by the names I have +assigned to them, then thou wilt be subject to Adam, and he shall +have a place in My garden, and cultivate it." Thus spake God, and +He betook Himself to Paradise, Satan following Him. When Adam +beheld God, he said to his wife, "O come, let us worship and bow +down; let us kneel before the Lord our Maker." Now Satan +attempted to assign names to the animals. He failed with the +first two that presented themselves, the ox and the cow. God led +two others before him, the camel and the donkey, with the same +result. Then God turned to Adam, and questioned him regarding the +names of the same animals, framing His questions in such wise +that the first letter of the first word was the same as the first +letter of the name of the animal standing before him. Thus Adam +divined the proper name, and Satan was forced to acknowledge the +superiority of the first man. Nevertheless he broke out in wild +outcries that reached the heavens, and he refused to do homage +unto Adam as he had been bidden.[34] The host of angels led by +him did likewise, in spite of the urgent representations of +Michael, who was the first to prostrate himself before Adam in +order to show a good example to the other angels. Michael +addressed Satan: "Give adoration to the image of God! But if thou +doest it not, then the Lord God will break out in wrath against +thee." Satan replied: "If He breaks out in wrath against me, I +will exalt my throne above the stars of God, I will be like the +Most High!" At once God flung Satan and his host out of heaven, +down to the earth, and from that moment dates the enmity between +Satan and man.' + + +WOMAN + +When Adam opened his eyes the first time, and beheld the world +about him, he broke into praise of God, "How great are Thy works, +O Lord!" But his admiration for the world surrounding him did not +exceed the admiration all creatures conceived for Adam. They took +him to be their creator, and they all came to offer him +adoration. But he spoke: "Why do you come to worship me? Nay, you +and I together will acknowledge the majesty and the might of Him +who hath created us all. 'The Lord reigneth,'" he continued, +"'He is apparelled with majesty.'"[36] + +And not alone the creatures on earth, even the angels thought +Adam the lord of all, and they were about to salute him with +"Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts," when God caused sleep +to fall upon him, and then the angels knew that he was but a +human being.[37] + +The purpose of the sleep that enfolded Adam was to give him a +wife, so that the human race might develop, and all creatures +recognize the difference between God and man. When the earth +heard what God had resolved to do, it began to tremble and quake. +"I have not the strength," it said, "to provide food for the herd +of Adam's descendants." But God pacified it with the words, "I +and thou together, we will find food for the herd." Accordingly, +time was divided between God and the earth; God took the night, +and the earth took the day. Refreshing sleep nourishes and +strengthens man, it affords him life and rest, while the earth +brings forth produce with the help of God, who waters it. Yet man +must work the earth to earn his food.[38] + +The Divine resolution to bestow a companion on Adam met the +wishes of man, who had been overcome by a feeling of isolation +when the animals came to him in pairs to be named.[39] To banish +his loneliness, Lilith was first given to Adam as wife. Like him +she had been created out of the dust of the ground. But she +remained with him only a short time, because she insisted upon +enjoying full equality with her husband. She derived her rights +from their identical origin. With the help of the Ineffable Name, +which she pronounced, Lilith flew away from Adam, and vanished in +the air. Adam complained before God that the wife He had given +him had deserted him, and God sent forth three angels to capture +her. They found her in the Red Sea, and they sought to make her +go back with the threat that, unless she went, she would lose a +hundred of her demon children daily by death. But Lilith +preferred this punishment to living with Adam. She takes her +revenge by injuring babes--baby boys during the first night of +their life, while baby girls are exposed to her wicked designs +until they are twenty days old. The only way to ward off the evil +is to attach an amulet bearing the names of her three angel +captors to the children, for such had been the agreement between +them.[40] + +The woman destined to become the true companion of man was taken +from Adam's body, for "only when like is joined unto like the +union is indissoluble."[41] The creation of woman from man was +possible because Adam originally had two faces, which were +separated at the birth of Eve.[42] + +When God was on the point of making Eve, He said: "I will not +make her from the head of man, lest she carry her head high in +arrogant pride; not from the eye, lest she be wanton-eyed; not +from the ear, lest she be an eavesdropper; not from the neck, +lest she be insolent; not from the mouth, lest she be a tattler; +not from the heart, lest she be inclined to envy; not from the +hand, lest she be a meddler; not from the foot, lest she be a +gadabout. I will form her from a chaste portion of the body," and +to every limb and organ as He formed it, God said, "Be chaste! Be +chaste!" Nevertheless, in spite of the great caution used, woman +has all the faults God tried to obviate. The daughters of Zion +were haughty and walked with stretched forth necks and wanton +eyes; Sarah was an eavesdropper in her own tent, when the angel +spoke with Abraham; Miriam was a talebearer, accusing Moses; +Rachel was envious of her sister Leah; Eve put out her hand to +take the forbidden fruit, and Dinah was a gadabout.[43] + +The physical formation of woman is far more complicated than that +of man, as it must be for the function of child-bearing, and +likewise the intelligence of woman matures more quickly than the +intelligence of man.[44] Many of the physical and psychical +differences between the two sexes must be attributed to the fact +that man was formed from the ground and woman from bone. Women +need perfumes, while men do not; dust of the ground remains the +same no matter how long it is kept; flesh, however, requires salt +to keep it in good condition. The voice of women is shrill, not +so the voice of men; when soft viands are cooked, no sound is +heard, but let a bone be put in a pot, and at once it crackles. A +man is easily placated, not so a woman; a few drops of water +suffice to soften a clod of earth; a bone stays hard, and if it +were to soak in water for days. The man must ask the woman to be +his wife, and not the woman the man to be her husband, because it +is man who has sustained the loss of his rib, and he sallies +forth to make good his loss again. The very differences between +the sexes in garb and social forms go back to the origin of man +and woman for their reasons. Woman covers her hair in token of +Eve's having brought sin into the world; she tries to hide her +shame; and women precede men in a funeral cortege, because it was +woman who brought death into the world. And the religious +commands addressed to women alone are connected with the history +of Eve. Adam was the heave offering of the world, and Eve defiled +it. As expiation, all women are commanded to separate a heave +offering from the dough. And because woman extinguished the light +of man's soul, she is bidden to kindle the Sabbath light.[45] + +Adam was first made to fall into a deep sleep before the rib for +Eve was taken from his side. For, had he watched her creation, +she would not have awakened love in him. To this day it is true +that men do not appreciate the charms of women whom they have +known and observed from childhood up. Indeed, God had created a +wife for Adam before Eve, but he would not have her, because she +had been made in his presence. Knowing well all the details of +her formation, he was repelled by her.[46] But when he roused +himself from his profound sleep, and saw Eve before him in all +her surprising beauty and grace, he exclaimed, "This is she who +caused my heart to throb many a night!" Yet he discerned at once +what the nature of woman was. She would, he knew, seek to carry +her point with man either by entreaties and tears, or flattery +and caresses. He said, therefore, "This is my never-silent +bell!"[47] + +The wedding of the first couple was celebrated with pomp never +repeated in the whole course of history since. God Himself, +before presenting her to Adam, attired and adorned Eve as a +bride. Yea, He appealed to the angels, saying: "Come, let us +perform services of friendship for Adam and his helpmate, for the +world rests upon friendly services, and they are more pleasing in +My sight than the sacrifices Israel will offer upon the altar." +The angels accordingly surrounded the marriage canopy, and God +pronounced the blessings upon the bridal couple, as the Hazan +does under the Huppah. The angels then danced and played upon +musical instruments before Adam and Eve in their ten bridal +chambers of gold, pearls, and precious stones, which God had +prepared for them. + +Adam called his wife Ishah, and himself he called Ish, abandoning +the name Adam, which he had borne before the creation of Eve, for +the reason that God added His own name Yah to the names of the +man and the woman--Yod to Ish and He to Ishah--to indicate that +as long as they walked in the ways of God and observed His +commandments, His name would shield them against all harm. But if +they went astray, His name would be withdrawn, and instead of Ish +there would remain Esh, fire, a fire issuing from each and +consuming the other.[48] + + +ADAM AND EVE IN PARADISE + +The Garden of Eden was the abode of the first man and woman, and +the souls of all men must pass through it after death, before +they reach their final destination. For the souls of the departed +must go through seven portals before they arrive in the heaven +'Arabot. There the souls of the pious are transformed into +angels, and there they remain forever, praising God and feasting +their sight upon the glory of the Shekinah. The first portal is +the Cave of Machpelah, in the vicinity of Paradise, which is +under the care and supervision of Adam. If the soul that presents +herself at the portal is worthy, he calls out, "Make room! Thou +art welcome!" The soul then proceeds until she arrives at the +gate of Paradise guarded by the cherubim and the flaming sword. +If she is not found worthy, she is consumed by the sword; +otherwise she receives a pass-bill, which admits her to the +terrestrial Paradise. Therein is a pillar of smoke and light +extending from Paradise to the gate of heaven, and it depends +upon the character of the soul whether she can climb upward on it +and reach heaven. The third portal, Zebul, is at the entrance of +heaven. If the soul is worthy, the guard opens the portal and +admits her 'to the heavenly Temple. Michael presents her to God, +and conducts her to the seventh portal, 'Arabot, within which the +souls of the pious, changed to angels, praise the Lord, and feed +on the glory of the Shekinah.[49] + +In Paradise stand the tree of life and the tree of knowledge, the +latter forming a hedge about the former. Only he who has cleared +a path for himself through the tree of knowledge can come close +to the tree of life, which is so huge that it would take a man +five hundred years to traverse a distance equal to the diameter +of the trunk, and no less vast is the space shaded by its crown +of branches. From beneath it flows forth the water that irrigates +the whole earth,[50] parting thence into four streams, the +Ganges, the Nile, the Tigris, and the Euphrates.[51] But it was +only during the days of creation that the realm of plants looked +to the waters of the earth for nourishment. Later on God made the +plants dependent upon the rain, the upper waters. The clouds rise +from earth to heaven, where water is poured into them as from a +conduit.[52] The plants began to feel the effect of the water +only after Adam was created. Although they had been brought forth +on the third day, God did not permit them to sprout and appear +above the surface of the earth, until Adam prayed to Him to give +food unto them, for God longs for the prayers of the pious.[53] + +Paradise being such as it was, it was, naturally, not necessary +for Adam to work the land. True, the Lord God put the man into +the Garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it, but that only +means he is to study the Torah there and fulfil the commandments +of God.[54] There were especially six commandments which every +human being is expected to heed: man should not worship idols; +nor blaspheme God; nor commit murder, nor incest, nor theft and +robbery; and all generations have the duty of instituting +measures of law and order.[55] One more such command there was, +but it was a temporary injunction. Adam was to eat only the green +things of the field. But the prohibition against the use of +animals for food was revoked in Noah's time, after the deluge. +Nevertheless, Adam was not cut off from the enjoyment of meat +dishes. Though he was not permitted to slaughter animals for the +appeasing of his appetite, the angels brought him meat and wine, +serving him like attendants.[56] And as the angels ministered to +his wants, so also the animals. They were wholly under his +dominion, and their food they took out of his hand and out of +Eve's.[57] In all respects, the animal world had a different +relation to Adam from their relation to his descendants. Not only +did they know the language of man,[58] but they respected the +image of God, and they feared the first human couple, all of +which changed into the opposite after the fall of man.[59] + + +THE FALL OF MAN + +Among the animals the serpent was notable. Of all of them he had +the most excellent qualities, in some of which he resembled man. +Like man he stood upright upon two feet, and in height he was +equal to the camel. Had it not been for the fall of man, which +brought misfortune to them, too, one pair of serpents would have +sufficed to perform all the work man has to do, and, besides, +they would have supplied him with silver, gold, gems, and pearls. +As a matter of fact, it was the very ability of the serpent that +led to the ruin of man and his own ruin. His superior mental +gifts caused him to become an infidel. It likewise explains his +envy of man, especially of his conjugal relations. Envy made him +meditate ways and means of bringing about the death of Adam.[60] +He was too well acquainted with the character of the man to +attempt to exercise tricks of persuasion upon him, and he +approached the woman, knowing that women are beguiled easily. The +conversation with Eve was cunningly planned, she could not but be +caught in a trap. The serpent began, "Is it true that God hath +said, Ye shall not eat of every tree in the garden?" "We may," +rejoined Eve, "eat of the fruit of all the trees in the garden, +except that which is in the midst of the garden, and that we may +not even touch, lest we be stricken with death." She spoke thus, +because in his zeal to guard her against the transgressing of the +Divine command, Adam had forbidden Eve to touch the tree, though +God had mentioned only the eating of the fruit. It remains a +truth, what the proverb says, "Better a wall ten hands high that +stands, than a wall a hundred ells high that cannot stand." It +was Adam's exaggeration that afforded the serpent the possibility +of persuading Eve to taste of the forbidden fruit. The serpent +pushed Eve against the tree, and said: "Thou seest that touching +the tree has not caused thy death. As little will it hurt thee to +eat the fruit of the tree. Naught but malevolence has prompted +the prohibition, for as soon as ye eat thereof, ye shall be as +God. As He creates and destroys worlds, so will ye have the power +to create and destroy. As He doth slay and revive, so will ye +have the power to slay and revive.[61] He Himself ate first of +the fruit of the tree, and then He created the world. Therefore +doth He forbid you to eat thereof, lest you create other worlds. +Everyone knows that 'artisans of the same guild hate one +another.' Furthermore, have ye not observed that every creature +hath dominion over the creature fashioned before itself? The +heavens were made on the first day, and they are kept in place by +the firmament made on the second day. The firmament, in turn, is +ruled by the plants, the creation of the third day, for they take +up all the water of the firmament. The sun and the other +celestial bodies, which were created on the fourth day, have +power over the world of plants. They can ripen their fruits and +flourish only through their influence. The creation of the fifth +day, the animal world, rules over the celestial spheres. Witness +the ziz, which can darken the sun with its pinions. But ye are +masters of the whole of creation, because ye were the last to be +created. Hasten now and eat of the fruit of the tree in the midst +of the garden, and become independent of God, lest He bring forth +still other creatures to bear rule over you."[62] + +To give due weight to these words, the serpent began to shake the +tree violently and bring down its fruit. He ate thereof, saying: +"As I do not die of eating the fruit, so wilt thou not die." Now +Eve could not but say to herself, "All that my master"--so she +called Adam--"commanded me is but lies," and she determined to +follow the advice of the serpent.[63] Yet she could not bring +herself to disobey the command of God utterly. She made a +compromise with her conscience. First she ate only the outside +skin of the fruit, and then, seeing that death did not fell her, +she ate the fruit itself.[64] Scarce had she finished, when she +saw the Angel of Death before her. Expecting her end to come +immediately, she resolved to make Adam eat of the forbidden +fruit, too, lest he espouse another wife after her death.[65] It +required tears and lamentations on her part to prevail upon Adam +to take the baleful step. Not yet satisfied, she gave of the +fruit to all other living beings, that they, too, might be +subject to death.[66] All ate, and they all are mortal, with the +exception of the bird malham, who refused the fruit, with the +words: "Is it not enough that ye have sinned against God, and +have brought death to others? Must ye still come to me and seek +to persuade me into disobeying God's command, that I may eat and +die thereof? I will not do your bidding." A heavenly voice was +heard then to say to Adam and Eve: "To you was the command given. +Ye did not heed it; ye did transgress it, and ye did seek to +persuade the bird malham. He was steadfast, and he feared Me, +although I gave him no command. Therefore he shall never taste of +death, neither he nor his descendants--they all shall live +forever in Paradise."[67] + +Adam spoke to Eve: "Didst thou give me of the tree of which I +forbade thee to eat? Thou didst give me thereof, for my eyes are +opened, and the teeth in my mouth are set on edge." Eve made +answer, "As my teeth were set on edge, so may the teeth of all +living beings be set on edge."[68] The first result was that Adam +and Eve became naked. Before, their bodies had been overlaid with +a horny skin, and enveloped with the cloud of glory. No sooner +had they violated the command given them than the cloud of glory +and the horny skin dropped from them, and they stood there in +their nakedness, and ashamed.[69] Adam tried to gather leaves +from the trees to cover part of their bodies, but he heard one +tree after the other say: "There is the thief that deceived his +Creator. Nay, the foot of pride shall not come against me, nor +the hand of the wicked touch me. Hence, and take no leaves from +me!" Only the fig-tree granted him permission to take of its +leaves. That was because the fig was the forbidden fruit itself. +Adam had the same experience as that prince who seduced one of +the maid-ser vants in the palace. When the king, his father, +chased him out, he vainly sought a refuge with the other +maid-servants, but only she who had caused his disgrace would +grant him assistance.[70] + + +THE PUNISHMENT + +As long as Adam stood naked, casting about for means of escape +from his embarrassment, God did not appear unto him, for one +should not "strive to see a man in the hour of his disgrace." He +waited until Adam and Eve had covered themselves with fig +leaves.[71] But even before God spoke to him, Adam knew what was +impending. He heard the angels announce, "God betaketh Himself +unto those that dwell in Paradise." He heard more, too. He heard +what the angels were saying to one another about his fall, and +what they were saying to God. In astonishment the angels +exclaimed: "What! He still walks about in Paradise? He is not yet +dead?" Whereupon God: "I said to him, 'In the day that thou +eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die!' Now, ye know not what +manner of day I meant--one of My days of a thousand years, or one +of your days. I will give him one of My days. He shall have nine +hundred and thirty years to live, and seventy to leave to his +descendants."[72] + +When Adam and Eve heard God approaching, they hid among the +trees--which would not have been possible before the fall. Before +he committed his trespass, Adam's height was from the heavens to +the earth, but afterward it was reduced to one hundred ells.[73] +Another consequence of his sin was the fear Adam felt when he +heard the voice of God: before his fall it had not disquieted him +in the least.[74] Hence it was that when Adam said, "I heard Thy +voice in the garden, and I was afraid," God replied, "Aforetime +thou wert not afraid, and now thou art afraid?"[75] + +God refrained from reproaches at first. Standing at the gate of +Paradise, He but asked, "Where art thou, Adam?" Thus did God +desire to teach man a rule of polite behavior, never to enter the +house of another without announcing himself.[76] It cannot be +denied, the words "Where art thou?" were pregnant with meaning. +They were intended to bring home to Adam the vast difference +between his latter and his former state--between his supernatural +size then and his shrunken size now; between the lordship of God +over him then and the lordship of the serpent over him now.[77] +At the same time, God wanted to give Adam the opportunity of +repenting of his sin, and he would have received Divine +forgiveness for it. But so far from repenting of it, Adam +slandered God, and uttered blasphemies against Him.[78] When God +asked him, "Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee +thou shouldst not eat?" he did not confess his sin, but excused +himself with the words: "O Lord of the world! As long as I was +alone, I did not fall into sin, but as soon as this woman came to +me, she tempted me." God replied: "I gave her unto thee as a +help, and thou art ungrateful when thou accusest her, saying, +'She gave me of the tree.' Thou shouldst not have obeyed her, for +thou art the head, and not she."[79] God, who knows all things, +had foreseen exactly this, and He had not created Eve until Adam +had asked Him for a helpmate, so that he might not have +apparently good reason for reproaching God with having created +woman.[80] + +As Adam tried to shift the blame for his misdeed from himself, so +also Eve. She, like her husband, did not confess her +transgression and pray for pardon, which would have been granted +to her.[81] Gracious as God is, He did not pronounce the doom +upon Adam and Eve until they showed themselves stiff-necked. Not +so with the serpent. God inflicted the curse upon the serpent +without hearing his defense; for the serpent is a villain, and +the wicked are good debaters. If God had questioned him, the +serpent would have answered: "Thou didst give them a command, and +I did contradict it. Why did they obey me, and not Thee?"[82] +Therefore God did not enter into an argument with the serpent, +but straightway decreed the following ten punishments: The mouth +of the serpent was closed, and his power of speech taken away; +his hands and feet were hacked off; the earth was given him as +food; he must suffer great pain in sloughing his skin; enmity is +to exist between him and man; if he eats the choicest viands, or +drinks the sweetest beverages, they all change into dust in his +mouth; the pregnancy of the female serpent lasts seven years; men +shall seek to kill him as soon as they catch sight of him; even +in the future world, where all beings will be blessed, he will +not escape the punishment decreed for him; he will vanish from +out of the Holy Land if Israel walks in the ways of God.[83] + +Furthermore, God spake to the serpent: "I created thee to be king +over all animals, cattle and the beasts of the field alike; but +thou wast not satisfied. Therefore thou shalt be cursed above all +cattle and above every beast of the field. I created thee of +upright posture; but thou wast not satisfied. Therefore thou +shalt go upon thy belly. I created thee to eat the same food as +man; but thou wast not satisfied. Therefore thou shalt eat dust +all the days of thy life. Thou didst seek to cause the death of +Adam in order to espouse his wife. Therefore I will put enmity +between thee and the woman." How true it is--he who lusts after +what is not his due, not only does he not attain his desire, but +he also loses what he has! + +As angels had been present when the doom was pronounced upon the +serpent--for God had convoked a Sanhedrin of seventy-one angels +when He sat in judgment upon him--so the execution of the decree +against him was entrusted to angels. They descended from heaven, +and chopped off his hands and feet. His suffering was so great +that his agonized cries could be heard from one end of the world +to the other.[84] + +The verdict against Eve also consisted of ten curses, the effect +of which is noticeable to this day in the physical, spiritual, +and social state of woman.[85] It was not God Himself who +announced her fate to Eve. The only woman with whom God ever +spoke was Sarah. In the case of Eve, He made use of the services +of an interpreter.[86] + +Finally, also the punishment of Adam was tenfold: he lost his +celestial clothing--God stripped it off him; in sorrow he was to +earn his daily bread; the food he ate was to be turned from good +into bad; his children were to wander from land to land; his body +was to exude sweat; he was to have an evil inclination; in death +his body was to be a prey of the worms; animals were to have +power over him, in that they could slay him; his days were to be +few and full of trouble; in the end he was to render account of +all his doings on earth. + +These three sinners were not the only ones to have punishment +dealt out to them. The earth fared no better, for it had been +guilty of various misdemeanors. In the first place, it had not +entirely heeded the command of God given on the third day, to +bring forth "tree of fruit." What God had desired was a tree the +wood of which was to be as pleasant to the taste as the fruit +thereof. The earth, however, produced a tree bearing fruit, the +tree itself not being edible.[88] Again, the earth did not do its +whole duty in connection with the sin of Adam. God had appointed +the sun and the earth witnesses to testify against Adam in case +he committed a trespass. The sun, accordingly, had grown dark the +instant Adam became guilty of disobedience, but the earth, not +knowing how to take notice of Adam's fall, disregarded it +altogether.[89] The earth also had to suffer a tenfold +punishment: independent before, she was hereafter to wait to be +watered by the rain from above; sometimes the fruits of the earth +fail; the grain she brings forth is stricken with blasting and +mildew; she must produce all sorts of noxious vermin; thenceforth +she was to be divided into valleys and mountains; she must grow +barren trees, bearing no fruit; thorns and thistles sprout from +her; much is sown in the earth, but little is harvested; in time +to come the earth will have to disclose her blood, and shall no +more cover her slain; and, finally, she shall, one day, "wax old +like a garment."[90] + +When Adam heard the words, "Thorns and thistles shall it bring +forth," concerning the ground, a sweat broke out on his face, and +he said: "What! Shall I and my cattle eat from the same manger?" +The Lord had mercy upon him, and spoke, "In view of the sweat of +thy face, thou shalt eat bread."[91] + +The earth is not the only thing created that was made to suffer +through the sin of Adam. The same fate overtook the moon. When +the serpent seduced Adam and Eve, and exposed their nakedness, +they wept bitterly, and with them wept the heavens, and the sun +and the stars, and all created beings and things up to the throne +of God. The very angels and the celestial beings were grieved by +the trans gression of Adam. The moon alone laughed, wherefore God +grew wroth, and obscured her light. Instead of shining steadily +like the sun, all the length of the day, she grows old quickly, +and must be born and reborn, again and again.[92] The callous +conduct of the moon offended God, not only by way of contrast +with the compassion of all other creatures, but because He +Himself was full of pity for Adam and his wife. He made clothes +for them out of the skin stripped from the serpent.[93] He would +have done even more. He would have permitted them to remain in +Paradise, if only they had been penitent. But they refused to +repent, and they had to leave, lest their godlike understanding +urge them to ravage the tree of life, and they learn to live +forever. As it was, when God dismissed them from Paradise, He did +not allow the Divine quality of justice to prevail entirely. He +associated mercy with it. As they left, He said: "O what a pity +that Adam was not able to observe the command laid upon him for +even a brief span of time!" + +To guard the entrance to Paradise, God appointed the cherubim, +called also the ever-turning sword of flames, because angels can +turn themselves from one shape into another at need.[94] Instead +of the tree of life, God gave Adam the Torah, which likewise is a +tree of life to them that lay hold upon her, and he was permitted +to take up his abode in the vicinity of Paradise in the east.[95] + +Sentence pronounced upon Adam and Eve and the serpent, the Lord +commanded the angels to turn the man and the woman out of +Paradise. They began to weep and supplicate bitterly, and the +angels took pity upon them and left the Divine command +unfulfilled, until they could petition God to mitigate His severe +verdict. But the Lord was inexorable, saying, "Was it I that +committed a trespass, or did I pronounce a false judgment?" Also +Adam's prayer, to be given of the fruit of the tree of life, was +turned aside, with the promise, however, that if he would lead a +pious life, he would be given of the fruit on the day of +resurrection, and he would then live forever. + +Seeing that God had resolved unalterably, Adam began to weep +again and implore the angels to grant him at least permission to +take sweet-scented spices with him out of Paradise, that outside, +too, he might be able to bring offerings unto God, and his +prayers be accepted before the Lord. Thereupon the angels came +before God, and spake: "King unto everlasting, command Thou us to +give Adam sweet-scented spices of Paradise," and God heard their +prayer. Thus Adam gathered saffron, nard, calamus, and cinnamon, +and all sorts of seeds besides for his sustenance. Laden with +these, Adam and Eve left Paradise, and came upon earth.[96] They +had enjoyed the splendors of Paradise but a brief span of +time--but a few hours. It was in the first hour of the sixth day +of creation that God conceived the idea of creating man; in the +second hour, He took counsel with the angels; in the third, He +gathered the dust for the body of man; in the fourth, He formed +Adam; in the fifth, He clothed him with skin; in the sixth, the +soulless shape was complete, so that it could stand upright; in +the seventh, a soul was breathed into it; in the eighth, man was +led into Paradise; in the ninth, the Divine command prohibiting +the fruit of the tree in the midst of the garden was issued to +him; in the tenth, he transgressed the command; in the eleventh, +he was judged; and in the twelfth hour of the day, he was cast +out of Paradise, in atonement for his sin. + +This eventful day was the first of the month of Tishri. Therefore +God spoke to Adam: "Thou shalt be the prototype of thy children. +As thou hast been judged by Me on this day and absolved, so thy +children Israel shall be judged by Me on this New Year's Day, and +they shall be absolved."[97] + +Each day of creation brought forth three things: the first, +heaven, earth, and light; the second, the firmament, Gehenna, and +the angels; the third, trees, herbs, and Paradise; the fourth, +sun, moon, and stars; and the fifth, fishes, birds, and +leviathan. As God intended to rest on the seventh day, the +Sabbath, the sixth day had to do double duty. It brought forth +six creations: Adam, Eve, cattle, reptiles, the beasts of the +field, and demons. The demons were made shortly before the +Sabbath came in, and they are, therefore, incorporeal +spirits--the Lord had no time to create bodies for them.[98] + +In the twilight, between the sixth day and the Sabbath, ten +creations were, brought forth: the rainbow, invisible until +Noah's time; the manna; watersprings, whence Israel drew water +for his thirst in the desert; the writing upon the two tables of +stone given at Sinai; the pen with which the writing was written; +the two tables themselves; the mouth of Balaam's she-ass; the +grave of Moses; the cave in which Moses and Elijah dwelt; and the +rod of Aaron, with its blossoms and its ripe almonds.[99] + + +SABBATH IN HEAVEN + +Before the world was created, there was none to praise God and +know Him. Therefore He created the angels and the holy Hayyot, +the heavens and their host, and Adam as well. They all were to +praise and glorify their Creator. During the week of creation, +however, there was no suitable time to proclaim the splendor and +praise of the Lord. Only on the Sabbath, when all creation +rested, the beings on earth and in heaven, all together, broke +into song and adoration when God ascended His throne and sate +upon it.[100] It was the Throne of Joy upon which He sate, and He +had all the angels pass before Him--the angel of the water, the +angel of the rivers, the angel of the mountains, the angel of the +hills, the angel of the abysses, the angel of the deserts, the +angel of the sun, the angel of the moon, the angel of the +Pleiades, the angel of Orion, the angel of the herbs, the angel +of Paradise, the angel of Gehenna, the angel of the trees, the +angel of the reptiles, the angel of the wild beasts, the angel of +the domestic animals, the angel of the fishes, the angel of the +locusts, the angel of the birds, the chief angel of the angels, +the angel of each heaven, the chief angel of each division of the +heavenly hosts, the chief angel of the holy Hayyot, the chief +angel of the cherubim, the chief angel of the ofanim, and all the +other splendid, terrible, and mighty angel chiefs. They all +appeared before God with great joy, laved in a stream of joy, and +they rejoiced and danced and sang, and extolled the Lord with +many praises and many instruments. The ministering angels began, +"Let the glory of the Lord endure forever!" And the rest of the +angels took up the song with the words, "Let the Lord rejoice in +His works!" 'Arabot, the seventh heaven, was filled with joy and +glory, splendor and strength, power and might and pride and +magnificence and grandeur, praise and jubilation, song and +gladness, steadfastness and righteousness, honor and adoration. + +Then God bade the Angel of the Sabbath seat himself upon a throne +of glory, and He brought before him the chiefs of the angels of +all the heavens and all the abysses, and bade them dance and +rejoice, saying, "Sabbath it is unto the Lord!" and the exalted +princes of the heavens responded, "Unto the Lord it is Sabbath!" +Even Adam was permitted to ascend to the highest heaven, to take +part in the rejoicing over the Sabbath. + +By bestowing Sabbath joy upon all beings, not excepting Adam, +thus did the Lord dedicate His creation. Seeing the majesty of +the Sabbath, its honor and greatness, and the joy it conferred +upon all, being the fount of all joy, Adam intoned a song of +praise for the Sabbath day. Then God said to him, "Thou singest a +song of praise to the Sabbath day, and singest none to Me, the +God of the Sabbath?" Thereupon the Sabbath rose from his seat, +and prostrated himself before God, saying, "It is a good thing to +give thanks unto the Lord," and the whole of creation added, "And +to sing praises unto Thy Name, O Most High!"[101] + +This was the first Sabbath, and this its celebration in heaven by +God and the angels. The angels were informed at the same time +that in days to come Israel would hallow the day in similar +manner. God told them: "I will set aside for Myself a people from +among all the peoples. This people will observe the Sabbath, and +I will sanctify it to be My people, and I will be God unto it. +From all that I have seen, I have chosen the seed of Israel +wholly, and I have inscribed him as My first-born son, and I +sanctified him unto Myself unto all eternity, him and the +Sabbath, that he keep the Sabbath and hallow it from all +work."[102] + +For Adam the Sabbath had a peculiar significance. When he was +made to depart out of Paradise in the twilight of the Sabbath +eve, the angels called after him, "Adam did not abide in his +glory overnight!" Then the Sabbath appeared before God as Adam's +defender, and he spoke: "O Lord of the world! During the six +working days no creature was slain. If Thou wilt begin now by +slaying Adam, what will become of the sanctity and the blessing +of the Sabbath?" In this way Adam was rescued from the fires of +hell, the meet punishment for his sins, and in gratitude he +composed a psalm in honor of the Sabbath, which David later +embodied in his Psalter.[103] + +Still another opportunity was given to Adam to learn and +appreciate the value of the Sabbath. The celestial light, whereby +Adam could survey the world from end to end, should properly have +been made to disappear immediately after his sin. But out of +consideration for the Sabbath, God had let this light continue to +shine, and the angels, at sundown on the sixth day, intoned a +song of praise and thanksgiving to God, for the radiant light +shining through the night. Only with the going out of the Sabbath +day the celestial light ceased, to the consternation of Adam, who +feared that the serpent would attack him in the dark. But God +illumined his understanding, and he learned to rub two stones +against each other and produce light for his needs.[104] + +The celestial light was but one of the seven precious gifts +enjoyed by Adam before the fall and to be granted to man again +only in the Messianic time. The others are the resplendence of +his countenance; life eternal; his tall stature; the fruits of +the soil; the fruits of the tree; and the luminaries of the sky, +the sun and the moon, for in the world to come the light of the +moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun +shall be sevenfold.[105] + + +ADAM'S REPENTANCE + +Cast out of Paradise, Adam and Eve built a hut for themselves, +and for seven days they sat in it in great distress, mourning and +lamenting. At the end of the seven days, tormented by hunger, +they came forth and sought food. For seven other days, Adam +journeyed up and down in the land, looking for such dainties as +he had enjoyed in Paradise. In vain; he found nothing. Then Eve +spoke to her husband: "My lord, if it please thee, slay me. +Mayhap God will then take thee back into Paradise, for the Lord +God became wroth with thee only on account of me." But Adam +rejected her plan with abhorrence, and both went forth again on +the search for food. Nine days passed, and still they found +naught resembling what they had had in Paradise. They saw only +food fit for cattle and beasts. Then Adam proposed: "Let us do +penance, mayhap the Lord God will forgive us and have pity on us, +and give us something to sustain our life." Knowing that Eve was +not vigorous enough to undergo the mortification of the flesh +which he purposed to inflict upon himself, he prescribed a +penance for her different from his own. He said to her: "Arise, +and go to the Tigris, take a stone and stand upon it in the +deepest part of the river, where the water will reach as high as +thy neck. And let no speech issue forth from thy mouth, for we +are unworthy to supplicate God, our lips are unclean by reason of +the forbidden fruit of the tree. Remain in the water for +thirty-seven days." + +For himself Adam ordained forty days of fasting, while he stood +in the river Jordan in the same way as Eve was to take up her +stand in the waters of the Tigris. After he had adjusted the +stone in the middle of the Jordan, and mounted it, with the +waters surging up to his neck, he said: "I adjure thee, O thou +water of the Jordan! Afflict thyself with me, and gather unto me +all swimming creatures that live in thee. Let them surround me +and sorrow with me, and let them not beat their own breasts with +grief, but let them beat me. Not they have sinned, only I alone!" +Very soon they all came, the dwellers in the Jordan, and they +encompassed him, and from that moment the water of the Jordan +stood still and ceased from flowing. + +The penance which Adam and Eve laid upon themselves awakened +misgivings in Satan. He feared God might forgive their sin, and +therefore essayed to hinder Eve in her purpose. After a lapse of +eighteen days he appeared unto her in the guise of an angel. As +though in distress on account of her, he began to cry, saying: +"Step up out of the river, and weep no longer. The Lord God hath +heard your mourning, and your penitence hath been accepted by +Him. All the angels supplicated the Lord in your behalf, and He +hath sent me to fetch you out of the water and give you the +sustenance that you enjoyed in Paradise, and for which you have +been mourning." Enfeebled as she was by her penances and +mortifications, Eve yielded to the solicitations of Satan, and he +led her to where her husband was. Adam recognized him at once, +and amid tears he cried out: "O Eve, Eve, where now is thy +penitence? How couldst thou let our adversary seduce thee +again--him who robbed us of our sojourn in Paradise and all +spiritual joy?" Thereupon Eve, too, began to weep and cry out: +"Woe unto thee, O Satan! Why strivest thou against us without any +reason? What have we done unto thee that thou shouldst pursue us +so craftily?" With a deep-fetched sigh, Satan told them how that +Adam, of whom he had been jealous, had been the real reason of +his fall. Having lost his glory through him, he had intrigued to +have him driven from Paradise. + +When Adam heard the confession of Satan, he prayed to God: "O +Lord my God! In Thy hands is my life. Remove from me this +adversary, who seeks to deliver my soul to destruction, and grant +me the glory he has forfeited." Satan disappeared forthwith, but +Adam continued his penance, standing in the waters of the Jordan +for forty days.[106] + +While Adam stood in the river, he noticed that the days were +growing shorter, and he feared the world might be darkened on +account of his sin, and go under soon. To avert the doom, he +spent eight days in prayer and fasting. But after the winter +solstice, when he saw that the days grew longer again, he spent +eight days in rejoicing, and in the following year he celebrated +both periods, the one before and the one after the solstice. This +is why the heathen celebrate the calends and the saturnalia in +honor of their gods, though Adam had consecrated those days to +the honor of God.[107] + +The first time Adam witnessed the sinking of the sun be was also +seized with anxious fears. It happened at the conclusion of the +Sabbath, and Adam said, "Woe is me! For my sake, because I +sinned, the world is darkened, and it will again become void and +without form. Thus will be executed the punishment of death which +God has pronounced against me!" All the night he spent in tears, +and Eve, too, wept as she sat opposite to him. When day began to +dawn, he understood that what he had deplored was but the course +of nature, and he brought an offering unto God, a unicorn whose +horn was created before his hoofs,[108] and he sacrificed it on +the spot on which later the altar was to stand in Jerusalem.[109] + + +THE BOOK OF RAZIEL + +After Adam's expulsion from Paradise, he prayed to God in these +words: "O God, Lord of the world! Thou didst create the whole +world unto the honor and glory of the Mighty One, and Thou didst +as was pleasing unto Thee. Thy kingdom is unto all eternity, and +Thy reign unto all generations. Naught is hidden from Thee, and +naught is concealed from Thine eyes. Thou didst create me as Thy +handiwork, and didst make me the ruler over Thy creatures, that I +might be the chief of Thy works. But the cunning, accursed +serpent seduced me with the tree of desire and lusts, yea, he +seduced the wife of my bosom. But Thou didst not make known unto +me what shall befall my children and the generations after me. I +know well that no human being can be righteous in Thine eyes, and +what is my strength that I should step before Thee with an +impudent face? I have no mouth wherewith to speak and no eye +wherewith to see, for I did sin and commit a trespass, and, by +reason of my sins, I was driven forth from Paradise. I must +plough the earth whence I was taken, and the other inhabitants of +the earth, the beasts, no longer, as once, stand in awe and fear +of me. From the time I ate of the tree of knowledge of good and +evil, wisdom departed from me, and I am a fool that knoweth +naught, an ignorant man that understandeth not. Now, O merciful +and gracious God, I pray to Thee to turn again Thy compassion to +the head of Thy works, to the spirit which Thou didst instil into +him, and the soul Thou didst breathe into him. Meet me with Thy +grace, for Thou art gracious, slow to anger, and full of love. O +that my prayer would reach unto the throne of Thy glory, and my +supplication unto the throne of Thy mercy, and Thou wouldst +incline to me with lovingkindness. May the words of my mouth be +acceptable, that Thou turn not away from my petition. Thou wert +from everlasting, and Thou wilt be unto everlasting; Thou wert +king, and Thou wilt ever be king. Now, have Thou mercy upon the +work of Thy hands. Grant me knowledge and understanding, that I +may know what shall befall me, and my posterity, and all the +generations that come after me, and what shall befall me on every +day and in every month, and mayest Thou not withhold from me the +help of Thy servants and of Thy angels." + +On the third day after he had offered up this prayer, while he +was sitting on the banks of the river that flows forth out of +Paradise, there appeared to him, in the heat of the day, the +angel Raziel, bearing a book in his hand. The angel addressed +Adam thus: "O Adam, why art thou so fainthearted? Why art thou +distressed and anxious? Thy words were heard at the moment when +thou didst utter thy supplication and entreaties, and I have +received the charge to teach thee pure words and deep +understanding, to make thee wise through the contents of the +sacred book in my hand, to know what will happen to thee until +the day of thy death. And all thy descendants and all the later +generations, if they will but read this book in purity, with a +devout heart and an humble mind, and obey its precepts, will +become like unto thee. They, too, will foreknow what things shall +happen, and in what month and on what day or in what night. All +will be manifest to them--they will know and understand whether a +calamity will come, a famine or wild beasts, floods or drought; +whether there will be abundance of grain or dearth; whether the +wicked will rule the world; whether locusts will devastate the +land; whether the fruits will drop from the trees unripe; whether +boils will afflict men; whether wars will prevail, or diseases or +plagues among men and cattle; whether good is resolved upon in +heaven, or evil; whether blood will flow, and the death-rattle of +the slain be heard in the city. And now, Adam, come and give heed +unto what I shall tell thee regarding the manner of this book and +its holiness." + +Raziel, the angel, then read from the book, and when Adam heard +the words of the holy volume as they issued from the mouth of the +angel, he fell down affrighted. But the angel encouraged him. +"Arise, Adam," he said, "be of good courage, be not afraid, take +the book from me and keep it, for thou wilt draw knowledge from +it thyself and become wise, and thou wilt also teach its contents +to all those who shall be found worthy of knowing what it +contains." + +In the moment when Adam took the book, a flame of fire shot up +from near the river, and the angel rose heavenward with it. Then +Adam knew that he who had spoken to him was an angel of God, and +it was from the Holy King Himself that the book had come, and he +used it in holiness and purity. It is the book out of which all +things worth knowing can be learnt, and all mysteries, and it +teaches also how to call upon the angels and make them appear +before men, and answer all their questions. But not all alike can +use the book, only he who is wise and God-fearing, and resorts to +it in holiness. Such an one is secure against all wicked +counsels, his life is serene, and when death takes him from this +world, he finds repose in a place where there are neither demons +nor evil spirits, and out of the hands of the wicked he is +quickly rescued.[110] + + +THE SICKNESS OF ADAM + +When Adam had lived to be nine hundred and thirty years old, a +sickness seized him, and he felt that his days were drawing to an +end. He summoned all his descendants, and assembled them before +the door of the house of worship in which he had always offered +his prayers to God, to give them his last blessing. His family +were astonished to find him stretched out on the bed of sickness, +for they did not know what pain and suffering were.[111] They +thought he was overcome with longing after the fruits of +Paradise, and for lack of them was depressed. Seth announced his +willingness to go to the gates of Paradise and beg God to let one +of His angels give him of its fruits. But Adam explained to them +what sickness and pain are, and that God had inflicted them upon +him as a punishment for his sin.[112] Adam suffered violently; +tears and groans were wrung from him. Eve sobbed, and said, +"Adam, my lord, give me the half of thy sickness, I will gladly +bear it. Is it not on account of me that this hath come upon +thee? On account of me thou undergoest pain and anguish." + +Adam bade Eve go with Seth to the gates of Paradise and entreat +God to have mercy upon him, and send His angel to catch up some +of the oil of life flowing from the tree of His mercy and give it +to his messengers. The ointment would bring him rest, and banish +the pain consuming him. On his way to Paradise, Seth was attacked +by a wild beast. Eve called out to the assailant, "How durst thou +lay hand on the image of God?" The ready answer came: "It is +thine own fault. Hadst thou not opened thy mouth to eat of the +forbidden fruit, my mouth would not be opened now to destroy a +human being." But Seth remonstrated: "Hold thy tongue! Desist +from the image of God until the day of judgment." And the beast +gave way, saying, "See, I refrain myself from the image of God," +and it slunk away to its covert.[113] + +Arrived at the gates of Paradise, Eve and Seth began to cry +bitterly, and they besought God with many lamentations to give +them oil from the tree of His mercy. For hours they prayed thus. +At last the archangel Michael appeared, and informed them that he +came as the messenger of God to tell them that their petition +could not be granted. Adam would die in a few days, and as he was +subject to death, so would be all his descendants. Only at the +time of the resurrection, and then only to the pious, the oil of +life would be dispensed, together with all the bliss and all the +delights of Paradise.[114] Returned to Adam, they reported what +had happened, and he said to Eve: "What misfortune didst thou +bring upon us when thou didst arouse great wrath! See, death is +the portion of all our race! Call hither our children and our +children's children, and tell them the manner of our sinning." +And while Adam lay prostrate upon the bed of pain, Eve told them +the story of their fall.[115] + + +EVE'S STORY OF THE FALL + +After I was created, God divided Paradise and all the animals +therein between Adam and me. The east and the north were assigned +to Adam, together with the male animals. I was mistress of the +west and the south and all the female animals. Satan, smarting +under the disgrace of having been dismissed from the heavenly +host, resolved to bring about our ruin and avenge himself upon +the cause of his discomfiture. He won the serpent over to his +side, and pointed out to him that before the creation of Adam the +animals could enjoy all that grew in Paradise, and now they were +restricted to the weeds. To drive Adam from Paradise would +therefore be for the good of all. The serpent demurred, for he +stood in awe of the wrath of God. But Satan calmed his fears, and +said, "Do thou but become my vessel,[117] and I shall speak a +word through thy mouth wherewith thou wilt succeed in seducing +man." + +The serpent thereupon suspended himself from the wall surrounding +Paradise, to carry on his conversation with me from without. And +this happened at the very moment when my two guardian angels had +betaken themselves to heaven to supplicate the Lord. I was quite +alone therefore, and when Satan assumed the appearance of an +angel, bent over the wall of Paradise, and intoned seraphic songs +of praise, I was deceived, and thought him an angel. A +conversation was held between us, Satan speaking through the +mouth of the serpent: + +"Art thou Eve?" + +"Yes, it is I." + +"What art thou doing in Paradise?" + +"The Lord has put us here to cultivate it and eat of its fruits." + +"That is good. Yet you eat not of all the trees." + +"That we do, excepting a single one, the tree that stands in the +midst of Paradise. Concerning it alone, God has forbidden us to +eat of it, else, the Lord said, ye will die." + +The serpent made every effort to persuade me that I had naught to +fear--that God knew that in the day that Adam and I ate of the +fruit of the tree, we should be as He Himself. It was jealousy +that had made Him say,[118] "Ye shall not eat of it." In spite of +all his urging, I remained steadfast and refused to touch the +tree. Then the serpent engaged to pluck the fruit for me. +Thereupon I opened the gate of Paradise, and he slipped in. +Scarcely was he within, when he said to me, "I repent of my +words, I would rather not give thee of the fruit of the forbidden +tree." It was but a cunning device to tempt me more. He consented +to give me of the fruit only after I swore to make my husband eat +of it, too. This is the oath he made me take: "By the throne of +God, by the cherubim, and by the tree of life, I shall give my +husband of this fruit, that he may eat, too." Thereupon the +serpent ascended the tree and injected his poison, the poison of +the evil inclination, into the fruit,[119] and bent the branch on +which it grew to the ground. I took hold of it, but I knew at +once that I was stripped of the righteousness in which I had been +clothed.[120] I began to weep, because of it and because of the +oath the serpent had forced from me. + +The serpent disappeared from the tree, while I sought leaves +wherewith to cover my nakedness, but all the trees within my +reach had cast off their leaves at the moment when I ate of the +forbidden fruit.[121] There was only one that retained its +leaves, the fig-tree, the very tree the fruit of which had been +forbidden to me.[122] I summoned Adam, and by means of +blasphemous words I prevailed upon him to eat of the fruit. As +soon as it had passed his lips, he knew his true condition, and +he exclaimed against me: "Thou wicked woman, what bast thou +brought down upon me? Thou hast removed me from the glory of +God." + +At the same time Adam and I heard the archangel Michael[123] blow +his trumpet, and all the angels cried out: "Thus saith the Lord, +Come ye with Me to Paradise and hearken unto the sentence which I +will pronounce upon Adam."[124] + +We hid ourselves because we feared the judgment of God. Sitting +in his chariot drawn by cherubim, the Lord, accompanied by angels +uttering His praise, appeared in Paradise. At His coming the bare +trees again put forth leaves.[125] His throne was erected by the +tree of life, and God addressed Adam: "Adam, where dost thou keep +thyself in hiding? Thinkest thou I cannot find thee? Can a house +conceal itself from its architect?"[126] + +Adam tried to put the blame on me, who had promised to hold him +harmless before God. And I in turn accused the serpent. But God +dealt out justice to all three of us. To Adam He said: "Because +thou didst not obey My commands, but didst hearken unto the voice +of thy wife, cursed is the ground in spite of thy work. When thou +dost cultivate it, it will not yield thee its strength. Thorns +and thistles shall it bring forth to thee, and in the sweat of +thy face shalt thou eat bread. Thou wilt suffer many a hardship, +thou wilt grow weary, and yet find no rest. Bitterly oppressed, +thou shalt never taste of any sweetness. Thou shalt be scourged +by heat, and yet pinched by cold. Thou shalt toil greatly, and +yet not gain wealth. Thou shalt grow fat, and yet cease to live. +And the animals over which thou art the master will rise up +against thee, because thou didst not keep my command."[127] + +Upon me God pronounced this sentence: "Thou shalt suffer anguish +in childbirth and grievous torture. In sorrow shalt thou bring +forth children, and in the hour of travail, when thou art near to +lose thy life, thou wilt confess and cry, 'Lord, Lord, save me +this time, and I will never again indulge in carnal pleasure,' +and yet thy desire shall ever and ever be unto thy husband."[128] + +At the same time all sorts of diseases were decreed upon us. God +said to Adam: "Because thou didst turn aside from My covenant, I +will inflict seventy plagues upon thy flesh. The pain of the +first plague shall lay hold on thy eyes; the pain of the second +plague upon thy hearing, and one after the other all the plagues +shall come upon thee."[129] The serpent God addressed thus: +"Because thou becamest the vessel of the Evil One,[130] deceiving +the innocent, cursed art thou above all cattle and above every +beast of the field. Thou shalt be robbed of the food thou wast +wont to eat, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life. +Upon thy breast and thy belly shalt thou go, and of thy hands and +thy feet thou shalt be deprived. Thou shalt not remain in +possession of thy ears, nor of thy wings, nor of any of thy limbs +wherewith thou didst seduce the woman and her husband, bringing +them to such a pass that they must be driven forth from Paradise. +And I will put enmity between thee and the seed of man. It shall +bruise thy head, and, thou shalt bruise his heel until the day of +judgment."[131] + + +THE DEATH OF ADAM + +On the last day of Adam's life, Eve said to him, "Why should I go +on living, when thou art no more? How long shall I have to linger +on after thy death? Tell me this!" Adam assured her she would not +tarry long. They would die together, and be buried together in +the same place. He commanded her not to touch his corpse until an +angel from God had made provision regarding it, and she was to +begin at once to pray to God until his soul escaped from his +body. + +While Eve was on her knees in prayer, an angel came,[132] and +bade her rise. "Eve, arise from thy penance," he commanded. +"Behold, thy husband hath left his mortal coil. Arise, and see +his spirit go up to his Creator, to appear before Him." And, lo, +she beheld a chariot of light, drawn by four shining eagles, and +preceded by angels. In this chariot lay the soul of Adam, which +the angels were taking to heaven. Arrived there, they burnt +incense until the clouds of smoke enveloped the heavens. Then +they prayed to God to have mercy upon His image and the work of +His holy hands. In her awe and fright, Eve summoned Seth, and she +bade him look upon the vision and explain the celestial sights +beyond her understanding. She asked, "Who may the two Ethiopians +be, who are adding their prayers to thy father's?" Seth told her, +they were the sun and the moon, turned so black because they +could not shine in the face of the Father of light.[133] Scarcely +had he spoken, when an angel blew a trumpet, and all the angels +cried out with awful voices, "Blessed be the glory of the Lord by +His creatures, for He has shown mercy unto Adam, the work of His +hands!" A seraph then seized Adam, and carried him off to the +river Acheron, washed him three times, and brought him before the +presence of God, who sat upon His throne, and, stretching out His +hand, lifted Adam up and gave him over to the archangel Michael, +with the words, "Raise him to the Paradise of the third heaven, +and there thou shalt leave him until the great and fearful day +ordained by Me." Michael executed the Divine behest, and all the +angels sang a song of praise, extolling God for the pardon He had +accorded Adam. + +Michael now entreated God to let him attend to the preparation of +Adam's body for the grave. Permission being given, Michael +repaired to earth, accompanied by all the angels. When they +entered the terrestrial Paradise, all the trees blossomed forth, +and the perfume wafted thence lulled all men into slumber except +Seth alone. Then God said to Adam, as his body lay on the ground: +"If thou hadst kept My commandment, they would not rejoice who +brought thee hither. But I tell thee, I will turn the joy of +Satan and his consorts into sorrow, and thy sorrow shall be +turned into joy. I will restore thee to thy dominion, and thou +shalt sit upon the throne of thy seducer, while he shall be +damned, with those who hearken unto him."[134] + +Thereupon, at the bidding of God, the three great archangels[135] +covered the body of Adam with linen, and poured sweet-smelling +oil upon it. With it they interred also the body of Abel, which +had lain unburied since Cain had slain him, for all the +murderer's efforts to hide it had been in vain. The corpse again +and again sprang forth from the earth, and a voice issued thence, +proclaiming, "No creature shall rest in the earth until the first +one of all has returned the dust to me of which it was +formed."[136] The angels carried the two bodies to Paradise, +Adam's and Abel's--the latter had all this time been lying on a +stone on which angels had placed it--and they buried them both on +the spot whence God had taken the dust wherewith to make +Adam.[137] + +God called unto the body of Adam, "Adam! Adam!" and it answered, +"Lord, here am I!" Then God said: "I told thee once, Dust thou +art, and unto dust shalt thou return. Now I promise thee +resurrection. I will awaken thee on the day of judgment, when all +the generations of men that spring from thy loins, shall arise +from the grave." God then sealed up the grave, that none might do +him harm during the six days to elapse until his rib should be +restored to him through the death of Eve.[138] + + +THE DEATH OF EVE + +The interval between Adam's death and her own Eve spent in +weeping. She was distressed in particular that she knew not what +had become of Adam's body, for none except Seth had been awake +while the angel interred it. When the hour of her death drew +nigh, Eve supplicated to be buried in the selfsame spot in which +the remains of her husband rested. She prayed to God: "Lord of +all powers! Remove not Thy maid-servant from the body of Adam, +from which Thou didst take me, from whose limbs Thou didst form +me. Permit me, who am an unworthy and sinning woman, to enter +into his habitation. As we were together in Paradise, neither +separated from the other; as together we were tempted to +transgress Thy law, neither separated from the other, so, O Lord, +separate us not now." To the end of her prayer she added the +petition, raising her eyes heavenward, "Lord of the world! +Receive my spirit!" and she gave up her soul to God. + +The archangel Michael came and taught Seth how to prepare Eve for +burial, and three angels descended and interred her body in the +grave with Adam and Abel. Then Michael spoke to Seth, "Thus shalt +thou bury all men that die until the resurrection day." And +again, having given him this command, he spoke: "Longer than six +days ye shall not mourn.[139] The repose of the seventh day is +the token of the resurrection in the latter day, for on the +seventh day the Lord rested from all the work which He had +created and made."[140] + +Though death was brought into the world through Adam, yet he +cannot be held responsible for the death of men. Once on a time +he said to God: "I am not concerned about the death of the +wicked, but I should not like the pious to reproach me and lay +the blame for their death upon me. I pray Thee, make no mention +of my guilt." And God promised to fulfil his wish. Therefore, +when a man is about to die, God appears to him, and bids him set +down in writing all he has done during his life, for, He tells +him, "Thou art dying by reason of thy evil deeds." The record +finished, God orders him to seal it with his seal. This is the +writing God will bring out on the judgment day, and to each will +be made known his deeds.[141] As soon as life is extinct in a +man, he is presented to Adam, whom he accuses of having caused +his death. But Adam repudiates the charge: "I committed but one +trespass. Is there any among you, and be he the most pious, who +has not been guilty of more than one?"[142] + + +III + +THE TEN GENERATIONS +THE BIRTH OF CAIN +FRATRICIDE +THE PUNISHMENT OF CAIN +THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEVEN EARTHS +THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN +THE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM AND LILITH +SETH AND HIS DESCENDANTS +ENOSH +THE FALL OF THE ANGELS +ENOCH, RULER AND TEACHER +THE ASCENSION OF ENOCH +THE TRANSLATION OF ENOCH +METHUSELAH + + + +III + +THE TEN GENERATIONS + +THE BIRTH OF CAIN + +There were ten generations from Adam to Noah, to show how +long-suffering is the Lord, for all the generations provoked Him +unto wrath, until He brought the deluge upon them.[1] By reason +of their impiousness God changed His plan of calling one thousand +generations into being between the creation of the world and the +revelation of the law at Mount Sinai; nine hundred and +seventy-four He suppressed before the flood.[2] + +Wickedness came into the world with the first being born of +woman, Cain, the oldest son of Adam. When God bestowed Paradise +upon the first pair of mankind, He warned them particularly +against carnal intercourse with each other. But after the fall of +Eve, Satan, in the guise of the serpent, approached her, and the +fruit of their union was Cain, the ancestor of all the impious +generations that were rebellious toward God, and rose up against +Him. Cain's descent from Satan, who is the angel Samael, was +revealed in his seraphic appearance. At his birth, the +exclamation was wrung from Eve, "I have gotten a man through an +angel of the Lord."[3] + +Adam was not in the company of Eve during the time of her +pregnancy with Cain. After she had succumbed a second time to the +temptations of Satan, and permitted herself to be interrupted in +her penance,[4] she left her husband and journeyed westward, +because she feared her presence might continue to bring him +misery. Adam remained in the east. When the days of Eve to be +delivered were fulfilled, and she began to feel the pangs of +travailing, she prayed to God for help. But He hearkened not unto +her supplications. "Who will carry the report to my lord Adam?" +she asked herself. "Ye luminaries in the sky, I beg you, tell it +to my master Adam when ye return to the east!" In that self same +hour, Adam cried out: "The lamentation of Eve has pierced to my +ear! Mayhap the serpent has again assaulted her," and he hastened +to his wife. Finding her in grievous pain, he besought God in her +behalf, and twelve angels appeared, together with two heavenly +powers.[5] All these took up their post to right of her and to +left of her, while Michael, also standing on her right side, +passed his hand over her, from her face downward to her breast, +and said to her, "Be thou blessed, Eve, for the sake of Adam. +Because of his solicitations and his prayers I was sent to grant +thee our assistance. Make ready to give birth to thy child!" +Immediately her son was born, a radiant figure.[6] A little while +and the babe stood upon his feet, ran off, and returned holding +in his hands a stalk of straw, which he gave to his mother. For +this reason he was named Cain, the Hebrew word for stalk of +straw. + +Now Adam took Eve and the boy to his home in the east. God sent +him various kinds of seeds by the hand of the angel Michael, and +he was taught how to cultivate the ground and make it yield +produce and fruits, to sustain himself and his family and his +posterity.[7] + +After a while, Eve bore her second son, whom she named Hebel, +because, she said, he was born but to die. + + +FRATRICIDE + +The slaying of Abel by Cain did not come as a wholly unexpected +event to his parents. In a dream Eve had seen the blood of Abel +flow into the mouth of Cain, who drank it with avidity, though +his brother entreated him not to take all. When she told her +dream to Adam, he said, lamenting, "O that this may not portend +the death of Abel at the hand of Cain!" He separated the two +lads, assigning to each an abode of his own, and to each he +taught a different occupation. Cain became a tiller of the +ground, and Abel a keeper of sheep. It was all in vain. In spite +of these precautions, Cain slew his brother.[9] + +His hostility toward Abel had more than one reason. It began when +God had respect unto the offering of Abel, and accepted it by +sending heavenly fire down to consume it, while the offering of +Cain was rejected.[10] They brought their sacrifices on the +fourteenth day of Nisan, at the instance of their father, who had +spoken thus to his sons: "This is the day on which, in times to +come, Israel will offer sacrifices. Therefore, do ye, too, bring +sacrifices to your Creator on this day, that He may take pleasure +in you." The place of offering which they chose was the spot +whereon the altar of the Temple at Jerusalem stood later.[11] +Abel selected the best of his flocks for his sacrifice, but Cain +ate his meal first, and after he had satisfied his appetite, he +offered unto God what was left over, a few grains of flax seed. +As though his offense had not been great enough in offering unto +God fruit of the ground which had been cursed by God![12] What +wonder that his sacrifice was not received with favor! Besides, a +chastisement was inflicted upon him. His face turned black as +smoke.[13] Nevertheless, his disposition underwent no change, +even when God spoke to him thus: "If thou wilt amend thy ways, +thy guilt will be forgiven thee; if not, thou wilt be delivered +into the power of the evil inclination. It coucheth at the door +of thy heart, yet it depends upon thee whether thou shalt be +master over it, or it shall be master over thee."[14] + +Cain thought he had been wronged, and a dispute followed between +him and Abel. "I believed," he said, "that the world was created +through goodness,[15] but I see that good deeds bear no fruit. +God rules the world with arbitrary power, else why had He respect +unto thy offering, and not unto mine also?" Abel opposed him; he +maintained that God rewards good deeds, without having respect +unto persons. If his sacrifice had been accepted graciously by +God, and Cain's not, it was because his deeds were good, and his +brother's wicked.[16] + +But this was not the only cause of Cain's hatred toward Abel. +Partly love for a woman brought about the crime. To ensure the +propagation of the human race, a girl, destined to be his wife, +was born together with each of the sons of Adam. Abel's twin +sister was of exquisite beauty, and Cain desired her.[17] +Therefore he was constantly brooding over ways and means of +ridding himself of his brother. + +The opportunity presented itself ere long. One day a sheep +belonging to Abel tramped over a field that had been planted by +Cain. In a rage, the latter called out, "What right hast thou to +live upon my land and let thy sheep pasture yonder?" Abel +retorted: "What right hast thou to use the products of my sheep, +to make garments for thyself from their wool? If thou wilt take +off the wool of my sheep wherein thou art arrayed, and wilt pay +me for the flesh of the flocks which thou hast eaten, then I will +quit thy land as thou desirest, and fly into the air, if I can do +it." Cain thereupon said, "And if I were to kill thee, who is +there to demand thy blood of me?" Abel replied: "God, who brought +us into the world, will avenge me. He will require my blood at +thine hand, if thou shouldst slay me. God is the Judge, who will +visit their wicked deeds upon the wicked, and their evil deeds +upon the evil. Shouldst thou slay me, God will know thy secret, +and He will deal out punishment unto thee." + +These words but added to the anger of Cain, and he threw himself +upon his brother.