In a similar strain we read, Israel is to overcome ten of the heathen nations of the world; seven of them have already been conquered; the remaining three will fall at the advent of Messiah. — Gen. Rabba 44. But, despite all this, Messiah will not come till all those who are to be created have made their appearance in the world. — Gen. Rabba 24.

In tracing the descent and history of the Israelites, the Bible enumerates the generations of the heads of the families of the earth whose history touched that of the chosen people. ‘These are the generations of the heavens and the earth’ is the first instance of the use of the word תולדות in such a connexion. If regard be had to the Hebrew text of the verse, it will be found that here the word referred to is written in full, i.e. spelt תולדות, with the additional ו, whilst in all other places where the word occurs the word is always spelt with one ו, thus, תלדות. This, it will be found, is the invariable usage until we come to, ‘Now these are the generations of Perez’ (Ruth 4. 18). Here we once again find the word תולדות spelt in full. These are the only two instances in the whole of the Bible. The first refers to the time before the sin and fall of Adam, which brought death into the world, and, inconsequence, all succeeding תלדות, ‘generations,’ were deprived of some of the possibilities of life, and this is indicated by the omission of the ו. But the enumeration of the descendants of Perez, bringing appreciably nearer the promised abolition of death through the agency of his descendant, the Messiah, is hailed as the occasion to celebrate the restoration to perfect man of what he had lost through the imperfection of the first of his kind, and hence the word תולדות is here spelt in full. — Exod. Rabba 30.

A similar deduction is made with reference to the spelling of the word עתודים ‘he-goats.’ Each of the princes of Israel brought as a sacrifice at the dedication of the tabernacle five he-goats. This word is spelt without the ו, thus, עתדים in all the numerous repetitions of the details of the offerings, which are identically the same in all instances. There is but one exception, and that is (Numb. 7. 17) in the account of the offerings brought by Nachshon, son of Aminadab, because from him were to spring six (the numerical value of ו) of the great men of Israel, who were each to be distinguished by six special attributes. The Messiah and his ancestor David are among the six, and Isaiah thus enumerates the six distinguishing traits in the character of the descendant of Jesse, whose coming he foretells. ‘And there shall rest upon him (1) the Spirit of the Lord, (2) the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, (3) the Spirit of counsel, (4) and might, (5) the Spirit of knowledge, and (6) the Spirit of the Lord.’ — Numb. Rabba 13.

Abraham, Job, Hezekiah, and Messiah found God out for themselves without being previously instructed. — Numb. Rabba 14.

The great gifts of God, of which Adam was deprived by reason of his sin and fall — light being one of them — will all be restored through Messiah, who will appear from the North and rebuild the Temple in the South. — Numb. Rabba 13.

The prophecy of Isaiah concerning Jerusalem, ‘Behold, thy sons shall come from afar and thy daughters shall be nursed by thy side,’ could not be hailed with the same satisfaction as the words of Zechariah, ‘Behold, thy King cometh unto thee; he is just and having salvation, lonely and riding upon an ass.’ This latter prophecy will bring it about that the daughter of Zion shall greatly rejoice in the Lord, her soul shall be joyful in her God. — Midr. Song of Songs 1.

So greatly shall Zion rejoice and so glorious will be the restoration of the Temple service in the days of Messiah, that three additional strings will be required besides the seven that were formerly upon the harps used by the Levites. In this way only will it be possible for the whole people to give expression to the depths of reverence for their God that shall then stir their hearts. — Numb. Rabba 15. and Tanchuma Behaloscho.

It was indeed pre-ordained that Jerusalem should be lost to the Israelites, but only until the coming of him concerning whom it was said, ‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.’ — Gen. Rabba 56.

And so the destruction of Jerusalem is to be locked upon as an event bringing joy in its train rather than as an irreparable loss or sorrow, for through it the coming of the Messiah and consequent expiation of Israel’s sin were rendered possible. For, just as all sacrifices were formerly brought to Jerusalem, so in future shall messengers come with offerings to Messiah, and all kings shall prostrate themselves before him. — Midr. Esther 1.

As you brought Me the perpetual light in the Temple, says God unto Israel, so will I bring unto you Him, Messiah, who is the personification of light, ‘the sun of righteousness’ promised through Malachi. — Midr. Tanchuma Tetzava.

Our father Abraham, by his meritorious life, won for himself the blessing. ‘Tell the stars, if thou art able to number them,’ He said unto him; ‘so shall be thy children.’ Isaac’s ready compliance with God’s demand to sacrifice his life evoked the promise, ‘I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven.’ Jacob was heartened with the prospect, ‘And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth.’ That which God promised to Abraham He has already fulfilled in that Moses was able to address to his people the words, ‘The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and behold, you are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.’

