במדבר רבה ט׳Bamidbar Rabbah 9

Section 1א׳

אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי תִשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ וגו' (במדבר ה, יב), הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (דברים לב, יח): צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי וגו', צוּר יְלָדְךָ, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (איוב כד, טו): וְעֵין נֹאֵף שָׁמְרָה נֶשֶׁף וגו', הַנּוֹאֵף אוֹמֵר אֵין בְּרִיָה יוֹדַעַת בִּי, לְפִי שֶׁכָּל מַעֲשָׂיו אֵינָן אֶלָּא בַּחשֶׁךְ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי ז, ח ט): עֹבֵר בַּשּׁוּק אֵצֶל פִּנָהּ וְדֶרֶךְ בֵּיתָהּ יִצְעָד, בְּנֶשֶׁף בְּעֶרֶב יוֹם בְּאִישׁוֹן לַיְלָה וַאֲפֵלָה, הוּא סָבוּר לְפִי שֶׁעוֹשֶׂה מַעֲשָׂיו בַּחשֶׁךְ שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא יֵדַע בּוֹ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (ישעיה כט, טו): הוֹי הַמַּעֲמִיקִים מֵה' לַסְתִּר עֵצָה וְהָיָה בְמַחְשָׁךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם וַיֹּאמְרוּ מִי רֹאֵנוּ וּמִי יֹדְעֵנוּ, שֶׁכֵּן דֶּרֶךְ כָּל עוֹבְרֵי עֲבֵרָה הֵם חוֹשְׁבִים שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לֹא יִרְאֶה בְּמַעֲשֵׂיהֶם, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (איוב כב, יב טו): הֲלֹא אֱלוֹהַּ גֹּבַהּ שָׁמָיִם וּרְאֵה רֹאשׁ כּוֹכָבִים כִּי רָמוּ, וְאָמַרְתָּ מַה יָּדַע אֵל וגו' עָבִים סֵתֶר לוֹ וְלֹא יִרְאֶה וגו' הַאֹרַח עוֹלָם תִּשְׁמוֹר וגו', וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר: וְעֵין נֹאֵף שָׁמְרָה נֶשֶׁף לֵאמֹר לֹא תְשׁוּרֵנִי עָיִן. אֵינוֹ אוֹמֵר לֹא יִרְאַנִי אָדָם, אֶלָּא לֹא תְשׁוּרֵנִי עָיִן, לֹא עַיִן שֶׁל מַטָּה וְלֹא עַיִן שֶׁל מַעְלָה. מַהוּ (איוב כד, טו): וְסֵתֶר פָּנִים יָשִׂים, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁהוּא יוֹשֵׁב סֵתֶר, יָשִׂים פָּנִים שֶׁל נוֹאֵף בְּאוֹתוֹ הָעֻבָּר, לְפִי שֶׁהַנּוֹאֵף וְהַנּוֹאֶפֶת רוֹצִין שֶׁלֹא תִתְעַבֵּר אֶלָּא שֶׁיַּעֲשׂוּ תַּאֲוָתָן בִּלְבָד, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְפַרְסְמָן בָּעוֹלָם כְּדֵי שֶׁיֵּדְעוּ הַבְּרִיוֹת וְיֹאמְרוּ פָּנִים שֶׁל זֶה הֵם פְּנֵי הַנּוֹאֵף, שֶׁצָּר צוּרַת הָעֻבָּר בִּדְמוּת הַנּוֹאֵף, הֱוֵי: וְסֵתֶר פָּנִים יָשִׂים. וּלְפִיכָךְ נִקְרָא זִמָּה, לְפִי שֶׁהֵן כּוֹפְרִין שְׁנֵיהֶם וְאוֹמְרִים לֹא עָבַרְנוּ עֲבֵרָה, וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת אוֹמְרִים אִם כֵּן זֶה מַהוּ, וְלֹא תֹאמַר בִּזְמַן שֶׁהִיא מִתְעַבֶּרֶת מִן הַנּוֹאֵף אוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה דּוֹמָה צוּרַת הַוָּלָד לְצוּרַף הַנּוֹאֵף, אֶלָּא אֲפִלּוּ הִיא מְעֻבֶּרֶת מִבַּעֲלָהּ וּבָא עָלֶיהָ הַנּוֹאֵף, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מְהַפֵּךְ צוּרַת הַוָּלָד לְצוּרַת