[18] Abel was stronger than he, and he would +have got the worst of it, but at the last moment he begged for +mercy, and the gentle Abel released his hold upon him. Scarcely +did he feel himself free, when he turned against Abel once more, +and slew him. So true is the saying, "Do the evil no good, lest +evil fall upon thee."[19] + + +THE PUNISHMENT OF CAIN + +The manner of Abel's death was the most cruel conceivable. Not +knowing what injury was fatal, Cain pelted all parts of his body +with stones, until one struck him on the neck and inflicted +death. + +After committing the murder, Cain resolved to flee, saying, "My +parents will demand account of me concerning Abel, for there is +no other human being on earth." This thought had but passed +through his mind when God appeared unto him, and addressed him in +these words: "Before thy parents thou canst flee, but canst thou +go out from My presence, too? 'Can any hide himself in secret +places that I shall not see him?' Alas for Abel that he showed +thee mercy, and refrained from killing thee, when he had thee in +his power! Alas that he granted thee the opportunity of slaying +him!" + +Questioned by God, "Where is Abel thy brother?" Cain answered: +"Am I my brother's keeper? Thou art He who holdest watch over all +creatures, and yet Thou demandest account of me! True, I slew +him, but Thou didst create the evil inclination in me. Thou +guardest all things; why, then, didst Thou permit me to slay him? +Thou didst Thyself slay him, for hadst Thou looked with a +favorable countenance toward my offering as toward his, I had had +no reason for envying him, and I had not slain him." But God +said, "The voice of thy brother's blood issuing from his many +wounds crieth out against thee,[20] and likewise the blood of all +the pious who might have sprung from the loins of Abel." + +Also the soul of Abel denounced the murderer, for she could find +rest nowhere. She could neither soar heavenward, nor abide in the +grave with her body, for no human soul had done either +before.[21] But Cain still refused to confess his guilt. He +insisted that he had never seen a man killed, and how was he to +suppose that the stones which he threw at Abel would take his +life? Then, on account of Cain, God cursed the ground, that it +might not yield fruit unto him.[22] With a single punishment both +Cain and the earth were chastised, the earth because it retained +the corpse of Abel, and did not cast it above ground.[23] + +In the obduracy of his heart, Cain spake: "O Lord of the world! +Are there informers who denounce men before Thee? My parents are +the only living human beings, and they know naught of my deed. +Thou abidest in the heavens, and how shouldst Thou know what +things happen on earth?" God said in reply: "Thou fool! I carry +the whole world. I have made it, and I will bear it"--a reply +that gave Cain the opportunity of feigning repentance. "Thou +bearest the whole world," he said, "and my sin Thou canst not +bear?[24] Verily, mine iniquity is too great to be borne! Yet, +yesterday Thou didst banish my father from Thy presence, to-day +Thou dost banish me. In sooth, it will be said, it is Thy way to +banish."[25] + +Although this was but dissimulation, and not true repentance, yet +God granted Cain pardon, and removed the half of his chastisement +from him. Originally, the decree had condemned him to be a +fugitive and a wanderer on the earth. Now he was no longer to +roam about forever, but a fugitive he was to remain. And so much +was hard enough to have to suffer, for the earth quaked under +Cain, and all the animals, the wild and the tame, among them the +accursed serpent, gathered together and essayed to devour him in +order to avenge the innocent blood of Abel. Finally Cain could +bear it no longer, and, breaking out in tears, he cried: "Whither +shall I go from Thy spirit? Or whither shall I flee from Thy +presence?"[26] To protect him from the onslaught of the beasts, +God inscribed one letter of His Holy Name upon his forehead, and +furthermore He addressed the animals: "Cain's punishment shall +not be like unto the punishment of future murderers. He has shed +blood, but there was none to give him instruction. Henceforth, +however, he who slays another shall himself be slain." Then God +gave him the dog as a protection against the wild beasts, and to +mark him as a sinner, He afflicted him with leprosy. + +Cain's repentance, insincere though it was, bore a good result. +When Adam met him, and inquired what doom had been decreed +against him, Cain told how his repentance had propitiated God, +and Adam exclaimed, "So potent is repentance, and I knew it not!" +Thereupon he composed a hymn of praise to God, beginning with the +words, "It is a good thing to confess thy sins unto the +Lord!"[29] + +The crime committed by Cain had baneful consequences, not for +himself alone, but for the whole of nature also. Before, the +fruits which the earth bore unto him when he tilled the ground +had tasted like the fruits of Paradise. Now his labor produced +naught but thorns and thistles.[29] The ground changed and +deteriorated at the very moment of Abel's violent end. The trees +and the plants in the part of the earth whereon the victim lived +refused to yield their fruits, on account of their grief over +him, and only at the birth of Seth those that grew in the portion +belonging to Abel began to flourish and bear again. But never did +they resume their former powers. While, before, the vine had +borne nine hundred and twenty-six different varieties of fruit, +it now brought forth but one kind. And so it was with all other +species. They will regain their pristine powers only in the world +to come.[30] + +Nature was modified also by the burial of the corpse of Abel. For +a long time it lay there exposed, above ground, because Adam and +Eve knew not what to do with it. They sat beside it and wept, +while the faithful dog of Abel kept guard that birds and beasts +did it no harm. On a sudden, the mourning parents observed how a +raven scratched the earth away in one spot, and then hid a dead +bird of his own kind in the ground. Adam, following the example +of the raven, buried the body of Abel, and the raven was rewarded +by God. His young are born with white feathers, wherefore the old +birds desert them, not recognizing them as their offspring. They +take them for serpents. God feeds them until their plumage turns +black, and the parent birds return to them. As an additional +reward, God grants their petition when the ravens pray for +rain.[31] + + +THE INHABITANTS OF THE SEVEN EARTHS + +When Adam was cast out of Paradise, he first reached the lowest +of the seven earths, the Erez, which is dark, without a ray of +light, and utterly void. Adam was terrified, particularly by the +flames of the ever-turning sword, which is on this earth. After +he had done penance, God led him to the second earth, the Adamah, +where there is light reflected from its own sky and from its +phantom-like stars and constellations. Here dwell the +phantom-like beings that issued from the union of Adam with the +spirits. They are always sad; the emotion of joy is not known to +them. They leave their own earth and repair to the one inhabited +by men, where they are changed into evil spirits. Then they +return to their abode for good, repent of their wicked deeds, and +till the ground, which, however, bears neither wheat nor any +other of the seven species.[34] In this Adamah, Cain, Abel, and +Seth were born. After the murder of Abel, Cain was sent back to +the Erez, where he was frightened into repentance by its darkness +and by the flames of the ever-turning sword. Accepting his +penitence, God permitted him to ascend to the third earth, the +Arka, which receives some light from the sun. The Arka was +surrendered to the Cainites forever, as their perpetual domain. +They till the ground, and plant trees, but they have neither +wheat nor any other of the seven species. + +Some of the Cainites are giants, some of them are dwarfs. They +have two heads, wherefore they can never arrive at a decision; +they are always at loggerheads with themselves.[34] It may happen +that they are pious now, only to be inclined to do evil the next +moment. + +In the Ge, the fourth earth, live the generation of the Tower of +Babel and their descendants. God banished them thither because +the fourth earth is not far from Gehenna, and therefore close to +the flaming fire.[35] The inhabitants of the Ge are skilful in +all arts, and accomplished in all departments of science and +knowledge, and their abode overflows with wealth. When an +inhabitant of our earth visits them, they give him the most +precious thing in their possession, but then they lead him to the +Neshiah, the fifth earth, where he becomes oblivious of his +origin and his home. The Neshiah is inhabited by dwarfs without +noses; they breathe through two holes instead. They have no +memory; once a thing has happened, they forget it completely, +whence their earth is called Neshiah, "forgetting." The fourth +and fifth earths are like the Arka; they have trees, but neither +wheat nor any other of the seven species. + +The sixth earth, the Ziah, is inhabited by handsome men, who are +the owners of abundant wealth, and live in palatial residences, +but they lack water, as the name of their territory, Ziah, +"drought," indicates. Hence vegetation is sparse with them, and +their tree culture meets with indifferent success. They hasten to +any waterspring that is discovered, and sometimes they succeed in +slipping through it up to our earth, where they satisfy their +sharp appetite for the food eaten by the inhabitants of our +earth. For the rest, they are men of steadfast faith, more than +any other class of mankind.[36] + +Adam remained in the Adamah until after the birth of Seth. Then, +passing the third earth, the Arka, the abiding place of the +Cainites, and the next three earths as well, the Ge, the Neshiah, +and the Ziah, God transported him to the Tebel, the seventh +earth, the earth inhabited by men. + + +THE DESCENDANTS OF CAIN + +Cain knew only too well that his blood-guiltiness would be +visited upon him in the seventh generation. Thus had God decreed +against him.[37] He endeavored, therefore, to immortalize his +name by means of monuments,[38] and he became a builder of +cities. The first of them he called Enoch, after his son, because +it was at the birth of Enoch that he began to enjoy a measure of +rest and peace.[39] Besides, he founded six other cities.[40] +This building of cities was a godless deed, for he surrounded +them with a wall, forcing his family to remain within. All his +other doings were equally impious. The punishment God had +ordained for him did not effect any improvement. He sinned in +order to secure his own pleasure, though his neighbors suffered +injury thereby. He augmented his household substance by rapine +and violence; he excited his acquaintances to procure pleasures +and spoils by robbery, and he became a great leader of men into +wicked courses. He also introduced a change in the ways of +simplicity wherein men had lived before, and he was the author of +measures and weights. And whereas men lived innocently and +generously while they knew nothing of such arts, he changed the +world into cunning craftiness.[41] + +Like unto Cain were all his descendants, impious and godless, +wherefore God resolved to destroy them.[42] + +The end of Cain overtook him in the seventh generation of men, +and it was inflicted upon him by the hand of his great-grandson +Lamech. This Lamech was blind, and when he went a-hunting, he was +led by his young son, who would apprise his father when game came +in sight, and Lamech would then shoot at it with his bow and +arrow. Once upon a time he and his son went on the chase, and the +lad discerned something horned in the distance. He naturally took +it to be a beast of one kind or another, and he told the blind +Lamech to let his arrow fly. The aim was good, and the quarry +dropped to the ground. When they came close to the victim, the +lad exclaimed: "Father, thou hast killed something that resembles +a human being in all respects, except it carries a horn on its +forehead!" Lamech knew at once what had happened--he had killed +his ancestor Cain, who had been marked by God with a horn.[43] In +despair he smote his hands together, inadvertently killing his +son as he clasped them. Misfortune still followed upon +misfortune. The earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the four +generations sprung from Cain--Enoch, Irad, Mehujael, and +Methushael. Lamech, sightless as he was, could not go home; he +had to remain by the side of Cain's corpse and his son's. Toward +evening, his wives, seeking him, found him there. When they heard +what he had done, they wanted to separate from him, all the more +as they knew that whoever was descended from Cain was doomed to +annihilation. But Lamech argued, "If Cain, who committed murder +of malice aforethought, was punished only in the seventh +generation, then I, who had no intention of killing a human +being, may hope that retribution will be averted for seventy and +seven generations." With his wives, Lamech repaired to Adam, who +heard both parties, and decided the case in favor of Lamech.[44] + +The corruptness of the times, and especially the depravity of +Cain's stock, appears in the fact that Lamech, as well as all the +men in the generation of the deluge, married two wives, one with +the purpose of rearing children, the other in order to pursue +carnal indulgences, for which reason the latter was rendered +sterile by artificial means. As the men of the time were intent +upon pleasure rather than desirous of doing their duty to the +human race, they gave all their love and attention to the barren +women, while their other wives spent their days like widows, +joyless and in gloom. + +The two wives of Lamech, Adah and Zillah, bore him each two +children, Adah two sons, Jabal and Jubal, and Zillah a son, +Tubal-cain, and a daughter, Naamah. Jabal was the first among men +to erect temples to idols, and Jubal invented the music sung and +played therein. Tubal-cain was rightly named, for he completed +the work of his ancestor Cain. Cain committed murder, and +Tubal-cain, the first who knew how to sharpen iron and copper, +furnished the instruments used in wars and combats. Naamah, "the +lovely," earned her name from the sweet sounds which she drew +from her cymbals when she called the worshippers to pay homage to +idols.[45] + + +THE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM AND LILITH + +When the wives of Lamech heard the decision of Adam, that they +were to continue to live with their husband, they turned upon +him, saying, "O physician, heal thine own lameness!" They were +alluding to the fact that he himself had been living apart from +his wife since the death of Abel, for he had said, "Why should I +beget children, if it is but to expose them to death?"[46] + +Though he avoided intercourse with Eve, he was visited in his +sleep by female spirits, and from his union with them sprang +shades and demons of various kinds,[47] and they were endowed +with peculiar gifts. + +Once upon a time there lived in Palestine a very rich and pious +man, who had a son named Rabbi Hanina. He knew the whole of the +Torah by heart. When he was at the point of death, he sent for +his son, Rabbi Hanina, and bade him, as his last request, to +study the Torah day and night, fulfil the commands of the law, +and be a faithful friend to the poor. He also told him that he +and his wife, the mother of Rabbi Hanina, would die on the +selfsame day, and the seven days of mourning for the two would +end on the eve of the Passover. He enjoined him not to grieve +excessively, but to go to market on that day, and buy the first +article offered to him, no matter how costly it might be. If it +happened to be an edible, he was to prepare it and serve it with +much ceremony. His expense and trouble would receive their +recompense. All happened as foretold: the man and his wife died +upon the same day, and the end of the week of mourning coincided +with the eve of the Passover. The son in turn carried out his +father's behest: he repaired to market, and there he met an old +man who offered a silver dish for sale. Although the price asked +was exorbitant, yet he bought it, as his father had bidden. The +dish was set upon the Seder table, and when Rabbi Hanina opened +it, he found a second dish within, and inside of this a live +frog, jumping and hopping around gleefully. He gave the frog food +and drink, and by the end of the festival he was grown so big +that Rabbi Hanina made a cabinet for him, in which he ate and +lived. In the course of time, the cabinet became too small, and +the Rabbi built a chamber, put the frog within, and gave him +abundant food and drink. All this he did that he might not +violate his father's last wish. But the frog waxed and grew; he +consumed all his host owned, until, finally, Rabbi Hanina was +stripped bare of all his possessions. Then the frog opened his +mouth and began to speak. "My dear Rabbi Hanina," he said, "do +not worry! Seeing thou didst raise me and care for me, thou +mayest ask of me whatever thy heart desireth, and it shall be +granted thee." Rabbi Hanina made reply, "I desire naught but that +thou shouldst teach me the whole of the Torah." The frog +assented, and he did, indeed, teach him the whole of the Torah, +and the seventy languages of men besides.[48] His method was to +write a few words upon a scrap of paper, which he had his pupil +swallow. Thus he acquired not alone the Torah and the seventy +tongues, but also the language of beasts and birds. Thereupon the +frog spoke to the wife of Rabbi Hanina: "Thou didst tend me well, +and I have given thee no recompense. But thy reward will be paid +thee before I depart from you, only you must both accompany me to +the woods. There you shall see what I shall do for you." +Accordingly, they went to the woods with him. Arrived there, the +frog began to cry aloud, and at the sound all sorts of beasts and +birds assembled. These he commanded to produce precious stones, +as many as they could carry. Also they were to bring herbs and +roots for the wife of Rabbi Hanina, and he taught her how to use +them as remedies for all varieties of disease. All this they were +bidden to take home with them. When they were about to return, +the frog addressed them thus: "May the Holy One, blessed be He, +have mercy upon you, and requite you for all the trouble you took +on my account, without so much as inquiring who I am. Now I shall +make my origin known to you. I am the son of Adam, a son whom he +begot during the hundred and thirty years of his separation from +Eve. God has endowed me with the power of assuming any form or +guise I desire." Rabbi Hanina and his wife departed for their +home, and they became very rich, and enjoyed the respect and +confidence of the king.[49] + + +SETH AND HIS DESCENDANTS + +The exhortations of the wives of Lamech took effect upon Adam. +After a separation of one hundred and thirty years, he returned +to Eve, and the love he now bore her was stronger by far than in +the former time. She was in his thoughts even when she was not +present to him bodily. The fruit of their reunion was Seth, who +was destined to be the ancestor of the Messiah.[50] + +Seth was so formed from birth that the rite of circumcision could +be dispensed with. He was thus one of the thirteen men born +perfect in a way.[51] Adam begot him in his likeness and image, +different from Cain, who had not been in his likeness and image. +Thus Seth became, in a genuine sense, the father of the human +race, especially the father of the pious, while the depraved and +godless are descended from Cain.[52] + +Even during the lifetime of Adam the descendants of Cain became +exceedingly wicked, dying successively, one after another, each +more wicked than the former. They were intolerable in war, and +vehement in robberies, and if any one were slow to murder people, +yet was he bold in his profligate behavior in acting unjustly and +doing injury for gain. + +Now as to Seth. When he was brought up, and came to those years +in which he could discern what was good, he became a virtuous +man, and as he was himself of excellent character, so he left +children behind him who imitated his virtues. All these proved to +be of good disposition. They also inhabited one and the same +country without dissensions, and in a happy condition, without +any misfortune's falling upon them, until they died. They also +were the inventors of that peculiar sort of wisdom which is +concerned with the heavenly bodies and their order. And that +their inventions might not be lost before they were sufficiently +known, they made two pillars, upon Adam's prediction that the +world was to be destroyed at one time by the force of fire and at +another time by the violence and quantity of water. The one was +of brick, the other of stone, and they inscribed their +discoveries on both, that in case the pillar of brick should be +destroyed by the flood, the pillar of stone might remain, and +exhibit these discoveries to mankind, and also inform them that +there was another pillar, of brick, erected by them.[53] + + +ENOSH + +Enosh was asked who his father was, and he named Seth. The +questioners, the people of his time, continued: "Who was the father of +Seth?" Enosh: "Adam."--"And who was the father of Adam?"--"He had +neither father nor mother, God formed him from the dust of the +earth."--"But man has not the appearance of dust!"--"After death man +returns to dust, as God said, 'And man shall turn again unto dust;' +but on the day of his creation, man was made in the image of +God."--"How was the woman created?"--"Male and female He created +them."--"But how?"--"God took water and earth, and moulded them +together in the form of man."--"But how?" pursued the questioners. + +Enosh took six clods of earth, mixed them, and moulded them, and +formed an image of dust and clay. "But," said the people, "this +image does not walk, nor does it possess any breath of life." He +then essayed to show them how God breathed the breath of life +into the nostrils of Adam, but when he began to blow his breath +into the image he had formed, Satan entered it, and the figure +walked, and the people of his time who had been inquiring these +matters of Enosh went astray after it, saying, "What is the +difference between bowing down before this image and paying +homage to a man?"[54] + +The generation of Enosh were thus the first idol worshippers, and +the punishment for their folly was not delayed long. God caused +the sea to transgress its bounds, and a portion of the earth was +flooded. This was the time also when the mountains became rocks, +and the dead bodies of men began to decay. And still another +consequence of the sin of idolatry was that the countenances of +the men of the following generations were no longer in the +likeness and image of God, as the countenances of Adam, Seth, and +Enosh had been. They resembled centaurs and apes, and the demons +lost their fear of men.[55] + +But there was a still more serious consequence from the +idolatrous practices introduced in the time of Enosh. When God +drove Adam forth from Paradise, the Shekinah remained behind, +enthroned above a cherub under the tree of life. The angels +descended from heaven and repaired thither in hosts, to receive +their instructions, and Adam and his descendants sat by the gate +to bask in the splendor of the Shekinah, sixty-five thousand +times more radiant than the splendor of the sun. This brightness +of the Shekinah makes all upon whom it falls exempt from disease, +and neither insects nor demons can come nigh unto them to do them +harm. + +Thus it was until the time of Enosh, when men began to gather +gold, silver, gems, and pearls from all parts of the earth, and +made idols thereof a thousand parasangs high. What was worse, by +means of the magic arts taught them by the angels Uzza and +Azzael, they set themselves as masters over the heavenly spheres, +and forced the sun, the moon, and the stars to be subservient to +themselves instead of the Lord. This impelled the angels to ask +God: "'What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?' Why didst +Thou abandon the highest of the heavens, the seat of Thy glory +and Thy exalted Throne in 'Arabot, and descend to men, who pay +worship to idols, putting Thee upon a level with them?" The +Shekinah was induced to leave the earth and ascend to heaven, +amid the blare and flourish of the trumpets of the myriads of +angel hosts.[56] + + +THE FALL OF THE ANGELS + +The depravity of mankind, which began to show itself in the time +of Enosh, had increased monstrously in the time of his grandson +Jared, by reason of the fallen angels. When the angels saw the +beautiful, attractive daughters of men, they lusted after them, +and spoke: "We will choose wives for ourselves only from among +the daughters of men, and beget children with them." Their chief +Shemhazai said, "I fear me, ye will not put this plan of yours +into execution, and I alone shall have to suffer the consequences +of a great sin." Then they answered him, and said: "We will all +swear an oath, and we will bind ourselves, separately and +together, not to abandon the plan, but to carry it through to the +end." + +Two hundred angels descended to the summit of Mount Hermon, which +owes its name to this very occurrence, because they bound +themselves there to fulfil their purpose, on the penalty of +Herem, anathema. Under the leadership of twenty captains they +defiled themselves with the daughters of men, unto whom they +taught charms, conjuring formulas, how to cut roots, and the +efficacy of plants. The issue from these mixed marriages was a +race of giants, three thousand ells tall, who consumed the +possessions of men. When all had vanished, and they could obtain +nothing more from them, the giants turned against men and +devoured many of them, and the remnant of men began to trespass +against the birds, beasts, reptiles, and fishes, eating their +flesh and drinking their blood. + +Then the earth complained about the impious evil-doers. But the +fallen angels continued to corrupt mankind. Azazel taught men how +to make slaughtering knives, arms, shields, and coats of mail. He +showed them metals and how to work them, and armlets and all +sorts of trinkets, and the use of rouge for the eyes, and how to +beautify the eyelids, and how to ornament themselves with the +rarest and most precious jewels and all sorts of paints. The +chief of the fallen angels, Shemhazai, instructed them in +exorcisms and how to cut roots; Armaros taught them how to raise +spells; Barakel, divination from the stars; Kawkabel, astrology; +Ezekeel, augury from the clouds; Arakiel, the signs of the earth; +Samsaweel, the signs of the sun; and Seriel, the signs of the +moon.[57] + +While all these abominations defiled the earth, the pious Enoch +lived in a secret place. None among men knew his abode, or what +had become of him, for he was sojourning with the angel watchers +and holy ones. Once he heard the call addressed to him: "Enoch, +thou scribe of justice, go unto the watchers of the heavens, who +have left the high heavens, the eternal place of holiness, +defiling themselves with women, doing as men do, taking wives +unto themselves, and casting themselves into the arms of +destruction upon earth. Go and proclaim unto them that they shall +find neither peace nor pardon. For every time they take joy in +their offspring, they shall see the violent death of their sons, +and sigh over the ruin of their children. They will pray and +supplicate evermore, but never shall they attain to mercy or +peace." + +Enoch repaired to Azazel and the other fallen angels, to announce +the doom uttered against them. They all were filled with fear. +Trembling seized upon them, and they implored Enoch to set up a +petition for them and read it to the Lord of heaven, for they +could not speak with God as aforetime, nor even raise their eyes +heavenward, for shame on account of their sins. Enoch granted +their request, and in a vision he was vouchsafed the answer which +he was to carry back to the angels. It appeared to Enoch that he +was wafted into heaven upon clouds, and was set down before the +throne of God. God spake: "Go forth and say to the watchers of +heaven who have sent thee hither to intercede for them: Verily, +it is you who ought to plead in behalf of men, not men in behalf +of you I Why did ye forsake the high, holy, and eternal heavens, +to pollute yourselves with the daughters of men, taking wives +unto yourselves, doing like the races of the earth, and begetting +giant sons? Giants begotten by flesh and spirits will be called +evil spirits on earth, and on the earth will be their +dwelling-place. Evil spirits proceed from their bodies, because +they are created from above, and from the holy watchers is their +beginning and primal origin; they will be evil spirits on earth, +and evil spirits they will be named. And the spirits of heaven +have their dwelling in heaven, but the spirits of the earth, +which were born upon the earth, have their dwelling on the earth. +And the spirits of the giants will devour, oppress, destroy, +attack, do battle, and cause destruction on the earth, and work +affliction. They will take no kind of food, nor will they thirst, +and they will be invisible. And these spirits will rise up +against the children of men and against the women, because they +have proceeded from them. Since the days of murder and +destruction and the death of the giants, when the spirits went +forth from the soul of their flesh, in order to destroy without +incurring judgment--thus will they destroy until the day when the +great consummation of the great world be consummated. And now as +to the watchers who have sent thee to intercede for them, who had +been aforetime in heaven, say to them: You have been in heaven, +and though the hidden things had not yet been revealed to you, +you know worthless mysteries, and in the hardness of your hearts +you have recounted these to the women, and through these +mysteries women and men work much evil on earth. Say to them +therefore: You have no peace!"[58] + + +ENOCH, RULER AND TEACHER + +After Enoch had lived a long time secluded from men, he once +heard the voice of an angel calling to him: "Enoch, Enoch, make +thyself ready and leave the house and the secret place wherein +thou hast kept thyself hidden, and assume dominion over men, to +teach them the ways in which they shall walk, and the deeds which +they shall do, in order that they may walk in the ways of God." + +Enoch left his retreat and betook himself to the haunts of men. +He gathered them about him, and instructed them in the conduct +pleasing to God. He sent messengers all over to announce, "Ye who +desire to know the ways of God and righteous conduct, come ye to +Enoch!" Thereupon a vast concourse of people thronged about him, +to hear the wisdom he would teach and learn from his mouth what +is good and right. Even kings and princes, no less than one +hundred and thirty in number, assembled about him, and submitted +themselves to his dominion, to be taught and guided by him, as he +taught and guided all the others. Peace reigned thus over the +whole world all the two hundred and forty-three years during +which the influence of Enoch prevailed. + +At the expiration of this period, in the year in which Adam died, +and was buried with great honors by Seth, Enosh, Enoch, and +Methuselah, Enoch resolved to retire again from intercourse with +men, and devote himself wholly to the service of God. But he +withdrew gradually. First he would spend three days in prayer and +praise of God, and on the fourth day he would return to his +disciples and grant them instruction. Many years passed thus, +then he appeared among them but once a week, later, once a month, +and, finally, once a year. The kings, princes, and all others who +were desirous of seeing Enoch and hearkening to his words did not +venture to come close to him during the times of his retirement. +Such awful majesty sat upon his countenance, they feared for +their very life if they but looked at him. They therefore +resolved that all men should prefer their requests before Enoch +on the day he showed himself unto them. + +The impression made by the teachings of Enoch upon all who heard +them was powerful. They prostrated themselves before him, and +cried "Long live the king! Long live the king!" On a certain day, +while Enoch was giving audience to his followers, an angel +appeared and made known unto him that God had resolved to install +him as king over the angels in heaven, as until then he had +reigned over men. He called together all the inhabitants of the +earth, and addressed them thus: "I have been summoned to ascend +into heaven, and I know not on what day I shall go thither. +Therefore I will teach you wisdom and righteousness before I go +hence." A few days yet Enoch spent among men, and all the time +left to him he gave instruction in wisdom, knowledge, God-fearing +conduct, and piety, and established law and order, for the +regulation of the affairs of men. Then those gathered near him +saw a gigantic steed descend from the skies, and they told Enoch +of it, who said, "The steed is for me, for the time has come and +the day when I leave you, never to be seen again." So it was. The +steed approached Enoch, and he mounted upon its back, all the +time instructing the people, exhorting them, enjoining them to +serve God and walk in His ways. Eight hundred thousand of the +people followed a day's journey after him. But on the second day +Enoch urged his retinue to turn back: "Go ye home, lest death +overtake you, if you follow me farther." Most of them heeded his +words and went back, but a number remained with him for six days, +though he admonished them daily to return and not bring death +down upon themselves. On the sixth day of the journey, he said to +those still accompanying him, "Go ye home, for on the morrow I +shall ascend to heaven, and whoever will then be near me, he will +die." Nevertheless, some of his companions remained with him, +saying: "Whithersoever thou goest, we will go. By the living God, +death alone shall part us." + +On the seventh day Enoch was carried into the heavens in a fiery +chariot drawn by fiery chargers. The day thereafter, the kings +who had turned back in good time sent messengers to inquire into +the fate of the men who had refused to separate themselves from +Enoch, for they had noted the number of them. They found snow and +great hailstones upon the spot whence Enoch had risen, and, when +they searched beneath, they discovered the bodies of all who had +remained behind with Enoch. He alone was not among them; he was +on high in heaven.[59] + + +THE ASCENSION OF ENOCH + +This was not the first time Enoch had been in heaven. Once +before, while he sojourned among men, he had been permitted to +see all there is on earth and in the heavens. On a time when he +was sleeping, a great grief came upon his heart, and he wept in +his dream, not knowing what the grief meant, nor what would +happen to him. And there appeared to him two men, very tall. +Their faces shone like the sun, and their eyes were like burning +lamps, and fire came forth from their lips; their wings were +brighter than gold, their hands whiter than snow. They stood at +the head of Enoch's bed, and called him by his name. He awoke +from his sleep, and hastened and made obeisance to them, and was +terrified. And these men said to him: "Be of good cheer, Enoch, +be not afraid; the everlasting God hath sent us to thee, and lo! +to-day thou shalt ascend with us into heaven. And tell thy sons +and thy servants, and let none seek thee, till the Lord bring +thee back to them." + +Enoch did as he was told, and after he had spoken to his sons, +and instructed them not to turn aside from God, and to keep His +judgment, these two men summoned him, and took him on their +wings, and placed him on the clouds, which moved higher and +higher, till they set him down in the first heaven. Here they +showed him the two hundred angels who rule the stars, and their +heavenly service. Here he saw also the treasuries of snow and +ice, of clouds and dew. + +From there they took him to the second heaven, where he saw the +fallen angels imprisoned, they who obeyed not the commandments of +God, and took counsel of their own will. The fallen angels said +to Enoch, "O man of God! Pray for us to the Lord," and he +answered: "Who am I, a mortal man, that I should pray for angels? +Who knows whither I go, or what awaits me?" + +They took him from thence to the third heaven, where they showed +him Paradise, with all the trees of beautiful colors, and their +fruits, ripe and luscious, and all kinds of food which they +produced, springing up with delightful fragrance. In the midst of +Paradise he saw the tree of life, in that place in which God +rests when He comes into Paradise. This tree cannot be described +for its excellence and sweet fragrance, and it is beautiful, more +than any created thing, and on all its sides it is like gold and +crimson in appearance, and transparent as fire, and it covers +everything. From its root in the garden there go forth four +streams, which pour out honey, milk, oil, and wine, and they go +down to the Paradise of Eden, that lies on the confines between +the earthly region of corruptibility and the heavenly region of +incorruptibility, and thence they go along the earth. He also saw +the three hundred angels who keep the garden, and with +never-ceasing voices and blessed singing they serve the Lord +every day. The angels leading Enoch explained to him that this +place is prepared for the righteous, while the terrible place +prepared for the sinners is in the northern regions of the third +heaven. He saw there all sorts of tortures, and impenetrable +gloom, and there is no light there, but a gloomy fire is always +burning. And all that place has fire on all sides, and on all +sides cold and ice, thus it burns and freezes. And the angels, +terrible and without pity, carry savage weapons, and their +torture is unmerciful. + +The angels took him then to the fourth heaven, and showed him all +the comings in and goings forth, and all the rays of the light of +the sun and the moon. He saw the fifteen myriads of angels who go +out with the sun, and attend him during the day, and the thousand +angels who attend him by night. Each angel has six wings, and +they go before the chariot of the sun, while one hundred angels +keep the sun warm, and light it up. He saw also the wonderful and +strange creatures named phoenixes and chalkidri, who attend the +chariot of the sun, and go with him, bringing heat and dew. They +showed him also the six gates in the east of the fourth heaven, +by which the sun goes forth, and the six gates in the west where +he sets, and also the gates by which the moon goes out, and those +by which she enters. In the middle of the fourth heaven he saw an +armed host, serving the Lord with cymbals and organs and +unceasing voices. + +In the fifth heaven he saw many hosts of the angels called +Grigori. Their appearance was like men, and their size was +greater than the size of the giants, their countenances were +withered, and their lips silent. On his question who they were, +the angels leading him answered, "These are the Grigori, who with +their prince Salamiel rejected the holy Lord." Enoch then said to +the Grigori, "Why wait ye, brethren, and serve ye not before the +face of the Lord, and why perform ye not your duties before the +face of the Lord, and anger not your Lord to the end?" The +Grigori listened to the rebuke, and when the trumpets resounded +together with a loud call, they also began to sing with one +voice, and their voices went forth before the Lord with sadness +and tenderness. + +In the seventh heaven he saw the seven bands of archangels who +arrange and study the revolutions of the stars and the changes of +the moon and the revolution of the sun, and superintend the good +or evil conditions of the world. And they arrange teachings and +instructions and sweet speaking and singing and all kinds of +glorious praise. They hold in subjection all living things, both +in heaven and on earth. In the midst of them are seven phoenixes, +and seven cherubim, and seven six-winged creatures, singing with +one voice. + +When Enoch reached the seventh heaven, and saw all the fiery +hosts of great archangels and incorporeal powers and lordships +and principalities and powers, he was afraid and trembled with a +great terror. Those leading him took hold of him, and brought him +into the midst of them, and said to him, "Be of good cheer, +Enoch, be not afraid," and they showed him the Lord from afar, +sitting on His lofty throne, while all the heavenly hosts, +divided in ten classes, having approached, stood on the ten steps +according to their rank, and made obeisance to the Lord. And so +they proceeded to their places in joy and mirth and boundless +light, singing songs with low and gentle voices, and gloriously +serving Him. They leave not nor depart day or night, standing +before the face of the Lord, working His will, cherubim and +seraphim, standing around His throne. And the six-winged +creatures overshadow all His throne, singing with a soft voice +before the face of the Lord, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of +hosts; heaven and earth are full of His glory." When he had seen +all these, the angels leading him said to him, "Enoch, up to this +time we were ordered to accompany thee." They departed, and he +saw them no more. Enoch remained at the extremity of the seventh +heaven, in great terror, saying to himself, "Woe is me! What has +come upon me!" But then Gabriel came and said unto him, "Enoch, +be not afraid, stand up and come with me, and stand up before the +face of the Lord forever." And Enoch answered: "O my lord, my +spirit has departed from me with fear and trembling. Call the men +to me who have brought me to the place! Upon them I have relied, +and with them I would go before the face of the Lord." And +Gabriel hurried him away like a leaf carried off by the wind, and +set him before the face of the Lord. Enoch fell down and +worshipped the Lord, who said to him: "Enoch, be not afraid! Rise +up and stand before My face forever." And Michael lifted him up, +and at the command of the Lord took his earthly robe from him, +and anointed him with the holy oil, and clothed him, and when he +gazed upon himself, he looked like one of God's glorious ones, +and fear and trembling departed from him. God called then one of +His archangels who was more wise than all the others, and wrote +down all the doings of the Lord, and He said to him, "Bring forth +the books from My store-place, and give a reed to Enoch, and +interpret the books to him." The angel did as he was commanded, +and he instructed Enoch thirty days and thirty nights, and his +lips never ceased speaking, while Enoch was writing down all the +things about heaven and earth, angels and men, and all that is +suitable to be instructed in. He also wrote down all about the +souls of men, those of them which are not born, and the places +prepared for them forever. He copied all accurately, and he wrote +three hundred and sixty-six books. After he had received all the +instructions from the archangel, God revealed unto him great +secrets, which even the angels do not know. He told him how, out +of the lowest darkness, the visible and the invisible were +created, how He formed heaven, light, water, and earth, and also +the fall of Satan and the creation and sin of Adam He narrated to +him, and further revealed to him that the duration of the world +will be seven thousand years, and the eighth millennium will be a +time when there is no computation, no end, neither years, nor +months, nor weeks, nor days, nor hours. + +The Lord finished this revelation to Enoch with the words: "And +now I give thee Samuil and Raguil, who brought thee to Me. Go +with them upon the earth, and tell thy sons what things I have +said to thee, and what thou hast seen from the lowest heaven up +to My throne. Give them the works written out by thee, and they +shall read them, and shall distribute the books to their +children's children and from generation to generation and from +nation to nation. And I will give thee My messenger Michael for +thy writings and for the writings of thy fathers, Adam, Seth, +Enosh, Kenan, Mahalalel, and Jared thy father. And I shall not +require them till the last age, for I have instructed My two +angels, Ariuk and Mariuk, whom I have put upon the earth as their +guardians, and I have ordered them in time to guard them, that +the account of what I shall do in thy family may not be lost in +the deluge to come. For on account of the wickedness and iniquity +of men, I will bring a deluge upon the earth, and I will destroy +all, but I will leave a righteous man of thy race with all his +house, who shall act according to My will. From their seed will +be raised up a numerous generation, and on the extinction of that +family, I will show them the books of thy writings and of thy +father, and the guardians of them on earth will show them to the +men who are true and please Me. And they shall tell to another +generation, and they, having read them, shall be glorified at +last more than before." + +Enoch was then sent to earth to remain there for thirty days to +instruct his sons, but before he left heaven, God sent an angel +to him whose appearance was like snow, and his hands were like +ice. Enoch looked at him, and his face was chilled, that men +might be able to endure the sight of him. The angels who took him +to heaven put him upon his bed, in the place where his son +Methuselah was expecting him by day and by night. Enoch assembled +his sons and all his household, and instructed them faithfully +about all things he had seen, heard, and written down, and he +gave his books to his sons, to keep them and read them, +admonishing them not to conceal the books, but tell them to all +desiring to know. When the thirty days had been completed, the +Lord sent darkness upon the earth, and there was gloom, and it +hid the men standing with Enoch. And the angels hasted and took +Enoch, and carried him to the highest heaven, where the Lord +received him and set him before His face, and the darkness +departed from the earth, and there was light. And the people saw, +and did not understand how Enoch was taken, and they glorified +God. + +Enoch was born on the sixth day of the month of Siwan, and he was +taken to heaven in the same month, Siwan, on the same day and in +the same hour when he was born. And Methuselah hasted and all his +brethren, the sons of Enoch, and built an altar in the place +called Achuzan, whence Enoch was taken up to heaven. The elders +and all the people came to the festivity and brought their gifts +to the sons of Enoch, and made a great festivity, rejoicing and +being merry for three days, praising God, who had given such a +sign by means of Enoch, who had found favor with them.[60] + + +THE TRANSLATION OF ENOCH + +The sinfulness of men was the reason why Enoch was translated to +heaven. Thus Enoch himself told Rabbi Ishmael. When the +generation of the deluge transgressed, and spoke to God, saying, +"Depart from us, for we do not desire to know Thy ways," Enoch +was carried to heaven, to serve there as a witness that God was +not a cruel God in spite of the destruction decreed upon all +living beings on earth. + +When Enoch, under the guidance of the angel 'Anpiel, was carried +from earth to heaven, the holy beings, the ofanim, the seraphim, +the cherubim, all those who move the throne of God, and the +ministering spirits whose substance is of consuming fire, they +all, at a distance of six hundred and fifty million and three +hundred parasangs, noticed the presence of a human being, and +they exclaimed: "Whence the odor of one born of woman? How comes +he into the highest heaven of the fire-coruscating angels?" But +God replied: "O My servants and hosts, ye, My cherubim, ofanim, +and seraphim, let this not be an offense unto you, for all the +children of men denied Me and My mighty dominion, and they paid +homage to the idols, so that I transferred the Shekinah from +earth to heaven. But this man Enoch is the elect of men. He has +more faith, justice, and righteousness than all the rest, and he +is the only reward I have derived from the terrestrial world." + +Before Enoch could be admitted to service near the Divine throne, +the gates of wisdom were opened unto him, and the gates of +understanding, and of discernment, of life, peace, and the +Shekinah, of strength and power, of might, loveliness, and grace, +of humility and fear of sin. Equipped by God with extraordinary +wisdom, sagacity, judgment, knowledge, learning, +compassionateness, love, kindness, grace, humility, strength, +power, might, splendor, beauty, shapeliness, and all other +excellent qualities, beyond the endowment of any of the celestial +beings, Enoch received, besides, many thousand blessings from +God, and his height and his breadth became equal to the height +and the breadth of the world, and thirty-six wings were attached +to his body, to the right and to the left, each as large as the +world, and three hundred and sixty-five thousand eyes were +bestowed upon him, each brilliant as the sun. A magnificent +throne was erected for him beside the gates of the seventh +celestial palace, and a herald proclaimed throughout the heavens +concerning him, who was henceforth to be called Metatron in the +celestial regions: "I have appointed My servant Metatron as +prince and chief over all the princes in My realm, with the +exception only of the eight august and exalted princes that bear +My name. Whatever angel has a request to prefer to Me, shall +appear before Metatron, and what he will command at My bidding, +ye must observe and do, for the prince of wisdom and the prince +of understanding are at his service, and they will reveal unto +him the sciences of the celestials and the terrestrials, the +knowledge of the present order of the world and the knowledge of +the future order of the world. Furthermore, I have made him the +guardian of the treasures of the palaces in the heaven 'Arabot, +and of the treasures of life that are in the highest heaven." + +Out of the love He bore Enoch, God arrayed him in a magnificent +garment, to which every kind of luminary in existence was +attached, and a crown gleaming with forty-nine jewels, the +splendor of which pierced to all parts of the seven heavens and +to the four corners of the earth. In the presence of the heavenly +family, He set this crown upon the head of Enoch, and called him +"the little Lord." It bears also the letters by means of which +heaven and earth were created, and seas and rivers, mountains and +valleys, planets and constellations, lightning and thunder, snow +and hail, storm and whirlwind--these and also all things needed +in the world, and the mysteries of creation. Even the princes of +the heavens, when they see Metatron, tremble before him, and +prostrate themselves; his magnificence and majesty, the splendor +and beauty radiating from him overwhelm them, even the wicked +Samael, the greatest of them, even Gabriel the angel of the fire, +Bardiel the angel of the hail, Ruhiel the angel of the wind, +Barkiel the angel of the lightning, Za'miel the angel of the +hurricane, Zakkiel the angel of the storm, Sui'el the angel of +the earthquake, Za'fiel the angel of the showers, Ra'miel the +angel of the thunder, Ra'shiel the angel of the whirlwind, +Shalgiel the angel of the snow, Matriel the angel of the rain, +Shamshiel the angel of the day, Leliel the angel of the night, +Galgliel the angel of the solar system, Ofaniel the angel of the +wheel of the moon, Kokabiel the angel of the stars, and Rahtiel +the angel of the constellations. + +When Enoch was transformed into Metatron, his body was turned +into celestial fire--his flesh became flame, his veins fire, his +bones glimmering coals, the light of his eyes heavenly +brightness, his eyeballs torches of fire, his hair a flaring +blaze, all his limbs and organs burning sparks, and his frame a +consuming fire. To right of him sparkled flames of fire, to left +of him burnt torches of fire, and on all sides he was engirdled +by storm and whirlwind, hurricane and thundering.[61] + + +METHUSELAH + +After the translation of Enoch, Methuselah was proclaimed ruler +of the earth by all the kings. He walked in the footsteps of his +father, teaching truth, knowledge, and fear of God to the +children of men all his life, and deviating from the path of +rectitude neither to the right nor the left.[62] He delivered the +world from thousands of demons, the posterity of Adam which he +had begotten with Lilith, that she-devil of she-devils. These +demons and evil spirits, as often as they encountered a man, had +sought to injure and even slay him, until Methuselah appeared, +and supplicated the mercy of God. He spent three days in fasting, +and then God gave him permission to write the Ineffable Name upon +his sword, wherewith he slew ninety-four myriads of the demons in +a minute, until Agrimus, the first-born of them, came to him and +entreated him to desist, at the same time handing the names of +the demons and imps over to him. And so Methuselah placed their +kings in iron fetters, while the remainder fled away and hid +themselves in the innermost chambers and recesses of the ocean. +And it is on account of the wonderful sword by means of which the +demons were killed that he was called Methuselah.[63] + +He was so pious a man that he composed two hundred and thirty +parables in praise of God for every word he uttered. When he +died, the people heard a great commotion in the heavens, and they +saw nine hundred rows of mourners corresponding to the nine +hundred orders of the Mishnah which he had studied, and tears +flowed from the eyes of the holy beings down upon the spot where +he died. Seeing the grief of the celestials, the people on earth +also mourned over the demise of Methuselah, and God rewarded them +therefor. He added seven days to the time of grace which He had +ordained before bringing destruction upon the earth by a flood of +waters.[64] + + + +IV + +NOAH THE BIRTH OF NOAH +THE PUNISHMENT OF THE FALLEN ANGELS +THE GENERATION OF THE DELUGE +THE HOLY BOOK +THE INMATES OF THE ARK +THE FLOOD +NOAH LEAVES THE ARK +THE CURSE OF DRUNKENNESS +NOAH'S DESCENDANTS SPREAD ABROAD +THE DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND +NIMROD +THE TOWER OF BABEL + + + +IV + +NOAH + +THE BIRTH OF NOAH + +Methuselah took a wife for his son Lamech, and she bore him a man +child. The body of the babe was white as snow and red as a +blooming rose, and the hair of his head and his long locks were +white as wool, and his eyes like the rays of the sun. When he +opened his eyes, he lighted up the whole house, like the sun, and +the whole house was very full of light.[1] And when he was taken +from the hand of the midwife, he opened his mouth and praised the +Lord of righteousness.[2] His father Lamech was afraid of him, +and fled, and came to his own father Methuselah. And he said to +him: "I have begotten a strange son; he is not like a human +being, but resembles the children of the angels of heaven, and +his nature is different, and he is not like us, and his eyes are +as the rays of the sun, and his countenance is glorious.[3] And +it seems to me that he is not sprung from me, but from the +angels, and I fear that in his days a wonder may be wrought on +the earth. And now, my father, I am here to petition thee and +implore thee, that thou mayest go to Enoch, our father, and learn +from him the truth, for his dwelling place is among the angels." + +And when Methuselah heard the words of his son, he went to Enoch, +to the ends of the earth, and he cried aloud, and Enoch heard his +voice, and appeared before him, and asked him the reason of his +coming. Methuselah told him the cause of his anxiety, and +requested him to make the truth known to him. Enoch answered, and +said: "The Lord will do a new thing in the earth. There will come +a great destruction on the earth, and a deluge for one year. This +son who is born unto thee will be left on the earth, and his +three children will be saved with him, when all mankind that are +on the earth shall die. And there will be a great punishment on +the earth, and the earth will be cleansed from all impurity. And +now make known to thy son Lamech that he who was born is in truth +his son, and call his name Noah, for he will be left to you, and +he and his children will be saved from the destruction which will +come upon the earth." When Methuselah had heard the words of his +father, who showed him all the secret things, he returned home, +and he called the child Noah, for he would cause the earth to +rejoice in compensation for all destruction.[4] + +By the name Noah he was called only by his grandfather +Methuselah; his father and all others called him Menahem. His +generation was addicted to sorcery, and Methuselah apprehended +that his grandson might be bewitched if his true name were known, +wherefore he kept it a secret. Menahem, Comforter, suited him as +well as Noah; it indicated that he would be a consoler, if but +the evil-doers of his time would repent of their misdeeds.[5] At +his very birth it was felt that he would bring consolation and +deliverance. When the Lord said to Adam, "Cursed is the ground +for thy sake," he asked, "For how long a time?" and the answer +made by God was, "Until a man child shall be born whose +conformation is such that the rite of circumcision need not be +practiced upon him." This was fulfilled in Noah, he was +circumcised from his mother's womb. + +Noah had scarcely come into the world when a marked change was +noticeable. Since the curse brought upon the earth by the sin of +Adam, it happened that wheat being sown, yet oats would sprout +and grow. This ceased with the appearance of Noah: the earth bore +the products planted in it. And it was Noah who, when he was +grown to manhood, invented the plough, the scythe, the hoe, and +other implements for cultivating the ground. Before him men had +worked the land with their bare hands.[6] + +There was another token to indicate that the child born unto +Lamech was appointed for an extraordinary destiny. When God +created Adam, He gave him dominion over all things: the cow +obeyed the ploughman, and the furrow was willing to be drawn. But +after the fall of Adam all things rebelled against him: the cow +refused obedience to the ploughman, and also the furrow was +refractory. Noah was born, and all returned to its state +preceding the fall of man. + +Before the birth of Noah, the sea was in the habit of +transgressing its bounds twice daily, morning and evening, and +flooding the land up to the graves. After his birth it kept +within its confines. And the famine that afflicted the world in +the time of Lamech, the second of the ten great famines appointed +to come upon it, ceased its ravages with the birth of Noah.[7] + + +THE PUNISHMENT OF THE FALLEN ANGELS + +Grown to manhood, Noah followed in the ways of his grandfather +Methuselah, while all other men of the time rose up against this +pious king. So far from observing his precepts, they pursued the +evil inclination of their hearts, and perpetrated all sorts of +abominable deeds.[8] Chiefly the fallen angels and their giant +posterity caused the depravity of mankind. The blood spilled by +the giants cried unto heaven from the ground, and the four +archangels accused the fallen angels and their sons before God, +whereupon He gave the following orders to them: Uriel was sent to +Noah to announce to him that the earth would be destroyed by a +flood, and to teach him how to save his own life. Raphael was +told to put the fallen angel Azazel into chains, cast him into a +pit of sharp and pointed stones in the desert Dudael, and cover +him with darkness, and so was he to remain until the great day of +judgment, when he would be thrown into the fiery pit of hell, and +the earth would be healed of the corruption he had contrived upon +it. Gabriel was charged to proceed against the bastards and the +reprobates, the sons of the angels begotten with the daughters of +men, and plunge them into deadly conflicts with one another. +Shemhazai's ilk were handed over to Michael, who first caused +them to witness the death of their children in their bloody +combat with each other, and then he bound them and pinned them +under the hills of the earth, where they will remain for seventy +generations, until the day of judgment, to be carried thence to +the fiery pit of hell.[9] + +The fall of Azazel and Shemhazai came about in this way. When the +generation of the deluge began to practice idolatry, God was +deeply grieved. The two angels Shemhazai and Azazel arose, and +said: "O Lord of the world! It has happened, that which we +foretold at the creation of the world and of man, saying, 'What +is man, that Thou art mindful of him?'" And God said, "And what +will become of the world now without man?" Whereupon the angels: +"We will occupy ourselves with it." Then said God: "I am well +aware of it, and I know that if you inhabit the earth, the evil +inclination will overpower you, and you will be more iniquitous +than ever men." The angels pleaded, "Grant us but permission to +dwell among men, and Thou shalt see how we will sanctify Thy +Name." God yielded to their wish, saying, "Descend and sojourn +among men!" + +When the angels came to earth, and beheld the daughters of men in +all their grace and beauty, they could not restrain their +passion. Shemhazai saw a maiden named Istehar, and he lost his +heart to her. She promised to surrender herself to him, if first +he taught her the Ineffable Name, by means of which he raised +himself to heaven. He assented to her condition. But once she +knew it, she pronounced the Name, and herself ascended to heaven, +without fulfilling her promise to the angel. God said, "Because +she kept herself aloof from sin, we will place her among the +seven stars, that men may never forget her," and she was put in +the constellation of the Pleiades. + +Shemhazai and Azazel, however, were not deterred from entering +into alliances with the daughters of men, and to the first two +sons were born. Azazel began to devise the finery and the +ornaments by means of which women allure men. Thereupon God sent +Metatron to tell Shemhazai that He had resolved to destroy the +world and bring on a deluge. The fallen angel began to weep and +grieve over the fate of the world and the fate of his two sons. +If the world went under, what would they have to eat, they who +needed daily a thousand camels, a thousand horses, and a thousand +steers? + +These two sons of Shemhazai, Hiwwa and Hiyya by name, dreamed +dreams. The one saw a great stone which covered the earth, and +the earth was marked all over with lines upon lines of writing. +An angel came, and with a knife obliterated all the lines, +leaving but four letters upon the stone. The other son saw a +large pleasure grove planted with all sorts of trees. But angels +approached bearing axes, and they felled the trees, sparing a +single one with three of its branches. + +When Hiwwa and Hiyya awoke, they repaired to their father, who +interpreted the dreams for them, saying, "God will bring a +deluge, and none will escape with his life, excepting only Noah +and his sons." When they heard this, the two began to cry and +scream, but their father consoled them: "Soft, soft! Do not +grieve. As often as men cut or haul stones, or launch vessels, +they shall invoke your names, Hiwwa! Hiyya!" This prophecy +soothed them. + +Shemhazai then did penance. He suspended himself between heaven +and earth, and in this position of a penitent sinner he hangs to +this day. But Azazel persisted obdurately in his sin of leading +mankind astray by means of sensual allurements. For this reason +two he-goats were sacrificed in the Temple on the Day of +Atonement, the one for God, that He pardon the sins of Israel, +the other for Azazel, that he bear the sins of Israel.[10] + +Unlike Istehar, the pious maiden, Naamah, the lovely sister of +Tubal-cain, led the angels astray with her beauty, and from her +union with Shamdon sprang the devil Asmodeus.[11] She was as +shameless as all the other descendants of Cain, and as prone to +bestial indulgences. Cainite women and Cainite men alike were in +the habit of walking abroad naked, and they gave themselves up to +every conceivable manner of lewd practices. Of such were the +women whose beauty and sensual charms tempted the angels from the +path of virtue. The angels, on the other hand, no sooner had they +rebelled against God and descended to earth than they lost their +transcendental qualities, and were invested with sublunary +bodies, so that a union with the daughters of men became +possible. The offspring of these alliances between the angels and +the Cainite women were the giants,[12] known for their strength +and their sinfulness; as their very name, the Emim, indicates, +they inspired fear. They have many other names. Sometimes they go +by the name Rephaim, because one glance at them made one's heart +grow weak; or by the name Gibborim, simply giants, because their +size was so enormous that their thigh measured eighteen ells; or +by the name Zamzummim, because they were great masters in war; or +by the name Anakim, because they touched the sun with their neck; +or by the name Ivvim, because, like the snake, they could judge +of the qualities of the soil; or finally, by the name Nephilim, +because, bringing the world to its fall, they themselves +fell.[13] + + +THE GENERATION OF THE DELUGE + +While the descendants of Cain resembled their father in his +sinfulness and depravity, the descendants of Seth led a pious, +well-regulated life, and the difference between the conduct of +the two stocks was reflected in their habitations. The family of +Seth was settled upon the mountains in the vicinity of Paradise, +while the family of Cain resided in the field of Damascus, the +spot whereon Abel was slain by Cain. + +Unfortunately, at the time of Methuselah, following the death of +Adam, the family of Seth became corrupted after the manner of the +Cainites. The two strains united with each other to execute all +kinds of iniquitous deeds. The result of the marriages between +them were the Nephilim, whose sins brought the deluge upon the +world. In their arrogance they claimed the same pedigree as the +posterity of Seth, and they compared themselves with princes and +men of noble descent.[14] + +The wantonness of this generation was in a measure due to the +ideal conditions under which mankind lived before the flood. They +knew neither toil nor care, and as a consequence of their +extraordinary prosperity they grew insolent. In their arrogance +they rose up against God. A single sowing bore a harvest +sufficient for the needs of forty years, and by means of magic +arts they could compel the very sun and moon to stand ready to do +their service.[15] The raising of children gave them no trouble. +They were born after a few days' pregnancy, and immediately after +birth they could walk and talk; they themselves aided the mother +in severing the navel string. Not even demons could do them harm. +Once a new-born babe, running to fetch a light whereby his mother +might cut the navel string, met the chief of the demons, and a +combat ensued between the two. Suddenly the crowing of a cock was +heard, and the demon made off, crying out to the child, "Go and +report unto thy mother, if it had not been for the crowing of the +cock, I had killed thee!" Whereupon the child retorted, "Go and +report unto thy mother, if it had not been for my uncut navel +string, I had killed thee!"[16] + +It was their care-free life that gave them space and leisure for +their infamies. For a time God, in His long-suffering kindness, +passed by the iniquities of men, but His forbearance ceased when +once they began to lead unchaste lives, for "God is patient with +all sins save only an immoral life."[17] + +The other sin that hastened the end of the iniquitous generation +was their rapacity. So cunningly were their depredations planned +that the law could not touch them. If a countryman brought a +basket of vegetables to market, they would edge up to it, one +after the other, and abstract a bit, each in itself of petty +value, but in a little while the dealer would have none left to +sell.[18] + +Even after God had resolved upon the destruction of the sinners, +He still permitted His mercy to prevail, in that He sent Noah +unto them, who exhorted them for one hundred and twenty years to +amend their ways, always holding the flood over them as a threat. +As for them, they but derided him. When they saw him occupying +himself with the building of the ark, they asked, "Wherefore this +ark?" + +Noah: "God will bring a flood upon you." + +The sinners: "What sort of flood? If He sends a fire flood, +against that we know how to protect ourselves. If it is a flood +of waters, then, if the waters bubble up from the earth, we will +cover them with iron rods, and if they descend from above, we +know a remedy against that, too." + +Noah: "The waters will ooze out from under your feet, and you +will not be able to ward them off." + +Partly they persisted in their obduracy of heart because Noah had +made known to them that the flood would not descend so long as +the pious Methuselah sojourned among them. The period of one +hundred and twenty years which God had appointed as the term of +their probation having expired, Methuselah died, but out of +regard for the memory of this pious man God gave them another +week's respite, the week of mourning for him. During this time of +grace, the laws of nature were suspended, the sun rose in the +west and set in the east. To the sinners God gave the dainties +that await man in the future world, for the purpose of showing +them what they were forfeiting.[19] But all this proved +unavailing, and, Methuselah and the other pious men of the +generation having departed this life, God brought the deluge upon +the earth.[20] + + +THE HOLY BOOK + +Great wisdom was needed for building the ark, which was to have +space for all beings on earth, even the spirits. Only the fishes +did not have to be provided for.[21] Noah acquired the necessary +wisdom from the book given to Adam by the angel Raziel, in which +all celestial and all earthly knowledge is recorded. + +While the first human pair were still in Paradise, it once +happened that Samael, accompanied by a lad, approached Eve and +requested her to keep a watchful eye upon his little son until he +should return. Eve gave him the promise. When Adam came back from +a walk in Paradise, he found a howling, screaming child with Eve, +who, in reply to his question, told him it was Samael's. Adam was +annoyed, and his annoyance grew as the boy cried and screamed +more and more violently. In his vexation he dealt the little one +a blow that killed him. But the corpse did not cease to wail and +weep, nor did it cease when Adam cut it up into bits. To rid +himself of the plague, Adam cooked the remains, and he and Eve +ate them. Scarcely had they finished, when Samael appeared and +demanded his son. The two malefactors tried to deny everything; +they pretended they had no knowledge of his son. But Samael said +to them: "What! You dare tell lies, and God in times to come will +give Israel the Torah in which it is said, 'Keep thee far from a +false word'?" + +While they were speaking thus, suddenly the voice of the slain +lad was heard proceeding from the heart of Adam and Eve, and it +addressed these words to Samael: "Go hence! I have penetrated to +the heart of Adam and the heart of Eve, and never again shall I +quit their hearts, nor the hearts of their children, or their +children's children, unto the end of all generations." + +Samael departed, but Adam was sore grieved, and he put on +sackcloth and ashes, and he fasted many, many days, until God +appeared unto him, and said: "My son, have no fear of Samael. I +will give thee a remedy that will help thee against him, for it +was at My instance that he went to thee." Adam asked, "And what +is this remedy?" God: "The Torah." Adam: "And where is the +Torah?" God then gave him the book of the angel Raziel, which he +studied day and night. After some time had passed, the angels +visited Adam, and, envious of the wisdom he had drawn from the +book, they sought to destroy him cunningly by calling him a god +and prostrating themselves before him, in spite of his +remonstrance, "Do not prostrate yourselves before me, but magnify +the Lord with me, and let us exalt His Name together." However, +the envy of the angels was so great that they stole the book God +had given Adam from him, and threw it in the sea. Adam searched +for it everywhere in vain, and the loss distressed him sorely. +Again he fasted many days, until God appeared unto him, and said: +"Fear not! I will give the book back to thee," and He called +Rahab, the Angel of the Sea, and ordered him to recover the book +from the sea and restore it to Adam. And so he did.