ደባሪም ራባ — ሚድራሽ

ደባሪም ራባ

ደባሪም ራባ — ሚድራሽ በBeth HaMidrash ላይ፦ የዕብራይስጥ ጽሑፍና የአማርኛ ትርጉሙ፣ ከራሺና ከታላላቆቹ ተንታኞች ጋር። ነጻ፣ በመስመር ላይ።

אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים (דברים א, א), הֲלָכָה אָדָם מִיִּשְׂרָאֵל מַהוּ שֶׁיְהֵא מֻתָּר לוֹ לִכְתֹּב סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן וכו', כָּךְ שָׁנוּ חֲכָמִים אֵין בֵּין סְפָרִים לִתְפִלִּין וּמְזוּזוֹת אֶלָּא שֶׁהַסְּפָרִים נִכְתָּבִים בְּכָל לָשׁוֹן. רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל אוֹמֵר אַף הַסְּפָרִים לֹא הִתִּירוּ שֶׁיִּכָּתְבוּ אֶלָּא יְוָנִית. וּמַה טַּעְמוֹ שֶׁל רַבָּן גַּמְלִיאֵל שֶׁאוֹמֵר מֻתָּר לִכְתֹּב סֵפֶר תּוֹרָה יְוָנִית, כָּךְ לָמְדוּ רַבּוֹתֵינוּ, אָמַר בַּר קַפָּרָא דִּכְתִיב (בראשית ט, כז): יַפְתְּ אֱלֹהִים לְיֶפֶת וְיִשְׁכֹּן בְּאָהֳלֵי שֵׁם, שֶׁיִּהְיוּ דְּבָרָיו שֶׁל שֵׁם נֶאֱמָרִין בִּלְשׁוֹנוֹתָיו שֶׁל יֶפֶת, לְכָךְ הִתִּירוּ שֶׁיִּכָּתְבוּ בְּלָשׁוֹן יְוָנִית. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא רְאֵה לְשׁוֹנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה מַה חֲבִיבָה שֶׁמְרַפֵּא אֶת הַלָּשׁוֹן, מִנַּיִן, שֶׁכֵּן כְּתִיב (משלי טו, ד): מַרְפֵּא לָשׁוֹן עֵץ חַיִּים, וְאֵין עֵץ חַיִּים אֶלָּא תּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (משלי ג, יח): עֵץ חַיִּים הִיא לַמַּחֲזִיקִים בָּהּ. וּלְשׁוֹנָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה מַתִּיר אֶת הַלָּשׁוֹן, תֵּדַע לְךָ לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַעֲלֶה מִגַּן עֵדֶן אִילָנוֹת מְשֻׁבָּחִים, וּמָה הוּא שִׁבְחָן, שֶׁהֵן מְרַפְּאִין אֶת הַלָּשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל מז, יב): וְעַל הַנַּחַל יַעֲלֶה עַל שְׂפָתוֹ מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה וגו'. מִנַּיִן שֶׁהִיא רְפוּאָה שֶׁל לָשׁוֹן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל מז, יב): וְהָיָה פִרְיוֹ לְמַאֲכָל וְעָלֵהוּ לִתְרוּפָה. רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי חַד אָמַר לִתְרַפְיוֹן, וְחַד אָמַר כָּל שֶׁהוּא אִלֵּם וְלוֹעֵט הֵימֶנּוּ לְשׁוֹנוֹ מִתְרַפֵּא וּמְצַחְצְחָה מִיָּד בְּדִבְרֵי תוֹרָה, שֶׁכָּךְ כְּתִיב: מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה, וְאֵין מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה אֶלָּא תוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות לב, טו): מִזֶּה וּמִזֶּה הֵם כְּתֻבִים. רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר מַה לָּנוּ לִלְמֹד מִמָּקוֹם אַחֵר נִלְמַד מִמְּקוֹמוֹ, הֲרֵי משֶׁה עַד שֶׁלֹא זָכָה לַתּוֹרָה כְּתִיב בּוֹ (שמות ד, י): לֹא אִישׁ דְּבָרִים אָנֹכִי, כֵּיוָן שֶׁזָּכָה לַתּוֹרָה נִתְרַפֵּא לְשׁוֹנוֹ וְהִתְחִיל לְדַבֵּר דְּבָרִים, מִנַיִן, מִמַּה שֶּׁקָּרִינוּ בָּעִנְיָן, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר משֶׁה.“These are the words that Moses spoke to all Israel beyond the Jordan; in the wilderness, in the Arava, opposite the Red Sea, between Paran and Tofel, and Laban, and Hatzerot, and Di Zahav” (Deuteronomy 1:1). “These are the words” – halakha: Is it permissible for a person of Israel to write a Torah scroll in any language? This is what the sages taught: The difference between Torah scrolls and phylacteries and mezuzot is only that Torah scrolls may be written in any language. Rabban Gamliel says: Even Torah scrolls, the Sages permitted to be written only in Greek. What is the source for Rabban Gamliel who says that it is permitted to write a Torah scroll in Greek? This is what our Rabbis learned: Bar Kappara said: It is written: “May God expand Yefet, and may he dwell in the tents of Shem” (Genesis 9:27) – let the words of Shem be stated in the language of Yefet. That is why they permitted them to write it in Greek. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘See the language of the Torah, how dear it is, that it cures the tongue.’ From where is it derived? As it is written: “A healing tongue is a tree of life” (Proverbs 15:4), and a tree of life is nothing but Torah, as it is stated: “It is a tree of life for those who grasp it” (Proverbs 3:18). The language of the Torah unencumbers the tongue. Know that in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will take up excellent trees from the Garden of Eden. What is their excellence? It is that they cure the tongue, as it is stated: “Along the stream, upon its bank, on this side and on that side, [will grow every food tree]” (Ezekiel 47:12). From where is it derived that it is a cure for the tongue? As it is stated: “Its fruit will be for food and its leaf for healing” (Ezekiel 47:12). Rabbi Yoḥanan and Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi, one said: ‘It is a medicine,’ and one said: ‘Anyone who is mute and tastes of it, his tongue will be cured and it will immediately articulate matters of Torah,’ as so it is written: “on this side and on that side,” and [the phrase] “on this side and on that side” is [a reference to] nothing other than Torah, as it is stated: “[Tablets that were inscribed on both sides,] from this side and from that side they were inscribed” (Exodus 32:15). Rabbi Levi said: Why should we learn from elsewhere? Let us learn from its own place, as Moses, before he was privileged to receive the Torah, it is written in his regard: “I am not a man of words” (Exodus 4:10). When he was privileged to receive the Torah, his tongue was cured and he began speaking words. From where is it derived? From what we read in this context: “These are the words that Moses spoke.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (משלי כח, כג): מוֹכִיחַ אָדָם אַחֲרַי חֵן יִמְצָא מִמַּחֲלִיק לָשׁוֹן, רַבִּי פִּינְחָס בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי חָמָא בַּר חֲנִינָא אָמַר: מוֹכִיחַ זֶה משֶׁה, אָדָם אֵלּוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לד, לא): וְאַתֵּן צֹאנִי צֹאן מַרְעִיתִי אָדָם אַתֶּם, מַהוּ אַחֲרַי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בִּשְׁבִיל לַהֲבִיאָן אַחֲרַי. חֵן יִמְצָא זֶה משֶׁה, דִּכְתִיב (שמות לג, יב): וְגַם מָצָאתָ חֵן בְּעֵינָי. מִמַּחֲלִיק לָשׁוֹן, זֶה בִּלְעָם, שֶׁהֶחֱלִיק בִּנְבוּאוֹתָיו וְגָבַהּ לִבָּם וְנָפְלוּ בַּשִּׁטִּים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, מוֹכִיחַ אָדָם אַחֲרַי, אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן, מַהוּ אַחֲרַי, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל משֶׁה הוֹכִיחַנִי אַחַר יִשְׂרָאֵל וְהוֹכִיחַ לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אַחֲרַי, לְיִשְׂרָאֵל אָמַר (שמות לב, ל): אַתֶּם חֲטָאתֶם, לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר (שמות לב, יא): לָמָּה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ. מַהוּ לָמָּה, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק בְּשָׁעָה שֶׁעָשׂוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת הָעֵגֶל בִּקֵּשׁ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְכַלּוֹת שׂוֹנְאֵיהֶן שֶׁל יִשְׂרָאֵל, אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם הָעֵגֶל הַזֶּה טוֹב הוּא לְסַיֵּיעַ לְךָ, אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מַה מְּסַיֵּיעַ לִי, אָמַר לוֹ משֶׁה אִם אַתָּה מוֹרִיד גְּשָׁמִים הוּא מַפְרִיחַ טְלָלִים, אַתָּה מוֹצִיא אֶת הָרוּחוֹת וְהוּא אֶת הַבְּרָקִים. אָמַר לוֹ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַף אַתָּה טוֹעֶה בָּעֵגֶל, אָמַר לְפָנָיו רִבּוֹנוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם אֶלָּא