בראשית רבה ל״גBereshit Rabbah 33

Section 1א׳

וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ וְאֵת כָּל הַחַיָּה וגו' (בראשית ח, א), וּכְתִיב (תהלים לו, ז): צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ ה', רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל וְרַבִּי עֲקִיבָא, רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר בִּזְכוּת הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁקִּבְּלוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מֵהַרְרֵי אֵל אַתְּ עוֹשֶׂה עִמָּהֶם צְדָקָה עַד כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, אֲבָל רְשָׁעִים שֶׁלֹא קִבְּלוּ אֶת הַתּוֹרָה שֶׁנִּתְּנָה מֵהַרְרֵי אֵל, אַתְּ מְדַקְדֵּק עִמָּהֶם עַד תְּהוֹם רַבָּה. רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא אוֹמֵר אֵלּוּ וָאֵלּוּ מְדַקְדֵּק עִמָּהֶם עַד תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, מְדַקְדֵּק עִם הַצַּדִּיקִים וְגוֹבֶה מֵהֶם מִעוּט מַעֲשִׂים רָעִים שֶׁעָשׂוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כְּדֵי לְהַשְׁפִּיעַ לָהֶם שַׁלְוָה, וְלִתֵּן לָהֶם שָׂכָר טוֹב לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא, מַשְׁפִּיעַ שַׁלְוָה לָרְשָׁעִים וְנוֹתֵן לָהֶם שְׂכַר מִצְווֹת קַלּוֹת שֶׁעָשׂוּ בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה כְּדֵי לְהִפָּרַע מֵהֶן לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא. אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי מָשַׁל אֶת הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּדִירָתָן וְאֶת הָרְשָׁעִים בְּדִירָתָן, אֶת הַצַּדִּיקִים בְּדִירָתָן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל לד, יד): בְּמִרְעֶה טוֹב אֶרְעֶה אֹתָם וּבְהָרֵי מְרוֹם יִשְׂרָאֵל יִהְיֶה נְוֵהֶם, וְאֶת הָרְשָׁעִים בְּדִירָתָן (יחזקאל לא, טו): כֹּה אָמַר ה' אֱלֹהִים בְּיוֹם רִדְתּוֹ שְׁאֹלָה הֶאֱבַלְתִּי כִּסֵּתִי עָלָיו אֶת תְּהוֹם, רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר רַבִּי אָמַר הוֹבַלְתִּי כְּתִיב. אֵין עוֹשִׂין כִּסּוּי לַגִּיגִית לֹא שֶׁל כֶּסֶף וְלֹא שֶׁל זָהָב וְלֹא שֶׁל נְחשֶׁת אֶלָּא חֶרֶס לְאוֹתָם שֶׁהֵם מִמִּינָהּ, כָּךְ רְשָׁעִים חשֶׁךְ, גֵּיהִנֹּם חשֶׁךְ, תְּהוֹם חשֶׁךְ, הוֹבַלְתִּי רְשָׁעִים לַגֵּיהִנֹּם, וְכִסֵּתִי עֲלֵיהֶם אֶת הַתְּהוֹם, חשֶׁךְ יְכַסֶּה חשֶׁךְ. רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יֹאשִׁיָה מְסָרֵס קְרָא צִדְקָתְךָ עַד מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ, כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל עַד תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, מָה הָרִים הַלָּלוּ אֵין לָהֶם סוֹף, אַף הַצַּדִּיקִים אֵין לָהֶם סוֹף לְמַתַּן שְׂכָרָן. מָה הָרִים הַלָּלוּ נִכְבָּשִׁים לַתְּהוֹם שֶׁלֹא יַעֲלֶה וְיַצִּיף אֶת הָעוֹלָם, כָּךְ הֵם הַצַּדִּיקִים נִכְבָּשִׁים עַל הַפֻּרְעָנוּת שֶׁלֹא יֵצְאוּ וְיִשְׂרְפוּ אֶת הָעוֹלָם. וּמָה הָרִים הַלָּלוּ נִזְרָעִים וְעוֹשִׂים פֵּרוֹת, כָּךְ מַעֲשֵׂיהֶם שֶׁל צַדִּיקִים עוֹשִׂים פֵּרוֹת, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה ג, י): אִמְרוּ צַדִּיק כִּי טוֹב וגו'. וּמַה תְּהוֹם זֶה אֵין לוֹ חֵקֶר, כָּךְ אֵין לְפֻרְעָנוּתָן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים חֵקֶר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (ישעיה ג, יא): אוֹי לְרָשָׁע רָע, וּמַה הַתְּהוֹם הַזֶּה לֹא נִזְרָע וְלֹא עוֹשֶׂה פֵּרוֹת, כָּךְ אֵין מַעֲשֵׂיהֶן שֶׁל רְשָׁעִים עוֹשִׂין פֵּרוֹת, שֶׁאִלּוּ הָיוּ עוֹשִׂין פֵּרוֹת הָיוּ מַחֲרִיבִין אֶת הָעוֹלָם. