CHAPTER XXVIII THE TRIALS OF ABRAHAM (continued) THE seventh trial (was as follows): "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying" (Gen. 15:1). To all the prophets He was revealed in a vision, [ The first editions add: “he appeared in a vision of the night.” Instead of reading “of the night,” Luria holds that the reading should be, “or in a revelation.” This passage was possibly the authority used by Maimonides in dealing with the subject of prophecy; see his Hilkhoth Jesodê Ha-Torah vi. 2 and 6. For Luria’s suggested reading see Lev. Rab. 1:4. On “vision and revelation” see Gen. Rab. 44:6.] but to Abraham He was revealed [ The first editions read: “but to Abraham in a vision and in a revelation. Whence do we know of the vision? Because it is said: ‘In a vision saying, Fear not, Abram, I am thy shield’ (Gen. 15:1) in this world; ‘thy exceeding great reward’ (ibid.) in the world to come.” See Pal. Targum, in loc., and Gen. Rab., loc. cit.] in a revelation and in a vision. Whence do we know of the revelation? Because it is said, "And the Lord appeared unto him by the oaks of Mamre" (ibid. xviii. 1). Whence do we know of the vision? Because it is said, "After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision" (ibid. xv. 1). He said to him: Abraham ! Do not fear, for My right hand is shielding thee in every place where thou goest; [ Cf. Isa. 41:10, 13.] it is like a shield [ Cf. Aboth 4:15.] against misfortunes, and it gives thee a good reward, (even) to thee and to thy children, || in this world and in the world to come, as it is said, "Thy exceeding great reward" (ibid.). [ The Midrashim and Pal. Targum (Gen. 15:1) interpret the fear of Abraham as implying that his victory was his entire recompense for his life’s devotion to the cause of God. This would be covered by the word of the text, “Thy reward”; “exceeding great” would imply the reward in the future life.]
Rabbi [ i.e. Jehudah the Prince. The first editions read: “Rabbi Jehudah.”] said: The Holy One, blessed be He, brought Abraham outside (his house) on the night of Passover, [ The attack of Amraphel was also on the Passover night; see Pal. Targum, Gen. 14:13, and cf. Passover Haggadah Oẓ Rob Nissim and the poem Omez Geburathekha. The chief references for these traditions are: Mekhilta, Bo, p. 5a; Pal. Targum on Ex. 12:42, translated in Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, pp. 164 f. See also Seder ‘Olam Rab. 5:1. p. 11 b. Is there perhaps a reference here to the triennial reading of the Law, this section in Genesis being read on Passover?] and He said to him: Abraham ! Hast thou the ability to count all the host of heaven? He said before Him: Sovereign of all worlds ! Is there then a limit to Thy troops [ This is based on Job 25:3; see T.B. Chagigah, 13b, and Siphrê, Numb. § 42.] (of angels)? He said to him: Likewise thy seed shall not be counted owing to their great number, as it is said, "And he said unto him, So shall thy seed be" (ibid. 5). [ The rest of this chapter is missing in Luria’s edition. It is to be found in the old editions, e.g. Venice, Prague, Amsterdam. There is no reason to dispute its authenticity. The Censor is probably responsible for Luria’s omission. His book was printed in Warsaw.]
