Posts tagged ‘Sefer Ha-Aggadah’

January 8, 2012

“We Must Deal Wisely”

by Digital Maggid

The Egyptians Say “Havah Nitkhokhmah” (We must deal wisely with them)

The Egyptians came to their king the Pharaoh and said: “The Jewish people are strong ones, and are much more powerful than we, they are beautiful and successful and they increase like ants and they are powerful as scorpions and as tall as giants. We fear them because they have inherited their strength from their ancestors who were also powerful always prevailed, even when there were few against many. So it is worthwhile for us to find a successful idea of how we can annihilate them before they increase even more and annihilate us.”

The king did not agree to do evil to the Jews because he remembered his elders telling him about the great good their ancestors had done for his ancestors. But later, when his slaves saw that he didn’t want to go along with them, they  threw him down from his royal throne and put him in jail.  The king gave in and said he would do what they desired. The slaves released the king from jail and brought him back to his palace and to his royal throne. From that time on, the troubles for the Israelites began. With the influence of his lords and slaves, the king decreed a harsh edict on them, that they should do hard labor and he made them his slaves.

November 11, 2011

Gd Visits Abraham, part IV

by Digital Maggid

When he had served the guests, Abraham forgot about his pain and ran to the cattle with his son Ishmael to get three oxen, and he put Ishmael in charge of them, to bring them into the house and he went alone to take yet another ox. The angel Refoyl appeared to a fat, healthy ox and when the ox saw Abraham approaching, he escaped and fled, running until he came to the Cave of Machpelah. Abraham chased him and caught him. Abraham saw that Adam and Eve were buried there, and had the appearance of people who slept a sweet sleep, and around them shone many lights that illuminated the entire cave, and it smelled of the fragrance of Gan Eden. Abraham thought to himself, “When the time of my death approaches, I will buy this very cave and I will pay whatever they want for it.”

Hashem saw the utter selflessness which Abraham showed toward the visiting angels and did not want him to be troubled, so he made a miracle so that the angels, this particular time, ate like people and derived pleasure from the efforts of the tsadik. The angels ate and Abraham’s joy was boundless.

Gd said to Abraham: “Because you have given your guests water, meat, bread, butter and milk, and you have also invited them into the sheltering shade of the tree, due to this, I will do good by your children in the wilderness and I will reward them goodness for goodness: a well of water will follow them; a cloud will cover them, making a shade against the sun; manna will descend from heaven, and quail will descend for them on the earth; and when they enter the Holy Land, they will have springs and cliffs and many sheep and cattle and their homes will be filled with everything good.”

When the Angels finished their feast, one of them stood up and said to Abraham: “You should know that next year your wife will give birth to a son.”

When Sarah got word that she would give birth to a son, she prayed to Gd and asked: “Master of the Universe, if you are giving me a son, why will you punish my children that they should be slaves for four hundred years?” Gd said to her: “Because you have prayed to me and you have compassion for your children who will be in exile, I will take away from the four hundred years the sum of your years and the sum of your husband’s years, which are together 190 years and the Jews will be in Egypt only 210 years.”

After the news about Yitzik’s birth, the angels revealed to Abraham the bad deeds of the people in Sodom, and the punishment that was in store for them. Because Gd had said: “When a man wants to inform another of something bad, let him begin with a good thing and end with the second.”  The angels began with the news of Yitzik’s birth and ended with the punishment of Sodom. The whole time the angels were talking to Abraham, they were standing before him in dread and fear, quivering from his great holiness. When the angels turned to leave, Abraham accompanied them.  Thus did Abraham behave with his guests: After he had given them to eat and to drink, he would accompany them on the road,  because the mitzvah of hospitality-to-guests is greater than receiving-the-Divine-presence, and the mitzvah of accompanying is very great. Abraham accompanied them until they came to a fork in the road, and there the two angels who had turned toward Sodom bade him farewell: Gavriyel — who would overturn Sodom, and Refoyl, whose task was to save Lot. But Mikhoyl, because he had already done his penitential prayers and broken the news to Sarah about her giving birth to Yitzik, he went back to heaven to be with his folks.

