Bereishit Rabbi 32 Supplementary Texts (use this alongside the core text at https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/248688)
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יקוק לְנֹ֔חַ בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה וְכָל־בֵּיתְךָ֖ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה כִּֽי־אֹתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק לְפָנַ֖י בַּדּ֥וֹר הַזֶּֽה׃
(1) Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, with all your household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation.
(ב) אֲמָרַ֖י הַאֲזִ֥ינָה ׀ יקוק בִּ֣ינָה הֲגִֽיגִי׃ (ג) הַקְשִׁ֤יבָה ׀ לְק֬וֹל שַׁוְעִ֗י מַלְכִּ֥י וֵאלֹקָ֑י כִּֽי־אֵ֝לֶ֗יךָ אֶתְפַּלָּֽל׃ (ד) יקוק בֹּ֭קֶר תִּשְׁמַ֣ע קוֹלִ֑י בֹּ֥קֶר אֶֽעֱרָךְ־לְ֝ךָ֗ וַאֲצַפֶּֽה׃ (ה) כִּ֤י ׀ לֹ֤א אֵֽל־חָפֵ֘ץ רֶ֥שַׁע ׀ אָ֑תָּה לֹ֖א יְגֻרְךָ֣ רָֽע׃ (ו) לֹֽא־יִתְיַצְּב֣וּ הֽ֭וֹלְלִים לְנֶ֣גֶד עֵינֶ֑יךָ שָׂ֝נֵ֗אתָ כָּל־פֹּ֥עֲלֵי אָֽוֶן׃ (ז) תְּאַבֵּד֮ דֹּבְרֵ֪י כָ֫זָ֥ב אִישׁ־דָּמִ֥ים וּמִרְמָ֗ה יְתָ֘עֵ֥ב ׀ יקוק׃ (ח) וַאֲנִ֗י בְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ אָב֣וֹא בֵיתֶ֑ךָ אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל־הֵֽיכַל־קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃
(2) Give ear to my speech, O LORD; consider my utterance. (3) Heed the sound of my cry, my king and God, for I pray to You. (4) Hear my voice, O LORD, at daybreak; at daybreak I plead before You, and wait. (5) For You are not a God who desires wickedness; evil cannot abide with You; (6) wanton men cannot endure in Your sight. You detest all evildoers; (7) You doom those who speak lies; murderous, deceitful men the LORD abhors. (8) But I, through Your abundant love, enter Your house; I bow down in awe at Your holy temple.
Doeg
After parting from Jonathan, David fled from Saul's jealous anger and hid in Nob. He went to Ahimelech, the High Priest, claiming to be on a clandestine royal mission. Ahimelech fed David and his men with the showbread, and gave David the sword of Goliath. By doing this, David endangered Ahimelech's life, since Doeg was present ("detained before the Lord") and witnessed Ahimelech's service to David. (1 Sam 21)
Later, Saul asked about the whereabouts of David, prompting Doeg to respond:
Then answered Doeg the Edomite, which was set over the servants of Saul, and said, I saw the son of Jesse coming to Nob, to Ahimelech the son of Ahitub. (1 Sam 22:9)
Therefore, Saul summoned Ahimelech and his entire company, asking him why he decided to conspire against him by protecting David. Ahimelech, possibly in an attempt to save himself, claimed that he was uninvolved in the controversy between Saul and David. Saul coldly rejected his claim and ordered Ahimelech and the priests to be executed. His officials refused to raise their hands against the priests, and Saul turned to Doeg, who carried out the executions. Saul followed that up with an attack on the city of Nob, the city of the priests, and the families of the priests – men, women, and children – were put to the sword. Only Abiathar escaped, and fled to join David.
The death of Ahimelech, as the great-grandson of Eli, is seen as fulfilling part of the curse on the House of Eli that none of his male descendants would live to old age (1 Samuel 2:31-33).[2]
David later showed remorse for his part in the incident:
And David said unto Abiathar, I knew it that day, when Doeg the Edomite was there, that he would surely tell Saul: I have occasioned the death of all the persons of thy father's house. (1 Sam 22:22)
The heading above Psalm 52 records that David wrote it after Doeg the Edomite betrayed Ahimelech to Saul.
Ahitophel
Ahitophel or Ahithophel was a counselor of King David and a man greatly renowned for his sagacity. During Absalom's revolt he deserted David (Psalm 41:9; 55:12–14) and supported Absalom (2 Samuel 15:12).
David sent his friend Hushai back to Absalom, in order to counteract the counsel of Ahitophel (2 Samuel 15:31–37). Ahitophel had recommended an immediate attack on David's camp at a point where he was weary and vulnerable (2 Samuel 17:1-2), whereas Hushai suggested that "the advice that Ahithophel has given is not good at this time" (2 Samuel 17:7) and recommended delay while a larger army was assembled to counter David's alleged strength (2 Samuel 17:11-13). Perversely, "for the LORD had purposed to defeat the good advice of Ahithophel" (2 Samuel 17:14), Hushai's advice was accepted. Seeing that his good advice against David had not been followed due to Hushai's influence, Ahithophel apparently surmised that the revolt would fail. He then left the camp of Absalom at once. He returned to Giloh, his native place, and after arranging his worldly affairs, hanged himself, and was buried in the sepulcher of his fathers (2 Samuel 17:23).
The Talmud speaks of this counsellor of David as "a man, like Balaam, whose great wisdom was not received in humility as a gift from heaven, and so became a stumbling-block to him" (Num. R. xxii.). He was "one of those who, while casting longing eyes upon things not belonging to them, lose also the things they possess" (Tosef., Soṭah, iv. 19). Accordingly, Ahithophel was granted access by Almighty God into the Divine powers of the Holy Name (YHWH). And being thus familiar with Divine wisdom and knowledge as imparted through the Holy Spirit, he was consulted as an oracle like the Urim we-Tummim (2 Samuel 16:23, Yer. Sanh. x. 29a, Suk. 53a et seq.). But he withheld his mystic knowledge from King David in the hour of peril, and was therefore doomed to die from strangulation (Tanna debe Eliyahu R. xxxi., Mid. Teh. iii. 7; Ex. R. iv., Mak. 11a). "Ahitophel of the house of Israel and Balaam of the heathen nations were the two great sages of the world who, failing to show gratitude to God for their wisdom, perished in dishonor. To them the prophetic word finds application: 'Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,' Jer. ix. 23" (Num. R. xxii.).
It is also said that David, during his reign, had many disagreeable encounters with Ahithophel. Shortly after his accession the king seems to have overlooked Ahithophel in his appointments of judges and other officials. Consequently, when David was in despair concerning the visitation upon Uzzah during the attempted transport of the ark (2 Samuel 6:6; see Uzzah) and sought counsel of Ahithophel, the latter mockingly suggested to him that he had better apply to his own wise men. Only upon David's malediction, that whoever knew a remedy and concealed it should surely end by committing suicide, did Ahithophel offer him some rather vague advice, concealing the true solution, which was that the ark must be carried on the shoulders of men instead of upon a wagon (Num. R. iv. 20, Yer. Sanh. x. 29a).
