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diff --git a/old/1493.txt b/old/1493.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e78e6b --- /dev/null +++ b/old/1493.txt @@ -0,0 +1,13087 @@ +The Project Gutenberg Etext of The Legends of the Jews Volume 1 +by Louis Ginzberg + + +Copyright laws are changing all over the world, be sure to check +the copyright laws for your country before posting these files!! + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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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 + |