הַנּוֹאֵף, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (דברים לב, יח): צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי, אָמַר רַבִּי יִצְחָק הַנּוֹאֵף הַזֶּה כִּבְיָכוֹל מְרַשֵּׁל כֹּחַ הַשְּׁכִינָה, כֵּיצַד הָעֻבָּר שֶׁהִיא מִתְעַבֶּרֶת מִן הָאִישׁ, צָר צוּרָתוֹ בְּתוֹךְ אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם, לְאַחַר אַרְבָּעִים יוֹם הַנּוֹאֵף בָּא עָלֶיהָ וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא עוֹמֵד וְתוֹהֶה, וְאוֹמֵר, שֶׁל מִי אָצוּר שֶׁל צוּרַת הַבַּעַל אוֹ שֶׁל צוּרַת הַנּוֹאֵף, כִּבְיָכוֹל צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי, יו"ד שֶׁל תֶּשִׁי זְעִירָה, תַּשׁ יְדֵי הַצַּיָּר. אָמַר רַבִּי אַבָּהוּ לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה לְצַיָּר שֶׁהָיָה צָר אִיקוֹנִין שֶׁל מֶלֶךְ בָּא לִגְמֹר הַפַּרְצוּף אָמְרוּ לוֹ מֵת הַמֶּלֶךְ וְעָמַד מֶלֶךְ אַחֵר, כֵּיוָן שֶׁשָּׁמַע הַצַּיָּר כָּךְ, נִתְרַשְּׁלוּ יָדָיו, הִתְחִיל אוֹמֵר מָה אֶעֱשֶׂה מֵאֵלּוּ הַסַּמְּמָנִין, אִם אָצוּר אוֹתוֹ בְּצוּרַת הַמֶּלֶךְ הָרִאשׁוֹן אוֹ בְּצוּרַת הַשֵּׁנִי, הִתְחִיל תָּמֵהַּ. כָּךְ, הָאִישׁ מְשַׁמֵּשׁ, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא צָר צוּרַת הָעֻבָּר בִּדְמוּת אָבִיו, חָזַר הַנּוֹאֵף וּבָא עָלֶיהָ הֲרֵי נִתְעָרְבוּ הַסַּמְמָנִין, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (הושע ד, ב): אָלֹה וְכַחֵשׁ וְרָצֹחַ וְגָנֹב וְנָאֹף פָּרָצוּ וְדָמִים בְּדָמִים נָגָעוּ. מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כִּבְיָכוֹל חָזַר וְהָפַךְ אֶת הַצּוּרָה שֶׁצָּר בַּתְּחִלָּה בִּדְמוּת הָאִישׁ לִדְמוּת הַנּוֹאֵף, לְקַיֵּם מַה שֶּׁנֶּאֱמַר: ותֶר פָּנִים יָשִׂים, הֱוֵי: צוּר יְלָדְךָ תֶּשִׁי וַתִּשְׁכַּח אֵל מְחֹלְלֶךָ. מָשָׁל לְאַרְכִיטֶקְטוֹן קָטָאדִיקוֹס עַל אוֹתָהּ מְדִינָה, הִתְחִילוּ בְּנֵי הַמְדִינָה מַטְמִינִים כַּסְפָּם וּזְהָבָם לְתוֹךְ הַמַּטְמוֹנִים, אָמַר לָהֶם הָאַרְכִיטֶקְטוֹן אֲנִי בָּנִיתִי אֶת הַמְּדִינָה וַאֲנִי עָשִׂיתִי אֶת הַמַּטְמוֹנִים, מִמֶּנִּי אַתֶּם מַטְמִינִים. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַמְנָאֲפִים, מִמֶּנִּי אַתֶּם מַסְתִּירִים אֶת עַצְמְכֶם, וַהֲלוֹא אֲנִי הוּא שֶׁבָּרָאתִי אֶת הַלְּבָבוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ירמיה יז, י): אֲנִי ה' חֹקֵר לֵב בֹּחֵן כְּלָיוֹת וגו', לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: וַתִּשְׁכַּח אֵל מְחֹלְלֶךָ, אֲנִי בָּרָאתִי אֶתְכֶם וְעָשִׂיתִי אֶתְכֶם מְחִלִּים מְחִלִּים אֵלּוּ הַלְּבָבוֹת וְהַכְּלָיוֹת, וְאַתֶּם שׁוֹכְחִין אוֹתִי וּמְשַׁקְּרִין בִּי כִּי אֵינִי רוֹאֶה וְאֵינִי יוֹדֵעַ מַעֲשֵׂיכֶם. וְכֵן רָמַז משֶׁה דָּבָר זֶה בְּפָרָשַׁת סוֹטָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (במדבר ה, יב): אִישׁ אִישׁ כִּי תִשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ וגו'.