(כא) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר אֲחִיתֹ֙פֶל֙ אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹ֔ם בּ֚וֹא אֶל־פִּלַגְשֵׁ֣י אָבִ֔יךָ אֲשֶׁ֥ר הִנִּ֖יחַ לִשְׁמ֣וֹר הַבָּ֑יִת וְשָׁמַ֤ע כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל֙ כִּֽי־נִבְאַ֣שְׁתָּ אֶת־אָבִ֔יךָ וְחָ֣זְק֔וּ יְדֵ֖י כָּל־אֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתָּֽךְ׃
(21) And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Have intercourse with your father’s concubines, whom he left to mind the palace; and when all Israel hears that you have dared the wrath of your father, all who support you will be encouraged.”
Categories of Forbidden Relationships
Biblical prohibitions[edit]
Sexual relations with certain close relatives are forbidden. Though they are generally called incestuous relations, the biblical list does not necessarily correspond to those prohibited under state laws.
The relationships forbidden by Leviticus 18 are:
Rabbinically prohibited relationships[edit]
In addition to the relationships biblically prohibited to Jews, rabbis have gone further to prohibit additional relationships with various blood relatives or in-laws. These are called "Shni'ot" (secondary prohibitions or seconds). Some of these are:[1]
Adopted children who are raised together are not permitted to marry because of appearances, even if they are not biologically related.[4]
(א) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל אֶל־אַבְשָׁלֹ֑ם אֶבְחֲרָ֣ה נָּ֗א שְׁנֵים־עָשָׂ֥ר אֶ֙לֶף֙ אִ֔ישׁ וְאָק֛וּמָה וְאֶרְדְּפָ֥ה אַחֲרֵי־דָוִ֖ד הַלָּֽיְלָה׃ (ב) וְאָב֣וֹא עָלָ֗יו וְה֤וּא יָגֵ֙עַ֙ וּרְפֵ֣ה יָדַ֔יִם וְהַֽחֲרַדְתִּ֣י אֹת֔וֹ וְנָ֖ס כָּל־הָעָ֣ם אֲשֶׁר־אִתּ֑וֹ וְהִכֵּיתִ֥י אֶת־הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ לְבַדּֽוֹ׃
(1) And Ahithophel said to Absalom, “Let me pick twelve thousand men and set out tonight in pursuit of David. (2) I will come upon him when he is weary and disheartened, and I will throw him into a panic; and when all the troops with him flee, I will kill the king alone.
(יז) וַיֹּ֣אמֶר הַמֶּ֡לֶךְ לָרָצִים֩ הַנִּצָּבִ֨ים עָלָ֜יו סֹ֥בּוּ וְהָמִ֣יתוּ ׀ כֹּהֲנֵ֣י יקוק כִּ֤י גַם־יָדָם֙ עִם־דָּוִ֔ד וְכִ֤י יָֽדְעוּ֙ כִּֽי־בֹרֵ֣חַ ה֔וּא וְלֹ֥א גָל֖וּ אֶת־אזנו [אָזְנִ֑י] וְלֹֽא־אָב֞וּ עַבְדֵ֤י הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לִשְׁלֹ֣חַ אֶת־יָדָ֔ם לִפְגֹ֖עַ בְּכֹהֲנֵ֥י יקוק׃ (ס)
(17) And the king commanded the guards standing by, “Turn about and kill the priests of the LORD, for they are in league with David; they knew he was running away and they did not inform me.” But the king’s servants would not raise a hand to strike down the priests of the LORD.
(יח) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר הַמֶּ֙לֶךְ֙ לדויג [לְדוֹאֵ֔ג] סֹ֣ב אַתָּ֔ה וּפְגַ֖ע בַּכֹּהֲנִ֑ים וַיִּסֹּ֞ב דויג [דּוֹאֵ֣ג] הָאֲדֹמִ֗י וַיִּפְגַּע־הוּא֙ בַּכֹּ֣הֲנִ֔ים וַיָּ֣מֶת ׀ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֗וּא שְׁמֹנִ֤ים וַחֲמִשָּׁה֙ אִ֔ישׁ נֹשֵׂ֖א אֵפ֥וֹד בָּֽד׃
(18) Thereupon the king said to Doeg, “You, Doeg, go and strike down the priests.” And Doeg the Edomite went and struck down the priests himself; that day, he killed eighty-five men who wore the linen ephod.
(ז) תְּאַבֵּד֮ דֹּבְרֵ֪י כָ֫זָ֥ב אִישׁ־דָּמִ֥ים וּמִרְמָ֗ה יְתָ֘עֵ֥ב ׀ יקוק׃ (ח) וַאֲנִ֗י בְּרֹ֣ב חַ֭סְדְּךָ אָב֣וֹא בֵיתֶ֑ךָ אֶשְׁתַּחֲוֶ֥ה אֶל־הֵֽיכַל־קָ֝דְשְׁךָ֗ בְּיִרְאָתֶֽךָ׃
(7) You doom those who speak lies; murderous, deceitful men the LORD abhors. (8) But I, through Your abundant love, enter Your house; I bow down in awe at Your holy temple.
(יג) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר דָּוִד֙ אֶל־נָתָ֔ן חָטָ֖אתִי לַֽיקוק (ס) וַיֹּ֨אמֶר נָתָ֜ן אֶל־דָּוִ֗ד גַּם־יקוק הֶעֱבִ֥יר חַטָּאתְךָ֖ לֹ֥א תָמֽוּת׃
(13) David said to Nathan, “I stand guilty before the LORD!” And Nathan replied to David, “The LORD has remitted your sin; you shall not die.
(יד) לָא֡וֹר יָ֘ק֤וּם רוֹצֵ֗חַ יִֽקְטָל־עָנִ֥י וְאֶבְי֑וֹן וּ֝בַלַּ֗יְלָה יְהִ֣י כַגַּנָּֽב׃
(14) The murderer arises in the evening To kill the poor and needy, And at night he acts the thief.
(ז) כִּֽי־צַדִּ֣יק יקוק צְדָק֣וֹת אָהֵ֑ב יָ֝שָׁ֗ר יֶחֱז֥וּ פָנֵֽימוֹ׃
(7) For the LORD is righteous; He loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold His face.
(ה) יקוק צַדִּ֪יק יִ֫בְחָ֥ן וְ֭רָשָׁע וְאֹהֵ֣ב חָמָ֑ס שָֽׂנְאָ֥ה נַפְשֽׁוֹ׃
(5) The LORD seeks out the righteous man, but loathes the wicked one who loves injustice.
(א) וַיְהִ֗י אַחַר֙ הַדְּבָרִ֣ים הָאֵ֔לֶּה וְהָ֣אֱלֹקִ֔ים נִסָּ֖ה אֶת־אַבְרָהָ֑ם וַיֹּ֣אמֶר אֵלָ֔יו אַבְרָהָ֖ם וַיֹּ֥אמֶר הִנֵּֽנִי׃
(1) Some time afterward, God put Abraham to the test. He said to him, “Abraham,” and he answered, “Here I am.”
(א) וַיֹּ֤אמֶר יקוק לְנֹ֔חַ בֹּֽא־אַתָּ֥ה וְכָל־בֵּיתְךָ֖ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה כִּֽי־אֹתְךָ֥ רָאִ֛יתִי צַדִּ֥יק לְפָנַ֖י בַּדּ֥וֹר הַזֶּֽה׃
(1) Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, with all your household, for you alone have I found righteous before Me in this generation.
(ט) אֵ֚לֶּה תּוֹלְדֹ֣ת נֹ֔חַ נֹ֗חַ אִ֥ישׁ צַדִּ֛יק תָּמִ֥ים הָיָ֖ה בְּדֹֽרֹתָ֑יו אֶת־הָֽאֱלֹקִ֖ים הִֽתְהַלֶּךְ־נֹֽחַ׃
(9) This is the line of Noah.—Noah was a righteous man; he was blameless in his age; Noah walked with God.—
(ג) אִמְר֣וּ לֵ֭אלֹקִים מַה־נּוֹרָ֣א מַעֲשֶׂ֑יךָ בְּרֹ֥ב עֻ֝זְּךָ֗ יְֽכַחֲשׁ֖וּ לְךָ֣ אֹיְבֶֽיךָ׃
(3) Say to God, “How awesome are Your deeds, Your enemies cower before Your great strength;
(א) הוֹד֣וּ לַיקוק כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּ֖י לְעוֹלָ֣ם חַסְדּֽוֹ׃
(1) Praise the LORD; for He is good, His steadfast love is eternal.
(ב) מִכֹּ֣ל ׀ הַבְּהֵמָ֣ה הַטְּהוֹרָ֗ה תִּֽקַּח־לְךָ֛ שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה אִ֣ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּ֑וֹ וּמִן־הַבְּהֵמָ֡ה אֲ֠שֶׁר לֹ֣א טְהֹרָ֥ה הִ֛וא שְׁנַ֖יִם אִ֥ישׁ וְאִשְׁתּֽוֹ׃
(2) Of every clean animal you shall take seven pairs, males and their mates, and of every animal that is not clean, two, a male and its mate;
(ד) אַ֤ךְ אֶת־זֶה֙ לֹ֣א תֹֽאכְל֔וּ מִֽמַּעֲלֵי֙ הַגֵּרָ֔ה וּמִמַּפְרִיסֵ֖י הַפַּרְסָ֑ה אֶֽת־הַ֠גָּמָל כִּֽי־מַעֲלֵ֨ה גֵרָ֜ה ה֗וּא וּפַרְסָה֙ אֵינֶ֣נּוּ מַפְרִ֔יס טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃ (ה) וְאֶת־הַשָּׁפָ֗ן כִּֽי־מַעֲלֵ֤ה גֵרָה֙ ה֔וּא וּפַרְסָ֖ה לֹ֣א יַפְרִ֑יס טָמֵ֥א ה֖וּא לָכֶֽם׃
(4) The following, however, of those that either chew the cud or have true hoofs, you shall not eat: the camel—although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is unclean for you; (5) the daman—although it chews the cud, it has no true hoofs: it is unclean for you;
(ג) גַּ֣ם מֵע֧וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֛יִם שִׁבְעָ֥ה שִׁבְעָ֖ה זָכָ֣ר וּנְקֵבָ֑ה לְחַיּ֥וֹת זֶ֖רַע עַל־פְּנֵ֥י כָל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃

(3) of the birds of the sky also, seven pairs, male and female, to keep seed alive upon all the earth.

(ג) אַף מֵעוֹפָא דִשְׁמַיָּא שַׁבְעָא שַׁבְעָא דְּכַר וְנָקְבָּא לְקַיָּמָא זַרְעָא עַל אַפֵּי כָל אַרְעָא:

(3) Also of the fowls of heaven, seven and seven, male and female, to continue the seed upon the face of all the earth.

(ג) בְּרַם מִן צִפְּרֵי שְׁמַיָא שׁוּבְעָא שׁוּבְעָא דְכַר וְנֻקְבָא לְקַיָימָא מִנְהוֹן זַרְעָא עַל אַרְעָא

(3) But of birds of the heaven, seven by seven, male and female, to preserve from them seed upon the earth.
(ד) כִּי֩ לְיָמִ֨ים ע֜וֹד שִׁבְעָ֗ה אָֽנֹכִי֙ מַמְטִ֣יר עַל־הָאָ֔רֶץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֔וֹם וְאַרְבָּעִ֖ים לָ֑יְלָה וּמָחִ֗יתִי אֶֽת־כָּל־הַיְקוּם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר עָשִׂ֔יתִי מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃
(4) For in seven days’ time I will make it rain upon the earth, forty days and forty nights, and I will blot out from the earth all existence that I created.”
(י) אִמְר֥וּ צַדִּ֖יק כִּי־ט֑וֹב כִּֽי־פְרִ֥י מַעַלְלֵיהֶ֖ם יֹאכֵֽלוּ׃ (יא) א֖וֹי לְרָשָׁ֣ע רָ֑ע כִּֽי־גְמ֥וּל יָדָ֖יו יֵעָ֥שֶׂה לּֽוֹ׃
(10) (Hail the just man, for he shall fare well; He shall eat the fruit of his works. (11) Woe to the wicked man, for he shall fare ill; As his hands have dealt, so shall it be done to him.)

(ט) מִי שֶׁיֶּשׁ לוֹ חֲמִשִּׁים זוּז וְהוּא נוֹשֵׂא וְנוֹתֵן בָּהֶם, הֲרֵי זֶה לֹא יִטֹּל. וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ צָרִיךְ לִטֹּל וְנוֹטֵל, אֵינוֹ נִפְטָר מִן הָעוֹלָם עַד שֶׁיִּצְטָרֵךְ לַבְּרִיּוֹת. וְכָל מִי שֶׁצָּרִיךְ לִטֹּל וְאֵינוֹ נוֹטֵל, אֵינוֹ מֵת מִן הַזִּקְנָה עַד שֶׁיְּפַרְנֵס אֲחֵרִים מִשֶּׁלּוֹ, וְעָלָיו הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר בָּרוּךְ הַגֶּבֶר אֲשֶׁר יִבְטַח בַּיקוק וְהָיָה יקוק מִבְטַחוֹ (ירמיה יז). וְכֵן דַּיָּן שֶׁדָּן דִּין אֱמֶת לַאֲמִתּוֹ. וְכָל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ לֹא חִגֵּר, וְלֹא סוּמָא, וְלֹא פִסֵּחַ, וְעוֹשֶׂה עַצְמוֹ כְּאַחַד מֵהֶם, אֵינוֹ מֵת מִן הַזִּקְנָה עַד שֶׁיִּהְיֶה כְּאֶחָד מֵהֶם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים טז) צֶדֶק צֶדֶק תִּרְדֹּף. וְכָל דַּיָּן שֶׁלּוֹקֵחַ שֹׁחַד וּמַטֶּה אֶת הַדִּין, אֵינוֹ מֵת מִן הַזִּקְנָה עַד שֶׁעֵינָיו כֵּהוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות כג) וְשֹׁחַד לֹא תִקָּח כִּי הַשֹּׁחַד יְעַוֵּר פִּקְחִים וְגוֹ':
סְלִיק מַסֶּכֶת פֵּאָה

(9) One who has fifty zuz and he is using them for his business, he must not take. And anyone who does not need to take [charity] and yet takes, will not depart from this world before he actually needs [charity] from others. And anyone who needs to take and does not take, will not die of old age until he supports others with his own money. Concerning him the verse says: “Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose hope is the Lord” (Jeremiah 17:7). And so too a judge who judges in truth according to its truth. And anyone who is not lame or blind but pretends to be as one of these, he will not die of old age before he actually becomes one of these, as it is said, “He who searches for evil, it shall come upon him” (Proverbs 11:27) and it is also said: “Righteousness, righteousness shall you pursue.” And any judge who accepts a bribe or who perverts justice will not die in old age before his eyes have become dim, as it is said: “And you shall not accept a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of those who have sight.”