[22] + +Upon the death of Adam, the holy book disappeared, but later the +cave in which it was hidden was revealed to Enoch in a dream. It +was from this book that Enoch drew his knowledge of nature, of +the earth and of the heavens, and he became so wise through it +that his wisdom exceeded the wisdom of Adam. Once he had +committed it to memory, Enoch hid the book again. + +Now, when God resolved upon bringing the flood on the earth, He +sent the archangel Raphael to Noah, as the bearer of the +following message: "I give thee herewith the holy book, that all +the secrets and mysteries written therein may be made manifest +unto thee, and that thou mayest know how to fulfil its injunction +in holiness, purity, modesty, and humbleness. Thou wilt learn +from it how to build an ark of the wood of the gopher tree, +wherein thou, and thy sons, and thy wife shall find protection." + +Noah took the book, and when he studied it, the holy spirit came +upon him, and he knew all things needful for the building of the +ark and the gathering together of the animals. The book, which +was made of sapphires, he took with him into the ark, having +first enclosed it in a golden casket. All the time he spent in +the ark it served him as a time-piece, to distinguish night from +day. Before his death, he entrusted it to Shem, and he in turn to +Abraham. From Abraham it descended through Jacob, Levi, Moses, +and Joshua to Solomon, who learnt all his wisdom from it, and his +skill in the healing art, and also his mastery over the +demons.[23] + + +THE INMATES OF THE ARK + +The ark was completed according to the instructions laid down in +the Book of Raziel. Noah's next task was gathering in the +animals. No less than thirty-two species of birds and three +hundred and sixty-five of reptiles he had to take along with him. +But God ordered the animals to repair to the ark, and they +trooped thither, and Noah did not have to do so much as stretch +out a finger.[24] Indeed, more appeared than were required to +come, and God instructed him to sit at the door of the ark and +note which of the animals lay down as they reached the entrance +and which stood. The former belonged in the ark, but not the +latter. Taking up his post as he had been commanded, Noah +observed a lioness with her two cubs. All three beasts crouched. +But the two young ones began to struggle with the mother, and she +arose and stood up next to them. Then Noah led the two cubs into +the ark. The wild beasts, and the cattle, and the birds which +were not accepted remained standing about the ark all of seven +days, for the assembling of the animals happened one week before +the flood began to descend. On the day whereon they came to the +ark, the sun was darkened, and the foundations of the earth +trembled, and lightning flashed, and the thunder boomed, as never +before. And yet the sinners remained impenitent. In naught did +they change their wicked doings during those last seven days. + +When finally the flood broke loose, seven hundred thousand of the +children of men gathered around the ark, and implored Noah to +grant them protection. With a loud voice he replied, and said: +"Are ye not those who were rebellious toward God, saying, 'There +is no God'? Therefore He has brought ruin upon you, to annihilate +you and destroy you from the face of the earth. Have I not been +prophesying this unto you these hundred and twenty years, and you +would not give heed unto the voice of God? Yet now you desire to +be kept alive!" Then the sinners cried out: "So be it! We all are +ready now to turn back to God, if only thou wilt open the door of +thy ark to receive us, that we may live and not die." Noah made +answer, and said: "That ye do now, when your need presses hard +upon you. Why did you not turn to God during all the hundred and +twenty years which the Lord appointed unto you as the term of +repentance? Now do ye come, and ye speak thus, because distress +besets your lives. Therefore God will not hearken unto you and +give you ear; naught will you accomplish!" + +The crowd of sinners tried to take the entrance to the ark by +storm, but the wild beasts keeping watch around the ark set upon +them, and many were slain, while the rest escaped, only to meet +death in the waters of the flood.[25] The water alone could not +have made an end of them, for they were giants in stature and +strength. When Noah threatened them with the scourge of God, they +would make reply: "If the waters of the flood come from above, +they will never reach up to our necks; and if they come from +below, the soles of our feet are large enough to dam up the +springs." But God bade each drop pass through Gehenna before it +fell to earth, and the hot rain scalded the skin of the sinners. +The punishment that overtook them was befitting their crime. As +their sensual desires had made them hot, and inflamed them to +immoral excesses, so they were chastised by means of heated +water.[26] + +Not even in the hour of the death struggle could the sinners +suppress their vile instincts. When the water began to stream up +out of the springs, they threw their little children into them, +to choke the flood.[27] + +It was by the grace of God, not on account of his merits, that +Noah found shelter in the ark before the overwhelming force of +the waters.[28] Although he was better than his contemporaries, +he was yet not worthy of having wonders done for his sake. He had +so little faith that he did not enter the ark until the waters +had risen to his knees. With him his pious wife Naamah, the +daughter of Enosh, escaped the peril, and his three sons, and the +wives of his three sons. + +Noah had not married until he was four hundred and ninety-eight +years old. Then the Lord had bidden him to take a wife unto +himself. He had not desired to bring children into the world, +seeing that they would all have to perish in the flood, and he +had only three sons, born unto him shortly before the deluge +came.[30] God had given him so small a number of offspring that +he might be spared the necessity of building the ark on an +overlarge scale in case they turned out to be pious. And if not, +if they, too, were depraved like the rest of their generation, +sorrow over their destruction would but be increased in +proportion to their number.[31] + +As Noah and his family were the only ones not to have a share in +the corruptness of the age, so the animals received into the ark +were such as had led a natural life. For the animals of the time +were as immoral as the men: the dog united with the wolf, the +cock with the pea-fowl, and many others paid no heed to sexual +purity. Those that were saved were such as had kept themselves +untainted.[32] + +Before the flood the number of unclean animals had been greater +than the number of the clean. Afterward the ratio was reversed, +because while seven pairs of clean animals were preserved in the +ark, but two pairs of the unclean were preserved.[33] + +One animal, the reem, Noah could not take into the ark. On +account of its huge size it could not find room therein. Noah +therefore tied it to the ark, and it ran on behind.[34] Also, he +could not make space for the giant Og, the king of Bashan. He sat +on top of the ark securely, and in this way escaped the flood of +waters. Noah doled out his food to him daily, through a hole, +because Og had promised that he and his descendants would serve +him as slaves in perpetuity.[35] + +Two creatures of a most peculiar kind also found refuge in the +ark. Among the beings that came to Noah there was Falsehood +asking for shelter. He was denied admission, because he had no +companion, and Noah was taking in the animals only by pairs. +Falsehood went off to seek a partner, and he met Misfortune, whom +he associated with himself on the condition that she might +appropriate what Falsehood earned. The pair were then accepted in +the ark. When they left it, Falsehood noticed that whatever he +gathered together disappeared at once, and he betook himself to +his companion to seek an explanation, which she gave him in the +following words, "Did we not agree to the condition that I might +take what you earn?" and Falsehood had to depart empty-handed. + + +THE FLOOD + +The assembling of the animals in the ark was but the smaller part +of the task imposed upon Noah. His chief difficulty was to +provide food for a year and accommodations for them. Long +afterward Shem, the son of Noah, related to Eliezer, the servant +of Abraham, the tale of their experiences with the animals in the +ark. This is what he said: "We had sore troubles in the ark. The +day animals had to be fed by day, and the night animals by night. +My father knew not what food to give to the little zikta. Once he +cut a pomegranate in half, and a worm dropped out of the fruit, +and was devoured by the zikta. Thenceforth my father would knead +bran, and let it stand until it bred worms, which were fed to the +animal. The lion suffered with a fever all the time, and +therefore he did not annoy the others, because he did not relish +dry food. The animal urshana my father found sleeping in a corner +of the vessel, and he asked him whether he needed nothing to eat. +He answered, and said: 'I saw thou wast very busy, and I did not +wish to add to thy cares.' Whereupon my father said, 'May it be +the will of the Lord to keep thee alive forever,' and the +blessing was realized."[37] + +The difficulties were increased when the flood began to toss the +ark from side to side. All inside of it were shaken up like +lentils in a pot. The lions began to roar, the oxen lowed, the +wolves howled, and all the animals gave vent to their agony, each +through the sounds it had the power to utter. + +Also Noah and his sons, thinking that death was nigh, broke into +tears. Noah prayed to God: "O Lord, help us, for we are not able +to bear the evil that encompasses us. The billows surge about us, +the streams of destruction make us afraid, and death stares us in +the face. O hear our prayer, deliver us, incline Thyself unto us, +and be gracious unto us! Redeem us and save us!"[38] + +The flood was produced by a union of the male waters, which are +above the firmament, and the female waters issuing from the +earth.[39] The upper waters rushed through the space left when +God removed two stars out of the constellation Pleiades. +Afterward, to put a stop to the flood, God had to transfer two +stars from the constellation of the Bear to the constellation of +the Pleiades. That is why the Bear runs after the Pleiades. She +wants her two children back, but they will be restored to her +only in the future world.[40] + +There were other changes among the celestial spheres during the +year of the flood. All the time it lasted, the sun and the moon +shed no light, whence Noah was called by his name, "the resting +one," for in his life the sun and the moon rested. The ark was +illuminated by a precious stone, the light of which was more +brilliant by night than by day, so enabling Noah to distinguish +between day and night.[41] + +The duration of the flood was a whole year. It began on the +seventeenth day of Heshwan, and the rain continued for forty +days, until the twenty-seventh of Kislew. The punishment +corresponded to the crime of the sinful generation. They had led +immoral lives, and begotten bastard children, whose embryonic +state lasts forty days. From the twenty seventh of Kislew until +the first of Siwan, a period of one hundred and fifty days, the +water stood at one and the same height, fifteen ells above the +earth. During that time all the wicked were destroyed, each one +receiving the punishment due to him.[42] Cain was among those +that perished, and thus the death of Abel was avenged.[43] So +powerful were the waters in working havoc that the corpse of Adam +was not spared in its grave.[44] + +On the first of Siwan the waters began to abate, a quarter of an +ell a day, and at the end of sixty days, on the tenth day of Ab, +the summits of the mountains showed themselves. But many days +before, on the tenth of Tammuz, Noah had sent forth the raven, +and a week later the dove, on the first of her three sallies, +repeated at intervals of a week. It took from the first of Ab +until the first of Tishri for the waters to subside wholly from +the face of the earth. Even then the soil was so miry that the +dwellers in the ark had to remain within until the twenty-seventh +day of Heshwan, completing a full sun year, consisting of twelve +moons and eleven days.[45] + +Noah had experienced difficulty all along in ascertaining the +state of the waters. When he desired to dispatch the raven, the +bird said: "The Lord, thy Master, hates me, and thou dost hate +me, too. Thy Master hates me, for He bade thee take seven pairs +of the clean animals into the ark, and but two pairs of the +unclean animals, to which I belong. Thou hatest me, for thou dost +not choose, as a messenger, a bird of one of the kinds of which +there are seven pairs in the ark, but thou sendest me, and of my +kind there is but one pair. Suppose, now, I should perish by +reason of heat or cold, would not the world be the poorer by a +whole species of animals? Or can it be that thou hast cast a +lustful eye upon my mate, and desirest to rid thyself of me?" +Where unto Noah made answer, and said: "Wretch! I must live apart +from my own wife in the ark. How much less would such thoughts +occur to my mind as thou imputest to me!"[46] + +The raven's errand had no success, for when he saw the body of a +dead man, he set to work to devour it, and did not execute the +orders given to him by Noah. Thereupon the dove was sent out. +Toward evening she returned with an olive leaf in her bill, +plucked upon the Mount of Olives at Jerusalem, for the Holy Land +had not been ravaged by the deluge. As she plucked it, she said +to God: "O Lord of the world, let my food be as bitter as the +olive, but do Thou give it to me from Thy hand, rather than it +should be sweet, and I be delivered into the power of men."[47] + + +NOAH LEAVES THE ARK + +Though the earth assumed its old form at the end of the year of +punishment, Noah did not abandon the ark until he received the +command of God to leave it. He said to himself, "As I entered the +ark at the bidding of God, so I will leave it only at His +bidding." Yet, when God bade Noah go out of the ark, he refused, +because he feared that after he had lived upon the dry land for +some time, and begotten children, God would bring another flood. +He therefore would not leave the ark until God swore He would +never visit the earth with a flood again.[48] + +When he stepped out from the ark into the open, he began to weep +bitterly at sight of the enormous ravages wrought by the flood, +and he said to God: "O Lord of the world! Thou art called the +Merciful, and Thou shouldst have had mercy upon Thy creatures." +God answered, and said: "O thou foolish shepherd, now thou +speakest to Me. Thou didst not so when I addressed kind words to +thee, saying: 'I saw thee as a righteous man and perfect in thy +generation, and I will bring the flood upon the earth to destroy +all flesh. Make an ark for thyself of gopher wood.' Thus spake I +to thee, telling thee all these circumstances, that thou mightest +entreat mercy for the earth. But thou, as soon as thou didst hear +that thou wouldst be rescued in the ark, thou didst not concern +thyself about the ruin that would strike the earth. Thou didst +but build an ark for thyself, in which thou wast saved. Now that +the earth is wasted, thou openest thy mouth to supplicate and +pray." + +Noah realized that he had been guilty of folly. To propitiate God +and acknowledge his sin, he brought a sacrifice.[49] God accepted +the offering with favor, whence he is called by his name +Noah.[50] The sacrifice was not offered by Noah with his own +hands; the priestly services connected with it were performed by +his son Shem. There was a reason for this. One day in the ark +Noah forgot to give his ration to the lion, and the hungry beast +struck him so violent a blow with his paw that he was lame +forever after, and, having a bodily defect, he was not permitted +to do the offices of a priest.[51] + +The sacrifices consisted of an ox, a sheep, a goat, two turtle +doves, and two young pigeons. Noah had chosen these kinds because +he supposed they were appointed for sacrifices, seeing that God +had commanded him to take seven pairs of them into the ark with +him. The altar was erected in the same place on which Adam and +Cain and Abel had brought their sacrifices, and on which later +the altar was to be in the sanctuary at Jerusalem.[52] + +After the sacrifice was completed, God blessed Noah and his sons. +He made them to be rulers of the world as Adam had been,[53] and +He gave them a command, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply upon +the earth," for during their sojourn in the ark, the two sexes, +of men and animals alike, had lived apart from each other, +because while a public calamity rages continence is becoming even +to those who are left unscathed. This law of conduct had been +violated by none in the ark except by Ham, by the dog, and by the +raven. They all received a punishment. Ham's was that his +descendants were men of dark-hued skin.[54] + +As a token that He would destroy the earth no more, God set His +bow in the cloud. Even if men should be steeped in sin again, the +bow proclaims to them that their sins will cause no harm to the +world. Times came in the course of the ages when men were pious +enough not to have to live in dread of punishment. In such times +the bow was not visible.[55] + +God accorded permission to Noah and his descendants to use the +flesh of animals for food, which had been forbidden from the time +of Adam until then. But they were to abstain from the use of +blood. He ordained the seven Noachian laws, the observance of +which is incumbent upon all men, not upon Israel alone. God +enjoined particularly the command against the shedding of human +blood. Whoso would shed man's blood, his blood would be shed. +Even if human judges let the guilty man go free, his punishment +would overtake him. He would die an unnatural death, such as he +had inflicted upon his fellow-man. Yea, even beasts that slew +men, even of them would the life of men be required.[56] + + +THE CURSE OF DRUNKENNESS + +Noah lost his epithet "the pious" when he began to occupy himself +with the growing of the vine. He became a "man of the ground," +and this first attempt to produce wine at the same time produced +the first to drink to excess, the first to utter curses upon his +associates, and the first to introduce slavery. This is the way +it all came about. Noah found the vine which Adam had taken with +him from Paradise, when he was driven forth. He tasted the grapes +upon it, and, finding them palatable, he resolved to plant the +vine and tend it.[57] On the selfsame day on which he planted it, +it bore fruit, he put it in the wine-press, drew off the juice, +drank it, became drunken, and was dishonored--all on one day. His +assistant in the work of cultivating the vine was Satan, who had +happened along at the very moment when he was engaged in planting +the slip he had found. Satan asked him: "What is it thou art +planting here?" + +Noah: "A vineyard." + +Satan: "And what may be the qualities of what it produces?" + +Noah: "The fruit it bears is sweet, be it dry or moist. It yields +wine that rejoiceth the heart of man." + +Satan: "Let us go into partnership in this business of planting a +vineyard." + +Noah: "Agreed!" + +Satan thereupon slaughtered a lamb, and then, in succession, a +lion, a pig, and a monkey. The blood of each as it was killed he +made to flow under the vine. Thus he conveyed to Noah what the +qualities of wine are: before man drinks of it, he is innocent as +a lamb; if he drinks of it moderately, he feels as strong as a +lion; if he drinks more of it than he can bear, he resembles the +pig; and if he drinks to the point of intoxication, then he +behaves like a monkey, he dances around, sings, talks obscenely, +and knows not what he is doing.[58] + +This deterred Noah no more than did the example of Adam, whose +fall had also been due to wine, for the forbidden fruit had been +the grape, with which he had made himself drunk.[59] + +In his drunken condition Noah betook himself to the tent of his +wife. His son Ham saw him there, and he told his brothers what he +had noticed, and said: "The first man had but two sons, and one +slew the other; this man Noah has three sons, yet he desires to +beget a fourth besides." Nor did Ham rest satisfied with these +disrespectful words against his father. He added to this sin of +irreverence the still greater outrage of attempting to perform an +operation upon his father designed to prevent procreation. + +When Noah awoke from his wine and became sober, he pronounced a +curse upon Ham in the person of his youngest son Canaan. To Ham +himself he could do no harm, for God had conferred a blessing +upon Noah and his three sons as they departed from the ark. +Therefore he put the curse upon the last-born son of the son that +had prevented him from begetting a younger son than the three he +had. The descendants of Ham through Canaan therefore have red +eyes, because Ham looked upon the nakedness of his father; they +have misshapen lips, because Ham spoke with his lips to his +brothers about the unseemly condition of his father; they have +twisted curly hair, because Ham turned and twisted his head round +to see the nakedness of his father; and they go about naked, +because Ham did not cover the nakedness of his father. Thus he +was requited, for it is the way of God to mete out punishment +measure for measure. + +Canaan had to suffer vicariously for his father's sin. Yet some +of the punishment was inflicted upon him on his own account, for +it had been Canaan who had drawn the attention of Ham to Noah's +revolting condition. Ham, it appears, was but the worthy father +of such a son.[61] The last will and testament of Canaan +addressed to his children read as follows: "Speak not the truth; +hold not yourselves aloof from theft; lead a dissolute life; hate +your master with an exceeding great hate; and love one +another."[62] + +As Ham was made to suffer requital for his irreverence, so Shem +and Japheth received a reward for the filial, deferential way in +which they took a garment and laid it upon both their shoulders, +and walking backward, with averted faces, covered the nakedness +of their father. Naked the descendants of Ham, the Egyptians and +Ethiopians, were led away captive and into exile by the king of +Assyria, while the descendants of Shem, the Assyrians, even when +the angel of the Lord burnt them in the camp, were not exposed, +their garments remained upon their corpses unsinged. And in time +to come, when Gog shall suffer his defeat, God will provide both +shrouds and a place of burial for him and all his multitude, the +posterity of Japheth. + +Though Shem and Japheth both showed themselves to be dutiful and +deferential, yet it was Shem who deserved the larger meed of +praise. He was the first to set about covering his father. +Japheth joined him after the good deed had been begun. Therefore +the descendants of Shem received as their special reward the +tallit, the garment worn by them, while the Japhethites have only +the toga.[63] A further distinction accorded to Shem was the +mention of his name in connection with God's in the blessing of +Noah. "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Shem," he said, though as +a rule the name of God is not joined to the name of a living +person, only to the name of one who has departed this life.[64] + +The relation of Shem to Japheth was expressed in the blessing +their father pronounced upon them: God will grant a land of +beauty to Japheth, and his sons will be proselytes dwelling in +the academies of Shem.[65] At the same time Noah conveyed by his +words that the Shekinah would dwell only in the first Temple, +erected by Solomon, a son of Shem, and not in the second Temple, +the builder of which would be Cyrus, a descendant of Japheth.[66] + + +NOAH'S DESCENDANTS SPREAD ABROAD + +When it became known to Ham that his father had cursed him, he +fled ashamed, and with his family he settled in the city built by +him, and named Neelatamauk for his wife. Jealous of his brother, +Japheth followed his example. He likewise built a city which he +named for his wife, Adataneses. Shem was the only one of the sons +of Noah who did not abandon him. In the vicinity of his father's +home, by the mountain, he built his city, to which he also gave +his wife's name, Zedeketelbab. The three cities are all near +Mount Lubar, the eminence upon which the ark rested. The first +lies to the south of it, the second to the west, and the third to +the east. + +Noah endeavored to inculcate the ordinances and the commands +known to him upon his children and his children's children. In +particular he admonished them against the fornication, the +uncleanness, and all the iniquity which had brought the flood +down upon the earth. He reproached them with living apart from +one another, and with their jealousies, for he feared that, after +his death, they might go so far as to shed human blood. Against +this he warned them impressively, that they be not annihilated +from the earth like those that went before. Another law which he +enjoined upon them, to observe it, was the law ordaining that the +fruit of a tree shall not be used the first three years it bears, +and even in the fourth year it shall be the portion of the +priests alone, after a part thereof has been offered upon the +altar of God. And having made an end of giving his teachings and +injunctions, Noah said: "For thus did Enoch, your ancestor, +exhort his son Methuselah, and Methuselah his son Lamech, and +Lamech delivered all unto me as his father had bidden him, and +now I do exhort you, my children, as Enoch exhorted his son. When +he lived, in his generation, which was the seventh generation of +man, he commanded it and testified it unto his children and his +children's children, until the day of his death."[67] + +In the year 1569 after the creation of the world, Noah divided +the earth by lot among his three sons, in the presence of an +angel. Each one stretched forth his hand and took a slip from the +bosom of Noah. Shem's slip was inscribed with the middle of the +earth, and this portion became the inheritance of his descendants +unto all eternity. Noah rejoiced that the lot had assigned it to +Shem. Thus was fulfilled his blessing upon him, "And God in the +habitation of Shem," for three holy places fell within his +precincts--the Holy of Holies in the Temple, Mount Sinai, the +middle point of the desert, and Mount Zion, the middle point of +the navel of the earth. + +The south fell to the lot of Ham, and the north became the +inheritance of Japheth. The land of Ham is hot, Japheth's cold, +but Shem's is neither hot nor cold, its temperature is hot and +cold mixed.[68] + +This division of the earth took place toward the end of the life +of Peleg, the name given to him by his father Eber, who, being a +prophet, knew that the division of the earth would take place in +the time of his son.[69] The brother of Peleg was called Joktan, +because the duration of the life of man was shortened in his +time.[70] + +In turn, the three sons of Noah, while they were still standing +in the presence of their father, divided each his portion among +his children, Noah threatening with his curse any who should +stretch out his hand to take a portion not assigned to him by +lot. And they all cried, "So be it! So be it!"[71] + +Thus were divided one hundred and four lands and ninety-nine +islands among seventy-two nations, each with a language of its +own, using sixteen different sets of characters for writing. To +Japheth were allotted forty-four lands, thirty-three islands, +twenty-two languages, and five kinds of writing; Ham received +thirty-four lands, thirty-three islands, twenty-four languages, +and five kinds of writing; and Shem twenty-six lands, +thirty-three islands, twenty-six languages, and six kinds of +writing--one set of written characters more to Shem than to +either of his brothers, the extra set being the Hebrew.[72] + +The land appointed as the inheritance of the twelve sons of Jacob +was provisionally granted to Canaan, Zidon, Heth, the Jebusites, +the Amorites, the Girgashites, the Hivites, the Arkites, the +Sinites, the Arvadites, the Zemarites, and the Hamathites. It was +the duty of these nations to take care of the land until the +rightful owners should come.[73] + +No sooner had the children of Noah and their children's children +taken possession of the habitations apportioned to them, than the +unclean spirits began to seduce men and torment them with pain +and all sorts of suffering leading to spiritual and physical +death. Upon the entreaties of Noah God sent down the angel +Raphael, who banished nine-tenths of the unclean spirits from the +earth, leaving but one-tenth for Mastema, to punish sinners +through them. Raphael, supported by the chief of the unclean +spirits, at that time revealed to Noah all the remedies residing +in plants, that he might resort to them at need. Noah recorded +them in a book, which he transmitted to his son Shem.[74] This is +the source to which go back all the medical books whence the wise +men of India, Aram, Macedonia, and Egypt draw their knowledge. +The sages of India devoted themselves particularly to the study +of curative trees and spices; the Arameans were well versed in +the knowledge of the properties of grains and seeds, and they +translated the old medical books into their language. The wise +men of Macedonia were the first to apply medical knowledge +practically, while the Egyptians sought to effect cures by means +of magic arts and by means of astrology, and they taught the +Midrash of the Chaldees, composed by Kangar, the son of Ur, the +son of Kesed. Medical skill spread further and further until the +time of aesculapius. This Macedonian sage, accompanied by forty +learned magicians, journeyed from country to country, until they +came to the land beyond India, in the direction of Paradise. They +hoped there to find some wood of the tree of life, and thus +spread their fame abroad over the whole world. Their hope was +frustrated. When they arrived at the spot, they found healing +trees and wood of the tree of life, but when they were in the act +of stretching forth their hands to gather what they desired, +lightning darted out of the ever-turning sword, smote them to the +ground, and they were all burnt. With them disappeared all +knowledge of medicine, and it did not revive until the time of +the first Artaxerxes, under the Macedonian sage Hippocrates, +Dioscorides of Baala, Galen of Caphtor, and the Hebrew Asaph.[75] + + +THE DEPRAVITY OF MANKIND + +With the spread of mankind corruption increased. While Noah was +still alive, the descendants of Shem, Ham, and Japheth appointed +princes over each of the three groups--Nimrod for the descendants +of Ham, Joktan for the descendants of Shem, and Phenech for the +descendants of Japheth. Ten years before Noah's death, the number +of those subject to the three princes amounted to millions. When +this great concourse of men came to Babylonia upon their +journeyings, they said to one another: "Behold, the time is +coming when, at the end of days, neighbor will be separated from +neighbor, and brother from brother, and one will carry on war +against the other. Go to, let us build us a city, and a tower, +whose top may reach unto heaven, and let us make us a great name +upon the earth. And now let us make bricks, and each one write +his name upon his brick." All agreed to this proposal, with the +exception of twelve pious men, Abraham among them. They refused +to join the others. They were seized by the people, and brought +before the three princes, to whom they gave the following reason +for their refusal: "We will not make bricks, nor remain with you, +for we know but one God, and Him we serve; even if you burn us in +the fire together with the bricks, we will not walk in your +ways." Nimrod and Phenech flew into such a passion over the +twelve men that they resolved to throw them into the fire. +Joktan, however, besides being a God-fearing man, was of close +kin to the men on trial, and he essayed to save them. He proposed +to his two colleagues to grant them a seven days' respite. His +plan was accepted, such deference being paid him as the primate +among the three. The twelve were incarcerated in the house of +Joktan. In the night he charged fifty of his attendants to mount +the prisoners upon mules and take them to the mountains. Thus +they would escape the threatened punishment. Joktan provided them +with food for a month. He was sure that in the meantime either a +change of sentiment would come about, and the people desist from +their purpose, or God would help the fugitives. Eleven of the +prisoners assented to the plan with gratitude. Abraham alone +rejected it, saying: "Behold, to-day we flee to the mountains to +escape from the fire, but if wild beasts rush out from the +mountains and devour us, or if food is lacking, so that we die by +famine, we shall be found fleeing before the people of the land +and dying in our sins. Now, as the Lord liveth, in whom I trust, +I will not depart from this place wherein they have imprisoned +me, and if I am to die through my sins, then will I die by the +will of God, according to His desire." + +In vain Joktan endeavored to persuade Abraham to flee. He +persisted in his refusal. He remained behind alone in the prison +house, while the other eleven made their escape. At the +expiration of the set term, when the people returned and demanded +the death of the twelve captives, Joktan could produce only +Abraham. His excuse was that the rest had broken loose during the +night. The people were about to throw themselves upon Abraham and +cast him into the lime kiln. Suddenly an earthquake was felt, the +fire darted from the furnace, and all who were standing round +about, eighty four thousand of the people, were consumed, while +Abraham remained untouched. Thereupon he repaired to his eleven +friends in the mountains, and told them of the miracle that had +befallen for his sake. They all returned with him, and, +unmolested by the people, they gave praise and thanks to God.[76] + + +NIMROD + +The first among the leaders of the corrupt men was Nimrod.[77] +His father Cush had married his mother at an advanced age, and +Nimrod, the offspring of this belated union, was particularly +dear to him as the son of his old age. He gave him the clothes +made of skins with which God had furnished Adam and Eve at the +time of their leaving Paradise. Cush himself had gained +possession of them through Ham. From Adam and Eve they had +descended to Enoch, and from him to Methuselah, and to Noah, and +the last had taken them with him into the ark. When the inmates +of the ark were about to leave their refuge, Ham stole the +garments and kept them concealed, finally passing them on to his +first-born son Cush. Cush in turn hid them for many years. When +his son Nimrod reached his twentieth year, he gave them to +him.[78] These garments had a wonderful property. He who wore +them was both invincible and irresistible. The beasts and birds +of the woods fell down before Nimrod as soon as they caught sight +of him arrayed in them,[79] and he was equally victorious in his +combats with men.[80] The source of his unconquerable strength +was not known to them. They attributed it to his personal +prowess, and therefore they appointed him king over +themselves.[81] This was done after a conflict between the +descendants of Cush and the descendants of Japheth, from which +Nimrod emerged triumphant, having routed the enemy utterly with +the assistance of a handful of warriors. He chose Shinar as his +capital. Thence he extended his dominion farther and farther, +until he rose by cunning and force to be the sole ruler of the +whole world, the first mortal to hold universal sway, as the +ninth ruler to possess the same power will be the Messiah.[82] + +His impiousness kept pace with his growing power. Since the flood +there had been no such sinner as Nimrod. He fashioned idols of +wood and stone, and paid worship to them. But not satisfied to +lead a godless life himself, he did all he could to tempt his +subjects into evil ways, wherein he was aided and abetted by his +son Mardon. This son of his outstripped his father in iniquity. +It was their time and their life that gave rise to the proverb, +"Out of the wicked cometh forth wickedness."[83] + +The great success that attended all of Nimrod's undertakings +produced a sinister effect. Men no longer trusted in God, but +rather in their own prowess and ability,[84] an attitude to which +Nimrod tried to convert the whole world.[85] Therefore people +said, "Since the creation of the world there has been none like +Nimrod, a mighty hunter of men and beasts, and a sinner before +God."[86] + +And not all this sufficed unto Nimrod's evil desire. Not enough +that he turned men away from God, he did all he could to make +them pay Divine honors unto himself. He set himself up as a god, +and made a seat for himself in imitation of the seat of God. It +was a tower built out of a round rock, and on it he placed a +throne of cedar wood, upon which arose, one above the other, four +thrones, of iron, copper, silver, and gold. Crowning all, upon +the golden throne, lay a precious stone, round in shape and +gigantic in size. This served him as a seat, and as he sate upon +it, all nations came and paid him Divine homage.[87] + + +THE TOWER OF BABEL + +The iniquity and godlessness of Nimrod reached their climax in +the building of the Tower of Babel. His counsellors had proposed +the plan of erecting such a tower, Nimrod had agreed to it, and +it was executed in Shinar by a mob of six hundred thousand men. +The enterprise was neither more nor less than rebellion against +God, and there were three sorts of rebels among the builders. The +first party spoke, Let us ascend into the heavens and wage +warfare with Him; the second party spoke, Let us ascend into the +heavens, set up our idols, and pay worship unto them there; and +the third party spoke, Let us ascend into the heavens, and ruin +them with our bows and spears. + +Many, many years were passed in building the tower. It reached so +great a height that it took a year to mount to the top. A brick +was, therefore, more precious in the sight of the builders than a +human being. If a man fell down, and met his death, none took +notice of it, but if a brick dropped, they wept, because it would +take a year to replace it. So intent were they upon accomplishing +their purpose that they would not permit a woman to interrupt +herself in her work of brick-making when the hour of travail came +upon her. Moulding bricks she gave birth to her child, and, tying +it round her body in a sheet, she went on moulding bricks. + +They never slackened in their work, and from their dizzy height +they constantly shot arrows toward heaven, which, returning, were +seen to be covered with blood. They were thus fortified in their +delusion, and they cried, "We have slain all who are in heaven." +Thereupon God turned to the seventy angels who encompass His +throne, and He spake: "Go to, let us go down, and there confound +their language, that they may not understand one another's +speech." Thus it happened. Thenceforth none knew what the other +spoke. One would ask for the mortar, and the other handed him a +brick; in a rage, he would throw the brick at his partner and +kill him. Many perished in this manner, and the rest were +punished according to the nature of their rebellious conduct. +Those who had spoken, "Let us ascend into the heavens, set up our +idols, and pay worship unto them there," God transformed into +apes and phantoms; those who had proposed to assault the heavens +with their arms, God set against each other so that they fell in +the combat; and those who had resolved to carry on a combat with +God in heaven were scattered broadcast over the earth. As for the +unfinished tower, a part sank into the earth, and another part +was consumed by fire; only one-third of it remained standing.[88] +The place of the tower has never lost its peculiar quality. +Whoever passes it forgets all he knows.[89] + +The punishment inflicted upon the sinful generation of the tower +is comparatively lenient. On account of rapine the generation of +the flood were utterly destroyed, while the generation of the +tower were preserved in spite of their blasphemies and all their +other acts offensive to God. The reason is that God sets a high +value upon peace and harmony. Therefore the generation of the +deluge, who gave themselves up to depredation, and bore hatred to +one another, were extirpated, root and branch, while the +generation of the Tower of Babel dwelling amicably together, and +loving one another, were spared alive, at least a remnant of +them.[90] + +Beside the chastisement of sin and sinners by the confounding of +speech, another notable circumstance was connected with the +descent of God upon earth--one of only ten such descents to occur +between the creation of the world and the day of judgment. It was +on this occasion that God and the seventy angels that surround +His throne cast lots concerning the various nations. Each angel +received a nation, and Israel fell to the lot of God. To every +nation a peculiar language was assigned, Hebrew being reserved +for Israel--the language made use of by God at the creation of +the world.[91] + + + +V + +ABRAHAM THE WICKED GENERATIONS +THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM +THE BABE PROCLAIMS GOD +ABRAHAM S FIRST APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC +THE PREACHER OF THE TRUE FAITH +IN THE FIERY FURNACE +ABRAHAM EMIGRATES TO HARAN +THE STAR IN THE EAST +THE TRUE BELIEVER +THE ICONOCLAST +ABRAHAM IN CANAAN +HIS SOJOURN IN EGYPT +THE FIRST PHARAOH +THE WAR OF THE KINGS +THE COVENANT OF THE PIECES +THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL +THE VISIT OF THE ANGELS +THE CITIES OF SIN +ABRAHAM PLEADS FOR THE SINNERS +THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SINFUL CITIES +AMONG THE PHILISTINES +THE BIRTH OF ISAAC +ISHMAEL CAST OFF +THE TWO WIVES OF ISHMAEL +THE COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH +SATAN ACCUSES ABRAHAM +THE JOURNEY TO MORIAH +THE AKEDAH +THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH +ELIEZER'S MISSION +THE WOOING OF REBEKAH +THE LAST YEARS OF ABRAHAM +A HERALD OF DEATH +ABRAHAM VIEWS EARTH AND HEAVEN +THE PATRON OF HEBRON + + + +V + +ABRAHAM + +THE WICKED GENERATIONS + +Ten generations there were from Noah to Abraham, to show how +great is the clemency of God, for all the generations provoked +His wrath, until Abraham our father came and received the reward +of all of them.[1] For the sake of Abraham God had shown himself +long-suffering and patient during the lives of these ten +generations. Yea, more, the world itself had been created for the +sake of his merits.[2] His advent had been made manifest to his +ancestor Reu, who uttered the following prophecy at the birth of +his son Serug: "From this child he shall be born in the fourth +generation that shall set his dwelling over the highest, and he +shall be called perfect and spotless, and shall be the father of +nations, and his covenant shall not be dissolved, and his seed +shall be multiplied forever."[3] + +It was, indeed, high time that the "friend of God"[4] should make +his appearance upon earth. The descendants of Noah were sinking +from depravity to lower and lower depths of depravity. They were +beginning to quarrel and slay, eat blood, build fortified cities +and walls and towers, and set one man over the whole nation as +king, and wage wars, people against people, and nations against +nations, and cities against cities, and do all manner of evil, +and acquire weapons, and teach warfare unto their children. And +they began also to take captives and sell them as slaves. And +they made unto themselves molten images, which they worshipped, +each one the idol he had molten for himself, for the evil spirits +under their leader Mastema led them astray into sin and +uncleanness. For this reason Reu called his son Serug, because +all mankind had turned aside unto sin and transgression. When he +grew to manhood, the name was seen to have been chosen fittingly, +for he, too, worshipped idols, and when he himself had a son, +Nahor by name, he taught him the arts of the Chaldees, how to be +a soothsayer and practice magic according to signs in the +heavens. When, in time, a son was born to Nahor, Mastema sent +ravens and other birds to despoil the earth and rob men of the +proceeds of their work. As soon as they had dropped the seed in +the furrows, and before they could cover it over with earth, the +birds picked it up from the surface of the ground, and Nahor +called his son Terah, because the ravens and the other birds +plagued men, devoured their seed, and reduced them to +destitution.[6] + + +THE BIRTH OF ABRAHAM + +Terah married Emtelai, the daughter of Karnabo,[6] and the +offspring of their union was Abraham. His birth had been read in +the stars by Nimrod,[7] for this impious king was a cunning +astrologer, and it was manifest to him that a man would be born +in his day who would rise up against him and triumphantly give +the lie to his religion. In his terror at the fate foretold him +in the stars, he sent for his princes and governors, and asked +them to advise him in the matter. They answered, and said: "Our +unanimous advice is that thou shouldst build a great house, +station a guard at the entrance thereof, and make known in the +whole of thy realm that all pregnant women shall repair thither +together with their midwives, who are to remain with them when +they are delivered. When the days of a woman to be delivered are +fulfilled, and the child is born, it shall be the duty of the +midwife to kill it, if it be a boy. But if the child be a girl, +it shall be kept alive, and the mother shall receive gifts and +costly garments, and a herald shall proclaim, 'Thus is done unto +the woman who bears a daughter!'" + +The king was pleased with this counsel, and he had a proclamation +published throughout his whole kingdom, summoning all the +architects to build a great house for him, sixty ells high and +eighty wide. After it was completed, he issued a second +proclamation, summoning all pregnant women thither, and there +they were to remain until their confinement. Officers were +appointed to take the women to the house, and guards were +stationed in it and about it, to prevent the women from escaping +thence. He furthermore sent midwives to the house, and commanded +them to slay the men children at their mothers' breasts. But if a +woman bore a girl, she was to be arrayed in byssus, silk, and +embroidered garments, and led forth from the house of detention +amid great honors. No less than seventy thousand children were +slaughtered thus. Then the angels appeared before God, and spoke, +"Seest Thou not what he doth, yon sinner and blasphemer, Nimrod +son of Canaarl, who slays so many innocent babes that have done +no harm?" God answered, and said: "Ye holy angels, I know it and +I see it, for I neither slumber nor sleep. I behold and I know +the secret things and the things that are revealed, and ye shall +witness what I will do unto this sinner and blasphemer, for I +will turn My hand against him to chastise him."[8] + +It was about this time that Terah espoused the mother of Abraham, +and she was with child. When her body grew large at the end of +three months of pregnancy,[9] and her countenance became pale, +Terah said unto her, "What ails thee, my wife, that thy +countenance is so pale and thy body so swollen?" She answered, +and said, "Every year I suffer with this malady."[10] But Terah +would not be put off thus. He insisted: "Show me thy body. It +seems to me thou art big with child. If that be so, it behooves +us not to violate the command of our god Nimrod."[11] When he +passed his hand over her body, there happened a miracle. The +child rose until it lay beneath her breasts, and Terah could feel +nothing with his hands. He said to his wife, "Thou didst speak +truly," and naught became visible until the day of her delivery. + +When her time approached, she left the city in great terror and +wandered toward the desert, walking along the edge of a +valley,[12] until she happened across a cave. She entered this +refuge, and on the next day she was seized with throes, and she +gave birth to a son. The whole cave was filled with the light of +the child's countenance as with the splendor of the sun, and the +mother rejoiced exceedingly. The babe she bore was our father +Abraham. + +His mother lamented, and said to her son: "Alas that I bore thee +at a time when Nimrod is king. For thy sake seventy thousand men +children were slaughtered, and I am seized with terror on account +of thee, that he hear of thy existence, and slay thee. Better +thou shouldst perish here in this cave than my eye should behold +thee dead at my breast." She took the garment in which she was +clothed, and wrapped it about the boy. Then she abandoned him in +the cave, saying, "May the Lord be with thee, may He not fail +thee nor forsake thee."[13] + + +THE BABE PROCLAIMS GOD + +Thus Abraham was deserted in the cave, without a nurse, and he +began to wail. God sent Gabriel down to give him milk to drink, +and the angel made it to flow from the little finger of the +baby's right hand, and he sucked at it until he was ten days +old.[14] Then he arose and walked about, and he left the cave, +and went along the edge of the valley.[15] When the sun sank, and +the stars came forth, he said, "These are the gods!" But the dawn +came, and the stars could be seen no longer, and then he said, "I +will not pay worship to these, for they are no gods." Thereupon +the sun came forth, and he spoke, "This is my god, him will I +extol." But again the sun set, and he said, "He is no god," and +beholding the moon, he called her his god to whom he would pay +Divine homage. Then the moon was obscured, and he cried out: +"This, too, is no god! There is One who sets them all in +motion."[16] + +He was still communing with himself when the angel Gabriel +approached him and met him with the greeting, "Peace be with +thee," and Abraham returned, "With thee be peace," and asked, +"Who art thou?" And Gabriel answered, and said, "I am the angel +Gabriel, the messenger of God," and he led Abraham to a spring of +water near by, and Abraham washed his face and his hands and +feet, and he prayed to God, bowing down and prostrating himself. + +Meantime the mother of Abraham thought of him in sorrow and +tears, and she went forth from the city to seek him in the cave +in which she had abandoned him. Not finding her son, she wept +bitterly, and said, "Woe unto me that I bore thee but to become a +prey of wild beasts, the bears and the lions and the wolves!" She +went to the edge of the valley, and there she found her son. But +she did not recognize him, for he had grown very large. She +addressed the lad, "Peace be with thee!" and he returned, "With +thee be peace!" and he continued, "Unto what purpose didst thou +come to the desert?" She replied, "I went forth from the city to +seek my son." Abraham questioned further, "Who brought thy son +hither?" and the mother replied thereto: "I had become pregnant +from my husband Terah, and when the days of my delivery were +fulfilled, I was in anxiety about my son in my womb, lest our +king come, the son of Canaan, and slay him as he had slain the +seventy thousand other men children. Scarcely had I reached the +cave in this valley when the throes of travailing seized me, and +I bore a son, whom I left behind in the cave, and I went home +again. Now am I come to seek him, but I find him not." + +Abraham then spoke, "As to this child thou tellest of, how old +was it?" + +The mother: "It was about twenty days old." + +Abraham: "Is there a woman in the world who would forsake her +new-born son in the desert, and come to seek him after twenty +days?" + +The mother: "Peradventure God will show Himself a merciful God!" + +Abraham: "I am the son whom thou hast come to seek in this +valley!" + +The mother: "My son, how thou art grown! But twenty days old, and +thou canst already walk, and talk with thy mouth!"[17] + +Abraham: "So it is, and thus, O my mother, it is made known unto +thee that there is in the world a great, terrible, living, and +ever-existing God, who doth see, but who cannot be seen. He is in +the heavens above, and the whole earth is full of His glory." + +The mother: "My son, is there a God beside Nimrod?" + +Abraham: "Yes, mother, the God of the heavens and the God of the +earth, He is also the God of Nimrod son of Canaan. Go, therefore, +and carry this message unto Nimrod." + +The mother of Abraham returned to the city and told her husband +Terah how she had found their son. Terah, who was a prince and a +magnate in the house of the king, betook himself to the royal +palace, and cast himself down before the king upon his face. It +was the rule that one who prostrated himself before the king was +not permitted to lift up his head until the king bade him lift it +up. Nimrod gave permission to Terah to rise and state his +request. Thereupon Terah related all that had happened with his +wife and his son. When Nimrod heard his tale, abject fear seized +upon him, and he asked his counsellors and princes what to do +with the lad. They answered, and said: "Our king and our god! +Wherefore art thou in fear by reason of a little child? There are +myriads upon myriads of princes in thy realm,[18] rulers of +thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of +tens, and overseers without number. Let the pettiest of the +princes go and fetch the boy and put him in prison." But the king +interposed, "Have ye ever seen a baby of twenty days walking with +his feet, speaking with his mouth, and proclaiming with his +tongue that there is a God in heaven, who is One, and none beside +Him, who sees and is not seen?" All the assembled princes were +horror struck at these words.[19] + +At this time Satan in human form appeared, clad in black silk +garb, and he cast himself down before the king. Nimrod said, +"Raise thy head and state thy request." Satan asked the king: +"Why art thou terrified, and why are ye all in fear on account of +a little lad? I will counsel thee what thou shalt do: Open thy +arsenal and give weapons unto all the princes, chiefs, and +governors, and unto all the warriors, and send them to fetch him +unto thy service and to be under thy dominion." + +This advice given by Satan the king accepted and followed. He +sent a great armed host to bring Abraham to him. When the boy saw +the army approach him, he was sore afraid, and amid tears he +implored God for help. In answer to his prayer, God sent the +angel Gabriel to him, and he said: "Be not afraid and disquieted, +for God is with thee. He will rescue thee out of the hands of all +thine adversaries." God commanded Gabriel to put thick, dark +clouds between Abraham and his assailants. Dismayed by the heavy +clouds, they fled, returning to Nimrod, their king, and they said +to him, "Let us depart and leave this realm," and the king gave +money unto all his princes and his servants, and together with +the king they departed and journeyed to Babylon.[20] + + +ABRAHAM'S FIRST APPEARANCE IN PUBLIC + +Now Abraham, at the command of God, was ordered by the angel +Gabriel to follow Nimrod to Babylon. He objected that he was in +no wise equipped to undertake a campaign against the king, but +Gabriel calmed him with the words: "Thou needest no provision for +the way, no horse to ride upon, no warriors to carry on war with +Nimrod, no chariots, nor riders. Do thou but sit thyself upon my +shoulder, and I shall bear thee to Babylon." + +Abraham did as he was bidden, and in the twinkling of an eye he +found himself before the gates of the city of Babylon.[21] At the +behest of the angel, he entered the city, and he called unto the +dwellers therein with a loud voice: "The Eternal, He is the One +Only God, and there is none beside. He is the God of the heavens, +and the God of the gods, and the God of Nimrod. Acknowledge this +as the truth, all ye men, women, and children. Acknowledge also +that I am Abraham His servant, the trusted steward of His house." + +Abraham met his parents in Babylon, and also he saw the angel +Gabriel, who bade him proclaim the true faith to his father and +his mother. Therefore Abraham spake to them, and said: "Ye serve +a man of your own kind, and you pay worship to an image of +Nimrod. Know ye not that it has a mouth, but it speaks not; an +eye, but it sees not; an ear, but it hears not; nor does it walk +upon its feet, and there is no profit in it, either unto itself +or unto others?" + +When Terah heard these words, he persuaded Abraham to follow him +into the house, where his son told him all that had happened--how +in one day he had completed a forty days' journey. Terah +thereupon went to Nimrod and reported to him that his son Abraham +had suddenly appeared in Babylon.[22] The king sent for Abraham, +and he came before him with his father. Abraham passed the +magnates and the dignitaries until he reached the royal throne, +upon which he seized hold, shaking it and crying out with a loud +voice: "O Nimrod, thou contemptible wretch, that deniest the +essence of faith, that deniest the living and immutable God, and +Abraham His servant, the trusted steward of His house. +Acknowledge Him, and repeat after me the words: The Eternal is +God, the Only One, and there is none beside; He is incorporeal, +living, ever-existing; He slumbers not and sleeps not, who hath +created the world that men might believe in Him. And confess also +concerning me, and say that I am the servant of God and the +trusted steward of His house."[23] + +While Abraham proclaimed this with a loud voice, the idols fell +upon their faces, and with them also King Nimrod.[24] For a space +of two hours and a half the king lay lifeless, and when his soul +returned upon him, he spoke and said, "Is it thy voice, O +Abraham, or the voice of thy God?" And Abraham answered, and +said, "This voice is the voice of the least of all creatures +called into existence by God." Thereupon Nimrod said, "Verily, +the God of Abraham is a great and powerful God, the King of all +kings," and he commanded Terah to take his son and remove him, +and return again unto his own city, and father and son did as the +king had ordered.[25] + + +THE PREACHER OF THE TRUE FAITH + +When Abraham attained the age of twenty years, his father Terah +fell ill. He spoke as follows to his sons Haran and Abraham, "I +adjure you by your lives, my sons, sell these two idols for me, +for I have not enough money to meet our expenses." Haran executed +the wish of his father, but if any one accosted Abraham, to buy +an idol from him, and asked him the price, he would answer, +"Three manehs," and then question in turn, "How old art thou?" +"Thirty years," the reply would be. "Thou art thirty years of +age, and yet thou wouldst worship this idol which I made but +to-day?" The man would depart and go his way, and another would +approach Abraham, and ask, "How much is this idol?" and "Five +manehs" would be the reply, and again Abraham would put the +question, "How old art thou?"--"Fifty years."--"And dost thou who +art fifty years of age bow down before this idol which was made +but to-day?" Thereupon the man would depart and go his way. +Abraham then took two idols, put a rope about their necks, and, +with their faces turned downward, he dragged them along the +ground, crying aloud all the time: "Who will buy an idol wherein +there is no profit, either unto itself or unto him that buys it +in order to worship it? It has a mouth, but it speaketh not; +eyes, but it seeth not; feet, but it walketh not; ears, but it +heareth not." + +The people who heard Abraham were amazed exceedingly at his +words. As he went through the streets, he met an old woman who +approached him with the purpose of buying an idol, good and big, +to be worshipped and loved. "Old woman, old woman," said Abraham, +"I know no profit therein, either in the big ones or in the +little ones, either unto themselves or unto others. And," he +continued to speak to her, "what has become of the big image thou +didst buy from my brother Haran, to worship it?" "Thieves," she +replied, "came in the night and stole it, while I was still at +the bath." "If it be thus," Abraham went on questioning her, "how +canst thou pay homage to an idol that cannot save itself from +thieves, let alone save others, like thyself, thou silly old +woman, out of misfortune? How is it possible for thee to say that +the image thou worshippest is a god? If it be a god, why did it +not save itself out of the hands of those thieves? Nay, in the +idol there is no profit, either unto itself or unto him that +adores it."[26] + +The old woman rejoined, "If what thou sayest be true, whom shall +I serve?" "Serve the God of all gods," returned Abraham, "the +Lord of lords, who hath created heaven and earth, the sea and all +therein--the God of Nimrod and the God of Terah, the God of the +east, the west, the south, and the north. Who is Nimrod, the dog, +who calleth himself a god, that worship be offered unto him?" + +Abraham succeeded in opening the eyes of the old woman, and she +became a zealous missionary for the true God. When she discovered +the thieves who had carried off her idol, and they restored it to +her, she broke it in pieces with a stone, and as she wended her +way through the streets, she cried aloud, "Who would save his +soul from destruction, and be prosperous in all his doings, let +him serve the God of Abraham." Thus she converted many men and +women to the true belief. + +Rumors of the words and deeds of the old woman reached the king, +and he sent for her. When she appeared before him, he rebuked her +harshly, asking her how she dared serve any god but himself. The +old woman replied: "Thou art a liar, thou deniest the essence of +faith, the One Only God, beside whom there is no other god. Thou +livest upon His bounty, but thou payest worship to another, and +thou dost repudiate Him, and His teachings, and Abraham His +servant." + +The old woman had to pay for her zeal for the faith with her +life. Nevertheless great fear and terror took possession of +Nimrod, because the people became more and more attached to the +teachings of Abraham, and he knew not how to deal with the man +who was undermining the old faith. At the advice of his princes, +he arranged a seven days' festival, at which all the people were +bidden to appear in their robes of state, their gold and silver +apparel. By such display of wealth and power he expected to +intimidate Abraham and bring him back to the faith of the king. +Through his father Terah, Nimrod invited Abraham to come before +him, that he might have the opportunity of seeing his greatness +and wealth, and the glory of his dominion, and the multitude of +his princes and attendants. But Abraham refused to appear before +the king. On the other hand, he granted his father's request that +in his absence he sit by his idols and the king's, and take care +of them. + +Alone with the idols, and while he repeated the words, "The +Eternal He is God, the Eternal He is God!" he struck the king's +idols from their thrones, and began to belabor them with an axe. +With the biggest he started, and with the smallest he ended. He +hacked off the feet of one, and the other he beheaded. This one +had his eyes struck out, the other had his hands crushed.[27] +After all were mutilated, he went away, having first put the axe +into the hand of the largest idol. + +The feast ended, the king returned, and when he saw all his idols +shivered in pieces, he inquired who had perpetrated the mischief. +Abraham was named as the one who had been guilty of the outrage, +and the king summoned him and questioned him as to his motive for +the deed. Abraham replied: "I did not do it; it was the largest +of the idols who shattered all the rest. Seest thou not that he +still has the axe in his hand? And if thou wilt not believe my +words, ask him and he will tell thee." + + +IN THE FIERY FURNACE + +Now the king was exceedingly wroth at Abraham, and ordered him to +be cast into prison, where he commanded the warden not to give +him bread or water.[28] But God hearkened unto the prayer of +Abraham, and sent Gabriel to him in his dungeon. For a year the +angel dwelt with him, and provided him with all sorts of food, +and a spring of fresh water welled up before him, and he drank of +it. At the end of a year, the magnates of the realm presented +themselves before the king, and advised him to cast Abraham into +the fire, that the people might believe in Nimrod forever. +Thereupon the king issued a decree that all the subjects of the +king in all his provinces, men and women, young and old, should +bring wood within forty days, and he caused it to be thrown into +a great furnace and set afire.[29] The flames shot up to the +skies, and the people were sore afraid of the fire. Now the +warden of the prison was ordered to bring Abraham forth and cast +him in the flames. The warden reminded the king that Abraham had +not had food or drink a whole year, and therefore must be dead, +but Nimrod nevertheless desired him to step in front of the +prison and call his name. If he made reply, he was to be hauled +out to the pyre. If he had perished, his remains were to receive +burial, and his memory was to be wiped out henceforth. + +Greatly amazed the warden was when his cry, "Abraham, art thou +alive?" was answered with "I am living." He questioned further, +"Who has been bringing thee food and drink all these many days?" +and Abraham replied: "Food and drink have been bestowed upon me +by Him who is over all things, the God of all gods and the Lord +of all lords, who alone doeth wonders, He who is the God of +Nimrod and the God of Terah and the God of the whole world. He +dispenseth food and drink unto all beings. He sees, but He cannot +be seen, He is in the heavens above, and He is present in all +places, for He Himself superviseth all things and provideth for +all." + +The miraculous rescue of Abraham from death by starvation and +thirst convinced the prison-keeper of the truth of God and His +prophet Abraham, and he acknowledged his belief in both publicly. +The king's threat of death unless he recanted could not turn him +away from his new and true faith. When the hangman raised his +sword and set it at his throat to kill him, he exclaimed, "The +Eternal He is God, the God of the whole world as well as of the +blasphemer Nimrod." But the sword could not cut his flesh. The +harder it was pressed against his throat, the more it broke into +pieces.[30] + +Nimrod, however, was not to be turned aside from his purpose, to +make Abraham suffer death by fire. One of the princes was +dispatched to fetch him forth. But scarcely did the messenger set +about the task of throwing him into the fire, when the flame +leapt forth from the furnace and consumed him. Many more attempts +were made to cast Abraham into the furnace, but always with the +same success--whoever seized him to pitch him in was himself +burnt, and a large number lost their lives. Satan appeared in +human shape, and advised the king to place Abraham in a catapult +and sling him into the fire. Thus no one would be required to +come near the flame. Satan himself constructed the catapult. +Having proved it fit three times by means of stones put in the +machine, they bound Abraham, hand and foot, and were about to +consign him to the flames. At that moment Satan, still disguised +in human shape, approached Abraham, and said, "If thou desirest +to deliver thyself from the fire of Nimrod, bow down before him +and believe in him." But Abraham rejected the tempter with the +words, "May the Eternal rebuke thee, thou vile, contemptible, +accursed blasphemer!" and Satan departed from him. + +Then the mother of Abraham came to him and implored him to pay +homage to Nimrod and escape the impending misfortune. But he said +to her: "O mother, water can extinguish Nimrod's fire, but the +fire of God will not die out for evermore. Water cannot quench +it."[31] When his mother heard these words, she spake, "May the +God whom thou servest rescue thee from the fire of Nimrod!" + +Abraham was finally placed in the catapult, and he raised his +eyes heavenward, and spoke, "O Lord my God, Thou seest what this +sinner purposes to do unto me!"[32] His confidence in God was +unshakable. When the angels received the Divine permission to +save him, and Gabriel approached him, and asked, "Abraham, shall +I save thee from the fire?" he replied, "God in whom I trust, the +God of heaven and earth, will rescue me," and God, seeing the +submissive spirit of Abraham, commanded the fire, "Cool off and +bring tranquillity to my servant Abraham."[33] + +No water was needed to extinguish the fire. The logs burst into +buds, and all the different kinds of wood put forth fruit, each +tree bearing its own kind. The furnace was transformed into a +royal pleasance, and the angels sat therein with Abraham. When +the king saw the miracle, he said: "Great witchcraft! Thou makest +it known that fire hath no power over thee, and at the same time +thou showest thyself unto the people sitting in a pleasure +garden." But the princes of Nimrod interposed all with one voice, +"Nay, our lord, this is not witchcraft, it is the power of the +great God, the God of Abraham, beside whom there is no other god, +and we acknowledge that He is God, and Abraham is His servant." +All the princes and all the people believed in God at this hour, +in the Eternal, the God of Abraham, and they all cried out, "The +Lord He is God in heaven above and upon the earth beneath; there +is none else."[34] + +Abraham was the superior, not only of the impious king Nimrod and +his attendants, but also of the pious men of his time, Noah, +Shem, Eber, and Asshur.[35] Noah gave himself no concern +whatsoever in the matter of spreading the pure faith in God. He +took an interest in planting his vineyard, and was immersed in +material pleasures. Shem and Eber kept in hiding, and as for +Asshur, he said, "How can I live among such sinners?" and +departed out of the land.[36] The only one who remained unshaken +was Abraham. "I will not forsake God," he said, and therefore God +did not forsake him, who had hearkened neither unto his father +nor unto his mother. + +The miraculous deliverance of Abraham from the fiery furnace, +together with his later fortunes, was the fulfilment and +explanation of what his father Terah had read in the stars. He +had seen the star of Haran consumed by fire, and at the same time +fill and rule the whole world. The meaning was plain now. Haran +was irresolute in his faith, he could not decide whether to +adhere to Abraham or the idolaters. When it befell that those who +would not serve idols were cast into the fiery furnace, Haran +reasoned in this manner: "Abraham, being my elder, will be called +upon before me. If he comes forth out of the fiery trial +triumphant, I will declare my allegiance to him; otherwise I will +take sides against him." After God Himself had rescued Abraham +from death, and Haran's turn came to make his confession of +faith, he announced his adherence to Abraham. But scarcely had he +come near the furnace,[37] when he was seized by the flames and +consumed, because he was lacking in firm faith in God. Terah had +read the stars well, it now appeared: Haran was burnt, and his +daughter Sarah[38] became the wife of Abraham, whose descendants +fill the earth.[39] In another way the death of Haran was +noteworthy. It was the first instance, since the creation of the +world, of a son's dying while his father was still alive.[40] + +The king, the princes, and all the people, who had been witnesses +of the wonders done for Abraham, came to him, and prostrated +themselves before him. But Abraham said: "Do not bow down before +me, but before God, the Master of the universe, who hath created +you. Serve Him and walk in His ways, for He it was who delivered +me from the flames, and He it is who hath created the soul and +the spirit of every human being, who formeth man in the womb of +his mother, and bringeth him into the world. He saveth from all +sickness those who put their trust in Him." + +The king then dismissed Abraham, after loading him down with an +abundance of precious gifts, among them two slaves who had been +raised in the royal palace. 'Ogi was the name of the one, Eliezer +the name of the other. The princes followed the example of the +king, and they gave him silver, and gold, and gems. But all these +gifts did not rejoice the heart of Abraham so much as the three +hundred followers that joined him and became adherents of his +religion. + + +ABRAHAM EMIGRATES TO HARAN + +For a period of two years Abraham could devote himself +undisturbed to his chosen task of turning the hearts of men to +God and His teachings.[41] In his pious undertaking he was aided +by his wife Sarah, whom he had married in the meantime. While he +exhorted the men and sought to convert them, Sarah addressed +herself to the women.[42] She was a helpmeet worthy of Abraham. +Indeed, in prophetical powers she ranked higher than her +husband.