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Pirkei de-Rabbi Eliezer
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer — Friedlander 1916 annotated English
Unverified edition · Chapter 13
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Chapter 13 · All reading sections
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Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 13:1
CHAPTER XIII1 In our MS. this is ch. xii.THE SERPENT IN PARADISE [15A. ii.]"ENVY, cupidity, and ambition remove man (Adam) from the world."2 This is taken from Aboth 4:28. The three sins enumerated brought about the sin and punishment of Adam and Eve. See Aboth de R. Nathan (a) i. and (b) 1.; T.B. Synhedrin, 59b; and infra, p. 125. The ministering angels3 The parallel text preserved in the Midrash Haggadol, Gen. (ed. Schechter), c. 86, reads: “the subordinate angels became jealous of him.” spake before the Holy One, blessed be He, saying: Sovereign of all Worlds! "What is man, that thou shouldst take note of him?" (Ps. 144:3). "Man (Adam) is like unto vanity"4 According to our author, if Adam had not sinned he would have lived for ever. See Z.D.M.G. xxxi. p. 232. (ibid. 4), upon earth there is not his like.5 See Job 41:33 (Heb. xli. 24), and cf. infra, p. 265. (God) answered them: Just as all of you praise Me in the heights of heaven so he professes My Unity on earth,6 Lit. “in the lower regions.” See Jalḳuṭ, Gen. § 25. According to Slavonic Enoch xxx. 2, Adam in Paradise sees the heavens open “that he should perceive the angels singing the song of triumph.” nay, moreover, are you able to stand up and call the names for all the creatures which I have created? They stood up, but were unable (to give the names). Forthwith Adam stood up and called the names for all His creatures, as it is said, "And the man gave names to all cattle" (Gen. 2:20). When the ministering angels saw this they retreated,7 Or, “they retraced their steps,” or “betook themselves backward.” This is missing in the first two editions. On the theme see Gen. Rab. 17:4. and the ministering angels said: If we do not take || counsel against this man so that he sin before his Creator, we cannot prevail against him.8 See infra, pp. 367 f., 436, and cf. Jeraḥmeel xxii. 1. The spirit animating the angels in desiring the fall of man is that of jealousy; this explains the “envy” quoted from Aboth 4 at the beginning of the chapter.
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 13:2
Sammael was the great prince in heaven;1 At first the “great prince” was Sammael, but after his fall Michael is “the great prince”; cf. T.B. Chagigah, 12b. On Sammael and Michael see infra, pp. 192 f., and J.E. x. 665 f. (s.v. Samael). the Chajjôth2 The Jalḳuṭ, Gen. loc. cit., reads: “The Chajjôth with four wings and the Seraphim with six wings.” Our text and Jalḳuṭ (loc. cit.) are parallel texts; the printed texts differ slightly. The first editions read: “The Chajjôth and the Seraphim with six wings.” The Midrash Haggadol (Genesis), loc. cit., differs in the arrangement, and omits the reference to the Chajjôth. had four wings and the Seraphim had six wings, and Sammael had twelve wings. What did Sammael do? He took his band3 i.e. troop of angels obeying him. See Geiger, op. cit. pp. 101 f. and descended4 See infra, pp. 99, 193 f. The word וירד, “descended,” recalls Eth. Enoch vi. 6, and Jubilees iv. 15; cf. Luke x. 18. and saw all the creatures which the Holy One, blessed be He, had created in His world and he found among them none so skilled to do evil as the serpent, as it is said, "Now the serpent was more subtil5 Our MS. ends quotation here, adding “etc.” than any beast of the field" (ibid. iii. 1). Its appearance was something like that of the camel,6 The Serpent had the appearance of the camel prior to the punishment meted out to it by God. On the theme see T.B. ‘Erubin, 18a; T.B. Synhedrin, 59b; Gen. Rab. 19:1; Ẓohar, Ex. 136a; and Aboth de R. Nathan (a) i. p. 3a. In the Slavonic Book of Adam and Eve (ed. Jagíc, p. 26) Satan uses the Serpent to deceive Eve. See Archelaus, “Disputation with Manes,” in A.N.C.L. xx. p. 344, for a parallel. and he7 Sammael, or Satan. See Ascension of Isaiah 1:8. mounted and rode upon it.8 The Midrash Haggadol, Gen. loc. cit., adds: “and betook himself to mislead the man.” The Torah began to cry aloud, saying, Why, O Sammael! now that the world is created, is it the time9 The MS. reads ‘äd, the first editions read ‘ês (time); so also Midrash Haggadol, loc. cit. to rebel against the Omnipresent? Is it like a time when thou shouldst lift up thyself on high?10 This is quoted from Job 39:18. The R.V. renders, “What time she lifteth up herself on high.” The verse is intended to illustrate Sammael’s sin in approaching Eve and causing Adam to rebel. According to Tertullian, de Patient, v., the Evil One “impatiently bore that the Lord God subjected the universal works” to man. This led on to his “envy.” He deceived him because he envied him. The Lord of the world "will laugh at the horse and its rider"11 The R.V. reads: “She scorneth the horse and his rider.” The “horse” is applied in the Midrash to the Serpent and “the rider” to Sammael. (Job 39:18).
