CHAPTER V.

MISHNA A. By ten sayings the world was created; and why so? Could it not have been created by one saying? But it was that vengeance might be taken on the wicked, who destroy the world that was created by ten sayings; and to give a goodly reward to the righteous, who maintain the world that was created by ten sayings.

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Tosephtha-Aboth of R. Nathan.

By ten sayings the world was created." For what purpose is this stated? To teach that if one carries out a precept, or observes one Sabbath, or preserves a soul, it is considered as if he had preserved the entire world, which was created with ten sayings. But he who transgresses once, or violates one Sabbath, or destroys one soul, is considered like unto one who has destroyed the entire world, which was created with ten sayings. And so we find with Cain, who killed his brother Abel, as it is written [Gen. iv. 10]: "The voice of thy brother's blood (in plural)." He shed only the blood of one person-why is the plural used? Infer from this that the blood of the decedent's children, grandchildren, and all the descendants which were destined to be descended from him, were all crying before the Holy One, blessed be He.

R. Nehemiah said: "Whence is it deduced that a single person is equal to the whole creation? It is written [ibid. v. 1]: 'This is the book of the generations of Adam.' And before that it is written [ibid. ii. 4]: These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth when they were created.' We see that with reference to the creation of man almost the same wording is used as with reference to the creation of heaven and earth, which goes to show that one is as much as the other. Likewise may be inferred from this, that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed him (Adam) all the generation which were to spring from him, as if they were standing and playing before him." There

are others who say that the righteous only were shown to him, as it is written [Is. iv. 3]: "Every one that is written down into life in Jerusalem.'

R. Joshua b. Kar'hah said: "It is written [Ps. cxxxix. 16]: My undeveloped substance did thy eyes see, and in thy book,' etc. Infer from this that the Holy One, blessed be He, showed unto Adam all succeeding generations, together with their preachers, directors, leaders, prophets, heroes, criminals, and their pious. In this or that generation, such and such a king will reign; in another, a certain sage will exist, etc."

R. Eliezer the son of R. Jose the Galilean said: "Nine hundred and seventy-four generations before the creation of the world, the Torah was already written and reposing in the lap of the Lord, and sung praises together with the angels, as it is written [Ps. viii. 8, 9]: Then was I near him as a nursling; and I was day by day (his) delight, playing before him at all times; playing in the world, his earth.' They have compared this to one who desired to engrave many subjects on a piece of wood, and as it was not of sufficient size, he was in despair. What could he do? Let him engrave upon the earth, where he has enough space. So also did the Holy One, blessed be He, whose great name shall be praised for ever and evermore, when He in His wisdom and understanding created the entire world. He created the heavens and the earth in the upper and lower regions, and created in man all that he created in his world: the world contains forests, so also does man, viz., his hair; the world contains evil beasts, so does man, viz., lice; there are thorns in the world, so also are they in man-his ears; there is odor, so also in man-his nose; light-man's sight; evil-smelling liquids, so also in man—the excretion of the nose; salty water, so also in man-tears; rivers, so also in man-his urine; castles, so also in man-his lips; gates, so also in man-his teeth; sweet water, so also in man-his saliva; stars, so also in man-his cheeks; towers, so also in man-his neck; cathedrals, so also in man-his arms; nails, so also in man-his fingers; a king, so also in man-his head; advisers, so also in man-his kidneys; millstones, so also in man-his stomach; regulations, so also in man-his spleen; manure, so also in man-his belly; pits, so also in man-his navel; spring-water, so also in man-his blood; trees, so also in man-his bones; hills, so also in man-his ashes; a mortar and pestle, so also in man-his knees; horses, so also in man-his legs; hills and valleys, so also in man-when

standing he is like a hill and when lying he is like a valley. Hence all that which the Holy One, blessed be He, created in His world, He also created in man.'

MISHNA B. Ten generations were there from Adam to Noah, to show how great was His long-suffering; for all the generations were provoking him, till He brought the deluge upon them.

Tosephtha-Aboth of R. Nathan.

*"Ten generations were there from Adam to Noah." For what purpose was this stated? To teach that all these generations persisted in provoking the Lord, nevertheless He did not bring the flood on the world, for the sake of the upright and pious. There are others who say: As long as Methuselah lived, the flood descended not upon the world; and it was even suspended for seven days after his demise; as it is written [Gen. vii. 10]: And it came to pass, after the seven days." What seven days? The period of mourning for the upright, who prevented the retribution.