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן לֵוִי סְלֵיק לְרוֹמִי חָמָא תַּמָּן עַמּוּדִים מְכוּסִים בְּטַפִּיסִין, בַּצִּנָּה שֶׁלֹא יִקָּרְשׁוּ, וּבַשָּׁרָב שֶׁלֹא יִתְבַּקָּעוּ, וְכִי הֲוָה מְהַלֵּךְ בְּשׁוּקָא חָמָא חַד מִסְכֵּן מְכָרֵיךְ בְּחָדָא מַחְצְלָא, וְאִית דְּאָמְרִין פַּלְגָא מִרְדַּעַת דַּחֲמָרָא. עַל אוֹתָן הָעַמּוּדִים קָרָא צִדְקָתְךָ כְּהַרְרֵי אֵל, הָן דִּיהַבְתְּ אַשְׁפַּע, עַל אוֹתוֹ הֶעָנִי קָרָא מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, הָן דִּמְחֵית גָּיַית. אֲלֶכְּסַנְדְּרוֹס מוֹקְדוֹן אֲזַל לְגַבֵּי מַלְכָּא קַצְיָא לַאֲחוֹרֵי הָרֵי חשֶׁךְ, וּשְׁלַח לֵיהּ, נְפַק לֵיהּ וְהוּא טָעֵין גִּדּוּמֵי דִּדְהַב בְּגוֹ דִּסְקוּס דִּדְהַב, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לְמָמוֹנָךְ אֲנָא צְרִיךְ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלֹא הָיָה לְךָ מַה מֵּיכוֹל בְּאַרְעָךְ דַּאֲתֵית לָךְ לְהָדֵין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לָא אָתֵית אֶלָּא בָּעְיָא לְמֵידַע הֵיךְ אַתּוּן דָּיְנִין, יְתִיב גַּבֵּיהּ, יוֹמָא חָדָא אָתָא חַד בַּר נָשׁ קֳבֵל עַל חַבְרֵיהּ, אֲמַר הָדֵין גַּבְרָא זַבַּן לִי חָדָא קִלְקַלְתָּא וְאַשְׁכָּחִית בְּגַוָּהּ סִימְתָא, הַהוּא דְּזָבִין אֲמַר קִלְקַלְתָּא זַבְּנִית סִימְתָא לָא זַבְּנִית, וְהַהוּא דְּזַבַּן אֲמַר קִלְקַלְתָּא וּמַה דִּבְגַּוָּהּ זַבֵּנִית. אֲמַר לְחַד מִנַּיְיהוּ אִית לָךְ בַּר דְּכַר, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הֵין. וַאֲמַר לְאוֹחֲרָנֵי אִית לָךְ בְּרַתָּא נֻקְבָא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הֵין. אֲמַר לְהוֹן זִיל אַסֵּיב דֵּין לְדֵין וַהֲוֵי מָמוֹנָא לְתַרְוֵיהוֹן. חֲמָתֵיהּ יָתֵיב תָּמַהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מָה לָא דַיְינִית טַב, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אֵין. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִלּוּ הָיָה גַּבֵּכוֹן הֵיךְ הֲוֵיתוּן דָּיְנִין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ קָטְלִין דֵּין וְדֵין וּמַלְכוּתָא נָסְבָא מָמוֹנָא דְּתַרְוֵיהוֹן. אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִית גַּבְּכוֹן מָטָר נָחֵית, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הֵין: אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִית גַּבְּכוֹן שִׁמְשָׁא דָּנַח, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הֵין, אֲמַר לֵיהּ אִית גַּבְּכוֹן בְּעִיר דַּקִיק, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הֵן, אֲמַר לֵיהּ תִּפַּח רוּחֵיהּ דְּהַהוּא גַבְרָא לָא בִּזְכוּתְכוֹן נָחֵית מְטַר וְלָא בִּזְכוּתְכוֹן שִׁמְשָׁא דָּנְחָה עֲלֵיכוֹן, אֶלָּא בִּזְכוּתֵיהּ דִּבְעִירָא, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים לו, ז): אָדָם וּבְהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ ה', אָדָם בִּזְכוּת בְּהֵמָה תּוֹשִׁיעַ ה'. רַבִּי יְהוּדָה בַּר סִימוֹן פְּתַר קְרָיָה בְּנֹחַ, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא צְדָקָה שֶׁעָשִׂיתִי עִם נֹחַ בַּתֵּבָה לֹא עָשִׂיתִי עִמּוֹ אֶלָּא עִם הַרְרֵי אֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ח, ד): וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי וגו'. (תהלים לו, ז): מִשְׁפָּטֶיךָ תְּהוֹם רַבָּה, יִסּוּרִין שֶׁהֵבֵאתִי עַל דּוֹרוֹ לֹא הֵבֵאתִי עֲלֵיהֶן אֶלָּא מִתְּהוֹם רַבָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ז, יא): נִבְקְעוּ וגו', וּכְשֶׁזָּכַרְתִּי לוֹ, לֹא לוֹ לְבַדּוֹ הִזְכַּרְתִּי, אֶלָּא לוֹ וּלְכָל שֶׁיֵּשׁ עִמּוֹ בַּתֵּבָה, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב: וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ וְאֵת כָּל הַחַיָּה וגו'.

