The Book of Legends/Sefer Ha-Aggadah: Legends from the Talmud and Midrash

Publisher’s Note  xi  Acknowledgments   xiii  Note on Transliteration  xv  Introduction by DAVID STERN  xvii    PART I   -- CHAPTER I  PROEM   The Meaning of Aggadah and of the Parable 3  The Meaning of Aggadah and Halakhah  4  -- CHAPTER II THE WORK OF CREATION AND THE FIRST GENERATIONS   The Creation of the World   6  Heaven and Earth   7  The Light   9  The Water   10  Grasses and Trees   11  The Moon    11  The Variety of Creatures   11  Man   12  The Upper Worlds and the Lower Worlds   15  Things Created at Twilight on Sabbath Eve   16  The Order of, and Changes in, the Work of Creation 16  The Handiwork of the Holy One   17  In the World’s Praise   18  Eve   19  The Serpent and Sin   20  The Tree of Life  and  the Tree of Knowledge  21  The Primeval Serpent 22  Adam after the Sin  22  Cain and Abel 23  The Corruption of Succeeding  Generations 25  Noah 25  The Generation of the Flood 25  Noah and the Flood 27  Nimrod and the Generation of the Dispersion of Mankind 29  -- CHAPTER III  THE DEEDS OF THE FATHERS   Our Father Abraham  31  Abraham’s Prayer and  Sodom’s Sins 35  Abraham’s Progeny 37  The Binding of Isaac 39  Mter the Death of Abraham 42  Isaac, Rebekah, and Their Progeny 42  Isaac’s Blessing 44  Our Father Jacob When He Left  Beersheba 45  Jacob, Esau, and  the Angels 48  The Portions of Jacob and  Esau 50  Rebekah’s Death and Rachel’s Burial 50  The House of Jacob and  the House of Esau 50  Joseph and His Brothers 51  The Going Down of Judah 51  Joseph in  Egypt 52  Joseph before Pharaoh 52  Joseph’s Brothers  in Egypt 53  Joseph Makes Himself Known  to  His  Brothers 55  Jacob’s Going Down to Egypt 56  The  Death and Burial of Jacob 56  -- CHAPTER IV ISRAEL IN EGYPT AND THE DEPARTURE FROM EGYPT   The Servitude in Egypt 58  The Birth and Growing Up of Moses 60  Moses Goes Forth  to His Brethren 61  Moses in Midian 62  The Groaning of the Children of Israel and  the Mission of Moses   Moses Returns to  Egypt 64  Moses before  Pharaoh 64  The Brutality of the Enslavement 65  The Signs and the Plagues 66  Events Preceding the Exodus 70  The Spoils of Egypt 70  Joseph’s Coffin 70  The Exodus from Egypt 71  The Splitting of the Red Sea and  the  Plunder at  the  Sea   -- CHAPTER V ISRAEL  IN THE WILDERNESS   From Egypt into the Wilderness 75  The Manna 75  The Well 76  Clouds of Glory 76  Amalek’s War 77  The Giving of Torah 78  Nadab and Abihu 83  The Sin of the Golden Calf 83  The Tabernacle and  Its Vessels 86  Israel’s Journey  and Encampment in  the Wilderness 88  The Scouts 89  The Controversy of Korah and His Company 91  The Waters of Meribah 93  Litigious [Impertinent,and Suspicious]Persons 93  Aaron 94  Aaron’s Death 94  The Miracles  in  the Valley  of Arnon 95  Og, King of Bashan 96  Balaam 96  The Daughters of Zelophehad 97  The War with Midian 98  Israel’s Provisioning  in the Wilderness 99  The End of the Forty Years in  the Wilderness 99  The Prophecy of Moses 101  Eldad and Medad 100  Moses and Joshua 101  The Death of Moses  101  Moses’ Burial Place 105  -- CHAPTER VI  JUDGES, KINGS,  AND PROPHETS  The Chosen Land 106  Joshua 106  In the Days When  the Judges Judged 107  The Prophetess Deborah 108  Jephthah and His Daughter 109  Samson 109  Micah’s Idol 110  The Scroll of Ruth 111  Elkanah and Hannah 113  The Sons of Eli 114  Samuel 114  The Destruction of Shiloh 114  The Sons of Samuel 115  King Saul 116  The Death of Saul 117  David the Shepherd 117  David and the Works of the Lord 118  David’s Harp 118  David’s Sin and Repentance 119  David’s Humility 119  David and Abner 120  David and Israel’s Enemies 120  David and His  Son Absalom 121  David