“Speak to the children of Israel, and say to them: If the wife of any man will stray and commit a trespass against him” (Numbers 5:12). “If the wife of any man will stray…” – that is what is written: “You neglected the Rock that begot you…” (Deuteronomy 32:18). “The Rock that begot you” – that is what is written: “The eye of the adulterer awaits the night, [saying: No eye will behold me]” (Job 24:15). The adulterer says: No person knows of me, because all of his actions are exclusively in the dark. Likewise it says: “Who passes in the street near her corner, and on the way to her house he treads, in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the dead of night and blackness” (Proverbs 7:8–9). He believes that because he performs his actions in the darkness that the Holy One blessed be He does not know of him. Likewise, it says: “Woe, those who go deep from the Lord to conceal a scheme, and their actions are in the dark, and they say: Who sees us and who knows of us?” (Isaiah 29:15). As, this is the way of all performers of transgressions; they think that the Holy One blessed be He will not see their actions. And it says: “Is God not at the apex of heaven? See the height of the stars, how lofty they are. You say: What does God know?… Clouds obscure for Him and He does not see.… Will you keep the old path [upon which men of evil have trodden]?” (Job 22:12–15). Likewise it says: “The eye of the adulterer awaits the night, saying: No eye will behold me” – neither an eye below nor an eye above. What is, “and he masks [yasim] his face [panim] clandestinely” (Job 24:15)? The Holy One blessed be He, who dwells clandestinely [seter], will place [yasim] the face [panim] of the adulterer on that fetus, as the adulterer and the adulteress want that she not conceive, but that they merely satisfy their lust. But the Holy One blessed be He publicizes them in the world, so that people will know and say: The face of this one is the face of the adulterer, as He shapes the features of the fetus in the image of the adulterer. That is, “veseter panim yasim.” That is why it is called lewdness [zima], because they both deny it and say: We performed no transgression. But the people say: If so, what is this [ze mahu]? Do not say it is only when she is impregnated by the adulterer that in that instance the features of the child are similar to the features of the adulterer. But even if she is pregnant from her husband and the adulterer consorts with her, the Holy One blessed be He transforms the features of the child to the features of the adulterer. Likewise it says: “You neglected the Rock that begot you” (Deuteronomy 32:18) – Rabbi Yitzḥak said: This adulterer weakens, as it were, the power of the Divine Presence. How so? The fetus with which she is impregnated by her husband, He shapes its features within forty days. After forty days, the adulterer consorts with her and the Holy One blessed be He stands, wonders, and says: With whose shall I form him, with the features of the husband or the features of the adulterer? It is, as it were, “you neglected [teshi] the Rock that begot you.” The yod of teshi, in miniature: The hand of the Designer weakened [tash]. Rabbi Abbahu said: To what is the matter comparable? It is to a painter who was painting a portrait of the king. He came to complete his face, they said to him: The king died and another took his place. When the artist heard this, his hands weakened. He began saying: What shall I do with these paints? Shall I form it with the features of the first king or with the features of the second king? He began wondering. So, the husband engages in