“God remembered Noah, and all the beasts, and all the animals that were with him in the ark; God caused a wind to pass over the earth, and the water subsided” (Genesis 8:1). “God remembered Noah, and all the beasts…” – and it is written: “Your righteousness is like mighty mountains [keharerei el]; Your judgments are great depths. Lord, You save man and animal” (Psalms 36:7). Rabbi Yishmael and Rabbi Akiva: Rabbi Yishmael says: The righteous, who accepted the Torah that was given from the mountains of God [meharerei el], You perform righteousness with them [to the greatest extent,] up to the mighty mountains. But the wicked, who did not accept the Torah that was given from the mountains of God, You are exacting with them [to the greatest extent,] down to great depths. Rabbi Akiva says: With both these and those He is exacting down to great depths. He is exacting with the righteous by collecting His due from them for the few bad deeds that they performed in this world, in order to shower them with tranquility and give them a better reward in the World to Come. And He showers the wicked with tranquility and gives them reward for the few good deeds that they performed in this world in order to exact [a fuller] retribution from them in the World to Come. Rabbi Levi said: The verse metaphorically compares [the reward of] the righteous to their abode and [the reward of] the wicked to their abode. The [reward of the] righteous to their abode, as it is stated: “In a good grazing land I will herd them, and on the mountains of the height of Israel will be their pasture” (Ezekiel 34:14). And the [reward of the] wicked to their abode: “So said the Lord God: On the day that he descended to the netherworld I caused mourning [he’evalti]; I covered him in the depths” (Ezekiel 31:15). Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi said: Hovalti is written. One does not craft a cover for a vat out of silver or gold, but rather out of earthenware, which is of the same material [as the vat itself]. So too, the wicked themselves are darkness, Gehenna is darkness, the depths of the earth are darkness. I led [hovalti] the wicked to Gehenna and covered them over with the depths of the earth, darkness covering darkness. Rabbi Yonatan in the name of Rabbi Yoshiya transposes the [words of the] verse: “Your righteousness is upon Your judgments”; “like mighty mountains are upon the great depths.” Just as the mountains weigh down the water of the deep so it should not rise and inundate the world, so do the righteous suppress [God’s strict judgments and] punishments so they should not emerge and incinerate the world. Just as the mountains are endless, so is the reward of the righteous endless. Just as the mountains are sown and produce fruit, so, the actions of the righteous produce fruit. That is what is written: “Say of the righteous man that it shall be well with him, [for they will eat the fruit of their actions]” (Isaiah 3:10). And just as the depths of the earth are unmeasurable, so is the punishment of the wicked unmeasurable. That is what is written: “Woe to the wicked one who does evil” (Isaiah 3:11). Just as the depths of the earth are not sown and do not produce fruit, so, the actions of the wicked do not produce fruit, as, were they to produce fruit, they would destroy the world. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi once went up to Rome. There he saw pillars covered over with tapestries, so they would not freeze in the cold or split apart in the heat. But when he would walk in the marketplace, he saw a poor man wrapped in a mat, and some say in half a donkey’s saddlecloth. Regarding those pillars, he recited the verse: “Your righteousness is like mighty mountains” (Psalms 36:7) – to the one to whom You give, You give abundantly. Regarding that poor man, he recited the verse: “Your judgments are great depths” (Psalms 36:7) – to the one whom You hit, You hit powerfully. Alexander of Macedonia once went to the king of Katzia, beyond the Mountains of Darkness. He [Alexander] sent for him [to come see him]. He came out and he was carrying a golden loaf on