Balaam was constrained to acknowledge the impossibility of ‘counting the dust of Jacob,’ and it might seem as if the prophet Hosea looked forward to the speedy realization of the promise made to Isaac when he gave utterance to the sentiment, ‘Yet the number of the children of Israel shall be as the sand of the sea, which cannot be measured or numbered.’ The fulfilment, however, will not come about until the time of the Messiah, when the heathen shall be altogether absorbed and God will pour out His Spirit upon all flesh. — Numb. Rabba 2.

The honour and majesty with which David tells us (Ps. 104.) that God is clothed, He will bestow on Messiah. As it is said, ‘His glory is great in Thy salvation, honour and majesty hast Thou laid upon Him.’ — Numb. Rabba 14.

Seeing in his spirit of prophecy that the time would come when the משכן, ‘Mishkan’ (the Sanctuary) would cease to exist and the Shechinah dwell no more in Israel’s midst, Moses was anxious to know by what means the sins of his people would then be expiated. The Almighty vouchsafed the information that He would choose a righteous man from their midst, and make him a משכן (pledge) for them, and through him their sins would be forgiven. — Exod. Rabba 35.

The prophets formerly recorded the good deeds performed by man, but now Elijah and Messiah record them and God puts His seal on the record. — Levit. Rabba 34.

‘Fear not, Abraham; I am thy shield and thine exceeding great reward,’ refers to the glorious epoch of Messiah. The Patriarch was apprehensive lest the covenant made with him might not prove lasting because of the sins of his descendants. God here gave him the assurance that, though his descendants fall into sin, there shall be one great and noble amongst them, who will be qualified to say to the avenging angel, ‘Stay thy hand.’ ‘Him will I accept and he shall be a pledge for my people.’ — Midr. Song of Songs 1.

‘The sceptre shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his feet until “Shiloh” come,’ refers also to Messiah, who is to enlighten Israel on the words of the Torah, and point out the errors of the people. Rabbi Chanan, on the other hand, holds that the teaching of Messiah will not be addressed to Israel, whose knowledge of the law of God will be all-sufficient. Rather will his task be to instruct the Gentiles: in the words of the prophet Isaiah (11. 10), ‘To him shall the Gentiles seek, and he shall assemble the outcast of Israel.’ — Gen. Rabba 98.

The faithful of Israel are desirous of sepulture in the land of Palestine because, at the advent of Messiah, the resurrection will take place there before any other part of the world, but that will be the resurrection of the righteous only. — Gen. Rabba 96.

The general resurrection of the dead is appointed for the day of judgment, and when it takes place the revived souls will sing angelic songs. — Midr. Eccles. 1.

The death of the righteous is even like the Day of Atonement, in that each secures forgiveness for the sins of Israel. — Levit. Rabba 20.

A time has been appointed by God for the coming of Messiah. Yet if Israel but repent his sins, the glorious redemption will be hastened, and Messiah will make His appearance before the appointed time. — Exod. Rabba 25.

Great indeed will be the time of the approaching advent of Messiah. The wicked will be trodden down as ashes under the feet of the righteous, the trees will send forth their fragrance, and concerning the righteous it will be said, ‘He that is left in Zion and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy.’

The seven years preceding the coming of the Son of David will be distinguished by the following signs: The first year rain will be scarce and partial; in the second year pangs of hunger will be felt; during the third year a severe famine will be experienced, and many human beings will die; men of renown and piety will perish, so that the Torah will be forgotten in Israel. This famine will be the last of the ten predestined for the world; the other nine occurred during the lives of Adam, Lemech, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Elijah, Elisha, the Judges, and King David. The fourth year will be marked neither by famine nor by plenty, but the fifth year will be one of prosperity, when the earth will bring forth abundance. There will then be joy in all parts of the earth, and a revival of study and knowledge of the Torah will be noticeable in the ranks of Israel. The sixth year will be full of rumours of war, and the seventh year will see the actual dread visitation of war. After all these signs have come to pass, at the end of the seventh year, the Son of David will make His appearance. According to other opinions, prior to the coming of Messiah the world will be terribly corrupt; there will be no compassion amongst men, great derision and contempt for the Torah and for piety will be universal, and truth will be almost unknown. Men will be as shameless of their evil doings as the very animals, and the few righteous who still exist will be in exceeding great distress. Persecution will be rife everywhere, the youth will have no respect for the aged, so that the aged will even rise before the presence of the young. The daughter will rebel against her mother, and a man’s worst enemies will be those of his own household. The reigning powers will become infidel, and none will be found to raise his voice in protest, so that mankind will seem to merit nought but extermination. If, therefore, we behold the generations becoming ever more corrupt, there is therein good reason to anticipate the advent of Messiah. — Midr. Song of Songs 2.

The צמח (‘Zemach’), mentioned by Jeremiah (23. 5) and by Zechariah (6. 12) is the Messiah. — Numb. Rabba 18.