http://rabbionanarrowbridge.blogspot.com/2018/11/reward-punishment-middah-keneged-middah.html
Commonly game in Rabbinic tradition to connect things back and forth across, partic, Biblical narratives using this Middah KNeged Middah thread.
Samson – who dies with his eyes gouged out – is held to have sinned by eyeing up women in general – and Delilah in particular. He gets his comeuppance – Midah Keneged Midah.
Jacob, who deceives his blind father by dressing as Esau gets his comeuppance when he is deceived and doesn’t realise he is marrying the sister with weak eyes and not his beloved. Midah Keneged Midah
Pharaoh who drowns Israelite boys in the Nile suffers the first plague of a bloody Nile, the tenth plague - the death of his first born, and then the ultimate defeat in the waters of a previously split Red Sea. Don’t mess with God or God will come after you Middah Keneged Niddah.
I suggested that Measure for Measure could serve as an idiomatic translation for Midah Kneged Middah.
But I think a better term is ‘poetic justice.’
It’s poetic in the sense of not being literal. In fact Middah Kneged Middah is meant to be slightly tongue in cheek.
The connection between action and reaction is post-hoc.
First something happens, and then the connection is made.
A bit like the story of the prince who, riding through the forest, comes across a target drawn on a tree, and an arrow right through the very bullseye.
And then another target – arrow through the bullseye, and another and another.
I must be, the prince feels, in the vicinity of the greatest archer in the world.
Eventually he spies a man with a bow on his back and asks him if he truly shot all these arrows.
Yes, said the man.
Then you must be the greatest archer in the world.
Oh no, said the man. I just shot arrows into trees and then draw on the targets afterwards.
George Foot Moore – perhaps the greatest historian of the Rabbinic period - urged us not to read these equations of cause and effect more seriously than they are meant.
Middah Keneged Middah isn’t meant seriously, it’s not about logic, it’s not supposed to tell you what will happen in the future. It’s about finding some way to join up the dots that result in us living in a world not entirely undone by chaos.
Middah Keneged Middah is a kind of game, where connections that might otherwise be invisible are made. They serve to join the dots, to create a veneer of order where without one the apparent randomness of life might get too much to bear. They provide enough of a reminder to behave decently, I hope, to keep up on the path of goodness, without suggesting an overly simplistic relationship between reward and punishment.
The hope, if we understand and embrace the vaguely poetic, vaguely humorous ebb and flow of Midah Kneged Midah, is that things won’t hurt so because they won’t deprive us of any sense making mechanism. We won’t understand them any better.
We won’t often, feel that the response is justifiable, and indeed they Middah Keneged Middah is a dangerous tool, too easily used, as even the Rabbis do on occasion[3], to explain away that which humans should not try and tritely solve.
But I think that there is something to be gained by having a response that is poetic, humorous even.
Even if it can’t always take the pain of suffering away.
The notion that there is some explanation, that in some way fits,
even if it can’t justify, even if it still feels so unfair
is better than the pious, but ultimately unsustainable notion that reward and punishment do really play out in this world in some direct measurable, logical way.
It makes us feel that it is still worth questing for the decent and the good.
And even if it doesn’t it can still help us smile - sometimes the only thing left is to laugh - and this too is worth a great deal, especially when nothing else seems to make sense.
Max Gelberg was seventy years old when his wife died. After six months of mourning, Max decided life must go on, so he began a strict program of physical fitness.
After a few months of regular workouts, Max felt and looked wonderful. Friends would stop him on the street and ask him, ‘Max, is that you? I didn’t recognise you! You look sixty!’
With this encouragement, Max continued on the exercise program, he went on a vegetarian diet and arranged some minor plastic surgery. His friends, seeing him on the street would stop and say, ‘Max, is that you? I didn’t recognise you! You look fifty!’
Max was delighted and decided to move to Florida so he could take advantage of the sun. He took up a permanent spot on the local muscle beach. The following winter he met up with an old group of friends, ‘Max,’ said one, ‘I didn’t recognise you! You look forty!’
That was all Max needed to hear, he started dating and soon won the heart of young woman in her thirties. They both glowed in a shared love and arranged to be married.
Standing under the Huppah, Max’s old Rabbi peered out at the groom with astonishment, ‘Max, is that you? I didn’t recognise you! You look thirty!’
Max was ecstatic, but as bride and groom were preparing to leave for their honeymoon – wham – Max is struck by a passing car and killed instantly.
Reaching the gates of heaven Max is furious and demands to know who is responsible for this tragedy. Eventually, he muscles his way into the office of the Almighty.
‘I don’t believe this,’ Max shouted, ‘I finally get my life together and poof! Tell me, what have you got against Max Goldberg.’
‘Max Gelberg?’ The Almighty replies, ‘Is that you? I didn’t recognise you!’
Middah Keneged Middah,

(ז) הַמַּפֶּלֶת לְיוֹם אַרְבָּעִים, אֵינָהּ חוֹשֶׁשֶׁת לְוָלָד. לְיוֹם אַרְבָּעִים וְאֶחָד, תֵּשֵׁב לְזָכָר וְלִנְקֵבָה וּלְנִדָּה. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל אוֹמֵר, יוֹם אַרְבָּעִים וְאֶחָד, תֵּשֵׁב לְזָכָר וּלְנִדָּה. יוֹם שְׁמוֹנִים וְאֶחָד, תֵּשֵׁב לְזָכָר וְלִנְקֵבָה וּלְנִדָּה, שֶׁהַזָּכָר נִגְמָר לְאַרְבָּעִים וְאֶחָד, וְהַנְּקֵבָה לִשְׁמוֹנִים וְאֶחָד. וַחֲכָמִים אוֹמְרִים, אֶחָד בְּרִיַּת הַזָּכָר וְאֶחָד בְּרִיַּת הַנְּקֵבָה, זֶה וָזֶה לְאַרְבָּעִים וְאֶחָד:

(7) If a woman miscarried on the fortieth day, she need not be concerned that it was a valid childbirth. On the forty-first day, she sits as for both a male and a female and as for a menstruant. Rabbi Ishmael says: [if she miscarried on] the forty-first day she sits as for a male and as for a menstruant, But if on the eighty-first day she sits as for a male and a female and a menstruant, because a male is fully fashioned on the forty-first day and a female on the eighty-first day. But the sages say: the fashioning of the male and the fashioning of the female both take forty-one days.

(ח) וַיֹּ֥אמֶר קַ֖יִן אֶל־הֶ֣בֶל אָחִ֑יו וַֽיְהִי֙ בִּהְיוֹתָ֣ם בַּשָּׂדֶ֔ה וַיָּ֥קָם קַ֛יִן אֶל־הֶ֥בֶל אָחִ֖יו וַיַּהַרְגֵֽהוּ׃

(8) Cain said to his brother Abel … and when they were in the field, Cain set upon his brother Abel and killed him.

(ג) אִם־יוֹלִ֣יד אִ֣ישׁ מֵאָ֡ה

וְשָׁנִים֩ רַבּ֨וֹת יִֽחְיֶ֜ה

וְרַ֣ב ׀ שֶׁיִּהְי֣וּ יְמֵֽי־שָׁנָ֗יו

וְנַפְשׁוֹ֙ לֹא־תִשְׂבַּ֣ע מִן־הַטּוֹבָ֔ה וְגַם־קְבוּרָ֖ה לֹא־הָ֣יְתָה לּ֑וֹ

אָמַ֕רְתִּי ט֥וֹב מִמֶּ֖נּוּ הַנָּֽפֶל׃

(3) Even if a man should beget a hundred children and live many years—no matter how many the days of his years may come to, if his gullet is not sated through his wealth, I say: The stillbirth, though it was not even accorded a burial, is more fortunate than he.

(א) אִם יוֹלִיד אִישׁ מֵאָה, זֶה קַיִן שֶׁהוֹלִיד מֵאָה בָנִים.

וְשָׁנִים רַבּוֹת יִחְיֶה, שֶׁחָיָה שָׁנִים הַרְבֵּה.

וְרַב שֶׁיִּהְיוּ יְמֵי שָׁנָיו, שֶׁלֹא שָׂבַע נַפְשׁוֹ מִמָּמוֹנוֹ וְלֹא שָׂבַע מִטּוּבוֹ שֶׁל עוֹלָם,

וְגַם קְבוּרָה לֹא הָיְתָה לּוֹ, שֶׁהָיָה תָּלוּי בְּרִפְיוֹן וּבָא הַמַּבּוּל וּשְׁטָפוֹ, דִּכְתִיב (בראשית ז, כג): וַיִּמַּח אֶת כָּל הַיְקוּם, מַהוּ הַיְקוּם? קִיּוּמָא.

