Genesis Rabbah 66:2

Centuries: 5th CE

Languages: Hebrew, Aramaic

Category: Jewish

Literary Genre: Midrash

Reference: 66:2

Title: Genesis Rabbah

Commentary:

This passage from the fifth-century midrash Genesis Rabbah is placed within a parashah that comments on Isaac’s blessing to Jacob (who deceived his father, having disguised himself as his older brother Esau). Our section expounds on a portion of this benediction: “May God give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine” (Genesis 27:28, NKJV). The source consists of several units that emphasize Israel’s position in securing the well-being of the world.
Section A presents an interpretation of Song of Songs 7:1 “Return, return, O Shulammite (ha-shulamit)! Return, return, that we may look upon you” (6:13 in NRSV) by Rabbi Brekhiah, a fourth-generation amora who was active in the fourth century. In its biblical context, the Shulammite is a female dancer whose beauty is then detailed in Song of Songs 7:2-6, perhaps by her lover (for more on the biblical Shulammite and her association with peace, see Barnni, “Shulammite,” p. 216-218). Rabbi Brekhiah identifies the Shulammite with the people of Israel, building on the connection between the name Shulamit and the word shalom (peace; rabbinic literature includes several extended midrashic units that discuss peace, see more in Sifre Numbers 42 (part one); Sifre Numbers 42 (part two); Leviticus Rabbah 9:9; and Wilfand, “How Great Is Peace”). This amora first links the four occurrences of “return” (shuvi) in this verse to the four kingdoms, reflecting Daniel’s famous vision (7:2-7). In this universal plan, the fourth kingdom will be the harshest oppressor, but also the last, for deliverance will follow its fall (for more on this theme, see the commentary on Leviticus Rabbah 13:5 [part one]). He therefore reads this verse as an assurance that Israel will peacefully survive these kingdoms, as the name Shulamit and the four appearances of “return” seems to indicate. The clause “enters in peace and exits in peace” echoes a well-known baraita from Jerusalem Talmud Hagigah 2:1, 77b, where Rabbi Akiva is the only sage who enters and exits the Pardes (the orchard of the highest beings) in peace (cf. Tosefta Hagigah 2:2-4). Then, Rabbi Brekhiah cites several verses that include shalom to emphasize that God is the source of peace, who will bestow peace upon Israel, which is the locus of peace in the world. Considering the centrality of peace in Roman imperial ideology, as well as in Christianity, it is noteworthy that this teaching (A) makes no mention of the Pax Romana and its benefits, presenting Israel and its God as the sole actors that secure peace in the world (more on this theme in Wilfand, “How Great Is Peace”). Furthermore, a real and enduring peace cannot be established until the fall of the fourth kingdom – Rome.

Section B further highlights the role of Israel in preserving the world, with a teaching from Rabbi Idi – an amora who bridged the third and fourth generations, who was active in the late third century and the early decades of the fourth – as conveyed by two later sages: Rabbi Shmuel bar Tanḥum – a fifth-generation amora who was active in the fourth century – and Rabbi Ḥanan bar [Rabbi] Brekhiah of Bosra – a fourth-generation amora who was active in the first half of the fourth century. This tradition, in the voice of God, is expressed in the first-person singular form. God explains that this link between Shulamitand Israel symbolizes Israel’s role in preserving peace between God and the world for, without Israel, God would already have destroyed the world. Therefore, Israel is vital for maintaining the existence of the universe.

Section C recounts Israel’s acceptance of the Torah, which is depicted as the mythic moment that ensured the continuance of the world. This teaching is ascribed to Rabbi ’Aḥa – a fourth-generation amora who was active in the fourth century – and transmitted by Rabbi Ḥunah (or Rav Hunah), a fourth-generation amora who was active in the first half of the fourth century, having immigrated to the land of Israel from Babylonia. This midrash expounds on Psalms 75:4, which also presents God speaking in the first person: “The earth and all its inhabitants are dissolved (nemogim), I (anokhi) set up its pillars firmly” (Psalms 75:4, verse 3 in NKJV). The midrash connects the first half of this verse to Exodus 15:15, from the Song of the Sea, immediately after the Israelites cross the Red Sea: “All the inhabitants of Canaan were dissolved (namogu)” (based on NKJV), for both verses includes a word with the root m-w-g: “dissolved” (nemogim and namogu). Our source considers the earth to have been unstable until Israel received the ten commandments, especially the first commandment: “I am (anokhi) the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage” (Exodus 20:2, NKJV); the world was then made firm, as described in the second half of Psalms 75:4 ‘I (anokhi) set up its pillars firmly, Selah’ (verse 3 in NKJV). Here, the physical stability of the world relies on Israel and can be traced to that event at Mount Sinai. Once more, Israel’s behavior and its relationship with God have an impact on its own welfare and the state of the entire world.

Section D offers another explanation of the name Shulamit, in a teaching that is attributed to Rabbi Eleazar bar Marom (or Maros), a fifth-generation amora who was active in the fourth century. In this tradition, Israel is the nation that completed the eistatiyon of the world (eistatiyon, meaning post, station; from the Greek statiōn, Latin statio; Jastrow, A Dictionary, p. 55, suggests: “seat of the fiscal officer in the Roman provinces, also the staff of officers”; and, thus, Israel “preserves the [divine] government of the world”). Here too the standing of the world is credited to Israel.

Our passage closes with a teaching (E) from Rabbi Levi, a third-generation amora who was active in the late third and early fourth centuries, cited by Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin, a fourth-generation amora who was active in the first half of the fourth century. Section E claims that any benefaction or good thing (tovah) in the world exists for the sake of Israel (for a similar notion, see Tosefta Ma‘aser Sheni 5:27 and Jerusalem Talmud Shevi‘it 4:3, 35b): for example, rain and dew, which the Tanakh explicitly describes as gifts that God bestows upon humanity. Thus, Israel has a crucial role in the welfare of the world. This section closes with a verse from Isaac’s blessing to Jacob (cited above) as support for its claim that all blessings are because of Israel: “Therefore God will give you of the dew of heaven, of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine” (Genesis 27:28, based on NKJV).

In conclusion, we may assert that Genesis Rabbah provides a multi-section commentary which expands on the idea in Tosefta Ma‘aser Sheni 5:27 and the Jerusalem Talmud, that all blessings are given on behalf of Israel. However, in contrast to the Talmud, our source does not mention whether the other nations are aware of this reality. In fact, neither the Roman Empire nor Christianity, which both credit themselves with having brought blessings to the world (see, for example, Eusebius of Caesarea, On Christ’s Sepulchre XVI.4, 6), appear in this text. Moreover, this midrash insists that, but for Israel, God would have destroyed the world.