Unlike the kings of this earth, God bestows some of His possessions and dignities upon beings of flesh and blood. He set Solomon upon His own throne (1 Chron. 29. 23). He caused Elijah to ride upon His own horse; that is to say, upon the storm and whirlwind. To Moses, He gave God’s rod, and upon the head of Messiah He placed His own crown. — Exod. Rabba 8. and Tanchuma Voera.

Many and varied are the things that in the Bible are designated ‘the first.’ The month of the Egyptian exodus God named the first month of the year (Exod. 12. 2). He revealed Himself as ‘the first’ to the prophet Isaiah (44. 6). Zion, too, is styled ‘the first’ (Jer. 117). Of Esau also the epithet is used (Gen. 25.) And, lastly, Messiah is mentioned as ‘the first’ (Isa. 41. 27).

There is this intimate connexion between them, that God, who is the first, will rebuild Zion the first, and bring retribution on Esau (= Rome), known as the first, at the time of the advent of Messiah the first, in the month (= Nissan) which was appointed as the first. — Exod. Rabba 15.

Five things brought about the redemption of the Israelites from Egypt: (1) The sufferings of the people (2) their repentance; (3) the merits of their ancestors (4) the expiration of the time fixed for their captivity (5) the mercy of their God. These same causes will operate towards the realization of Israel’s Messianic hopes and lead to the last redemption through Messiah. — Deut. Rabba 2.

There will be a great difference between the Egyptian and the last redemption. ‘When you were delivered from Egypt,’ says God to Israel, ‘you had to depart in haste; at the last deliverance you shall not go in haste nor by Right, (Isa. 52. 12). At the Egyptian deliverance I, in my manifestation, went before you (Exod. 13. 21). At the last deliverance ‘the Lord will go before you and the God of Israel will be your reward.’ (Isa. 52. 12). — Exod. Rabba 19.

‘All your former redemptions,’ God says to Israel, have been accomplished through the instrumentality of men, and were, consequently, not lasting in their effect. You were delivered from Egypt through Moses and Aaron; you were rescued out of the hands of Sisera by Deborah and Barak; from the power of Midian you were saved by Shamgar. I myself will be your last and your everlasting Redeemer.’ — Tanchuma Achray.

Great chariots, precious stones and other valuable gifts will the nations bring to Messiah. This means that the nations will bring Israel as a present to Messiah. — Midr. Song of Songs 4.

Just as Judah, though not the eldest, had always precedence of Reuben and the other tribes (as is to be seen in various parts of the Bible — Numbers 2. 3, 2. 9, 7. 12; Judges 1. 2, 20. 18), so he will have precedence in announcing the coming of Messiah, as foretold by the prophet Nahum (1. 15). — Numb. Rabba 2.

To Judah were revealed all the great men and what will happen to them from the time of Jacob till the coming of Messiah. — Numb. Rabba 13.

The perpetual light in the Mishkan was typical of the light of King Messiah. — Levit. Rabba 31.

All the gifts which Jacob felt himself constrained — out of fear — to present to Esau, will be restored to Israel at the advent of Messiah. — Gen. Rabba 75.

Moses, the first redeemer, rode on an ass, gave the Israelites manna for food, and brought up the water. So also shall Messiah be seen riding on an ass (Zech. 9), shall bring down manna from on high (Ps. 70. 16), and cause the rivers of Judah to flow with water (Joel 4. 18). — Midr. Eccles. 1.

‘The envy of Ephraim shall depart and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off’ (Isa. 11. 13). That means that amongst the Jews themselves, at the time of Messiah, there will be perfect peace and harmony. — Tanchuma Vayeegash.

There is no redemption without faith. — Tanchuma Beshallach.

Three things Israel despised, viz., the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of the house of David, and the Temple, and God withholds His blessings from them till they mend their ways in these things. That they will do so the prophet Hosea (3. 5) tells us. ‘Afterwards shall the children of Israel return and seek their God’ means that they will again accept the kingdom of heaven, ‘and David their king’ obviously means the formerly rejected House of David, ‘and shall fear the Eternal and his goodness’ refers to the Temple. — Midr. Samuel 13.

Messiah will be asked which place He selects as His residence. His reply will be, ‘Need you ask Me? Surely Zion, my holy mountain.’ — Midr. Samuel 19.

Amongst the various names of Messiah, who was born on the day on which the Temple was destroyed, is that of מנחם בן עמיאל (Menachem ben Amiel) — Numb. Rabba 13.

The proper name of Messiah is ה׳ צדקנו (the Lord our righteousness). — Midr. Lament. 1.

IT is neither desirable nor consistent with the teachings of Judaism, or with present day sentiment, to make attacks or adverse reflections on any religious creed. But, while disclaiming any desire to provoke theological controversy, or to accentuate religious differences, I should like to append a few observations to this collection of excerpts from the Midrash on the subject of Messiah.