רַבִּי בּוֹן אָמַר אוֹקוּמֵינֵי.

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר הַיְקוּם הוּא הַמָּמוֹן שֶׁמַּעֲמִיד רַגְלָיו שֶׁל בְּעָלָיו.

רַבִּי שְׁמוּאֵל אָמַר הַיְקוּם זֶה קַיִן, שֶׁנִּשְׁטַף. טוֹב מִמֶּנּוּ הַנָּפֶל, זֶה הֶבֶל אָחִיו.

(כג) וַיִּ֜מַח אֶֽת־כָּל־הַיְק֣וּם ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה מֵאָדָ֤ם עַד־בְּהֵמָה֙ עַד־רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיִּמָּח֖וּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִשָּׁ֧אֶר אַךְ־נֹ֛חַ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בַּתֵּבָֽה׃
(23) All existence on earth was blotted out—man, cattle, creeping things, and birds of the sky; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.
(ה) וַיַּ֖עַשׂ נֹ֑חַ כְּכֹ֥ל אֲשֶׁר־צִוָּ֖הוּ יקוק׃ (ו) וְנֹ֕חַ בֶּן־שֵׁ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת שָׁנָ֑ה וְהַמַּבּ֣וּל הָיָ֔ה מַ֖יִם עַל־הָאָֽרֶץ׃
(5) And Noah did just as the LORD commanded him. (6) Noah was six hundred years old when the Flood came, waters upon the earth.
(כח) וַֽיְחִי־נֹ֖חַ אַחַ֣ר הַמַּבּ֑וּל שְׁלֹ֤שׁ מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַֽחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים שָׁנָֽה׃ (כט) וַיִּֽהְיוּ֙ כָּל־יְמֵי־נֹ֔חַ תְּשַׁ֤ע מֵאוֹת֙ שָׁנָ֔ה וַחֲמִשִּׁ֖ים שָׁנָ֑ה וַיָּמֹֽת׃ (פ)
(28) Noah lived after the Flood 350 years. (29) And all the days of Noah came to 950 years; then he died.
600 + 350 + 150days + 150days + 3 months + 40days +2xsevendays for the birds
(כד) וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם׃
(24) And when the waters had swelled on the earth one hundred and fifty days,
(ג) וַיָּשֻׁ֧בוּ הַמַּ֛יִם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָ֖רֶץ הָל֣וֹךְ וָשׁ֑וֹב וַיַּחְסְר֣וּ הַמַּ֔יִם מִקְצֵ֕ה חֲמִשִּׁ֥ים וּמְאַ֖ת יֽוֹם׃ (ד) וַתָּ֤נַח הַתֵּבָה֙ בַּחֹ֣דֶשׁ הַשְּׁבִיעִ֔י בְּשִׁבְעָה־עָשָׂ֥ר י֖וֹם לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ עַ֖ל הָרֵ֥י אֲרָרָֽט׃ (ה) וְהַמַּ֗יִם הָיוּ֙ הָל֣וֹךְ וְחָס֔וֹר עַ֖ד הַחֹ֣דֶשׁ הָֽעֲשִׂירִ֑י בָּֽעֲשִׂירִי֙ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ נִרְא֖וּ רָאשֵׁ֥י הֶֽהָרִֽים׃ (ו) וַֽיְהִ֕י מִקֵּ֖ץ אַרְבָּעִ֣ים י֑וֹם וַיִּפְתַּ֣ח נֹ֔חַ אֶת־חַלּ֥וֹן הַתֵּבָ֖ה אֲשֶׁ֥ר עָשָֽׂה׃ (ז) וַיְשַׁלַּ֖ח אֶת־הָֽעֹרֵ֑ב וַיֵּצֵ֤א יָצוֹא֙ וָשׁ֔וֹב עַד־יְבֹ֥שֶׁת הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ח) וַיְשַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־הַיּוֹנָ֖ה מֵאִתּ֑וֹ לִרְאוֹת֙ הֲקַ֣לּוּ הַמַּ֔יִם מֵעַ֖ל פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃ (ט) וְלֹֽא־מָצְאָה֩ הַיּוֹנָ֨ה מָנ֜וֹחַ לְכַף־רַגְלָ֗הּ וַתָּ֤שָׁב אֵלָיו֙ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֔ה כִּי־מַ֖יִם עַל־פְּנֵ֣י כָל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּשְׁלַ֤ח יָדוֹ֙ וַיִּקָּחֶ֔הָ וַיָּבֵ֥א אֹתָ֛הּ אֵלָ֖יו אֶל־הַתֵּבָֽה׃ (י) וַיָּ֣חֶל ע֔וֹד שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וַיֹּ֛סֶף שַׁלַּ֥ח אֶת־הַיּוֹנָ֖ה מִן־הַתֵּבָֽה׃ (יא) וַתָּבֹ֨א אֵלָ֤יו הַיּוֹנָה֙ לְעֵ֣ת עֶ֔רֶב וְהִנֵּ֥ה עֲלֵה־זַ֖יִת טָרָ֣ף בְּפִ֑יהָ וַיֵּ֣דַע נֹ֔חַ כִּי־קַ֥לּוּ הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יב) וַיִּיָּ֣חֶל ע֔וֹד שִׁבְעַ֥ת יָמִ֖ים אֲחֵרִ֑ים וַיְשַׁלַּח֙ אֶת־הַיּוֹנָ֔ה וְלֹֽא־יָסְפָ֥ה שׁוּב־אֵלָ֖יו עֽוֹד׃ (יג) וַֽ֠יְהִי בְּאַחַ֨ת וְשֵׁשׁ־מֵא֜וֹת שָׁנָ֗ה בָּֽרִאשׁוֹן֙ בְּאֶחָ֣ד לַחֹ֔דֶשׁ חָֽרְב֥וּ הַמַּ֖יִם מֵעַ֣ל הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיָּ֤סַר נֹ֙חַ֙ אֶת־מִכְסֵ֣ה הַתֵּבָ֔ה וַיַּ֕רְא וְהִנֵּ֥ה חָֽרְב֖וּ פְּנֵ֥י הָֽאֲדָמָֽה׃ (יד) וּבַחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י בְּשִׁבְעָ֧ה וְעֶשְׂרִ֛ים י֖וֹם לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ יָבְשָׁ֖ה הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (ס)
(3) the waters then receded steadily from the earth. At the end of one hundred and fifty days the waters diminished, (4) so that in the seventh month, on the seventeenth day of the month, the ark came to rest on the mountains of Ararat. (5) The waters went on diminishing until the tenth month; in the tenth month, on the first of the month, the tops of the mountains became visible. (6) At the end of forty days, Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made (7) and sent out the raven; it went to and fro until the waters had dried up from the earth. (8) Then he sent out the dove to see whether the waters had decreased from the surface of the ground. (9) But the dove could not find a resting place for its foot, and returned to him to the ark, for there was water over all the earth. So putting out his hand, he took it into the ark with him. (10) He waited another seven days, and again sent out the dove from the ark. (11) The dove came back to him toward evening, and there in its bill was a plucked-off olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the waters had decreased on the earth. (12) He waited still another seven days and sent the dove forth; and it did not return to him any more. (13) In the six hundred and first year, in the first month, on the first of the month, the waters began to dry from the earth; and when Noah removed the covering of the ark, he saw that the surface of the ground was drying. (14) And in the second month, on the twenty-seventh day of the month, the earth was dry.

