שמות רבה י״זShemot Rabbah 17

Section 1א׳

וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (משלי טז, ד): כֹּל פָּעַל ה' לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ, אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁכָּל מַה שֶּׁבָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית לֹא בָרָא אֶלָּא לִכְבוֹדוֹ וְלַעֲשׂוֹת בָּהֶן רְצוֹנוֹ. בַּיּוֹם הָרִאשׁוֹן בָּרָא שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ אַף הֵם לִכְבוֹדוֹ בְּרָאָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיה סו, א): כֹּה אָמַר ה' הַשָּׁמַיִם כִּסְאִי, וְאוֹמֵר (תהלים יט, ב): הַשָּׁמַיִם מְסַפְּרִים כְּבוֹד אֵל. וְכֵן הָאוֹר שֶׁבָּרָא לִכְבוֹדוֹ הוּא, דִּכְתִיב (תהלים קד, ב): עֹטֶה אוֹר כַּשַֹּׂלְמָה. מַה נִּבְרָא בְּיוֹם שֵׁנִי, רָקִיעַ, לִכְבוֹדוֹ בְּרָאוֹ שֶׁיַּעַמְדוּ שָׁם הַמַּלְאָכִים וְיִהְיוּ מְקַלְסִין אוֹתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קנ, א): הַלְלוּהוּ בִּרְקִיעַ עֻזּוֹ. מַה בָּרָא בְּיוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי, דְּשָׁאִים וְאִילָנוֹת, וּמָצִינוּ שֶׁהַדְּשָׁאִין מְקַלְּסִין לְהַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סה, יד): יִתְרוֹעֲעוּ אַף יָשִׁירוּ, וּמִנַּיִן אַף הָאִילָנוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברי הימים א טז, לג): אָז יְרַנְּנוּ עֲצֵי הַיָּעַר מִלִּפְנֵי ה'. אַתָּה מוֹצֵא שֶׁצִּוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מִן הָאִילָנוֹת לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהֶן מִצְווֹת. בְּפָרָה אֲדֻמָּה צִוָּה לְהַשְׁלִיךְ בִּשְׂרֵפָתָהּ עֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב, וְהַזָּאַת מֵי נִדָּה צִוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת בָּאֵזוֹב, וְטַהֲרַת הַמְצֹרָע צִוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת בְּעֵץ אֶרֶז וְאֵזוֹב. וְכֵן בְּמִצְרַיִם צִוָּה לְהַגִּיעַ הַדָּם אֶל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף וְאֶל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזוֹת בָּאֵזוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב. וְכֵן בָּרָא הַמַּיִם בְּיוֹם שְׁלִישִׁי, שֶׁכִּנְּסָן מֵעַל הָאָרֶץ, וּמִשָּׁם קִלּוּסוֹ עוֹלֶה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים צג, ד): מִקֹּלוֹת מַיִם רַבִּים אַדִּירִים מִשְׁבְּרֵי יָם. מַה נִּבְרָא בְּיוֹם רְבִיעִי מְאוֹרוֹת, לִכְבוֹדוֹ בְּרָאָם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קמח, ג): הַלְּלוּהוּ שֶׁמֶשׁ וְיָרֵחַ. בְּיוֹם חֲמִישִׁי בָּרָא עוֹפוֹת לִכְבוֹדוֹ לְהַקְרִיב מֵהֶן קָרְבָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא א, יד): אִם מִן הָעוֹף עֹלָה קָרְבָּנוֹ. מַה נִּבְרָא בְּיוֹם שִׁשִּׁי בְּהֵמוֹת, לִכְבוֹדוֹ, וְצִוָּה לְהַקְרִיב מֵהֶם קָרְבָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ויקרא א, ב): אָדָם כִּי יַקְרִיב מִכֶּם קָרְבָּן לַה' מִן הַבְּהֵמָה מִן הַבָּקָר, וּבָרָא בוֹ אָדָם לִכְבוֹדוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קמח, ז יג): הַלְלוּ אֶת ה' מִן הָאָרֶץ תַּנִּינִים וגו', הֱוֵי: כֹּל פָּעַל ה' לַמַּעֲנֵהוּ.