What impels me to do this is the existence of organizations for the conversion of the Jews to Christianity, and the possibility of attempts being made to make capital out of some of the Rabbinic passages which I have cited.

It has been my privilege to come into contact with many Christian clergymen, both in England and in the Cape Colony, during more than forty years, and I have reason to know, and am glad to acknowledge, that there could not be a body of men more learned and pious, and more free from religious rancour and intolerance. My own experience has abundantly proved that it is possible for sincere Jews and Christians to associate on terms of friendship and mutual respect, and that no friction need arise from their differences of opinion on certain matters. But, at the same time, these differences do exist; and if a Jew refuses to adopt Christianity on the strength of arguments drawn from Jewish writings, he must be prepared to justify his attitude. I will therefore touch very briefly on one or two of the arguments brought forward in support of the belief in Jesus as the Messiah.

The prophetic utterances which Christians quote as foreshadowing the coming of Messiah are quoted repeatedly by the Rabbis, and, in my opinion, have been largely borrowed by Christians from that source. These prophecies cannot be assumed without further proof to refer to the founder of Christianity.

I do not wish to go into the question whether the term ‘Messiah’ means an epoch of time or a personal Messiah — a matter on which Jews are by no means unanimous.

But it must be apparent to every thinking and unbiassed mind that not one of the prophetic utterances and predictions or of the Midrashic sayings can apply to the founder of Christianity any more than to the other numerous claimants to the Messianic dignity who have appeared from time to time. Jesus of Nazareth, no less than the other claimants, utterly failed to answer to the description of the Messiah in the prophets, and to accomplish the work which the prophets predicted.

One has but to glance at the present condition of the world — not the heathen, but the Christian world — after more than nineteen hundred years from the supposed advent of the Messiah; one has but to observe how anxious, for instance, nations are to convert their Krupp guns into ploughshares and their machine guns into pruning hooks. One has but, amongst very many other things, to consider the peace on earth which now exists throughout the world! I would also remind those who see in the name ה׳ צדקנו as applied to Messiah, a convincing proof of the divinity of Jesus, that Jerusalem is also called ה׳ צדקנו (Jer. 33. 16). In a similar way, the altar which Moses erected — in commemoration of his victory over Amalek — he dignified by naming it ה׳ נסי (Exod. 17. 15).

And there is, in my humble opinion, amongst other arguments, one argument against the belief in Jesus as the Messiah, which is unanswerable.

The Messiah, according to all who believe in a personal Messiah, Jews and Christians alike, is to be a descendant of David. Now, according to Christianity, Jesus, the son — though not the only son — of Mary, was the offspring of immaculate conception, and had no earthly father from whom to take his pedigree. Even assuming that (as some of my Christian friends assert, but without proof) Mary was a descendant of David, that would not make Jesus a descendant, because pedigrees are reckoned from the father’s, and not the mother’s, side. God being the Father of Jesus, and God not being a descendant of King David, it follows that Jesus, His alleged son, cannot be King David’s descendant.

In support of my argument I may state that in the first four chapters of Numbers, the words לבית אבתם למשפהיתם ‘After their families by the house of their fathers,’ occur more than twenty times. There is not in the whole range of Holy Writ an instance where we find a phrase repeated so many times in so short a space.

And this tends to show Moses’ anxiety to impress us with the fact that descent is to be reckoned on the father’s side. On his father’s side Jesus is not a scion of David, and consequently he cannot be the Messiah.

Genesis Rabba

IT is forbidden to inquire what existed before creation, as Moses distinctly tells us (Deut. 4. 32): ‘Ask now of the days that are past which were before thee, since the day God created man upon earth.’ Thus the scope of inquiry is limited to the time since the Creation. — Gen. Rabba 1.

The unity of God is at once set before us in the history of creation, where we are told He, not they, created. — Gen. Rabba 1.

The Torah was to God, when He created the world, what the plan is to an architect when he erects a building. — Gen. Rabba 1.

The ‘א’, being the first letter of the Hebrew Alphabet, demurred at her place being usurped by the letter ב, which is second to her, at the creation; the history of which commences with the latter instead of with the former. She was, however, quite satisfied when told that in the history of giving the Decalogue, she would be placed at the beginning in the word אנכי, for the world has only been created on account of the Torah, which, indeed, existed anterior to creation; and had the Creator not foreseen that Israel would consent to receive and diffuse the Torah, creation would not have taken place. — Gen. Rabba 1.

There is a difference of opinion as to the day on which angels were created; one authority decides for the second day, on the ground that they are mentioned in connexion with water (Ps. 104. 3, 4), which was created on that day; while another, arguing from the fact that they are said to fly (Isa. 6.), assigns their creation to the fifth day, on which all other flying things were created. But all authorities are agreed that they did not exist on the first day of creation, so that sceptics cannot say that they were helpers in the work of creation. — Gen. Rabba 1.

