Pesachim

and heat it without,1 and will thus perform a double miracle.2 Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to him, ‘Go down.’ It was then that Gabriel commenced [with praise] and said, ‘And the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.’ R. Nathan said: it was the fish in the sea who said, ‘and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever,’ this being in accordance with R. Huna. For R. Huna said: The Israelites of that generation [sc. of the Egyptian exodus] were men of little faith, and as Rabbah b. Mari expounded: What is taught by the verse, But they were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea?3 This teaches that in that moment the Israelites were rebellious and said: Just as we ascend at one side [of the sea] so do the Egyptians ascend from another. Whereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, ordered the Prince of the Sea,4 ‘Spue them forth on to the dry land.’ Said he to Him, ‘Sovereign of the Universe! Does a master make a gift to his servant and then take it back from him!’ ‘I will give you one and a half times their number,’ He replied. ‘Sovereign of the Universe, he pleaded, ‘can a servant claim [a debt] from his Master!’ ‘Let the brook of Kishon be surety for Me,’ He answered. Straightway he spewed them forth on to the dry land, and Israel came and saw them, as it is said, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the sea-shore.5 What is [this allusion to] ‘one and a half times their number’? For in the case of Pharaoh it is written, [and he took] six hundred chosen chariots,6 whereas in the case of Sisera it is written, [And Sisera gathered . . . ] nine hundred chariots of iron.7 When Sisera came [to fight Israel] he advanced against them with iron staves. Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, brought forth the stars out of their orbits against them, as it is written, The stars in their courses fought against Sisera.8 As soon as the stars of heaven descended upon them they heated those iron staves . So they went down to cool them and to refresh themselves in the brook of Kishon. Said the Holy One, blessed be He, to the brook of Kishon, ‘Go and deliver your pledge.’ Straightway the brook of Kishon swept them out and cast them into the sea, as it is said, The brook Kishon swept them away, that ancient brook.9 What does ‘that ancient brook’ mean? The brook that became a surety in ancient times. In that hour the fish in the sea opened [their mouths] and exclaimed, ‘and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever.’ R. Simeon b. Lakish said, What means ‘Who maketh the barren woman [‘akereth ] to dwell in her house’?10 The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One, blessed be He, ‘Sovereign of the Universe! Thy sons have made me like a weasel that dwells in the vaults [‘ikare]11 of houses.’12 Raba lectured, What means, I love that the Lord should hear [my voice and my supplications]?13 The congregation of Israel said: Sovereign of the Universe! When am I loved by Thee? When Thou hearest the voice of my supplications. I was brought low [dallothi], and He saved me.14 The congregation of Israel spoke before the Holy One, blessed be He, Sovereign of the Universe! Though I am poor [dallah] in religious deeds, yet I am Thine, and it is fitting that I should be saved. R. Kahana said: When R. Ishmael son of R. Jose fell sick, Rabbi sent to him: Tell us two or three things which you have said to us in your father's name. He sent back to him, Thus did my father say: What is meant by the verse, O praise the Lord, all ye nations:15 What business have the nations of the world here?16 This is its meaning: ‘O praise the Lord, all ye nations’ for the mighty and wondrous deeds which He wrought for them; all the more we, since ‘His mercy is great toward us.’ Furthermore [he sent word to him]: Egypt is destined to bring a gift to the Messiah. He will think not to accept it from them, but the Holy One, blessed be He, will instruct him, ‘Accept it from them: they furnished hospitality to My children in Egypt.’ Immediately, ‘Nobles shall come out of Egypt [bringing gifts].17 Then Ethiopia shall argue with herself: If those [the Egyptians] who enslaved them are thus [treated], how much the more we, who did not enslave them! At that the Holy One, blessed be He, shall bid him: ‘Accept it from then,.’ Straightway, ‘Ethiopia shall hasten to stretch out her hands unto God.’18 Then shall the wicked Roman State argue with herself: If those who are not their brethren are thus [accepted], how much the more we, their brethren.19 But the Holy One, blessed be He, will say to Gabriel: Rebuke the wild beast of the reeds [kaneh]; the multitude of [‘adath] the bulls:20 rebuke the wild beast [Rome] and take thee possession [keneh] of the congregation [‘edah].21 Another interpretation: rebuke the wild beast of the reeds, i.e.. that dwells among the reeds, as it is written, The boar out of the wood doth ravage it, that which moveth in the field feedeth on it.22 R. Hiyya b. Abba interpreted it in R. Johanan's name: Rebuke the wild beast all of whose actions may be recorded with the same pen.23 ‘The multitude of the bulls [abbirim], with the calves of the people’:24 that means that they slaughtered the valiant [abbirim] like calves which have no owners.25 ‘Everyone opening his hand with the desire of money’:26 they stretch out their hand to accept the money, but do not carry out its owners’ wishes. ‘He hath scattered the people that delight in approaches’: what caused Israel to be scattered among the nations? The approaches [to the nations] which they desired.27 He also sent to him: There are three hundred and sixty five thoroughfares in the great city of Rome, and in each there were three hundred and sixty five palaces; and in each palace there were three hundred and sixty five storeys,28 and each storey contained sufficient to provide the whole world with food.29 R. Simeon b. Rabbi asked Rabbi — others say, R. Ishmael son of R. Jose asked Rabbi — For whom are all these [other storeys]? — For you, your companions and acquaintances, as it is said, And her gain and her hire shall be holiness to the Lord,’ it shall not be stored nor treasured; for her gain shall be for them that dwell before the Lord.30 What does ‘it shall not be stored’ mean? — R. Joseph learned: ‘It shall not be stored’ refers to a storehouse [granary]; ‘nor treasured,’ to a treasure house.31 What means ‘for them that dwell before the Lord’? — Said R. Eleazar: less worthy children she is ashamed of the daylight but must hide like the weasels in the dark vaults of houses. interpretation is probably connected with the midrash that when Solomon married Pharaoh's daughter an angel planted a large reed in the sea whereon Rome was built (Midrash Rabbah on Cant. 1, 6). evil to Israel. razon, desire; the money that is given to ensure the fulfilment of one's wishes. E.V.: Every one submitting himself with pieces of silver. second Temples respectively, instead of desiring war, they would not have gone into exile. three hundred and sixty five days.