“You shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the basin, and touch the lintel and the two doorposts with the blood that is in the basin; and you shall not go out, each from the door of his house, until the morning” (Exodus 12:22). “You shall take a bunch of hyssop” – that is what is written: “Everything the Lord has done is for His purpose” (Proverbs 16:4). You find that everything that the Holy One blessed be He created during the six days of Creation, He created only for His glory and to perform His will with them. On the first day, He created the heavens and the earth, and He created them, too, for His glory, as it is stated: “So said the Lord, the heavens are My throne” (Isaiah 66:1), and it says: “The heavens relate the glory of God” (Psalms 19:2). Likewise, the light that He created was for His glory, as it is written: “He covers Himself with light as with a garment” (Psalms 104:2). What was created on the second day? The firmament, and He created it for His glory, so that the angels would stand there and laud him, as it is stated: “Praise Him in the firmament of His power” (Psalms 150:1). What did He create on the third day? Grasses and trees, and we found that the grasses laud the Holy One blessed be He as it is stated: “They shout for joy, they even sing” (Psalms 65:14). From where is it derived that the same is true of the trees? It is as it is stated: “Then the trees of the forest will sing before the Lord” (I Chronicles 16:33). You find that the Holy One blessed be He issued a command to perform mitzvot with the trees. Regarding the red heifer, He issued a command to cast into its conflagration cedar wood and hyssop; He issued a command to perform the sprinkling of the waters of sprinkling with hyssop; and He commanded to perform the purification of the leper with cedar wood and hyssop. Likewise, in Egypt, He issued a command to apply the blood to the lintel and the two doorposts with hyssop, as it is stated: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop.” Likewise, He created the water on the third day, as He collected it from covering the earth. From there, His laudation ascends, as it is stated: “From the sound of much water, the mighty breakers of the sea, [the Lord on high is mighty]” (Psalms 93:4). What was created on the fourth day? The lights, and He created them for His glory, as it is stated: “Praise Him, sun and moon; [praise Him, all stars of light]” (Psalms 148:3). On the fifth day, He created the birds for His glory, to sacrifice an offering from them, as it is stated: “If his offering is a burnt offering from the birds…” (Leviticus 1:14). What was created on the sixth day? Animals, for His glory, and He commanded to sacrifice an offering from them, as it is stated: “A person among you who sacrifices an offering to the Lord from the animal, from the cattle” (Leviticus 1:2). And He created man for His glory, as it is stated: “Praise the Lord, from the earth, sea creatures…[young men…elders…let them praise the name of the Lord]” (Psalms 148:7, 12–13); that is: “Everything the Lord has done is for His purpose.”

Section 2ב׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב, הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (שיר השירים ב, ג): כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר, לָמָּה נִמְשַׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְתַפּוּחַ, לוֹמַר לָךְ מַה תַּפּוּחַ זֶה נִרְאֶה לָעַיִן בְּלֹא כְלוּם וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ טַעַם וְרֵיחַ, כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא (שיר השירים ה, טז): חִכּוֹ מַמְתַקִּים וְכֻלּוֹ מַחֲמַדִּים, וְנִרְאָה לְעוֹבְדֵי כּוֹכָבִים וְלֹא רָצוּ לְקַבֵּל הַתּוֹרָה וְהָיְתָה הַתּוֹרָה בְּעֵינֵיהֶם כְּדָבָר שֶׁאֵין בּוֹ מַמָּשׁ. וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ טַעַם וְרֵיחַ, טַעַם מִנַּיִן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים לד, ט): טַעֲמוּ וּרְאוּ כִּי טוֹב ה'. וְיֵשׁ בּוֹ מַאֲכָל, דִּכְתִיב (משלי ח, יט): טוֹב פִּרְיִי מֵחָרוּץ וּמִפָּז. וְיֵשׁ בָּהּ רֵיחַ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ד, יא): וְרֵיחַ שַׂלְמֹתַיִךְ כְּרֵיחַ לְבָנוֹן. אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל אָנוּ יוֹדְעִין כֹּחָהּ שֶׁל תּוֹרָה, לְפִיכָךְ אֵין אָנוּ זָזִין מִן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וְתוֹרָתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שיר השירים ב, ג): בְּצִלּוֹ חִמַדְתִּי וְיָשַׁבְתִּי וּפִרְיוֹ מָתוֹק לְחִכִּי. וְכֵן יֵשׁ דְּבָרִים שֶׁהֵן נִרְאִין שְׁפָלִים, וְצִוָּה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לַעֲשׂוֹת מֵהֶן כַּמָּה מִצְווֹת, הָאֵזוֹב נִרְאֶה לָאָדָם שֶׁאֵינוֹ כְּלוּם, וְכֹחוֹ גָּדוֹל לִפְנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים שֶׁמָּשַׁל אוֹתוֹ לְאֶרֶז בְּכַמָּה מְקוֹמוֹת, בְּטַהֲרַת מְצֹרָע, בִּשְׂרֵפַת הַפָּרָה, וּבְמִצְרַיִם צִוָּה לַעֲשׂוֹת מִצְוָה בָּאֵזוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב. וְכֵן בִּשְׁלֹמֹה אוֹמֵר (מלכים א ה, יג): וַיְדַבֵּר עַל הָעֵצִים מִן הָאֶרֶז אֲשֶׁר בַּלְּבָנוֹן וְעַד הָאֵזוֹב אֲשֶׁר יֹצֵא בַּקִּיר, לְלַמֶּדְךָ שֶׁהַקָּטָן וְגָדוֹל שָׁוִין לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּבִדְבָרִים קְטַנִּים הוּא עוֹשֶׂה נִסִּים, וְעַל יְדֵי אֵזוֹב שֶׁהוּא שָׁפָל שֶׁבָּאִילָנוֹת גָּאַל אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל, הֱוֵי: כְּתַפּוּחַ בַּעֲצֵי הַיַּעַר.