The title of an earthly king precedes his name, for instance, Emperor Augustus, etc. Not so was the will of the King of kings; He is only known as God after creating heaven and earth. Thus it is not said ברא אלהים (God created), but ברא אלהים. ‘In the beginning created God heavens and earth;’ He is not mentioned as God before He created. — Gen. Rabba 1.

Even the new heavens and earth, spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah (65. 17), were created in the six days of creation. — Gen. Rabba 1.

When any divergence is found in the Scriptures, it must not be thought that it is by mere accident, for it is done advisedly. Thus, for instance, we invariably find Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but once, as an exception, Jacob is mentioned before the other Patriarchs (Levit. 26. 42). Again, whilst Moses has always precedence over Aaron, in one instance we find Aaron’s name placed before that of Moses (Exod. 6. 26). This is also the case with Joshua and Caleb; whilst the former normally precedes the name of Caleb, there is one exception (Numb. 14. 30).

This is to show us that these men were equally beloved by God. The same is the case with the love and honour due to parents; whilst the father is as a rule mentioned first in this connexion, once (in Levit. 19. 3) the mother is mentioned before the father. This is also intended to indicate that children owe the same love and honour to the mother as to the father. — Gen. Rabba 1.

The man that gloats over another man’s disgrace and thinks himself raised in dignity by it, is unworthy of future bliss. — Gen. Rabba 1.

Light is mentioned five times in the opening chapter of the Bible. This points to the five books of Moses. ‘God said let there be light’ refers to the book of Genesis, which enlightens us as to how creation was carried out. The words ‘And there was light’ bear reference to the book of Exodus, which contains the history of the transition of Israel from darkness to light. ‘And God saw the light that it was good:’ this alludes to the book of Leviticus, which contains numerous statutes. ‘And God divided between the light and between the darkness:’ this refers to the book of Numbers, divided as that book is between the history of those who came out of Egypt and that of those who were on their way to possess the promised land. ‘And God called the light day:’ this bears reference to the book of Deuteronomy, which is not only a rehearsal of the four earlier books, but contains Moses’ eloquent dying charge to Israel and many laws not mentioned in the preceding books. — Gen. Rabba 3.

‘And the earth was without form and void.’ There seems to be some reason for the earth’s despondency, as though she was aware of her lot beforehand. This may be illustrated by the following parable: A king acquired two servants on precisely the same conditions, but made a distinction in their treatment. Regarding the one, he decreed that she should be fed and maintained at the expense of the king. For the other, he decided that she must maintain herself by her own labour. In the same way, the earth was sad because she saw that the heavens and the earth were equally and at the same time called into being by the same ‘let there be’ or will of God, and yet the heavenly bodies feast on and are maintained by Divine Glory; whilst earthly bodies, unless they labour and produce their own sustenance, are not sustained. Or, again, it is as though the king decreed that the one servant should be a constant dweller in his palace, whilst the other should be a fugitive and a wanderer; or gave to the one perpetuity or eternity, and to the other, death. Thus, the earth knowing — as though by inspiration — God’s words spoken afterwards to Adam (Gen. 3. 17): ‘Cursed is the ground for thy sake,’ put on mourning, and thus was ‘without form and void.’ — Gen. Rabba 2.

In the words ‘and there was evening and there was morning one day,’ the ‘one day’ referred to is the Day of Atonement — the day of expiation. — Gen. Rabba 2.

There seems to be a covenant made with the waters that whenever the heat is excessive and there is scarcely a breath of air moving on land, there is always some breeze, however slight, on the waters. — Gen. Rabba 2.

God knew beforehand that the world would contain both righteous and wicked men, and there is an allusion to this in the story of creation. ‘The earth without form,’ means the wicked, and the words ‘and there was light’ refers to the righteous. — Gen. Rabba 3.

Other worlds were created and destroyed ere this present one was decided on as a permanent one. — Gen. Rabba 3.

Rain is produced by the condensed effusion of the upper firmament. — Gen. Rabba 4.

‘How is it,’ asked an inquisitive matron of Rabbi José, ‘that your Scriptures crown every day of creation with the words: “And God saw that it was good,” but the second day is deprived of this phrase?’ The Rabbi sought to satisfy her by pointing out that at the end of the creation it is said: ‘And God saw all that He had made, and it was exceedingly good,’ so that the second day shares in this commendation. ‘But,’ insisted the matron, ‘there is still an unequal division, since every day has an additional sixth part of the praise, whilst the second day has only the sixth part without the whole one, which the others have for themselves.’ The sage then mentioned the opinion of Rabbi Samuel, that the reason for the omission is to be found in the fact that the work begun on the second day was not finished before the following (the third) day; hence we find the expression ‘it was good’ twice on that day. — Gen. Rabba 4.