a platter of gold. He said to him: Do I need your money? He said to him: Did you not have what to eat in your land that you came here? He said to him: I came only because I wish to know how you people administer justice. He sat with him. One day, someone came to him with a claim against another person. He said: This man sold me a ruin and I found a hidden treasure in it. The buyer said: I bought [only] a ruin; I did not buy a hidden treasure, [so it belongs to the seller]. The seller said: I sold the ruin and whatever was in it, [so it belongs to the buyer]. He said to one of them: Do you have a son? He said to him: Yes. He said to the other: Do you have a daughter? He said to him: Yes. He said to them: Go marry them off to each other, and the money will belong to both of them. He [the king] saw that he [Alexander] was sitting there in astonishment. He said to him: What, did I not judge well? He said to him: Yes, [you judged well]. He said to him: Had this case come before you, how would you have ruled? He said to him: I would have killed them both, and the royal treasury would have taken the money from both of them. He said to him: Do you have rainfall [in your land]? He said to him: Yes. He said to him: Do you have sunshine? He said to him: Yes. He said to him: Do you have flocks of sheep and goats? He said to him: Yes. He said to him; May the spirit of that man [you, Alexander] depart from his body. It is not for your sake that rain falls on you, and it is not for your sake that the sun shines for you. It is, rather, for the sake of the animals, as it is written: “Lord, You save man and animal” (Psalms 36:7) – the Lord saves man for the sake of the animals. Rabbi Yehuda bar Simon interpreted the verse regarding Noah. The Holy One blessed be He said: The righteousness that I performed with Noah in the ark, I performed specifically through the “mighty mountains” (Psalms 36:7) – “The ark rested during the seventh month…[upon the mountains of Ararat]” (Genesis 8:4). “Your judgments are great depths” (Psalms 36:7) – the suffering that I imposed on his generation, I imposed on them specifically through the great depths, as it is stated: “[All the wellsprings of the great depth] were breached” (Genesis 7:11). [“Lord, You save man and animal”] (Psalms 36:7) – when I remembered him, it was not him alone that I remembered, but rather, him and everything that was in the ark with him. That is what is written: “God remembered Noah and all the beasts…”

Section 2ב׳

דָבָר אַחֵר, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (קהלת ט, יד): עִיר קְטַנָּה וַאֲנָשִׁים בָּהּ מְעָט וּבָא אֵלֶיהָ מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל. עִיר קְטַנָּה, זֶה הָעוֹלָם. וַאֲנָשִׁים בָּהּ מְעָט, זֶה דּוֹר הַמַּבּוּל. וּבָא אֵלֶיהָ מֶלֶךְ גָּדוֹל וְסָבַב אֹתָהּ, זֶה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא. וּבָנָה עָלֶיהָ מְצוֹדִים גְּדֹלִים, עִקְמָן וּכְמָנָן. וּמָצָא בָהּ אִישׁ מִסְכֵּן וְחָכָם, זֶה נֹחַ. וּמִלַּט הוּא אֶת הָעִיר בְּחָכְמָתוֹ, (בראשית ח, כ): וַיַּעַל עֹלֹת בַּמִּזְבֵּחַ. וְאָדָם לֹא זָכַר אֶת הָאִישׁ הַמִּסְכֵּן הַהוּא, אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא אַתּוּן לֵית אַתּוּן מְנַהֲרִים לֵיהּ, אֲנָא מַנְהַר לֵיהּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ.

Another interpretation: That is what is written: “There was a small city, with few men in it, and a great king came against it [and surrounded it]” (Ecclesiastes 9:14). “A small city” – that is the world. “With few men in it” – that is the generation of the Flood. “And a great king came against it and surrounded it” – that is the Holy One blessed be He. “And built great siege works against it” (Ecclesiastes 9:14) – He surrounded it and set ambushes [all around]. “A poor and wise man was found in it” (Ecclesiastes 9:15) – that is Noah. “And he saved the city in his wisdom” (Ecclesiastes 9:15) – “he offered up burnt offerings on the altar” (Genesis 8:20). “But no person remembered that poor man” (Ecclesiastes 9:15) – the Holy One blessed be He said [to those people]: It is you who do not remember him, but I do remember him: “God remembered Noah.”