(ז) וַיָּ֣בֹא נֹ֗חַ וּ֠בָנָיו וְאִשְׁתּ֧וֹ וּנְשֵֽׁי־בָנָ֛יו אִתּ֖וֹ אֶל־הַתֵּבָ֑ה מִפְּנֵ֖י מֵ֥י הַמַּבּֽוּל׃

(7) Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the Flood.

אמר לו רבי יהודה לא כך היה מעשה אלא זה אומר אין אני יורד תחילה לים וזה אומר אין אני יורד תחילה לים קפץ נחשון בן עמינדב וירד לים תחילה שנאמר (הושע יב, א) סבבוני בכחש אפרים ובמרמה בית ישראל ויהודה עוד רד עם אל ועליו מפרש בקבלה (תהלים סט, ב) הושיעני אלקים כי באו מים עד נפש טבעתי ביון מצולה ואין מעמד וגו' (תהלים סט, טז) אל תשטפני שבולת מים ואל תבלעני מצולה וגו'
Rabbi Yehuda said to Rabbi Meir: That is not how the incident took place. Rather, this tribe said: I am not going into the sea first, and that tribe said: I am not going into the sea first. Then, in jumped the prince of Judah, Nahshon ben Amminadab, and descended into the sea first, accompanied by his entire tribe, as it is stated: “Ephraim surrounds Me with lies and the house of Israel with deceit, and Judah is yet wayward toward God [rad im El]” (Hosea 12:1), which is interpreted homiletically as: And Judah descended [rad] with God [im El]. And in this regard, the tradition, i.e., the Writings, explicates Nahshon’s prayer at that moment: “Save me, God; for the waters are come in even unto the soul. I am sunk in deep mire, where there is no standing…let not the water flood overwhelm me, neither let the deep swallow me up” (Psalms 69:2–3, 16).
Rabbinic literature states that when Noah was four hundred and eighty years old all the righteous men were dead, except Methuselah and himself, who were of immense stature as they were descended from the sons of God. At God's command they both announced that one hundred and twenty years would be given to men for repentance; if in that time they had not mended their evil ways, the earth would be destroyed. But their plea was in vain; even while Noah was engaged in building the ark the wicked made sport of him and his work, saying: "If the Flood should come, it could not harm us. We are too tall; and, moreover, we could close up with our feet [which were of monstrous size] the springs from below." They resorted to these tactics; but God heated the water, and their feet and the flesh of their bodies was scalded.[9]
The 17th century midrashic Sefer haYashar ("Book of Jasher")[10] describes Methuselah with his grandson Noah attempting to persuade the people of the earth to return to godliness.[11] All other very long-lived people died, and Methuselah was the only one of this class left.[12] God planned to bring the flood after all the men who walked in the ways of the Lord had died (besides Noah and his family).[13] Methuselah lived until the ark was built, but died before the flood, since God had promised he would not be killed with the unrighteous.[12] The Sefer haYashar gives Methuselah's age at death as 960.[14]
Methuselah
https://slate.com/culture/2014/03/noah-movie-biblical-accuracy-how-the-darren-aronofsky-movie-departs-from-the-bible-story.html

In the movie, Methuselah, Noah’s grandfather, lives alone on the top of a mountain and has a constant craving for berries. He also keeps hallucinogens and has some mystical powers—including the ability to repair reproductive organs. He dies during the flood. Not much is said about him in the Bible, though he is the oldest documented person mentioned in the book. (After the flood, God proclaims that man won’t live more than 120 years.) Doing some math using the genealogy the Bible gives us, it makes perfect sense that Methuselah would have died in the flood: As the Bible tells it, he was 187 when Lemech was born and Lemech was 182 when Noah was born. Noah was 600 when the flood came, the Bible says, which would make Methuselah 969, the same age that the Bible claims he was when he died.
(ו) וַיִּנָּ֣חֶם יקוק כִּֽי־עָשָׂ֥ה אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֖ם בָּאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּ֖ב אֶל־לִבּֽוֹ׃
(6) And the LORD regretted that He had made man on earth, and His heart was saddened.

(א) וַיִּרְגַּ֣ז הַמֶּ֗לֶךְ וַיַּ֛עַל עַל־עֲלִיַּ֥ת הַשַּׁ֖עַר וַיֵּ֑בְךְּ וְכֹ֣ה ׀ אָמַ֣ר בְּלֶכְתּ֗וֹ בְּנִ֤י אַבְשָׁלוֹם֙ בְּנִ֣י בְנִ֣י אַבְשָׁל֔וֹם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֤ן מוּתִי֙ אֲנִ֣י תַחְתֶּ֔יךָ אַבְשָׁל֖וֹם בְּנִ֥י בְנִֽי׃ (ב) וַיֻּגַּ֖ד לְיוֹאָ֑ב הִנֵּ֨ה הַמֶּ֧לֶךְ בֹּכֶ֛ה וַיִּתְאַבֵּ֖ל עַל־אַבְשָׁלֹֽם׃ (ג) וַתְּהִ֨י הַתְּשֻׁעָ֜ה בַּיּ֥וֹם הַה֛וּא לְאֵ֖בֶל לְכָל־הָעָ֑ם כִּֽי־שָׁמַ֣ע הָעָ֗ם בַּיּ֤וֹם הַהוּא֙ לֵאמֹ֔ר נֶעֱצַ֥ב הַמֶּ֖לֶךְ עַל־בְּנֽוֹ׃