[43] She was sometimes called Iscah, "the seer," on that +account.[44] + +At the expiration of two years it happened that Nimrod dreamed a +dream. In his dream he found himself with his army near the fiery +furnace in the valley into which Abraham had been cast. A man +resembling Abraham stepped out of the furnace, and he ran after +the king with drawn sword, the king fleeing before him in terror. +While running, the pursuer threw an egg at Nimrod's head, and a +mighty stream issued therefrom, wherein the king's whole host was +drowned. The king alone survived, with three men. When Nimrod +examined his companions, he observed that they wore royal attire, +and in form and stature they resembled himself. The stream +changed back into an egg again, and a little chick broke forth +from it, and it flew up, settled upon the head of the king, and +put out one of his eyes. + +The king was confounded in his sleep, and when he awoke, his +heart beat like a trip-hammer, and his fear was exceeding great. +In the morning, when he arose, he sent and called for his wise +men and his magicians, and told them his dream. One of his wise +men, Anoko by name, stood up, and said: "Know, O king, this dream +points to the misfortune which Abraham and his descendants will +bring upon thee. A time will come when he and his followers will +make war upon thy army, and they will annihilate it. Thou and the +three kings, thy allies, will be the only ones to escape death. +But later thou wilt lose thy life at the hands of one of the +descendants of Abraham. Consider, O king, that thy wise men read +this fate of thine in the stars, fifty-two years ago, at the +birth of Abraham. As long as Abraham liveth upon the ground, thou +shalt not be stablished, nor thy kingdom." Nimrod took Anoko's +words to heart, and dispatched some of his servants to seize +Abraham and kill him. It happened that Eliezer, the slave whom +Abraham had received as a present from Nimrod, was at that time +at the royal court. With great haste he sped to Abraham to induce +him to flee before the king's bailiffs. His master accepted his +advice, and took refuge in the house of Noah and Shem, where he +lay in hiding a whole month. The king's officers reported that +despite zealous efforts Abraham was nowhere to be found. +Thenceforth the king did not concern himself about Abraham. + +When Terah visited his son in his hiding-place, Abraham proposed +that they leave the land and take up their abode in Canaan, in +order to escape the pursuit of Nimrod. He said: "Consider that it +was not for thy sake that Nimrod overloaded thee with honors, but +for his own profit. Though he continue to confer the greatest of +benefactions upon thee, what are they but earthly vanity? for +riches and possessions profit not in the day of wrath and fury. +Hearken unto my voice, O my father, let us depart for the land of +Canaan, and serve the God that hath created thee, that it may be +well with thee." + +Noah and Shem aided and abetted the efforts of Abraham to +persuade Terah, whereupon Terah consented to leave his country, +and he, and Abraham, and Lot, the son of Haran, departed for +Haran with their households. They found the land pleasant, and +also the inhabitants thereof, who readily yielded to the +influence of Abraham's humane spirit and his piety. Many of them +obeyed his precepts and became God-fearing and good.[45] + +Terah's resolve to quit his native land for the sake of Abraham +and take up his abode in strange parts, and his impulse to do it +before even the Divine call visited Abraham himself--this the +Lord accounted a great merit unto Terah, and he was permitted to +see his son Abraham rule as king over the whole world. For when +the miracle happened, and Isaac was born unto his aged parents, +the whole world repaired to Abraham and Sarah, and demanded to +know what they had done that so great a thing should be +accomplished for them. Abraham told them all that had happened +between Nimrod and himself, how he had been ready to be burnt for +the glory of God, and how the Lord had rescued him from the +flames. In token of their admiration for Abraham and his +teachings, they appointed him to be their king, and in +commemoration of Isaac's wondrous birth, the money coined by +Abraham bore the figures of an aged husband and wife on the +obverse side, and of a young man and his wife on the reverse +side, for Abraham and Sarah both were rejuvenated at the birth of +Isaac, Abraham's white hair turned black, and the lines in +Sarah's face were smoothed out. + +For many years Terah continued to live a witness of his son's +glory, for his death did not occur until Isaac was a youth of +thirty-five.[46] And a still greater reward waited upon his good +deed. God accepted his repentance, and when he departed this +life, he entered into Paradise, and not into hell, though he had +passed the larger number of his days in sin. Indeed, it had been +his fault that Abraham came near losing his life at the hands of +Nimrod.[47] + +THE STAR IN THE EAST + +Terah had been a high official at the court of Nimrod, and he was +held in great consideration by the king and his suite. A son was +born unto him whom he called Abram, because the king had raised +him to an exalted place. In the night of Abraham's birth, the +astrologers and the wise men of Nimrod came to the house of +Terah, and ate and drank, and rejoiced with him that night. When +they left the house, they lifted up their eyes toward heaven to +look at the stars, and they saw, and, behold, one great star came +from the east and ran athwart the heavens and swallowed up the +four stars at the four corners. They all were astonished at the +sight, but they understood this matter, and knew its import. They +said to one another: "This only betokens that the child that hath +been born unto Terah this night will grow up and be fruitful, and +he will multiply and possess all the earth, he and his children +forever, and he and his seed will slay great kings and inherit +their lands." + +They went home that night, and in the morning they rose up early, +and assembled in their meeting-house. They spake, and said to one +another: "Lo, the sight that we saw last night is hidden from the +king, it has not been made known to him, and should this thing +become known to him in the latter days, he will say to us, Why +did you conceal this matter from me? and then we shall all suffer +death. Now, let us go and tell the king the sight which we saw, +and the interpretation thereof, and we shall be clear from this +thing." And they went to the king and told him the sight they had +seen, and their interpretation thereof, and they added the advice +that he pay the value of the child to Terah, and slay the babe. + +Accordingly, the king sent for Terah, and when he came, he spake +to him: "It hath been told unto me that a son was born to thee +yesternight, and a wondrous sign was observed in the heavens at +his birth. Now give me the boy, that we may slay him before evil +comes upon us from him, and I will give thee thy house full of +silver and gold in exchange for him." Terah answered: "This thing +which thou promisest unto me is like the words which a man spoke +to a mule, saying, 'I will give thee a great heap of barley, a +houseful thereof, on condition that I cut off thy head!' The mule +replied, 'Of what use will all the barley be to me, if thou +cuttest off my head? Who will eat it when thou givest it to me?' +Thus also do I say: What shall I do with silver and gold after +the death of my son? Who shall inherit me?" But when Terah saw +how the king's anger burned within him at these words, he added, +"Whatever the king desireth to do unto his servant, that let him +do, even my son is at the king's disposal, without value or +exchange, he and his two older brethren." + +The king spake, however, saying, "I will purchase thy youngest +son for a price." And Terah made answer, "Let my king give me +three days' time to consider the matter and consult about it with +my family." The king agreed to this condition, and on the third +day he sent to Terah, saying, "Give me thy son for a price, as I +spoke unto thee, and if thou wilt not do this, I will send and +slay all thou hast in thy house, there shall not be a dog left +unto thee." + +Then Terah took a child which his handmaid had borne unto him +that day, and he brought the babe to the king, and received value +for him, and the king took the child and dashed his head against +the ground, for he thought it was Abraham. But Terah took his son +Abraham, together with the child's mother and his nurse, and +concealed them in a cave, and thither he carried provisions to +them once a month, and the Lord was with Abraham in the cave, and +he grew up, but the king and all his servants thought that +Abraham was dead. + +And when Abraham was ten years old, he and his mother and his +nurse went out from the cave, for the king and his servants had +forgotten the affair of Abraham. + +In that time all the inhabitants of the earth, with the exception +of Noah and his household, transgressed against the Lord, and +they made unto themselves every man his god, gods of wood and +stone, which could neither speak, nor hear, nor deliver from +distress. The king and all his servants, and Terah with his +household, were the first to worship images of wood and stone. +Terah made twelve gods of large size, of wood and of stone, +corresponding to the twelve months of the year, and he paid +homage to them monthly in turn.[48] + + +THE TRUE BELIEVER + +Once Abraham went into the temple of the idols in his father's +house, to bring sacrifices to them, and he found one of them, +Marumath by name, hewn out of stone, lying prostrate on his face +before the iron god of Nahor. The idol was too heavy for him to +raise it alone, and he called his father to help him put Marumath +back in his place. While they were handling the image, its head +dropped off, and Terah took a stone, and chiselled another +Marumath, setting the head of the first upon the new body. Then +Terah continued and made five more gods, and all these he +delivered to Abraham, and bade him sell them in the streets of +the city. + +Abraham saddled his mule, and went to the inn where merchants +from Fandana in Syria put up on their way to Egypt. He hoped to +dispose of his wares there. When he reached the inn, one of the +camels belonging to the merchants belched, and the sound +frightened his mule so that it ran off pell-mell and broke three +of the idols. The merchants not only bought the two sound idols +from him, they also gave him the price of the broken ones, for +Abraham had told them how distressed he was to appear before his +father with less money than he had expected to receive for his +handiwork. + +This incident made Abraham reflect upon the worthlessness of +idols, and he said to himself: "What are these evil things done +by my father? Is not he the god of his gods, for do they not come +into being by reason of his carving and chiselling and +contriving? Were it not more seemly that they should pay worship +to him than he to them, seeing they are the work of his hands?" +Meditating thus, he reached his father's house, and he entered +and handed his father the money for the five images, and Terah +rejoiced, and said, "Blessed art thou unto my gods, because thou +didst bring me the price of the idols, and my labor was not in +vain." But Abraham made reply: "Hear, my father Terah, blessed +are thy gods through thee, for thou art their god, since thou +didst fashion them, and their blessing is destruction and their +help is vanity. They that help not themselves, how can they help +thee or bless me?" + +Terah grew very wrathful at Abraham, that he uttered such speech +against his gods, and Abraham, thinking upon his father's anger, +left him and went from the house. But Terah called him back, and +said, "Gather together the chips of the oak wood from which I +made images before thou didst return, and prepare my dinner for +me." Abraham made ready to do his father's bidding, and as he +took up the chips he found a little god among them, whose +forehead bore the inscription "God Barisat." He threw the chips +upon the fire, and set Barisat up next to it, saying: "Attention! +Take care, Barisat, that the fire go not out until I come back. +If it burns low, blow into it, and make it flame up again." +Speaking thus, he went out. When he came in again, he found +Barisat lying prone upon his back, badly burnt. Smiling, he said +to himself, "In truth, Barisat, thou canst keep the fire alive +and prepare food," and while he spoke, the idol was consumed to +ashes. Then he took the dishes to his father, and he ate and +drank and was glad and blessed his god Marumath. But Abraham said +to his father, "Bless not thy god Marumath, but rather thy god +Barisat, for he it was who, out of his great love for thee, threw +himself into the fire that thy meal might be cooked." "Where is +he now?" exclaimed Terah, and Abraham answered, "He hath become +ashes in the fierceness of the fire." Terah said, "Great is the +power of Barisat! I will make me another this day, and to-morrow +he will prepare my food for me." + +These words of his father made Abraham laugh in his mind, but his +soul was grieved at his obduracy, and he proceeded to make clear +his views upon the idols, saying: "Father, no matter which of the +two idols thou blessest, thy behavior is senseless, for the +images that stand in the holy temple are more to be worshipped +than thine. Zucheus, the god of my brother Nahor, is more +venerable than Marumath, because he is made cunningly of gold, +and when he grows old, he will be worked over again. But when thy +Marumath becomes dim, or is shivered in pieces, he will not be +renewed, for he is of stone. And the god Joauv, who stands above +the other gods with Zucheus, is more venerable than Barisat, made +of wood, because he is hammered out of silver, and ornamented by +men, to show his magnificence. But thy Barisat, before thou didst +fashion him into a god with thy axe, was rooted in the earth, +standing there great and wonderful, with the glory of branches +and blossoms. Now he is dry, and gone is his sap. From his height +he has fallen to the earth, from grandeur he came to pettiness, +and the appearance of his face has paled away, and he himself was +burnt in the fire, and he was consumed unto ashes, and he is no +more. And thou didst then say, 'I will make me another this day, +and to-morrow he will prepare my food for me.' Father," Abraham +continued, and said, "the fire is more to be worshipped than thy +gods of gold and silver and wood and stone, because it consumes +them. But also the fire I call not god, because it is subject to +the water, which quenches it. But also the water I call not god, +because it is sucked up by the earth, and I call the earth more +venerable, because it conquers the water. But also the earth I +call not god, because it is dried out by the sun, and I call the +sun more venerable than the earth, because he illumines the whole +world with his rays. But also the sun I call not god, because his +light is obscured when darkness cometh up. Nor do I call the moon +and the stars gods, because their light, too, is extinguished +when their time to shine is past. But hearken unto this, my +father Terah, which I will declare unto thee, The God who hath +created all things, He is the true God, He hath empurpled the +heavens, and gilded the sun, and given radiance to the moon and +also the stars, and He drieth out the earth in the midst of many +waters, and also thee hath He put upon the earth, and me hath He +sought out in the confusion of my thoughts."[49] + + +THE ICONOCLAST + +But Terah could not be convinced, and in reply to Abraham's +question, who the God was that had created heaven and earth and +the children of men, he took him to the hall wherein stood twelve +great idols and a large number of little idols, and pointing to +them he said, "Here are they who have made all thou seest on +earth, they who have created also me and thee and all men on the +earth," and he bowed down before his gods, and left the hall with +his son. + +Abraham went thence to his mother, and he spoke to her, saying: +"Behold, my father has shown those unto me who made heaven and +earth and all the sons of men. Now, therefore, hasten and fetch a +kid from the flock, and make of it savory meat, that I may bring +it to my father's gods, perhaps I may thereby become acceptable +to them." His mother did according to his request, but when +Abraham brought the offering to the gods, he saw that they had no +voice, no hearing, no motion, and not one of them stretched forth +his hand to eat. Abraham mocked them, and said, "Surely, the +savory meat that I prepared doth not please you, or perhaps it is +too little for you! Therefore I will prepare fresh savory meat +to-morrow, better and more plentiful than this, that I may see +what cometh therefrom." But the gods remained mute and without +motion before the second offering of excellent savory meat as +before the first offering, and the spirit of God came over +Abraham, and he cried out, and said: "Woe unto my father and his +wicked generation, whose hearts are all inclined to vanity, who +serve these idols of wood and stone, which cannot eat, nor smell, +nor hear, nor speak, which have mouths without speech, eyes +without sight, ears without hearing, hands without feeling, and +legs without motion!" + +Abraham then took a hatchet in his hand, and broke all his +father's gods, and when he had done breaking them he placed the +hatchet in the hand of the biggest god among them all, and he +went out. Terah, having heard the crash of the hatchet on the +stone, ran to the room of the idols, and he reached it at the +moment when Abraham was leaving it, and when he saw what had +happened, he hastened after Abraham, and he said to him, "What is +this mischief thou hast done to my gods?" Abraham answered: "I +set savory meat before them, and when I came nigh unto them, that +they might eat, they all stretched out their hands to take of the +meat, before the big one had put forth his hand to eat. This one, +enraged against them on account of their behavior, took the +hatchet and broke them all, and, behold, the hatchet is yet in +his hands, as thou mayest see." + +Then Terah turned in wrath upon Abraham, and he said: "Thou +speakest lies unto me! Is there spirit, soul, or power in these +gods to do all thou hast told me? Are they not wood and stone? +and have I not myself made them? It is thou that didst place the +hatchet in the hand of the big god, and thou sayest he smote them +all." Abraham answered his father, and said: "How, then, canst +thou serve these idols in whom there is no power to do anything? +Can these idols in which thou trustest deliver thee? Can they +hear thy prayers when thou callest upon them?" After having +spoken these and similar words, admonishing his father to mend +his ways and refrain from worshipping idols, he leapt up before +Terah, took the hatchet from the big idol, broke it therewith, +and ran away. + +Terah hastened to Nimrod, bowed down before him, and besought him +to hear his story, about his son who had been born to him fifty +years back, and how he had done to his gods, and how he had +spoken. "Now, therefore, my lord and king," he said, "send for +him that he may come before thee, and do thou judge him according +to the law, that we may be delivered from his evil." When Abraham +was brought before the king, he told him the same story as he had +told Terah, about the big god who broke the smaller ones, but the +king replied, "Idols do neither speak, nor eat, nor move." Then +Abraham reproached him for worshipping gods that can do nothing, +and admonished him to serve the God of the universe. His last +words were, "If thy wicked heart will not hearken to my words, to +cause thee to forsake thy evil ways and serve the Eternal God, +then wilt thou die in shame in the latter days, thou, thy people, +and all that are connected with thee, who hear thy words, and +walk in thy evil ways." + +The king ordered Abraham to be put into prison, and at the end of +ten days he caused all the princes and great men of the realm to +appear before him, and to them he put the case of Abraham. Their +verdict was that he should be burnt, and, accordingly, the king +had a fire prepared for three days and three nights, in his +furnace at Kasdim, and Abraham was to be carried thither from +prison to be burnt. + +All the inhabitants of the land, about nine hundred thousand men, +and the women and the children besides, came to see what would be +done with Abraham. And when he was brought forth, the astrologers +recognized him, and they said to the king, "Surely, this is the +man whom we knew as a child, at whose birth the great star +swallowed the four stars. Behold, his father did transgress thy +command, and he made a mockery of thee, for he did bring thee +another child, and him didst thou kill." + +Terah was greatly terrified, for he was afraid of the king's +wrath, and he admitted that he had deceived the king, and when +the king said, "Tell me who advised thee to do this. Hide naught, +and thou shalt not die," he falsely accused Haran, who had been +thirty-two years old at the time of Abraham's birth, of having +advised him to deceive the king. At the command of the king, +Abraham and Haran, stripped of all their clothes except their +hosen, and their hands and feet bound with linen cords, were cast +into the furnace. Haran, because his heart was not perfect with +the Lord, perished in the fire, and also the men who cast them +into the furnace were burnt by the flames which leapt out over +them, and Abraham alone was saved by the Lord, and he was not +burnt, though the cords with which he was bound were consumed. +For three days and three nights Abraham walked in the midst of +the fire, and all the servants of the king came and told him, +"Behold, we have seen Abraham walking about in the midst of the +fire."[50] + +At first the king would not believe them, but when some of his +faithful princes corroborated the words of his servants, he rose +up and went to see for himself. He then commanded his servants to +take Abraham from the fire, but they could not, because the +flames leapt toward them from the furnace, and when they tried +again, at the king's command, to approach the furnace, the flames +shot out and burnt their faces, so that eight of their number +died. The king then called unto Abraham, and said: "O servant of +the God who is in heaven, go forth from the midst of the fire, +and come hither and stand before me," and Abraham came and stood +before the king. And the king spoke to Abraham, and said, "How +cometh it that thou wast not burnt in the fire?" And Abraham made +answer, "The God of heaven and earth in whom I trust, and who +hath all things in His power, He did deliver me from the fire +into which thou didst cast me."[51] + + +ABRAHAM IN CANAAN + +With ten temptations Abraham was tempted, and he withstood them +all, showing how great was the love of Abraham.[52] The first +test to which he was subjected was the departure from his native +land. The hardships were many and severe which he encountered, +and he was loth to leave his home, besides. He spoke to God, and +said, "Will not the people talk about me, and say, 'He is +endeavoring to bring the nations under the wings of the Shekinah, +yet he leaves his old father in Haran, and he goes away.'" But +God answered him, and said: "Dismiss all care concerning thy +father and thy kinsmen from thy thoughts. Though they speak words +of kindness to thee, yet are they all of one mind, to ruin +thee."[53] + +Then Abraham forsook his father in Haran, and journeyed to +Canaan, accompanied by the blessing of God, who said unto him, "I +will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make +thy name great." These three blessings were to counteract the +evil consequences which, he feared, would follow emigration, for +travelling from place to place interferes with the growth of the +family, it lessens one's substance, and it diminishes the +consideration one enjoys.[54] The greatest of all blessings, +however, was the word of God, "And be thou a blessing." The +meaning of this was that whoever came in contact with Abraham was +blessed. Even the mariners on the sea were indebted to him for +prosperous voyages.[55] Besides, God held out the promise to him +that in time to come his name would be mentioned in the +Benedictions, God would be praised as the Shield of Abraham, a +distinction accorded to no other mortal except David.[56] But the +words, "And be thou a blessing," will be fulfilled only in the +future world, when the seed of Abraham shall be known among the +nations and his offspring among the peoples as "the seed which +the Lord hath blessed."[57] + +When Abraham first was bidden to leave his home, he was not told +to what land he was to journey--all the greater would be his +reward for executing the command of God.[58] And Abraham showed +his trust in God, for he said, "I am ready to go whithersoever +Thou sendest me." The Lord then bade him go to a land wherein He +would reveal Himself, and when he went to Canaan later, God +appeared to him, and he knew that it was the promised land.[59] + +On entering Canaan, Abraham did not yet know that it was the land +appointed as his inheritance. Nevertheless he rejoiced when he +reached it. In Mesopotamia and in Aramnaharaim, the inhabitants +of which he had seen eating, drinking, and acting wantonly, he +had always wished, "O that my portion may not be in this land," +but when he came to Canaan, he observed that the people devoted +themselves industriously to the cultivation of the land, and he +said, "O that my portion may be in this land!" God then spoke to +him, and said, "Unto thy seed will I give this land."[60] Happy +in these joyous tidings, Abraham erected an altar to the Lord to +give thanks unto Him for the promise, and then he journeyed on, +southward, in the direction of the spot whereon the Temple was +once to stand. In Hebron he again erected an altar, thus taking +possession of the land in a measure. And likewise he raised an +altar in Ai, because he foresaw that a misfortune would befall +his offspring there, at the conquest of the land under Joshua. +The altar, he hoped, would obviate the evil results that might +follow. + +Each altar raised by him was a centre for his activities as a +missionary. As soon as he came to a place in which he desired to +sojourn, he would stretch a tent first for Sarah, and next for +himself, and then he would proceed at once to make proselytes and +bring them under the wings of the Shekinah. Thus he accomplished +his purpose of inducing all men to proclaim the Name of God.[61] + +For the present Abraham was but a stranger in his promised land. +After the partition of the earth among the sons of Noah, when all +had gone to their allotted portions, it happened that Canaan son +of Ham saw that the land extending from the Lebanon to the River +of Egypt was fair to look upon, and he refused to go to his own +allotment, westward by the sea. He settled in the land upon +Lebanon, eastward and westward from the border of the Jordan and +the border of the sea. And Ham, his father, and his brothers Cush +and Mizraim spoke to him, and said: "Thou livest in a land that +is not thine, for it was not assigned unto us when the lots were +drawn. Do not thus! But if thou persistest, ye, thou and thy +children, will fall, accursed, in the land, in a rebellion. Thy +settling here was rebellion, and through rebellion thy children +will be felled down, and thy seed will be destroyed unto all +eternity. Sojourn not in the land of Shem, for unto Shem and unto +the children of Shem was it apportioned by lot. Accursed art +thou, and accursed wilt thou be before all the children of Noah +on account of the curse, for we took an oath before the holy +Judge and before our father Noah." + +But Canaan hearkened not unto the words of his father and his +brothers. He dwelt in the land of the Lebanon from Hamath even +unto the entrance of Egypt, he and his sons.[62] Though the +Canaanites had taken unlawful possession of the land, yet Abraham +respected their rights; he provided his camels with muzzles, to +prevent them from pasturing upon the property of others.[63] + + +HIS SOJOURN IN EGYPT + +Scarcely had Abraham established himself in Canaan, when a +devastating famine broke out--one of the ten God appointed +famines for the chastisement of men. The first of them came in +the time of Adam, when God cursed the ground for his sake; the +second was this one in the time of Abraham; the third compelled +Isaac to take up his abode among the Philistines; the ravages of +the fourth drove the sons of Jacob into Egypt to buy grain for +food; the fifth came in the time of the Judges, when Elimelech +and his family had to seek refuge in the land of Moab; the sixth +occurred during the reign of David, and it lasted three years; +the seventh happened in the day of Elijah, who had sworn that +neither rain nor dew should fall upon the earth; the eighth was +the one in the time of Elisha, when an ass's head was sold for +fourscore pieces of silver; the ninth is the famine that comes +upon men piecemeal, from time to time; and the tenth will scourge +men before the advent of Messiah, and this last will be "not a +famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words +of the Lord."[64] + +The famine in the time of Abraham prevailed only in Canaan, and +it had been inflicted upon the land in order to test his faith. +He stood this second temptation as he had the first. He murmured +not, and he showed no sign of impatience toward God, who had +bidden him shortly before to abandon his native land for a land +of starvation.[65] The famine compelled him to leave Canaan for a +time, and he repaired to Egypt, to become acquainted there with +the wisdom of the priests and, if necessary, give them +instruction in the truth.[66] + +On this journey from Canaan to Egypt, Abraham first observed the +beauty of Sarah. Chaste as he was, he had never before looked at +her, but now, when they were wading through a stream, he saw the +reflection of her beauty in the water like the brilliance of the +sun.[67] Wherefore he spoke to her thus, "The Egyptians are very +sensual, and I will put thee in a casket that no harm befall me +on account of thee." At the Egyptian boundary, the tax collectors +asked him about the contents of the casket, and Abraham told them +he had barley in it. "No," they said, "it contains wheat." "Very +well," replied Abraham, "I am prepared to pay the tax on wheat." +The officers then hazarded the guess, "It contains pepper!" +Abraham agreed to pay the tax on pepper, and when they charged +him with concealing gold in the casket, he did not refuse to pay +the tax on gold, and finally on precious stones. Seeing that he +demurred to no charge, however high, the tax collectors, made +thoroughly suspicious, insisted upon his unfastening the casket +and letting them examine the contents. When it was forced open, +the whole of Egypt was resplendent with the beauty of Sarah. In +comparison with her, all other beauties were like apes compared +with men. She excelled Eve herself.[68] The servants of Pharaoh +outbid one another in seeking to obtain possession of her, though +they were of opinion that so radiant a beauty ought not to remain +the property of a private individual. They reported the matter to +the king,[69] and Pharaoh sent a powerful armed force to bring +Sarah to the palace,[70] and so bewitched was he by her charms +that those who had brought him the news of her coming into Egypt +were loaded down with bountiful gifts.[71] + +Amid tears, Abraham offered up a prayer. He entreated God in +these words: "Is this the reward for my confidence in Thee? For +the sake of Thy grace and Thy lovingkindness, let not my hope be +put to shame."[72] Sarah also implored God, saying: "O God, Thou +didst bid my lord Abraham leave his home, the land of his +fathers, and journey to Canaan, and Thou didst promise him to do +good unto him if he fulfilled Thy commands. And now we have done +as Thou didst command us to do. We left our country and our +kindred, and we journeyed to a strange land, unto a people which +we knew not heretofore. We came hither to save our people from +starvation, and now hath this terrible misfortune befallen. O +Lord, help me and save me from the hand of this enemy, and for +the sake of Thy grace show me good." + +An angel appeared unto Sarah while she was in the presence of the +king, to whom he was not visible, and he bade her take courage, +saying, "Fear naught, Sarah, for God hath heard thy prayer." The +king questioned Sarah as to the man in the company of whom she +had come to Egypt, and Sarah called Abraham her brother. Pharaoh +pledged himself to make Abraham great and powerful, to do for him +whatever she wished. He sent much gold and silver to Abraham, and +diamonds and pearls, sheep and oxen, and men slaves and women +slaves, and he assigned a residence to him within the precincts +of the royal palace.[73] In the love he bore Sarah, he wrote out +a marriage contract, deeding to her all he owned in the way of +gold and silver, and men slaves and women slaves, and the +province of Goshen besides, the province occupied in later days +by the descendants of Sarah, because it was their property. Most +remarkable of all, he gave her his own daughter Hagar as slave, +for he preferred to see his daughter the servant of Sarah to +reigning as mistress in another harem.[74] + +His free-handed generosity availed naught. During the night, when +he was about to approach Sarah, an angel appeared armed with a +stick, and if Pharaoh but touched Sarah's shoe to remove it from +her foot, the angel planted a blow upon his hand, and when he +grasped her dress, a second blow followed. At each blow he was +about to deal, the angel asked Sarah whether he was to let it +descend, and if she bade him give Pharaoh a moment to recover +himself, he waited and did as she desired. And another great +miracle came to pass. Pharaoh, and his nobles, and his servants, +the very walls of his house and his bed were afflicted with +leprosy, and he could not indulge his carnal desires.[75] This +night in which Pharaoh and his court suffered their well deserved +punishment was the night of the fifteenth of Nisan, the same +night wherein God visited the Egyptians in a later time in order +to redeem Israel, the descendants of Sarah.[76] + +Horrified by the plague sent upon him, Pharaoh inquired how he +could rid himself thereof. He applied to the priests, from whom +he found out the true cause of his affliction, which was +corroborated by Sarah. He then sent for Abraham and returned his +wife to him, pure and untouched, and excused himself for what had +happened, saying that he had had the intention of connecting +himself in marriage with him, whom he had thought to be the +brother of Sarah.[77] He bestowed rich gifts upon the husband and +the wife, and they departed for Canaan, after a three months' +sojourn in Egypt.[78] + +Arrived in Canaan they sought the same night-shelters at which +they had rested before, in order to pay their accounts, and also +to teach by their example that it is not proper to seek new +quarters unless one is forced to it.[79] + +Abraham's sojourn in Egypt was of great service to the +inhabitants of the country, because he demonstrated to the wise +men of the land how empty and vain their views were, and also he +taught them astronomy and astrology, unknown in Egypt before his +time.[80] + + +THE FIRST PHARAOH + +The Egyptian ruler, whose meeting with Abraham had proved so +untoward an event, was the first to bear the name Pharaoh. The +succeeding kings were named thus after him. The origin of the +name is connected with the life and adventures of Rakyon, +Have-naught, a man wise, handsome, and poor, who lived in the +land of Shinar. Finding himself unable to support himself in +Shinar, he resolved to depart for Egypt, where he expected to +display his wisdom before the king, Ashwerosh, the son of 'Anam. +Perhaps he would find grace in the eyes of the king, who would +give Rakyon the opportunity of supporting himself and rising to +be a great man. When he reached Egypt, he learnt that it was the +custom of the country for the king to remain in retirement in his +palace, removed from the sight of the people. Only on one day of +the year he showed himself in public, and received all who had a +petition to submit to him. Richer by a disappointment, Rakyon +knew not how he was to earn a livelihood in the strange country. +He was forced to spend the night in a ruin, hungry as he was. The +next day he decided to try to earn something by selling +vegetables. By a lucky chance he fell in with some dealers in +vegetables, but as he did not know the customs of the country, +his new undertaking was not favored with good fortune. Ruffians +assaulted him, snatched his wares from him, and made a +laughing-stock of him. The second night, which he was compelled +to spend in the ruin again, a sly plan ripened in his mind. He +arose and gathered together a crew of thirty lusty fellows. He +took them to the graveyard, and bade them, in the name of the +king, charge two hundred pieces of silver for every body they +buried. Otherwise interment was to be prevented. In this way he +succeeded in amassing great wealth within eight months. Not only +did he acquire silver, gold, and precious gems, but also he +attached a considerable force, armed and mounted, to his person. + +On the day on which the king appeared among the people, they +began to complain of this tax upon the dead. They said: "What is +this thou art inflicting upon thy servants--permitting none to be +buried unless they pay thee silver and gold! Has a thing like +this come to pass in the world since the days of Adam, that the +dead should not be interred unless money be paid therefor! We +know well that it is the privilege of the king to take an annual +tax from the living. But thou takest tribute from the dead, too, +and thou exactest it day by day. O king, we cannot endure this +any longer, for the whole of the city is ruined thereby." + +The king, who had had no suspicion of Rakyon's doings, fell into +a great rage when the people gave him information about them. He +ordered him and his armed force to appear before him. Rakyon did +not come empty-handed. He was preceded by a thousand youths and +maidens, mounted upon steeds and arrayed in state apparel. These +were a present to the king. When he himself stepped before the +king, he delivered gold, silver, and diamonds to him in great +abundance, and a magnificent charger. These gifts and the display +of splendor did not fail of taking effect upon the king, and when +Rakyon, in well-considered words and with a pliant tongue, +described the undertaking, he won not only the king to his side, +but also the whole court, and the king said to him, "No longer +shalt thou be called Rakyon, Have-naught, but Pharaoh, Paymaster, +for thou didst collect taxes from the dead." + +So profound was the impression made by Rakyon that the king, the +grandees, and the people, all together resolved to put the +guidance of the realm in the hands of Pharaoh. Under the +suzerainty of Ashwerosh he administered law and justice +throughout the year; only on the one day when he showed himself +to the people did the king himself give judgment and decide +cases. Through the power thus conferred upon him and through +cunning practices, Pharaoh succeeded in usurping royal authority, +and he collected taxes from all the inhabitants of Egypt. +Nevertheless he was beloved of the people, and it was decreed +that every ruler of Egypt should thenceforth bear the name +Pharaoh.[81] + + +THE WAR OF THE KINGS + +On his return from Egypt Abraham's relations to his own family +were disturbed by annoying circumstances. Strife developed +between the herdmen of his cattle and the herdmen of Lot's +cattle. Abraham furnished his herds with muzzles, but Lot made no +such provision, and when the shepherds that pastured Abraham's +flocks took Lot's shepherds to task on account of the omission, +the latter replied: "It is known of a surety that God said unto +Abraham, 'To thy seed will I give the land.' But Abraham is a +sterile mule. Never will he have children. On the morrow he will +die, and Lot will be his heir. Thus the flocks of Lot are but +consuming what belongs to them or their master." But God spoke: +"Verily, I said unto Abraham I would give the land unto his seed, +but only after the seven nations shall have been destroyed from +out of the land. To-day the Canaanites are therein, and the +Perizzites. They still have the right of habitation." + +Now, when the strife extended from the servants to the masters, +and Abraham vainly called his nephew Lot to account for his +unbecoming behavior, Abraham decided he would have to part from +his kinsman, though he should have to compel Lot thereto by +force. Lot thereupon separated himself not from Abraham alone, +but from the God of Abraham also, and he betook himself to a +district in which immorality and sin reigned supreme, wherefore +punishment overtook him, for his own flesh seduced him later unto +sin. + +God was displeased with Abraham for not living in peace and +harmony with his own kindred, as he lived with all the world +beside. On the other hand, God also took it in ill part that +Abraham was accepting Lot tacitly as his heir, though He had +promised him, in clear, unmistakable words, "To thy seed will I +give the land." After Abraham had separated himself from Lot, he +received the assurance again that Canaan should once belong to +his seed, which God would multiply as the sand which is upon the +sea-shore. As the sand fills the whole earth, so the offspring of +Abraham would be scattered over the whole earth, from end to end; +and as the earth is blessed only when it is moistened with water, +so his offspring would be blessed through the Torah, which is +likened unto water; and as the earth endures longer than metal, +so his offspring would endure forever, while the heathen would +vanish; and as the earth is trodden upon, so his offspring would +be trodden upon by the four kingdoms.[82] + +The departure of Lot had a serious consequence, for the war waged +by Abraham against the four kings is intimately connected with +it. Lot desired to settle in the well-watered circle of the +Jordan, but the only city of the plain that would receive him was +Sodom, the king of which admitted the nephew of Abraham out of +consideration for the latter.[83] The five impious kings planned +first to make war upon Sodom on account of Lot and then advance +upon Abraham.[84] For one of the five, Amraphel, was none other +than Nimrod, Abraham's enemy from of old. The immediate occasion +for the war was this: Chedorlaomer, one of Nimrod's generals, +rebelled against him after the builders of the tower were +dispersed, and he set himself up as king of Elam. Then he +subjugated the Hamitic tribes living in the five cities of the +plain of the Jordan, and made them tributary. For twelve years +they were faithful to their sovereign ruler Chedorlaomer, but +then they refused to pay the tribute, and they persisted in their +insubordination for thirteen years. Making the most of +Chedorlaomer's embarrassment, Nimrod led a host of seven thousand +warriors against his former general. In the battle fought between +Elam and Shinar, Nimrod suffered a disastrous defeat, he lost six +hundred of his army, and among the slain was the king's son +Mardon. Humiliated and abased, he returned to his country, and he +was forced to acknowledge the suzerainty of Chedorlaomer, who now +proceeded to form an alliance with Arioch king of Ellasar, and +Tidal, the king of several nations, the purpose of which was to +crush the cities of the circle of the Jordan. The united forces +of these kings, numbering eight hundred thousand, marched upon +the five cities, subduing whatever they encountered in their +course,[85] and annihilating the descendants of the giants. +Fortified places, unwalled cities, and flat, open country, all +fell in their hands.[86] They pushed on through the desert as far +as the spring issuing from the rock at Kadesh, the spot appointed +by God as the place of pronouncing judgment against Moses and +Aaron on account of the waters of strife. Thence they turned +toward the central portion of Palestine, the country of dates, +where they encountered the five godless kings, Bera, the villain, +king of Sodom; Birsha, the sinner, king of Gomorrah; Shinab, the +father-hater, king of Admah; Shemeber, the voluptuary, king of +Zeboiim; and the king of Bela, the city that devours its +inhabitants. The five were routed in the fruitful Vale of Siddim, +the canals of which later formed the Dead Sea. They that remained +of the rank and file fled to the mountains, but the kings fell +into the slime pits and stuck there. Only the king of Sodom was +rescued, miraculously, for the purpose that he might convert +those heathen to faith in God that had not believed in the +wonderful deliverance of Abraham from the fiery furnace.[87] + +The victors despoiled Sodom of all its goods and victuals, and +took Lot, boasting, "We have taken the son of Abraham's brother +captive," so betraying the real object of their undertaking; +their innermost desire was to strike at Abraham.[88] + +It was on the first evening of the Passover, and Abraham was +eating of the unleavened bread,[89] when the archangel Michael +brought him the report of Lot's captivity. This angel bears +another name besides, Palit, the escaped, because when God threw +Samael and his host from their holy place in heaven, the +rebellious leader held on to Michael and tried to drag him along +downward, and Michael escaped falling from heaven only through +the help of God.[90] + +When the report of his nephew's evil state reached Abraham, he +straightway dismissed all thought of his dissensions with Lot +from his mind, and only considered ways and means of +deliverance.[91] He convoked his disciples to whom he had taught +the true faith, and who all called themselves by the name +Abraham.[92] He gave them gold and silver, saying at the same +time: "Know that we go to war for the purpose of saving human +lives. Therefore, do ye not direct your eyes upon money, here lie +gold and silver before you." Furthermore he admonished them in +these words: "We are preparing to go to war. Let none join us who +hath committed a trespass, and fears that Divine punishment will +descend upon him." Alarmed by his warning, not one would obey his +call to arms, they were fearful on account of their sins. Eliezer +alone remained with him, wherefore God spake, and said: "All +forsook thee save only Eliezer. Verily, I shall invest him with +the strength of the three hundred and eighteen men whose aid thou +didst seek in vain."[93] + +The battle fought with the mighty hosts of the kings, from which +Abraham emerged victorious, happened on the fifteenth of Nisan, +the night appointed for miraculous deeds.[94] The arrows and +stones hurled at him effected naught,[95] but the dust of the +ground, the chaff, and the stubble which he threw at the enemy +were transformed into death-dealing javelins and swords.[96] +Abraham, as tall as seventy men set on end, and requiring as much +food and drink as seventy men, marched forward with giant +strides, each of his steps measuring four miles, until he +overtook the kings, and annihilated their troops. Further he +could not go, for he had reached Dan, where Jeroboam would once +raise the golden calves, and on this ominous spot Abraham's +strength diminished.[97] + +His victory was possible only because the celestial powers +espoused his side. The planet Jupiter made the night bright for +him, and an angel, Lailah by name, fought for him.[98] In a true +sense, it was a victory of God. All the nations acknowledged his +more than human achievement, and they fashioned a throne for +Abraham, and erected it on the field of battle. When they +attempted to seat him upon it, amid exclamations of "Thou art our +king! Thou art our prince! Thou art our god!" Abraham warded them +off, and said, "The universe has its King, and it has its God!" +He declined all honors, and returned his property unto each man. +Only the little children he kept by himself. He reared them in +the knowledge of God, and later they atoned for the disgrace of +their parents. + +Somewhat arrogantly the king of Sodom set out to meet Abraham. He +was proud that a great miracle, his rescue from the slime pit, +had been performed for him, too. He made Abraham the proposition +that he keep the despoiled goods for himself.[99] But Abraham +refused them, and said: "I have lift up mine hand unto the Lord, +God Most High, who hath created the world for the sake of the +pious, that I will not take a thread nor a shoe-latchet nor aught +that is thine. I have no right upon any goods taken as +spoils,[100] save only that which the young men have eaten, and +the portion of the men who tarried by the stuff, though they went +not down to the battle itself." The example of Abraham in giving +a share in the spoils even unto the men not concerned directly in +the battle, was followed later by David, who heeded not the +protest of the wicked men and the base fellows with him, that the +watchers who staid by the stuff were not entitled to share alike +with the warriors that had gone down to the battle.[101] + +In spite of his great success, Abraham nevertheless was concerned +about the issue of the war. He feared that the prohibition +against shedding the blood of man had been transgressed, and he +also dreaded the resentment of Shem, whose descendants had +perished in the encounter. But God reassured him, and said: "Be +not afraid! Thou hast but extirpated the thorns, and as to Shem, +he will bless thee rather than curse thee." So it was. When +Abraham returned from the war, Shem, or, as he is sometimes +called, Melchizedek, the king of righteousness, priest of God +Most High, and king of Jerusalem, came forth to meet him with +bread and wine.[102] And this high priest instructed Abraham in +the laws of the priesthood and in the Torah, and to prove his +friendship for him he blessed him, and called him the partner of +God in the possession of the world, seeing that through him the +Name of God had first been made known among men.[103] But +Melchizedek arranged the words of his blessing in an unseemly +way. He named Abraham first and then God. As a punishment, he was +deposed by God from the priestly dignity, and instead it was +passed over to Abraham, with whose descendants it remained +forever.[104] + +As a reward for the sanctification of the Holy Name, which +Abraham had brought about when he refused to keep aught of the +goods taken in battle,[105] his descendants received two +commands, the command of the threads in the borders of their +garments, and the command of the latchets to be bound upon their +hands and to be used as frontlets between their eyes. Thus they +commemorate that their ancestor refused to take so much as a +thread or a latchet. And because he would not touch a +shoe-latchet of the spoils, his descendants cast their shoe upon +Edom.[106] + + +THE COVENANT OF THE PIECES + +Shortly after the war, God revealed Himself unto Abraham, to +soothe his conscience as to the spilling of innocent blood, for +it was a scruple that gave him much anguish of spirit. God +assured him at the same time that He would cause pious men to +arise among his descendants, who, like himself, would be a shield +unto their generation.[107] As a further distinction, God gave +him leave to ask what he would have, rare grace accorded to none +beside, except Jacob, Solomon, Ahaz, and the Messiah. Abraham +spoke, and said: "O Lord of the world, if in time to come my +descendants should provoke Thy wrath, it were better I remained +childless. Lot, for the sake of whom I journeyed as far as +Damascus, where God was my protection, would be well pleased to +be my heir. Moreover, I have read in the stars, 'Abraham, thou +wilt beget no children.'" Thereupon God raised Abraham above the +vault of the skies, and He said, "Thou art a prophet, not an +astrologer!"[108] Now Abraham demanded no sign that he would be +blessed with offspring. Without losing another word, he believed +in the Lord, and he was rewarded for his simple faith by a share +in this world and a share in the world to come as well, and, +besides, the redemption of Israel from the exile will take place +as a recompense for his firm trust.[109] + +But though he believed the promise made him with a full and +abiding faith, he yet desired to know by what merit of theirs his +descendants would maintain themselves. Therefore God bade him +bring Him a sacrifice of three heifers, three she-goats, three +rams, a turtle dove, and a young pigeon, thus indicating to +Abraham the various sacrifices that should once be brought in the +Temple, to atone for the sins of Israel and further his +welfare.[110] "But what will become of my descendants," asked +Abraham, "after the Temple is destroyed?" God replied, and said, +"If they read the order of sacrifices as they will be set down in +the Scriptures, I will account it unto them as though they had +offered the sacrifices, and I will forgive all their sins."[111] +And God continued and revealed to Abraham the course of Israel's +history and the history of the whole world: The heifer of three +years indicates the dominion of Babylon, the she-goat of three +years stands for the empire of the Greeks, the ram of three years +for the Medo-Persian power, the rule of Ishmael is represented by +the ram, and Israel is the innocent dove. + +Abraham took him these animals and divided them in the midst. Had +he not done so, Israel would not have been able to resist the +power of the four kingdoms. But the birds he divided not, to +indicate that Israel will remain whole. And the birds of prey +came down upon the carcasses, and Abraham drove them away. Thus +was announced the advent of the Messiah, who will cut the heathen +in pieces, but Abraham bade Messiah wait until the time appointed +unto him.[112] And as the Messianic time was made known unto +Abraham, so also the time of the resurrection of the dead. When +he laid the halves of the pieces over against each other, the +animals became alive again, as the bird flew over them.[112] + +While he was preparing these sacrifices, a vision of great import +was granted to Abraham. The sun sank, and a deep sleep fell upon +him, and he beheld a smoking furnace, Gehenna, the furnace that +God prepares for the sinner; and he beheld a flaming torch, the +revelation on Sinai, where all the people saw flaming torches; +and he beheld the sacrifices to be brought by Israel; and an +horror of great darkness fell upon him, the dominion of the four +kingdoms. And God spake to him: "Abraham, as long as thy children +fulfil the two duties of studying the Torah and performing the +service in the Temple, the two visitations, Gehenna and alien +rule, will be spared them. But if they neglect the two duties, +they will have to suffer the two chastisements; only thou mayest +choose whether they shall be punished by means of Gehenna or by +means of the dominion of the stranger." All the day long Abraham +wavered, until God called unto him: "How long wilt thou halt +between two opinions? Decide for one of the two, and let it be +for the dominion of the stranger!" Then God made known to him the +four hundred years' bondage of Israel in Egypt, reckoning from +the birth of Isaac, for unto Abraham himself was the promise +given that he should go to his fathers in peace, and feel naught +of the arrogance of the stranger oppressor. At the same time, it +was made known to Abraham that his father Terah would have a +share in the world to come, for he had done penance for his +sinful deeds. Furthermore it was revealed to him that his son +Ishmael would turn into the path of righteousness while yet his +father was alive, and his grandson Esau would not begin his +impious way of life until he himself had passed away. And as he +received the promise of their deliverance together with the +announcement of the slavery of his seed, in a land not theirs, so +it was made known to him that God would judge the four kingdoms +and destroy them.[114] + + +THE BIRTH OF ISHMAEL + +The covenant of the pieces, whereby the fortunes of his +descendants were revealed to Abraham, was made at a time when he +was still childless.[115] As long as Abraham and Sarah dwelt +outside of the Holy Land, they looked upon their childlessness as +a punishment for not abiding within it. But when a ten years' +sojourn in Palestine found her barren as before, Sarah perceived +that the fault lay with her.[116] Without a trace of jealousy she +was ready to give her slave Hagar to Abraham as wife,[117] first +making her a freed woman.[118] For Hagar was Sarah's property, +not her husband's. She had received her from Pharaoh, the father +of Hagar. Taught and bred by Sarah, she walked in the same path +of righteousness as her mistress,[119] and thus was a suitable +companion for Abraham, and, instructed by the holy spirit, he +acceded to Sarah's proposal. + +No sooner had Hagar's union with Abraham been consummated, and +she felt that she was with child, than she began to treat her +former mistress contemptuously, though Sarah was particularly +tender toward her in the state in which she was. When noble +matrons came to see Sarah, she was in the habit of urging them to +pay a visit to "poor Hagar," too. The dames would comply with her +suggestion, but Hagar would use the opportunity to disparage +Sarah. "My lady Sarah," she would say, "is not inwardly what she +appears to be outwardly. She makes the impression of a righteous, +pious woman, but she is not, for if she were, how could her +childlessness be explained after so many years of marriage, while +I became pregnant at once?" + +Sarah scorned to bicker with her slave, yet the rage she felt +found vent in these words to Abraham:[120] "It is thou who art +doing me wrong. Thou hearest the words of Hagar, and thou sayest +naught to oppose them, and I hoped that thou wouldst take my +part. For thy sake did I leave my native land and the house of my +father, and I followed thee into a strange land with trust in +God. In Egypt I pretended to be thy sister, that no harm might +befall thee. When I saw that I should bear no children, I took +the Egyptian woman, my slave Hagar, and gave her unto thee for +wife, contenting myself with the thought that I would rear the +children she would bear. Now she treats me disdainfully in thy +presence. O that God might look upon the injustice which hath +been done unto me, to judge between thee and me, and have mercy +upon us, restore peace to our home, and grant us offspring, that +we have no need of children from Hagar, the Egyptian bondwoman of +the generation of the heathen that cast thee in the fiery +furnace!"[121] + +Abraham, modest and unassuming as he was, was ready to do justice +to Sarah, and he conferred full power upon her to dispose of +Hagar according to her pleasure. He added but one caution, +"Having once made her a mistress, we cannot again reduce her to +the state of a bondwoman." Unmindful of this warning, Sarah +exacted the services of a slave from Hagar. Not alone this, she +tormented her, and finally she cast an evil eye upon her, so that +the unborn child dropped from her, and she ran away. On her +flight she was met by several angels, and they bade her return, +at the same time making known to her that she would bear a son +who should be called Ishmael--one of the six men who have been +given a name by God before their birth, the others being Isaac, +Moses, Solomon, Josiah, and the Messiah.[122] + +Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael the command was issued +to Abraham that he put the sign of the covenant upon his body and +upon the bodies of the male members of his household. Abraham was +reluctant at first to do the bidding of God, for he feared that +the circumcision of his flesh would raise a barrier between +himself and the rest of mankind. But God said unto him, "Let it +suffice thee that I am thy God and thy Lord, as it sufficeth the +world that I am its God and its Lord."[123] + +Abraham then consulted with his three true friends, Aner, Eshcol, +and Mamre, regarding the command of the circumcision. The first +one spoke, and said, "Thou art nigh unto a hundred years old, and +thou considerest inflicting such pain upon thyself?" The advice +of the second was also against it. "What," said Eshcol, "thou +choosest to mark thyself so that thy enemies may recognize thee +without fail?" Mamre, the third, was the only one to advise +obedience to the command of God. "God succored thee from the +fiery furnace," he said, "He helped thee in the combat with the +kings, He provided for thee during the famine, and thou dost +hesitate to execute His behest concerning the circumcision?"[124] +Accordingly, Abraham did as God had commanded, in bright +daylight, bidding defiance to all, that none might say, "Had we +seen him attempt it, we should have prevented him."[125] + +The circumcision was performed on the tenth day of Tishri, the +Day of Atonement, and upon the spot on which the altar was later +to be erected in the Temple, for the act of Abraham remains a +never-ceasing atonement for Israel.[126] + + +THE VISIT OF THE ANGELS + +On the third day after his circumcision, when Abraham was +suffering dire pain,[127] God spoke to the angels, saying, "Go +to, let us pay a visit to the sick." The angels refused, and +said: "What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? And the son of +man, that Thou visitest him? And Thou desirest to betake Thyself +to a place of uncleanness, a place of blood and filth?" But God +replied unto them, "Thus do ye speak. As ye live, the savor of +this blood is sweeter to me than myrrh and incense, and if you do +not desire to visit Abraham, I will go alone."[128] + +The day whereon God visited him was exceedingly hot, for He had +bored a hole in hell, so that its heat might reach as far as the +earth, and no wayfarer venture abroad on the highways, and +Abraham be left undisturbed in his pain.[129] But the absence of +strangers caused Abraham great vexation, and he sent his servant +Eliezer forth to keep a lookout for travellers. When the servant +returned from his fruitless search, Abraham himself, in spite of +his illness and the scorching heat, prepared to go forth on the +highway and see whether he would not succeed where failure had +attended Eliezer, whom he did not wholly trust at any rate, +bearing in mind the well-known saying, "No truth among +slaves."[130] At this moment God appeared to him, surrounded by +the angels. Quickly Abraham attempted to rise from his seat, but +God checked every demonstration of respect, and when Abraham +protested that it was unbecoming to sit in the presence of the +Lord, God said, "As thou livest, thy descendants at the age of +four and five will sit in days to come in the schools and in the +synagogues while I reside therein."[131] + +Meantime Abraham beheld three men. They were the angels Michael, +Gabriel, and Raphael. They had assumed the form of human beings +to fulfil his wish for guests toward whom to exercise +hospitality. Each of them had been charged by God with a special +mission, besides, to be executed on earth. Raphael was to heal +the wound of Abraham, Michael was to bring Sarah the glad tidings +that she would bear a son, and Gabriel was to deal destruction to +Sodom and Gomorrah. Arrived at the tent of Abraham, the three +angels noticed that he was occupied in nursing himself, and they +withdrew.[132] Abraham, however, hastened after them through +another door of the tent, which had wide open entrances on all +sides.[133] He considered the duty of hospitality more important +than the duty of receiving the Shekinah. Turning to God, he said, +"O Lord, may it please Thee not to leave Thy servant while he +provides for the entertainment of his guests."[134] Then he +addressed himself to the stranger walking in the middle between +the other two, whom by this token he considered the most +distinguished,--it was the archangel Michael--and he bade him and +his companions turn aside into his tent. The manner of his +guests, who treated one another politely, made a good impression +upon Abraham. He was assured that they were men of worth whom he +was entertaining.[135] But as they appeared outwardly like Arabs, +and the people worshipped the dust of their feet, he bade them +first wash their feet, that they might not defile his tent.[136] + +He did not depend upon his own judgment in reading the character +of his guests. By his tent a tree was planted, which spread its +branches out over all who believed in God, and afforded them +shade. But if idolaters went under the tree, the branches turned +upward, and cast no shade upon the ground. Whenever Abraham saw +this sign, he would at once set about the task of converting the +worshippers of the false gods. And as the tree made a distinction +between the pious and the impious, so also between the clean and +the unclean. Its shade was denied them as long as they refrained +from taking the prescribed ritual bath in the spring that flowed +out from its roots, the waters of which rose at once for those +whose uncleanness was of a venial character and could be removed +forthwith, while others had to wait seven days for the water to +come up. Accordingly, Abraham bade the three men lean against the +trunk of the tree. Thus he would soon learn their worth or their +unworthiness.[137] + +Being of the truly pious, "who promise little, but perform +much,"[133] Abraham said only: "I will fetch a morsel of bread, +and comfort ye your heart, seeing that ye chanced to pass my tent +at dinner time. Then, after ye have given thanks to God, ye may +pass on."[139] But when the meal was served to the guests, it was +a royal banquet, exceeding Solomon's at the time of his most +splendid magnificence. Abraham himself ran unto the herd, to +fetch cattle for meat. He slaughtered three calves, that he might +be able to set a "tongue with mustard" before each of his +guests.[140] In order to accustom Ishmael to God-pleasing deeds, +he had him dress the calves,[141] and he bade Sarah bake the +bread. But as he knew that women are apt to treat guests +niggardly, he was explicit in his request to her. He said, "Make +ready quickly three measures of meal, yea, fine meal." As it +happened, the bread was not brought to the table, because it had +accidentally become unclean, and our father Abraham was +accustomed to eat his daily bread only in a clean state.[142] +Abraham himself served his guests, and it appeared to him that +the three men ate. But this was an illusion. In reality the +angels did not eat,[143] only Abraham, his three friends, Aner, +Eshcol, and Mamre, and his son Ishmael partook of the banquet, +and the portions set before the angels were devoured by a +heavenly fire.[144] + +Although the angels remained angels even in their human disguise, +nevertheless the personality of Abraham was so exalted that in +his presence the archangels felt insignificant.[145] + +After the meal the angels asked after Sarah, though they knew +that she was in retirement in her tent, but it was proper for +them to pay their respects to the lady of the house and send her +the cup of wine over which the blessing had been said.[146] +Michael, the greatest of the angels, thereupon announced the +birth of Isaac. He drew a line upon the wall, saying, "When the +sun crosses this point, Sarah will be with child, and when he +crosses the next point, she will give birth to a child." This +communication, which was intended for Sarah and not for Abraham, +to whom the promise had been revealed long before,[147] the +angels made at the entrance to her tent, but Ishmael stood +between the angel and Sarah, for it would not have been seemly to +deliver the message in secret, with none other by. Yet, so +radiant was the beauty of Sarah that a beam of it struck the +angel, and made him look up. In the act of turning toward her, he +heard her laugh within herself:[148] "Is it possible that these +bowels can yet bring forth a child, these shrivelled breasts give +suck? And though I should be able to bear, yet is not my lord +Abraham old?"[149] + +And the Lord said unto Abraham: "Am I too old to do wonders? And +wherefore doth Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a +child, which am old?"[150] The reproach made by God was directed +against Abraham as well as against Sarah, for he, too, had showed +himself of little faith when he was told that a son would be born +unto him. But God mentioned only Sarah's incredulity, leaving +Abraham to become conscious of his defect himself.[151] + +Regardful of the peace of their family life, God had not repeated +Sarah's words accurately to Abraham. Abraham might have taken +amiss what his wife had said about his advanced years, and so +precious is the peace between husband and wife that even the +Holy One, blessed be He, preserved it at the expense of +truth.[152] + +After Abraham had entertained his guests, he went with them to +bring them on their way, for, important as the duty of +hospitality is, the duty of speeding the parting guest is even +more important.[153] Their way lay in the direction of Sodom, +whither two of the angels were going, the one to destroy it, and +the second to save Lot, while the third, his errand to Abraham +fulfilled, returned to heaven.[154] + + +THE CITIES OF SIN + +The inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah and the three other cities +of the plain were sinful and godless. In their country there was +an extensive vale, where they foregathered annually with their +wives and their children and all belonging to them, to celebrate +a feast lasting several days and consisting of the most revolting +orgies. If a stranger merchant passed through their territory, he +was besieged by them all, big and little alike, and robbed of +whatever he possessed. Each one appropriated a bagatelle, until +the traveller was stripped bare. If the victim ventured to +remonstrate with one or another, he would show him that he had +taken a mere trifle, not worth talking about. And the end was +that they hounded him from the city. + +Once upon a time it happened that a man journeying from Elam +arrived in Sodom toward evening. No one could be found to grant +him shelter for the night. Finally a sly fox named Hedor invited +him cordially to follow him to his house. The Sodomite had been +attracted by a rarely magnificent carpet, strapped to the +stranger's ass by means of a rope. He meant to secure it for +himself. The friendly persuasions of Hedor induced the stranger +to remain with him two days, though he had expected to stay only +overnight. When the time came for him to continue on his journey, +he asked his host for the carpet and the rope. Hedor said: "Thou +hast dreamed a dream, and this is the interpretation of thy +dream: the rope signifies that thou wilt have a long life, as +long as a rope; the varicolored carpet indicates that thou wilt +own an orchard wherein thou wilt plant all sorts of fruit trees." +The stranger insisted that his carpet was a reality, not a dream +fancy, and he continued to demand its return. Not only did Hedor +deny having taken anything from his guest, he even insisted upon +pay for having interpreted his dream to him. His usual price for +such services, he said, was four silver pieces, but in view of +the fact that he was his guest, he would, as a favor to him, +content himself with three pieces of silver. + +After much wrangling, they put their case before one of the +judges of Sodom, Sherek by name, and he said to the plaintiff, +"Hedor is known in this city as a trustworthy interpreter of +dreams, and what he tells thee is true." The stranger declared +himself not satisfied with the verdict, and continued to urge his +side of the case. Then Sherek drove both the plaintiff and the +defendant from the court room. Seeing this, the inhabitants +gathered together and chased the stranger from the city, and +lamenting the loss of his carpet, he had to pursue his way. + +As Sodom had a judge worthy of itself, so also had the other +cities--Sharkar in Gomorrah, Zabnak in Admah, and Manon in +Zeboiim. Eliezer, the bondman of Abraham, made slight changes in +the names of these judges, in accordance with the nature of what +they did: the first he called Shakkara, Liar; the second +Shakrura, Arch-deceiver; the third Kazban, Falsifier; and the +fourth, Mazle-Din, Perverter of Judgment. At the suggestion of +these judges, the cities set up beds on their commons. When a +stranger arrived, three men seized him by his head, and three by +his feet, and they forced him upon one of the beds. If he was too +short to fit into it exactly, his six attendants pulled and +wrenched his limbs until he filled it out; if he was too long +for; it, they tried to jam him in with all their combined +strength, until the victim was on the verge of death. Hit +outcrles were met with the words, "Thus will be done to any man +that comes into our land." + +After a while travellers avoided these cities, but if some poor +devil was betrayed occasionally into entering them, they would +give him gold and silver, but never any bread, so that he was +bound to die of starvation. Once he was dead, the residents of +the city came and took back the marked gold and silver which they +had given him, and they would quarrel about the distribution of +his clothes, for they would bury him naked. + +Once Eliezer, the bondman of Abraham, went to Sodom, at the +bidding of Sarah, to inquire after the welfare of Lot. He +happened to enter the city at the moment when the people were +robbing a stranger of his garments. Eliezer espoused the cause of +the poor wretch, and the Sodomites turned against him; one threw +a stone at his forehead and caused considerable loss of blood. +Instantly, the assailant, seeing the blood gush forth, demanded +payment for having performed the operation of cupping. Eliezer +refused to pay for the infliction of a wound upon him, and he was +haled before the judge Shakkara. The decision went against him, +for the law of the land gave the assailant the right to demand +payment. Eliezer quickly picked up a stone and threw it at the +judge's forehead. When he saw that the blood was flowing +profusely, he said to the judge, "Pay my debt to the man and give +me the balance." + +The cause of their cruelty was their exceeding great wealth. +Their soil was gold, and in their miserliness and their greed for +more and more gold, they wanted to prevent strangers from +enjoying aught of their riches. Accordingly, they flooded the +highways with streams of water, so that the roads to their city +were obliterated, and none could find the way thither. They were +as heartless toward beasts as toward men. They begrudged the +birds what they ate, and therefore extirpated them.