relations, the Holy One blessed be He shapes the features of the fetus in the image of his father. The adulterer then consorts with her – the paints were intermingled. That is what is written: “Cursing, lying, murder, theft, and adultery have broken out, and blood touches blood” (Hosea 4:5). What does the Holy One blessed be He do? As it were, He then transforms the features that he formed initially in the image of the husband, to the image of the adulterer, to realize what is stated: “Veseter panim yasim.” That is, “you neglected the Rock that begot you, and forgot God your Originator” (Deuteronomy 32:18). This is analogous to the chief architect – tax collector of a certain province. The residents of the province began hiding their silver and gold in hiding places. The architect said to them: I built the province and I crafted the hiding places; are you hiding it from me? So, the Holy One blessed be He said to the adulterers: Is it from Me that you are hiding yourselves? Is it not I who created the hearts? That is what is written: “I, the Lord, probe the heart, examine kidneys…” (Jeremiah 17:10). That is why it is stated: “And forgot God your Originator [meḥolelekha]” (Deuteronomy 32:18). I created you and crafted you cavities upon cavities [meḥilim meḥilim] – these are the hearts and the kidneys; but you forget Me and lie in My regard that I do not see and do not know your actions. Likewise, Moses alluded to this matter in the portion of the sota. That is what is written: “If the wife of any man [ish ish] will stray…”

Section 2ב׳

לֹא הָיָה צָרִיךְ לוֹמַר אֶלָּא, אִישׁ כִּי תִשְׂטֶה אִשְׁתּוֹ, מַה תַּלְמוּד לוֹמַר: אִישׁ אִישׁ, שֶׁאַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהִיא מְשַׁמֶּשֶׁת לְאֶחָד, אַף עַל פִּי כֵן לִשְׁנַיִם הִיא זְקוּקָה שֶׁהִיא כּוֹפֶרֶת בִּשְׁנַיִם, הָאֶחָד כְּשֶׁהִיא מְזַנָּה הִיא כּוֹפֶרֶת בְּאִישָׁהּ, שֶׁהִפְקִיד גּוּפוֹ אֶצְלָהּ לְשָׁמְרוֹ. וְהָאֶחָד, שֶׁהִיא כּוֹפֶרֶת בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁצִּוָּה אוֹתָהּ (שמות כ, יג): לֹא תִנְאָף, וְאוֹמֵר (ויקרא כ, י): מוֹת יוּמַת הַנֹּאֵף וְהַנֹּאָפֶת. וּמִנַּיִן שֶׁהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא נִקְרָא אִישׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טו, ג): ה' אִישׁ מִלְחָמָה וגו', וּלְכָךְ כְּתִיב בַּסּוֹטָה: וּמָעֲלָה בוֹ מָעַל, לְפִי שֶׁהִיא כּוֹפֶרֶת בַּפִּקָּדוֹן, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (ויקרא ה, כא): נֶפֶשׁ כִּי תֶחֱטָא וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּה' וְכִחֵשׁ בַּעֲמִיתוֹ וגו', וַהֲרֵי דְבָרִים קַל וָחֹמֶר, מַה מָּמוֹן הַקַּל כָּל הַכּוֹפֵר בַּפִּקָּדוֹן כְּאִלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר וּמָעֲלָה מַעַל בַּה' וְכִחֵשׁ, הַכּוֹפֵר בְּפִקָּדוֹן הַגּוּף עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁכָּל הַכּוֹפֵר בּוֹ כְּאִלּוּ כּוֹפֵר בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: אִישׁ אִישׁ, עַל שֶׁהִיא כּוֹפֶרֶת בִּשְׁנֵי אִישִׁים, בְּהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁנִּקְרָא אִישׁ, וּבְבַעֲלָהּ שֶׁהוּא אִישׁ, וְכֵן הוּא אוֹמֵר (משלי ב, יז): הַעֹזֶבֶת אַלּוּף נְעוּרֶיהָ וְאֶת בְּרִית אֱלֹהֶיהָ שָׁכֵחָה. דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִישׁ אִישׁ, לִמְּדָה אוֹתְךָ הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁתְּהֵא וַתְּרָן בְּתוֹךְ בֵּיתֶךָ, נִשְׁפַּךְ יַיִן הֱוֵי וַתְּרָן (משלי ח, כא): לְהַנְחִיל וגו', וְכֵן שַׁמְנָךְ, (משלי ח, כא): וְאֹצְרֹתֵיהֶם אֲמַלֵּא. נִקְרַע כְּסוּתְךָ (תהלים כ, ו): יְמַלֵּא ה' כָּל מִשְׁאֲלוֹתֶךָ, אֲבָל אִם שָׁמַעְתָּ דָּבָר עַל אִשְׁתְּךָ קוּם כַּגֶּבֶר, לְמִי שֶׁגֶּבֶר אַתְּ הֱוֵי גֶּבֶר, לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: אִישׁ אִישׁ.