(1) The king was shaken. He went up to the upper chamber of the gateway and wept, moaning these words as he went, “My son Absalom! O my son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you! O Absalom, my son, my son!” (2) Joab was told that the king was weeping and mourning over Absalom. (3) And the victory that day was turned into mourning for all the troops, for that day the troops heard that the king was grieving over his son.
(ח) תְּהֽוֹם־אֶל־תְּה֣וֹם ק֭וֹרֵא לְק֣וֹל צִנּוֹרֶ֑יךָ כָּֽל־מִשְׁבָּרֶ֥יךָ וְ֝גַלֶּ֗יךָ עָלַ֥י עָבָֽרוּ׃
(8) where deep calls to deep in the roar of Your cataracts; all Your breakers and billows have swept over me.
(יא) בִּשְׁנַ֨ת שֵׁשׁ־מֵא֤וֹת שָׁנָה֙ לְחַיֵּי־נֹ֔חַ בַּחֹ֙דֶשׁ֙ הַשֵּׁנִ֔י בְּשִׁבְעָֽה־עָשָׂ֥ר י֖וֹם לַחֹ֑דֶשׁ בַּיּ֣וֹם הַזֶּ֗ה נִבְקְעוּ֙ כָּֽל־מַעְיְנֹת֙ תְּה֣וֹם רַבָּ֔ה וַאֲרֻבֹּ֥ת הַשָּׁמַ֖יִם נִפְתָּֽחוּ׃
(11) In the six hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day All the fountains of the great deep burst apart, And the floodgates of the sky broke open. (
“Hashem Came from Mt. Sinai – Having Shone Forth from Mt. Seir, and Appeared at Mt. Paran” (Devarim 33:2)
Midrash Sifri, Devarim 343
Lest the nations of the World complain that Hashem was unfair in not offering the Torah to the rest of the world, Hashem did in fact offer it to all the other nations of the world, and was turned down by all.
Hashem first offered it to the descendants of Esav, who lived in the area of Mt. Seir, in accordance with the inheritance that Hashem had given them. When he offered them the Torah, they asked, “What are its laws?” When Hashem told them that one of its laws was “You shall not murder,” they said, “How can we accept the Torah? That law goes against our very nature, as Yitzchak said to our father, Esav, “And you will live by the Sword!” (Bereshit 27:40)
He next offered it to Amon and Moav, who likewise turned it down. They asked, “What are the laws of the Torah?” When they heard that immorality was one of its main prohibitions, they said, “Our national origins are bound up with a story of immorality between Lot’s daughters and their sleeping father. (Bereshit 19:30-38) Immorality has become part and parcel of our national character.
When he offered it to the descendants of Yishmael, they could not then, and they cannot now, deal with the prohibition against stealing (Vayikra 19:11), as the Angel of the L-rd said to our mother Hagar about our ancestor, Yishmael, “He will be a person without self-control, with his hand in everyone else’s property, and everyone else’s hand in his property, and he will camp on the borders of everyone else’s land.” (Bereshit 15:12)
It was only when He offered the Torah to the Jewish People that He found a Nation with the potential to live according to all the laws of the Torah. And they realized this potential by saying to Hashem, “Naaseh V’nishma, “We will first obey, and then understand,” (Shemot 23:7), when He offered them His holy Torah.
(יג) בְּעֶ֨צֶם הַיּ֤וֹם הַזֶּה֙ בָּ֣א נֹ֔חַ וְשֵׁם־וְחָ֥ם וָיֶ֖פֶת בְּנֵי־נֹ֑חַ וְאֵ֣שֶׁת נֹ֗חַ וּשְׁלֹ֧שֶׁת נְשֵֽׁי־בָנָ֛יו אִתָּ֖ם אֶל־הַתֵּבָֽה׃ (יד) הֵ֜מָּה וְכָל־הַֽחַיָּ֣ה לְמִינָ֗הּ וְכָל־הַבְּהֵמָה֙ לְמִינָ֔הּ וְכָל־הָרֶ֛מֶשׂ הָרֹמֵ֥שׂ עַל־הָאָ֖רֶץ לְמִינֵ֑הוּ וְכָל־הָע֣וֹף לְמִינֵ֔הוּ כֹּ֖ל צִפּ֥וֹר כָּל־כָּנָֽף׃
(13) That same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, went into the ark, with Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons— (14) they and all beasts of every kind, all cattle of every kind, all creatures of every kind that creep on the earth, and all birds of every kind, every bird, every winged thing.
On the issue of blemishes and sacrifices, see
https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/173468?lang=bi
(טז) דִּרְשׁ֨וּ מֵֽעַל־סֵ֤פֶר יקוק וּֽקְרָ֔אוּ אַחַ֤ת מֵהֵ֙נָּה֙ לֹ֣א נֶעְדָּ֔רָה אִשָּׁ֥ה רְעוּתָ֖הּ לֹ֣א פָקָ֑דוּ כִּֽי־פִי֙ ה֣וּא צִוָּ֔ה וְרוּח֖וֹ ה֥וּא קִבְּצָֽן׃
(16) Search and read it in the scroll of the LORD: Not one of these shall be absent, Not one shall miss its fellow. For His mouth has spoken, It is His spirit that has assembled them,
(יא) וְהָיָ֣ה בַיּ֣וֹם הַה֡וּא אֶתֵּ֣ן לְגוֹג֩ ׀ מְקֽוֹם־שָׁ֨ם קֶ֜בֶר בְּיִשְׂרָאֵ֗ל גֵּ֤י הָעֹֽבְרִים֙ קִדְמַ֣ת הַיָּ֔ם וְחֹסֶ֥מֶת הִ֖יא אֶת־הָעֹֽבְרִ֑ים וְקָ֣בְרוּ שָׁ֗ם אֶת־גּוֹג֙ וְאֶת־כָּל־הֲמוֹנֹ֔ה וְקָ֣רְא֔וּ גֵּ֖יא הֲמ֥וֹן גּֽוֹג׃ (יב) וּקְבָרוּם֙ בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לְמַ֖עַן טַהֵ֣ר אֶת־הָאָ֑רֶץ שִׁבְעָ֖ה חֳדָשִֽׁים׃
(11) On that day I will assign to Gog a burial site there in Israel—the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Sea. It shall block the path of travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried. It shall be called the Valley of Gog’s Multitude. (12) The House of Israel shall spend seven months burying them, in order to cleanse the land;
(יז) וְאַתָּ֨ה בֶן־אָדָ֜ם כֹּֽה־אָמַ֣ר ׀ אדושם יקוק אֱמֹר֩ לְצִפּ֨וֹר כָּל־כָּנָ֜ף וּלְכֹ֣ל ׀ חַיַּ֣ת הַשָּׂדֶ֗ה הִקָּבְצ֤וּ וָבֹ֙אוּ֙ הֵאָסְפ֣וּ מִסָּבִ֔יב עַל־זִבְחִ֗י אֲשֶׁ֨ר אֲנִ֜י זֹבֵ֤חַ לָכֶם֙ זֶ֣בַח גָּד֔וֹל עַ֖ל הָרֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וַאֲכַלְתֶּ֥ם בָּשָׂ֖ר וּשְׁתִ֥יתֶם דָּֽם׃ (יח) בְּשַׂ֤ר גִּבּוֹרִים֙ תֹּאכֵ֔לוּ וְדַם־נְשִׂיאֵ֥י הָאָ֖רֶץ תִּשְׁתּ֑וּ אֵילִ֨ים כָּרִ֤ים וְעַתּוּדִים֙ פָּרִ֔ים מְרִיאֵ֥י בָשָׁ֖ן כֻּלָּֽם׃
(17) And you, O mortal, say to every winged bird and to all the wild beasts: Thus said the Lord GOD: Assemble, come and gather from all around for the sacrificial feast that I am preparing for you—a great sacrificial feast—upon the mountains of Israel, and eat flesh and drink blood. (18) You shall eat the flesh of warriors and drink the blood of the princes of the earth: rams, lambs, he-goats, and bulls—fatlings of Bashan all of them.
Androlepsy
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Androlepsy, in ancient Greek law, was a custom in Athens that if a citizen was killed abroad, and the criminal was not delivered for punishment, the victim's relatives were allowed to arrest as many as three citizens of the offending city. They would be held hostage until the actual criminal was handed over, and perhaps tried for murder instead of him. The Greeks called this androlepsia, and the Romans clarigatio. The persons entrusted with the office of seizing the three hostages were usually the trierarchs, and the commanders of warships.
The word is formed of άνήρ, "man", and λαμβάνω, "I take".
(יז) וַֽיְהִ֧י הַמַּבּ֛וּל אַרְבָּעִ֥ים י֖וֹם עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִּרְבּ֣וּ הַמַּ֗יִם וַיִּשְׂאוּ֙ אֶת־הַתֵּבָ֔ה וַתָּ֖רָם מֵעַ֥ל הָאָֽרֶץ׃ (יח) וַיִּגְבְּר֥וּ הַמַּ֛יִם וַיִּרְבּ֥וּ מְאֹ֖ד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַתֵּ֥לֶךְ הַתֵּבָ֖ה עַל־פְּנֵ֥י הַמָּֽיִם׃
(17) The Flood continued forty days on the earth, and the waters increased and raised the ark so that it rose above the earth. (18) The waters swelled and increased greatly upon the earth, and the ark drifted upon the waters.
https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5706/#:~:text=Mount%20Gerizim%2C%20or%20Jebel%20et,so%20for%20thousands%20of%20years.&text=It%20has%20been%20traditionally%20identified,the%20rival%20Temple%20of%20Jerusalem.
Mount Gerizim, or Jebel et-Tor, is the sacred mountain of the Samaritans and has been so for thousands of years. It consists of three peaks, the main summit, the wide flat western hill and Tell er-Ras to the north. It has been traditionally identified with the sacred mountain upon which the Blessing was delivered by Divine decree, a claim which, in Samaritan belief, overrides that of the rival Temple of Jerusalem. On the summit is a rock which the Samaritans believe was the place where Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaac.
(כט) וְהָיָ֗ה כִּ֤י יְבִֽיאֲךָ֙ יקוק אֱלֹקֶ֔יךָ אֶל־הָאָ֕רֶץ אֲשֶׁר־אַתָּ֥ה בָא־שָׁ֖מָּה לְרִשְׁתָּ֑הּ וְנָתַתָּ֤ה אֶת־הַבְּרָכָה֙ עַל־הַ֣ר גְּרִזִ֔ים וְאֶת־הַקְּלָלָ֖ה עַל־הַ֥ר עֵיבָֽל׃
(29) When the LORD your God brings you into the land that you are about to enter and possess, you shall pronounce the blessing at Mount Gerizim and the curse at Mount Ebal.—
(כד) בֶּן־אָדָ֕ם אֱמָר־לָ֕הּ אַ֣תְּ אֶ֔רֶץ לֹ֥א מְטֹהָרָ֖ה הִ֑יא לֹ֥א גֻשְׁמָ֖הּ בְּי֥וֹם זָֽעַם׃
(24) O mortal, say to her: You are an uncleansed land, not to be washed with rain on the day of indignation.
(יט) וְהַמַּ֗יִם גָּֽבְר֛וּ מְאֹ֥ד מְאֹ֖ד עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיְכֻסּ֗וּ כָּל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ הַגְּבֹהִ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־תַּ֖חַת כָּל־הַשָּׁמָֽיִם׃
(19) When the waters had swelled much more upon the earth, all the highest mountains everywhere under the sky were covered.
(יד) בָּר֥וּךְ תִּֽהְיֶ֖ה מִכָּל־הָעַמִּ֑ים לֹא־יִהְיֶ֥ה בְךָ֛ עָקָ֥ר וַֽעֲקָרָ֖ה וּבִבְהֶמְתֶּֽךָ׃
(14) You shall be blessed above all other peoples: there shall be no sterile male or female among you or among your livestock.
(ג) כְּח֤וּט הַשָּׁנִי֙ שִׂפְתֹתַ֔יִךְ וּמִדְבָּרֵ֖יךְ נָאוֶ֑ה כְּפֶ֤לַח הָֽרִמּוֹן֙ רַקָּתֵ֔ךְ מִבַּ֖עַד לְצַמָּתֵֽךְ׃
(3) Your lips are like a crimson thread, Your mouth is lovely. Your brow behind your veil [Gleams] like a pomegranate split open.
(יז) כָּל־כְּלִ֞י יוּצַ֤ר עָלַ֙יִךְ֙ לֹ֣א יִצְלָ֔ח וְכָל־לָשׁ֛וֹן תָּֽקוּם־אִתָּ֥ךְ לַמִּשְׁפָּ֖ט תַּרְשִׁ֑יעִי זֹ֡את נַחֲלַת֩ עַבְדֵ֨י יקוק וְצִדְקָתָ֛ם מֵאִתִּ֖י נְאֻם־יקוק׃ (ס)
(17) No weapon formed against you Shall succeed, And every tongue that contends with you at law You shall defeat. Such is the lot of the servants of the LORD, Such their triumph through Me —declares the LORD.