[155] They +behaved impiously toward one another, too, not shrinking back +from murder to gain possession of more gold. If they observed +that a man owned great riches, two of them would conspire against +him. They would beguile him to the vicinity of ruins, and while +the one kept him on the spot by pleasant converse, the other +would undermine the wall near which he stood, until it suddenly +crashed down upon him and killed him. Then the two plotters would +divide his wealth between them. + +Another method of enriching themselves with the property of +others was in vogue among them. They were adroit thieves. When +they made up their minds to commit theft, they would first ask +their victim to take care of a sum of money for them, which they +smeared with strongly scented oil before handing it over to him. +The following night they would break into his house, and rob him +of his secret treasures, led to the place of concealment by the +smell of the oil. + +Their laws were calculated to do injury to the poor. The richer a +man, the more was he favored before the law. The owner of two +oxen was obliged to render one day's shepherd service, but if he +had but one ox, he had to give two days' service. A poor orphan, +who was thus forced to tend the flocks a longer time than those +who were blessed with large herds, killed all the cattle +entrusted to him in order to take revenge upon his oppressors, +and he insisted, when the skins were assigned, that the owner of +two head of cattle should have but one skin, but the owner of one +head should receive two skins, in correspondence to the method +pursued in assigning the work. For the use of the ferry, a +traveller had to pay four zuz, but if he waded through the water, +he had to pay eight zuz.[156] + +The cruelty of the Sodomites went still further. Lot had a +daughter, Paltit, so named because she had been born to him +shortly after he escaped captivity through the help of Abraham. +Paltit lived in Sodom, where she had married. Once a beggar came +to town, and the court issued a proclamation that none should +give him anything to eat, in order that he might die of +starvation. But Paltit had pity upon the unfortunate wretch, and +every day when she went to the well to draw water, she supplied +him with a piece of bread, which she hid in her water pitcher. +The inhabitants of the two sinful cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, +could not understand why the beggar did not perish, and they +suspected that some one was giving him food in secret. Three men +concealed themselves near the beggar, and caught Paltit in the +act of giving him something to eat. She had to pay for her +humanity with death; she was burnt upon a pyre. + +The people of Admah were no better than those of Sodom. Once a +stranger came to Admah, intending to stay overnight and continue +his journey the next morning. The daughter of a rich man met the +stranger, and gave him water to drink and bread to eat at his +request. When the people of Admah heard of this infraction of the +law of the land, they seized the girl and arraigned her before +the judge, who condemned her to death. The people smeared her +with honey from top to toe, and exposed her where bees would be +attracted to her. The insects stung her to death, and the callous +people paid no heed to her heartrending cries. Then it was that +God resolved upon the destruction of these sinners.[157] + + +ABRAHAM PLEADS FOR THE SINNERS + +When God saw that there was no righteous man among the +inhabitants of the sinful cities, and there would be none among +their descendants, for the sake of whose merits the rest might be +treated with lenient consideration, He resolved to annihilate +them one and all.[158] But before judgment was executed, the Lord +made known unto Abraham what He would do to Sodom, Gomorrah, and +the other cities of the plain, for they formed a part of Canaan, +the land promised unto Abraham, and therefore did God say, "I +will not destroy them without the consent of Abraham."[159] + +Like a compassionate father, Abraham importuned the grace of God +in behalf of the sinners. He spoke to God, and said: "Thou didst +take an oath that no more should all flesh be cut off by the +waters of a flood. Is it meet that Thou shouldst evade Thy oath +and destroy cities by fire? Shall the Judge of all the earth not +do right Himself? Verily, if Thou desirest to maintain the world, +Thou must give up the strict line of justice. If Thou insistest +upon the right alone, there can be no world." Whereupon God said +to Abraham: "Thou takest delight in defending My creatures, and +thou wouldst not call them guilty. Therefore I spoke with none +but thee during the ten generations since Noah."[160] Abraham +ventured to use still stronger words in order to secure the +safety of the godless. "That be far from Thee," he said, "to slay +the righteous with the wicked, that the dwellers on the earth say +not, 'It is His trade to destroy the generations of men in a +cruel manner; for He destroyed the generation of Enosh, then the +generation of the flood, and then He sent the confusion of +tongues. He sticks ever to His trade.'" + +God made reply: "I will let all the generations I have destroyed +pass before thee, that thou mayest see they have not suffered the +extreme punishment they deserved. But if thou thinkest that I did +not act justly, then instruct thou Me in what I must do, and I +will endeavor to act in accordance with thy words." And Abraham +had to admit that God had not diminished in aught the justice due +to every creature in this world or the other world.[161] +Nevertheless he continued to speak, and he said: "Wilt Thou +consume the cities, if there be ten righteous men in each?" And +God said, "No, if I find fifty righteous therein, I will not +destroy the cities."[162] + +Abraham: "I have taken upon me to speak unto the Lord, I who +would have been turned long since into dust of the ground by +Amraphel and into ashes by Nimrod, had it not been for Thy +grace.[163] Peradventure there shall lack five of the fifty +righteous for Zoar, the smallest of the five cities. Wilt Thou +destroy all the city for lack of five?" + +God: "I will not destroy it, if I find there forty and five." + +Abraham: "Peradventure there be ten pious in each of the four +cities, then forgive Zoar in Thy grace, for its sins are not so +great in number as the sins of the others." + +God granted his petition, yet Abraham continued to plead, and he +asked whether God would not be satisfied if there were but thirty +righteous, ten in each of the three larger cities, and would +pardon the two smaller ones, even though there were no righteous +therein, whose merits would intercede for them. This, too, the +Lord granted, and furthermore He promised not to destroy the +cities if but twenty righteous were found therein; yes, God +conceded that He would preserve the five cities for the sake of +ten righteous therein.[164] More than this Abraham did not ask, +for he knew that eight righteous ones, Noah and his wife, and his +three sons and their wives, had not sufficed to avert the doom of +the generation of the flood, and furthermore he hoped that Lot, +his wife, and their four daughters, together with the husbands of +their daughters, would make up the number ten. What he did not +know was that even the righteous in these sin-laden cities, +though better than the rest, were far from good.[165] + +Abraham did not cease to pray for the deliverance of the sinners +even after the Shekinah had removed from him. But his +supplications and his intercessions were in vain.[166] For +fifty-two years God had warned the godless; He had made mountains +to quake and tremble. But they hearkened not unto the voice of +admonition. They persisted in their sins, and their well-merited +punishment overtook them.[167] God forgives all sins, only not an +immoral life. And as all these sinners led a life of debauchery, +they were burnt with fire.[168] + + +THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SINFUL CITIES + +The angels left Abraham at noon time, and they reached Sodom at +the approach of evening. As a rule, angels proclaim their errand +with the swiftness of lightning, but these were angels of mercy, +and they hesitated to execute their work of destruction, ever +hoping that the evil would be turned aside from Sodom.[169] With +nightfall, the fate of Sodom was sealed irrevocably, and the +angels arrived there.[170] + +Bred in the house of Abraham, Lot had learnt from him the +beautiful custom of extending hospitality, and when he saw the +angels before him in human form, thinking they were wayfarers, he +bade them turn aside and tarry all night in his house. But as the +entertainment of strangers was forbidden in Sodom on penalty of +death, he dared invite them only under cover of the darkness of +night,[171] and even then he had to use every manner of +precaution, bidding the angels to follow him by devious ways. + +The angels, who had accepted Abraham's hospitality without delay, +first refused to comply with Lot's request, for it is a rule of +good breeding to show reluctance when an ordinary man invites +one, but to accept the invitation of a great man at once. Lot, +however, was insistent, and carried them into his house by main +force.[172] At home he had to overcome the opposition of his +wife, for she said, "If the inhabitants of Sodom hear of this, +they will slay thee." + +Lot divided his dwelling in two parts, one for himself and his +guests, the other for his wife, so that, if aught happened, his +wife would be spared.[173] Nevertheless it was she who betrayed +him. She went to a neighbor and borrowed some salt, and to the +question, whether she could not have supplied herself with salt +during daylight hours, she replied, "We had enough salt, until +some guests came to us; for them we needed more." In this way the +presence of strangers was bruited abroad in the city.[174] + +In the beginning the angels were inclined to hearken to the +petition of Lot in behalf of the sinners, but when all the people +of the city, big and little, crowded around the house of Lot with +the purpose of committing a monstrous crime, the angels warded +off his prayers, saying, "Hitherto thou couldst intercede for +them, but now no longer." It was not the first time that the +inhabitants of Sodom wanted to perpetrate a crime of this sort. +They had made a law some time before that all strangers were to +be treated in this horrible way. Lot, who was appointed chief +judge on the very day of the angels' coming, tried to induce the +people to desist from their purpose, saying to them, "My +brethren, the generation of the deluge was extirpated in +consequence of such sins as you desire to commit, and you would +revert to them?" But they replied: "Back! And though Abraham +himself came hither, we should have no consideration for him. Is +it possible that thou wouldst set aside a law which thy +predecessors administered?"[175] + +Even Lot's moral sense was no better than it should have been. It +is the duty of a man to venture his life for the honor of his +wife and his daughters, but Lot was ready to sacrifice the honor +of his daughters, wherefor he was punished severely later +on.[176] + +The angels told Lot who they were, and what the mission that had +brought them to Sodom, and they charged him to flee from the city +with his wife and his four daughters, two of them married, and +two betrothed.[177] Lot communicated their bidding to his +sons-in-law, and they mocked at him, and said: "O thou fool! +Violins, cymbals, and flutes resound in the city, and thou sayest +Sodom will be destroyed!" Such scoffing but hastened the +execution of the doom of Sodom.[178] The angel Michael laid hold +upon the hand of Lot, and his wife and his daughters, while with +his little finger the angel Gabriel touched the rock whereon the +sinful cities were built, and overturned them. At the same time +the rain that was streaming down upon the two cities was changed +into brimstone.[179] + +When the angels had brought forth Lot and his family and set them +without the city, he bade them run for their lives, and not look +behind, lest they behold the Shekinah, which had descended to +work the destruction of the cities. The wife of Lot could not +control herself. Her mother love made her look behind to see if +her married daughters were following. She beheld the Shekinah, +and she became a pillar of salt. This pillar exists unto this +day. The cattle lick it all day long, and in the evening it seems +to have disappeared, but when morning comes it stands there as +large as before.[180] + +The savior angel had urged Lot himself to take refuge with +Abraham. But he refused, and said: "As long as I dwelt apart from +Abraham, God compared my deeds with the deeds of my +fellow-citizens, and among them I appeared as a righteous man. If +I should return to Abraham, God will see that his good deeds +outweigh mine by far."[181] The angel then granted his plea that +Zoar be left undestroyed. This city had been founded a year later +than the other four; it was only fifty-one years old, and +therefore the measure of its sins was not so full as the measure +of the sins of the neighboring cities.[182] + +The destruction of the cities of the plain took place at dawn of +the sixteenth day of Nisan, for the reason that there were moon +and sun worshippers among the inhabitants. God said: "If I +destroy them by day, the moon worshippers will say, Were the moon +here, she would prove herself our savior; and if I destroy them +by night, the sun worshippers will say, Were the sun here, he +would prove himself our savior. I will therefore let their +chastisement overtake them on the sixteenth day of Nisan at an +hour at which the moon and the sun are both in the skies."[183] + +The sinful inhabitants of the cities of the plain not only lost +their life in this world, but also their share in the future +world. As for the cities themselves, however, they will be +restored in the Messianic time.[184] + +The destruction of Sodom happened at the time at which Abraham +was performing his morning devotions, and for his sake it was +established as the proper hour for the morning prayer unto all +times.[185] When he turned his eyes toward Sodom and beheld the +rising smoke, he prayed for the deliverance of Lot, and God +granted his petition--the fourth time that Lot became deeply +indebted to Abraham. Abraham had taken him with him to Palestine, +he had made him rich in flocks, herds, and tents, he had rescued +him from captivity, and by his prayer he saved him from the +destruction of Sodom. The descendants of Lot, the Ammonites and +the Moabites, instead of showing gratitude to the Israelites, the +posterity of Abraham, committed four acts of hostility against +them. They sought to compass the destruction of Israel by means +of Balaam's curses, they waged open war against him at the time +of Jephthah, and also at the time of Jehoshaphat, and finally +they manifested their hatred against Israel at the destruction of +the Temple. Hence it is that God appointed four prophets, Isaiah, +Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zephaniah, to proclaim punishment unto the +descendants of Lot, and four times their sin is recorded in Holy +Writ.[186] + +Though Lot owed his deliverance to the petition of Abraham, yet +it was at the same time his reward for not having betrayed +Abraham in Egypt, when he pretended to be the brother of +Sarah.[187] But a greater reward still awaits him. The Messiah +will be a descendant of his, for the Moabitess Ruth is the +great-grandmother of David, and the Ammonitess Naamah is the +mother of Rehoboam, and the Messiah is of the line of these two +kings.[188] + + +AMONG THE PHILISTINES + +The destruction of Sodom induced Abraham to journey to Gerar. +Accustomed to extend hospitality to travellers and wayfarers, he +no longer felt comfortable in a district in which all traffic had +ceased by reason of the ruined cities. There was another reason +for Abraham's leaving his place; the people spoke too much about +the ugly incident with Lot's daughters.[189] + +Arrived in the land of the Philistines, he again, as aforetime in +Egypt, came to an understanding with Sarah, that she was to call +herself his sister. When the report of her beauty reached the +king, he ordered her to be brought before him, and he asked her +who her companion was, and she told him that Abraham was her +brother. Entranced by her beauty, Abimelech the king took Sarah +to wife, and heaped marks of honor upon Abraham in accordance +with the just claims of a brother of the queen. Toward evening, +before retiring, while he was still seated upon his throne, +Abimelech fell into a sleep, and he slept until the morning, and +in the dream he dreamed he saw an angel of the Lord raising his +sword to deal him a death blow. Sore frightened, he asked the +cause, and the angel replied, and said: "Thou wilt die on account +of the woman thou didst take into thy house this day, for she is +the wife of Abraham, the man whom thou didst cite before thee. +Return his wife unto him! But if thou restore her not, thou shalt +surely die, thou and all that are thine." + +In that night the voice of a great crying was heard in the whole +land of the Philistines, for they saw the figure of a man walking +about, with sword in hand, slaying all that came in his way. At +the same time it happened that in men and beasts alike all the +apertures of the body closed up, and the land was seized with +indescribable excitement. In the morning, when the king awoke, in +agony and terror, he called all his servants and told his dream +in their ears. One of their number said: "O lord and king! +Restore this woman unto the man, for he is her husband. It is but +his way in a strange land to pretend that she is his sister. Thus +did he with the king of Egypt, too, and God sent heavy +afflictions upon Pharaoh when he took the woman unto himself. +Consider, also, O lord and king, what hath befallen this night in +the land; great pain, wailing, and confusion there was, and we +know that it came upon us only because of this woman."[190] + +There were some among his servants who spake: "Be not afraid of +dreams! What dreams make known to man is but falsehood." Then God +appeared unto Abimelech again and commanded him to let Sarah go +free, otherwise he would be a dead man.[191] Abimelech replied: +"Is this Thy way? Then, I ween, the generation of the flood and +the generation of the confusion of tongues were innocent, too! +The man himself did say unto me, She is my sister, and she, even +she herself said, He is my brother, and all the people of their +household said the same words." And God said unto him: "Yea, I +know that thou hast not yet committed a trespass, for I withheld +thee from sinning. Thou didst not know that Sarah was a man's +wife.[192] But is it becoming to question a stranger, no sooner +does he set foot upon thy territory, about the woman accompanying +him, whether she be his wife or his sister? Abraham, who is a +prophet, knew beforehand the danger to himself if he revealed the +whole truth.[193] But, being a prophet, he also knows that thou +didst not touch his wife, and he shall pray for thee, and thou +shalt live." + +The smoke was still rising from the ruins of Sodom, and Abimelech +and his people, seeing it, feared that a like fate might overtake +them.[194] The king called Abraham and reproached him for having +caused such great misfortune through his false statements +concerning Sarah. Abraham excused his conduct by his apprehension +that, the fear of God not being in the place, the inhabitants of +the land slay him for his wife.[195] Abraham went on and told the +history of his whole life, and he said: "When I dwelt in the +house of my father, the nations of the world sought to do me +harm, but God proved Himself my Redeemer. When the nations of the +world tried to lead me astray to idolatry, God revealed Himself +to me, and He said, 'Get thee out of thy country, and from thy +kindred, and from thy father's house.' And when the nations of +the world were about to go astray, God sent two prophets, my +kinsmen Shem and Eber, to admonish them."[196] + +Abimelech gave rich gifts to Abraham, wherein he acted otherwise +than Pharaoh in similar circumstances. The Egyptian king gave +gifts to Sarah, but Abimelech was God fearing, and desired that +Abraham pray for him.[197] To Sarah he gave a costly robe that +covered her whole person, hiding her seductive charms from the +view of beholders. At the same time it was a reproach to Abraham, +that he had not fitted Sarah out with the splendor due to his +wife.[198] + +Though Abimelech had done him great injury, Abraham not only +granted him the forgiveness he craved, but also he prayed for him +to God. Thus he is an exemplar unto all. "Man should be pliant as +a reed, not hard like the cedar." He should be easily appeased, +and slow to anger, and as soon as he who has sinned against him +asks for pardon, he should forgive him with all his heart. Even +if deep and serious injury has been done to him, he should not be +vengeful, nor bear his brother a grudge in his heart.[199] + +Abraham prayed thus for Abimelech: "O Lord of the world! Thou +hast created man that he may increase and propagate his kind. +Grant that Abimelech and his house may multiply and +increase!"[200] God fulfilled Abraham's petition in behalf of +Abimelech and his people, and it was the first time it happened +in the history of mankind that God fulfilled the prayer of one +human being for the benefit of another.[201] Abimelech and his +subjects were healed of all their diseases, and so efficacious +was the prayer offered by Abraham that the wife of Abimelech, +barren hitherto, bore a child.[202] + + +THE BIRTH OF ISAAC + +When the prayer of Abraham for Abimelech was heard, and the king +of the Philistines recovered, the angels raised a loud cry, and +spoke to God thus: "O Lord of the world! All these years hath +Sarah been barren, as the wife of Abimelech was. Now Abraham +prayed to Thee, and the wife of Abimelech hath been granted a +child. It is just and fair that Sarah should be remembered and +granted a child." These words of the angels, spoken on the New +Year's Day, when the fortunes of men are determined in heaven for +the whole year, bore a result. Barely seven months later, on the +first day of the Passover, Isaac was born. + +The birth of Isaac was a happy event, and not in the house of +Abraham alone. The whole world rejoiced, for God remembered all +barren women at the same time with Sarah. They all bore children. +And all the blind were made to see, all the lame were made whole, +the dumb were made to speak, and the mad were restored to reason. +And a still greater miracle happened: on the day of Isaac's birth +the sun shone with such splendor as had not been seen since the +fall of man, and as he will shine again only in the future +world.[203] + +To silence those who asked significantly, "Can one a hundred +years old beget a son?" God commanded the angel who has charge +over the embryos, to give them form and shape, that he fashion +Isaac precisely according to the model of Abraham, so that all +seeing Isaac might exclaim, "Abraham begot Isaac."[204] + +That Abraham and Sarah were blessed with offspring only after +they had attained so great an age, had an important reason. It +was necessary that Abraham should bear the sign of the covenant +upon his body before he begot the son who was appointed to be the +father of Israel.[205] And as Isaac was the first child born to +Abraham after he was marked with the sign, he did not fail to +celebrate his circumcision with much pomp and ceremony on the +eighth day.[206] Shem, Eber, Abimelech king of the Philistines, +and his whole retinue, Phicol the captain of his host in it--they +all were present, and also Terah and his son Nahor, in a word, +all the great ones round about.[207] On this occasion Abraham +could at last put a stop to the talk of the people, who said, +"Look at this old couple! They picked up a foundling on the +highway, and they pretend he is their own son, and to make their +statement seem credible, they arrange a feast in his honor." +Abraham had invited not only men to the celebration, but also the +wives of the magnates with their infants, and God permitted a +miracle to be done. Sarah had enough milk in her breasts to +suckle all the babes there,[208] and they who drew from her +breasts had much to thank her for. Those whose mothers had +harbored only pious thoughts in their minds when they let them +drink the milk that flowed from the breasts of the pious Sarah, +they became proselytes when they grew up; and those whose mothers +let Sarah nurse them only in order to test her, they grew up to +be powerful rulers, losing their dominion only at the revelation +on Mount Sinai, because they would not accept the Torah. All +proselytes and pious heathen are the descendants of these +infants.[209] + +Among the guests of Abraham were the thirty-one kings and +thirty-one viceroys of Palestine who were vanquished by Joshua at +the conquest of the Holy Land. Even Og king of Bashan was +present, and he had to suffer the teasing of the other guests, +who rallied him upon having called Abraham a sterile mule, who +would never have offspring. Og, on his part, pointed at the +little boy with contempt, and said, "Were I to lay my finger upon +him, he would be crushed." Whereupon God said to him: "Thou +makest mock of the gift given to Abraham! As thou livest, thou +shalt look upon millions and myriads of his descendants, and in +the end thou shalt fall into their hands."[210] + + +ISHMAEL CAST OFF + +When Isaac grew up, quarrels broke out between him and Ishmael, +on account of the rights of the first-born. Ishmael insisted he +should receive a double portion of the inheritance after the +death of Abraham, and Isaac should receive only one portion. +Ishmael, who had been accustomed from his youth to use the bow +and arrow, was in the habit of aiming his missiles in the +direction of Isaac, saying at the same time that he was but +jesting.[211] Sarah, however, insisted that Abraham make over to +Isaac all he owned, that no disputes might arise after his +death,[212] "for," she said, "Ishmael is not worthy of being heir +with my son, nor with a man like Isaac, and certainly not with my +son Isaac."[213] Furthermore, Sarah insisted that Abraham divorce +himself from Hagar, the mother of Ishmael, and send away the +woman and her son, so that there be naught in common between them +and her own son, either in this world or in the future world. + +Of all the trials Abraham had to undergo, none was so hard to +bear as this, for it grieved him sorely to separate himself from +his son. God appeared to him in the following night, and said to +him: "Abraham, knowest thou not that Sarah was appointed to be +thy wife from her mother's womb? She is thy companion and the +wife of thy youth, and I named not Hagar as thy wife, nor Sarah +as thy bondwoman. What Sarah spoke unto thee was naught but +truth, and let it not be grievous in thy sight because of the +lad, and because of thy bondwoman." The next morning Abraham rose +up early, gave Hagar her bill of divorcement, and sent her away +with her son, first binding a rope about her loins that all might +see she was a bondwoman.[214] + +The evil glance cast upon her stepson by Sarah made him sick and +feverish, so that Hagar had to carry him, grown-up as he was. In +his fever he drank often of the water in the bottle given her by +Abraham as she left his house, and the water was quickly spent. +That she might not look upon the death of her child, Hagar cast +Ishmael under the willow shrubs growing on the selfsame spot +whereon the angels had once spoken with her and made known to her +that she would bear a son. In the bitterness of her heart, she +spoke to God, and said, "Yesterday Thou didst say to me, I will +greatly multiply thy seed, that it shall not be numbered for +multitude, and to-day my son dies of thirst." Ishmael himself +cried unto God, and his prayer and the merits of Abraham brought +them help in their need, though the angels appeared against +Ishmael before God. They said, "Wilt Thou cause a well of water +to spring up for him whose descendants will let Thy children of +Israel perish with thirst?" But God replied, and said, "What is +Ishmael at this moment--righteous or wicked?" and when the angels +called him righteous, God continued, "I treat man according to +his deserts at each moment."[215] + +At that moment Ishmael was pious indeed, for he was praying to +God in the following words: "O Lord of the world! If it be Thy +will that I shall perish, then let me die in some other way, not +by thirst, for the tortures of thirst are great beyond all +others." Hagar, instead of praying to God, addressed her +supplications to the idols of her youth. The prayer of Ishmael +was acceptable before God, and He bade Miriam's well spring up, +the well created in the twilight of the sixth day of +creation.[216] Even after this miracle Hagar's faith was no +stronger than before. She filled the bottle with water, because +she feared it might again be spent, and no other would be nigh. +Thereupon she journeyed to Egypt with her son, for "Throw the +stick into the air as thou wilt, it will always land on its +point." Hagar had come from Egypt, and to Egypt she returned, to +choose a wife for her son.[217] + + +THE TWO WIVES OF ISHMAEL + +The wife of Ishmael bore four sons and a daughter, and afterward +Ishmael, his mother, and his wife and children went and returned +to the wilderness. They made themselves tents in the wilderness +in which they dwelt, and they continued to encamp and journey, +month by month and year by year. And God gave Ishmael flocks, and +herds, and tents, on account of Abraham his father, and the man +increased in cattle. And some time after, Abraham said to Sarah, +his wife, "I will go and see my son Ishmael; I yearn to look upon +him, for I have not seen him for a long time." And Abraham rode +upon one of his camels to the wilderness, to seek his son +Ishmael, for he heard that he was dwelling in a tent in the +wilderness with all belonging to him. And Abraham went to the +wilderness, and he reached the tent of Ishmael about noon, and he +asked after him. He found the wife of Ishmael sitting in the tent +with her children, and her husband and his mother were not with +them. And Abraham asked the wife of Ishmael, saying, "Where has +Ishmael gone?" And she said, "He has gone to the field to hunt +game." And Abraham was still mounted upon the camel, for he would +not alight upon the ground, as he had sworn to his wife Sarah +that he would not get off from the camel. And Abraham said to +Ishmael's wife, "My daughter, give me a little water, that I may +drink, for I am fatigued and tired from the journey." And +Ishmael's wife answered, and said to Abraham, "We have neither +water nor bread," and she was sitting in the tent, and did not +take any notice of Abraham. She did not even ask him who he was. +But all the while she was beating her children in the tent, and +she was cursing them, and she also cursed her husband Ishmael, +and spoke evil of him, and Abraham heard the words of Ishmael's +wife to her children, and it was an evil thing in his eyes. And +Abraham called to the woman to come out to him from the tent, and +the woman came out, and stood face to face with Abraham, while +Abraham was still mounted upon the camel. And Abraham said to +Ishmael's wife, "When thy husband Ishmael returns home, say these +words to him: A very old man from the land of the Philistines +came hither to seek thee, and his appearance was thus and so, and +thus was his figure. I did not ask him who he was, and seeing +thou wast not here, he spoke unto me, and said, When Ishmael thy +husband returns, tell him, Thus did the man say, When thou comest +home, put away this tent-pin which thou hast placed here, and +place another tent-pin in its stead." And Abraham finished his +instructions to the woman, and he turned and went off on the +camel homeward. And when Ishmael returned to the tent, he heard +the words of his wife, and he knew that it was his father, and +that his wife had not honored him. And Ishmael understood his +father's words that he had spoken to his wife, and he hearkened +to the voice of his father, and he divorced his wife, and she +went away. And Ishmael afterward went to the land of Canaan, and +he took another wife, and he brought her to his tent, to the +place where he dwelt. + +And at the end of three years, Abraham said, "I will go again and +see Ishmael my son, for I have not seen him for a long time." And +he rode upon his camel, and went to the wilderness, and he +reached the tent of Ishmael about noon. And he asked after +Ishmael, and his wife came out of the tent, and she said, "He is +not here, my lord, for he has gone to hunt in the fields and feed +the camels," and the woman said to Abraham, "Turn in, my lord, +into the tent, and eat a morsel of bread, for thy soul must be +wearied on account of the journey." And Abraham said to her, "I +will not stop, for I am in haste to continue my journey, but give +me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty," and the woman +hastened and ran into the tent, and she brought out water and +bread to Abraham, which she placed before him, urging him to eat +and drink, and he ate and drank, and his heart was merry, and he +blessed his son Ishmael. And he finished his meal, and he blessed +the Lord, and he said to Ishmael's wife: "When Ishmael comes +home, say these words to him: A very old man from the land of the +Philistines came hither, and asked after thee, and thou wast not +here, and I brought him out bread and water, and he ate and +drank, and his heart was merry. And he spoke these words to me, +When Ishmael thy husband comes home, say unto him, The tent-pin +which thou hast is very good, do not put it away from the tent." +And Abraham finished commanding the woman, and he rode off to his +home, to the land of the Philistines, and when Ishmael came to +his tent, his wife went forth to meet him with joy and a cheerful +heart, and she told him the words of the old man. Ishmael knew +that it was his father, and that his wife had honored him, and he +praised the Lord. And Ishmael then took his wife and his children +and his cattle and all belonging to him, and he journeyed from +there, and he went to his father in the land of the Philistines. +And Abraham related to Ishmael all that had happened between him +and the first wife that Ishmael had taken, according to what she +had done. And Ishmael and his children dwelt with Abraham many +days in that land, and Abraham dwelt in the land of the +Philistines a long time.[218] + + +THE COVENANT WITH ABIMELECH + +After a sojourn of twenty-six years in the land of the +Philistines, Abraham departed thence, and he settled in the +neighborhood of Hebron. There he was visited by Abimelech with +twenty of his grandees,[219] who requested him to make an +alliance with the Philistines. + +As long as Abraham was childless, the heathen did not believe in +his piety, but when Isaac was born, they said to him, "God is +with thee." But again they entertained doubt of his piety when he +cast off Ishmael. They said, "Were he a righteous man, he would +not drive his first-born forth from his house." But when they +observed the impious deeds of Ishmael, they said, "God is with +thee in all thou doest." That Abraham was the favorite of God, +they saw in this, too, that although Sodom was destroyed and all +traffic had come to a standstill in that region, yet Abraham's +treasure chambers were filled. For these reasons, the Philistines +sought to form an alliance with him, to remain in force for three +generations to come, for it is to the third generation that the +love of a father extends. + +Before Abraham concluded the covenant with Abimelech, king of the +Philistines, he reproved him on account of a well, for +"Correction leads to love," and "There is no peace without +correction." The herdmen of Abraham and those of Abimelech had +left their dispute about the well to decision by ordeal: the well +was to belong to the party for whose sheep the waters would rise +so that they could drink of them. But the shepherds of Abimelech +disregarded the agreement, and they wrested the well for their +own use.[220] As a witness and a perpetual sign that the well +belonged to him, Abraham set aside seven sheep, corresponding to +the seven Noachian laws binding upon all men alike.[221] But God +said, "Thou didst give him seven sheep. As thou livest, the +Philistines shall one day slay seven righteous men, Samson, +Hophni, Phinehas, and Saul with his three sons, and they will +destroy seven holy places, and they will keep the holy Ark in +their country as booty of war for a period of seven months, and +furthermore only the seventh generation of thy descendants will +be able to rejoice in the possession of the land promised to +them."[222] After concluding the alliance with Abimelech, who +acknowledged Abraham's right upon the well, Abraham called the +place Beer-sheba, because there they swore both of them unto a +covenant of friendship. + +In Beer-sheba Abraham dwelt many years, and thence he endeavored +to spread the law of God. He planted a large grove there, and he +made four gates for it, facing the four sides of the earth, east, +west, north, and south, and he planted a vineyard therein. If a +traveller came that way, he entered by the gate that faced him, +and he sat in the grove, and ate, and drank, until he was +satisfied, and then he departed. For the house of Abraham was +always open for all passers-by, and they came daily to eat and +drink there. If one was hungry, and he came to Abraham, he would +give him what he needed, so that he might eat and drink and be +satisfied; and if one was naked, and he came to Abraham, he would +clothe him with the garments of the poor man's choice, and give +him silver and gold, and make known to him the Lord, who had +created him and set him on earth.[223] After the wayfarers had +eaten, they were in the habit of thanking Abraham for his kind +entertainment of them, whereto he would reply: "What, ye give +thanks unto me! Rather return thanks to your host, He who alone +provides food and drink for all creatures." Then the people would +ask, "Where is He?" and Abraham would answer them, and say: "He +is the Ruler of heaven and earth. He woundeth and He healeth, He +formeth the embryo in the womb of the mother and bringeth it +forth into the world, He causeth the plants and the trees to +grow, He killeth and He maketh alive, He bringeth down to Sheol +and bringeth up." When the people heard such words, they would +ask, "How shall we return thanks to God and manifest our +gratitude unto Him?" And Abraham would instruct them in these +words: "Say, Blessed be the Lord who is blessed! Blessed be He +that giveth bread and food unto all flesh!" In this manner did +Abraham teach those who had enjoyed his hospitality how to praise +and thank God.[224] Abraham's house thus became not only a +lodging-place for the hungry and thirsty, but also a place of +instruction where the knowledge of God and His law were +taught.[225] + + +SATAN ACCUSES ABRAHAM + +In spite of the lavish hospitality practiced in the house of +Abraham, it happened once that a poor man, or rather an alleged +poor man, was turned away empty-handed, and this was the +immediate reason for the last of Abraham's temptations, the +sacrifice of his favorite son Isaac. It was the day on which +Abraham celebrated the birth of Isaac with a great banquet, to +which all the magnates of the time were bidden with their wives. +Satan, who always appears at a feast in which no poor people +participate, and keeps aloof from those to which poor guests are +invited, turned up at Abraham's banquet in the guise of a beggar +asking alms at the door. He had noticed that Abraham had invited +no poor man, and he knew that his house was the right place for +him. + +Abraham was occupied with the entertainment of his distinguished +guests, and Sarah was endeavoring to convince their wives, the +matrons, that Isaac was her child in very truth, and not a +spurious child. No one concerned himself about the beggar at the +door, who thereupon accused Abraham before God.[226] + +Now, there was a day when the sons of God came to present +themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them.[227] +And the Lord said unto Satan, "From whence comest thou?" and +Satan answered the Lord, and said, "From going to and fro on the +earth, and from walking up and down in it." And the Lord said +unto Satan, "What hast thou to say concerning all the children of +the earth?" and Satan answered the Lord, and said: "I have seen +all the children of the earth serving Thee and remembering Thee, +when they require aught from Thee. And when Thou givest them what +they require from Thee, then they forsake Thee, and they remember +Thee no more. Hast Thou seen Abraham, the son of Terah, who at +first had no children, and he served Thee and erected altars to +Thee wherever he came, and he brought offerings upon them, and he +proclaimed Thy name continually to all the children of the earth? +And now his son Isaac is born to him, he has forsaken Thee. He +made a great feast for all the inhabitants of the land, and the +Lord he has forgotten. For amidst all that he has done, he +brought Thee no offering, neither burnt offering nor peace +offering, neither one lamb nor goat of all that he had killed in +the day that his son was weaned. Even from the time of his son's +birth till now, being thirty-seven years, he built no altar +before Thee, nor brought up any offering to Thee, for he saw that +Thou didst give what he requested before Thee, and he therefore +forsook Thee." And the Lord said to Satan: "Hast thou considered +My servant Abraham? For there is none like him in the earth, a +perfect and an upright man before Me for a burnt offering, and +that feareth God and escheweth evil. As I live, were I to say +unto him, Bring up Isaac thy son before Me, he would not withhold +him from Me, much less if I told him to bring up a burnt offering +before Me from his flocks or herds." And Satan answered the Lord, +and said, "Speak now unto Abraham as Thou hast said, and Thou +wilt see whether he will not transgress and cast aside Thy words +this day."[228] + +God wished to try Isaac also. Ishmael once boasted to Isaac, +saying, "I was thirteen years old when the Lord spoke to my +father to circumcise us, and I did not transgress His word, which +He commanded my father." And Isaac answered Ishmael, saying, +"What dost thou boast to me about this, about a little bit of thy +flesh which thou didst take from thy body, concerning which the +Lord commanded thee? As the Lord liveth, the God of my father +Abraham, if the Lord should say unto my father, Take now thy son +Isaac and bring him up as an offering before Me, I would not +refrain, but I would joyfully accede to it." + + +THE JOURNEY TO MORIAH + +And the Lord thought to try Abraham and Isaac in this +matter.[229] And He said to Abraham, "Take now thy son." + +Abraham: "I have two sons, and I do not know which of them Thou +commandest me to take." + +God: "Thine only son." + +Abraham: "The one is the only son of his mother, and the other is +the only son of his mother." + +God: "Whom thou lovest." + +Abraham: "I love this one and I love that one." + +God: "Even Isaac."[230] + +Abraham: "And where shall I go?" + +God: "To the land I will show thee, and offer Isaac there for a +burnt offering." + +Abraham: "Am I fit to perform the sacrifice, am I a priest? Ought +not rather the high priest Shem to do it?" + +God: "When thou wilt arrive at that place, I will consecrate thee +and make thee a priest."[231] + +And Abraham said within himself, "How shall I separate my son +Isaac from Sarah his mother?" And he came into the tent, and he +sate before Sarah his wife, and he spake these words to her: "My +son Isaac is grown up, and he has not yet studied the service of +God. Now, to-morrow I will go and bring him to Shem and Eber his +son, and there he will learn the ways of the Lord, for they will +teach him to know the Lord, and to know how to pray unto the Lord +that He may answer him, and to know the way of serving the Lord +his God." And Sarah said, "Thou hast spoken well. Go, my lord, +and do unto him as thou hast said, but remove him not far from +me, neither let him remain there too long, for my soul is bound +within his soul." And Abraham said unto Sarah, "My daughter, let +us pray to the Lord our God that He may do good with us." And +Sarah took her son Isaac, and he abode with her all that night, +and she kissed and embraced him, and she laid injunctions upon +him till morning, and she said to Abraham: "O my lord, I pray +thee, take heed of thy son, and place thine eyes over him, for I +have no other son nor daughter but him. O neglect him not. If he +be hungry, give him bread, and if he be thirsty, give him water +to drink; do not let him go on foot, neither let him sit in the +sun, neither let him go by himself on the road, neither turn him +from whatever he may desire, but do unto him as he may say to +thee." + +After spending the whole night in weeping on account of Isaac, +she got up in the morning and selected a very fine and beautiful +garment from those that Abimelech had given to her. And she +dressed Isaac therewith, and she put a turban upon his head, and +she fastened a precious stone in the top of the turban, and she +gave them provisions for the road. And Sarah went out with them, +and she accompanied them upon the road to see them off, and they +said to her, "Return to the tent." And when Sarah heard the words +of her son Isaac, she wept bitterly, and Abraham wept with her, +and their son wept with them, a great weeping, also those of +their servants who went with them wept greatly. And Sarah caught +hold of Isaac, and she held him in her arms, and she embraced +him, and continued to weep with him, and Sarah said, "Who knoweth +if I shall ever see thee again after this day?" + +Abraham departed with Isaac amid great weeping, while Sarah and +the servants returned to the tent.[232] He took two of his young +men with him, Ishmael and Eliezer, and while they were walking in +the road, the young men spoke these words to each other. Said +Ishmael to Eliezer: "Now my father Abraham is going with Isaac to +bring him up for a burnt offering to the Lord, and when he +returneth, he will give unto me all that he possesses, to inherit +after him, for I am his first-born." Eliezer answered: "Surely, +Abraham did cast thee off with thy mother, and swear that thou +shouldst not inherit anything of all he possesses. And to whom +will he give all that he has, all his precious things, but unto +his servant, who has been faithful in his house, to me, who have +served him night and day, and have done all that he desired me?" +The holy spirit answered, "Neither this one nor that one will +inherit Abraham."[233] + +And while Abraham and Isaac were proceeding along the road, Satan +came and appeared to Abraham in the figure of a very aged man, +humble and of contrite spirit, and said to him: "Art thou silly +or foolish, that thou goest to do this thing to thine only son? +God gave thee a son in thy latter days, in thine old age, and +wilt thou go and slaughter him, who did not commit any violence, +and wilt thou cause the soul of thine only son to perish from the +earth? Dost thou not know and understand that this thing cannot +be from the Lord? For the Lord would not do unto man such evil, +to command him, Go and slaughter thy son." Abraham, hearing these +words, knew that it was Satan, who endeavored to turn him astray +from the way of the Lord, and he rebuked him that he went away. +And Satan returned and came to Isaac, and he appeared unto him in +the figure of a young man, comely and well-favored, saying unto +him: "Dost thou not know that thy silly old father bringeth thee +to the slaughter this day for naught? Now, my son, do not listen +to him, for he is a silly old man, and let not thy precious soul +and beautiful figure be lost from the earth." And Isaac told +these words to his father, but Abraham said to him, "Take heed of +him, and do not listen to his words, for he is Satan endeavoring +to lead us astray from the commands of our God." And Abraham +rebuked Satan again, and Satan went from them, and, seeing he +could not prevail over them, he transformed himself into a large +brook of water in the road, and when Abraham, Isaac, and the two +young men reached that place, they saw a brook large and powerful +as the mighty waters. And they entered the brook, trying to pass +it, but the further they went, the deeper the brook, so that the +water reached up to their necks, and they were all terrified on +account of the water. But Abraham recognized the place, and he +knew that there had been no water there before, and he said to +his son: "I know this place, on which there was no brook nor +water. Now, surely, it is Satan who doth all this to us, to draw +us aside this day from the commands of God." And Abraham rebuked +Satan, saying unto him: "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan. Begone +from us, for we go by the command of God." And Satan was terri +fied at the voice of Abraham, and he went away from them, and the +place became dry land again as it was at first. And Abraham went +with Isaac toward the place that God had told him.[234] + +Satan then appeared unto Sarah in the figure of an old man, and +said unto her, "Where did thine husband go?" She said, "To his +work." "And where did thy son Isaac go?" he inquired further, and +she answered, "He went with his father to a place of study of the +Torah." Satan said: "O thou poor old woman, thy teeth will be set +on edge on account of thy son, as thou knowest not that Abraham +took his son with him on the road to sacrifice him." In this hour +Sarah's loins trembled, and all her limbs shook. She was no more +of this world. Nevertheless she aroused herself, and said, "All +that God hath told Abraham, may he do it unto life and unto +peace."[235] + +On the third day of his journey, Abraham lifted up his eyes and +saw the place at a distance, which God had told him. He noticed +upon the mountain a pillar of fire reaching from the earth to +heaven, and a heavy cloud in which the glory of God was seen. +Abraham said to Isaac, "My son, dost thou see on that mountain +which we perceive at a distance that which I see upon it?" And +Isaac answered, and said unto his father, "I see, and, lo, a +pillar of fire and a cloud, and the glory of the Lord is seen +upon the cloud." Abraham knew then that Isaac was accepted before +the Lord for an offering. He asked Ishmael and Eliezer, "Do you +also see that which we see upon the mountain?" They answered, "We +see nothing more than like the other mountains," and Abraham knew +that they were not accepted before the Lord to go with them.[236] +Abraham said to them, "Abide ye here with the ass, you are like +the ass--as little as it sees, so little do you see.[237] I and +Isaac my son go to yonder mount, and worship there before the +Lord, and this eve we will return to you."[238] An unconscious +prophecy had come to Abraham, for he prophesied that he and Isaac +would both return from the mountain.[239] Eliezer and Ishmael +remained in that place, as Abraham had commanded, while he and +Isaac went further. + + +THE 'AKEDAH + +And while they were walking along, Isaac spake unto his father, +"Behold, the fire and the wood, but where then is the lamb for a +burnt offering before the Lord?" And Abraham answered Isaac, +saying, "The Lord hath chosen thee, my son, for a perfect burnt +offering, instead of the lamb." And Isaac said unto his father, +"I will do all that the Lord hath spoken to thee with joy and +cheerfulness of heart." And Abraham again said unto Isaac his +son, "Is there in thy heart any thought or counsel concerning +this which is not proper? Tell me, my son, I pray thee! O my son, +conceal it not from me." And Isaac answered, "As the Lord liveth, +and as thy soul liveth, there is nothing in my heart to cause me +to deviate either to the right or the left from the word that He +hath spoken unto thee. Neither limb nor muscle hath moved or +stirred on account of this, nor is there in my heart any thought +or evil counsel concerning this. But I am joyful and cheerful of +heart in this matter, and I say, Blessed is the Lord who has this +day chosen me to be a burnt offering before Him." + +Abraham greatly rejoiced at the words of Isaac, and they went on +and came together to that place that the Lord had spoken of.[240] +And Abraham approached to build the altar in that place, and +Abraham did build, while Isaac handed him stones and mortar, +until they finished erecting the altar. And Abraham took the wood +and arranged it upon the altar, and he bound Isaac, to place him +upon the wood which was upon the altar, to slay him for a burnt +offering before the Lord.[241] Isaac spake hereupon: "Father, +make haste, bare thine arm, and bind my hands and feet securely, +for I am a young man, but thirty-seven years of age, and thou art +an old man. When I behold the slaughtering knife in thy hand, I +may perchance begin to tremble at the sight and push against +thee, for the desire unto life is bold. Also I may do myself an +injury and make myself unfit to be sacrificed. I adjure thee, +therefore, my father, make haste, execute the will of thy +Creator, delay not. Turn up thy garment, gird thy loins, and +after that thou hast slaughtered me, burn me unto fine ashes. +Then gather the ashes, and bring them to Sarah, my mother, and +place them in a casket in her chamber. At all hours, whenever she +enters her chamber, she will remember her son Isaac and weep for +him." + +And again Isaac spoke: "As soon as thou hast slaughtered me, and +hast separated thyself from me, and returnest to Sarah my mother, +and she asketh thee, Where is my son Isaac? what wilt thou answer +her, and what will you two do in your old age?" Abraham answered, +and said, "We know we can survive thee by a few days only. He who +was our Comfort before thou wast born, will comfort us now and +henceforth." + +After he had laid the wood in order, and bound Isaac on the +altar, upon the wood, Abraham braced his arms, rolled up his +garments, and leaned his knees upon Isaac with all his strength. +And God, sitting upon His throne, high and exalted, saw how the +hearts of the two were the same, and tears were rolling down from +the eyes of Abraham upon Isaac, and from Isaac down upon the +wood, so that it was submerged in tears. When Abraham stretched +forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son, God spoke to +the angels: "Do you see how Abraham my friend proclaims the unity +of My Name in the world? Had I hearkened unto you at the time of +the creation of the world, when ye spake, What is man, that Thou +art mindful of him? And the son of man, that Thou visitest him? +who would there have been to make known the unity of My Name in +this world?" The angels then broke into loud weeping, and they +exclaimed: "The highways lie waste, the wayfaring man ceaseth, he +hath broken the covenant. Where is the reward of Abraham, he who +took the wayfarers into his house, gave them food and drink, and +went with them to bring them on the way? The covenant is broken, +whereof Thou didst speak to him, saying, 'For in Isaac shall thy +seed be called,' and saying, 'My covenant will I establish with +Isaac,' for the slaughtering knife is set upon his throat." + +The tears of the angels fell upon the knife, so that it could not +cut Isaac's throat, but from terror his soul escaped from him. +Then God spoke to the archangel Michael, and said: "Why standest +thou here? Let him not be slaughtered." Without delay, Michael, +anguish in his voice, cried out: "Abraham! Abraham! Lay not thine +hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him!" Abraham +made answer, and he said: "God did command me to slaughter Isaac, +and thou dost command me not to slaughter him! The words of the +Teacher and the words of the disciple--unto whose words doth one +hearken?"[242] Then Abraham heard it said: "By Myself have I +sworn, saith the Lord, because thou hast done this thing, and +hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing 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 thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies, +and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, +because thou hast obeyed My voice." + +At once Abraham left off from Isaac, who returned to life, +revived by the heavenly voice admonishing Abraham not to +slaughter his son. Abraham loosed his bonds, and Isaac stood upon +his feet, and spoke the benediction, "Blessed art Thou, O Lord, +who quickenest the dead."[243] + +Then spake Abraham to God, "Shall I go hence without having +offered up a sacrifice?" Whereunto God replied, and said, "Lift +up thine eyes, and behold the sacrifice behind thee."[244] And +Abraham lifted up his eyes, and, behold, behind him a ram caught +in the thicket, which God had created in the twilight of Sabbath +eve in the week of creation, and prepared since then as a burnt +offering instead of Isaac. And the ram had been running toward +Abraham, when Satan caught hold of him and entangled his horns in +the thicket, that he might not advance to Abraham. And Abraham, +seeing this, fetched him from the thicket, and brought him upon +the altar as an offering in the place of his son Isaac. And +Abraham sprinkled the blood of the ram upon the altar, and he +exclaimed, and said, "This is instead of my son, and may this be +considered as the blood of my son before the Lord." And +whatsoever Abraham did by the altar, he exclaimed, and said, +"This is instead of my son, and may it be considered before the +Lord in place of my son." And God accepted the sacrifice of the +ram, and it was accounted as though it had been Isaac.[245] + +As the creation of this ram had been extraordinary, so also was +the use to which all parts of his carcass were put. Not one thing +went to waste. The ashes of the parts burnt upon the altar formed +the foundation of the inner altar, whereon the expiatory +sacrifice was brought once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the +day on which the offering of Isaac took place. Of the sinews of +the ram, David made ten strings for his harp upon which he +played. The skin served Elijah for his girdle, and of his two +horns, the one was blown at the end of the revelation on Mount +Sinai, and the other will be used to proclaim the end of the +Exile, when the "great horn shall be blown, and they shall come +which were ready to perish in the land of Assyria, and they that +were outcasts in the land of Egypt, and they shall worship the +Lord in the holy mountain at Jerusalem."[246] + +When God commanded the father to desist from sacrificing Isaac, +Abraham said: "One man tempts another, because he knoweth not +what is in the heart of his neighbor. But Thou surely didst know +that I was ready to sacrifice my son!" + +God: "It was manifest to Me, and I foreknew it, that thou wouldst +withhold not even thy soul from Me." + +Abraham: "And why, then, didst Thou afflict me thus?" + +God: "It was My wish that the world should become acquainted with +thee, and should know that it is not without good reason that I +have chosen thee from all the nations. Now it hath been witnessed +unto men that thou fearest God."[247] + +Hereupon God opened the heavens, and Abraham heard the words, "By +Myself I swear!" + +Abraham: "Thou swearest, and also I swear, I will not leave this +altar until I have said what I have to say." + +God: "Speak whatsoever thou hast to speak!" + +Abraham: "Didst Thou not promise me Thou wouldst let one come +forth out of mine own bowels, whose seed should fill the whole +world?" + +God: "Yes." + +Abraham: "Whom didst Thou mean?" + +God: "Isaac." + +Abraham: "Didst Thou not promise me to make my seed as numerous +as the sand of the sea-shore?" + +God: "Yes." + +Abraham: "Through which one of my children?" + +God: "Through Isaac." + +Abraham: "I might have reproached Thee, and said, O Lord of the +world, yesterday Thou didst tell me, In Isaac shall Thy seed be +called, and now Thou sayest, Take thy son, thine only son, even +Isaac, and offer him for a burnt offering. But I refrained +myself, and I said nothing. Thus mayest Thou, when the children +of Isaac commit trespasses and because of them fall upon evil +times, be mindful of the offering of their father Isaac, and +forgive their sins and deliver them from their suffering." + +God: "Thou hast said what thou hadst to say, and I will now say +what I have to say. Thy children will sin before me in time to +come, and I will sit in judgment upon them on the New Year's Day. +If they desire that I should grant them pardon, they shall blow +the ram's horn on that day, and I, mindful of the ram that was +substituted for Isaac as a sacrifice, will forgive them for their +sins."[248] + +Furthermore, the Lord revealed unto Abraham that the Temple, to +be erected on the spot of Isaac's offering, would be +destroyed,[249] and as the ram substituted for Isaac extricated +himself from one tree but to be caught in another, so his +children would pass from kingdom to kingdom--delivered from +Babylonia they would be subjugated by Media, rescued from Media +they would be enslaved by Greece, escaped from Greece they would +serve Rome--yet in the end they would be redeemed in a final +redemption, at the sound of the ram's horn, when "the Lord God +shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the +south."[250] + +The place on which Abraham had erected the altar was the same +whereon Adam had brought the first sacrifice, and Cain and Abel +had offered their gifts to God--the same whereon Noah raised an +altar to God after he left the ark;[251] and Abraham, who knew +that it was the place appointed for the Temple, called it Yireh, +for it would be the abiding place of the fear and the service of +God.[252] But as Shem had given it the name Shalem, Place of +Peace, and God would not give offence to either Abraham or Shem, +He united the two names, and called the city by the name +Jerusalem.[253] + +After the sacrifice on Mount Moriah, Abraham returned to +Beer-sheba, the scene of so many of his joys.[254] Isaac was +carried to Paradise by angels, and there he sojourned for three +years. Thus Abraham returned home alone, and when Sarah beheld +him, she exclaimed, "Satan spoke truth when he said that Isaac +was sacrificed," and so grieved was her soul that it fled from +her body.[255] + + +THE DEATH AND BURIAL OF SARAH + +While Abraham was engaged in the sacrifice, Satan went to Sarah, +and appeared to her in the figure of an old man, very humble and +meek, and said to her: "Dost thou not know all that Abraham has +done unto thine only son this day? He took Isaac, and built an +altar, slaughtered him, and brought him up as a sacrifice. Isaac +cried and wept before his father, but he looked not at him, +neither did he have compassion upon him." After saying these +words to Sarah, Satan went away from her, and she thought him to +be an old man from amongst the sons of men who had been with her +son. Sarah lifted up her voice, and cried bitterly, saying: "O my +son, Isaac, my son, O that I had this day died instead of thee I +It grieves me for thee! After that I have reared thee and have +brought thee up, my joy is turned into mourning over thee. In my +longing for a child, I cried and prayed, till I bore thee at +ninety. Now hast thou served this day for the knife and the fire. +But I console myself, it being the word of God, and thou didst +perform the command of thy God, for who can transgress the word +of our God, in whose hands is the soul of every living creature? +Thou art just, O Lord our God, for all Thy works are good and +righteous, for I also rejoice with the word which Thou didst +command, and while mine eye weepeth bitterly, my heart +rejoiceth." And Sarah laid her head upon the bosom of one of her +handmaids, and she became as still as a stone. + +She rose up afterward and went about making inquiries concerning +her son, till she came to Hebron, and no one could tell her what +had happened to her son. Her servants went to seek him in the +house of Shem and Eber, and they could not find him, and they +sought throughout the land, and he was not there. And, behold, +Satan came to Sarah in the shape of an old man, and said unto +her, "I spoke falsely unto thee, for Abraham did not kill his +son, and he is not dead," and when she heard the word, her joy +was so exceedingly violent that her soul went out through joy. + +When Abraham with Isaac returned to Beer-sheba, they sought for +Sarah and could not find her, and when they made inquiries +concerning her, they were told that she had gone as far as Hebron +to seek them. Abraham and Isaac went to her to Hebron, and when +they found that she was dead, they cried bitterly over her, and +Isaac said: "O my mother, my mother, how hast thou left me, and +whither hast thou gone? O whither hast thou gone, and how hast +thou left me?" And Abraham and all his servants wept and mourned +over her a great and heavy mourning, even that Abraham did not +pray, but spent his time in mourning and weeping over Sarah.[257] +And, indeed, he had great reason to mourn his loss, for even in +her old age Sarah had retained the beauty of her youth and the +innocence of her childhood.[258] + +The death of Sarah was a loss not only for Abraham and his +family, but for the whole country. So long as she was alive, all +went well in the land. After her death confusion ensued. The +weeping, lamenting, and wailing over her going hence was +universal, and Abraham, instead of receiving consolation, had to +offer consolation to others. He spoke to the mourning people, and +said: "My children, take not the going hence of Sarah too much to +heart. There is one event unto all, to the pious and the impious +alike. I pray you now, give me a burying-place with you, not as a +gift, but for money."[259] + +In these last few words Abraham's unassuming modesty was +expressed. God had promised him the whole land, yet when he came +to bury his dead, he had to pay for the grave, and it did not +enter his heart to cast aspersions upon the ways of God. In all +humility he spake to the people of Hebron, saying, "I am a +stranger and a sojourner with you." Therefore spake God to him, +and said, "Thou didst bear thyself modestly. As thou livest, I +will appoint thee lord and prince over them."[260] + +To the people themselves he appeared an angel, and they answered +his words, saying: "Thou art a prince of God among us. In the +choice of our sepulchres bury thy dead, among the rich if thou +wilt, or among the poor if thou wilt."[261] + +Abraham first of all gave thanks to God for the friendly feeling +shown to him by the children of Heth, and then he continued his +negotiations for the Cave of Machpelah.[262] He had long known +the peculiar value of this spot. Adam had chosen it as a +burial-place for himself. He had feared his body might be used +for idolatrous purposes after his death; he therefore designated +the Cave of Machpelah as the place of his burial, and in the +depths his corpse was laid, so that none might find it.[263] When +he interred Eve there, he wanted to dig deeper, because he +scented the sweet fragrance of Paradise, near the entrance to +which it lay, but a heavenly voice called to him, Enough! Adam +himself was buried there by Seth, and until the time of Abraham +the place was guarded by angels, who kept a fire burning near it +perpetually, so that none dared approach it and bury his dead +therein.[264] Now, it happened on the day when Abraham received +the angels in his house, and he wanted to slaughter an ox for +their entertainment, that the ox ran away, and in his pursuit of +him Abraham entered the Cave of Machpelah. There he saw Adam and +Eve stretched out upon couches, candles burning at the head of +their resting-places, while a sweet scent pervaded the cave. + +Therefore Abraham wished to acquire the Cave of Machpelah from +the children of Heth, the inhabitants of the city of Jebus. They +said to him. "We know that in time to come God will give these +lands unto thy seed, and now do thou swear a covenant with us +that Israel shall not wrest the city of Jebus from its +inhabitants without their consent." Abraham agreed to the +condition, and he acquired the field from Ephron, in whose +possession it lay.[265] + +This happened the very day on which Ephron had been made the +chief of the children of Heth, and he had been raised to the +position so that Abraham might not have to have dealings with a +man of low rank. It was of advantage to Abraham, too, for Ephron +at first refused to sell his field, and only the threat of the +children of Heth to depose him from his office, unless he +fulfilled the desire of Abraham, could induce him to change his +disposition.[266] + +Dissembling deceitfully, Ephron then offered to give Abraham the +field without compensation, but when Abraham insisted upon paying +for it, Ephron said: "My lord, hearken unto me. A piece of land +worth four hundred shekels of silver, what is that betwixt me and +thee?" showing only too well that the money was of the greatest +consequence to him. Abraham understood his words, and when he +came to pay for the field, he weighed out the sum agreed upon +between them in the best of current coin.[267] A deed, signed by +four witnesses, was drawn up, and the field of Ephron, which was +in Machpelah, the field, and the cave which was therein, were +made sure unto Abraham and his descendants for all times. + +The burial of Sarah then took place, amid great magnificence and +the sympathy of all. Shem and his son Eber, Abimelech king of the +Philistines, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, as well as all the great of +the land, followed her bier. A seven days' mourning was kept for +her, and all the inhabitants of the land came to condole with +Abraham and Isaac.[268] + +When Abraham entered the cave to place the body of Sarah within, +Adam and Eve refused to remain there, "because," they said, "as +it is, we are ashamed in the presence of God on account of the +sin we committed, and now we shall be even more ashamed on +account of your good deeds." Abraham soothed Adam. He promised to +pray to God for him, that the need for shame be removed from him. +Adam resumed his place, and Abraham entombed Sarah, and at the +same time he carried Eve, resisting, back to her place.[269] + +One year after the death of Sarah, Abimelech king of the +Philistines died, too, at the age of one hundred and ninety-three +years. His successor upon the throne was his twelve-year old son +Benmelek, who took the name of his father after his accession. +Abraham did not fail to pay a visit of condolence at the court of +Abimelech. + +Lot also died about this time, at the age of one hundred and +forty-two. His sons, Moab and Ammon, both married Canaanitish +wives. Moab begot a son, and Ammon had six sons, and the +descendants of both were numerous exceedingly. + +Abraham suffered a severe loss at the same time in the death of +his brother Nahor, whose days ended at Haran, when he had reached +the age of one hundred and seventy two years.[270] + + +ELIEZER'S MISSION + +The death of Sarah dealt Abraham a blow from which he did not +recover. So long as she was alive, he felt himself young and +vigorous, but after she had passed away, old age suddenly +overtook him.[271] It was he himself who made the plea that age +be betrayed by suitable signs and tokens. Before the time of +Abraham an old man was not distinguishable externally from a +young man, and as Isaac was the image of his father, it happened +frequently that father and son were mistaken for each other, and +a request meant for the one was preferred to the other. Abraham +prayed therefore that old age might have marks to distinguish it +from youth, and God granted his petition, and since the time of +Abraham the appearance of men changes in old age. This is one of +the seven great wonders that have occurred in the course of +history.