THE END

November 4, 2011

Avrom before Nimrod, part III

by Digital Maggid

When Terach returned and saw what his son had done to the idols, he was very angry with Avrom. Avrom told him that there was a woman who came and brought a gift the idols, and after that, when he passed around the gift to all of them, as the woman wanted, all of the small idols wanted to eat the gift, but the biggest idol got mad because they hadn’t waited for him, as he should be the first one to eat. So he attacked them and broke them all, leaving not a one remaining, and the stick was still in his hand.

His father mocked him, saying: “Nonsense you’re telling me! You’re lying. Idols don’t know anything; they don’t eat and they don’t drink; they don’t move and they don’t have feelings.

Avrom replied: “True what you say, my father, and if so, why do you bow down to them and why do you serve them?” Terach was annoyed with what his son had done and his rage burned within him. He went straight to the king, stood before him, and bowed to Nimrod. The king said to him: “What’s up with you, Terach?”  Terach replied: “I beg of you, my lord, let your servant speak and do not be angry with me. A child was born to me and he has done me great evil. Let the king send for him, bring him before you and judge him with a fair judgment, so that I will be saved from all his badness.”

Nimrod sent straight away to bring Avrom in. Three of the king’s servants brought Avrom before Nimrod. At that same time, Nimrod’s lords and advisors sat down with him.

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November 2, 2011

Avrom before Nimrod, part I

by Digital Maggid

Thereafter, Avrom returned to his father, for meanwhile, over the years, Nimrod and his sorcerers had forgotten all about the incident. On a given day, Terach went out on a long journey and left his son Avrom behind to mind his idol business, and he said thus to him: “I’m going away and you’re in charge of my idols. Whoever comes to buy, to him you should sell.”  And a man comes and wants him to sell him an idol. To him Avrom says: “How old are you, my lord?” The man answered: “I’m 60 years old.” Avrom said: “A 60-year-old should bow down to a common idol?” The words penetrated his heart and he left.

Next an old woman came in wanting a huge idol to serve. To her Avrom said: “Listen to my words! These here idols, both small and large, can do nothing to help you.” The old one told him that the previous night thieves had come and stolen her idols, leaving not even a single one remaining. Avrom said to her: “If your idols could not rescue themselves, how is it that you want to serve and bow down to them?” The old woman understood that Avrom was correct and she asked him: “Who then is it proper to serve?” Avrom told her that Gd is the Gd of Heaven and Earth and only Him should people serve, because all creatures are in His hand. Avrom taught her the ways of Gd and the elder thanked him and blessed him in the name of Gd for opening her eyes to the fact that she should walk the right path. Avrom blessed her also and she went away from him.

October 24, 2011

Fair is Fair

by Digital Maggid

Agodes Breishis

IV. Der Erd un das Vaser Veynen
The Earth and the Water Weep

1. אינעם ערשטען טאג זענען באשאפן געוואָרן דער הימל און די ערד, און די ערד איז געווען פוסט און ליידיג (תֹֹֹּהוּ וָבֹֹֹּהוּ).

1. On the first day the heaven and the earth were created, and the earth was void and idle (tohu v’bohu).

גלייך האט דער הימל געזינגען און דערציילט דעם כבוד פון ג-ט און די ערד האט געוויינט און האט געזאגט:

Immediately the heaven sang and told of the glory (kavod) of G-d and the earth wept and said:

„רבש”ע, דער הימל האָט פארגעניגן פונעם פּראכט פון דיין שכינה און דער מלאך-המות האָט אויף אים נישט קיין שְלִיטֶה, וועגען דעם זינגט ער צו דיר, אָבער איך וואָס מיין שפייז האָסטו איבערגעגעבן אין אנדערע הענט און דער מלאך-המות געוועלטיגט אויף יעדן וואס וואוינט אויף מיר, איך ווייל און איך האָב צער דערפון.“

“Master of the Universe, the heaven finds pleasure in the magnificence of Your Shekhina (Divine Presence) and the Angel of Death has no authority over him, and he sings to you of this, but as for me, You have given over my food into other hands and the Angel of Death has dominion over each (one) who dwells on me; I cry and I grieve because of this.”

2. די זאך איז צוגעגליכן צו א מלך וועלכער האט געהאט צוויי באדינערס:

2. This matter is comparable to a king who had two servants:

איינער האט איהם באדינט אין זיין פּאלאץ און דער צווייטער האט איהם באדינט פוןדערווייטענס.

