The eighth descent [ See supra, p. 97, and Introduction, p. xv.] was when He [ The first editions read: “The Holy One, blessed be He.”] descended into the Tabernacle, as it is said, "And the Lord came down in a pillar of cloud, [ The quotation ends here in our MS.; it is continued in the first editions.] and stood at the door of the Tent, and called Aaron and Miriam; [ According to the Biblical record the eighth descent was at the appointment of the seventy elders; so that the descent in our chapter is really the ninth.] and they both came forth" (Num. 12:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them: [ The first editions read: “to him,” i.e. Aaron.] Whosoever speaketh slander against his fellow in secret, hath no cure; if he slander his brother, the son of his father or the son of his mother, [ Cf. Ps. 1. 20: “Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother’s son.” See also Siphrê, Num. §§25 and 99; Aboth de R. Nathan (a) ix. pp. 20b f., note 35; and cf. Deut. Rab. vi. 8 ff. The first editions read: “the son of his father and mother.”] how much more so [ i.e. is the punishment an incurable disease?] is this the case? The Holy One, blessed be He, was angry with them, and He departed from the Tent, as it is said, [ The first editions read: “as it is written”; this is unusual in our book.] "And the anger of the Lord was kindled against them; and he departed" (ibid. 9). || "And the cloud removed from over the Tent" (ibid. 10). [ This quotation occurs only in the MS.] Forthwith Miriam became leprous. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: If Aaron also be leprous, [ See T.B. Sabbath, 97a.] the High Priest, who is afflicted with a blemish, will not be able to bring an offering upon My altar; [ See Tosaphoth to Ẓebachim, 102a; Mo’ed Ḳaṭan, 8a; and Bechoroth, 45b.] but he shall look upon his sister and become astonished, [ The first editions read: “and become distressed.” See Siphrê, Num. § 105: “As long as he beheld her (the leprosy) was spreading over her”; see also Aboth de R. Nathan (a) ix. p. 21a.] as it is said, "And Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous" (ibid.). [ In the Fragments from the lost writings of Irenæus (xxxii.) we find a parallel Midrash to our author; see “Ante-Nicene Christian Library,” vol. ix. p. 173.] Aaron went to Moses, and said to him: O our lord, Moses! Brethren do not suffer themselves to be separated one from the other except through death, as it is said, "Though he be fruitful among his brethren" [ The text in Hosea reads: “he be fruitful,” but the first editions read: “he be separated”; this is probably to be interpreted as an instance of “Do not read”… “but read …”] (Hos. 13:15). Our sister, while still among the living, is separated from us, [ The first editions add: “by death,” and omit the quotation.] as it is said, "Let her not, I pray, be as one dead" (Num. 12:12). Not only this, but now all Israel will hear and say that the sister of Moses and Aaron is leprous. Half of this infamous report concerns thee. [ This sentence occurs in our MS. only.] Moses was appeased by the words, and he arose and prayed for her, [ The Prague edition reads: “he prayed for them.”] and He was entreated of him, as it is said, "And Moses cried unto the Lord, saying, [ The quotation ends here in our MS.; it is continued in the first editions.] Heal her, O God, I beseech thee" (ibid. 13).
Rabbi Levitas, a man of Jamnia, said: Unless the father [ The MS. reads: “mother,” but as the verb belonging to this word is masculine, it is an error due to the scribe’s carelessness, and we should read “father,” as in the first editions.] of a leprous person spit [ The reading agrees with the Venice edition. Cf. Lev. 15:8; and Aboth de R. Nathan, loc. cit.] in his face, he will not be healed, [ See Aboth de R. Nathan, loc. cit.: “Moses drew a small circle about him, and said: I will not move until Thou hast healed Miriam my sister.” The New Testament affords a parallel to the practice of healing by spitting; see Mark vii. 33, where it is said that Jesus cured a man who was deaf and who had an impediment in his speech: “And he took him aside from the multitude privately, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat, and touched his tongue.” See also Mark viii. 23: “When he had spit on his eyes.” See Preuss, Medizin des Talmuds: Speichel als Heil-Mittel, pp. 321 f.] as it is said, "And the Lord said unto Moses, If her father had but spit in her face, [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] would she not be ashamed seven days?" (ibid. 14). Hence (the sages) say: A male afflicted with unclean issue (needs) seven (days for his purification [ Or, “cleansing.”] ); a woman with an issue (requires) seven (days' separation); a menstruant (needs) seven (days of purification); [ This and the next instance are omitted in the first editions. On the subject see Aboth de R. Nathan (b) i. p. 1b.] one made unclean through a corpse [ See Num. 19:11. On mourning customs see supra, p. 115.] (needs) seven (days of purification); a mourner (mourns for) seven (days); the wedding feast (lasts) seven (days); [ This clause occurs in the MS. only; the reference is to the marriage banquet, see supra, p. 112.] and a leprous person (requires) seven (days' separation). (Whence do we know that [ This is wanting in the MS.; it occurs in the first editions.] ) a male with an unclean issue (requires) seven days (for his purification)? || (Because it is said, [ This is wanting in the MS.; it occurs in the first editions.] ) "And when he that hath an issue is cleansed [ The quotation ends here in the MS.; it is continued in the first editions.] of his issue, then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing" (Lev. 15:13). Whence do we know that a woman with an issue (requires) seven (days of purification)? Because it is said, "But if she be cleansed of her issue, [ The quotation ends here in the MS.; it is continued in the first editions.] then she shall number to herself seven days, and after that she shall be clean" (ibid. 28). [ In the printed editions there is a lacuna here. The MS. has probably some of the missing text. The Tanna de bê Elijahu Ẓuṭṭa has also part of the lost chapters of the P.R.E., according to Friedmann.] Whence do we know that a menstruant (requires) seven (days of