[272] + +The blessing of God did not forsake Abraham in old age, either. +That it might not be said it had been granted to him only for the +sake of Sarah, God prospered him after her death, too. Hagar bore +him a daughter, and Ishmael repented of his evil ways and +subordinated himself to Isaac. And as Abraham enjoyed undisturbed +happiness in his family, so also outside, in the world. The kings +of the east and the west eagerly besieged the door of his house +in order to derive benefit from his wisdom. From his neck a +precious stone was suspended, which possessed the power of +healing the sick who looked upon it. On the death of Abraham, God +attached it to the wheel of the sun. The greatest blessing +enjoyed by him, and by none beside except his son Isaac and Jacob +the son of Isaac, was that the evil inclination had no power over +him, so that in this life he had a foretaste of the future +world.[273] + +But all these Divine blessings showered upon Abraham were not +undeserved. He was clean of hand, and pure of heart, one that did +not lift up his soul unto vanity.[274] + +He fulfilled all the commands that were revealed later, even the +Rabbinical injunctions, as, for instance, the one relating to the +limits of a Sabbath day's journey, wherefor his reward was that +God disclosed to him the new teachings which He expounded daily +in the heavenly academy.[275] + +But one thing lacked to complete the happiness of Abraham, the +marriage of Isaac. He therefore called his old servant Eliezer +unto himself. Eliezer resembled his master not only externally, +in his appearance, but also spiritually. Like Abraham he +possessed full power over the evil inclination,[276] and like the +master, the servant was an adept in the law.[277] Abraham spake +the following words to Eliezer: "I am stricken in age, and I know +not the day of my death. Therefore prepare thyself, and go unto +my country, and to my kindred, and fetch hither a wife for my +son."[278] Thus he spake by reason of the resolution he had taken +immediately after the sacrifice of Isaac on Moriah, for he had +there said within himself, that if the sacrifice had been +executed, Isaac would have gone hence childless. He was even +ready to choose a wife for his son from among the daughters of +his three friends, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre, because he knew them +to be pious, and he did not attach much importance to +aristocratic stock. Then spake God to him, and said: "Concern +thyself not about a wife for Isaac.[279] One has already been +provided for him," and it was made known to Abraham that Milcah, +the wife of his brother Nahor, childless until the birth of +Isaac, had then been remembered by God and made fruitful. She +bore Bethuel, and he in turn, at the time of Isaac's sacrifice, +begot the daughter destined to be the wife of Isaac.[280] + +Mindful of the proverb, "Even if the wheat of thine own place be +darnel, use it for seed," Abraham determined to take a wife for +Isaac from his own family. He argued that as any wife he chose +would have to become a proselyte, it would be best to use his own +stock, which had the first claim upon him.[281] + +Eliezer now said to his master: "Peradventure no woman will be +willing to follow me unto this land. May I then marry my own +daughter to Isaac?" "No," replied Abraham, "thou art of the +accursed race, and my son is of the blessed race, and curse and +blessing cannot be united.[282] But beware thou that thou bring +not my son again unto the land from whence I came, for if thou +broughtest him thither again, it were as though thou tookest him +to hell. God who sets the heavens in motion, He will set this +matter right, too,[283] and He that took me from my father's +house, and that spake unto me, and that swore unto me in Haran, +and at the covenant of the pieces, that He would give this land +unto my seed, He shall send His excellent angel before thee, and +thou shalt take a wife for my son from thence." Eliezer then +swore to his master concerning the matter, and Abraham made him +take the oath by the sign of the covenant.[284] + + +THE WOOING OF REBEKAH + +Attended by ten men,[285] mounted upon ten camels laden with +jewels and trinkets, Eliezer betook himself to Haran under the +convoy of two angels, the one appointed to keep guard over +Eliezer, the other over Rebekah.[286] + +The journey to Haran took but a few hours, at evening of the same +day he reached there, because the earth hastened to meet him in a +wonderful way.[287] He made a halt at the well of water, and he +prayed to God to permit him to distinguish the wife appointed for +Isaac among the damsels that came to draw water, by this token, +that she alone, and not the others, would give him drink.[288] +Strictly speaking, this wish of his was unseemly, for suppose a +bondwoman had given him water to drink![289] But God granted his +request. All the damsels said they could not give him of their +water, because they had to take it home. Then appeared Rebekah, +coming to the well contrary to her wont, for she was the daughter +of a king, Bethuel her father being king of Haran. When Eliezer +addressed his request for water to drink to this young innocent +child, not only was she ready to do his bidding, but she rebuked +the other maidens on account of their discourtesy to a +stranger.[290] Eliezer noticed, too, how the water rose up to her +of its own accord from the bottom of the well, so that she needed +not to exert herself to draw it. Having scrutinized her +carefully, he felt certain that she was the wife chosen for +Isaac. He gave her a nose ring, wherein was set a precious stone, +half a shekel in weight, foreshadowing the half-shekel which her +descendants would once bring to the sanctuary year by year. He +gave her also two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight +in gold, in token of the two tables of stone and the Ten +Commandments upon them.[291] + +When Rebekah, bearing the jewels, came to her mother and to her +brother Laban, this one hastened to Eliezer in order to slay him +and take possession of his goods. Laban soon learnt that he would +not be able to do much harm to a giant like Eliezer. He met him +at the moment when Eliezer seized two camels and bore them across +the stream.[292] Besides, on account of Eliezer's close +resemblance to Abraham, Laban thought he saw Abraham before him, +and he said: "Come in, thou blessed of the Lord! It is not +becoming that thou shouldst stand without, I have cleansed my +house of idols."[293] + +But when Eliezer arrived at the house of Bethuel, they tried to +kill him with cunning. They set poisoned food before him. +Luckily, he refused to eat before he had discharged himself of +his errand. While he was telling his story, it was ordained by +God that the dish intended for him should come to stand in front +of Bethuel, who ate of it and died.[294] + +Eliezer showed the document he had in which Abraham deeded all +his possessions to Isaac, and he made it known to the kindred of +Abraham, how deeply attached to them his master was, in spite of +the long years of separation.[295] Yet he let them know at the +same time that Abraham was not dependent wholly upon them. He +might seek a wife for his son among the daughters of Ishmael or +Lot. At first the kindred of Abraham consented to let Rebekah go +with Eliezer, but as Bethuel had died in the meantime, they did +not want to give Rebekah in marriage without consulting her. +Besides, they deemed it proper that she should remain at home at +least during the week of mourning for her father.[296] But +Eliezer, seeing the angel wait for him, would brook no delay, and +he said, "The man who came with me and prospered my way, waits +for me without," and as Rebekah professed herself ready to go at +once with Eliezer, her mother and brother granted her wish and +dismissed her with their blessings.[297] But their blessings did +not come from the bottom of their hearts. Indeed, as a rule, the +blessing of the impious is a curse, wherefore Rebekah remained +barren for years. + +Eliezer's return to Canaan was as wonderful as his going to Haran +had been. A seventeen days' journey he accomplished in three +hours. He left Haran at noon, and he arrived at Hebron[299] at +three o'clock in the afternoon, the time for the Minhah Prayer, +which had been introduced by Isaac. He was in the posture of +praying when Rebekah first laid eyes upon him, wherefore she +asked Eliezer what man this was. She saw he was not an ordinary +individual. She noticed the unusual beauty of Isaac, and also +that an angel accompanied him. Thus her question was not dictated +by mere curiosity.[300] At this moment she learnt through the +holy spirit, that she was destined to be the mother of the +godless Esau. Terror seized her at the knowledge, and, trembling, +she fell from the camel and inflicted an injury upon +herself.[301] + +After Isaac had heard the wonderful adventures of Eliezer, he +took Rebekah to the tent of his mother Sarah, and she showed +herself worthy to be her successor. The cloud appeared again that +had been visible over the tent during the life of Sarah, and had +vanished at her death; the light shone again in the tent of +Rebekah that Sarah had kindled at the coming in of the Sabbath, +and that had burnt miraculously throughout the week; the blessing +returned with Rebekah that had hovered over the dough kneaded by +Sarah; and the gates of the tent were opened for the needy, wide +and spacious, as they had been during the lifetime of Sarah.[302] + +For three years Isaac had mourned for his mother, and he could +find no consolation in the academy of Shem and Eber, his +abiding-place during that period. But Rebekah comforted him after +his mother's death,[303] for she was the counterpart of Sarah in +person and in spirit.[304] + +As a reward for having executed to his full satisfaction the +mission with which he had charged him, Abraham set his bondman +free.[305] The curse resting upon Eliezer, as upon all the +descendants of Canaan, was transformed into a blessing, because +he ministered unto Abraham loyally.[306] Greatest reward of all, +God found him worthy of entering Paradise alive, a distinction +that fell to the lot of very few.[307] + +THE LAST YEARS OF ABRAHAM + +Rebekah first saw Isaac as he was coming from the way of +Beer-lahai-roi, the dwelling-place of Hagar, whither he had gone +after the death of his mother, for the purpose of reuniting his +father with Hagar,[308] or, as she is also called, Keturah.[309] + +Hagar bore him six sons, who, however, did scant honor to their +father, for they all were idolaters.[310] Abraham, therefore, +during his own lifetime, sent them away from the presence of +Isaac, that they might not be singed by Isaac's flame, and gave +them the instruction to journey eastward as far as possible.[311] +There he built a city for them, surrounded by an iron wall, so +high that the sun could not shine into the city. But Abraham +provided them with huge gems and pearls, their lustre more +brilliant than the light of the sun, which will be used in the +Messianic time when "the moon shall be confounded and the sun +ashamed."[312] Also Abraham taught them the black art, wherewith +they held sway over demons and spirits. It is from this city in +the east that Laban, Balaam, and Balaam's father Beor derived +their sorceries.[313] + +Epher, one of the grandsons of Abraham and Keturah, invaded Lybia +with an armed force, and took possession of the country. From +this Epher the whole land of Africa has its name.[314] Aram is +also a country made habitable by a kinsman of Abraham. In his old +age Terah contracted a new marriage with Pelilah, and from this +union sprang a son Zoba, who was the father in turn of three +sons. The oldest of these, Aram, was exceedingly rich and +powerful, and the old home in Haran sufficed not for him and his +kinsmen, the sons of Nahor, the brother of Abraham. Aram and his +brethren and all that belonged to him therefore departed from +Haran, and they settled in a vale, and they built themselves a +city there which they called Aram-Zoba, to perpetuate the name of +the father and his first-born son. Another Aram, Aram-naharaim, +on the Euphrates, was built by Aram son of Kemuel, a nephew of +Abraham. Its real name was Petor, after the son of Aram, but it +is better known as Aram-naharaim. The descendants of Kesed, +another nephew of Abraham, a son of his brother Nahor, +established themselves opposite to Shinar, where they founded the +city of Kesed, the city whence the Chaldees are called +Kasdim.[315] + +Though Abraham knew full well that Isaac deserved his paternal +blessing beyond all his sons, yet he withheld it from him, that +no hostile feelings be aroused among his descendants. He spake, +and said: "I am but flesh and blood, here to-day, to-morrow in +the grave. What I was able to do for my children I have done. +Henceforth let come what God desires to do in His world," and it +happened that immediately after the death of Abraham God Himself +appeared unto Isaac, and gave him His blessing.[316] + + +A HERALD OF DEATH + +When the day of the death of Abraham drew near, the Lord said to +Michael, "Arise and go to Abraham and say to him, Thou shalt +depart from life!" so that he might set his house in order before +he died. And Michael went and came to Abraham and found him +sitting before his oxen for ploughing. Abraham, seeing Michael, +but not knowing who he was, saluted him and said to him, "Sit +down a little while, and I will order a beast to be brought, and +we will go to my house, that thou mayest rest with me, for it is +toward evening, and arise in the morning and go whithersoever +thou wilt." And Abraham called one of his servants, and said to +him: "Go and bring me a beast, that the stranger may sit upon it, +for he is wearied with his journey." But Michael said, "I abstain +from ever sitting upon any fourfooted beast, let us walk +therefore, till we reach the house." + +On their way to the house they passed a huge tree, and Abraham +heard a voice from its branches, singing, "Holy art thou, because +thou hast kept the purpose for which thou wast sent." Abraham hid +the mystery in his heart, thinking that the stranger did not hear +it. Arrived at his house, he ordered the servants to prepare a +meal, and while they were busy with their work, he called his son +Isaac, and said to him, "Arise and put water in the vessel, that +we may wash the feet of the stranger." And he brought it as he +was commanded, and Abraham said, "I perceive that in this basin I +shall never again wash the feet of any man coming to us as a +guest." Hearing this, Isaac began to weep, and Abraham, seeing +his son weep, also wept, and Michael, seeing them weep, wept +also, and the tears of Michael fell into the water, and became +precious stones. + +Before sitting down to the table, Michael arose, went out for a +moment, as if to ease nature, and ascended to heaven in the +twinkling of an eye, and stood before the Lord, and said to Him: +"Lord and Master, let Thy power know that I am unable to remind +that righteous man of his death, for I have not seen upon the +earth a man like him, compassionate, hospitable, righteous, +truthful, devout, refraining from every evil deed." Then the Lord +said to Michael, "Go down to My friend Abraham, and whatever he +may say to thee, that do thou also, and whatever he may eat, eat +thou also with him, and I will cast the thought of the death of +Abraham into the heart of Isaac, his son, in a dream, and Isaac +will relate the dream, and thou shalt interpret it, and he +himself will know his end." And Michael said, "Lord, all the +heavenly spirits are incorporeal, and neither eat nor drink, and +this man has set before me a table with an abundance of all good +things earthly and corruptible. Now, Lord, what shall I do?" The +Lord answered him, "Go down to him and take no thought for this, +for when thou sittest down with him, I will send upon thee a +devouring spirit, and it will consume out of thy hands and +through thy mouth all that is on the table." + +Then Michael went into the house of Abraham, and they ate and +drank and were merry. And when the supper was ended, Abraham +prayed after his custom, and Michael prayed with him, and each +lay down to sleep upon his couch in one room, while Isaac went to +his chamber, lest he be troublesome to the guest. About the +seventh hour of the night, Isaac awoke and came to the door of +his father's chamber, crying out and saying, "Open, father, that +I may touch thee before they take thee away from me." And Abraham +wept together with his son, and when Michael saw them weep, he +wept likewise. And Sarah, hearing the weeping, called forth from +her bedchamber, saying: "My lord Abraham, why this weeping? Has +the stranger told thee of thy brother's son Lot, that he is dead? +or has aught befallen us?" Michael answered, and said to her, +"Nay, my sister Sarah, it is not as thou sayest, but thy son +Isaac, methinks, beheld a dream, and came to us weeping, and we, +seeing him, were moved in our hearts and wept." Sarah, hearing +Michael speak, knew straightway that it was an angel of the Lord, +one of the three angels whom they had entertained in their house +once before, and therefore she made a sign to Abraham to come out +toward the door, to inform him of what she knew. Abraham said: +"Thou hast perceived well, for I, too, when I washed his feet, +knew in my heart that they were the feet that I had washed at the +oak of Mamre, and that went to save Lot." Abraham, returning to +his chamber, made Isaac relate his dream, which Michael +interpreted to them, saying: "Thy son Isaac has spoken truth, for +thou shalt go and be taken up into the heavens, but thy body +shall remain on earth, until seven thousand ages are fulfilled, +for then all flesh shall arise. Now, therefore, Abraham, set thy +house in order, for thou wast heard what is decreed concerning +thee." Abraham answered, "Now I know thou art an angel of the +Lord, and wast sent to take my soul, but I will not go with thee, +but do thou whatever thou art commanded." Michael returned to +heaven and told God of Abraham's refusal to obey his summons, and +he was again commanded to go down and admonish Abraham not to +rebel against God, who had bestowed many blessings upon him, and +he reminded him that no one who has come from Adam and Eve can +escape death, and that God in His great kindness toward him did +not permit the sickle of death to meet him, but sent His chief +captain, Michael, to him. "Wherefore, then," he ended, "hast thou +said to the chief captain, I will not go with thee?" When Michael +delivered these exhortations to Abraham, he saw that it was +futile to oppose the will of God, and he consented to die, but +wished to have one desire of his fulfilled while still alive. He +said to Michael: "I beseech thee, lord, if I must depart from my +body, I desire to be taken up in my body, that I may see the +creatures that the Lord has created in heaven and on earth." +Michael went up into heaven, and spake before the Lord concerning +Abraham, and the Lord answered Michael, "Go and take up Abraham +in the body and show him all things, and whatever he shall say to +thee, do to him as to My friend." + + +ABRAHAM VIEWS EARTH AND HEAVEN + +The archangel Michael went down, and took Abraham upon a chariot +of the cherubim, and lifted him up into the air of heaven, and +led him upon the cloud, together with sixty angels, and Abraham +ascended upon the chariot over all the earth, and saw all things +that are below on the earth, both good and bad. Looking down upon +the earth, he saw a man committing adultery with a wedded woman, +and turning to Michael he said, "Send fire from heaven to consume +them." Straightway there came down fire and consumed them, for +God had commanded Michael to do whatsoever Abraham should ask him +to do. He looked again, and he saw thieves digging through a +house, and Abraham said, "Let wild beasts come out of the desert, +and tear them in pieces," and immediately wild beasts came out of +the desert and devoured them. Again he looked down, and he saw +people preparing to commit murder, and he said, "Let the earth +open and swallow them," and, as he spoke, the earth swallowed +them alive. Then God spoke to Michael: "Turn away Abraham to his +own house and let him not go round the whole earth, because he +has no compassion on sinners, but I have compassion on sinners, +that they may turn and live and repent of their sins, and be +saved." + +So Michael turned the chariot, and brought Abraham to the place +of judgment of all souls. Here he saw two gates, the one broad +and the other narrow, the narrow gate that of the just, which +leads to life, they that enter through it go into Paradise. The +broad gate is that of sinners, which leads to destruction and +eternal punishment. Then Abraham wept, saying, "Woe is me, what +shall I do? for I am a man big of body, and how shall I be able +to enter by the narrow gate?" Michael answered, and said to +Abraham, "Fear not, nor grieve, for thou shalt enter by it +unhindered, and all they who are like thee." Abraham, perceiving +that a soul was adjudged to be set in the midst, asked Michael +the reason for it, and Michael answered, "Because the judge found +its sins and its righteousness equal, he neither committed it to +judgment nor to be saved." Abraham said to Michael, "Let us pray +for this soul, and see whether God will hear us," and when they +rose up from their prayer, Michael informed Abraham that the soul +was saved by the prayer, and was taken by an angel and carried up +to Paradise. Abraham said to Michael, "Let us yet call upon the +Lord and supplicate His compassion and entreat His mercy for the +souls of the sinners whom I formerly, in my anger, cursed and +destroyed, whom the earth devoured, and the wild beasts tore in +pieces, and the fire consumed, through my words. Now I know that +I have sinned before the Lord our God." + +After the joint prayer of the archangel and Abraham, there came a +voice from heaven, saying, "Abraham, Abraham, I have hearkened to +thy voice and thy prayer, and I forgive thee thy sin, and those +whom thou thinkest that I destroyed, I have called up and brought +them into life by My exceeding kindness, because for a season I +have requited them in judgment, and those whom I destroy living +upon earth, I will not requite in death." + +When Michael brought Abraham back to his house, they found Sarah +dead. Not seeing what had become of Abraham, she was consumed +with grief and gave up her soul. Though Michael had fulfilled +Abraham's wish, and had shown him all the earth and the judgment +and recompense, he still refused to surrender his soul to +Michael, and the archangel again ascended to heaven, and said +unto the Lord: "Thus speaks Abraham, I will not go with thee, and +I refrain from laying my hands on him, because from the beginning +he was Thy friend, and he has done all things pleasing in Thy +sight. There is no man like him on earth, not even Job, the +wondrous man." But when the day of the death of Abraham drew +nigh, God commanded Michael to adorn Death with great beauty and +send him thus to Abraham, that he might see him with his eyes. + +While sitting under the oak of Mamre, Abraham perceived a +flashing of light and a smell of sweet odor, and turning around +he saw Death coming toward him in great glory and beauty. And +Death said unto Abraham: "Think not, Abraham, that this beauty is +mine, or that I come thus to every man. Nay, but if any one is +righteous like thee, I thus take a crown and come to him, but if +he is a sinner, I come in great corruption, and out of their sins +I make a crown for my head, and I shake them with great fear, so +that they are dismayed." Abraham said to him, "And art thou, +indeed, he that is called Death?" He answered, and said, "I am +the bitter name," but Abraham answered, "I will not go with +thee." And Abraham said to Death, "Show us thy corruption." And +Death revealed his corruption, showing two heads, the one had the +face of a serpent, the other head was like a sword. All the +servants of Abraham, looking at the fierce mien of Death, died, +but Abraham prayed to the Lord, and he raised them up. As the +looks of Death were not able to cause Abraham's soul to depart +from him, God removed the soul of Abraham as in a dream, and the +archangel Michael took it up into heaven. After great praise and +glory had been given to the Lord by the angels who brought +Abraham's soul, and after Abraham bowed down to worship, then +came the voice of God, saying thus: "Take My friend Abraham into +Paradise, where are the tabernacles of My righteous ones and the +abodes of My saints Isaac and Jacob in his bosom, where there is +no trouble, nor grief, nor sighing, but peace and rejoicing and +life unending."[317] + +Abraham's activity did not cease with his death, and as he +interceded in this world for the sinners, so will he intercede +for them in the world to come. On the day of judgment he will sit +at the gate of hell, and he will not suffer those who kept the +law of circumcision to enter therein.[318] + + +THE PATRON OF HEBRON + +Once upon a time some Jews lived in Hebron, few in number, but +pious and good, and particularly hospitable. When strangers came +to the Cave of Machpelah to pray there, the inhabitants of the +place fairly quarrelled with each other for the privilege of +entertaining the guests, and the one who carried off the victory +rejoiced as though he had found great spoil. + +On the eve of the Day of Atonement, it appeared that, in spite of +all their efforts, the dwellers at Hebron could not secure the +tenth man needed for public Divine service, and they feared they +would have none on the holy day. Toward evening, when the sun was +about to sink, they descried an old man with silver white beard, +bearing a sack upon his shoulder, his raiment tattered, and his +feet badly swollen from much walking. They ran to meet him, took +him to one of the houses, gave him food and drink, and, after +supplying him with new white garments, they all together went to +the synagogue for worship. Asked what his name was, the stranger +replied, Abraham. + +At the end of the fast, the residents of Hebron cast lots for the +privilege of entertaining the guest. Fortune favored the beadle, +who, the envy of the rest, bore his guest away to his house. On +the way, he suddenly disappeared, and the beadle could not find +him anywhere. In vain all the Jews of the place went on a quest +for him. Their sleepless night, spent in searching, had no +result. The stranger could not be found. But no sooner had the +beadle lain down, toward morning, weary and anxious, to snatch +some sleep, than he saw the lost guest before him, his face +luminous as lightning, and his garments magnificent and studded +with gems radiant as the sun. Before the beadle, stunned by +fright, could open his mouth, the stranger spake, and said: "I am +Abraham the Hebrew, your ancestor, who rests here in the Cave of +Machpelah. When I saw how grieved you were at not having the +number of men prescribed for a public service, I came forth to +you. Have no fear! Rejoice and be merry of heart!"[319] + +On another occasion Abraham granted his assistance to the people +of Hebron. The lord of the city was a heartless man, who +oppressed the Jews sorely. One day he commanded them to pay a +large sum of money into his coffers, the whole sum in uniform +coins, all stamped with the same year. It was but a pretext to +kill the Jews. He knew that his demand was impossible of +fulfilment. + +The Jews proclaimed a fast and day of public prayer, on which to +supplicate God that He turn aside the sword suspended above them. +The night following, the beadle in a dream saw an awe-inspiring +old man, who addressed him in the following words: "Up, quickly! +Hasten to the gate of the court, where lies the money you need. I +am your father Abraham. I have beheld the affliction wherewith +the Gentiles oppress you, but God has heard your groans." In +great terror the beadle arose, but he saw no one, yet he went to +the spot designated by the vision, and he found the money and +took it to the congregation, telling his dream at the same time. +Amazed, they counted the gold, precisely the amount required of +them by the prince, no more and no less. They surrendered the sum +to him, and he who had considered compliance with his demand +impossible, recognized now that God is with the Jews, and +thenceforth they found favor in his eyes.[320] + + + +VI + +JACOB +THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB +THE FAVORITE OF ABRAHAM +THE SALE OF THE BIRTHRIGHT +ISAAC WITH THE PHILISTINES +ISAAC BLESSES JACOB +ESAU'S TRUE CHARACTER REVEALED +JACOB LEAVES HIS FATHER'S HOUSE +JACOB PURSUED BY ELIPHAZ AND ESAU +THE DAY OF MIRACLES +JACOB WITH LABAN +THE MARRIAGE OF JACOB +THE BIRTH OF JACOB'S CHILDREN +JACOB FLEES BEFORE LABAN +THE COVENANT WITH LABAN +JACOB AND ESAU PREPARE TO MEET +JACOB WRESTLES WITH THE ANGEL +THE MEETING BETWEEN ESAU AND JACOB +THE OUTRAGE AT SHECHEM +A WAR FRUSTRATED +THE WAR WITH THE NINEVITES +THE WAR WITH THE AMORITES +ISAAC BLESSES LEVI AND JUDAH +JOY AND SORROW IN THE HOUSE OF JACOB +ESAU'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST JACOB +THE DESCENDANTS OF ESAU + + + +VI + +JACOB + +THE BIRTH OF ESAU AND JACOB + +Isaac was the counterpart of his father in body and soul. He +resembled him in every particular--"in beauty, wisdom, strength, +wealth, and noble deeds."[1] It was, therefore, as great an honor +for Isaac to be called the son of his father as for Abraham to be +called the father of his son, and though Abraham was the +progenitor of thirty nations, he is always designated as the +father of Isaac.[2] + +Despite his many excellent qualities, Isaac married late in life. +God permitted him to meet the wife suitable to him only after he +had successfully disproved the mocking charges of Ishmael, who +was in the habit of taunting him with having been circumcised at +the early age of eight days, while Ishmael had submitted himself +voluntarily to the operation when he was thirteen years old. For +this reason God demanded Isaac as a sacrifice when he had +attained to full manhood, at the age of thirty-seven, and Isaac +was ready to give up his life. Ishmael's jibes were thus robbed +of their sting, and Isaac was permitted to marry. But another +delay occurred before his marriage could take place. Directly +after the sacrifice on Mount Moriah, his mother died, and he +mourned her for three years.[3] Finally he married Rebekah, who +was then a maiden of fourteen.[4] + +Rebekah was "a rose between thorns." Her father was the Aramean +Bethuel, and her brother was Laban, but she did not walk in their +ways.[5] Her piety was equal to Isaac's.[6] Nevertheless their +marriage was not entirely happy, for they lived together no less +than twenty years without begetting children.[7] Rebekah besought +her husband to entreat God for the gift of children, as his +father Abraham had done. At first Isaac would not do her bidding. +God had promised Abraham a numerous progeny, and he thought their +childlessness was probably Rebekah's fault, and it was her duty +to supplicate God, and not his. But Rebekah would not desist, and +husband and wife repaired to Mount Moriah together to pray to God +there. And Isaac said: "O Lord God of heaven and earth, whose +goodness and mercies fill the earth, Thou who didst take my +father from his father's house and from his birthplace, and didst +bring him unto this land, and didst say unto him, To thee and thy +seed will I give the land, and didst promise him and declare unto +him, I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the +sand of the sea, now may Thy words be verified which Thou didst +speak unto my father. For Thou art the Lord our God, our eyes are +toward Thee, to give us seed of men as Thou didst promise us, for +Thou art the Lord our God, and our eyes are upon Thee."[8] Isaac +prayed furthermore that all children destined for him might be +born unto him from this pious wife of his, and Rebekah made the +same petition regarding her husband Isaac and the children +destined for her. + +Their united prayer was heard.[9] Yet it was chiefly for the sake +of Isaac that God gave them children. It is true, Rebekah's piety +equalled her husband's, but the prayer of a pious man who is the +son of a pious man is far more efficacious than the prayer of one +who, though pious himself, is descended from a godless father. + +The prayer wrought a great miracle, for Isaac's physique was such +that he could not have been expected to beget children, and +equally it was not in the course of nature that Rebekah should +bear children.[10] + +When Rebekah had been pregnant seven months,[11] she began to +wish that the curse of childlessness had not been removed from +her.[12] She suffered torturous pain, because her twin sons began +their lifelong quarrels in her womb. They strove to kill each +other. If Rebekah walked in the vicinity of a temple erected to +idols, Esau moved in her body, and if she passed a synagogue or a +Bet ha-Midrash, Jacob essayed to break forth from her womb.[13] +The quarrels of the children turned upon such differences as +these. Esau would insist that there was no life except the +earthly life of material pleasures, and Jacob would reply: "My +brother, there are two worlds before us, this world and the world +to come. In this world, men eat and drink, and traffic and marry, +and bring up sons and daughters, but all this does not take place +in the world to come. If it please thee, do thou take this world, +and I will take the other."[14] Esau had Samael as his ally, who +desired to slay Jacob in his mother's womb. But the archangel +Michael hastened to Jacob's aid. He tried to burn Samael, and the +Lord saw it was necessary to constitute a heavenly court for the +purpose of arbitrating the case of Michael and Samael.[15] Even +the quarrel between the two brothers regarding the birthright had +its beginning before they emerged from the womb of their mother. +Each desired to be the first to come into the world. It was only +when Esau threatened to carry his point at the expense of his +mother's life that Jacob gave way.[16] + +Rebekah asked other women whether they, too, had suffered such +pain during their pregnancy, and when they told her they had not +heard of a case like hers, except the pregnancy of Nimrod's +mother, she betook herself to Mount Moriah, whereon Shem and Eber +had their Bet ha-Midrash. She requested them as well as Abraham +to inquire of God what the cause of her dire suffering was.[17] +And Shem replied: "My daughter, I confide a secret to thee. See +to it that none finds it out. Two nations are in thy womb, and +how should thy body contain them, seeing that the whole world +will not be large enough for them to exist in it together +peaceably? Two nations they are, each owning a world of its own, +the one the Torah, the other sin. From the one will spring +Solomon, the builder of the Temple, from the other Vespasian, the +destroyer thereof. These two are what are needed to raise the +number of nations to seventy. They will never be in the same +estate. Esau will vaunt lords, while Jacob will bring forth +prophets, and if Esau has princes, Jacob will have kings.[18] +They, Israel and Rome, are the two nations destined to be hated +by all the world.[19] One will exceed the other in strength. +First Esau will subjugate the whole world, but in the end Jacob +will rule over all.[20] The older of the two will serve the +younger, provided this one is pure of heart, otherwise the +younger will be enslaved by the older."[21] + +The circumstances connected with the birth of her twin sons were +as remarkable as those during the period of Rebekah's pregnancy. +Esau was the first to see the light, and with him all impurity +came from the womb;[22] Jacob was born clean and sweet of body. +Esau was brought forth with hair, beard, and teeth, both front +and back,[23] and he was blood-red, a sign of his future +sanguinary nature.[24] On account of his ruddy appearance he +remained uncircumcised. Isaac, his father, feared that it was due +to poor circulation of the blood, and he hesitated to perform the +circumcision. He decided to wait until Esau should attain his +thirteenth year, the age at which Ishmael had received the sign +of the covenant. But when Esau grew up, he refused to give heed +to his father's wish, and so he was left uncircumcised.[25] The +opposite of his brother in this as in all respects, Jacob was +born with the sign of the covenant upon his body, a rare +distinction.[26] But Esau also bore a mark upon him at birth, the +figure of a serpent, the symbol of all that is wicked and hated +of God.[27] + +The names conferred upon the brothers are pregnant with meaning. +The older was called Esau, because he was 'Asui, fully developed +when he was born, and the name of the younger was given to him by +God, to point to some important events in the future of Israel by +the numerical value of each letter. The first letter in Ya'akob, +Yod, with the value of ten, stands for the decalogue; the second, +'Ayin, equal to seventy, for the seventy elders, the leaders of +Israel; the third, Kof, a hundred, for the Temple, a hundred ells +in height; and the last, Bet, for the two tables of stone.[28] + + +THE FAVORITE OF ABRAHAM + +While Esau and Jacob were little, their characters could not be +judged properly. They were like the myrtle and the thorn-bush, +which look alike in the early stages of their growth. After they +have attained full size, the myrtle is known by its fragrance, +and the thorn-bush by its thorns. + +In their childhood, both brothers went to school, but when they +reached their thirteenth year, and were of age, their ways +parted. Jacob continued his studies in the Bet ha Midrash of Shem +and Eber, and Esau abandoned himself to idolatry and an immoral +life.[29] Both were hunters of men, Esau tried to capture them in +order to turn them away from God, and Jacob, to turn them toward +God.[30] In spite of his impious deeds, Esau possessed the art of +winning his father's love. His hypocritical conduct made Isaac +believe that his first-born son was extremely pious. "Father," he +would ask Isaac, "what is the tithe on straw and salt?" The +question made him appear God-fearing in the eyes of his father, +because these two products are the very ones that are exempt from +tithing.[31] Isaac failed to notice, too, that his older son gave +him forbidden food to eat. What he took for the flesh of young +goats was dog's meat.[32] + +Rebekah was more clear-sighted. She knew her sons as they really +were, and therefore her love for Jacob was exceeding great. The +oftener she heard his voice, the deeper grew her affection for +him.[33] Abraham agreed with her. He also loved his grandson +Jacob, for he knew that in him his name and his seed would be +called. And he said unto Rebekah, "My daughter, watch over my son +Jacob, for he shall be in my stead on the earth and for a +blessing in the midst of the children of men, and for the glory +of the whole seed of Shem." Having admonished Rebekah thus to +keep guard over Jacob, who was destined to be the bearer of the +blessing given to Abraham by God, he called for his grandson, and +in the presence of Rebekah he blessed him, and said: "Jacob, my +beloved son, whom my soul loveth, may God bless thee from above +the firmament, and may He give thee all the blessing wherewith He +blessed Adam, and Enoch, and Noah, and Shem, and all the things +of which He told me, and all the things which He promised to give +me may He cause to cleave to thee and to thy seed forever, +according to the days of the heavens above the earth. And the +spirit of Mastema shall not rule over thee or over thy seed, to +turn thee from the Lord, who is thy God from henceforth and +forever. And may the Lord God be a father to thee, and mayest +thou be His first-born son, and may He be a father to thy people +always. Go in peace, my son."[34] + +And Abraham had good reason to be particularly fond of Jacob, for +it was due to the merits of his grandson that he had been rescued +from the fiery furnace.[35] + +Isaac and Rebekah, knowing of Abraham's love for their young son, +sent their father a meal by Jacob on the last Feast of Pentecost +which Abraham was permitted to celebrate on earth, that he might +eat and bless the Creator of all things before he died. Abraham +knew that his end was approaching, and he thanked the Lord for +all the good He had granted him during the days of his life, and +blessed Jacob and bade him walk in the ways of the Lord, and +especially he was not to marry a daughter of the Canaanites. Then +Abraham prepared for death. He placed two of Jacob's fingers upon +his eyes, and thus holding them closed he fell into his eternal +sleep, while Jacob lay beside him on the bed. The lad did not +know of his grandfather's death, until he called him, on +awakening next morning, "Father, father," and received no +answer.[36] + + +THE SALE OF THE BIRTHRIGHT + +Though Abraham reached a good old age, beyond the limit of years +vouchsafed later generations, he yet died five years before his +allotted time. The intention was to let him live to be one +hundred and eighty years old, the same age as Isaac's at his +death, but on account of Esau God brought his life to an abrupt +close. For some time Esau had been pursuing his evil inclinations +in secret. Finally he dropped his mask, and on the day of +Abraham's death he was guilty of five crimes: he ravished a +betrothed maiden, committed murder, doubted the resurrection of +the dead, scorned the birthright, and denied God. Then the Lord +said: "I promised Abraham that he should go to his fathers in +peace. Can I now permit him to be a witness of his grandson's +rebellion against God, his violation of the laws of chastity, and +his shedding of blood? It is better for him to die now in +peace."[37] + +The men slain by Esau on this day were Nimrod and two of his +adjutants. A long-standing feud had existed between Esau and +Nimrod, because the mighty hunter before the Lord was jealous of +Esau, who also devoted himself assiduously to the chase. Once +when he was hunting it happened that Nimrod was separated from +his people, only two men were with him. Esau, who lay in ambush, +noticed his isolation, and waited until he should pass his +covert. Then he threw himself upon Nimrod suddenly, and felled +him and his two companions, who hastened to his succor. The +outcries of the latter brought the attendants of Nimrod to the +spot where he lay dead, but not before Esau had stripped him of +his garments, and fled to the city with them.[38] + +These garments of Nimrod had an extraordinary effect upon cattle, +beasts, and birds. Of their own accord they would come and +prostrate themselves before him who was arrayed in them. Thus +Nimrod and Esau after him were able to rule over men and +beasts.[39] + +After slaying Nimrod, Esau hastened cityward in great fear of his +victim's followers. Tired and exhausted he arrived at home to +find Jacob busy preparing a dish of lentils. Numerous male and +female slaves were in Isaac's household. Nevertheless Jacob was +so simple and modest in his demeanor that, if he came home late +from the Bet ha-Midrash, he would disturb none to prepare his +meal, but would do it himself.[40] On this occasion he was +cooking lentils for his father, to serve to him as his mourner's +meal after the death of Abraham. Adam and Eve had eaten lentils +after the murder of Abel, and so had the parents of Haran, when +he perished in the fiery furnace. The reason they are used for +the mourner's meal is that the round lentil symbolizes death: as +the lentil rolls, so death, sorrow, and mourning constantly roll +about among men, from one to the other.[41] + +Esau accosted Jacob thus, "Why art thou preparing lentils?" + +Jacob: "Because our grandfather passed away; they shall be a sign +of my grief and mourning, that he may love me in the days to +come." + +Esau: "Thou fool! Dost thou really think it possible that man +should come to life again after he has been dead and has +mouldered in the grave?"[42] He continued to taunt Jacob. "Why +dost thou give thyself so much trouble?" he said. "Lift up thine +eyes, and thou wilt see that all men eat whatever comes to +hand--fish, creeping and crawling creatures, swine's flesh, and +all sorts of things like these, and thou vexest thyself about a +dish of lentils." + +Jacob: "If we act like other men, what shall we do on the day of +the Lord, the day on which the pious will receive their reward, +when a herald will proclaim: Where is He that weigheth the deeds +of men, where is He that counteth?" + +Esau: "Is there a future world? Or will the dead be called back +to life? If it were so, why hath not Adam returned? Hast thou +heard that Noah, through whom the world was raised anew, hath +reappeared? Yea, Abraham, the friend of God, more beloved of Him +than any man, hath he come to life again?" + +Jacob: "If thou art of opinion that there is no future world, and +that the dead do not rise to new life, then why dost thou want +thy birthright? Sell it to me, now, while it is yet possible to +do so. Once the Torah is revealed, it cannot be done. Verily, +there is a future world, in which the righteous receive their +reward. I tell thee this, lest thou say later I deceived +thee."[43] + +Jacob was little concerned about the double share of the +inheritance that went with the birthright. What he thought of was +the priestly service, which was the prerogative of the first-born +in ancient times, and Jacob was loth to have his impious brother +Esau play the priest, he who despised all Divine service.[44] + +The scorn manifested by Esau for the resurrection of the dead he +felt also for the promise of God to give the Holy Land to the +seed of Abraham. He did not believe in it, and therefore he was +willing to cede his birthright and the blessing attached thereto +in exchange for a mess of pottage.[45] In addition, Jacob paid +him in coin,[46] and, besides, he gave him what was more than +money, the wonderful sword of Methuselah, which Isaac had +inherited from Abraham and bestowed upon Jacob.[47] + +Esau made game of Jacob. He invited his associates to feast at +his brother's table, saying, "Know ye what I did to this Jacob? I +ate his lentils, drank his wine, amused myself at his expense, +and sold my birthright to him." All that Jacob replied was, "Eat +and may it do thee good!" But the Lord said, "Thou despisest the +birthright, therefore I shall make thee despised in all +generations." And by way of punishment for denying God and the +resurrection of the dead, the descendants of Esau were cut off +from the world.[48] + +As naught was holy to Esau, Jacob made him swear, concerning the +birthright, by the life of their father, for he knew Esau's love +for Isaac, that it was strong.[49] Nor did he fail to have a +document made out, duly signed by witnesses, setting forth that +Esau had sold him the birthright together with his claim upon a +place in the Cave of Machpelah.[50] + +Though no blame can attach to Jacob for all this, yet he secured +the birthright from him by cunning, and therefore the descendants +of Jacob had to serve the descendants of Esau.[51] + + +ISAAC WITH THE PHILISTINES + +The life of Isaac was a faithful reflex of the life of his +father. Abraham had to leave his birthplace; so also Isaac. +Abraham was exposed to the risk of losing his wife; so also +Isaac. The Philistines were envious of Abraham; so also of Isaac. +Abraham long remained childless; so also Isaac. Abraham begot one +pious son and one wicked son; so also Isaac. And, finally, as in +the time of Abraham, so also in the time of Isaac, a famine came +upon the land.[52] + +At first Isaac intended to follow the example of his father and +remove to Egypt, but God appeared unto him, and spake: "Thou art +a perfect sacrifice, without a blemish, and as a burnt offering +is made unfit if it is taken outside of the sanctuary, so thou +wouldst be profaned if thou shouldst happen outside of the Holy +Land. Remain in the land, and endeavor to cultivate it. In this +land dwells the Shekinah, and in days to come I will give unto +thy children the realms possessed by mighty rulers, first a part +thereof, and the whole in the Messianic time."[53] + +Isaac obeyed the command of God, and he settled in Gerar. When he +noticed that the inhabitants of the place began to have designs +upon his wife, he followed the example of Abraham, and pretended +she was his sister.[54] The report of Rebekah's beauty reached +the king himself, but he was mindful of the great danger to which +he had once exposed himself on a similar occasion, and he left +Isaac and his wife unmolested.[55] After they had been in Gerar +for three months, Abimelech noticed that the manner of Isaac, who +lived in the outer court of the royal palace, was that of a +husband toward Rebekah.[56] He called him to account, saying, "It +might have happened to the king himself to take the woman thou +didst call thy sister."[57] Indeed, Isaac lay under the suspicion +of having illicit intercourse with Rebekah, for at first the +people of the place would not believe that she was his wife. When +Isaac persisted in his statement,[58] Abimelech sent his grandees +for them, ordered them to be arrayed in royal vestments, and had +it proclaimed before them, as they rode through the city: "These +two are man and wife. He that toucheth this man or his wife shall +surely be put to death." + +Thereafter the king invited Isaac to settle in his domains, and +he assigned fields and vineyards to him for cultivation, the best +the land afforded.[59] But Isaac was not self-interested. The +tithe of all he possessed he gave to the poor of Gerar. Thus he +was the first to introduce the law of tithing for the poor, as +his father Abraham had been the first to separate the priests' +portion from his fortune.[60] Isaac was rewarded by abundant +harvests; the land yielded a hundred times more than was +expected, though the soil was barren and the year unfruitful. He +grew so rich that people wished to have "the dung from Isaac's +she-mules rather than Abimelech's gold and silver."[61] But his +wealth called forth the envy of the Philistines, for it is +characteristic of the wicked that they begrudge their fellow-men +the good, and rejoice when they see evil descend upon them, and +envy brings hatred in its wake, and so the Philistines first +envied Isaac, and then hated him. In their enmity toward him, +they stopped the wells which Abraham had had his servants dig. +Thus they broke their covenant with Abraham and were faithless, +and they have only themselves to blame if they were exterminated +later on by the Israelites. + +Isaac departed from Gerar, and began to dig again the wells of +water which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father, +and which the Philistines had stopped. His reverence for his +father was so great that he even restored the names by which +Abraham had called the wells. To reward him for his filial +respect, the Lord left the name of Isaac unchanged, while his +father and his son had to submit to new names.[62] + +After four attempts to secure water, Isaac was successful; he +found the well of water that followed the Patriarchs. Abraham had +obtained it after three diggings. Hence the name of the well, +Beer-sheba, "the well of seven diggings," the same well that will +supply water to Jerusalem and its environs in the Messianic +time.[63] + +Isaac's success with his wells but served to increase the envy of +the Philistines, for he had come upon water in a most unlikely +spot and, besides, in a year of drouth. But "the Lord fulfils the +desire of them that fear Him." As Isaac executed the will of his +Creator, so God accomplished his desire.[64] And Abimelech, the +king of Gerar, speedily came to see that God was on the side of +Isaac, for, to chastise him for having instigated Isaac's removal +from Gerar, his house was ravaged by robbers in the night, and he +himself was stricken with leprosy.[65] The wells of the +Philistines ran dry as soon as Isaac left Gerar, and also the +trees failed to yield their fruit. None could be in doubt but +that these things were the castigation for their unkindness. + +Now Abimelech entreated his friends, especially the administrator +of his kingdom, to accompany him to Isaac and help him win back +his friendship.[66] Abimelech and the Philistines spake thus to +Isaac: "We have convinced ourselves that the Shekinah is with +thee, and therefore we desire thee to renew the covenant which +thy father made with us, that thou wilt do us no hurt, as we also +did not touch thee." Isaac consented. It illustrates the +character of the Philistines strikingly that they took credit +unto themselves for having done him no hurt. It shows that they +would have been glad to inflict harm upon him, for "the soul of +the wicked desireth evil." + +The place in which the covenant was made between Isaac and the +Philistines was called Shib'ah, for two reasons, because an oath +was "sworn" there, and as a memorial of the fact that even the +heathen are bound to observe the "seven" Noachian laws.[67] + +For all the wonders executed by God for Isaac, and all the good +he enjoyed throughout his life, he is indebted to the merits of +his father. For his own merits he will be rewarded in future.[68] +On the great day of judgment it will be Isaac who will redeem his +descendants from Gehenna. On that day the Lord will speak to +Abraham, "Thy children have sinned," and Abraham will make reply, +"Then let them be wiped out, that Thy Name be sanctified." The +Lord will turn to Jacob, thinking that he who had suffered so +much in bringing his sons to manhood's estate would display more +love for his posterity. But Jacob will give the same answer as +Abraham. Then God will say: "The old have no understanding, and +the young no counsel. I will now go to Isaac. Isaac," God will +address him, "thy children have sinned," and Isaac will reply: "O +Lord of the world, sayest Thou my children, and not THINE? When +they stood at Mount Sinai and declared themselves ready to +execute all Thy bidding before even they heard it, Thou didst +call Israel 'My first-born,' and now they are MY children, and +not THINE! Let us consider. The years of a man are seventy. From +these twenty are to be deducted, for Thou inflictest no +punishment upon those under twenty. Of the fifty years that are +left, one-half are to be deducted for the nights passed in sleep. +There remain only twenty-five years, and these are to be +diminished by twelve and a half, the time spent in praying, +eating, and attending to other needs in life, during which men +commit no sins. That leaves only twelve years and a half. If Thou +wilt take these upon Thyself, well and good. If not, do Thou take +one-half thereof, and I will take the other half." The +descendants of Isaac will then say, "Verily, thou art our true +father!" But he will point to God, and admonish them, "Nay, give +not your praises to me, but to God alone," and Israel, with eyes +directed heavenward, will say, "Thou, O Lord, art our Father; our +Redeemer from everlasting is Thy name."[69] + +It was Isaac, or, as he is sometimes called, Elihu the son of +Barachel, who revealed the wonderful mysteries of nature in his +arguments with Job.[70] + +At the end of the years of famine, God appeared unto Isaac, and +bade him return to Canaan. Isaac did as he was commanded, and he +settled in Hebron. At this time he sent his younger son Jacob to +the Bet ha-Midrash of Shem and Eber, to study the law of the +Lord. Jacob remained there thirty-two years. As for Esau, he +refused to learn, and he remained in the house of his father. The +chase was his only occupation, and as he pursued beasts, so he +pursued men, seeking to capture them with cunning and deceit. + +On one of his hunting expeditions, Esau came to Mount Seir, where +he became acquainted with Judith, of the family of Ham, and he +took her unto himself as his wife, and brought her to his father +at Hebron. + +Ten years later, when Shem his teacher died, Jacob returned home, +at the age of fifty. Another six years passed, and Rebekah +received the joyful news that her sister-in-law 'Adinah, the wife +of Laban, who, like all the women of his house, had been +childless until then, had given birth to twin daughters, Leah and +Rachel.[71] Rebekah, weary of her life on account of the woman +chosen by her older son, exhorted Jacob not to marry one of the +daughters of Canaan, but a maiden of the family of Abraham. He +assured his mother that the words of Abraham, bidding him to +marry no woman of the Canaanites, were graven upon his memory, +and for this reason he was still unmarried, though he had +attained the age of sixty-two, and Esau had been urging him for +twenty-two years past to follow his example and wed a daughter of +the people of the land in which they lived. He had heard that his +uncle Laban had daughters, and he was resolved to choose one of +them as his wife. Deeply moved by the words of her son, Rebekah +thanked him and gave praise unto God with the words: "Blessed be +the Lord God, and may His Holy Name be blessed for ever and ever, +who hath given me Jacob as a pure son and a holy seed; for he is +Thine, and Thine shall his seed be continually and throughout all +the generations for evermore. Bless him, O Lord, and place in my +mouth the blessing of righteousness, that I may bless him." + +And when the spirit of the Lord came over her, she laid her hands +upon the head of Jacob and gave him her maternal blessing. It +ended with the words, "May the Lord of the world love thee, as +the heart of thy affectionate mother rejoices in thee, and may He +bless thee."[72] + + +ISAAC BLESSES JACOB + +Esau's marriage with the daughters of the Canaanites was an +abomination not only in the eyes of his mother, but also in the +eyes of his father. He suffered even more than Rebekah through +the idolatrous practices of his daughters in-law. It is the +nature of man to oppose less resistance than woman to +disagreeable circumstances. A bone is not harmed by a collision +that would shiver an earthen pot in pieces. Man, who is created +out of the dust of the ground, has not the endurance of woman +formed out of bone. Isaac was made prematurely old by the conduct +of his daughters-in-law, and he lost the sight of his eyes. +Rebekah had been accustomed in the home of her childhood to the +incense burnt before idols, and she could therefore bear it under +her own roof-tree. Unlike her, Isaac had never had any such +experience while he abode with his parents, and he was stung by +the smoke arising from the sacrifices offered to their idols by +his daughters-in-law in his own house.[73] Isaac's eyes had +suffered earlier in life, too. When he lay bound upon the altar, +about to be sacrificed by his father, the angels wept, and their +tears fell upon his eyes, and there they remained and weakened +his sight. + +At the same time he had brought the scourge of blindness down +upon himself by his love for Esau. He justified the wicked for a +bribe, the bribe of Esau's filial love, and loss of vision is the +punishment that follows the taking of bribes. "A gift," it is +said, "blinds the eyes of the wise." + +Nevertheless his blindness proved a benefit for Isaac as well as +Jacob. In consequence of his physical ailments, Isaac had to keep +at home, and so he was spared the pain of being pointed out by +the people as the father of the wicked Esau.[74] And, again, if +his power of vision had been unimpaired, he would not have +blessed Jacob. As it was, God treated him as a physician treats a +sick man who is forbidden to drink wine, for which, however, he +has a strong desire. To placate him, the physician orders that +warm water be given him in the dark, and he be told that it is +wine.[75] + +When Isaac reached the age of one hundred and twenty three, and +was thus approaching the years attained by his mother, he began +to meditate upon his end. It is proper that a man should prepare +for death when he comes close to the age at which either of his +parents passed out of life. Isaac reflected that he did not know +whether the age allotted to him was his mother's or his father's, +and he therefore resolved to bestow his blessing upon his older +son, Esau, before death should overtake him.[76] He summoned +Esau, and he said, "My son," and Esau replied, "Here am I," but +the holy spirit interposed: "Though he disguises his voice and +makes it sound sweet, put no confidence in him. There are seven +abominations in his heart. He will destroy seven holy places--the +Tabernacle, the sanctuaries at Gilgal, Shiloh, Nob, and Gibeon, +and the first and the second Temple." + +Gently though Esau continued to speak to his father, he yet +longed for his end to come.[77] But Isaac was stricken with +spiritual as well as physical blindness. The holy spirit deserted +him, and he could not discern the wickedness of his older son. He +bade him sharpen his slaughtering knives and beware of bringing +him the flesh of an animal that had died of itself, or had been +torn by a beast, and he was to guard also against putting an +animal before Isaac that had been stolen from its rightful owner. +"Then," continued Isaac, "will I bless him who is worthy of being +blessed."[78] + +This charge was laid upon Esau on the eve of the Passover, and +Isaac said to him: "To-night the whole world will sing the Hallel +unto God. It is the night when the storehouses of dew are +unlocked. Therefore prepare dainties for me, that my soul may +bless thee before I die." But the holy spirit interposed, "Eat +not the bread of him that hath an evil eye."[79] Isaac's longing +for tidbits was due to his blindness. As the sightless cannot +behold the food they eat, they do not enjoy it with full relish, +and their appetite must be tempted with particularly palatable +morsels. + +Esau sallied forth to procure what his father desired, little +recking the whence or how, whether by robbery or theft.[80] To +hinder the quick execution of his father's order, God sent Satan +on the chase with Esau. He was to delay him as long as possible. +Esau would catch a deer and leave him lying bound, while he +pursued other game. Immediately Satan would come and liberate the +deer, and when Esau returned to the spot, his victim was not to +be found. This was repeated several times. Again and again the +quarry was run down, and bound, and liberated, so that Jacob was +able meanwhile to carry out the plan of Rebekah whereby he would +be blessed instead of Esau. + +Though Rebekah had not heard the words that had passed between +Isaac and Esau, they nevertheless were revealed to her through +the holy spirit,[81] and she resolved to restrain her husband +from taking a false step. She was not actuated by love for Jacob, +but by the wish of keeping Isaac from committing a detestable +act.[82] Rebekah said to Jacob: "This night the storehouses of +dew are unlocked; it is the night during which the celestial +beings chant the Hallel unto God, the night set apart for the +deliverance of thy children from Egypt, on which they, too, will +sing the Hallel. Go now and prepare savory meat for thy father, +that he may bless thee before his death.[83] Do as I bid thee, +obey me as thou art wont, for thou art my son whose children, +every one, will be good and God-fearing--not one shall be +graceless." + +In spite of his great respect for his mother,[84] Jacob refused +at first to heed her command. He feared he might commit a +sin,[85] especially as he might thus bring his father's curse +down upon him. As it was, Isaac might still have a blessing for +him, after giving Esau his. But Rebekah allayed his anxieties, +with the words: "When Adam was cursed, the malediction fell upon +his mother, the earth, and so shall I, thy mother, bear the +imprecation, if thy father curses thee. Moreover, if the worst +comes to the worst, I am prepared to step before thy father and +tell him, 'Esau is a villain, and Jacob is a righteous man.'" + +Thus constrained by his mother, Jacob, in tears and with body +bowed, went off to execute the plan made by Rebekah.[86] As he +was to provide a Passover meal, she bade him get two kids, one +for the Passover sacrifice and one for the festival +sacrifice.[87] To soothe Jacob's conscience, she added that her +marriage contract entitled her to two kids daily. "And," she +continued, "these two kids will bring good unto thee, the +blessing of thy father, and they will bring good unto thy +children, for two kids will be the atoning sacrifice offered on +the Day of Atonement." + +Jacob's hesitation was not yet removed. His father, he feared, +would touch him and convince himself that he was not hairy, and +therefore not his son Esau. Accordingly, Rebekah tore the skins +of the two kids into strips and sewed them together, for Jacob +was so tall a giant that otherwise they would not have sufficed +to cover his hands.[88] To make Jacob's disguise complete, +Rebekah felt justified in putting Esau's wonderful garments on +him. They were the high priestly raiment in which God had clothed +Adam, "the first-born of the world," for in the days before the +erection of the Tabernacle all the first-born males officiated as +priests. From Adam these garments descended to Noah, who +transmitted them to Shem, and Shem bequeathed them to Abraham, +and Abraham to his son Isaac, from whom they reached Esau as the +older of his two sons. It was the opinion of Rebekah that as +Jacob had bought the birthright from his brother, he had thereby +come into possession of the garments as well.[89] There was no +need for her to go and fetch them from the house of Esau. He knew +his wives far too well to entrust so precious a treasure to them; +they were in the safe-keeping of his mother. Besides, he used +them most frequently in the house of his parents. As a rule, he +did not lay much stress upon decent apparel. He was willing to +appear on the street clad in rags, but he considered it his duty +to wait upon his father arrayed in his best. "My father," Esau +was in the habit of saying, "is a king in my sight, and it would +ill become me to serve before him in any thing but royal +apparel." To the great respect he manifested toward his father, +the descendants of Esau owe all their good fortune on earth. Thus +doth God reward a good deed. + +Rebekah led Jacob equipped and arrayed in this way to the door of +Isaac's chamber. There she parted from him with the words, +"Henceforward may thy Creator assist thee."[90] Jacob entered, +addressing Isaac with "Father," and receiving the response, "Here +am I! Who art thou, my son?" he replied equivocally, "It is I, +thy first-born son is Esau." He sought to avoid a falsehood, and +yet not betray that he was Jacob.[91] Isaac then said: "Thou art +greatly in haste to secure thy blessing. Thy father Abraham was +seventy-five years old when he was blessed, and thou art but +sixty-three." Jacob replied awkwardly, "Because the Lord thy God +sent me good speed." Isaac concluded at once that this was not +Esau, for he would not have mentioned the name of God, and he +made up his mind to feel the son before him and make sure who he +was. Terror seized upon Jacob at the words of Isaac, "Come near, +I pray thee, that I may feel thee, my son." A cold sweat covered +his body, and his heart melted like wax. Then God caused the +archangels Michael and Gabriel to descend. The one seized his +right hand, the other his left hand, while the Lord God Himself +supported him, that his courage might not fail him. Isaac felt +him, and, finding his hands hairy, he said, "The voice is Jacob's +voice, but the hands are the hands of Esau," words in which he +conveyed the prophecy that so long as the voice of Jacob is heard +in the houses of prayer and of learning, the hands of Esau will +not be able to prevail against him. "Yes," he continued, "it is +the voice of Jacob, the voice that imposes silence upon those on +earth and in heaven," for even the angels may not raise their +voices in praise of God until Israel has finished his prayers. + +Isaac's scruples about blessing the son before him were not yet +removed, for with his prophetical eye he foresaw that this one +would have descendants who would vex the Lord. At the same time, +it was revealed to him that even the sinners in Israel would turn +penitents, and then he was ready to bless Jacob. He bade him come +near and kiss him, to indicate that it would be Jacob who would +imprint the last kiss upon Isaac before he was consigned to the +grave--he and none other. When Jacob stood close to him, he +discerned the fragrance of Paradise clinging to him, and he +exclaimed, "See, the smell of my son is as the smell of the field +which the Lord hath blessed."[92] + +The fragrance emanating from Jacob was not the only thing about +him derived from Paradise. The archangel Michael had fetched +thence the wine which Jacob gave his father to drink,[93] that an +exalted mood might descend upon him, for only when a man is +joyously excited the Shekinah rests upon him.[94] The holy spirit +filled Isaac, and he gave Jacob his tenfold blessing: "God give +thee of the dew of heaven," the celestial dew wherewith God will +awaken the pious to new life in days to come; "and of the fatness +of the earth," the goods of this world; "and plenty of corn and +wine," the Torah and the commandments which bestow the same joy +upon man as abundant harvests;[95] "peoples shall serve thee," +the Japhethites and the Hamites; "nations shall bow down to +thee," the Shemite nations; "thou wilt be lord over thy +brethren," the Ishmaelites and the descendants of Keturah; "thy +mother's sons will bow down to thee," Esau and his princes; +"cursed be every one that curseth thee," like Balaam; "and +blessed be every one that blesseth thee," like Moses.[96] + +For each blessing invoked upon Jacob by his father Isaac, a +similar blessing was bestowed upon him by God Himself in the same +words. As Isaac blessed him with dew, so also God: "And the +remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many peoples as dew +from the Lord." Isaac blessed him with the fatness of the earth, +so also God: "And he shall give the rain of thy seed, that thou +shalt sow the ground withal; and bread of the increase of the +ground, and it shall be fat and plenteous." Isaac blessed him +with plenty of corn and wine, so also God: "I will send you corn +and wine." Isaac said, "Peoples shall serve thee," so also God: +"Kings shall be thy nursing fathers, and their queens thy nursing +mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their faces to the +earth, and lick the dust of thy feet." Isaac said, "Nations shall +bow down to thee," so also God: "And He will make thee high above +all nations which He hath made, in praise, and in name, and in +honor." + +To this double blessing his mother Rebekah joined hers: "For He +shall give His angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy +ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy +feet against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder; +the young lion and the serpent shalt thou trample under feet. +Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver +him; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name." + +The holy spirit added in turn: "He shall call upon me, and I will +answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, +and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my +salvation."[97] + +Jacob left the presence of his father crowned like a bridegroom, +adorned like a bride, and bathed in celestial dew, which filled +his bones with marrow, and transformed him into a hero and a +giant.[98] + +Of a miracle done for him at that very moment Jacob himself was +not aware. Had he tarried with his father an instant longer, Esau +would have met him there, and would surely have slain him. It +happened that exactly as Jacob was on the point of leaving the +tent of his father, carrying in his hands the plates off which +Isaac had eaten, he noticed Esau approaching, and he concealed +himself behind the door. Fortunately, it was a revolving door, so +that though he could see Esau, he could not be seen by him. + + +ESAU'S TRUE CHARACTER REVEALED + +Esau arrived after a delay of four hours.[99] In spite of all the +efforts he had put forth, he had not succeeded in catching any game, +and he was compelled to kill a dog and prepare its flesh for his +father's meal.[100] All this had made Esau ill-humored, and when he +bade his father partake of the meal, the invitation sounded harsh. +"Let my father arise," he said, "and eat of his son's venison." Jacob +had spoken differently; he had said, "Arise, I pray thee, sit and eat +of my venison." The words of Esau terrified Isaac greatly. His fright +exceeded that which he had felt when his father was about to offer him +as a sacrifice, and he cried out, "Who then is he that hath been the +mediator between me and the Lord, to make the blessing reach +Jacob?"