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Another explanation is: The above passage teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, granted them an additional respite, after the original one hundred and twenty years, of seven days, in which time to repent.

Still another explanation is, that the Lord changed the order of the world for seven days, causing the sun to rise in the west and to set in the east, so that perchance they would notice it, become frightened, and repent; however, it had no effect.

Still another explanation is, that the Lord spread His table before them during seven days, and gave them an inkling of what there was in the world to come, so they might reflect and say: Woe to us, for all this good which is lost to us, and for the destruction of our offspring, as it is written [ibid. vi. 12]: “And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt."

R. Elazar b. Parta said: "It is written [ibid., ibid. 3]: My spirit shall not always strive for the sake of man.' It means that the Lord said: 'I will not judge them until I will double their rewards,' as it is written [Job, xxi. 13]: 'They wear out

their days in happiness; and in a moment they go down to the nether world.'

R. Jose the Galilean said: "It is written: My spirit shall not always strive.' It means that the Lord said: 'I will not equal the evil thoughts to the good thoughts so long as their fate has not yet been sealed.' After that, however, both are equal in transgression."

He used to say: "The evil spirit is removed from the upright and the good spirit predominates, as it is written [Ps. cix. 22]: 'And my heart is deeply wounded within me.' From the wicked, however, the good thoughts are removed and evil thoughts are given them instead, as it is written [ibid. xxxvi. 2]: 'Saith vice itself to the wicked, So I feel it within my heart, that he should have no dread of God before his eyes.' To people of mediocrity both are given: the one who is nearer to the good thoughts is ruled by them, and one who is nearer to the evil thoughts is ruled by them, as it is written [ibid. cix. 31]: For he ever standeth at the right hand of the needy, to save him from those that judge his soul.'

R. Simeon b. Elazar said: "It is written [Gen. vi. 3]: 'My spirit shall not strive,' etc. This means the Lord said: 'I will not judge them before I have rewarded the upright.' This is only as to this world; but as to the world to come, it is written [ibid. cxlvi. 46]: 'When his spirit goeth forth, he returneth to his (native) earth.'"'

R. Aqiba said, of the same verse: "The Lord said: 'They have not reflected that they are flesh and blood.' trary, they were haughty, and said unto God: us [Job, xxi. 14].

On the conDepart from

R. Meir said, of the same verse: This means that the Holy One, blessed be He, said: 'This generation said: God does not judge, there is no judge in the world; God has left it.'"

Rabbi said, of the same verse: "This means that the Holy One, blessed be He, said: 'They have not instituted a Sanhedrin on earth, therefore will I institute for them a Sanhedrin on high.''

MISHNA C. Ten generations were there from Noah to Abraham, to show how great was His long-suffering ; for all the generations were provoking Him till Abraham our father came, and received the reward of them all.

Tosephtha-Aboth of R. Nathan.

*"Ten generations," etc. For what purpose was it necessary to state this? To teach that all these generations have provoked Him, and there was not one who walked in the way of the Holy One, blessed be He, till Abraham our father, as it is written [Gen. xxvi. 5]: "Because that Abraham obeyed my voice . . . and my laws." Are there then two Laws? Infer from this that the Lord provided Abraham with two reins, which, like two sages, made him understand, advised him and taught him all night, as it is written [Ps. xvi. 7]: "I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: also in the night season my reins admonish me." And not only that, but Abraham our father was wont to practise charity first and justice afterward, as it is written [Gen. xviii. 19): “"For I know him, that he will command," etc. When two disputants came before him, and one of them complained that the other owed him a manah, Abraham was wont to deposit a manah of his own with one of them, and then said: Make your complaints. When he found that one really owed the other, he said to the one with whom he deposited the manah: "Give it to thy neighbor"; and if neither owed the other, he said: "Divide it between yourselves, and depart in peace." However, David the king practised justice first and charity after, as it is written [II Samuel, viii. 15]: "And David did what was just and right unto all his people.' When two disputants came to him, and one of them claimed that the other owed him a manah, he told them to make their complaints, and after finding one of them liable, he used to give the other the manah; otherwise, he said: " Divide your claims, and depart in peace."

MISHNA D. With ten temptations was Abraham our father tempted, and he withstood them all, to show how great was the love of Abraham our father.

Tosephtha-Aboth of R. Nathan.

"With ten temptations," etc. They are as follows: two at "get thee out of thy country"; two with his two sons; two

* Chapter XXXIII. of the original,