לָמָּה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ. וּלְיִשְׂרָאֵל הוּא אוֹמֵר: אַתֶּם חֲטָאתֶם חֲטָאָה גְדֹלָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בְּרַבִּי סִימוֹן מָשָׁל לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁכָּעַס עַל אִשְׁתּוֹ טְרָפָהּ וְהוֹצִיאָהּ מִבֵּיתוֹ, שָׁמְעוּ בּוֹ הַשּׁוֹשְׁבִינִין הָלְכוּ אֵצֶל הַמֶּלֶךְ וְאָמְרוּ לוֹ הָא מָרִי כָּךְ אָדָם עוֹשֶׂה לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, מֶה עָשְׂתָה לְךָ. וְהָלְכוּ אֶצְלָהּ וְאָמְרוּ לָהּ עַד אֵימַת אַתְּ מַכְעֶסֶת אוֹתוֹ, קַדְמוּתֵךָ הוּא תִּנְיָנוּתֵךְ הוּא. אַף משֶׁה כְּשֶׁהָלַךְ אֵצֶל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אָמַר לוֹ: לָמָּה ה' יֶחֱרֶה אַפְּךָ בְּעַמֶּךָ, לֹא בָנֶיךָ הֵם. וּכְשֶׁהָלַךְ אֵצֶל יִשְׂרָאֵל אָמַר לָהֶן עַד אֵימַת אַתֶּם מַכְעִיסִים אוֹתוֹ, קַדְמוּתְכוֹן הוּא תִּנְיָנוּתְכוֹן הוּא. וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים א, א): בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף.Another matter: “These are the words” – this is what the verse said: “One who rebukes a man will later find more favor than one with a slippery tongue” (Proverbs 28:23). Rabbi Pinḥas said in the name of Rabbi Ḥama bar Ḥanina: “One who rebukes” – this is Moses. “A man” – this is Israel, as it is stated: “You are My flock, flock of My pasture, you are man” (Ezekiel 34:31). What is “later [aḥarai]”? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘In order to bring them after Me [aḥarai].’ “Will…find…favor” – this is Moses, as it is written: “And you also found favor in My eyes” (Exodus 33:12). “Than one with a slippery tongue” – this is Bilam, who was slippery-tongued in his prophecies, and they [the Israelites] became haughty and stumbled in Shitim. Another matter, “one who rebukes a man will later [aḥarai]” – Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: What is aḥarai? The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Moses, as it were, rebuked Me to follow Israel, and rebuked Israel to follow Me [aḥarai].’ To Israel, he said: “You have sinned” (Exodus 32:30). To the Holy One blessed be He, he said: “Why should Your wrath be enflamed against Your people?” (Exodus 32:11). What is “why”? Rabbi Yitzḥak said: When Israel crafted the calf, the Holy One blessed be He sought to eradicate Israel’s enemies. Moses said to Him: ‘Master of the universe, this calf is useful to assist You.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘In what way can it assist Me?’ Moses said to Him: ‘If You cause the rain to fall, it can cause the dew to rise; You can produce the winds, and it, the lightning.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Are you, too, straying after the calf?’ Moses said before Him: ‘Then, “why should Your wrath be enflamed against Your people?”’ To Israel he said: “You have sinned a great sin” (Exodus 32:30). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: To what is this matter comparable? To a king who became angry at his wife. He struck her and expelled her from his house. The groomsmen heard about this. They went to the king and said to him: ‘Oh, my lord, is this what a man does to his wife? What did she do to you?’ They went to her and said to her: ‘Until when will you anger him? Is it your first time? Is it your second time?’ Moses, too, when he went to the Holy One blessed be He, he said to Him: ‘“Why should your wrath be enflamed against your people,” are they not Your children?’ When he went to Israel, he said to them: ‘Until when will you anger Him? Is it your first time? Is it your second time?’ Likewise it says: “In the wilderness, in the Arava, opposite the Red Sea.”