(כ) חֲמֵ֨שׁ עֶשְׂרֵ֤ה אַמָּה֙ מִלְמַ֔עְלָה גָּבְר֖וּ הַמָּ֑יִם וַיְכֻסּ֖וּ הֶהָרִֽים׃ (כא) וַיִּגְוַ֞ע כָּל־בָּשָׂ֣ר ׀ הָרֹמֵ֣שׂ עַל־הָאָ֗רֶץ בָּע֤וֹף וּבַבְּהֵמָה֙ וּבַ֣חַיָּ֔ה וּבְכָל־הַשֶּׁ֖רֶץ הַשֹּׁרֵ֣ץ עַל־הָאָ֑רֶץ וְכֹ֖ל הָאָדָֽם׃ (כב) כֹּ֡ל אֲשֶׁר֩ נִשְׁמַת־ר֨וּחַ חַיִּ֜ים בְּאַפָּ֗יו מִכֹּ֛ל אֲשֶׁ֥ר בֶּחָֽרָבָ֖ה מֵֽתוּ׃

(20) Fifteen cubits higher did the waters swell, as the mountains were covered. (21) And all flesh that stirred on earth perished—birds, cattle, beasts, and all the things that swarmed upon the earth, and all mankind. (22) All in whose nostrils was the merest breath of life, all that was on dry land, died.

(ז) וַיִּיצֶר֩ יקוק אֱלֹקִ֜ים אֶת־הָֽאָדָ֗ם עָפָר֙ מִן־הָ֣אֲדָמָ֔ה וַיִּפַּ֥ח בְּאַפָּ֖יו נִשְׁמַ֣ת חַיִּ֑ים וַֽיְהִ֥י הָֽאָדָ֖ם לְנֶ֥פֶשׁ חַיָּֽה׃

(7) the LORD God formed man from the dust of the earth. He blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living being.

Black Sea deluge hypothesis[edit]
Black Sea today (light blue) and in 5,600 BC (dark blue) according to the hypothesis by Ryan and Pitman
In 1997, William Ryan, Walter Pitman and their colleagues first published the Black Sea deluge hypothesis. They proposed that a catastrophic inflow of Mediterranean seawater into the Black Sea freshwater lake occurred at 7,150 14C years BP (7550 calendar years BP).[3] Before that date, glacial meltwater had turned the Black and Caspian Seas into vast freshwater lakes draining into the Aegean Sea. As glaciers retreated, some of the rivers emptying into the Black Sea declined in volume and changed course to drain into the North Sea. The levels of the lakes dropped through evaporation, while changes in worldwide hydrology caused overall sea level to rise.
The rising Mediterranean finally spilled over a rocky sill at the Bosporus. The event flooded 100,000 km2 (39,000 sq mi) of land and significantly expanded the Black Sea shoreline to the north and west. According to these researchers, 50 km3 (10 cu mi) of water poured through each day, two hundred times the flow of Niagara Falls. The Bosporus valley roared and surged at full spate for at least three hundred days. They argued that the catastrophic inflow of seawater resulted from an abrupt sea-level jump that accompanied the Laurentide Ice Sheet collapse and the ensuing breach of a bedrock barrier in the Bosporus strait.
As proposed, the Early Holocene Black Sea flood scenario describes events that would have profoundly affected prehistoric settlement in eastern Europe and adjacent parts of Asia and possibly was the basis of oral history concerning Noah's flood.[3] Some archaeologists support this theory as an explanation for the lack of Neolithic sites in northern Turkey.[4][5][6] In 2003, Ryan and coauthors revised the dating of the early Holocene Noah's flood to 8,400 14C years BP (8800 calendar years BP).[7]
(כג) וַיִּ֜מַח אֶֽת־כָּל־הַיְק֣וּם ׀ אֲשֶׁ֣ר ׀ עַל־פְּנֵ֣י הָֽאֲדָמָ֗ה מֵאָדָ֤ם עַד־בְּהֵמָה֙ עַד־רֶ֙מֶשׂ֙ וְעַד־ע֣וֹף הַשָּׁמַ֔יִם וַיִּמָּח֖וּ מִן־הָאָ֑רֶץ וַיִשָּׁ֧אֶר אַךְ־נֹ֛חַ וַֽאֲשֶׁ֥ר אִתּ֖וֹ בַּתֵּבָֽה׃
(23) All existence on earth was blotted out—man, cattle, creeping things, and birds of the sky; they were blotted out from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.