and Ishbi-benob 121  David’s Death 122  The Wisdom and Greatness of King Solomon 123  Solomon as Builder 124  Solomon’s Throne 126  Solomon and the Queen of Sheba 127  Solomon-King and Commoner 129  Jeroboam 131  Omri and Ahab 132  Elijah and  the Worshipers of Baal 133  Jonah 133  The  Banishment of the Ten Tribes 134  The Cutheans [Samaritans] 135   Hezekiah and the Fall of Sennacherib 135  Hezekiah and Isaiah 149  The Reward for the Three Steps Merodach-baladan Took 139  Manasseh 140  King Zedekiah 140  Nebuchadnezzar 141  Jehoiakim and Jeconiah 141  -- CHAPTER VII  THE DESTRUCTION OF THE FIRST TEMPLE   The Destruction of the Temple 142  The Ninth of Av 143  Upon  the Ruins of Jerusalem 143  The Departure of the Presence 145  The Holy One Weeping 145  Mourning by  the Fathers 146  The Blood of Zechariah  148  The Sufferings  of  the Exiles 148  By the Rivers of Babylon 149  Yearnings 150  Comforting 150  -- CHAPTER VIII THE ERA BETWEEN THE FIRST AND  SECOND TEMPLES   Daniel and the Dragon  in Babylon 151  The Dead whom Ezekiel Brought  Back  to Life 151  Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah 151  Ezra 152  Men of the Great Assembly 152  In the Days of Mordecai and Esther 152  Deborah and  Esther 153  The Feast of Ahasuerus 153  Bigthan and Teresh   The Promotion of Haman 153  Haman’s Intention 154  Haman’s Slander and Ahasuerus’s Decree 154  The Fall of Haman and  the Exaltation of Mordecai 157  The Hanging of Haman 159  -- CHAPTER IX  THE SECOND TEMPLE-ITS STRUCTURE AND  ITS SERVICE  The Temple in Its Glory 160   The Hiding of the Ark 161  The Crown of Priesthood 162  Simeon the Righteous 162  The Temple of Onias 163  Alexandria’s Synagogue with  the Double  Colonnade 163  Priestly Families 164  Alexander of Macedon 166  The Servitude  under Greece  and  the Jews Who Betrayed  the Covenant   The Mother of Children 169  The House  of the Hasmoneans 169  Herod’s Temple 171  The Service in the Temple 172  The Miracles in the Temple 174  Diligent Priests 175  The Paschal Lamb 175  The Sheaf of the Omer (Lev. 23:9-ll) 176  The Bringing of the Firstfruits 177  The Service of Yom  Kippur (the Day of Atonement] 178  The Lulav Cluster 182  The Water Libation 182  The Rejoicing at  the Place of the Water-drawing 183  The King’s Passage  in Scripture 183  The Eighth Day Festival [Shemini Atzeret]and the Night Following the Seventh Day of Sukkot   Festival Pilgrimage  to  Jerusalem 184  Pilgrimage to Jerusalem during the Time of an Adverse Decree 185  The Cleverness of the People of Jerusalem 185  -- CHAPTER X  THE DESTRUCTION OF THE SECOND TEMPLE AND OF THE LAND  The Years before  the Destruction 189  Why the Land Was Destroyed 189  The Wickedness of Hadrian 195  Zion’s Precious Children 195  The Holy One Mourns 197  Menahem the Comforter 197  The Mourners for Zion 198  Since  the Temple Was Destroyed 199  Consolations 199    PART II  -- CHAPTER I THE DEEDS OF THE SAGES   R.Simeon ben Shetah   201  Honi the Circle Maker and His Progeny 202  Hillel the Elder 204   Akavia ben Mahalalel 207  Rabban Gamaliel the Elder 207  R.Zadok and His Son R. Eleazar 207  The School of Shammai and the School of Hillel 208  Jonathan ben Uzziel 209  Samuel the Little 209  Rabban Yohanan ben Zakkai  210  R.Dosa ben Horkinas  213  R.Hanina ben Dosa 214  Rabban Gamaliel  II 216  R.Eliezer [the Elder] ben Hyrcanus 221  R.Joshua ben Hananiah  226  Nahum the Man of Gamzo 230  R.Tarfon 231  R.Akiva  232  The Ten Martyrs 238  R.Meir, Elisha ben Avuyah(Aher), Beruriah 242  R.Simeon ben Yohai  and His Son R. Eleazar 249  R.Yose ben Halafta and His Son R.Ishmael 254  R.Judah bar Ilai  256  R.Eleazar ben Shammua and His Son R.Simeon 257  Rabban  Simeon ben Gamaliel