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר משֶׁה, זֶה שֶׁאָמַר הַכָּתוּב (תהלים נ, כא): אֵלֶּה עָשִׂיתָ וְהֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי דִּמִּיתָ הֱיוֹת אֶהְיֶה כָמוֹךָ וגו', מַהוּ אֵלֶּה עָשִׂיתָ וְהֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי, אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמָן (שמות לב, ד): אֵלֶּה אֱלֹהֶיךָ יִשְׂרָאֵל, עֲשִׂיתֶם בַּמִּדְבָּר וְהֶחֱרַשְׁתִּי לָכֶם, לָמָּה, שֶׁהָיָה משֶׁה מְפַיֵּס עָלַי וְאוֹמֵר לִי (במדבר יד, יט): סְלַח נָא, וְשָׁמַעְתִּי לוֹ. דִּמִּיתָ הֱיוֹת אֶהְיֶה כָמוֹךָ, דִּמִּיתֶם אֶת הַצּוּרָה לְיוֹצְרָהּ, וְאֶת הַנְּטִיעָה לְמִי שֶׁנְּטָעָהּ, (תהלים נ, כא): אוֹכִיחֲךָ וְאֶעֶרְכָה לְעֵינֶיךָ, תְּרֵין אָמוֹרָאִין, חַד אָמַר אֲעוֹרֵר כֹּל לְעֵינֶיךָ. וְחַד אָמַר אַסְדִּיר כֹּל לְעֵינֶיךָ. אָמַר לָהֶם משֶׁה אֵינִי מוֹכִיחַ אֶתְכֶם עַל מַה שֶּׁאַתֶּם עֲתִידִים לַעֲשׂוֹת אֶלָּא עַל מַה שֶּׁעֲשִׂיתֶם לְשֶׁעָבַר (דברים א, א): בַּמִּדְבָּר בָּעֲרָבָה מוֹל סוּף.Another matter: “These are the words that Moses spoke” – this is what the verse said: “You have done these, and I was silent. Did you think I was like you…?” (Psalms 50:21). What is “You have done these [eleh] and I was silent”? Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: [God said:] ‘You performed [the sin of stating:] “This is [eleh] your god, Israel” (Exodus 32:4) in the wilderness and I was silent to you. Why? It is because Moses was appeasing Me and saying to Me: “Please forgive […this people]” (Numbers 14:19), and I listened to him.’ “Did you think I was like you” – you likened a form to its Creator, and the plant to the One who planted it. “[Did you think I was like you,] that I would reprove you and set it [ve’e’erkha] before your eyes?” (Psalms 50:21). Two amora’im, one said: I will arouse [a’orer] it all before you, and one said: I will arrange it all before you. Moses said to them: ‘I am not rebuking you regarding what you are destined to perform, but rather, regarding what you performed in the past – “in the wilderness, in the Arava, opposite the Red Sea.”’

דָּבָר אַחֵר אֵלֶּה הַדְּבָרִים. אָמַר רַבִּי אֲחָא בְּרַבִּי חֲנִינָא רְאוּיוֹת הָיוּ הַתּוֹכָחוֹת לוֹמַר מִפִּי בִּלְעָם, וְהַבְּרָכוֹת מִפִּי משֶׁה, אֶלָּא אִלּוּ הוֹכִיחָם בִּלְעָם, הָיוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אוֹמְרִים שׂוֹנֵא מוֹכִיחֵנוּ, וְאִלּוּ בֵּרְכָם משֶׁה, הָיוּ אֻמּוֹת הָעוֹלָם אוֹמְרִים אוֹהֲבָן בֵּרְכָן. אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא יוֹכִיחָן משֶׁה שֶׁאוֹהֲבָן, וִיבָרְכָן בִּלְעָם שֶׁשֹּׂוֹנְאָם, כְּדֵי שֶׁיִּתְבָּרְרוּ הַבְּרָכוֹת וְהַתּוֹכָחוֹת בְּיַד יִשְׂרָאֵל.Another matter: “These are the words” – Rabbi Aḥa ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: The rebukes should have been said from the mouth of Bilam, and the blessings from the mouth of Moses; however, had Bilam rebuked them, Israel would have said: ‘An enemy is rebuking us.’ Had Moses blessed them, the nations of the world would have said: ‘The one who loves them is blessing them.’ The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Let Moses, who loves them, rebuke them, and Bilam, who hates them, bless them, so that it will be unquestionable that the blessings and the rebukes are deserved by Israel.’

