Sanhedrin

Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure:  Resh Lakish said: [It means] for him who leaves undone even a single statute.  R. Johanan said to him: It is not pleasing to their Master  that you say thus to them. But [say], who has not studied even a single statute. And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the Lord, two parts therein shall be cut off and die,' but the third shall be left therein.  Resh Lakish said: [This means] a third of the descendants of Shem.  Said R. Johanan to him: Their Master is not pleased that you say so of them. But [say thus:] a third even of all the descendants of Noah. For I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family.  Resh Lakish said: This is meant literally.  Said R. Johanan unto him: Their Master is not pleased that you say so of them.  But [say thus:] 'one of a city' [means that his virtues] shall benefit an entire city;  and 'two of a family' will benefit the entire family.  R. Kahana sat before Rab and stated: This is meant literally. Rab said to him: Their Master is not pleased that you say so of them. But [say thus:] 'one of a city' — shall benefit an entire city, and 'two of a family' — will benefit the entire family. He [Rab] then observed him dress his hair [instead of paying attention to his studies] and come and sit before Rab. Said he to him, And it shall not be found in the land of the living.  He exclaimed, 'You curse me!'  He replied, 'I but cite a verse, [which teaches,] The Torah shall not be found in one who attends to his own wants whilst studying it.' It has been taught: R. Simai said: It says, And I will take you to me for a people,'  and it is also said, And I will bring you in [unto the land etc.].  Their exodus from Egypt is thus likened to their entry into the [promised] land: just as at their entry into the [promised] land there were but two out of six hundred thousand,  so at their exodus from Egypt there were but two out of six hundred thousand.  Raba said: It shall be even so in the days of the Messiah, for it is said, And she shall sing there, as in the days of her youth, and as in the days when she came up out of the land of Egypt. It has been taught: R. Eleazar son of R. Jose said: I once visited Alexandria of Egypt and found an old man there, who said to me, 'Come, and I will shew thee what my ancestors did to thine: some of them they drowned in the sea, some they slew by the sword, and some they crushed in the buildings.'  And for this Moses was punished,  as it is said, For since I came to Pharaoh to speak in thy name, he hath done evil to this people,' neither hast thou delivered thy people at all.  Thereupon the Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, 'Alas for those who are gone and no more to be found! For how many times did I reveal Myself to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob by the name of El Shaddai,  and they did not question my character,  nor say to Me, What is Thy name? I said to Abraham, Arise, walk through the land in the length of it, and in the breadth of it,' for I will give it unto thee:  yet when he sought a place to bury Sarah, he did not find one, but had to purchase it for four hundred silver shekels; and still he did not question My character. I said to Isaac, Sojourn in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless thee:  yet his servants sought water to drink, and did not find it without its being disputed, as it is said, And the herdmen of Gerar did strive with Isaac's herdmen saying, The water is our's;  still he did not question My character. I said to Jacob, The land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed:  yet he sought a place to pitch his tent and did not find one until he purchased it for an hundred kesitah;  nevertheless he did not question My character; nor did they say to me, What is Thy name?  And now thou sayest to Me, Neither hast thou delivered thy people at all. [Therefore] Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh:  thou shalt behold the war against Pharaoh, but not the war against the thirty one kings.' And Moses made haste, and bowed his head toward the earth, and worshipped.  What did Moses see?  — R. Hanina b. Gamala  said: He saw long-suffering [as one of His attributes].  The Rabbis say: He saw [His attribute of] truth.  It has been taught in agreement with the one who holds that 'he saw long-suffering,' viz.,  When Moses ascended on high, he found the Holy One, blessed be He, sitting and writing 'long-suffering'. Said he to Him, 'Sovereign of the Universe! Long-suffering to the righteous?' He replied, 'Even' to the wicked.' He urged, 'Let the wicked perish!' 'See now what thou desirest,' was His answer.  'When Israel sinned,' He said to him, 'didst thou not urge Me, [Let Thy] long-suffering be for the righteous [only]?'