II  259  R.Phinehas ben Yair 260  R.Judah I, the Patriarch (Rabbi,Our Holy Rabbi); R.Hiyya the Elder and His Sons 261  Bar Kappara  270  R.Simeon  ben Halafta 271  R.Hanina  bar Hama 273  R.Oshaia  the Elder ben R.Hama 275  R.Joshua  ben Levi 376  R.Yohanan ben ha-Nappah and R.Simeon ben Lakish [Resh Lakish] 279  R.Judah  [II] the Patriarch (R.Yudan the Patriarch)  285  R.Eleazar ben Pedat 287  R.Abbahu  289  R.Zera (Ze’era) 292  Rav (R.Abba bar Aibu)  295  Samuel  299  R.Judah (bar Ezekiel)  301  R.Jeremiah  305  R.Huna  306  R.Hisda 308  R.Sheshet  320  R.Nahman [bar Jacob] 311  Rabbah [bar Nahmani] 312  R.Joseph  313  Abbaye bar Kaylil   315  Rava bar Joseph bar Hama  317  R.Papa 322  R.Ashi 324  Patriarch and Exilarch 325  The Merit of the Sages 326  The Former and the Latter Generations 327  The Sages of the Land of Israel and the Sages of Babylonia 328  Sages at Their Going In and Their Coming Out of the House of Study 329  The Death of Sages and Their Eulogies 330    PART III   -- CHAPTER I ISRAEL AND THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD   God’s Love for Israel 333  Between Israel and the Nations 335  The Character of Israel 338  Israel’s Afflictions 341  The Characteristics  of Israel 342  Transgressors in Israel 342  Israel-One Cluster 344  The Enemies and Friends of Israel 345  Constellations Have No Power over Israel 346  Israel Endure Forever 347  The Purity of Families  in  Israel 348  Proselytes in Israel 349  Those Who Became Proselytes Because of Lions 353  The Nations of the World 354  -- CHAPTER II THE  LAND OF  ISRAEL   The Land and Israel 359  The Land and Its Settlement 359  Love for the Land 362  The Holiness of the Land 363  Torah of the Land 363  The Dimensions of the Land 364  A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey 365  Jerusalem 371  -- CHAPTER III LANGUAGE   The Sacred Tongue 374  The Sacred Tongue and Other Languages 375  Exactness in the Use of Language 376  -- CHAPTER IV  EXILE   The Hardship of Exile and the Enslavement by Kingdoms 377  Israel: An Object of Derision among the Nations 381  The Holy One Is Partner in Israel’s Travail 381  The Guardian of Israel 383  Watchman, What of the Night? 384  -- CHAPTER V  REDEMPTION AND THE DAYS OF THE MESSIAH   Archives of Travails and Archives of Deliverance 387  The Merit of the Fathers 388  The Time of Redemption 389  The Footprints of the Messiah 391  Redemption and  the Ingathering of Exiles 393  The Day of Darkness and Light 394  The Messiah 395  -- CHAPTER  VI  IN THE TIME-TO-COME   The Good That Is to Be 399  Resurrection of the Dead 401  -- CHAPTER VII  TORAH   On  the Value and Study of Torah 403  How Torah Is Acquired and in Whom It Maintains Itself 409  Torah  for  Its Own Sake 414  They Who Teach Torah and  the Ways of Study 414  They Who Study Torah and  the Ways of Study 419  Teacher and Companion: Attending upon [Sages  in] Torah 427  Honoring Torah and Those Who Study It 429  The Disciple of the Wise and the Unlearned Person 434  The Oral Torah 440  Holy Writings and Other  Books 444  The Language of Torah and [the Aramaic] Targum  449  Study and Practice 451  The Precepts of Torah 453  A Fence around the Torah 464  Torah’s Mysteries 467  -- CHAPTER  VIII  WISDOM, PROPHECY,AND SONG  Wisdom 469  Prophecy and the Holy Spirit 472  Song 481  -- CHAPTER IX SABBATH, FEASTS, AND FASTS   Sabbath 486  Hallowing the New Moon and  Intercalating  the Year 493  New Year’s Day and  the Day of Atonement 496  Pilgrimage Festivals 498  Hanukkah and Purim 500  The Scroll of Fasts 501  Fasts 501    PART  IV   -- CHAPTER I  THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE AND RELATIONS BETWEEN HUMAN BEINGS AND HIM   The Holy One, Blessed  