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר הוֹכִיחָן הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה מוֹכִיחֵנוּ משֶׁה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (במדבר טז, טו): לֹא חֲמוֹר אֶחָד מֵהֶם נָשָׂאתִי, לָזֶה נָאֶה לְהוֹכִיחַ אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (שמות יח, יא): עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי כִּי גָדוֹל ה' וגו', הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה אוֹמֵר עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי, אֶלָּא יִתְרוֹ שֶׁהָיָה יוֹדֵעַ, שֶׁחִזֵּר עַל כָּל בָּתֵּי עֲבוֹדַת כּוֹכָבִים שֶׁבָּעוֹלָם וְלֹא מָצָא בָהֶם מַמָּשׁ וְאַחַר כָּךְ בָּא וְנִתְגַּיֵּר, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר עַתָּה יָדַעְתִּי. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (קהלת א, ב): הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה אֵין לוֹ פְּרוּטָה לֶאֱכֹל וְהוּא אוֹמֵר הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים, אֶלָּא שְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (מלכים א י, כז): וַיִּתֵּן הַמֶּלֶךְ אֶת הַכֶּסֶף בִּיְרוּשָׁלָיִם כַּאֲבָנִים, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר הֲבֵל הֲבָלִים. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (קהלת ג, יא): אֶת הַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה לֹא אָכַל מְאוּמָה מִיָּמָיו וְהוּא אוֹמֵר אֶת הַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ, אֶלָּא שְׁלֹמֹה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (מלכים א ה, ז): וְכִלְכְּלוּ הַנִּצָבִים הָאֵלֶּה וגו' וְלֹא יְעַדְּרוּ דָּבָר, מַאי וְלֹא יְעַדְּרוּ דָּבָר, אָמַר רַבִּי חָמָא בְּר' חֲנִינָא שֶׁהָיוּ מְבִיאִין לוֹ תְּרָדִין בִּימוֹת הַחַמָּה וְקִשּׁוּאִין בִּימוֹת הַגְּשָׁמִים, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר אֶת הַכֹּל עָשָׂה יָפֶה בְעִתּוֹ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (דניאל ד, לב): וְכָל דָּיְרֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה לֹא שָׁלַט עַל שְׁנֵי זְבוּבִין מִיָּמָיו וְהוּא אוֹמֵר וְכָל דָּיְרֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין, אֶלָּא נְבוּכַדְנֶצַּר שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (דניאל ב, לח): וּבְכָל דִּי דָאְרִין בְּנֵי אֲנָשָׁא חֵיוַת בְּרָא וְעוֹף שְׁמַיָא יְהַב בִּידָךְ וְהַשְׁלְטָךְ בְּכָלְּהוֹן, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר וְכָל דָּיְרֵי אַרְעָא כְּלָה חֲשִׁיבִין. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִלּוּ אַחֵר אוֹמֵר (דברים לב, ד): הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ, הָיוּ אוֹמְרִים זֶה אֵינוֹ יוֹדֵעַ טִיבָהּ שֶׁל מִדַּת הַדִּין, וְהוּא אוֹמֵר הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ, אֶלָּא משֶׁה שֶׁכָּתוּב בּוֹ (תהלים קג, ז): יוֹדִיעַ דְּרָכָיו לְמשֶׁה, לָזֶה נָאֶה לוֹמַר הַצּוּר תָּמִים פָּעֳלוֹ.Another matter, had another rebuked them, they would have said: ‘This is the one rebuking us?’ Moses, in whose regard it is written: “I did not take even a single donkey from them” (Numbers 16:15), that is the one appropriate to rebuke Israel. Another matter, if another would have said: “[Yitro said…] Now I know that the Lord is greater [than all the gods]” (Exodus 18:10–11), they would have said: ‘This is the one saying “now I know”?’ But Yitro, who knew, who circulated among all the houses of idol worship in the world and did not find any substance in them, and then came to convert, that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “Now I know.” Another matter, if another would have said: “Vanity of vanities, [all is vanity]” (Ecclesiastes 1:2), they would say: ‘This one does not have a peruta [to buy food] to eat, and he says “vanity of vanities”?’ But Solomon, in whose regard it is written: “The king caused silver to be in Jerusalem like stones” (I Kings 10:27), that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “Vanity of vanities.” Another matter, if another would have said: “He made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11), they would say: ‘This one did not eat anything in all his days, and he says: “He made everything beautiful in its time”?’ But in regard of Solomon, it is written: “These officials provisioned King Solomon…they did not leave anything lacking” (I Kings 5:7); what is “they did not leave anything lacking”? Rabbi Ḥama ben Rabbi Ḥanina said: They would bring him beets in the summer and cucumbers in the rainy season; that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “He made everything beautiful in its time.” Another matter, if another would have said: “All the inhabitants of the earth are considered as nothing” (Daniel 4:32), they would say: ‘This one never ruled over two flies in all his days, and he says: “All the inhabitants of the earth are considered as nothing”?’ But Nebuchadnezzar, in whose regard it is written: “And everywhere the sons of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens dwell, He has given into your hand and set your rule over all of them” (Daniel 2:38), that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “All the inhabitants of the earth are considered as nothing.” Another matter, if another would have said: “The Rock, His actions are perfect” (Deuteronomy 32:4), they would say: ‘This one does not know the about the essence of the attribute of justice, and he says: “The Rock, His actions are perfect”?’ But Moses, in whose regard it is written: “He informed Moses of His ways” (Psalms 103:7), that is the one for whom it was appropriate to say: “The Rock, His actions are perfect.”

Devarim Rabbah 1