Three were accused Adam, Eve and the Serpent but four were sentenced, viz., the earth, as well as those three. The earth received her sentence as the element out of which rebellious and fallen man was formed. — Gen. Rabba 5.

The waters of the various seas are apparently the same, but the different taste of the fish coming from the various seas seems to contradict this. — Gen. Rabba 5.

God made a condition with Nature at the Creation, that the sea should divide to let the Israelites pass through it at the Exodus, and that Nature should alter her course when emergency should arise. — Gen. Rabba 5.

When iron was found, the trees began to tremble, but the iron reassured them: ‘Let no handle made from you enter into anything made from me, and I shall be powerless to injure you.’ — Gen. Rabba 5.

The following are God’s presents, or free gifts, to the world: The Torah (Exod. 31. 18), Light (Gen. 1. 17), Rain (Levit. 26. 4), Peace (Levit. 26. 6), Salvation (Ps. 18. 36), Mercy (Ps. 106. 46). Some add also the knowledge of navigation. — Gen. Rabba 6.

When creation was all but ended, the world with all its grandeur and splendour stood out in its glorious beauty. There was but one thing wanting to consummate the marvellous work called into existence by the mere ‘let there be,’ and that was a creature with thought and understanding able to behold, reflect and marvel on this great handiwork of God, who now sat on His Divine Throne surrounded by hosts of angels and seraphim singing hymns before Him.

Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our likeness, and let there be a creature not only the product of earth, but also gifted with heavenly, spiritual elements, which will bestow on him reason, intellect and understanding.’ Truth then appeared, falling before God’s throne, and in all humility exclaimed: ‘Deign, O God, to refrain from calling into being a creature who is beset with the vice of lying, who will tread truth under his feet.’ Peace came forth to support this petition. ‘Wherefore, O Lord, shall this creature appear on earth, a creature so full of strife and contention, to disturb the peace and harmony of Thy creation? He will carry the flame of quarrel and ill-will in his trail; he will bring about war and destruction in his eagerness for gain and conquest.’

Whilst they were pleading against the creation of man, there was heard, arising from another part of the heavens, the soft voice of Charity: ‘Sovereign of the Universe,’ the voice exclaimed, in all its mildness, ‘vouchsafe Thou to create a being in Thy likeness, for it will be a noble creature striving to imitate Thy attributes by its actions. I see man now in Spirit, that being with God’s breath in his nostrils, seeking to perform his great mission, to do his noble work. I see him now in spirit, approaching the humble hut, seeking out those who are distressed and wretched to comfort them, drying the tears of the afflicted and despondent, raising up them that are bowed down in spirit, reaching his helping hand to those who are in need of help, speaking peace to the heart of the widow, and giving shelter to the fatherless. Such a creature cannot fail to be a glory to His Maker.’ The Creator approved of the pleadings of Charity, called man into being, and cast Truth down to the earth to flourish there; as the Psalmist says (Ps. 85. 12): ‘Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven to abide with man;’ and He dignified Truth by making her His own seal. — Gen. Rabba 8.

The sun alone without the moon would have sufficed for all his purpose, but if he were alone, the primitive people might have had some plausible excuse for worshipping him. So the moon was added, and there is less reason for deifying either. — Gen. Rabba 6.

The progeny of man is reckoned from his father’s and not from his mother’s family. — Gen. Rabba 7.

‘Let us make man.’ God may be said to address the spiritual and the material elements thus: ‘Till now all creatures have been of matter only; now I will create a being who shall consist of both matter and spirit.’ — Gen. Rabba 8.

‘In our form, in our likeness.’ ‘Hitherto there was but one such creature; I have now added to him another who was taken from him. They shall both be in our form and likeness; there shall be no man without a woman and no woman without a man, and no man and woman together without God.’ Thus in the words איש יאשה (‘man and woman’) there is the word, יה, (God). — Gen. Rabba 8.

If they are unworthy the י from the word איש and the ה from אשה is taken away, and thus יה God, departs and there are left the words אש יאש = “fire and fire.”

Adam was created with two bodies, one of which was cut away from him and formed Eve. — Gen. Rabba 8.

If man had been created out of spiritual elements only there could be no death for him, in the event of his fall. If, on the other hand, he had been created out of matter only, there could be no future bliss for him. Hence he was formed out of matter and spirit. If he lives the earthly, i.e. the animal life only, he dies like all matter; if he lives a spiritual life, he obtains the spiritual future bliss. — Gen. Rabba 8.

Michael and Gabriel acted as ‘best men’ at the nuptials of Adam and Eve. God joined them in wedlock, and pronounced the marriage benediction on them. — Gen. Rabba 8.

Rabbi Meier wrote a ספר תירה (scroll) for his own use, on the margin of which he wrote, in connexion with the words: ‘And God saw that it was good,’ ‘This means death, which is the passing from life transitory to life everlasting.’ — Gen. Rabba 9.