One served him in his palace and the second served him from afar.

דער ערשטער איז געווען פרייליך און האט געזינגען, און דער צווייטער איז געווען טרויעריג און האט געוויינט.

The first one was happy and sang, and the second one was sad and wept.

האט דער מלך געפרעגט דעם צווייטן באדינטער: „פארוואס וויינסטו מיין טײַערע באדינער? דו ביזט דאך בײַ מיר וויכטיג פּונקט ווי דער ערשטער באדינער.”

The king asked the second servant: “Why do you weep, my dear servant? You are obviously as important to me as the first servant.”

האט דער באדינער געענטפערט: “מיין האר דער קעניג, מיין חבר געפונט זיך שטענדיג בײַ דיר און געניסט פון דײַן טיש וועגען דאס איז ער פרייליך, אבער איך וואס האסט מיך דערווייטערט און איך עס נישט פון דײַן טיש נאר האסט איבערגעגעבן מיין שפּײַז אין אנדערע הענט, ווי אזוי זאָל איך נישט וויינען?”

The servant replied: “My Lord the King, my friend finds himself continually with you and he enjoys of your table, about which he is happy, but what have you extended to me, and I eat not from your table, but you have given over my food to another’s hands, so how shall I not weep?”

האט ג-ט געהערט די ווערטער פון די ערד און האט איהר געענטפערט: „אויך דו, וועט קומקן א צײַט, וואס דו וועסט זאָגן און זינגען: “ה’ מלך תגל הארץ,” און פון די עקן פונעם לאנד וועט זיך הערן געזאנגען אז איך קעניג אויף די גאנצע וועלט.“

G-d heard the earth’s words and answered her: “Also for you there will come a time when you will say: “Adonai malach, tageil ha’aretz” (“The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice”), and singing will be heard from the corners of the land that I am king of the whole world.”

3. אינעם צווייטן טאָג האָט הקב”ה געזאָגט: “יְהִי רָקִיעַ בְּתוֹךְ הַמַּיִם” און ער האָט גוזר זײַן אויפן וואסער אז זי זאָל זיך צוטיילן, העלפט פון אויבן און העלפט פון אונטן.

3. On the second day the Holy Blessed One said: “Let there be a firmament in the midst of the seas,” and he decreed that the waters should separate, half from above and half from below.”

האָט זיך דאָס וואסער פון אויבן געפרייט און געזאָגט: “וואויל איז מיר וואָס איך בין נאָענט צו אונזער באשעפער און געפון זיך אונטערן כִּסא-הכּבֿוֹד” און איז ארום געפלויגן מיט פרייד לויבענדיג דעם באשעפער.

The waters above rejoiced and said: “How nice this is for me, that I am near to our creator and I find myself beneath the Throne of Glory,” and he flew joyously and praisingly around the creator.

דאגעגן דאָס וואסער פון אונטן האָט געוויינט און געזאָגט: “וויי איז צו מיר, וואָס איך האָב נישט זוכה געווען צו זיין נאָענט צו אונזער באשעפער און צו זאָגן פאר אים געזאָנג מיט מיין חבער דער אויבערשטער וואסער, און נישט נאָר דאָס, נאָר איך זעה אונטן טאָג-טעגליך די שלעכטע מעשׂים פון די רשעים און זייערע געזעצן.”

However, the waters below wept and said: “Woe is me! that I do not merit to be near to our creator and to sing for him with my friend the upper waters, and not only that, but I see beneath the ordinary bad doings of the wicked and their laws.”

4. אין די זעלבע צײַט האָט דאָס אויבערשטע וואסער געוואָלט ארויפגיין הויך הויך, האָבן זיך די תהומות געשפּאלטן און צווישן זיך געדרונגט, ביז דער באשעפער איז געוואָרן אויף זיי אין כּעס, און האָט געוואָלט איבערקערן די וועלט אז זי זאָל צוריק ווערן תּוֹהוּ וָבּוֹהוּ.

4. At the same time, the upper waters rose higher and higher, splitting the depths and penetrating between (them) until the creator got angry with him and would turn the world upside down so that it might return to being tohu v’bohu.