It needed to say only: If the wife of a man [ish] will stray. Why does the verse state: “Any man [ish ish]”? It is because even though she engages in relations with one man, she is committed to two and she denies [her commitment to] two. The one, when she engages in harlotry she denies [her commitment to] her husband, who entrusted her with his body to keep it. And one, when she denies [her commitment to] the Holy One blessed be He who commanded her: “You shall not commit adultery” (Exodus 20:13), and it says: “The adulterer and the adulteress shall be put to death” (Leviticus 20:10). From where is it derived that the Holy One blessed be He is called an ish? It is as it is stated: “The Lord is a Man [ish] of war…” (Exodus 15:3). This is why “and commit a trespass against him” is written regarding the sota: It is because she denies a claim concerning a deposit, just as it says: “A person who will sin, and commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie to his counterpart [regarding a deposit]…” (Leviticus 5:21). The matters may be inferred a fortiori: If regarding the lenient area of money, anyone who denies a claim regarding a deposit it is as though he denied the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “And commit a trespass against the Lord, and lie”; one who denies the deposit of the body, all the more so that anyone who denies it, it is as though he denies the Holy One blessed be He. That is why it is stated: “Ish ish,” because she denies her commitment to two ishim, to the Holy One blessed be He, who is called an ish, and to her husband who is an ish. Likewise it says: “Who forsakes the husband of her youth and forgets the covenant of her God.” (Proverbs 2:17). Another matter: “Ish ish” – the Torah teaches you that you should be forbearing in your house. Wine spilled; be forbearing, “to bequeath [substance to those who love me]” (Proverbs 8:21). The same is true of oil: “And I will fill their storehouses” (Proverbs 8:21). Your garment ripped; “the Lord will fulfill all your wishes” (Psalms 20:6). But if you heard a matter concerning your wife, rise like a man. To the one [to] whom you are a man, be a man. That is why it is stated: “Ish ish.”

Section 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, אִישׁ אִישׁ, הֱוֵי שָׁוֵי לִבְנֵי אֱינָשָׁא, מַעֲשֶׂה בְּאִשָּׁה אַחַת שֶׁנִּזְדַּקֵּק לָהּ אָדָם אֶחָד, וְאָמְרָה לֵיהּ לְאֵיזֶה מָקוֹם תֵּלֵךְ, מֶה עָשְׂתָה הָאִשָּׁה הָלְכָה וְאָמְרָה לְאִשְׁתּוֹ, וְהָלְכָה אִשְׁתּוֹ לְאוֹתוֹ מָקוֹם וְנִזְקַק לָהּ. אַחַר כָּךְ תּוֹהֶה בּוֹ וּבִקֵּשׁ לָמוּת, אָמְרָה לוֹ אִשְׁתּוֹ מִפִּתְּךָ אָכַלְתָּ וּבְכוֹסְךָ שָׁתִיתָ, אֶלָּא מִי גָּרַם לְךָ שֶׁאַתְּ גַס רוּחַ, הֱוֵי שָׁוֶה לִבְנֵי אָדָם.

Another matter: “Ish ish” – be like all men. There was an incident involving a certain woman who was propositioned by a certain man. She said to him: Where will you go? What did that woman do? She went and told his wife. His wife went to that place and he consorted with her. Afterward, he regretted it and sought to die. His wife said to him: You ate from your bread and drank from your cup. However, what caused this to befall you? It is because you are haughty. Be like all men.