God knows our thoughts before they are formed. — Gen. Rabba 9.

There is a limit to everything except to the greatness and depth of the Torah. — Gen. Rabba 10.

After destroying Jerusalem and the Temple, plundering all its valuables and doing much what he liked, Titus became intoxicated with his success and indulged in gross blasphemy. ‘It is all very well,’ he said, ‘for the God of the Jews to conquer kings of the desert, but I attacked Him in His very palace and prevailed against Him.’ When he was on his return voyage to Rome, with the booty robbed from the Temple, a great tempest arose on the sea and threatened him with shipwreck. He again had recourse to blasphemy: ‘The God of the Jews,’ said he, ‘seems to have dominion over the waters; the generation of Noah He destroyed by water, Pharaoh and the Egyptians He drowned in the waters, and over me He had no power until I gave Him the chance by using the elements over which He possesses this subtle power.’ Suddenly a perfect calm set in, the sea became quite smooth, and Titus prosecuted his voyage without let or hindrance. Arrived in Rome with the golden vessels of the Temple, he was given a great reception, and a large number of distinguished men went to meet him.

After resting from his fatigue, he appeared again before a distinguished assembly, and was offered wine; but whilst he was partaking of it a microbe, so minute that it was imperceptible, found its way into his glass, and soon began to cause him intense pain in the head. In the course of a short time the insect grew, and with it grew the pain in Titus’ head, till it was decided to have recourse to an operation, to open his skull, in order — as the Romans said — to see what the God of the Jews employed as punishment for Titus. An insect of the size of a pigeon and of the weight of nearly two pounds was found in Titus’ brain. Rabbi Eleazer, son of Rabbi José, who was then in Rome, saw with his own eyes the insect when taken out of Titus’ skull. — Gen. Rabba 10.

Even flies, parasites and microbes have their purpose to fulfil, and there is nothing superfluous in creation. — Gen. Rabba 10.

The river Sambation casts up stones all the days of the week, but desists from doing so on Sabbath — indeed, on Friday after midday, when it becomes quite calm, as a proof of the day which is really the Sabbath. — Gen. Rabba 11.

Rabbi Judah Hanasa invited his friend Antoninus to dine with him on the Sabbath day, when all the viands were served cold. After a time the Rabbi again had the pleasure of his friend’s company at dinner on a week-day, when warm food was served. Antoninus, however, expressed his preference for the food he had enjoyed at his friend’s table on the Sabbath, though it was cold. ‘Ah,’ said the sage, ‘there is something missing to-day which we cannot procure.’ ‘But,’ replied Antoninus, ‘surely my means can procure anything?’ ‘No,’ answered the Rabbi, ‘your means cannot procure the Sabbath; it is the Sabbath that gives the zest to the food.’ — Gen. Rabba 11.

The merciful Creator did not overlook the wild goat or the coney, but provided for them a refuge and a protecting shelter. It follows that he created all that is necessary for man. — Gen. Rabba 12.

The light, when first created, would have enabled man to see from one comer of the earth to the other; but the wicked men of the generation of Enos, the flood, and the Tower caused that light to be withdrawn from this world, and it is preserved for the righteous in a higher sphere. — Gen. Rabba 12.

The nose is the most important feature in man’s face, so much so, that there is no legal identification of man, in Jewish law, without the identification of the nose. — Gen. Rabba 12.

All the rivers go into the sea and the sea is not full, because the waters of the sea are again absorbed, and this causes the mist which rises from the earth. When the clouds have absorbed the mist, the moisture becomes condensed, and loses its salty substance before it comes down again on earth in the shape of rain. — Gen. Rabba 13.

The Hebrew word for ‘forming’ is, in connexion with the formation of man, spelled exceptionally וײצר with two ‘י’, which is not its proper spelling. This is to be taken as a hint that man was formed out of two elements — spirit and matter. This is also manifested in man’s life. His material part has need of matter to sustain him, and of the other laws of nature; he grows, flourishes, decays and dies. But, on the other hand, he resembles spiritual beings by walking upright, by his power of speech and thought, and by being able in some degree to see behind him without need of turning his head round; which facility is given to man alone and not to the lower animals. — Gen. Rabba 14.

The appearance of Adam and Eve, when just formed, was like that of persons of twenty years of age. — Gen. Rabba 14.

Rabbi José b. Chlafta paid a visit of condolence to a man who had lost a dearly beloved son. He met there a man of sceptical ideas, who, observing the Rabbi’s silence, asked him whether he had nothing to say to the mourner. ‘We,’ said the good man, ‘believe in a meeting again hereafter.’ ‘Has our friend not sorrow enough,’ observed the sceptic, ‘that you must needs add to it by offering him foolish words as comfort? Can a broken pitcher be made whole?’ he argued. ‘Your own Psalmist does not seem to think so when he says (Ps. 2. 8): “Thou shalt dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel.”’ ‘And yet,’ answered the Rabbi, ‘there is even a vessel made by human hands, or rather by blowing, viz. a vessel made from glass, which, when broken, can be made whole again by the same process, by blowing. And if such is the case with anything made by human skill, shall we doubt it where the Great Master blew into the nostrils His own breath?’ — Gen. Rabba 14.