האָט זיך דאָס וואסער געשטעלט פאר השי”ת און געזאָגט: „ס’איז דאָך אָפּן און באוואוסט פאר דיר, אז צוליב דײַן כּבֿוֹד האָבן מיר געטוהן וואָס מיר האָבן געטוהן.“

The waters stood before Hashem Yisboroch and said: “It is obviously plain and well-known to You that it is for (the sake of) Your glory that we have done what we have done.”

האָט דער באשעפער געענטפערט: „ווייל צוליב מײַן כּבֿוֹד האָט איהר געטוהן, זאָלט איהר וויסן אז איך וועל נישט ערלויבן פאר דעם איבערשטן וואסער צו זאָגן געזאנג פאר מיר ביז דער אונטערשטער וואסער וועט געבן רֶשוּת, און איך בין מזכה דעם אונטערשטן וואסער מ’זאָל מֶקַרֶיבֿ זײַן פון אים אויפן מִזְבֵח צוויי זאכן — דאָס זאלץ וואָס מ’באזאלצט די קרבנות איז פונעם אונטערשטן וואסער, און דער ניסוך המים וואָס מ’גיסט אויפן מִזְבֵח אין חג-הסוכּות.“

The creator replied: “Because you have done what you have done for (the sake of) My glory, you should know that I will not permit the upper waters to sing to me until the lower waters have given permission, and I credit the lower waters (that) we shall offer upon the altar two things from him — the salt with which we salt the korbans (offerings) is from the lower waters, and (also) the libation which we pour upon the altar on the Festival of Sukkos.”

October 22, 2011

Legends of Beginnings

by Digital Maggid

Agodes Breishis

III. Der Seyder Fun di Bashafung
The Order of the Creation

1. אין אָנפאנג האט השי”ת געהאָט במחשבה צו בשאפן די וועלט מיט מידת-הדין, נאר ווי ער האט געזעהן אז די וועלד וועט נישט קענען עקזיסטירן מיט מידת-הדין, האט ער פאראייניגט די מידת-הדרחמים מיט די מידת-הדין און אזוי האט ער בשאפן די וועלט.

In the beginning, the Blessed of Name had in mind to create the world with Midat-Hadin, the Attribute of Judgment, but as he saw that the world could not exist with the Attribute of Judgment, he united the Midat-Harachamim, the Attribute of Mercy, with the Attribute of Judgment, and thus did he create the world.

הקב”ה האט אזוי געזאגט: “אויב איך וועל בשאפן די וועלט נאר מיט רחמים, וועל די זינדיגע זיין זעהר פיהל. און אויב איך וועל איהר בשאפן מיט דין, וועט זי נישט קענען עקזיסטירן אויף שטענדיג. וועל איך איהר בשאפן מיט דין און מיט רחמים   צוזאמען, און הלואי זאל זי שטיין דורך ביידע.„ און נאך האט השי”ת געטוהן, ער האט מקדים געווען זיינע חסדים אויף זיינע בשאפענישן און זיינע רחמים אויף אלע זיינע מעשׂים.

The Holy Blessed One thus said:  “If I create the world only with Mercy, the sinners will be many. And if I create her with Judgement, she will not endure.  I will create her with Judgement and with Mercy together, and would that she may stand through both.” And thus the Blessed of Name did, preliminarily, with Loving Kindness upon his creatures and with Mercy upon his works.

2. הקב”ה האט זיך אויסגענומען  מיט די מעשי-בראשית, אז אין יעדער צייט וואס אידן וועלן זיך נויטיגן אין דעם זאלן זיי ענדערן זייער וועג און זייער נאטור צוליב די אידן.

 The Holy Blessed One made exceptions within the acts of Breishis, whenever the Jews would be in need of it, they (the creations) could change their way and their nature for (the benefit of) the Jews.

מיט’ן ים האט ער זיך אויסגענומען ער זאל זיך שפאלטן פאר משה און די אידן.  דעם הימל און די ערד האט ער בפוילן זיי זאלן שווייגן און זיך צוהערן ווען משה וועט רעדן. די זון און די לבנה האט ער באפוילן זיי זאלן בלייבן שטיין פאר יהושע אין גבעון.