--words meant to imply that he suspected Rebekah of having +instigated Jacob's act. + +Isaac's alarm was caused by his seeing hell at the feet of Esau. +Scarcely had he entered the house when the walls thereof began to +get hot on account of the nearness of hell, which he brought +along with him. Isaac could not but exclaim, "Who will be burnt +down yonder, I or my son Jacob?" and the Lord answered him, +"Neither thou nor Jacob, but the hunter." + +Isaac told Esau that the meat set before him by Jacob had had +marvellous qualities. Any savor that one desired it possessed, it +was even endowed with the taste of the food that God will grant +the pious in the world to come. "I know not," he said, "what the +meat was. But I had only to wish for bread, and it tasted like +bread, or fish, or locusts, or flesh of animals, in short, it had +the taste of any dainty one could wish for." When Esau heard the +word "flesh," he began to weep, and he said: "To me Jacob gave no +more than a dish of lentils, and in payment for it he took my +birthright. What must he have taken from thee for flesh of +animals?" Hitherto Isaac had been in great anguish on account of +the thought that he had committed a wrong in giving his blessing +to his younger son instead of the first-born, to whom it belonged +by law and custom. But when he heard that Jacob had acquired the +birthright from Esau, he said, "I gave my blessing to the right +one!" + +In his dismay, Isaac had had the intention of cursing Jacob for +having wrested the blessing from him through cunning. God +prevented him from carrying out his plan. He reminded him that he +would but curse himself, seeing that his blessing contained the +words, "Cursed be every one that curseth thee." But Isaac was not +willing to acknowledge his blessing valid as applied to Jacob, +until he was informed that his second son was the possessor of +the birthright. Only then did he say, "Yea, he shall be blessed," +whereat Esau cried with an exceeding great and bitter cry. By way +of punishment for having been the cause of such distress, a +descendant of Jacob, Mordecai, was also made to cry with a loud +and bitter cry, and his grief was brought forth by the Amalekite +Haman, the descendant of Esau. At the words of Isaac, "Thy +brother came with wisdom, and hath taken away thy blessing," Esau +spat out in vexation, and said, "He took away my birthright, and +I kept silence, and now that he takes away my blessing, should I +also keep silence?[101] Is not he rightly named Jacob? for he +hath supplanted me these two times."[102] + +Isaac continued to speak to Esau: "Behold, I have made him thy +lord, he is thy king, and do what thou wilt, thy blessings will +still belong to him; all his brethren have I given to him for +slaves, and what slaves possess belongs to their owner. There is +nothing for it, thou must be content that thou wilt receive thy +bread baked from thy master." The Lord took it ill of Isaac that +he cheered him with such kind words. "To Mine enemy," He +reproached him, "thou sayest, 'What shall I do for thee, my son?'" +Isaac replied, "O that he might find grace with Thee!" God: "He +is a recreant." Isaac: "Doth he not act righteously when he +honors his parents?" God: "In the land of uprightness will he +deal wrongfully, he will stretch his hand forth in days to come +against the Temple." Isaac: "Then let him enjoy much good in this +world, that he may not behold the abiding-place of the Lord in +the world to come."[103] + +When it became plain to Esau that he could not induce his father +to annul the blessing bestowed upon Jacob, he tried to force a +blessing for himself by an underhand trick. He said: "Hast thou +but one blessing, my father? bless me, even me also, O my father, +else it will be said thou hast but one blessing to bestow. +Suppose both Jacob and I had been righteous men, had not then thy +God had two blessings, one for each?" The Lord Himself made +reply: "Silence! Jacob will bless the twelve tribes, and each +blessing will be different from every other." But Isaac felt +great pity for his older son, and he wanted to bless him, but the +Shekinah forsook him, and he could not carry out what he +purposed. Thereupon Esau began to weep. He shed three tears--one +ran from his right eye, the second from his left eye, and the +third remained hanging from his eyelash. God said, "This villain +cries for his very life, and should I let him depart +empty-handed?" and then He bade Isaac bless his older son.[104] + +The blessing of Isaac ran thus: "Behold, of the fat of the earth +shall be thy dwelling," by which he meant Greater Greece, in +Italy; "and of the dew of heaven from above," referring to +Bet-Gubrin; "and by thy sword shalt thou live, and thou shalt +serve thy brother," but when he casts off the yoke of the Lord, +then shalt thou "shake his yoke from off thy neck," and thou wilt +be his master.[105] + +The blessing which Isaac gave to his older son was bound to no +condition whatsoever. Whether he deserved them or not, Esau was +to enjoy the goods of this world. Jacob's blessing, however, +depended upon his pious deeds; through them he would have a just +claim upon earthly prosperity. Isaac thought: "Jacob is a +righteous man, he will not murmur against God, though it should +come to pass that suffering be inflicted upon him in spite of his +upright life. But that reprobate Esau, if he should do a good +deed, or pray to God and not be heard, he would say, 'As I pray +to the idols for naught, so it is in vain to pray to God.'" For +this reason did Isaac bestow an unconditional blessing upon +Esau.[106] + + +JACOB LEAVES HIS FATHER'S HOUSE + +Esau hated his brother Jacob on account of the blessing that his +father had given him, and Jacob was very much afraid of his +brother Esau, and he fled to the house of Eber, the son of Shem, +and he concealed himself there fourteen years on account of his +brother Esau, and he continued there to learn the ways of the +Lord and His commandments. When Esau saw that Jacob had fled and +escaped from him, and Jacob had cunningly obtained the blessing, +then Esau grieved exceedingly, and he was also vexed at his +father and mother. He also rose up and took his wife, and went +away from his father and mother to the land of Seir. There he +married his second wife, Basemath, the daughter of Elon the +Hittite, and he called her name Adah, saying that the blessing +had in that time passed from him. After dwelling in Seir for six +months, Esau returned to the land of Canaan, and placed his two +wives in his father's house in Hebron. And the wives of Esau +vexed and provoked Isaac and Rebekah with their works, for they +walked not in the ways of the Lord, but served their fathers' +gods of wood and stone, as their fathers had taught them, and +they were more wicked than their fathers. They sacrificed and +burnt incense to the Baalim, and Isaac and Rebekah became weary +of them. And at the end of fourteen years of Jacob's residing in +the house of Eber, Jacob desired to see his father and his +mother, and he returned home. Esau had forgotten in those days +what Jacob had done to him, in having taken the blessing from +him, but when Esau saw Jacob returning to his parents, he +remembered what Jacob had done to him, and he was greatly +incensed against him, and he sought to slay him.[107] + +But Esau would not kill Jacob while his father was yet alive, +lest Isaac beget another son. He wanted to be sure of being the +only heir.[108] However, his hatred against Jacob was so great +that he determined to hasten the death of his father and then +dispatch Jacob. Such murderous plans Esau cherished in his heart, +though he denied that he was harboring them. But God spoke, +"Probably thou knowest not that I examine the hearts of men, for +I am the Lord that searcheth the heart." And not God alone knew +the secret desires of Esau. Rebekah, like all the Mothers, was a +prophetess, and she delayed not to warn Jacob of the danger that +hung over him. "Thy brother," she said to him, "is as sure of +accomplishing his wicked purpose as though thou wert dead. Now +therefore, my son, obey my voice, and arise, flee thou to Laban +my brother, to Haran, and tarry with him for seven years, until +thy brother's fury turn away." In the goodness of her heart, +Rebekah could not but believe that the anger of Esau was only a +fleeting passion, and would disappear in the course of time. But +she was mistaken, his hate persisted until the end of his +life.[109] + +Courageous as he was, Jacob would not run away from danger. He +said to his mother, "I am not afraid; if he wishes to kill me, I +will kill him," to which she replied, "Let me not be bereaved of +both my sons in one day."[110] By words Rebekah again showed her +prophetic gift. As she spoke, so it happened--when their time +came, Esau was slain while the burial of Jacob was taking +place.[111] + +And Jacob said to Rebekah: "Behold, thou knowest that my father +has become old and does not see, and if I leave him and go away, +he will be angry and will curse me. I will not go; if he sends +me, only then will I go."[112] + +Accordingly, Rebekah went to Isaac, and amid tears she spoke to +him thus: "If Jacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, what +good shall my life do me?"[113] And Isaac called Jacob, and +charged him, and said unto him: "Thou shalt not take a wife of +the daughters of Canaan, for thus did our father Abraham command +us according to the word of the Lord, which He had commanded him, +saying, 'Unto thy seed will I give the land; if thy children keep +My covenant that I have made with thee, then will I also perform +to thy children that which I have spoken unto thee, and I will +not forsake them.' Now therefore, my son, hearken to my voice, to +all that I shall command thee, and refrain from taking a wife +from amongst the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Haran, to the +house of Bethuel, thy mother's father, and take thee a wife from +thence of the daughters of Laban, thy mother's brother. Take heed +lest thou shouldst forget the Lord thy God and all His ways in +the land to which thou goest, and shouldst join thyself to the +people of the land, and pursue vanity, and forsake the Lord thy +God. But when thou comest to the land, serve the Lord. Do not +turn to the right or to the left from the way which I commanded +thee, and which thou didst learn. And may the Almighty God grant +thee favor before the people of the land, that thou mayest take a +wife there according to thy choice, one who is good and upright +in the way of the Lord. And may God give unto thee and thy seed +the blessing of thy father Abraham and make thee fruitful and +multiply thee, and mayest thou become a multitude of people in +the land whither thou goest, and may God cause thee to return to +thy land, the land of thy father's dwelling, with children and +with great riches, with joy and with pleasure."[114] + +As the value of a document is attested by its concluding words, +the signature of the witnesses, so Isaac confirmed the blessing +he had bestowed upon Jacob.[116] That none might say Jacob had +secured it by intrigue and cunning, he blessed him again with +three blessings, in these words, "In so far as I am endowed with +the power of blessing, I bestow blessing upon thee. May God, with +whom there is endless blessing, give thee His, and also the +blessing wherewith Abraham desired to bless me, desisting only in +order not to provoke the jealousy of Ishmael."[116] + +Seeing with his prophetic eye that the seed of Jacob would once +be compelled to go into exile, Isaac offered up one more +petition, that God would bring the exiles back again. He said, +"He shall deliver thee in six troubles, and in the seventh there +shall no evil touch thee." And also Rebekah prayed to God in +behalf of Jacob: "O Lord of the world, let not the purpose +prosper which Esau harbors against Jacob. Put a bridle upon him, +that he accomplish not all he wills to do."[117] + +When Esau observed that even his father's love had passed from +him to Jacob, he went away, to Ishmael, and he addressed him as +follows: "Lo, as thy father gave all his possessions to thy +brother Isaac, and dismissed thee with empty hands, so my father +purposeth to do to me. Make thyself ready then, go forth and slay +thy brother, and I will slay mine, and then we two shall divide +the whole world between us." And Ishmael replied: "Why dost thou +want me to slay thy father? thou canst do it thyself." Esau said: +"It hath happened aforetime that a man killed his brother--Cain +murdered Abel. But that a son should kill his father is unheard +of." + +Esau did not really shrink back from parricide, only it chanced +not to fit the plan he had hatched. "If Ishmael slays my father," +he said to himself, "I am the rightful redeemer, and I shall kill +Ishmael to avenge my father, and if, then, I murder Jacob, too, +everything will belong to me, as the heir of my father and my +uncle."[118] This shows that Esau's marriage with Mahalath, the +daughter of Ishmael and grandchild of Abraham, was not concluded +out of regard for his parents, who were opposed to his two other +wives, daughters of the Canaanites. All he desired was to enter +into amicable relations with Ishmael in order to execute his +devilish plan.[119] + +But Esau reckoned without his host. The night before his wedding +with Mahalath Ishmael died, and Nebaioth, the son of Ishmael, +stepped into his father's place, and gave away his sister.[120] +How little it had been in Esau's mind to make his parents happy +by taking a granddaughter of Abraham to wife, appears from the +fact that he kept his two other wives, the Canaanitish women. The +daughter of Ishmael followed the example of her companions, and +thus she but added to the grief caused the parents of Esau by +their daughters-in-law.[121] And the opportunity might have been +a most favorable one for Esau to turn aside from his godless ways +and amend his conduct, for the bridegroom is pardoned on his +wedding day for all his sins committed in years gone by.[122] + +Scarcely had Jacob left his father's house, when Rebekah began to +weep, for she was sorely distressed about him. Isaac comforted +her, saying: "Weep not for Jacob! In peace doth he depart, and in +peace will he return. The Lord, God Most High, will guard him +against all evil and be with him. He will not forsake him all the +days of his life. Have no fear for him, for he walketh on the +right path, he is a perfect man, and he hath faith in God--he +will not perish."[123] + + +JACOB PURSUED BY ELIPHAZ AND ESAU + +When Jacob went away to go to Haran, Esau called his son Eliphaz, +and secretly spoke unto him, saying: "Now hasten, take thy sword +in thy hand and pursue Jacob, and pass before him in the road, +and lurk for him and slay him with thy sword in one of the +mountains, and take all belonging unto him, and come back." And +Eliphaz was dexterous and expert with the bow, as his father had +taught him, and he was a noted hunter in the field and a valiant +man. And Eliphaz did as his father had commanded him. And Eliphaz +was at that time thirteen years old, and he arose and went and +took ten of his mother's brothers with him, and pursued Jacob. +And he followed Jacob closely, and when he overtook him, he lay +in ambush for him on the borders of the land of Canaan, opposite +to the city of Shechem. And Jacob saw Eliphaz and his men +pursuing after him, and Jacob stood in the place in which he was +going in order to know what it was, for he did not understand +their purpose. Eliphaz drew his sword and went on advancing, he +and his men, toward Jacob, and Jacob said unto them, "Wherefore +have you come hither, and why do you pursue with your swords?" +Eliphaz came near to Jacob, and answered as follows, "Thus did my +father command me, and now therefore I will not deviate from the +orders which my father gave me." And when Jacob saw that Esau had +impressed his command urgently upon Eliphaz, he approached and +supplicated Eliphaz and his men, saying, "Behold, all that I +have, and that which my father and mother gave unto me, that take +unto thee and go from me, and do not slay me, and may this thing +that thou wilt do with me be accounted unto thee as +righteousness." And the Lord caused Jacob to find favor in the +sight of Eliphaz and his men, and they hearkened to the voice of +Jacob, and they did not put him to death, but took all his +belongings, together with the silver and gold that he had brought +with him from Beer-sheba. They left him nothing. When Eliphaz and +his men returned to Esau, and told him all that had happened to +them with Jacob, he was wroth with his son Eliphaz and with his +men, because they had not put Jacob to death. And they answered, +and said unto Esau, "Because Jacob supplicated us in this matter, +not to slay him, our pity was moved toward him, and we took all +belonging to him, and we came back." Esau then took all the +silver and gold which Eliphaz had taken from Jacob, and he put +them by in his house.[124] + +Nevertheless Esau did not give up the hope of intercepting Jacob +on his flight and slaying him. He pursued him, and with his men +occupied the road along which he had to journey to Haran. There a +great miracle happened to Jacob. When he observed what Esau's +intention was, he turned off toward the Jordan river, and, with +eyes directed to God, he cleft the waters with his wanderer's +staff, and succeeded in crossing to the other side. But Esau was +not to be deterred. He kept up the pursuit, and reached the hot +springs at Baarus before his brother, who had to pass by there. +Jacob, not knowing that Esau was on the watch for him, decided to +bathe in the spring, saying, "I have neither bread nor other +things needful, so I will at least warm my body in the waters of +the well." While he was in the bath, Esau occupied every exit, +and Jacob would surely have perished in the hot water, if the +Lord had not caused a miracle to come to pass. A new opening +formed of itself, and through it Jacob escaped. Thus were +fulfilled the words, "When thou passest through the waters, I +will be with thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt +not be burnt," for Jacob was saved from the waters of the Jordan +and from the fire of the hot spring. + +At the same time with Jacob, a rider, leaving his horse and his +clothes on the shore, had stepped into the river to cool off, but +he was overwhelmed by the waves, and he met his death. Jacob put +on the dead man's clothes, mounted his horse, and went off. It +was a lucky chance, for Eliphaz had stripped him of everything, +even his clothes, and the miracle of the river had happened only +that he might not be forced to appear naked among men.[125] + +Though Jacob was robbed of all his possessions, his courage did +not fail him. He said: "Should I lose hope in my Creator? I set +my eyes upon the merits of my fathers. For the sake of them the +Lord will give me His aid." And God said: "Jacob, thou puttest +thy trust in the merits of thy fathers, therefore I will not +suffer thy foot to be moved; He that keepeth thee will not +slumber. Yea, still more! While a keeper watcheth only by day as +a rule, and sleepeth by night, I will guard thee day and night, +for, behold, He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor +sleep. The Lord will keep thee from all evil, from Esau as well +as Laban; He will keep thy soul, that the Angel of Death do thee +no hurt; He will keep thy going out and thy coming in, He will +support thee now thou art leaving Canaan, and when thou returnest +to Canaan."[126] + +Jacob was reluctant to leave the Holy Land before he received +direct permission from God. "My parents," he reflected, "bade me +go forth and sojourn outside of the land, but who knows whether +it be the will of God that I do as they say, and beget children +outside of the Holy Land?"[127] Accordingly, he betook himself to +Beer-sheba. There, where the Lord had given permission to Isaac +to depart from Canaan and go to Philistia, he would learn the +will of the Lord concerning himself. + +He did not follow the example of his father and grandfather and +take refuge with Abimelech, because he feared the king might +force also him into a covenant, and make it impossible for his +descendants of many generations to take possession of the +Philistine land. Nor could he stay at home, because of his fear +that Esau might wrest the birthright and the blessing from him, +and to that he would not and could not agree.[128] He was as +little disposed to take up the combat with Esau, for he knew the +truth of the maxim, "He who courts danger will be overcome by it; +he who avoids danger will overcome it." Both Abraham and Isaac +had lived according to this rule. His grandfather had fled from +Nimrod, and his father had gone away from the Philistines.[129] + + +THE DAY OF MIRACLES + +Jacob's journey to Haran was a succession of miracles. The first +of the five that befell for his sake in the course of it was that +the sun sank while Jacob was passing Mount Moriah, though it was +high noon at the time. He was following the spring that appeared +wherever the Patriarchs went or settled. It accompanied Jacob +from Beer-sheba to Mount Moriah, a two days' journey. When he +arrived at the holy hill, the Lord said to him: "Jacob, thou hast +bread in thy wallet, and the spring of waters is near by to +quench thy thirst. Thus thou hast food and drink, and here thou +canst lodge for the night." But Jacob replied: "The sun has +barely passed the fifth of its twelve day stages, why should I +lie down to sleep at so unseemly an hour?" But then Jacob +perceived that the sun was about to sink, and he prepared to make +ready his bed.[130] It was the Divine purpose not to let Jacob +pass the site of the future Temple without stopping; he was to +tarry there at least one night. Also, God desired to appear unto +Jacob, and He shows Himself unto His faithful ones only at +night.[131] At the same time Jacob was saved from the pursuit of +Esau, who had to desist on account of the premature +darkness.[132] + +Jacob took twelve stones from the altar on which his father Isaac +had lain bound as a sacrifice, and he said: "It was the purpose +of God to let twelve tribes arise, but they have not been +begotten by Abraham or Isaac. If, now, these twelve stones will +unite into a single one, then shall I know for a certainty that I +am destined to become the father of the twelve tribes." At this +time the second miracle came to pass, the twelve stones joined +themselves together and made one, which he put under his head, +and at once it became soft and downy like a pillow. It was well +that he had a comfortable couch. He was in great need of rest, +for it was the first night in fourteen years that he did not keep +vigils. During all those years, passed in Eber's house of +learning, he had devoted the nights to study. And for twenty +years to come he was not to sleep, for while he was with his +uncle Laban, he spent all the night and every night reciting the +Psalms.[133] + +On the whole it was a night of marvels. He dreamed a dream in +which the course of the world's history was unfolded to him. On a +ladder set up on the earth, with the top of it reaching to +heaven, he beheld the two angels who had been sent to Sodom. For +one hundred and thirty-eight years they had been banished from +the celestial regions, because they had betrayed their secret +mission to Lot. They had accompanied Jacob from his father's +house thither, and now they were ascending heavenward. When they +arrived there, he heard them call the other angels, and say, +"Come ye and see the countenance of the pious Jacob, whose +likeness appears on the Divine throne, ye who yearned long to see +it," and then he beheld the angels descend from heaven to gaze +upon him.[134] He also saw the angels of the four kingdoms +ascending the ladder. The angel of Babylon mounted seventy +rounds, the angel of Media, fifty-two, that of Greece, one +hundred and eighty, and that of Edom mounted very high, saying, +"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like +the Most High," and Jacob heard a voice remonstrating, "Yet thou +shalt be brought down to hell, to the uttermost parts of the +pit." God Himself reproved Edom, saying, "Though thou mount on +high as the eagle, and though thy nest be set among the stars, I +will bring thee down from thence."[135] + +Furthermore, God showed unto Jacob the revelation at Mount Sinai, +the translation of Elijah, the Temple in its glory and in its +spoliation, Nebuchadnezzar's attempt to burn the three holy +children in the fiery furnace, and Daniel's encounter with +Bel.[136] + +In this, the first prophetic dream dreamed by Jacob,[137] God +made him the promise that the land upon which he was lying would +be given to him, but the land he lay upon was the whole of +Palestine, which God had folded together and put under him. +"And," the promise continued, "thy seed will be like unto the +dust of the earth. As the earth survives all things, so thy +children will survive all the nations of the earth. But as the +earth is trodden upon by all, so thy children, when they commit +trespasses, will be trodden upon by the nations of the +earth."[138] And, furthermore, God promised that Jacob should +spread out to the west and to the east, a greater promise than +that given to his fathers Abraham and Isaac, to whom He had +allotted a limited land. Jacob's was an unbounded +possession.[139] + +From this wondrous dream Jacob awoke with a start of fright, on +account of the vision he had had of the destruction of the +Temple.[140] He cried out, "How dreadful is this place! this is +none other but the house of God, wherein is the gate of heaven +through which prayer ascends to Him." He took the stone made out +of the twelve, and set it up for a pillar, and poured oil upon +the top of it, which had flowed down from heaven for him, and God +sank this anointed stone unto the abyss, to serve as the centre +of the earth, the same stone, the Eben Shetiyah,[141] that forms +the centre of the sanctuary, whereon the Ineffable Name is +graven, the knowledge of which makes a man master over nature, +and over life and death.[142] + +Jacob cast himself down before the Eben Shetiyah, and entreated +God to fulfil the promise He had given him, and also he prayed +that God grant him honorable sustenance. For God had not +mentioned bread to eat and raiment to put on, that Jacob might +learn to have faith in the Lord. Then he vowed to give the tenth +of all he owned unto God, if He would but grant his petition. +Thus Jacob was the first to take a vow upon himself,[143] and the +first, too, to separate the tithe from his income.[144] + +God had promised him almost all that is desirable, but he feared +he might forfeit the pledged blessings through his +sinfulness,[145] and again he prayed earnestly that God bring him +back to his father's house unimpaired in body, possessions, and +knowledge,[146] and guard him, in the strange land whither he was +going, against idolatry, an immoral life, and bloodshed.[147] + +His prayer at an end, Jacob set out on his way to Haran, and the +third wonder happened. In the twinkling of an eye he arrived at +his destination. The earth jumped from Mount Moriah to Haran. A +wonder like this God has executed only four times in the whole +course of history.[148] + +The first thing to meet his eye in Haran was the well whence the +inhabitants drew their supply of water. Although it was a great +city, Haran suffered from dearth of water, and therefore the well +could not be used by the people free of charge. Jacob's sojourn +in the city produced a change. By reason of his meritorious deeds +the water springs were blessed, and the city had water enough for +its needs. + +Jacob saw a number of people by the well, and he questioned them, +"My brethren, whence be ye?" He thus made himself a model for all +to follow. A man should be companionable, and address others like +brothers and friends, and not wait for them to greet him. Each +one should strive to be the first to give the salutation of +peace, that the angels of peace and compassion may come to meet +him. When he was informed that the by-standers hailed from Haran, +he made inquiry about the character and vocation of his uncle +Laban, and whether they were on terms of friendly intercourse +with him. They answered briefly: "There is peace between us, but +if thou art desirous of inquiring further, here comes Rachel the +daughter of Laban. From her thou canst learn all thou hast a mind +to learn." They knew that women like to talk, wherefore they +referred him to Rachel.[149] + +Jacob found it strange that so many should be standing idle by +the well, and he questioned further: "Are you day laborers? then +it is too early for you to put by your work. But if you are +pasturing your own sheep, why do you not water your flocks and +let them feed?"[150] They told him they were waiting until all +the shepherds brought their flocks thither, and together rolled +the stone from the mouth of the well. While he was yet speaking +with them, Rachel came with her father's sheep, for Laban had no +sons, and a pest having broken out shortly before among his +cattle, so few sheep were left that a maiden like Rachel could +easily tend them. Now, when Jacob saw the daughter of his +mother's brother approaching, he rolled the great stone from the +mouth of the well as easily as a cork is drawn from a bottle--the +fourth wonder of this extraordinary day. Jacob's strength was +equal to the strength of all the shepherds; with his two arms +alone he accomplished what usually requires the united forces of +a large assemblage of men. He had been divinely endowed with this +supernatural strength on leaving the Holy Land. God had caused +the dew of the resurrection to drop down upon him, and his +physical strength was so great that even in a combat with the +angels he was victorious.[152] + +The fifth and last wonder of the day was that the water rose from +the depths of the well to the very top, there was no need to draw +it up, and there it remained all the twenty years that Jacob +abode in Haran.[153] + + +JACOB WITH LABAN + +Rachel's coming to the well at the moment when Jacob reached the +territory belonging to Haran was an auspicious omen. To meet +young maidens on first entering a city is a sure sign that +fortune is favorable to one's undertakings. Experience proves +this through Eliezer, Jacob, Moses, and Saul. They all +encountered maidens when they approached a place new to them, and +they all met with success.[154] + +Jacob treated Rachel at once as his cousin, which caused +significant whispering among the by-standers. They censured Jacob +for his demeanor toward her, for since God had sent the deluge +upon the world, on account of the immoral life led by men, great +chastity had prevailed, especially among the people of the east. +The talk of the men reduced Jacob to tears. Scarcely had he +kissed Rachel when he began to weep, for he repented of having +done it. + +There was reason enough for tears. Jacob could not but remember +sadly that Eliezer, his grandfather's slave, had brought ten +camels laden with presents with him to Haran, when he came to sue +for a bride for Isaac, while he had not even a ring to give to +Rachel. Moreover, he foresaw that his favorite wife Rachel would +not lie beside him in the grave, and this, too, made him weep. + +As soon as Rachel heard that Jacob was her cousin, she ran home +to tell her father about his coming. Her mother was no longer +among the living, else she would naturally have gone to her. In +great haste Laban ran to receive Jacob. He reflected, if Eliezer, +the bondman, had come with ten camels, what would not the +favorite son of the family bring with him, and when he saw that +Jacob was unattended, he concluded that he carried great sums of +money in his girdle, and he threw his arms about his waist to +find out whether his supposition was true. Disappointed in this, +he yet did not give up hope that his nephew Jacob was a man of +substance. Perhaps he concealed precious stones in his mouth, and +he kissed him in order to find out whether he had guessed aright. +But Jacob said to him: "Thou thinkest I have money. Nay, thou art +mistaken, I have but words."[155] Then he went on to tell him how +it had come about that he stood before him empty-handed. He said +that his father Isaac had sent him on his way provided with gold, +silver, and money, but he had encountered Eliphaz, who had +threatened to slay him. To this assailant Jacob had spoken thus: +"Know that the descendants of Abraham have an obligation to meet, +they will have to serve four hundred years in a land that is not +theirs. If thou slayest me, then you, the seed of Esau, will have +to pay the debt. It were better, therefore, to take all I have, +and spare my life, so that what is owing may be paid by me. +Hence," Jacob continued, "I stand before thee bare of all the +substance carried off by Eliphaz."[156] + +This tale of his nephew's poverty filled Laban with dismay. +"What," he exclaimed, "shall I have to give food and drink for a +month or, perhaps, even a year to this fellow, who has come to me +empty-handed!" He betook himself to his teraphim, to ask them for +counsel upon the matter, and they admonished him, saying: "Beware +of sending him away from thy house. His star and his +constellation are so lucky that good fortune will attend all his +undertakings, and for his sake the blessing of the Lord will rest +upon all thou doest, in thy house or in thy field." + +Laban was satisfied with the advice of the teraphim, but he was +embarrassed as to the way in which he was to attach Jacob to his +house. He did not venture to offer him service, lest Jacob's +conditions be impossible of fulfilment. Again he resorted to the +teraphim, and asked them with what reward to tempt his nephew, +and they replied: "A wife is his wage; he will ask nothing else +of thee but a wife. It is his nature to be attracted by women, +and whenever he threatens to leave thee, do but offer him another +wife, and he will not depart." + +Laban went back to Jacob, and said, "Tell me, what shall thy +wages be?" and he replied, "Thinkest thou I came hither to make +money? I came only to get me a wife,"[158] for Jacob had no +sooner beheld Rachel than he fell in love with her and made her a +proposal of marriage. Rachel consented, but added the warning: +"My father is cunning, and thou art not his match." Jacob: "I am +his brother in cunning." Rachel: "But is deception becoming unto +the pious?" Jacob: "Yes, 'with the righteous righteousness is +seemly, and with the deceiver deception.' But," continued Jacob, +"tell me wherein he may deal cunningly with me." Rachel: "I have +an older sister, whom he desires to see married before me, and he +will try to palm her off on thee instead of me." To be prepared +for Laban's trickery, Jacob and Rachel agreed upon a sign by +which he would recognize her in the nuptial night.[159] + +Thus warned to be on his guard against Laban, Jacob worded his +agreement with him regarding his marriage to Rachel with such +precision that no room was left for distortion or guile. Jacob +said: "I know that the people of this place are knaves, therefore +I desire to put the matter very clearly to thee. I will serve +thee seven years for Rachel, hence not Leah; for thy daughter, +that thou bringest me not some other woman likewise named Rachel; +for the younger daughter, that thou exchangest not their names in +the meantime." + +Nothing of all this availed: "It profits not if a villain is cast +into a sawmill"--neither force nor gentle words can circumvent a +rascal. Laban deceived not only Jacob, but also the guests whom +he invited to the wedding. + + +THE MARRIAGE OF JACOB + +After Jacob had served Laban seven years, he said to his uncle: +"The Lord destined me to be the father of twelve tribes. I am now +eighty-four years old, and if I do not take thought of the matter +now, when can I?"[160] Thereupon Laban consented to let him have +his daughter Rachel to wife, and he was married forty-four years +after his brother Esau. The Lord often defers the happiness of +the pious, while He permits the wicked to enjoy the fulfilment of +their desires soon.[161] Esau, however, had purposely chosen his +fortieth year for his marriage; he had wanted to indicate that he +was walking in the footsteps of his father Isaac, who had +likewise married at forty years of age. Esau was like a swine +that stretches out its feet when it lies down, to show that it is +cloven-footed like the clean animals, though it is none the less +one of the unclean animals. Until his fortieth year Esau made a +practice of violating the wives of other men, and then at his +marriage he acted as though he were following the example of his +pious father. Accordingly, the woman he married was of his own +kind, Judith, a daughter of Heth, for God said: "This one, who is +designed for stubble, to be burnt by fire, shall take unto wife +one of a people also destined for utter destruction." They, Esau +and his wife, illustrated the saying, "Not for naught does the +raven consort with the crow; they are birds of a feather."[162] + +Far different it was with Jacob. He married the two pious and +lovely sisters, Leah and Rachel, for Leah, like her younger +sister, was beautiful of countenance, form, and stature. She had +but one defect, her eyes were weak, and this malady she had +brought down upon herself, through her own action. Laban, who had +two daughters, and Rebekah, his sister, who had two sons, had +agreed by letter, while their children were still young, that the +older son of the one was to marry the older daughter of the +other, and the younger son the younger daughter. When Leah grew +to maidenhood, and inquired about her future husband, all her +tidings spoke of his villainous character, and she wept over her +fate until her eyelashes dropped from their lids. But Rachel grew +more and more beautiful day by day, for all who spoke of Jacob +praised and extolled him, and "good tidings make the bones fat." + +In view of the agreement between Laban and Rebekah, Jacob refused +to marry the older daughter Leah. As it was, Esau was his mortal +enemy, on account of what had happened regarding the birthright +and the paternal blessing. If, now, Jacob married the maiden +appointed for him, Esau would never forgive his younger brother. +Therefore Jacob resolved to take to wife Rachel, the younger +daughter of his uncle.[163] + +Laban was of another mind. He purposed to marry of his older +daughter first, for he knew that Jacob would consent to serve him +a second period of seven years for love of Rachel. On the day of +the wedding he assembled the inhabitants of Haran, and addressed +them as follows: "Ye know well that we used to suffer from lack +of water, and as soon as this pious man Jacob came to dwell among +us, we had water in abundance." "What hast thou in mind to do?" +they asked Laban. He replied: "If ye have naught to say against +it, I will deceive him and give him Leah to wife. He loves Rachel +with an exceeding great love, and for her sake he will tarry with +us yet seven other years." "Do as it pleaseth thee," his friends +said. "Well, then," said Laban, "let each one of you give me a +pledge that ye will not betray my purpose." + +With the pledges they left with him, Laban bought wine, oil, and +meat for the wedding feast, and he set a meal before them which +they had themselves paid for. Because he deceived his +fellow-citizens thus, Laban is called Arami, "the deceiver." They +feasted all day long, until late at night, and when Jacob +expressed his astonishment at the attention shown him, they said +to him: "Through thy piety thou didst a great service of +lovingkindness unto us, our supply of water was increased unto +abundance, and we desire to show our gratitude therefor." And, +indeed, they tried to give him a hint of Laban's purpose. In the +marriage ode which they sang they used the refrain "Halia," in +the hope that he would understand it as Ha Leah, "This is Leah." +But Jacob was unsuspicious and noticed nothing. + +When the bride was led into the nuptial chamber, the guests +extinguished all the candles, much to Jacob's amazement. But +their explanation satisfied him. "Thinkest thou," they said, "we +have as little sense of decency as thy countrymen?" Jacob +therefore did not discover the deception practiced upon him until +morning. During the night Leah responded whenever he called +Rachel, for which he reproached her bitterly when daylight came. +"O thou deceiver, daughter of a deceiver, why didst thou answer +me when I called Rachel's name?" "Is there a teacher without a +pupil?" asked Leah, in return. "I but profited by thy +instruction. When thy father called thee Esau, didst thou not +say, Here am I?"[164] + +Jacob was greatly enraged against Laban, and he said to him: "Why +didst thou deal treacherously with me? Take back thy daughter, +and let me depart, seeing thou didst act wickedly toward +me."[165] Laban pacified him, however, saying, "It is not so done +in our place, to give the younger before the first-born," and +Jacob agreed to serve yet seven other years for Rachel, and after +the seven days of the feast of Leah's wedding were fulfilled, he +married Rachel.[166] + +With Leah and Rachel, Jacob received the handmaids Zilpah and +Bilhah, two other daughters of Laban, whom his concubines had +borne unto him.[167] + + +THE BIRTH OF JACOB'S CHILDREN + +The ways of God are not like unto the ways of men. A man clings +close to his friend while he has riches, and forsakes him when he +falls into poverty. But when God sees a mortal unsteady and +faltering, He reaches a hand out to him, and raises him up. Thus +it happened with Leah. She was hated by Jacob, and God visited +her in mercy. Jacob's aversion to Leah began the very morning +after their wedding, when his wife taunted him with not being +wholly free from cunning and craft himself. Then God said, "Help +can come to Leah only if she gives birth to a child; then the +love of her husband will return to her."[168] God remembered the +tears she had shed when she prayed that her doom, chaining her to +that recreant Esau, be averted from her, and so wondrous are the +uses of prayer that Leah, besides turning aside the impending +decree, was permitted to marry Jacob before her sister and be the +first to bear him a child. There was another reason why the Lord +was compassionately inclined toward Leah. She had gotten herself +talked about. The sailors on the sea, the travellers along the +highways, the women at their looms, they all gossiped about Leah, +saying, "She is not within what her seeming is without. She +appears to be pious, but if she were, she would not have deceived +her sister."[169] To put an end to all this tattle, God granted +her the distinction of bearing a son at the end of seven months +after her marriage. He was one of a pair of twins, the other +child being a daughter. So it was with eleven of the sons of +Jacob, all of them except Joseph were born twins with a girl, and +the twin sister and brother married later on.[170] Altogether it +was an extraordinary childbirth, for Leah was barren, not formed +by nature to bear children. + +She called her first-born son Reuben, which means "See the normal +man," for he was neither big nor little, neither dark nor fair, +but exactly normal.[171] In calling her oldest child Reuben, "See +the son," Leah indicated his future character. "Behold the +difference," the name implied, "between my first-born son and the +first-born son of my father in-law. Esau sold his birthright to +Jacob of his own free will, and yet he hated him. As for my +first-born son, although his birthright was taken from him +without his consent, and given to Joseph, it was nevertheless he +who rescued Joseph from the hands of his brethren."[172] + +Leah called her second son Shime'on, "Yonder is sin," for one of +his descendants was that Zimri who was guilty of vile trespasses +with the daughters of Moab.[173] + +The name of her third son, Levi, was given him by God Himself, +not by his mother. The Lord summoned him through the angel +Gabriel, and bestowed the name upon him as one who is "crowned" +with the twenty-four gifts that are the tribute due to the +priests.[174] + +At the birth of her fourth son, Leah returned thanks to God for a +special reason. She knew that Jacob would beget twelve sons, and +if they were distributed equally among his four wives, each would +bear three. But now it appeared that she had one more than her +due share, and she called him Jehudah, "thanks unto God." She was +thus the first since the creation of the world to give thanks to +God,[175] and her example was followed by David and Daniel, the +descendants of her son Judah. + +When Rachel saw that her sister had borne Jacob four sons, she +envied Leah. Not that she begrudged her the good fortune she +enjoyed, she only envied her for her piety, saying to herself +that it was to her righteous conduct that she owed the blessing +of many children.[176] Then she besought Jacob: "Pray unto God +for me, that He grant me children, else my life is no life. +Verily, there are four that may be regarded as though they were +dead, the blind, the leper, the childless, and he who was once +rich and has lost his fortune." Jacob's anger was kindled against +Rachel, and he said: "It were better thou shouldst address thy +petition to God, and not to me, for am I in God's stead, who hath +withheld from thee the fruit of the womb?"[177] God was +displeased with this answer that Jacob made to his sad wife. He +rebuked him with the words: "Is it thus thou wouldst comfort a +grief-stricken heart? As thou livest, the day will come when thy +children will stand before the son of Rachel, and he will use the +same words thou hast but now used, saying, 'Am I in the place of +the Lord?'" + +Rachel also made reply to Jacob, saying: "Did not thy father, +too, entreat God for thy mother with earnest words, beseeching +Him to remove her barrenness?" Jacob: "It is true, but Isaac had +no children, and I have several." Rachel: "Remember thy +grandfather Abraham, thou canst not deny that he had children +when he supplicated God in behalf of Sarah!" Jacob: "Wouldst thou +do for me what Sarah did for my grandfather?" Rachel: "Pray, what +did she?" Jacob: "She herself brought a rival into her house." +Rachel: "If that is all that is necessary, I am ready to follow +the example of Sarah, and I pray that as she was granted a child +for having invited a rival, so may I be blessed, too."[178] +Thereupon Rachel gave Jacob Bilhah, her freed handmaid, to wife, +and she bore him a son, whom Rachel called Dan, saying, "As the +Lord was gracious unto me and gave me a son according to my +petition, so He will permit Samson, the descendant of Dan, to +judge his people, that it fall not into the hands of the +Philistines."[179] Bilhah's second son Rachel named Naphtali, +saying, "Mine is the bond that binds Jacob to this place, for it +was for my sake that he came to Laban." At the same time she +wanted to convey by this name that the Torah, which is as sweet +as Nofet, "honeycomb," would be taught in the territory of +Naphtali.[180] And the name had still a third meaning: "As God +hath heard my fervent prayer for a son, so He will hearken unto +the fervent prayer of the Naphtalites when they are beset by +their enemies."[181] + +Leah, seeing that she had left bearing, while Bilhah, her +sister's handmaid, bore Jacob two sons, concluded that it was +Jacob's destiny to have four wives, her sister and herself, and +their half-sisters Bilhah and Zilpah. Therefore she also gave him +her handmaid to wife.[182] Zilpah was the youngest of the four +women. It was the custom of that time to give the older daughter +the older handmaid, and the younger daughter the younger +handmaid, as their dowry, when they got married. Now, in order to +make Jacob believe that his wife was the younger daughter he had +served for, Laban had given Leah the younger handmaid as her +marriage portion. This Zilpah was so young that her body betrayed +no outward signs of pregnancy, and nothing was known of her +condition until her son was born. Leah called the boy Gad, which +means "fortune," or it may mean "the cutter," for from Gad was +descended the prophet Elijah, who brings good fortune to Israel, +and he also cuts down the heathen world.[183] Leah had other +reasons, too, for choosing this name of double meaning. The tribe +of Gad had the good fortune of entering into possession of its +allotment in the Holy Land before any of the others,[184] and, +also, Gad the son of Jacob was born circumcised.[185] + +To Zilpah's second son Leah gave the name of Asher, "praise," +for, she said, "Unto me all manner of praise is due, for I +brought my handmaid into the house of my husband as wife. Sarah +did likewise, but only because she had no children, and so it was +also with Rachel. But as for me, I had children, and nevertheless +I subdued my passion, and without jealousy I gave my handmaid to +my husband for wife. Verily, all will praise and extol me."[186] +Furthermore she spoke: "As the women will praise me, so the sons +of Asher will in time to come praise God for their fruitful +possession in the Holy Land."[187] + +The next son born unto Jacob was Issachar, "a reward," and once +more it was Leah who was permitted to bring forth the child, as a +reward from God for her pious desire to have the twelve tribes +come into the world. To secure this result, she left no means +untried.[188] + +It happened once that her oldest son Reuben was tending his +father's ass during the harvest, and he bound him to a root of +dudaim, and went his way. On returning, he found the dudaim torn +out of the ground, and the ass lying dead beside it. The beast +had uprooted it in trying to get loose, and the plant has a +peculiar quality, whoever tears it up must die.[189] As it was +the time of the harvest, when it is permitted for any one to take +a plant from a field, and as dudaim is, besides, a plant which +the owner of a field esteems lightly, Reuben carried it home. +Being a good son, he did not keep it for himself, but gave it to +his mother. Rachel desired the dudaim, and she asked the plant of +Leah, who parted with it to her sister, but on the condition that +Jacob, when he returned from work in the evening, should tarry +with her for a while. It was altogether unbecoming conduct in +Rachel to dispose thus of her husband. She gained the dudaim, but +she lost two tribes. If she had acted otherwise, she would have +borne four sons instead of two. And she suffered another +punishment, her body was not permitted to rest in the grave +beside her husband's. + +Jacob came home from the field after night had fallen, for he +observed the law obliging a day laborer to work until darkness +sets in, and Jacob's zeal in the affairs of Laban was as great in +the last seven years, after his marriage, as in the first seven, +while he was serving for the hand of Rachel.[190] When Leah heard +the braying of Jacob's ass, she ran to meet her husband,[191] and +without giving him time to wash his feet, she insisted upon his +turning aside into her tent.[192] At first Jacob refused to go, +but God compelled him to enter, for unto God it was known that +Leah acted from pure, disinterested motives.[193] Her dudaim +secured two sons for her, Issachar, the father of the tribe that +devotes itself to the study of the Torah, whence his name meaning +"reward," and Zebulon, whose descendants carried on commerce, +using their profits to enable their brethren of Issachar to keep +at their studies.[194] Leah called this last-born son of hers +Zebulon, "dwelling-place," for she said, "Now will my husband +dwell with me, seeing that I have borne him six sons, and, also, +the sons of Zebulon will have a goodly dwelling-place in the Holy +Land."[195] + +Leah bore once more, and this last time it was a daughter, a man +child turned into a woman by her prayer. When she conceived for +the seventh time, she spake as follows: "God promised Jacob +twelve sons. I bore him six, and each of the two handmaids has +borne him two. If, now, I were to bring forth another son, my +sister Rachel would not be equal even unto the handmaids." +Therefore she prayed to God to change the male embryo in her womb +into a female, and God hearkened unto her prayer.[196] + +Now all the wives of Jacob, Leah, Rachel, Zilpah, and Bilhah, +united their prayers with the prayer of Jacob, and together they +besought God to remove the curse of barrenness from Rachel. On +New Year's Day, the day whereon God sits in judgment upon the +inhabitants of the earth, He remembered Rachel, and granted her a +son.[197] And Rachel spake, "God hath taken away my reproach," +for all the people had said that she was not a pious woman, else +had she borne children, and now that God had hearkened to her, +and opened her womb, such idle talk no longer had any +reason.[198] + +By bearing a son, she had escaped another disgrace. She had said +to herself: "Jacob hath a mind to return to the land of his +birth, and my father will not be able to hinder his daughters who +have borne him children from following their husband thither with +their children. But he will not let me, the childless wife, go, +too, and he will keep me here and marry me to one of the +uncircumcised."[199] She said furthermore, "As my son hath +removed my reproach, so Joshua, his descendant, will roll away a +reproach from the Israelites, when he circumcises them beyond +Jordan."[200] + +Rachel called her son Joseph, "increase," saying, "God will give +me an additional son." Prophetess as she was, she foresaw she +would have a second son. But an increase added on by God is +larger than the original capital itself. Benjamin, the second +son, whom Rachel regarded merely as a supplement, had ten sons, +while Joseph begot only two. These twelve together may be +considered the twelve tribes borne by Rachel.[201] Had Rachel not +used the form of expression, "The Lord add to me another son," +she herself would have begotten twelve tribes with Jacob.[202] + + +JACOB FLEES BEFORE LABAN + +Jacob had only been waiting for Joseph to be born to begin +preparations for his journey home. The holy spirit had revealed +to him that the house of Joseph would work the destruction of the +house of Esau, and, therefore, Jacob exclaimed at the birth of +Joseph, "Now I need not fear Esau or his legions."[203] + +About this time, Rebekah sent her nurse Deborah, the daughter of +Uz, accompanied by two of Isaac's servants, to Jacob, to urge him +to return to his father's house, now that his fourteen years of +service had come to an end. Then Jacob approached Laban, and +spoke, "Give me my wives and my children, that I may go unto mine +own place, and to my country, for my mother has sent messengers +unto me, bidding me to return to my father's house."[204] Laban +answered, saying, "O that I might find favor in thine eyes! By a +sign it was made known unto me that God blesseth me for thy +sake." What Laban had in mind was the treasure he had found on +the day Jacob came to him, and he considered that a token of his +beneficent powers.[205] Indeed, God had wrought many a thing in +the house of Laban that testified to the blessings spread abroad +by the pious. Shortly before Jacob came, a pest had broken out +among Laban's cattle, and with his arrival it ceased.[206] And +Laban had had no son, but during Jacob's sojourn in Haran sons +were born unto him.[207] + +All the hire he asked in return for his labor and for the +blessings he had brought Laban was the speckled and spotted among +the goats of his herd, and the black among the sheep. Laban +assented to his conditions, saying, "Behold, I would it might be +according to thy word." The arch-villain Laban, whose tongue +wagged in all directions, and who made all sorts of promises that +were never kept, judged others by himself, and therefore +suspected Jacob of wanting to deceive him.[208] And yet, in the +end, it was Laban himself who broke his word. No less than a +hundred times he changed the agreement between them. Nevertheless +his unrighteous conduct was of no avail. Though a three days' +journey had been set betwixt Laban's flocks and Jacob's, the +angels were wont to bring the sheep belonging to Laban down to +Jacob's sheep, and Jacob's droves grew constantly larger and +better.[209] Laban had given only the feeble and sick to Jacob, +yet the young of the flock, raised under Jacob's tendance, were +so excellent in quality that people bought them at a heavy +price.[210] And Jacob had no need to resort to the peeled rods. +He had but to speak, and the flocks bare according to his +desire.[211] What Laban deserved was utter ruin, for having +permitted the pious Jacob to work for him without hire, and after +his wages had been changed ten times, and ten times Laban had +tried to overreach him, God rewarded him in this way.[212] But +his good luck with the flocks was only what Jacob deserved. Every +faithful laborer is rewarded by God in this world, quite +regardless of what awaits him in the world to come.[213] With +empty hands Jacob had come to Laban, and he left him with herds +numbering six hundred thousand. Their increase had been +marvellous, an increase that will be equalled only in the +Messianic time.[214] + +The wealth and good fortune of Jacob called forth the envy of +Laban and his sons, and they could not hide their vexation in +their intercourse with him. And the Lord said unto Jacob, "Thy +father-in-law's countenance is not toward thee as beforetime, and +yet thou tarriest with him? Do thou rather return unto the land +of thy fathers, and there I will let My Shekinah rest upon thee, +for I cannot permit the Shekinah to reside outside of the Holy +Land."[215] Immediately Jacob sent the fleet messenger +Naphtali[216] to Rachel and Leah to summon them to a +consultation, and he chose as the place of meeting the open +field, where none could overhear what was said.[217] + +His two wives approved the plan of returning to his home, and +Jacob resolved at once to go away with all his substance, without +as much as acquainting Laban with his intention. Laban was gone +to shear his sheep, and so Jacob could execute his plan without +delay. + +That her father might not learn about their flight from his +teraphim, Rachel stole them, and she took them and concealed them +upon the camel upon which she sat, and she went on. And this is +the manner they used to make the images: They took a man who was +the first-born, slew him and took the hair off his head, then +salted the head, and anointed it with oil, then they wrote "the +Name" upon a small tablet of copper or gold, and placed it under +his tongue. The head with the tablet under the tongue was then +put in a house where lights were lighted before it, and at the +time when they bowed down to it, it spoke to them on all matters +that they asked of it, and that was due to the power of the Name +which was written upon it.[218] + + +THE COVENANT WITH LABAN + +Jacob departed and crossed the Euphrates, and set his face toward +Gilead, for the holy spirit revealed to him that God would bring +help there to his children in the days of Jephthah. Meantime the +shepherds of Haran observed that the well, which had been filled +to overflowing since the arrival of Jacob in their place, ran dry +suddenly. For three days they watched and waited, in the hope +that the waters would return in the same abundance as before. +Disappointed, they finally told Laban of the misfortune, and he +divined at once that Jacob had departed thence, for he knew that +the blessing had been conferred upon Haran only for the sake of +his son-in-law's merits.[219] + +On the morrow Laban rose early, assembled all the people of the +city, and pursued Jacob with the intention of killing him when he +overtook him. But the archangel Michael appeared unto him, and +bade him take heed unto himself, that he do not the least unto +Jacob, else would he suffer death himself.[220] This message from +heaven came to Laban during the night, for when, in extraordinary +cases, God finds it necessary to reveal Himself unto the heathen, +He does it only in the dark, clandestinely as it were, while He +shows Himself to the prophets of the Jews openly, during +daylight. + +Laban accomplished the journey in one day for which Jacob had +taken seven,[221] and he overtook him at the mountain of Gilead. +When he came upon Jacob, he found him in the act of praying and +giving praise unto God.[222] Immediately Laban fell to +remonstrating with his son-in-law for having stolen away unawares +to him. He showed his true character when he said, "It is in the +power of my hand to do thee hurt, but the God of thy father spake +unto me yesternight, saying, Take heed to thyself that thou speak +not to Jacob either good or bad." That is the way of the wicked, +they boast of the evil they can do. Laban wanted to let Jacob +know that only the dream warning him against doing aught that was +harmful to Jacob prevented him from carrying out the wicked +design he had formed against him.[223] + +Laban continued to take Jacob to task, and he concluded with the +words, "And now, though thou wouldst needs be gone, because thou +sore longedst after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou +stolen my gods?" When he pronounced the last words, his +grandchildren interrupted him, saying, "We are ashamed of thee, +grandfather, that in thy old age thou shouldst use such words as +'my gods.'" Laban searched all the tents for his idols, going +first to the tent of Jacob, which was Rachel's at the same time, +for Jacob always dwelt with his favorite wife. Finding nothing, +he went thence to Leah's tent, and to the tents of the two +handmaids, and, noticing that Rachel was feeling about here and +there, his suspicions were aroused, and he entered her tent a +second time. He would now have found what he was looking for, if +a miracle had not come to pass. The teraphim were transformed +into drinking vessels, and Laban had to desist from his fruitless +search. + +Now Jacob, who did not know that Rachel had stolen her father's +teraphim in order to turn him aside from his idolatrous ways, was +wroth with Laban, and began to chide with him. In the quarrel +between them, Jacob's noble character manifested itself. +Notwithstanding his excitement, he did not suffer a single +unbecoming word to escape him. He only reminded Laban of the +loyalty and devotion with which he had served him, doing for him +what none other would or could have done. He said: "I dealt +wrongfully with the lion, for God had appointed of Laban's sheep +for the lion's daily sustenance, and I deprived him thereof. +Could another shepherd have done thus? Yes, the people abused me, +calling me robber and sneak thief, for they thought that only by +stealing by day and stealing by night could I replace the animals +torn by wild beasts. And as to my honesty," he continued, "is it +likely there is another son-in-law who, having lived with his +father-in-law, hath not taken some little thing from the +household of his father-in-law, a knife, or other trifle? But +thou hast felt about all my stuff, what hast thou found of all +thy household stuff? Not so much as a needle or a nail." + +In his indignation, and conscious of his innocence, Jacob +exclaimed, "With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, he shall not +live," words which contained a curse--the thief was cursed with +premature death, and therefore Rachel had to die in giving birth +to Benjamin. Indeed, the curse would have taken effect at once, +had it not been the wish of God that Rachel should bear Jacob his +youngest son.[224] + +After the quarrel, the two men made a treaty, and with his +gigantic strength Jacob set up a huge rock as a memorial, and a +heap of stones as a sign of their covenant. In this matter Jacob +followed the example of his fathers, who likewise had covenanted +with heathen nations, Abraham with the Jebusites, and Isaac with +the Philistines. Therefore Jacob did not hesitate to make a +treaty with the Arameans.[225] Jacob summoned his sons, calling +them brethren, for they were his peers in piety and strength, and +he bade them cast up heaps of stones. Thereupon he swore unto his +father-in-law that he would take no wives beside his four +daughters, either while they were alive or after their death, and +Laban, on his part, swore that he would not pass over the heaps +or over the pillar unto Jacob with hostile intent,[226] and he +took the oath by the God of Abraham, and the God of Nahor, while +Jacob made mention of the Fear of Isaac. He refrained from using +the term "the God of Isaac," because God never unites His name +with that of a living person, for the reason that so long as a +man has not ended his years, no trust may be put in him, lest he +be seduced by the evil inclination. It is true, when He appeared +unto Jacob at Beth-el, God called Himself "the God of Isaac." +There was a reason for the unusual phrase. Being blind, Isaac led +a retired life, within his tent, and the evil inclination had no +power over him any more. But though God had full confidence in +Isaac, yet Jacob could not venture to couple the name of God with +the name of a living man, wherefore he took his oath by "the Fear +of Isaac."[227] + +Early in the morning after the day of covenanting, Laban rose up, +and kissed his grandchildren and his daughters, and blessed them. +But these acts and words of his did not come from the heart; in +his innermost thoughts he regretted that Jacob and his family and +his substance had escaped him.[228] His true feelings he betrayed +in the message which he sent to Esau at once upon his return to +Haran, by the hand of his son Beor and ten companions of his son. +The message read: "Hast thou heard what Jacob thy brother has +done unto me, who first came to me naked and bare, and I went to +meet him, and took him to my house with honor, and brought him +up, and gave him my two daughters for wives, and also two of my +maids? And God blessed him on my account, and he increased +abundantly, and had sons and daughters and maid-servants, and also +an uncommon stock of flocks and herds, camels and asses, also +silver and gold in abundance. But when he saw that his wealth +increased, he left me while I went to shear my sheep, and he rose +up and fled in secrecy. And he put his wives and children upon +camels, and he led away all his cattle and substance which he +acquired in my land, and he resolved to go to his father Isaac, +to the land of Canaan. And he did not suffer me to kiss my sons +and daughters, and he carried away my daughters as captives of +the sword, and he also stole my gods, and he fled. And now I have +left him in the mountain of the brook of Jabbok, he and all +belonging to him, not a jot of his substance is lacking. If it be +thy wish to go to him, go, and there wilt thou find him, and thou +canst do unto him as thy soul desireth."[229] + +Jacob had no need to fear either Laban or Esau, for on his +journey he was accompanied by two angel hosts, one going with him +from Haran to the borders of the Holy Land, where he was received +by the other host, the angels of Palestine.[230] Each of these +hosts consisted of no less than six hundred thousand angels,[231] +and when he beheld them, Jacob said: "Ye belong neither to the +host of Esau, who is preparing to go out to war against me, nor +the host of Laban, who is about to pursue me again. Ye are the +hosts of the holy angels sent by the Lord." And he gave the name +Mahanaim, Double-Host, to the spot on which the second army +relieved the first.[232] + + +JACOB AND ESAU PREPARE TO MEET + +The message of Laban awakened Esau's old hatred toward Jacob with +increased fury, and he assembled his household, consisting of +sixty men. With them and three hundred and forty inhabitants of +Seir, he went forth to do battle with Jacob and kill him. He +divided his warriors into seven cohorts, giving to his son +Eliphaz his own division of sixty, and putting the other six +divisions under as many of the Horites. + +While Esau was hastening onward to meet Jacob, the messengers +which Laban had sent to Esau came to Rebekah and told her that +Esau and his four hundred men were about to make war upon Jacob, +with the purpose of slaying him and taking possession of all he +had. Anxious lest Esau should execute his plan while yet Jacob +was on the journey, she hastily dispatched seventy-two of the +retainers of Isaac's household, to give him help. Jacob, tarrying +on the banks of the brook Jabbok, rejoiced at the sight of these +men, and he greeted them with the words, "This is God's helping +host," wherefore he called the place of their meeting Mahanaim, +Host. + +After the warriors sent by Rebekah had satisfied his questions +regarding the welfare of his parents, they delivered his mother's +message unto him, thus: "I have heard, my son, that thy brother +Esau hath gone forth against thee on the road, with men of the +children of Seir the Horite, and therefore, my son, hearken to my +voice, and take counsel with thyself what thou wilt do, and when +he cometh up to thee, supplicate him, and do not speak roughly to +him, and give him a present from what thou possessest, and from +what God has favored thee with. And when he asketh thee +concerning thy affairs, conceal nothing from him, perhaps he may +turn from his anger against thee, and thou wilt thereby save thy +soul, thou and all belonging to thee, for it is thy duty to honor +him, since he is thy elder brother." + +And when Jacob heard the words of his mother which the messengers +had spoken to him, he lifted up his voice and wept bitterly, and +did as his mother commanded him. + +He sent messengers to Esau to placate him, and they said unto +him: "Thus speaketh thy servant Jacob: My lord, think not that +the blessing which my father bestowed upon me profited me. Twenty +years I served Laban, and he deceived me, and changed my hire ten +times, as thou well knowest. Yet did I labor sorely in his house, +and God saw my affliction, my labor, and the work of my hands, +and afterward He caused me to find grace and favor in the sight +of Laban. And through God's great mercy and kindness, I acquired +oxen and asses and cattle and men-servants and maid servants. And +now I am coming to my country and to my home, to my father and +mother, who are in the land of Canaan. And I have sent to let my +lord know all this in order to find favor in the eyes of my lord, +so that he may not imagine that I have become a man of substance, +or that the blessing with which my father blessed me has +benefited me."[233] + +Furthermore spake the messengers: "Why dost thou envy me in +respect to the blessing wherewith my father blessed me? Is it +that the sun shineth in my land, and not in thine? Or doth the +dew and the rain fall only upon my land, and not upon thine? If +my father blessed me with the dew of heaven, he blessed thee with +the fatness of the earth, and if he spoke to me, Peoples will +serve thee, he hath said unto thee, By thy sword shalt thou live. +How long, then, wilt thou continue to envy me? Come, now, let us +set up a covenant between us, that we will share equally all the +vexations that may occur." + +Esau would not agree to this proposal, his friends dissuaded him +therefrom, saying, "Accept not these conditions, for God hath +said to Abraham, Know of a surety that thy seed shall be a +stranger in a land that is not theirs, and shall serve the people +thereof, and the aliens shall afflict them four hundred years. +Wait, therefore, until Jacob and his family go down into Egypt to +pay off this debt." + +Jacob also sent word to Esau, saying: "Though I dwelt with that +heathen of the heathen, Laban, yet have I not forgotten my God, +but I fulfil the six hundred and thirteen commandments of the +Torah.[234] If thy mind be set upon peace, thou wilt find me +ready for peace. But if thy desire be war, thou wilt find me +ready for war. I have with me men of valor and strength, they +have but to utter a word, and God fulfils it. I tarried with +Laban until Joseph should be born, he who is destined to subdue +thee.[235] And though my descendants be held in bondage in this +world, yet a day will come when they will rule over their +rulers."[236] + +In reply to all these gentle words, Esau spoke with arrogance: +"Surely I have heard, and truly it has been told unto me what +Jacob has been to Laban, who brought him up in his house, and +gave him his daughters for wives, and he begot sons and +daughters, and abundantly increased in wealth and riches in +Laban's house and with his help. And when he saw that his wealth +was abundant and his riches were great, he fled with all +belonging to him from Laban's house, and he carried away Laban's +daughters from their father as captives of the sword, without +telling him of it. And not only to Laban hath Jacob done thus, +but also unto me hath he done so, and he hath twice supplanted +me, and shall I be silent? Now, I have this day come with my camp +to meet him, and I will do unto him according to the desire of my +heart." + +The messengers dispatched by Jacob now returned to him, and +reported these words of Esau unto him.[237] They also told him +that his brother was advancing against him with an army +consisting of four hundred crowned heads, each leading a host of +four hundred men.[238] "It is true, thou art his brother, and +thou treatest him as a brother should," they said to Jacob, "but +he is an Esau, thou must be made aware of his villainy."