The builder mixes a thick sand with a thinner one in the mortar, by which contrivance the latter becomes very strong and the building more substantial. In creating the first pair, something of this method was adopted. Adam was the strong and Eve the weaker. This mixture of the weak with the strong is beneficial to the human race. — Gen. Rabba 14.

Man was originally formed with a tail like the lower animals, but this was afterwards taken from him out of consideration for him. — Gen. Rabba 14.

God designed man for work — work for his own sustenance; he who does not work shall not eat. — Gen. Rabba 14.

Perhaps in the proper order of things, Abraham should have been the first man created, not Adam. God, however, foresaw the fall of the first man, and if Abraham had been the first man and had fallen, there would have been no one after him to restore righteousness to the world; whereas after Adam’s fall came Abraham, who established in the world the knowledge of God. As a builder puts the strongest beam in the centre of the building, so as to support the structure at both ends, so Abraham was the strong beam carrying the burden of the generations that existed before him and that came after him. — Gen. Rabba 14.

Here in this life we have the Spirit = the soul, blown into our nostrils; hence it goes from us at death.

In futurity the soul, when restored, will be given to us, as it is said in Ezek. 37. 14: a complete gift never to be returned. — Gen. Rabba 14.

The river Euphrates (פרת) is the chief and choicest of all rivers. — Gen. Rabba 16.

The Greeks, amongst other insults which they heaped on Jews, had a satirical saying. The Jews should write on the horn of an ox — alluding to the making of the golden calf — that they are not the portion of the God of Israel. — Gen. Rabba 16.

‘Why,’ asked a matron of Rabbi José, ‘did God steal a rib from Adam?’ ‘Steal, did you say?’ replied the Sage. ‘If one were to take away from your house an ounce of silver, and give you in return a pound of gold, that would not be stealing from you.’ ‘But,’ persisted his friend, ‘what need was there for secrecy?’ ‘It was surely better,’ replied R. José, ‘to present Eve to Adam when she was quite presentable, and when no traces of the effects of the operation were visible.’ — Gen. Rabba 17.

That woman exercises more influence over man than he possesses over woman was illustrated by a couple who were famous for their piety, but who were eventually divorced. The man married a woman of questionable habits, and soon copied her conduct and became like his new wife, conspicuous for his evil deeds; whilst the divorced woman married a notorious sinner, and converted him into a pious man. — Gen. Rabba 17.

Woman is formed out of bone. Touch a bone and it emits sound; hence woman’s voice is thinner than man’s. Again, man is formed from earth, which is comparatively soft and melts when water comes over it; whilst woman, being formed from hard substance, is more stubborn and unbending. — Gen. Rabba 17.

Sleep is a sixtieth portion of death; a dream is the same proportion of prophecy and the Sabbath of the Future bliss. — Gen. Rabba 17.

Dreams, something like prophecy, are the offspring of imaginations and comparisons which we may form whilst awake. — Gen. Rabba 17.

Sleepiness and laziness in a man are the beginning of his misfortune. — Gen. Rabba 17.

Man in celibacy is in sublime ignorance of what is meant by the words good, hell, joy, blessing, peace and expiation of sin. He is, in fact, not entitled to the dignified name of man. — Gen. Rabba 17.

Rabbi José, the Galilean, married his niece — his sister’s daughter — who proved an exceedingly bad wife, and took a delight in abusing him in the presence of his pupils, who urged him to divorce her. This he refused to do, pleading that he was not in position to make provision for her maintenance, without which it would not be just to cast her adrift. One day he brought home with him Rabbi Eleazar b. Azaria, to whom, as well as to her husband, she offered a frown as her greeting. Upon inquiry as to what repast there was to place before his guest, R. José received the reply that there was nothing but lentils. His sense of smell, however, told him that there was something more savoury, and looking into the simmering pot on the hob, he found its contents to be stuffed chickens. After a deal of persuasion the good woman was prevailed upon to place the tempting morsels before her husband and his guest, Rabbi Eleazar, who, having overheard the answer which the woman first gave her husband, that there was nothing better than lentils, expressed his surprise that chickens were served. In order to screen his wife, Rabbi José made the remark that perhaps a miracle had happened in honour of so distinguished a guest. The true character of the woman, however, reached the ears of Rabbi Eleazar, and he also learnt that it was owing to his friend’s inability to provide for her maintenance that he was not divorced from her. The means to make provision for her were then soon found, and she was duly divorced from her husband.