Be He 503  The Household Above 511  Idolatry 514  Heretics 517  Between Man and Him Who Is Everywhere 521  Prayer 523  Benedictions 533  -- CHAPTER II GOOD AND EVIL   The Impulse to Good and  the Impulse to Evil 537  Precept and Transgression 543  The Righteous and the Wicked 546  Repentance 556  Reward and Punishment 561  The World-to-Come 568  The Garden of Eden and Gehenna 569    PART  V   -- CHAPTER I MAN  AND HIS NEEDS   Man at His Birth, in His Old Age,and at His Death 575  Man’s Soul 584  Man’s Delight 585  Food and Drink 587  Proper Order  and Manners at  a Feast 590  A Man’s Clothing 592  Bathing and Anointing 593  Healing the Body 594  Care of the Body 595  Man’s Sustenance-Poverty  and Riches 600  The Labor of Man’s Hands 605  Work on the Land and  the Give-and-Take of Business 609  -- CHAPTER II A MAN’S HOUSEHOLD   Marriage 614  A Woman’s Character 624  Matters between Husband and Wife 628  Children and  the Rearing of Children 632  Honoring Father and Mother 638  -- CHAPTER III BETWEEN MAN AND MAN   The Right Course  and a Good Name 642  The Honor to Be Accorded  to One’s  Fellow Man 643  Love of Fellow  Man  and Hatred  of  Fellow Man 646  A Companion 647  Rules of Conduct and Good Manners Required between a Man and His Fellow 648  Theft, Robbery, and Bloodshed 651  Wronging [Overreaching] and Deception 655  Returning a Lost Article 658  Workmen and Slaves 660  Compassion for God’s Creatures 663  Charity 664  The Ways of Charity 671  Collectors for Charity 675  Bringing Up Orphans  and  Redeeming Captives 676  Deeds  of Loving-kindness 677  Hospitality to Wayfarers 679  Saving an Endangered Life 682  Visiting the Sick 683  Burying the Dead and Comforting  the Mourners  684  -- CHAPTER  IV  TRAITS AND  ATTITUDES   Peace and Strife  690  Charitable Judgment and Suspicion 692  Reproof, Flattery, and Hypocrisy 693  Slander and Disclosing Another’s Secret 696  Truth and Falsehood, Vows and Oaths 700  Refined Speech and Lascivious Talk 702  Silence and Speech 704  Anger 706  Humility and Pride 707  Shamefacedness and Brazenness 712  Joy and Sadness, Frivolity and Levity 712  Resignation to Suffering 715  Analysis of Human Traits 719  CHAPTER V  THE COMMUNITY, THE STATE AND THEIR REQUIREMENTS  The Individual and the Community 722  They Who Labor for the Community and Endeavor to Benefit Its People 722  The Leader of a Community 723  The King 729  Judgment and Judges 733  Taking Bribes and Showing Favor 737  Compromise [Arbitration]  and Going Beyond the Letter of the Law 741  Courts and Judicial Procedure 742  Cities of Refuge 746  For the Public Weal 747  Widespread Trouble and the Community’s Fast 749  Warfare 757    PART VI   -- CHAPTER I  THE WORLD AND ALL THAT  IT HOLDS  The World 759  Heaven and the Luminaries 761  The Earth 764  Lightnings and Thunders,Clouds and Rains, Rainbows and Earthquakes 765  Fire and Wind 767  Seas and Rivers 769  Gold and Precious  Stones 771  Grasses and Trees 771  Various Kinds of Creatures 773  Fowl 775  Reptiles and Creeping Things 776  Domesticated and Wild Animals 780  Travelers’ Tales 784  Human Beings 786  -- CHAPTER II MATTERS PERTAINING TO DIVINATION AND HEALING   The  Influence of Constellations 789  Dreams 790  Destructive Forces That Afflict Mankind 792  Sorceries and Optical  Illusion 794  Whispered Charms and Sundry Kinds of Healing 796  The Ways of the Amorites  and Omens 803  The Evil Eye 805  -- CHAPTER III PARABLES, PROVERBS, AND SAYING  Parables 807  -- CHAPTER  IV A MISCELLANY   Series of Matters Set Forth by Number 811  Sundry Matters 815    GLOSSARY 819  REFERENCES 822  Abbreviations of Tractates 822  Other Sources 822  INDEX Of Names and Subjects 827  INDEX Of Biblical References 885