With the sea he made the exception that it should split for Moshe and the Jews. He ordered the heavens and the earth to be silent and to listen when Moshe would speak. The sun and the moon he ordered to stand still for Yehoshua in Givon.

דעם ירדן האט ער באפוילן ער זאל זיך שפאלטן ווען די אידן וועלן איהם איבערגיין קיין ארץ-ישראל. די רויב-פלויגן (עורבים) האט ער באפוילן אז זיי זאלן שפּייזן אליהו ווען ער וועט אנטלויפן פון אִיזֶבֶל די פרוי פון אחאב. דעם פייער האט ער באפוילן זי זאל נישט שעדיגן אברהם, חנניה מישאל און עזריה, ווען זיי וועלן ווערן אריינגעוואָרפן אין קאלך-אויוון. די לייבן האט ער נאפוילן זיי זאלן נישט שעדיגן דניאל’ן ווען מ’וועט איהם  אריין ווארפן אין לייבן-גרוב. דעם הימל האט ער באפוילן זי זאל זיך עפעמען פארן קול פון יחקאל-הנביא. און מיטן פיש האט ער זיך אויסגענומען ער זאל אויסשפּייען יונה-הנביא.

The Jordan he ordered to split itself when the Jews would want to cross over into the Land of Israel. The birds-of-prey (ravens) he ordered to feed Eliyahu when he would flee from Izevel the wife of Ahab. The fire he ordered not to harm Abraham, Chananyah, Mishal and Azaryah when they would get thrown into the quicklime oven. The lions he ordered not to harm Daniel the Prophet when he would be thrown into the lions’ den. The heavens he ordered to open for the voice of Yechiel the Prophet. And with the fish he made the exception that it should spit out Jonah the Prophet.

:און אזוי איז געווען די סדר פון די באשאפונג

:And thus was the order of the creation

September 12, 2011

Primordial Letters – part ii

by Digital Maggid
The letter Lamed (ל) came in and begged Hashem Yisboroch, “Now, You will give the luchot (tablets) for the Ten Utterances with me.” Gd answered: “With you, the tablets will also break at the base of the mountain and my utterances will fly off the luchot.” The letter Lamed had regrets and went away.

When the letter Kaf (כ) appeared, there was a great noise before the Holy Blessed One. Immediately, the Oybershter called to him, saying: “If you are coming to request like all the other letters, I will not be able to fulfill your desire. The letter Kaf said: “Do not Your Kisei (throne), Your Keter (crown) and Your Kavod (glory) after all, begin with me? And he answered her: “I will klafn (clap) with you kaf-el-kaf (palm to palm)[Ezekiel 21:19]* (a sign of sorrow) and I will bring round my anger and sight will go out of the eyes from tears. How could I possibly create My world with you?” The letter Kaf heard and was frustrated and was gone.
*[Ezekiel 21:19 "smite your hands together" v'hakh kaf-el-kaf.]

The letter Yud (י) appeared and said: “Because with me You will be called “YHVH, Rock Everlasting,” and with me, Your works will be yoducha (praised), I am worthy of the world being created with me.” G-d said to her, “I will create the Yetser-Hara, which will incite people.” The letter Yud went off in aggravation.

When the letter Tet (ט) entered, she said, “Now, since the Oybershter is “tov” (good) for all, and with me, You will bring “tov’cha” (Your goodness) to the tsadikim (righteous ones), might You possibly create Your world with me?” The Holy Blessed one answered: “With you, I will call my people “tamei” (impure) and the lepers will be called impure. Immediately the letter Tet fled, keeping herself away from G-d.
July 1, 2011

From Our Legends

by Digital Maggid

Here is a commentary from the Sefer Ha-Aggadah (Book of Legends). I did not translate this, it is from the English version.

533. A heathen said to Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai: “The things you Jews do appear to be a kind of sorcery. A heifer is brought, it is burned up and is pounded [into ashes] and its ashes are gathered up. Then, when one of you gets defiled by contact with a corpse, two or three drops of water mixed with these ashes are sprinkled upon him and he is told, “You are now cleansed!”

Rabban Yohanan asked the heathen, “Has the spirit of madness ever possessed you?” He replied, “No.”

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