separation)? Because it is said, "She shall be in her separation seven days" (ibid. 19). "Her separation" [ The MS. reads the exact letters of the word in Lev. 15:19 (“B’niddathah”), which is translated by the R.V. “in her separation,” or “impurity.” The fact that the same letters are repeated as the word which has to be read suggests either that this word with the same letters was read differently to the M.T., or that some other form of the word, such as the same word less the first letter (“Niddathah”), i.e. “Her separation,” as we have assumed in our version, was before the copyist. The Midrashim on this theme are to be found in Horowitz’ edition of the Baraitha dealing with Niddah, of which there are several recensions.] (or impurity) thou dost not read, but "in her impurity"; because Rabbi Ẓe'era said: The daughters of Israel have made the Law exceptionally stringent for themselves, so that if they see a blood stain of the size of a mustard seed [ See T.B. Berakhoth, 31a; and cf. T.J. Berakhoth, 5:1. 8d.] they observe on its account seven days, after that they are cleansed [ Lit. “clean.”] (of their issue of blood [ See Lev. 15:19.] ). Whence do we know that one made unclean through a corpse (needs) seven (days of purification)? Because it is said, "And whosoever in the open field toucheth one [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] that is slain with a sword, or a dead body… shall be unclean seven days" (Num. 19:16). Whence do we know that the mourner (mourns for) seven (days)? Because it is said, "And he made a mourning for his father seven days" (Gen. 50.10). Whence [ The rest of the paragraph is wanting in the text of this last chapter of P.R.E. published by Wertheimer in Bottê Midrashoth, iii. pp. 29–34.] do we know that the (bridal) banquet (lasts) seven days? Because it is said, "Fulfil the week of this one…. And Jacob did so, and fulfilled [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] her week" (ibid. xxix. 27, 28). Whence do we know that a leper (keeps) seven (days of purification)? From Miriam, as it is said, "And Miriam was shut up [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] without the camp seven days" (Num. 12:15).
Rabbi said: They [ The Israelites.] slandered God again and said, We were dwelling in the land of Egypt in ease and contentment, but the Holy One, blessed be He, and Moses have brought us forth from Egypt to die in the wilderness, as it is said, "And the people spake against God, and against Moses, Wherefore have ye brought us up [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?" (ibid. xxi. 5). What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do unto them? He sent against them fiery serpents which bit and killed them, as it is said, "And the Lord sent among the people fiery serpents, [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] and they bit the people; and much people of Israel died" (ibid. 6). Moses beheld the misfortune of Israel, and he arose and prayed on their behalf. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him: Moses! Make thee a serpent of copper like that serpent [ See supra, p. 428, and cf. Tanchuma (ed. Buber), Num. p. 63 f.] || which spoke slander betwixt Adam and his helpmate, and place it on a high place. Let every man who has been bitten direct his heart to his Father [ See T.B. Rosh Ha-Shanah, 29a, and Wisdom, xvi. 7.] who is in heaven, and let him gaze at that serpent, and he will be healed. Moses made a serpent of copper and set it up in a high place, and every man who had been bitten turned his heart to his Father who is in heaven, and gazed at that serpent, forthwith he became restored to health, as it is said, "And it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten [ The quotation ends here in the MS.] any man, when he looked at the serpent of copper, he lived" (ibid. 9); and it also says, "If the serpent bite without enchantment, then is there no advantage in the master of the tongue" (Eccles. 10:11). [ The expression, “the master of the tongue,” seems to point to the slanderer, whose condemnation forms the theme of our chapter. See Bacher, P. i. 402 and 485, for Midrashic interpretations of this verse.]
Rabbi Meir said: If a doctor visit one whom a serpent has bitten, and cure him, verily will goodness be shown to this one. [ The doctor.]
Rabbi José said: If a man hire a workman who is zealous, and (when) he discharges him should he give him his wages in full; what favour does he give him? [ The labourer who has fully earned his wages. Cf. Matt. xx. 1–16.] But if he hire a workman who is lazy, (when) he discharges him should he give him his wages in full, verily he is giving him a real favour. [ For the lazy workman has not earned his wages, and therefore is receiving more than his due.] Likewise spake Solomon before the Holy One, blessed be He [ Wertheimer’s text omits the following two sentences.] : Sovereign of all the worlds! Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob were zealous workmen. Thou gavest to them wages in full, of their own (earnings) Thou didst give them. But we are lazy workmen, and when Thou wilt give us our wages in full, and wilt heal us; verily, every one will praise Thee and bless (Thee). [ In acknowledging that all we receive is due to the boundless love and grace of our Heavenly Father. See T.B. Baba Mezi’a, 86b. Immediately following the P.R.E. in the MS. comes the well-known Aboth de R. Nathan, the text of which corresponds to the Recension “A” in Dr. Schechter’s edition. In a future work, I hope to translate the chapters claimed to belong to P.R.E., and published by Horowitz, and later by Friedmann in his edition of the Tanna de bê Elijahu. I have a very humble favour to ask at the hands of my readers. Will they kindly let me know whether they can suggest any variations in my translation and offer any parallels from Jewish and Christian and Mohammedan, as well as from classical literature, in illustration of the various points arising out of this Midrash? I am painfully aware that this work is in a very crude condition, and that there are many errors, but in spite of all its blemishes I sincerely hope that something of value may be found in this volume, which has cost the author very many hours of toil snatched away from leisure and holiday.]
It is finished. Praise be to Go