Another matter: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop” – that is what is written: “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest [so is my beloved]” (Song of Songs 2:3). Why is the Holy One blessed be He likened to an apple tree? It is to say to you: Just as the apple tree appears to the eye with nothing, but it has taste and fragrance, the same is true of the Holy One blessed be He, as it is stated: “His palate is sweet; all of Him is lovely” (Song of Songs 5:16). He appeared to idolaters but they did not wish to accept the Torah, and the Torah was in their eyes like a matter lacking substance, but [in fact] it has taste and aroma. Taste [ta’am], from where is it derived? It is as it is stated: “Consider [ta’amu] and see that the Lord is good” (Psalms 34:9). It has food, as it is written: “My fruit is better than gold, than fine gold” (Proverbs 8:19). It has fragrance, as it is stated: “The fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon” (Song of Songs 4:11). Israel said: We know the power of Torah; therefore, we will not move from the Holy One blessed be He and his Torah, as it is stated: “In its shadow I delighted and sat, and its fruit was sweet to my palate” (Song of Songs 2:3). Likewise, there are items that appear to be lowly, and the Holy One blessed be He issued a command to perform several mitzvot with them. The hyssop appears to a person to be insignificant, but its power is great before God, as in several places He analogizes it to the cedar: In the purification of the leper, the burning of the heifer, and in Egypt he issued a command to perform a mitzva with the hyssop, as it is stated: “You shall take a bunch of hyssop.” Likewise, regarding Solomon it is stated: “He spoke of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon to the hyssop that emerges from the wall” (I Kings 5:13), to teach that large and small are equal before the Holy One blessed be He. With small items He performs miracles, and by means of the hyssop, which is the lowliest of the trees, he redeemed Israel; that is: “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest.”

Section 3ג׳

דָּבָר אַחֵר, וּלְקַחְתֶּם אֲגֻדַּת אֵזוֹב, כְּלוֹמַר אֲנִי עוֹשֶׂה אֶתְכֶם אֲגֻדָּה לְעַצְמִי, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁאַתֶּם שְׁפָלִים כְּאֵזוֹב, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות יט, ה): וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה מִכָּל הָעַמִּים. וּטְבַלְתֶּם בַּדָּם אֲשֶׁר בַּסַּף, מַה רָאָה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְהָגֵן עֲלֵיהֶם בְּדָם, כְּדֵי לִזְכֹּר לָהֶם דַּם מִילַת אַבְרָהָם. וּבִשְׁנֵי דָּמִים נִצּוֹלוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל מִמִּצְרַיִם בְּדַם פֶּסַח וּבְדַם מִילָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (יחזקאל טז, ו): וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי וָאֹמַר לָךְ בְּדָמַיִךְ חֲיִי, בְּדַם פֶּסַח וּבְדַם מִילָה. וְהִגַּעְתֶּם אֶל הַמַּשְׁקוֹף, בִּזְכוּת אַבְרָהָם. וְאֶל שְׁתֵּי הַמְּזוּזֹת, בִּזְכוּת יִצְחָק וְיַעֲקֹב, וּבִזְכוּתָם רָאָה אֶת הַדָּם, וְלֹא יִתֵּן הַמַּשְׁחִית.

Another matter, “you shall take a bunch of [agudat] hyssop,” – in other words, I will render you an association [aguda] for Myself, even though you are lowly like the hyssop, as it is stated: “And you will be My treasure from all the peoples” (Exodus 19:5). “And dip it in the blood that is in the basin.” What did the Holy One blessed be He see [that led Him] to protect them with blood? It was in order to evoke for them the blood of Abraham’s circumcision. It was with two bloods that Israel was rescued from Egypt; the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision, as it is stated: “I said to you: With your blood, live; I said to you: With your blood, live” (Ezekiel 16:6) – with the blood of the paschal offering and the blood of circumcision. “And touch the lintel,” – due to the merit of Abraham; “and on the two doorposts,” – due to the merit of Isaac and Jacob. Due to their merit, He will see the blood “and will not allow the destroyer to come to your houses to smite you” (Exodus 12:23).