Rabbi Eliezer [ The first editions read “Aḳiba.”] said: The Holy One, blessed be He, showed to our father Abraham (at the covenant) between the pieces [ See Gen. 15:9 ff. For a Christian Midrash on this theme see Methodius, Banquet of the Ten Virgins, v. 2.] the four kingdoms, their dominion and their downfall, as it is said, "And he said unto him, Take me an heifer of three years old, and a she-goat of three years old" (ibid. 9). "An heifer of three years old" (ibid.) refers to the kingdom of Edom, [ The Roman Empire is referred to under this designation. Some of the old editions read, “Seir.” “Edom” is the usual term for the Roman Empire. MS. Gaster adds: “This is the fourth Kingdom.”] which is like the heifer of a sheep. "And a she-goat of three years old" (ibid.) refers to the kingdom of Greece, [ On the kingdoms, Greece and Rome, see 4 Ezra 5:3; Rev. xvii.; Lactantius, Divine Institutes, vii. 15. “In the Johannine Apocalypse,” says Bousset, Antichrist, E.T., p. 126, “the Roman Empire is plainly enough indicated as the last anti-Christian power.”] as it is said, "And the he-goat magnified himself exceedingly" (Dan. 8:8). "And a ram of three years old" (Gen. 15:9); this is the kingdom of Media and Persia, as it is said, "And the ram which thou sawest that had the two horns, they are the kings of Media and Persia" (Dan. 8:20). "And a turtle-dove" (Gen. 15:9); this refers to the sons of Ishmael. [ The Mohammedan Empire. Is this an indication of the date of our book? It fixes a limit, in the sense that it must have been written after the rise of the Mohammedan Empire. We shall have ground for asserting that the beginning of the ninth century is probably the earliest date of the final redaction of our book.] This expression is not to be understood in the literal meaning of Tôr (turtle-dove), but in the Aramaic language, in which Tôr means Ox, for when the male ox is harnessed to the female, they will open and break all the valleys, [ See Gen. Rab. 76:6. The first editions read: “they will open and break the (clods of) all the valleys. For phraseology cf. Isa. 28:24: “to open and break the clods” of the ground. The next words about the fourth beast are not in the printed editions.] even as it says (about) "the fourth beast" (Dan. 7:19). [ The entire passage in the first editions reads thus: “This (expression) Tôr (turtle dove) is not said here in the language of the Torah (i.e. Hebrew), but in the Aramaic language. Tôr is the ox, and when the male ox is harnessed to the female they will open and break (the ground of) all the valleys.”] "And a young pigeon" (Gen. 15:9); this refers to the Israelites, who are compared || to a young pigeon, as it is said, "O my dove, thou art in the clefts of the rock" (Cant. 2:14). For thy voice is pleasant in prayer, and thy appearance is beautiful in good deeds. "And a young pigeon" (Gen. 15:9); this refers to the Israelites, who are compared to a young pigeon: "My dove, my perfect (one), is (but) one" (Cant. 6:9). [ The Oxford MS. (O.A. 167) reads: “Another explanation. ‘A young pigeon’ refers to Israel, as it is said, ‘My dove, my perfect (one), is (but) one’” (Cant. 6:9).]
Rabbi Acha ben Jacob said: This expression, "three years old" (Gen. 15:9), is said only with reference to the mighty in power, as it is said, "And a threefold cord is not quickly broken" (Eccles. 4:12). [ The Oxford MS. (O.A. 167) reads: “Rabbi Acha ben Jacob said: What is the meaning of this expression, ‘three years old’? It refers to the mighty in power, (who are) like a threefold cord, as it is said,” etc. On R. Acha ben Jacob, see J.E. i. p. 278.]
Rabbi Mesharshyah [ There were several teachers so named; J.E. viii. 502b gives one only.] said: (Three years old) refers to a threefold (dominion) which they would exercise three times in the future in the land of Israel. At the first time each one would rule by himself; at the second time two together (would rule); on the third occasion (all) altogether to fight against the house of David, [ Messianic wars are referred to here. The first editions read: “to fight against the Son of David.”] as it is said, "The kings of the earth set themselves, [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed" (Ps. 2:2).
Rabbi Joshua said: Abraham took his sword and divided them, each one into two parts, as it is said, "And he took him all these, and he divided them in the midst" (Gen. 15:10). Were it not for the fact that he divided them, the world would not have been able to exist, but because he divided them, he weakened their strength, and he brought each part against its corresponding part, as it is said, "And he laid each half over against the other" (ibid.). And the young pigeon he left alive, as it is said, "But the bird he divided not" (ibid.). Hence thou mayest learn that there was not any other bird there except a young pigeon. [ The first editions read: “Hence thou mayest learn that the word Zippôr in the Torah means only a young pigeon.”] The bird of prey came down upon them || to scatter them and to destroy them. [ Pal. Targ. Gen. 15:11 reads: “And there came down people who were like unto an unclean bird, to steal away the sacrifices of Israel; but the merit of Abram was a shield over them.”] "The bird of prey" is nought else but David, the son of Jesse, [ The first editions read: “is nought else but the Son of David.” See Hastings’ D.B. iv. p. 610a, on “the speckled bird.” This passage, in its Messianic interpretation, has escaped the notice of Schöttgen.] who is compared to a "speckled bird of prey," as it is said, "Is mine heritage unto me as a speckled bird of prey?" (Jer. 12:9).
When the sun was about to rise in the east, Abraham sat down and waved his scarf over them, so that the bird of prey should not prevail over them until the raven came. [ The first editions read: “until evening set in.” This seems a better reading. Cf. Jubilees xi. 11.]