Section 3ג׳

טוֹב ה' לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו (תהלים קמה, ט), אָמַר רַבִּי לֵוִי טוֹב ה' לַכֹּל, עַל הַכֹּל, שֶׁהוּא מַעֲשָׂיו. אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל טוֹב ה' לַכֹּל וְרַחֲמָיו עַל הַכֹּל שֶׁהֵן מִדּוֹתָיו הוּא מְרַחֵם. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר טוֹב ה' לַכֹּל, וּמֵרַחֲמָיו הוּא נוֹתֵן לִבְרִיּוֹתָיו. רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא וְרַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר אָבִין בְּשֵׁם רַב אַחָא לְמָחָר שְׁנַת בַּצֹּרֶת בָּאָה וְהַבְּרִיּוֹת מְרַחֲמִין אֵלּוּ עַל אֵלּוּ, וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְמַלֵּא עֲלֵיהֶן רַחֲמִים. בְּיוֹמֵי דְּרַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא הָיוּ צְרִיכִין יִשְׂרָאֵל לְתַעֲנִית, אָתוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ אָמְרִין לֵיהּ רַבִּי גְּזָר תַּעֲנִיתָא, גָּזַר תַּעֲנִיתָא יוֹם קַדְמָאי יוֹם ב' יוֹם ג' וְלָא נְחַת מִטְרָא, עָאל וְדָרַשׁ לְהוֹן אֲמַר לְהוֹן בָּנַי הִתְמַלְּאוּ רַחֲמִים אֵלּוּ עַל אֵלּוּ וְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִתְמַלֵּא עֲלֵיכֶם רַחֲמִים. עַד שֶׁהֵן מְחַלְּקִין צְדָקָה לַעֲנִיֵּיהֶם רָאוּ אָדָם אֶחָד נוֹתֵן מָעוֹת לִגְרוּשָׁתוֹ, אָתוֹן לְגַבֵּיהּ וַאֲמַרוּ לֵיהּ, רַבִּי מָה אֲנַן יָתְבִין הָכָא וַעֲבֵרְתָּא הָכָא. אֲמַר לָהֶן מָה רְאִיתֶם, אָמְרוּ לוֹ רָאִינוּ אָדָם פְּלוֹנִי נוֹתֵן מָעוֹת לִגְרוּשָׁתוֹ, שְׁלַח בַּתְרֵיהוֹן וְאַיְיתִינוֹן לְגוֹ צִבּוּרָא. אָמַר לֵיהּ מָה הִיא לָךְ זוֹ, אָמַר לוֹ גְּרוּשָׁתִי הִיא. אָמַר לוֹ מִפְּנֵי מָה נָתַתָּ לָהּ מָעוֹת, אָמַר לוֹ רַבִּי רָאִיתִי אוֹתָהּ בְּצָרָה וְהִתְמַלֵּאתִי עָלֶיהָ רַחֲמִים. בְּאוֹתָהּ שָׁעָה הִגְבִּיהַּ רַבִּי תַּנְחוּמָא פָּנָיו כְּלַפֵּי מַעְלָה וְאָמַר רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים מָה אִם זֶה שֶׁאֵין לָהּ עָלָיו מְזוֹנוֹת רָאָה אוֹתָהּ בְּצָרָה וְנִתְמַלֵּא עָלֶיהָ רַחֲמִים, אַתָּה שֶׁכָּתוּב בְּךָ (תהלים קמה, ח): חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם, וְאָנוּ בְּנֵי יְדִידֶיךָ בְּנֵי אַבְרָהָם יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב עַל אַחַת כַּמָּה וְכַמָּה שֶׁתִּתְמַלֵּא עָלֵינוּ רַחֲמִים, מִיָּד יָרְדוּ גְּשָׁמִים וְנִתְרַוָּה הָעוֹלָם. רַבֵּנוּ הֲוָה יָתֵיב לָעֵי בְּאוֹרַיְתָא קַמֵּי כְּנִשְׁתָּא דְּבַבְלָאי בְּצִפּוֹרִין, עֲבַר חַד עֵגֶל קוֹדָמוֹי, אָזֵל לְמִתְנְכָסָה וְשָׁרֵי גָּעֵי כְּמֵימַר שֵׁיזִבְנִי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וּמָה אֲנִי יָכוֹל לְמֶעְבַּד לָךְ לְכָךְ נוֹצַרְתָּ, וְחָשַׁשׁ רַבִּי אֶת שִׁנָּיו שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר אָבִין כָּל אוֹתָן שְׁלשׁ עֶשְׂרֵה שָׁנָה שֶׁהָיָה חוֹשֵׁשׁ רַבִּי אֶת שִׁנָּיו, לֹא הִפִּילָה עֻבָּרָה בְּאֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, וְלֹא נִצְטַעֲרוּ הַיּוֹלְדוֹת, בָּתַר יוֹמִין עֲבַר חַד שֶׁרֶץ קַמֵּי בְּרַתֵּיהּ וּבְעָא לְמִקְטְלָא, אֲמַר לָהּ בְּרַתִּי שַׁבְקֵיהּ, דִּכְתִיב: וְרַחֲמָיו עַל כָּל מַעֲשָׂיו. רַבֵּנוּ הֲוָה עִנְוָתָן סַגֵּי, וַהֲוָה אֲמַר כָּל מַה דְּיֹאמַר לִי בַּר נַשׁ אֲנָא עָבֵיד חוּץ מִמַּה שֶּׁעָשׂוּ בְּנֵי בְתֵירָא לִזְקֵנִי, שֶׁיָּרְדוּ מִגְדֻלָּתָן וְהֶעֱלוּ אוֹתוֹ, וְאִין סָלֵיק רַב הוּנָא רֵישׁ גָּלוּתָא לְהָכָא, אֲנָא קָאֵים לִי מִן קֳדָמוֹהִי, לָמָּה דְּהוּא מִן יְהוּדָה וַאֲנָא מִן בִּנְיָמִין, וְהוּא מִן דִּכְרַיָא דִּיהוּדָה וַאֲנָא מִן נֻקְבְתָא. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה וַהֲרֵי הוּא עוֹמֵד בַּחוּץ, נִתְכַּרְכְּמוּ פָּנָיו שֶׁל רַבִּי וְכֵיוָן שֶׁרָאָה שֶׁנִּתְכַּרְכְּמוּ פָּנָיו אָמַר לוֹ אֲרוֹנוֹ הוּא, אֲמַר לֵיהּ פּוֹק חֲזֵי מַאן בָּעֵי לָךְ לְבָרָא, נָפַק וְלָא אַשְׁכַּח בַּר נָשׁ, וְיָדַע דְּהוּא נָזוּף וְאֵין נְזִיפָה פְּחוּתָה מִשְּׁלשִׁים יוֹם. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר רַבִּי אָבִין כָּל אוֹתָן שְׁלשִׁים יוֹם שֶׁהָיָה רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה נָזוּף מֵרַבֵּנוּ, אַלֵּיף לְרַב בַּר אֲחָתֵיהּ כָּל כְּלָלֵי דְאוֹרַיְתָא, וְאִלֵּין אִינוּן כְּלָלַיָיא דְאוֹרַיְתָא הִלְכְתָא דְּבַבְלָאֵי. לְסוֹף תְּלָתִין יוֹמִין אָתָא אֵלִיָּהוּ זָכוּר לַטּוֹב בִּדְמוּתֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה אֵצֶל רַבֵּנוּ וִיְהַב יְדֵיהּ עַל שִׁנֵּיהּ וְאִתְּסֵי, כֵּיוָן דְּאָתָא רַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה לְגַבֵּי רַבֵּנוּ אֲמַר לֵיהּ מָה עֲבַדְתְּ בְּשִׁנָּךְ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ מִן עוֹנָתָא דִּיהַבְתְּ יְדָךְ עִלּוֹהִי אִתְנְשֵׁימַת, אֲמַר לֵיהּ לֵית אֲנָא הֲוָה יָדַע מָה הוּא. כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמַע כֵּן שָׁרֵי נָהֵיג בֵּיהּ יְקָרָא, וְקָרַב תַּלְמִידִים וּמְעַיֵּיל לֵיהּ מִלְּגַאו. אָמַר רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן רַבִּי יוֹסֵי וְלִפְנִים מִמֶּנִּי, אָמַר לֵיהּ חַס וְשָׁלוֹם לֹא יֵעָשֶׂה כֵן בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל. רַבֵּנוּ הֲוָה מְתַנֵּי שִׁבְחֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי חִיָּא רַבָּה קַמֵּיהּ דְּרַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בֶּן רַבִּי יוֹסֵי, אָמַר לֵיהּ אָדָם גָּדוֹל, אָדָם קָדוֹשׁ. חַד זְמַן חֲמִיתֵיהּ בֵּי בָנֵי וְלָא אִתְכְּנַע מִנֵּיהּ, אֲמַר לֵיהּ הַהוּא תַּלְמִידָךְ דַּהֲוַת מִשְׁתַּבַּח בֵּיהּ חֲמִיתֵּיהּ בֵּי בָנֵי וְלָא אִתְכְּנַע מִנָּאי. אֲמַר לֵיהּ וְלָמָּה לָא אִתְכְּנָעַת מִנֵּיהּ, אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי חִיָּא מִסְתַּכֵּל הָיִיתִי בְּאַגָּדַת תְּהִלִּים, כֵּיוָן דְּשָׁמַע כֵּן מְסַר לֵיהּ תְּרֵין תַּלְמִידוֹי וַהֲווֹ עָיְילִין עִמֵּיהּ לַאֲשׁוּנָה, דְּלָא יִשְׁהֵי וְתִזְעַר נַפְשֵׁיהּ. דָּבָר אַחֵר, טוֹב ה' לַכֹּל וגו', וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ וגו', אָמַר רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל בַּר נַחְמֵנִי אוֹי לָהֶם לָרְשָׁעִים שֶׁהֵם הוֹפְכִים מִדַּת רַחֲמִים לְמִדַּת הַדִין, בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ה', מִדַּת רַחֲמִים, (שמות לד, ו): ה' ה' אֵל רַחוּם וְחַנּוּן, וּכְתִיב (בראשית ו, ה): וַיַּרְא ה' כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ, (בראשית ו, ו): וַיִּנָּחֶם ה' כִּי עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם (בראשית ו, ז): וַיֹּאמֶר ה' אֶמְחֶה וגו', אַשְׁרֵיהֶם הַצַּדִּיקִים שֶׁהֵן הוֹפְכִים מִדַּת הַדִּין לְמִדַּת רַחֲמִים. בְּכָל מָקוֹם שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר אֱלֹהִים הוּא מִדַּת הַדִּין (שמות כב, כז): אֱלֹהִים לֹא תְקַלֵּל, (שמות כב, ח): עַד הָאֱלֹהִים יָבֹא דְּבַר שְׁנֵיהֶם, וּכְתִיב (שמות ב, כד): וַיִּשְׁמַע אֱלֹהִים אֶת נַאֲקָתָם וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת בְּרִיתוֹ וגו' (בראשית ל, כב): וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת רָחֵל וגו', וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ, מַה זְּכִירָה נִזְכַּר לוֹ שֶׁזָּן וּפִרְנֵס אוֹתָם כָּל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ בַּתֵּבָה, וַיִּזְכֹּר אֱלֹהִים אֶת נֹחַ, וְהַדִּין נוֹתֵן מִזְּכוּת הַטְּהוֹרִים שֶׁהִכְנִיס עִמּוֹ בַּתֵּבָה. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר לְשֵׁם קָרְבָּנוֹ נִקְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ח, כא): וַיָּרַח ה' אֶת רֵיחַ הַנִּיחֹחַ. רַבִּי יוֹסֵי בַּר חֲנִינָא לְשֵׁם נַחַת הַתֵּבָה נִקְרָא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ח, ד): וַתָּנַח הַתֵּבָה בַּחֹדֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִי וגו'. רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ אוֹמֵר (בראשית ח, כב): לֹא יִשְׁבֹּתוּ, מִכְּלַל שֶׁשָּׁבָתוּ. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן לֹא שִׁמְשׁוּ מַזָּלוֹת כָּל שְׁנֵים עָשָׂר חֹדֶשׁ, אָמַר לֵיהּ רַבִּי יוֹנָתָן שִׁמְשׁוּ אֶלָּא שֶׁלֹא הָיָה רִשּׁוּמָן נִכָּר.