[239] + +Jacob bore in mind the promise of God, that He would bring him +back to his father's house in peace, yet the report about his +brother's purpose alarmed him greatly. A pious man may never +depend upon promises of earthly good. God does not keep the +promise if he is guilty of the smallest conceivable trespass, and +Jacob feared that he might have forfeited happiness by reason of +a sin committed by him. Moreover, he was anxious lest Esau be the +one favored by God, inasmuch as he had these twenty years been +fulfilling two Divine commands that Jacob had had to disregard. +Esau had been living in the Holy Land, Jacob outside of it; the +former had been in attendance upon his parents, the latter +dwelling at a distance from them. And much as he feared defeat, +Jacob also feared the reverse, that he might be victorious over +Esau, or might even slay his brother, which would be as bad as to +be slain by him. And he was depressed by another apprehension, +that his father had died, for he reasoned that Esau would not +take such warlike steps against his own brother, were his father +still alive.[240] + +When his wives saw the anxiety that possessed Jacob, they began +to quarrel with him, and reproach him for having taken them away +from their father's house, though he knew that such danger +threatened from Esau.[241] Then Jacob determined to apply the +three means that might save him from the fate impending: he would +cry to God for help, appease Esau's wrath with presents, and hold +himself in readiness for war if the worst came to the worst.[242] + +He prayed to God: "O Thou God of my father Abraham, and God of my +father Isaac, God of all who walk in the ways of the pious and do +like unto them! I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, +and of all the truth, which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant. O +Lord of the world, as Thou didst not suffer Laban to execute his +evil designs against me, so also bring to naught the purpose of +Esau, who desireth to slay me. O Lord of the world, in Thy Torah +which Thou wilt give us on Mount Sinai it is written, And whether +it be cow or ewe, ye shall not kill it and her young both in one +day. If this wretch should come and murder my children and their +mothers at the same time, who would then desire to read Thy Torah +which Thou wilt give us on Mount Sinai? And yet Thou didst speak, +For the sake of thy merits and for the merits of thy fathers I +will do good unto thee, and in the future world thy children +shall be as numerous as the sand of the sea." + +As Jacob prayed for his own deliverance, so also he prayed for +the salvation of his descendants, that they might not be +annihilated by the descendants of Esau. + +Such was the prayer of Jacob when he saw Esau approaching from +afar, and God heard his petition and looked upon his tears, and +He gave him the assurance that for his sake his descendants, too, +would be redeemed from all distress.[243] + +Then the Lord sent three angels, and they went before Esau, and +they appeared unto Esau and his people as hundreds and thousands +of men riding upon horses. They were furnished with all sorts of +weapons, and divided into four columns. And one division went on, +and they found Esau coming with four hundred men, and the +division ran toward them, and terrified them. Esau fell off his +horse in alarm, and all his men separated from him in great fear, +while the approaching column shouted after them, "Verily, we are +the servants of Jacob, the servant of God, and who can stand +against us?" Esau then said unto them, "O, then my lord and +brother Jacob is your lord, whom I have not seen these twenty +years, and now that I have this day come to see him, do you treat +me in this manner?" The angels answered, "As the Lord liveth, +were not Jacob thy brother, we had not left one remaining of thee +and thy people, but on account of Jacob we will do nothing to +thee." This division passed from Esau, and when he had gone from +there about a league, the second division came toward him, and +they also did unto Esau and his men as the first had done to +them, and when they permitted him to go on, the third came and +did like the first, and when the third had passed also, and Esau +still continued with his men on the road to Jacob, the fourth +division came and did to them as the others had done. And Esau +was greatly afraid of his brother, because he thought that the +four columns of the army which he had encountered were the +servants of Jacob. + +After Jacob had made an end of praying, he divided all that +journeyed with him into two companies, and he set over them +Damesek and Alinus, the two sons of Eliezer, the bondman of +Abraham, and their sons.[244] Jacob's example teaches us not to +conceal the whole of our fortune in one hiding-place, else we run +the danger of losing everything at one stroke. + +Of his cattle he sent a part to Esau as a present, first dividing +it into three droves in order to impress his brother more. When +Esau received the first drove, he would think he had the whole +gift that had been sent to him, and suddenly he would be +astonished by the appearance of the second portion, and again by +the third. Jacob knew his brother's avarice only too well.[245] + +The men who were the bearers of Jacob's present to Esau were +charged with the following message, "This is an offering to my +lord Esau from his slave Jacob." But God took these words of +Jacob in ill part, saying, "Thou profanest what is holy when thou +callest Esau lord." Jacob excused himself; he was but flattering +the wicked in order to escape death at his hands.[246] + + +JACOB WRESTLES WITH THE ANGEL + +The servants of Jacob went before him with the present for Esau, +and he followed with his wives and his children. As he was about +to pass over the ford of Jabbok, he observed a shepherd, who +likewise had sheep and camels. The stranger approached Jacob and +proposed that they should ford the stream together, and help each +other move their cattle over, and Jacob assented, on the +condition that his possessions should be put across first. In the +twinkling of an eye Jacob's sheep were transferred to the other +side of the stream by the shepherd. Then the flocks of the +shepherd were to be moved by Jacob, but no matter how many he +took over to the opposite bank, always there remained some on the +hither shore. There was no end to the cattle, though Jacob +labored all the night through. At last he lost patience, and he +fell upon the shepherd and caught him by the throat, crying out, +"O thou wizard, thou wizard, at night no enchantment succeeds!" +The angel thought, "Very well, let him know once for all with +whom he has had dealings," and with his finger he touched the +earth, whence fire burst forth. But Jacob said, "What! thou +thinkest thus to affright me, who am made wholly of fire?"[247] + +The shepherd was no less a personage than the archangel Michael, +and in his combat with Jacob he was assisted by the whole host of +angels under his command. He was on the point of inflicting a +dangerous wound upon Jacob, when God appeared, and all the +angels, even Michael himself, felt their strength ooze away. +Seeing that he could not prevail against Jacob, the archangel +touched the hollow of his thigh, and injured him, and God rebuked +him, saying, "Dost thou act as is seemly, when thou causest a +blemish in My priest Jacob?" Michael said in astonishment, "Why, +it is I who am Thy priest!" But God said, "Thou art My priest in +heaven, and he is My priest on earth." Thereupon Michael summoned +the archangel Raphael, saying, "My comrade, I pray thee, help me +out of my distress, for thou art charged with the healing of all +disease," and Raphael cured Jacob of the injury Michael had +inflicted. + +The Lord continued to reproach Michael, saying, "Why didst thou +do harm unto My first-born son?" and the archangel answered, "I +did it only to glorify Thee," and then God appointed Michael as +the guardian angel of Jacob and his seed unto the end of all +generations, with these words: "Thou art a fire, and so is Jacob +a fire; thou art the head of the angels, and he is the head of +the nations; thou art supreme over all the angels, and he is +supreme over all the peoples. Therefore he who is supreme over +all the angels shall be appointed unto him who is supreme over +all the peoples, that he may entreat mercy for him from the +Supreme One over all." + +Then Michael said unto Jacob, "How is it possible that thou who +couldst prevail against me, the most distinguished of the angels, +art afraid of Esau?" + +When the day broke, Michael said to Jacob, "Let me go, for the +day breaketh," but Jacob held him back, saying, "Art thou a +thief, or a gambler with dice, that thou fearest the daylight?" +At that moment appeared many different hosts of angels, and they +called unto Michael: "Ascend, O Michael, the time of song hath +come, and if thou art not in heaven to lead the choir, none will +sing." And Michael entreated Jacob with supplications to let him +go, for he feared the angels of 'Arabot would consume him with +fire, if he were not there to start the songs of praise at the +proper time. Jacob said, "I will not let thee go, except thou +bless me," whereto Michael made reply: "Who is greater, the +servant or the son? I am the servant, and thou art the son. Why, +then, cravest thou my blessing?"[248] Jacob urged as an argument, +"The angels that visited Abraham did not leave without blessing +him," but Michael held, "They were sent by God for that very +purpose, and I was not." Yet Jacob insisted upon his demand, and +Michael pleaded with him, saying, "The angels that betrayed a +heavenly secret were banished from their place for one hundred +and thirty eight years. Dost thou desire that I should acquaint +thee with what would cause my banishment likewise?" In the end +the angel nevertheless had to yield; Jacob could not be moved, +and Michael took counsel with himself thus: "I will reveal a +secret to him, and if God demands to know why I revealed it, I +will make answer, Thy children stand upon their wishes with Thee, +and Thou dost yield to them. How, then, could I have left Jacob's +wish unfulfilled?" + +Then Michael spoke to Jacob, saying: "A day will come when God +will reveal Himself unto thee, and He will change thy name, and I +shall be present when He changeth it.[249] Thy name shall be +called no more Jacob, but Israel, for happy thou, of woman born, +who didst enter the heavenly palace, and didst escape thence with +thy life." And Michael blessed Jacob with the words, "May it be +the will of God that thy descendants be as pious as thou +art."[250] + +At the same time the archangel reminded Jacob that he had +promised to give a tithe of his possessions unto God, and at once +Jacob separated five hundred and fifty head of cattle from his +herds, which counted fifty-five hundred. Then Michael went on, +"But thou hast sons, and of them thou hast not set apart the +tenth." Jacob proceeded to pass his sons in review: Reuben, +Joseph, Dan, and Gad being the first-born, each of his mother, +were exempt, and there remained but eight sons, and when he had +named them, down to Benjamin, he had to go back and begin over +again with Simon, the ninth, and finish with Levi as the tenth. + +Michael took Levi with him into heaven, and presented him before +God, saying, "O Lord of the world, this one is Thy lot, and the +tenth belonging unto Thee," and God stretched forth His hand and +blessed Levi with the blessing that his children should be the +servants of God on earth as the angels were His servants on high. +Michael spoke again, "Doth not a king provide for the sustenance +of his servants?" whereupon God appointed for the Levites all +that was holy unto the Lord.[251] + +Then Jacob spoke to the angel: "My father conferred the blessing +upon me that was intended for Esau, and now I desire to know +whether thou wilt acknowledge the blessing as mine, or wilt bring +charges against me on account of it." And the angel said: "I +acknowledge the blessing to be thine by right. Thou didst not +gain it by craft and cunning, and I and all the heavenly powers +recognize it to be valid, for thou hast shown thyself master over +the mighty powers of the heavens as over Esau and his +legions."[252] + +And even then Jacob would not let the angel depart, he had to +reveal his name to him first, and the angel made known to him +that it was Israel, the same name that Jacob would once +bear.[253] + +At last the angel departed, after Jacob had blessed him, and +Jacob called the place of wrestling Penuel, the same place to +which before he had given the name Mahanaim, for both words have +but one meaning, the place of encounter with angels.[254] + + +THE MEETING BETWEEN ESAU AND JACOB + +At the break of day the angel left off from wrestling with Jacob. +The dawn on that day was of particularly short duration. The sun +rose two hours before his time, by way of compensation for having +set early, on the day on which Jacob passed Mount Moriah on his +journey to Haran, to induce him to turn aside and lodge for a +night on the future Temple place.[255] Indeed, the power of the +sun on this same day was altogether remarkable. He shone with the +brilliance and ardor with which he was invested during the six +days of the creation, and as he will shine at the end of days, to +make whole the halt and the blind among the Jews and to consume +the heathen. This same healing and devastating property he had on +that day, too, for Jacob was cured, while Esau and his princes +were all but burnt up by his terrible heat.[256] + +Jacob was in dire need of healing lotions for the injury he had +sustained in the encounter with the angel. The combat between +them had been grim, the dust whirled up by the scuffle rose to +the very throne of God.[257] Though Jacob prevailed against his +huge opponent, as big as one-third of the whole world, throwing +him to the ground and keeping him pinned down, yet the angel had +injured him by clutching at the sinew of the hip which is upon +the hollow of the thigh, so that it was dislocated, and Jacob +halted upon his thigh.[258] The healing power of the sun restored +him, nevertheless his children took it upon themselves not to eat +the sinew of the hip which is upon the hollow of the thigh, for +they reproached themselves with having been the cause of his +mishap, they should not have left him alone in that night.[259] + +Now, although Jacob had prepared for the worst, for open +hostilities even, yet when he saw Esau and his men, he thought it +discreet to make separate divisions of the households of Leah, +Rachel, and the handmaids, and divide the children unto each of +them. And he put the handmaids and their children foremost, and +Leah and her children after, and Rachel and Joseph hindermost. It +was the stratagem which the fox used with the lion. Once upon a +time the king of beasts was wroth with his subjects, and they +looked hither and thither for a spokesman who mastered the art of +appeasing their ruler. The fox offered himself for the +undertaking, saying, "I know three hundred fables which will +allay his fury." His offer was accepted with joy. On the way to +the lion, the fox suddenly stood still, and in reply to the +questions put to him, he said, "I have forgotten one hundred of +the three hundred fables." "Never mind," said those accompanying +him, "two hundred will serve the purpose." A little way further +on the fox again stopped suddenly, and, questioned again, he +confessed that he had forgotten half of the two hundred remaining +fables. The animals with him still consoled him that the hundred +he knew would suffice. But the fox halted a third time, and then +he admitted that his memory had failed him entirely, and he had +forgotten all the fables he knew, and he advised that every +animal approach the king on his own account and endeavor to +appease his anger. At first Jacob had had courage enough to enter +the lists with Esau in behalf of all with him. Now he came to the +conclusion to let each one try to do what he could for himself. + +However, Jacob was too fond a father to expose his family to the +first brunt of the danger. He himself passed over before all the +rest, saying, "It is better that they attack me than my +children."[260] After him came the handmaids and their children. +His reason for placing them there was that, if Esau should be +overcome by passion for the women, and try to violate them, he +would thus meet the handmaids first, and in the meantime Jacob +would have the chance of preparing for more determined resistance +in the defense of the honor of his wives.[261] Joseph and Rachel +came last, and Joseph walked in front of his mother, though Jacob +had ordered the reverse. But the son knew both the beauty of his +mother and the lustfulness of his uncle, and therefore he tried +to hide Rachel from the sight of Esau.[262] + +In the vehemence of his rage against Jacob, Esau vowed that he +would not slay him with bow and arrow, but would bite him dead +with his mouth, and suck his blood. But he was doomed to bitter +disappointment, for Jacob's neck turned as hard as ivory, and in +his helpless fury Esau could but gnash his teeth.[263] The two +brothers were like the ram and the wolf. A wolf wanted to tear a +ram in pieces, and the ram defended himself with his horns, +striking them deep into the flesh of the wolf. Both began to +howl, the wolf because he could not secure his prey, and the ram +from fear that the wolf renew his attacks. Esau bawled because +his teeth were hurt by the ivory-like flesh of Jacob's neck, and +Jacob feared that his brother would make a second attempt to bite +him.[264] + +Esau addressed a question to his brother. "Tell me," he said, +"what was the army I met?" for on his march against Jacob he had +had a most peculiar experience with a great host of forty +thousand warriors. It consisted of various kinds of troops, +armor-clad soldiers walking on foot, mounted on horses, and +seated in chariots, and they all threw themselves upon Esau when +they met. He demanded to know whence they came, and the strange +soldiers hardly interrupted their savage onslaught to reply that +they belonged to Jacob. Only when Esau told them that Jacob was +his brother did they leave off, saying, "Woe to us if our master +hears that we did thee harm." This was the army and the encounter +Esau inquired about as soon as he met his brother. But the army +was a host of angels, who had the appearance of warriors to Esau +and his men.[265] Also the messengers sent by Jacob to Esau had +been angels, for no mere human being could be induced to go forth +and face the recreant.[266] + +Jacob now gave Esau the presents intended for him, a tenth of all +his cattle,[267] and also pearls and precious stones,[268] and, +besides, a falcon for the chase.[269] But even the animals +refused to give up their gentle master Jacob and become the +property of the villain Esau. They all ran away when Jacob wanted +to hand them over to his brother, and the result was that the +only ones that reached Esau were the feeble and the lame, all +that could not make good their escape.[270] + +At first Esau declined the presents offered to him. Naturally, +that was a mere pretense. While refusing the gifts with words, he +held his hand outstretched ready to receive them.[271] Jacob took +the hint, and insisted that he accept them, saying: "Nay, I pray +thee, if now I have found grace in thy sight, then receive my +present at my hand, forasmuch as I have seen thy face, as I have +seen the face of angels, and thou art pleased with me." The +closing words were chosen with well-calculated purpose. Jacob +wanted Esau to derive the meaning that he had intercourse with +angels, and to be inspired with awe. Jacob was like the man +invited to a banquet by his mortal enemy who has been seeking an +opportunity to slay him. When the guest divines the purpose for +which he has been brought thither, he says to the host: "What a +magnificent and delicious meal this is! But once before in my +life did I partake of one like it, and that was when I was bidden +by the king to his table"--enough to drive terror to the heart of +the would-be slayer. He takes good care not to harm a man on such +intimate terms with the king as to be invited to his table![272] + +Jacob had valid reason for recalling his encounter with the +angel, for it was the angel of Esau who had measured his strength +with Jacob's, and had been overcome.[273] + +As Esau accepted the presents of Jacob willingly on this first +occasion, so he continued to accept them for a whole year; daily +Jacob gave him presents as on the day of their meeting, for, he +said, "'A gift doth blind the eyes of the wise,' and how much +more doth it blind the wicked! Therefore will I give him presents +upon presents, perhaps he will let me alone." Besides, he did not +attach much value to the possessions he had acquired outside of +the Holy Land. Such possessions are not a blessing, and he did +not hesitate to part with them. + +Beside the presents which Jacob gave Esau, he also paid out a +large sum of money to him for the Cave of Machpelah. Immediately +upon his arrival in the Holy Land he sold all he had brought with +him from Haran, and a pile of gold was the proceeds of the sale. +He spoke to Esau, saying: "Like me thou hast a share in the Cave +of Machpelah, wilt thou take this pile of gold for thy portion +therein?" "What care I for the Cave?" returned Esau. "Gold is +what I want," and for his share in Machpelah he took the gold +realized from the sale of the possessions Jacob had accumulated +outside of the Holy Land. But God "filled the vacuum without +delay," and Jacob was as rich as before.[274] + +Wealth was not an object of desire to Jacob. He would have been +well content, in his own behalf and in behalf of his family, to +resign all earthly treasures in favor of Esau and his family. He +said to Esau: "I foresee that in future days suffering will be +inflicted by thy children upon mine. But I do not demur, thou +mayest exercise thy dominion and wear thy crown until the time +when the Messiah springs from my loins, and receives the rule +from thee." These words spoken by Jacob will be realized in days +to come, when all the nations will rise up against the kingdom of +Edom, and take away one city after another from him, one realm +after another, until they reach Bet-Gubrin, and then the Messiah +will appear and assume his kingship. The angel of Edom will flee +for refuge to Bozrah, but God will appear there, and slay him, +for though Bozrah is one of the cities of refuge, yet will the +Lord exercise the right of the avenger therein. He will seize the +angel by his hair, and Elijah will slaughter him, letting the +blood spatter the garments of God.[275] All this Jacob had in +mind when he said to Esau, "Let my lord, I pray thee, pass over +before his servant, until I come unto my lord unto Seir." Jacob +himself never went to Seir. What he meant was the Messianic time +when Israel shall go to Seir, and take possession thereof.[276] + +Jacob tarried in Succoth a whole year, and he opened a house of +learning there.[277] Then he journeyed on to Shechem, while Esau +betook himself to Seir, saying to himself, "How long shall I be a +burden to my brother?" for it was during Jacob's sojourn at +Succoth that Esau received daily presents from Jacob.[278] + +And Jacob, after abiding these many years in a strange land, came +to Shechem in peace, unimpaired in mind and body. He had +forgotten none of the knowledge he had acquired before; the gifts +he gave to Esau did not encroach upon his wealth; the injury +inflicted by the angel that wrestled with him had been healed, +and likewise his children were sound and healthy.[279] + +Jacob entered Shechem on a Friday, late in the afternoon, and his +first concern was to lay out the boundaries of the city, that the +laws of the Sabbath might not be transgressed. As soon as he was +settled in the place, he sent presents to the notables. A man +must be grateful to a city from which he derives benefits. No +less did the common people enjoy his bounty. For them he opened a +market where he sold all wares at low prices.[280] + +Also he lost no time in buying a parcel of ground, for it is the +duty of every man of substance who comes to the Holy Land from +outside to make himself the possessor of land there.[281] He gave +a hundred lambs for his estate, a hundred yearling sheep, and a +hundred pieces of money, and received in return a bill of sale, +to which he attached his signature, using the letters Yod-He for +it. And then he erected an altar to God upon his land, and he +said, "Thou art the Lord of all celestial things, and I am the +lord of all earthly things." But God said, "Not even the overseer +of the synagogue arrogates privileges in the synagogue, and thou +assumest lordship with a high hand? Forsooth, on the morrow thy +daughter will go abroad, and she shall be humbled."[282] + + +THE OUTRAGE AT SHECHEM + +While Jacob and his sons were sitting in the house of learning, +occupied with the study of the Torah,[283] Dinah went abroad to +see the dancing and singing women, whom Shechem had hired to +dance and play in the streets in order to entice her forth.[284] +Had she remained at home, nothing would have happened to her. But +she was a woman, and all women like to show themselves in the +street.[285] When Shechem caught sight of her, he seized her by +main force, young though she was,[286] and violated her in +beastly fashion.[287] + +This misfortune befell Jacob as a punishment for his excessive +self-confidence. In his negotiations with Laban, he had used the +expression, "My righteousness shall answer for me hereafter." +Besides, on his return to Palestine, when he was preparing to +meet his brother, he concealed his daughter Dinah in a chest, +lest Esau desire to have her for wife, and he be obliged to give +her to him. God spoke to him, saying: "Herein hast thou acted +unkindly toward thy brother, and therefore Dinah will have to +marry Job, one that is neither circumcised nor a proselyte. Thou +didst refuse to give her to one that is circumcised, and one that +is uncircumcised will take her. Thou didst refuse to give her to +Esau in lawful wedlock, and now she will fall a victim to the +ravisher's illicit passion."[288] + +When Jacob heard that Shechem had defiled his daughter, he sent +twelve servants to fetch Dinah from Shechem's house, but Shechem +went out to them with his men, and drove them from his house, and +he would not suffer them to come unto Dinah, and he kissed and +embraced her before their eyes. Jacob then sent two maidens of +his servants' daughters to remain with Dinah in the house of +Shechem. Shechem bade three of his friends go to his father +Hamor, the son of Haddakum, the son of Pered, and say, "Get me +this damsel to wife." Hamor tried at first to persuade his son +not to take a Hebrew woman to wife, but when Shechem persisted in +his request, he did according to the word of his son, and went +forth to communicate with Jacob concerning the matter. In the +meanwhile the sons of Jacob returned from the field, and, kindled +with wrath, they spoke unto their father, saying, "Surely death +is due to this man and his household, because the Lord God of the +whole earth commanded Noah and his children that man shall never +rob nor commit adultery. Now, behold, Shechem has ravaged and +committed fornication with our sister, and not one of all the +people of the city spake a word to him." And whilst they were +speaking, Hamor came to speak to Jacob the words of his son +concerning Dinah, and after he ceased to speak, Shechem himself +came to Jacob and repeated the request made by his father. Simon +and Levi answered Hamor and Shechem deceitfully, saying: "All you +have spoken unto us we will do. And, behold, our sister is in +your house, but keep away from her until we send to our father +Isaac concerning this matter, for we can do nothing without his +counsel. He knows the ways of our father Abraham, and whatever he +saith unto us we will tell you, we will conceal nothing from +you." + +Shechem and his father went home thereafter, satisfied with the +result achieved, and when they had gone, the sons of Jacob asked +him to seek counsel and pretext in order to kill all the +inhabitants of the city, who had deserved this punishment on +account of their wickedness. Then Simon said to them: "I have +good counsel to give you. Bid them be circumcised. If they +consent not, we shall take our daughter from them, and go away. +And if they consent to do this, then, when they are in pain, we +shall attack them and slay them." The next morning Shechem and +his father came again to Jacob, to speak concerning Dinah, and +the sons of Jacob spoke deceitfully to them, saying: "We told our +father Isaac all your words, and your words pleased him, but he +said, that thus did Abraham his father command him from God, that +any man that is not of his descendants, who desireth to take one +of his daughters to wife, shall cause every male belonging to him +to be circumcised." + +Shechem and his father hastened to do the wishes of the sons of +Jacob, and they persuaded also the men of the city to do +likewise, for they were greatly esteemed by them, being the +princes of the land. + +On the next day, Shechem and his father rose up early in the +morning, and they assembled all the men of the city, and they +called for the sons of Jacob, and they circumcised Shechem, his +father, his five brothers, and all the males in the city, six +hundred and forty-five men and two hundred and seventy-six lads. +Haddakum, the grandfather of Shechem, and his six brothers would +not be circumcised, and they were greatly incensed against the +people of the city for submitting to the wishes of the sons of +Jacob. + +In the evening of the second day, Shechem and his father sent to +have eight little children whom their mothers had concealed +brought to them to be circumcised. Haddakum and his six brothers +sprang at the messengers, and sought to slay them, and sought to +slay also Shechem, Hamor, and Dinah. They chided Shechem and his +father for doing a thing that their fathers had never done, which +would raise the ire of the inhabitants of the land of Canaan +against them, as well as the ire of all the children of Ham, and +that on account of a Hebrew woman. Haddakum and his brothers +finished by saying: "Behold, to-morrow we will go and assemble +our Canaanitish brethren, and we will come and smite you and all +in whom you trust, that there shall not be a remnant left of you +or them." + +When Hamor and his son Shechem and all the people of the city +heard this, they were sore afraid, and they repented what they +had done, and Shechem and his father answered Haddakum and his +brothers: "Because we saw that the Hebrews would not accede to +our wishes concerning their daughter, we did this thing, but when +we shall have obtained our request from them, we will then do +unto them that which is in your hearts and in ours, as soon as we +shall become strong." + +Dinah, who heard their words, hastened and dispatched one of her +maidens whom her father had sent to take care of her in Shechem's +house, and informed Jacob and his sons of the conspiracy plotted +against them. When the sons of Jacob heard this, they were filled +with wrath, and Simon and Levi swore, and said, "As the Lord +liveth, by to-morrow there shall not be a remnant left In the +whole city." + +They began the extermination by killing eighteen of the twenty +young men who had concealed themselves and were not circumcised, +and two of them fled and escaped to some lime pits that were in +the city. Then Simon and Levi slew all the city, not leaving a +male over, and while they were looking for spoils outside of the +city, three hundred women rose against them and threw stones and +dust upon them, but Simon single-handed slew them all, and +returned to the city, where he joined Levi. Then they took away +from the people outside of the city their sheep, their oxen, +their cattle, and also the women and the little children, and +they led all these away, and took them to the city to their +father Jacob. The number of women whom they did not slay, but +only took captive, was eighty-five virgins, among them a young +damsel of great beauty by the name of Bunah, whom Simon took to +wife. The number of the males which they took captive and did not +slay was forty-seven, and all these men and women were servants +to the sons of Jacob, and to their children after them, until the +day they left Egypt. + + +A WAR FRUSTRATED + +When Simon and Levi had gone from the city, the two young men who +had concealed themselves in the lime pits, and were not slain +amongst the people of the city, rose up, and they found the city +desolate, without a man, only weeping women, and they cried out, +saying, "Behold, this is the evil which the sons of Jacob did who +destroyed one of the Canaanite cities, and were not afraid of all +the land of Canaan." + +They left the city and went to Tappuah, and told the inhabitants +all that the sons of Jacob had done to the city of Shechem. +Jashub, the king of Tappuah, sent to Shechem to see whether these +young men told the truth, for he did not believe them, saying, +"How could two men destroy a large city like Shechem?" The +messengers of Jashub returned, and they reported, "The city is +destroyed, not a man is left there, only weeping women, neither +are there flocks and cattle there, for all that was in the city +was taken away by the sons of Jacob." + +Jashub wondered thereat, for the like had not been heard from the +days of Nimrod, and not even from the remotest times, that two +men should be able to destroy so large a city, and he decided to +go to war against the Hebrews, and avenge the cause of the people +of Shechem. His counsellors said to him: "If two of them laid +waste a whole city, surely if thou goest against them, they all +will rise up against us, and destroy us. Therefore, send to the +kings round about, that we all together fight against the sons of +Jacob, and prevail against them." + +The seven kings of the Amorites, when they heard the evil that +the sons of Jacob had done to the city of Shechem, assembled +together, with all their armies, ten thousand men, with drawn +swords, and they came to fight against the sons of Jacob. And +Jacob was greatly afraid, and he said to Simon and Levi, "Why +have you brought such evil upon me? I was at rest, and you +provoked the inhabitants of the land against me by your acts." + +Then Judah spoke to his father: "Was it for naught that Simon and +Levi killed the inhabitants of Shechem? Verily, it was because +Shechem dishonored our sister, and transgressed the command of +our God to Noah and his children, and not one of the inhabitants +of the city interfered in the matter. Now, why art thou afraid, +and why art thou displeased at my brethren? Surely, our God, who +delivered the city of Shechem and its people into their hand, He +will also deliver into our hands all the Canaanitish kings who +are coming against us. Now cast away thy fears, and pray to God +to assist us and deliver us." + +Judah then addressed his brethren, saying: "The Lord our God is +with us! Fear naught, then! Stand ye forth, each man girt with +his weapons of war, his bow and his sword, and we will go and +fight against the uncircumcised. The Lord is our God, He will +save us." + +Jacob, his eleven sons, and one hundred servants belonging to +Isaac, who had come to their assistance, marched forward to meet +the Amorites, a people exceedingly numerous, like unto the sand +upon the sea-shore. The sons of Jacob sent unto their grandfather +Isaac, at Hebron, requesting him to pray unto the Lord to protect +them from the hand of the Canaanites, and he prayed as follows: +"O Lord God, Thou didst promise my father, saying, I will +multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven, and also me Thou didst +promise that Thou wouldst establish Thy word to my father. Now, O +Lord, God of the whole world, pervert, I pray Thee, the counsel +of these kings, that they may not fight against my sons, and +impress the hearts of their kings and their people with the +terror of my sons, and bring down their pride that they turn away +from my sons. Deliver my sons and their servants from them with +Thy strong hand and outstretched arm, for power and might are in +Thy hands to do all this." + +Jacob also prayed unto God, and said: "O Lord God, powerful and +exalted God, who hast reigned from days of old, from then until +now and forever! Thou art He who stirreth up wars and causeth +them to cease. In Thy hand are power and might to exalt and to +bring low. O may my prayer be acceptable unto Thee, that Thou +mayest turn to me with Thy mercies, to impress the hearts of +these kings and their people with the terror of my sons, and +terrify them and their camps, and with Thy great kindness deliver +all those that trust in Thee, for Thou art He who subdues the +peoples under us, and the nations under our feet." + +God heard the prayers of Isaac and Jacob, and He filled the +hearts of all the advisers of the Canaanite kings with great fear +and terror, and when the kings, who were undecided whether to +undertake a campaign against the sons of Jacob, consulted them, +they said: "Are you silly, or is there no understanding in you, +that you propose to fight with the Hebrews? Why do you take +delight in your own destruction this day? Behold, two of them +came to the city of Shechem without fear or terror, and they put +all the inhabitants of the city to the sword, no man stood up +against them, and how will you be able to fight with them all?" + +The royal counsellors then proceeded to enumerate all the mighty +things God had done for Abraham, Jacob, and the sons of Jacob, +such as had not been done from days of old and by any of the gods +of the nations. When the kings heard all the words of their +advisers, they were afraid of the sons of Jacob, and they would +not fight against them. They turned back with their armies on +that day, each to his own city. But the sons of Jacob kept their +station that day till evening, and seeing that the kings did not +advance to do battle with them in order to avenge the inhabitants +of Shechem whom they had killed, they returned home.[289] + +The wrath of the Lord descended upon the inhabitants of Shechem +to the uttermost on account of their wickedness. For they had +sought to do unto Sarah and Rebekah as they did unto Dinah, but +the Lord had prevented them. Also they had persecuted Abraham +when he was a stranger, and they had vexed his flocks when they +were big with young, and Eblaen, one born in his house, they had +handled most shamefully. And thus they did to all strangers, +taking away their wives by force.[290] + + +THE WAR WITH THE NINEVITES + +The destruction of Shechem by Simon and Levi terrified the +heathen all around. If two sons of Jacob had succeeded in ruining +a great city like Shechem, they argued, what would Jacob and all +his sons accomplish acting together? Jacob meanwhile left +Shechem, hindered by none, and with all his possessions he set +out, to betake himself to his father Isaac. But after an eight +days' march he encountered a powerful army, which had been +dispatched from Nineveh to levy tribute upon the whole world and +subjugate it. On coming in the vicinity of Shechem, this army +heard to what the city had been exposed at the hands of the sons +of Jacob, and fury seized the men, and they resolved to make war +upon Jacob. + +But Jacob said to his sons: "Fear not, God will be your helper, +and He will fight for you against your enemies. Only you must put +away from you the strange gods in your possession, and you must +purify yourselves, and wash your garments clean." + +Girt with his sword, Jacob advanced against the enemy, and in the +first onslaught he slew twelve thousand of the weak in the army. +Then Judah spake to him, and said, "Father, thou art tired and +exhausted, let me fight the enemy alone." And Jacob replied, +saying, "Judah, my son, I know thy strength and thy bravery, that +they are exceeding great, so that none in the world is like unto +thee therein." His countenance like a lion's and inflamed with +wrath, Judah attacked the army, and slew twelve myriads of tried +and famous warriors. The battle raged hot in front and in the +rear, and Levi his brother hastened to his aid, and together they +won a victory over the Ninevites. Judah alone slew five thousand +more soldiers, and Levi dealt blows right and left with such +vigor that the men of the enemy's army fell like grain under the +scythe of the reaper. + +Alarmed about their fate, the people of Nineveh said: "How long +shall we fight with these devils? Let us return to our land, lest +they exterminate us root and branch, without leaving a remnant." +But their king desired to restrain them, and he said: "O ye +heroes, ye men of might and valor, have you lost your senses that +you ask to return to your land? Is this your bravery? After you +have subdued many kingdoms and countries, ye are not able to hold +out against twelve men? If the nations and the kings whom we have +made tributary to ourselves hear of this, they will rise up +against us as a man, and make a laughing-stock of us, and do with +us according to their desire. Take courage, ye men of the great +city of Nineveh, that your honor and your name be exalted, and +you become not a mockery in the mouth of your enemies." + +These words of their king inspired the warriors to continue the +campaign. They sent messengers to all the lands to ask for help, +and, reinforced by their allies, the Ninevites assaulted Jacob a +second time. He spoke to his sons, saying, "Take courage and be +men, fight against your enemies." His twelve sons then took up +their stand in twelve different places, leaving considerable +intervals between one and another, and Jacob, a sword in his +right hand and a bow in his left, advanced to the combat. It was +a desperate encounter for him. He had to ward off the enemy to +the right and the left. Nevertheless he inflicted a severe blow, +and when a band of two thousand men beset him, he leapt up in the +air and over them and vanished from their sight. Twenty-two +myriads he slew on this day, and when evening came he planned to +flee under cover of darkness. But suddenly ninety thousand men +appeared, and he was compelled to continue the fight. He rushed +at them with his sword, but it broke, and he had to defend +himself by grinding huge rocks into lime powder, and this he +threw at the enemy and blinded them so that they could see +nothing. Luckily, darkness was about to fall, and he could permit +himself to take rest for the night. + +In the morning, Judah said to Jacob, "Father, thou didst fight +the whole of yesterday, and thou art weary and exhausted. Let me +fight this day." When the warriors caught sight of Judah's lion +face and his lion teeth, and heard his lion voice, they were +greatly afraid. Judah hopped and jumped over the army like a +flea, from one warrior to the next, raining blows down upon them +incessantly, and by evening he had slain eighty thousand and +ninety-six men, armed with swords and bows. But fatigue overcame +him, and Zebulon took up his station at his brother's left hand, +and mowed down eighty thousand of the enemy. Meantime Judah +regained some of his strength, and, rising up in wrath and fury, +and gnashing his teeth with a noise like unto thunder claps in +midsummer, he put the army to flight. It ran a distance of +eighteen miles, and Judah could enjoy a respite that night. + +But the army reappeared on the morrow, ready for battle again, to +take revenge on Jacob and his children. They blew their trumpets, +whereupon Jacob spake to his sons, "Go forth and fight with your +enemies." Issachar and Gad said that this day they would take the +combat upon themselves, and their father bade them do it while +their brothers kept guard and held themselves in readiness to aid +and relieve the two combatants when they showed signs of +weariness and exhaustion. + +The leaders of the day slew forty-eight thousand warriors, and +put to flight twelve myriads more, who concealed themselves in a +cave. Issachar and Gad fetched trees from the woods, piled the +trunks up in front of the opening of the cave, and set fire to +them. When the fire blazed with a fierce flame, the warriors +spoke, saying: "Why should we stay in this cave and perish with +the smoke and the heat? Rather will we go forth and fight with +our enemies, then we may have a chance of saving ourselves." They +left the cave, going through openings at the side, and they +attacked Issachar and Gad in front and behind. Dan and Naphtali +saw the plight of their brothers and ran to their assistance. +They laid about with their swords, hewing a way for themselves to +Issachar and Gad, and, united with them, they, too, opposed the +foe. + +It was the third day of the conflict, and the Ninevites were +reinforced by an army as numerous as the sand on the sea-shore. +All the sons of Jacob united to oppose it, and they routed the +host. But when they pursued after the enemy, the fugitives faced +about and resumed the battle, saying: "Why should we run away? +Let us rather fight them, perhaps we may be victorious, now they +are weary." A stubborn combat ensued, and when Jacob saw the +vehement attack upon his children, he himself sprang into the +thick of the battle and dealt blows right and left. Nevertheless +the heathen were victorious, and succeeded in separating Judah +from his brethren. As soon as Jacob was aware of the peril of his +son, he whistled, and Judah responded, and his brethren hastened +to his aid. Judah was fatigued and parched with thirst, and there +was no water for him to drink, but he dug his finger into the +ground with such force that water gushed out in the sight of the +whole army. Then said one warrior to another, "I will flee before +these devils, for God fights on their side," and he and all the +army fled precipitately, pursued by the sons of Jacob. Soldiers +without number they slew, and then they went back to their tents. +On their return they noticed that Joseph was missing, and they +feared he had been killed or taken captive. Naphtali ran after +the retreating enemy, to make search for Joseph, and he found him +still fighting against the Ninevite army. He joined Joseph, and +killed countless soldiers, and of the fugitives many drowned, and +the men that were besetting Joseph ran off and left him in +safety. + +At the end of the war Jacob continued his journey, unhindered, to +his father Isaac.[291] + + +THE WAR WITH THE AMORITES + +At first the people that lived round about Shechem made no +attempt to molest Jacob, who had returned thither after a while, +together with his household, to take up his abode there and +establish himself. But at the end of seven years the heathen +began to harass him. The kings of the Amorites assembled together +against the sons of Jacob to slay them in the Valley of Shechem. +"Is it not enough," they said, "that they have slain all the men +of Shechem? Should they be permitted now to take possession of +their land, too?" and they advanced to render battle. + +Judah leapt into the midst of the ranks of the foot soldiers of +the allied kings, and slew first of all Jashub, the king of +Tappuah, who was clad in iron and brass from top to toe. The king +was mounted, and from his horse he cast his spears downward with +both hands, in front of him and in back, without ever missing his +aim, for he was a mighty warrior, and he could throw javelins +with one hand or the other. Nevertheless Judah feared neither him +nor his prowess. He ran toward him, snatching a stone of sixty +sela'im from the ground and hurling it at him. Jashub was at a +distance of one hundred and seventy-seven ells and one-third of +an ell, and, protected with iron armor and throwing spears, he +moved forward upon Judah. But Judah struck him on his shield with +the stone, and unhorsed him. When the king attempted to rise, +Judah hastened to his side to slay him before he could get on his +feet. But Jashub was nimble, he stood ready to attack Judah, +shield to shield, and he drew his sword to cut off Judah's head. +Quickly Judah raised his shield to catch the blow upon it, but it +broke in pieces. What did Judah now? He wrested the shield of his +opponent away from him, and swung his sword against Jashub's +feet, cutting them off above the ankles. The king fell prostrate, +his sword slipped from his grasp, and Judah hastened to him and +severed his head from his body. + +While Judah was removing the armor of his slain adversary, nine +of Jashub's followers appeared. Judah slung a stone against the +head of the first of them that approached him, with such force +that he dropped his shield, which Judah snatched from the ground +and used to defend himself against his eight assailants. His +brother Levi came and stood next to him, and shot off an arrow +that killed Elon, king of Gaash, and then Judah killed the eight +men. And his father Jacob came and killed Zerori king of Shiloh. +None of the heathen could prevail against these sons of Jacob, +they had not the courage to stand up before them, but took to +flight, and the sons of Jacob pursued after them, and each slew a +thousand men of the Amorites on that day, before the going down +of the sun. And the other sons of Jacob set forth from the Hill +of Shechem, where they had taken up their stand, and they also +pursued after them as far as Hazor. Before this city they had +another severe encounter with the enemy, more severe than that in +the Valley of Shechem. Jacob let his arrows fly, and slew +Pirathon king of Hazor, and then Pasusi king of Sartan, Laban +king of Aram, and Shebir king of Mahanaim. + +Judah was the first to mount the walls of Hazor. As he approached +the top, four warriors attacked him, but he slew them without +stopping in his ascent, and before his brother Naphtali could +bring him succor. Naphtali followed him, and the two stood upon +the wall, Judah to the right and Naphtali to the left, and thence +they dealt out death to the warriors. The other sons of Jacob +followed their two brothers in turn, and made an end of +exterminating the heathen host on that day. They subjugated +Hazor, slew the warriors thereof, let no man escape with his +life, and despoiled the city of all therein. + +On the day following they went to Sartan, and again a bloody +battle took place. Sartan was situated upon high land, and the +hill before the city was likewise very high, so that none could +come near unto it, and also none could come near unto the +citadel, because the wall thereof was high. Nevertheless they +made themselves masters of the city. They scaled the walls of the +citadel, Judah on the east side being the first to ascend, then +Gad on the west side, Simon and Levi on the north, and Reuben and +Dan on the south, and Naphtali and Issachar set fire to the +hinges upon which the gates of the city were hung. + +In the same way the sons of Jacob subdued five other cities, +Tappuah, Arbel, Shiloh, Mahanaim, and Gaash, making an end of all +of them in five days. On the sixth day all the Amorites +assembled, and they came to Jacob and his sons unarmed, bowed +down before them, and sued for peace. And the sons of Jacob made +peace with the heathen, who ceded Timna to them, and all the land +of Harariah. In that day also Jacob concluded peace with them, +and they made restitution to the sons of Jacob for all the cattle +they had taken, two head for one, and they restored all the spoil +they had carried off. And Jacob turned to go to Timna, and Judah +went to Arbel, and thenceforth the Amorites troubled them no +more.[292] + + +ISAAC BLESSES LEVI AND JUDAH + +If a man voweth a vow, and he does not fulfil it in good time, he +will stumble through three grave sins, idolatry, unchastity, and +bloodshed. Jacob had been guilty of not accomplishing promptly +the vow he had taken upon himself at Beth-el, and therefore +punishment overtook him--his daughter was dishonored, his sons +slew men, and they kept the idols found among the spoils of +Shechem.[293] Therefore, when Jacob prostrated himself before God +after the bloody outrage at Shechem, He bade him arise, and go to +Beth-el and accomplish the vow he had vowed there.[294] Before +Jacob set out for the holy place to do the bidding of God, he +took the idols which were in the possession of his sons, and the +teraphim which Rachel had stolen from her father, and he shivered +them in pieces, and buried[295] the bits under an oak upon Mount +Gerizim,[296] uprooting the tree with one hand, concealing the +remains of the idols in the hollow left in the earth, and +planting the oak again with one hand.[297] + +Among the destroyed idols was one in the form of a dove, and this +the Samaritans dug up later and worshipped. + +On reaching Beth-el he erected an altar to the Lord, and on a +pillar he set up the stone whereon he had rested his head during +the night which he had passed there on his journey to Haran.[298] +Then he bade his parents come to Beth-el and take part in his +sacrifice. But Isaac sent him a message, saying, "O my son Jacob, +that I might see thee before I die," whereupon Jacob hastened to +his parents, taking Levi and Judah with him. When his +grandchildren stepped before Isaac, the darkness that shrouded +his eyes dropped away, and he said, "My son, are these thy +children, for they resemble thee?" And the spirit of prophecy +entered his mouth, and he grasped Levi with his right hand and +Judah with his left in order to bless them, and he spoke these +words to Levi: "May the Lord bring thee and thy seed nigh unto +Him before all flesh, that ye serve in His sanctuary like the +Angel of the Face and the Holy Angels. Princes, judges, and +rulers shall they be unto all the seed of the children of Jacob. +The word of God they will proclaim in righteousness, and all His +judgments they will execute in justice, and they will make +manifest His ways unto the children of Jacob, and unto Israel His +paths." And unto Judah he spake, saying: "Be ye princes, thou and +one of thy sons, over the sons of Jacob. In thee shall be the +help of Jacob, and the salvation of Israel shall be found in +thee. And when thou sittest upon the throne of the glory of thy +justice, perfect peace shall reign over all the seed of the +children of my beloved Abraham." + +On the morrow, Isaac told his son that he would not accompany him +to Beth-el on account of his great age, but he bade him not delay +longer to fulfil his vow, and gave him permission to take his +mother Rebekah with him to the holy place. And Rebekah and her +nurse Deborah went to Beth-el with Jacob.[299] + + +JOY AND SORROW IN THE HOUSE OF JACOB + +Deborah, the nurse of Rebekah, and some of the servants of Isaac +had been sent to Jacob by his mother, while he still abode with +Laban, to summon him home at the end of his fourteen years' term +of service. As Jacob did not at once obey his mother's behest, +the two servants of Isaac returned to their master, but Deborah +remained with Jacob then and always. Therefore, when Deborah died +in Beth-el, Jacob mourned for her, and he buried her below +Beth-el under the palm-tree,[300] the same under which the +prophetess Deborah sat later, when the children of Israel came to +her for judgment.[301] + +But a short time elapsed after the death of the nurse Deborah, +and Rebekah died, too. Her passing away was not made the occasion +for public mourning. The reason was that, as Abraham was dead, +Isaac blind, and Jacob away from home, there remained Esau as the +only mourner to appear in public and represent her family, and +beholding that villain, it was feared, might tempt a looker-on to +cry out, "Accursed be the breasts that gave thee suck." To avoid +this, the burial of Rebekah took place at night. + +God appeared unto Jacob to comfort him in his grief,[302] and +with Him appeared the heavenly family. It was a sign of grace, +for all the while the sons of Jacob had been carrying idols with +them the Lord had not revealed Himself to Jacob.[303] At this +time God announced to Jacob the birth of Benjamin soon to occur, +and the birth of Manasseh and Ephraim, who also were to be +founders of tribes, and furthermore He told him that these three +would count kings among their descendants, Saul and Ish-bosheth, +of the seed of Benjamin, Jeroboam the Ephraimite, and Jehu of the +tribe of Manasseh. In this vision, God confirmed the change of +his name from Jacob to Israel, promised him by the angel with +whom he had wrestled on entering the Holy Land, and finally God +revealed to him that he would be the last of the three with whose +names the Name of God would appear united, for God is called only +the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, and +never the God of any one else.[304] + +In token of this revelation from God, Jacob set up a pillar of +stone, and he poured out a drink offering thereon, as in a later +day the priests were to offer libations in the Temple on the +Feast of Tabernacles,[305] and the libation brought by Jacob at +Beth-el was as much as all the waters in the Sea of +Tiberias.[306] + +At the time when Deborah and Rebekah died, occurred also the +death of Rachel, at the age of thirty-six,[307] but not before +her prayer was heard, that she bear Jacob a second son, for she +died in giving birth to Benjamin. Twelve years she had borne no +child, then she fasted twelve days, and her petition was granted +her. She brought forth the youngest son of Jacob, whom he called +Benjamin, the son of days, because he was born in his father's +old age,[308] and with him a twin sister was born.[309] + +Rachel was buried in the way to Ephrath, because Jacob, gifted +with prophetic spirit, foresaw that the exiles would pass this +place on their march to Babylon, and as they passed, Rachel would +entreat God's mercy for the poor outcasts.[310] + +Jacob journeyed on to Jerusalem.[311] + +During Rachel's lifetime, her couch had always stood in the tent +of Jacob. After her death, he ordered the couch of her handmaid +Bilhah to be carried thither. Reuben was sorely vexed thereat, +and he said, "Not enough that Rachel alive curtailed the rights +of my mother, she must needs give her annoyance also after +death!" He went and took the couch of his mother Leah and placed +it in Jacob's tent instead of Bilhah's couch.[312] Reuben's +brothers learned of his disrespectful act from Asher. He had +found it out in one way or another, and had told it to his +brethren, who ruptured their relations with him, for they would +have nothing to do with an informer, and they did not become +reconciled with Asher until Reuben himself confessed his +transgression.[313] For it was not long before Reuben recognized +that he had acted reprehensibly toward his father, and he fasted +and put on sackcloth, and repented of his misdeed. He was the +first among men to do penance, and therefore God said to him: +"Since the beginning of the world it hath not happened that a man +hath sinned and then repented thereof. Thou art the first to do +penance, and as thou livest, a prophet of thy seed, Hosea, shall +be the first to proclaim, 'O Israel, return.' "[314] + + +ESAU'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST JACOB + +When Isaac felt his end approaching, he called his two sons to +him, and charged them with his last wish and will, and gave them +his blessing. He said: "I adjure you by the exalted Name, the +praised, honored, glorious, immutable, and mighty One, who hath +made heaven and earth and all things together, that ye fear Him, +and serve Him, and each shall love his brother in mercy and +justice, and none wish evil unto the other, now and henceforth +unto all eternity, all the days of your life, that ye may enjoy +good fortune in all your undertakings, and that ye perish not." + +Furthermore he commanded them to bury him in the Cave of +Machpelah, by the side of his father Abraham, in the grave which +he had dug for himself with his own hands. Then he divided his +possessions between his two sons, giving Esau the larger portion, +and Jacob the smaller. But Esau said, "I sold my birthright to +Jacob, and I ceded it to him, and it belongs unto him." Isaac +rejoiced greatly that Esau acknowledged the rights of Jacob of +his own accord, and he closed his eyes in peace.[315] + +The funeral of Isaac was not disturbed by any unseemly act, for +Esau was sure of his heritage in accordance with the last wishes +expressed by his father. But when the time came to divide Isaac's +possessions between the two brothers, Esau said to Jacob, "Divide +the property of our father into two portions, but I as the elder +claim the right of choosing the portion I desire." What did Jacob +do? He knew well that "the eye of the wicked never beholds +treasures enough to satisfy it," so he divided their common +heritage in the following way: all the material possessions of +his father formed one portion, and the other consisted of Isaac's +claim upon the Holy Land, together with the Cave of Machpelah, +the tomb of Abraham and Isaac. Esau chose the money and the other +things belonging to Isaac for his inheritance, and to Jacob were +left the Cave and the title to the Holy Land. An agreement to +this effect was drawn up in writing in due form, and on the +strength of the document Jacob insisted upon Esau's leaving +Palestine. Esau acquiesced, and he and his wives and his sons and +daughters journeyed to Mount Seir, where they took up their +abode.[316] + +Though Esau gave way before Jacob for the nonce, he returned to +the land to make war upon his brother. Leah had just died, and +Jacob and the sons borne by Leah were mourning for her, and the +rest of his sons, borne unto him by his other wives, were trying +to comfort them, when Esau came upon them with a powerful host of +four thousand men, well equipped for war, clad in armor of iron +and brass, all furnished with bucklers, bows, and swords. They +surrounded the citadel wherein Jacob and his sons dwelt at that +time with their servants and children and households, for they +had all assembled to console Jacob for the death of Leah, and +they sat there unconcerned, none entertained a suspicion that an +assault upon them was meditated by any man. And the great army +had already encircled their castle, and still none within +suspected any harm, neither Jacob and his children nor the two +hundred servants. Now when Jacob saw that Esau presumed to make +war upon them, and sought to slay them in the citadel, and was +shooting darts at them, he ascended the wall of the citadel and +spake words of peace and friendship and brotherly love to Esau. +He said: "Is this the consolation which thou hast come to bring +me, to comfort me for my wife, who hath been taken by death? Is +this in accordance with the oath thou didst swear twice unto thy +father and thy mother before they died? Thou hast violated thy +oath, and in the hour when thou didst swear unto thy father, thou +wast judged." But Esau made reply: "Neither the children of men +nor the beasts of the field swear an oath to keep it unto all +eternity, but on every day they devise evil against one another, +when it is directed against an enemy, or when they seek to slay +an adversary. If the boar will change his skin and make his +bristles as soft as wool, or if he can cause horns to sprout +forth on his head like the horns of a stag or a ram, then shall I +observe the tie of brotherhood with thee." + +Then spoke Judah to his father Jacob, saying: "How long wilt thou +stand yet wasting words of peace and friendship upon him? And he +attacks us unawares, like an enemy, with his mail-clad warriors, +seeking to slay us." Hearing these words, Jacob grasped his bow +and killed Adoram the Edomite, and a second time he bent his bow, +and the arrow struck Esau upon the right thigh. The wound was +mortal, and his sons lifted Esau up and put him upon his ass, and +he came to Adora, and there he died. + +Judah made a sally to the south of the citadel, and with him were +Naphtali and Gad, aided by fifty of Jacob's servants; to the east +Levi and Dan went forth with fifty servants; Reuben, Issachar, +and Zebulon with fifty servants, to the north; and Simon, +Benjamin, and Enoch, the last the son of Reuben, with fifty +servants, to the west. Judah was exceedingly brave in battle. +Together with Naphtali and Gad he pressed forward into the ranks +of the enemy, and captured one of their iron towers. On their +bucklers they caught the sharp missiles hurled against them in +such numbers that the light of the sun was darkened by reason of +the rocks and darts and stones. Judah was the first to break the +ranks of the enemy, of whom he killed six valiant men, and he was +accompanied on the right by Naphtali and by Gad on the left. They +also hewed down two soldiers each, while their troop of servants +killed one man each. Nevertheless they did not succeed in forcing +the army away from the south of the citadel, not even when all +together, Judah and his brethren, made an united attack upon the +enemy, each of them picking out a victim and slaying him. And +they were still unsuccessful in a third combined attack, though +this time each killed two men. + +When Judah saw now that the enemy remained in possession of the +field, and it was impossible to dislodge them, he girded himself +with strength, and an heroic spirit animated him. Judah, +Naphtali, and Gad united, and together they pierced the ranks of +the enemy, Judah slaying ten of them, and his brothers each +eight. Seeing this, the servants took courage, and they joined +their leaders and fought at their side. Judah laid about him to +right and to left, always aided by Naphtali and Gad, and so they +succeeded in forcing the enemy one ris further to the south, away +from the citadel. But the hostile army recovered itself, and +maintained a brave stand against all the sons of Jacob, who were +faint from the hardships of the combat, and could not continue to +fight. Thereupon Judah turned to God in prayer, and God hearkened +unto his petition, and He helped them. He set loose a storm from +one of His treasure chambers, and it blew into the faces of the +enemy, and filled their eyes with darkness, and they could not +see how to fight. But Judah and his brothers could see clearly, +for the wind blew upon their backs. Now Judah and his two +brothers wrought havoc among them, they hewed the enemy down as +the reaper mows down the stalks of grain and heaps them up for +sheaves. + +After they had routed the division of the army assigned to them +on the south, they hastened to the aid of their brothers, who +were defending the east, north, and west of the citadel with +three companies. On each side the wind blew into the faces of the +enemy, and so the sons of Jacob succeeded in annihilating their +army. Four hundred were slain in battle, and six hundred fled, +among the latter Esau's four sons, Reuel, Jeush, Lotan, and +Korah. The oldest of his sons, Eliphaz, took no part in the war, +because he was a disciple of Jacob, and therefore would not bear +arms against him. + +The sons of Jacob pursued after the fleeing remnant of the army +as far as Adora. There the sons of Esau abandoned the body of +their father, and continued their flight to Mount Seir. But the +sons of Jacob remained in Adora over night, and out of respect +for their father they buried the remains of his brother Esau. In +the morning they went on in pursuit of the enemy, and besieged +them on Mount Seir. Now the sons of Esau and all the other +fugitives came and fell down before them, bowed down, and +entreated them without cease, until they concluded peace with +them. But the sons of Jacob exacted tribute from them.[317] + + +THE DESCENDANTS OF ESAU + +The worthiest among the sons of Esau was his first-born Eliphaz. +He had been raised under the eyes of his grandfather Isaac, from +whom he had learnt the pious way of life.[318] The Lord had even +found him worthy of being endowed with the spirit of prophecy, +for Eliphaz the son of Esau is none other than the prophet +Eliphaz, the friend of Job. It was from the life of the +Patriarchs that he drew the admonitions which he gave unto Job in +his disputes with him. Eliphaz spake: "Thou didst ween thyself +the equal of Abraham, and thou didst marvel, therefore, that God +should deal with thee as with the generation of the confusion of +tongues. But Abraham stood the test of ten temptations, and thou +faintest when but one toucheth thee. When any that was not whole +came to thee, thou wouldst console him. To the blind thou wouldst +say, If thou didst build thyself a house, thou wouldst surely put +windows in it, and if God hath denied thee light, it is but that +He may be glorified through thee in the day when 'the eyes of the +blind shall be opened.' To the deaf thou wouldst say, If thou +didst fashion a water pitcher, thou wouldst surely not forget to +make ears for it, and if God created thee without hearing, it is +but that He may be glorified through thee in the day when 'the +ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.' In such wise thou didst +endeavor to console the feeble and the maimed. But now it is come +unto thee, and thou art troubled. Thou sayest, I am an upright +man, why doth He chastise me? But who, I pray thee, ever +perished, being innocent? Noah was saved from the flood, Abraham +from the fiery furnace, Isaac from the slaughtering knife, Jacob +from angels, Moses from the sword of Pharaoh, and Israel from the +Egyptians that were drowned in the Sea. Thus shall all the wicked +fare." + +Job answered Eliphaz, and said, "Look at thy father Esau!" + +But Eliphaz returned: "I have nothing to do with him, the son +should not bear the iniquity of the father. Esau will be +destroyed, because he executed no good deeds, and likewise his +dukes will perish. But as for me, I am a prophet, and my message +is not unto Esau, but unto thee, to make thee render account of +thyself." But God rebuked Eliphaz, and said: "Thou didst speak +harsh words unto My servant Job. Therefore shall Obadiah, one of +thy descendants, utter a prophecy of denunciation against thy +father's house, the Edomites."[319] + +The concubine of Eliphaz was Timna, a princess of royal blood, +who had asked to be received into the faith of Abraham and his +family, but they all, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had rejected +her, and she said, "Rather will I be a maid servant unto the +dregs of this nation, than mistress of another nation," and so +she was willing to be concubine to Eliphaz. To punish the +Patriarchs for the affront they had offered her, she was made the +mother of Amalek, who inflicted great injury upon Israel.[320] + +Another one of Esau's descendants, Anah, had a most unusual +experience. Once when he was pasturing his father's asses in the +wilderness, he led them to one of the deserts on the shores of +the Red Sea, opposite the wilderness of the nations, and while he +was feeding the beasts, a very heavy storm came from the other +side of the sea, and the asses could not move. Then about one +hundred and twenty great and terrible animals came out from the +wilderness at the other side of the sea, and they all came to the +place where the asses were, and they placed themselves there. +From the middle down, these animals were in the shape of a man, +and from the middle up some had the likeness of bears, some of +apes, and they all had tails behind them like the tail of the +dukipat, from between their shoulders reaching down to the earth. +The animals mounted the asses, and they rode away with them, and +unto this day no eye hath seen them. One of them approached Anah, +and smote him with its tail, and then ran off. + +When Anah saw all this, he was exceedingly afraid on account of +his life, and he fled to the city, where he related all that had +happened to him. Many sallied forth to seek the asses, but none +could find them. Anah and his brothers went no more to the same +place from that day forth, for they were greatly afraid on +account of their lives.[321] + +This Anah was the offspring of an incestuous marriage; his mother +was at the same time the mother of his father Zibeon. And as he +was born of an unnatural union, so he tried to bring about +unnatural unions among animals. He was the first to mix the breed +of the horse and the ass and produce the mule. As a punishment, +God crossed the snake and the lizard, and they brought forth the +habarbar, whose bite is certain death, like the bite of the white +she-mule.[322] + +The descendants of Esau had eight kings before there reigned any +king over the descendants of Jacob. But a time came when the Jews +had eight kings during whose reign the Edomites had none and were +subject to the Jewish kings. This was the time that intervened +between Saul, the first Israelitish king, who ruled over Edom, +and Jehoshaphat, for Edom did not make itself independent of +Jewish rule until the time of Joram, the son of Jehoshaphat. +There was a difference between the kings of Esau's seed and the +kings of Jacob's seed. The Jewish people always produced their +kings from their own midst, while the Edomites had to go to alien +peoples to secure theirs.[323] The first Edomite king was the +Aramean Balaam,[324] called Bela in his capacity as ruler of +Edom. His successor Job, called Jobab also, came from Bozrah, and +for furnishing Edom with a king this city will be chastised in +time to come. When God sits in judgment on Edom, Bozrah will be +the first to suffer punishment.[325] + +The rule of Edom was of short duration, while the rule of Israel +will be unto all times, for the standard of the Messiah shall +wave forever and ever.[326] + + + + + +End of The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Legends of the Jews Volume 1 + diff --git a/old/1493.zip b/old/1493.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2d1c0e0 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1493.zip |