Rabbi Elazar ben 'Azariah said: From this incident thou mayest learn that the rule of these four kingdoms will only last one day [ The one day of God is 1000 years, see supra, p. 128. Do the four kingdoms referred to by Daniel begin with the Greek persecutions under Antiochus Epiphanes, 168 B.C.E., so that the end of these hostile kingdoms was to be expected about 1000 years later, i.e. about 832 C.E.? If so, this is another indication as to the date of our book. It would not be later than this date (832 C.E.). Accordingly, we may fix the date of its final redaction in the early years of the ninth century.] according to the day of the Holy One, blessed be He. Rabbi Elazar ben 'Arakh said unto him: Verily it is so, according to thy word, as it is said, "He hath made me desolate and faint all the day" (Lam. 1:13), except for two-thirds of an hour (of God). Know that it is so. Come and see, for when the sun turns to set in the west, (during) two hours [ The first editions read: “two-thirds of an hour.”] its power is weakened, [ The 1st ed. reads: “remain over.” The Venice edition omits this and reads instead: “it is dark and it has no light.” The words “it is dark” is an error, and should be “its strength fails.”] and it has no light, likewise whilst the evening has not yet come, the light of Israel shall arise, [ The first editions read: “the Son of David will cause the light of Israel to arise.” Cf. the use of “Zemach” (Dayspring) as a Messianic title in Hellenism and Christianity, pp. 119 f.] as it is said, "And it shall come to pass, that at evening time there shall be light" (Zech. 14:7).
Abraham arose and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, that his children should not be enslaved by these four kingdoms. A deep sleep fell upon him, and he slept, as it is said, "A deep sleep fell upon Abram" (Gen. 15:12). Does then a man lie down and sleep, and yet be able to pray? But this teaches thee that Abraham was lying down and sleeping because of the intensity of his prayer that his children might enslave || these four kingdoms, [ The first editions read here: “that his children might escape these four kingdoms.” In the preceding words the first editions read: “and sleeping and he prayed” that his children, etc.] as it is said, "And, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him" (ibid.). [ Cf. Pal. Targ., in loc., for a different reading; see also Gen. Rab. 44:18; Ex. Rab. li. 7; Pesiḳta de R. Kahana, 42b.] "Horror" refers to the kingdom of Edom, as it is written, "And behold a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly" (Dan. 7:7). "Darkness" is the kingdom [ The first editions read: “the kingdom of Greece.” See also Shocher Ṭob, Ps. 52:8, pp. 143b f.; and Lev. Rab. 13:5. The idea in our context has a parallel in Wisdom xviii. 4.] of those who darken the eyes of Israel (by preventing the observance of) all the precepts which are in the Torah. "Great" (Gen. 15:12) refers to the kingdom of Media and Persia, which was great (enough to be able to afford) to sell Israel for nought. [ See Esth. 3:11: “And the king said to Haman: The silver is given to thee, the people also, to do with them as it seemeth good to thee.”] "Fell" (ibid.) refers to the kingdom of Babylon, because in their hand fell the crown [ i.e. the Temple of God at Jerusalem. In the printed editions the quotation from Isa. 21:9 is missing.] of Israel, as it is said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" (Isa. 21:9). "Upon him" (Gen. 15:12) refers to the Ishmaelites, upon whom the Son of David will flourish, [ Or it might mean “arise”; cf. supra, p. 201, note 3.] as it is said, "His enemies will I clothe with shame: [ In the MS. the quotation ends here, “etc.” being added; in the first editions the verse is continued.] but upon him shall his crown flourish" (Ps. 132:18).
Rabbi Ẓe'era [ The printed editions read “‘Aẓariah.”] said: These kingdoms were created only as fuel for Gehinnom, as it is said, "Behold, a smoking furnace, [ Pal. Targ., in loc., renders: “And lo, Abram saw Gehinnom bringing up flaming coals and burning flakes of fire, wherein the wicked are to be judged.” See Jer. Targum, in loc., and cf. also Gen. Rab. 44:21; Apoc. Baruch iv. 4; and 4 Ezra 3:14 (ed. Box), p. 12, note a.] and a flaming torch that passed" (Gen. 15:17). Here the word "furnace" [ The first editions read: “‘Furnace’ and ‘torch’ refer only to Gehinnom, as it is said,” etc. The readings preserved in the Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 77, and the Midrash Haggadol, c. 234, should be compared with our text. Beer’s Leben Abraham’s should also be consulted for further references to the Midrashic sources.] signifies only Gehinnom, which is compared to a furnace, as it is said, "Saith the Lord, whose fire is in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem" (Isa. 31:9).