“The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon all His works [maasav]” (Psalms 145:9) – Rabbi Levi said: “The Lord is good to all, [and His mercy is] upon” everything, because they are “His works.” Rabbi Shmuel said: “The Lord is good to all, and His mercy is upon” everyone, because that is His attribute, that He is merciful. Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin said in the name of Rabbi Levi: “The Lord is good to all” and imparts some of His mercy to His creations [maasav]. Rabbi Tanḥuma and Rabbi Abba bar Avin in the name of Rabbi Aḥa: Tomorrow a year of drought may come and [you will see that] people have compassion for one another, and the Holy One blessed be He [in turn] becomes filled with mercy upon them [and grants rain]. In the days of Rabbi Tanḥuma, the people of Israel needed to declare a fast [due to a drought]. They came to him and said to him: ‘Rabbi, decree a fast.’ He decreed a fast one day, a second day and a third day, but rain did not fall. He came in [to the synagogue] and preached to them, saying to them: My children, fill yourselves with mercy for one another, and the Holy One blessed be He will then become filled with mercy for you. While they were distributing charity to their poor, they saw someone who was giving money to his divorcée. They came to him [Rabbi Tanḥuma] and said to him: Rabbi, why are we sitting by while there is a transgression taking place here among us? He said to them: What is it that you saw? They said to him: We saw so-and-so giving money to his divorcée. He sent for them and brought them into the congregation. He said to him: What is this woman to you? He said to him: She is my divorcée. He said to him: Why were you giving her money? He said to him: Rabbi, I saw that she was in distress, and I became filled with compassion for her. At that moment, Rabbi Tanḥuma lifted his face heavenward and said: Master of the universe, if this man, who has no obligation to support her [his divorcée], saw her in distress and became filled with compassion for her, then regarding You, of whom it is written: “Gracious and merciful” (Psalms 145:8), and us, who are the descendants of Your beloved ones, the sons of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – all the more so that You should become filled with compassion for us. Thereupon rain fell, and the thirst of the world was quenched. Our Rabbi was once occupied in Torah study in front of the synagogue of the Babylonians in Tzippori. A certain calf passed by him. It was going off to be slaughtered, and began lowing, as if to say: Save me. He said to it: ‘What can I do for you? It was for this purpose that you were created.’ Rabbi suffered from toothaches for thirteen years. Rabbi Yosei bar Avin said: All those thirteen years that Rabbi suffered from toothaches, no woman in the land of Israel miscarried, and women in childbirth suffered no pain. Sometime later, a small creeping animal passed in front of his daughter, and she was going to kill it. He said to her: ‘My daughter, leave it, as it is written: “His mercy is upon all His works”’ (Psalms 145:9). Our Rabbi was exceedingly humble, and he would say: Anything a person might ask me to do [to show him deference] I would do, except for what the sons of Beteira did to my ancestor, when they stepped down from their prominent positions and promoted him [in their stead]. But if Rav Huna the Exilarch were to come up to here, I would stand up before him. Why? Because he is from [the tribe of] Judah, and I am from Benjamin; he is from the males of Judah, and I am from the females. Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great said to him: ‘Why, he is standing right outside.’ Rabbi’s face became ashen. When he [Ḥiyya] saw that his face had become ashen, he said to him: ‘It is his coffin.’ He [Rabbi] said to him [Rabbi Ḥiyya]: ‘Someone wants you outside, go out and see who it is.’ He went outside and did not find anyone there. He realized that he had been placed under admonishment [by Rabbi], and admonishment lasts for no fewer than thirty days. Rabbi Yosei bar Rabbi Avin said: All those thirty days during which Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great was under admonishment from our Rabbi, he taught his nephew Rav all the principles of the Torah, and those are the Torah principles that comprise Babylonian halakha. At the conclusion of thirty days, Elijah of blessed memory came to our Rabbi in the guise of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great, placed his hand on his tooth and it was cured. When Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great came before Our Rabbi, he [Rabbi Ḥiyya] said to him: ‘What did you do to your tooth?’ He said to him: ‘From the time that you placed your hand on it, it was cured.’ He said to him: ‘I do not know anything about that.’ When he [Rabbi] heard this, he began treating him with respect, and when he would gather students, he would position him in the inner circle. Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei said: ‘[Will he be placed] even closer [to you] than I?’ He said to him: ‘God forbid, such a thing shall not be done in Israel.’ Our Rabbi used to relate the praises of Rabbi Ḥiyya the Great before Rabbi Yishmael ben Rabbi Yosei. He said to him: ‘He is a great man, a holy man.’ One time, he saw him in the bathhouse, and he [Rabbi Ḥiyya] did not show him deference. He [Rabbi Yishmael] said to him [Rabbi]: ‘That student of yours whom you praise, I saw him in the bathhouse and he did not show deference to me.’ He said to him [to Rabbi Ḥiyya]: ‘Why did you not show deference to him?’ Rabbi Ḥiyya said to him: ‘I was deep in thought about the aggada of Psalms [and did not notice him].’ When he [Rabbi] heard this, he appointed for him two students who would enter with him to the caldarium, so that he would not tarry there and have his life compromised. Another interpretation: “The Lord is good to all…” (Psalms 145:9); “God remembered Noah….” – Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Woe unto the wicked, as they transform [God’s] attribute of mercy into the attribute of strict justice. Everywhere that “the Lord” is stated, it refers to the attribute of mercy – “the Lord, the Lord, merciful and gracious God” (Exodus 34:6); yet it is written: “The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth” (Genesis 6:5); “the Lord regretted that He had made man” (Genesis 6:6); “the Lord said: I will obliterate…” (Genesis 6:7). Fortunate are the righteous, as they transform the attribute of strict justice into the attribute of mercy. Everywhere that God [Elohim] is stated, it refers to the attribute of justice. “You shall not curse judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:27); “the please of both of them shall come to the judges [elohim]” (Exodus 22:8); yet it is written: “God [Elohim] heard their groan, and God [Elohim] remembered His covenant…” (Exodus 2:24); “God [Elohim] remembered Rachel…” (Genesis 30:22); “God [Elohim] remembered Noah.” What [favorable] memory did [God] remember to his credit? It was that he fed and sustained them [the animals] all twelve months in the ark. “God remembered Noah” – and it is only reasonable that it was [also] due to the merit of the kosher animals that he took with him. Rabbi Eliezer says: He [Noah] got his name from the offering [he made to God], as it is stated: “The Lord smelled the pleasing [niḥoaḥ] aroma” (Genesis 8:21). Rabbi Yosei bar Ḥanina said: He got his name from the resting of the ark, as it is stated: “The ark rested [vatanaḥ] in the seventh month…” (Genesis 8:4). Rabbi Yehoshua says: “[Planting and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night] shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22) – the implication is that they had ceased [during the Flood]. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: The constellations did not function all twelve months [of the Flood]. Rabbi Yonatan said to him: They functioned, but their effect was not noticeable.