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 13:3
A parable, to what is the matter like?12 The deed of Sammael is illustrated by the parable. To a man in whom there was an evil spirit. All the deeds which he does,1 The first editions add: “does he do them at his own suggestion?” or all the words which he utters, does he speak by his own intention? Does he not act only according to the idea of the evil spirit, which (rules) over him? So (was it with) the serpent. All the deeds which it did, and all the words which it spake, it did not speak2 The first editions read: “it neither spake nor did.” except by the intention of Sammael. Concerning him, the Scripture says, "The wicked is thrust down in his evil-doing" (Prov. 14:32).3 Cf. the version in Jalḳuṭ, Gen. loc. cit.
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 13:4
A parable, to what is the matter like? To a king || who married a woman and made her supreme over all that he had.4 The first editions add: “consisting of precious stones and pearls.” He said to her: All that I have shall be in thy hands, except this house,5 The first editions read “cask” (חבית), and so throughout the parable; this is more correct than “house” (הבית) in our text. which is full of scorpions. A certain old man visited her; he asks, for instance,6 This expression is omitted in the Amsterdam edition of 1708 and in the Dyhrenfürth edition. The vinegar was used by the poor for dipping therein their bread; see Aboth de R. Nathan (a) xx. p. 36a. for vinegar. He said to her: Wilt thou argue that he deals kindly with thee?7 The first editions read here: “How does the king treat thee? She said to him: All that he possesses has he given to me and left in my hands except this cask.” He deals with me (thus): over all that he possesses has he made me supreme. Thus said he to her: Behold, all that I have is given into thy hands except this house,5 The first editions read “cask” (חבית), and so throughout the parable; this is more correct than “house” (הבית) in our text. which is full of scorpions. (The old man) said to her: Is not all the jewellery8 Ḳosmin (κόσμος), jewellery; see ‘Arukh, s.v. קזמי. The reading in the first editions is corrupt. of the king indeed in this house5 The first editions read “cask” (חבית), and so throughout the parable; this is more correct than “house” (הבית) in our text.? But9 The first editions read: “He spake not thus to thee save for the reason that he wishes to marry another woman.” he wishes to marry another woman, and to give them to her. The king is the first man (Adam), the woman is Eve, and the one who asked for vinegar is the serpent;10 For a variant parable to illustrate the theme taken from Aboth de R. Nathan (a) i. p. 3b, see Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 29. and concerning them (the text) says, "There are the workers of iniquity fallen, they are thrust down, and shall not be able to rise"11 The printed editions omit the second half of the verse. (Ps. 36:12).
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 13:5
The serpent argued with itself, saying: If I go and speak to Adam, I know that he will not listen to me, for a man is always hard1 See Gen. Rab. 17:8 to illustrate the notion that a man is more easily appeased than a woman. The quotation from 1 Sam. is not in the printed editions. The Midrash Haggadol, Gen. c. 87, reads: “for Sammael has no authority over man because he is hard.” (to be persuaded), as it is said, "For a man is churlish and evil in his doings" (1 Sam. 25:3); but behold I will speak to Eve,2 The first editions read here: “the woman whose mind is feeble.” Slavonic Enoch xxxi. 6 tells us how Satanail or Satan “conceived designs against Adam; in such a manner he entered and deceived Eve. But he did not touch Adam.” The “evil eye” mentioned in our text, infra, might be rendered “envy.” for I know that she will listen to me; for women listen to all creatures, as it is said, "She is simple and knoweth nothing" (Prov. 9:18). The serpent went and spake to the woman:3 For a Christian Midrash on this theme see “Fragments from the lost writings of Irenæus” in A.N.C.L. ix. p. 166. || Is it4 The first editions add the words in brackets. (true that) you also have been commanded concerning the fruit of the tree?5 The text is probably corrupt here; Luria suggests that instead of the words “this tree” which occur in the printed texts we should read “this garden.” This agrees with the reading preserved in the Oxford MS. (d. 35), and in Jeraḥmeel xxii. 2. According to the reading “this tree,” the answer desired by the Serpent would not have been forthcoming. By asking about the “fruit of the garden” the Serpent was enabled to mislead Eve. The Talmud (T.B. Synhedrin, 29a) lays stress on the addition to the Divine command made by Eve when she said, “neither shall ye touch it” (Gen. 3:3). Our MS. intends the question to be quite general: “Is it a fact that you have been commanded (not to eat) the fruit of any tree?” This agrees with the Midrash Haggadol, Gen. loc. cit. She said (to him): Yes, as it is said, "Of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden" (Gen. 3:8). And when the serpent heard the words of Eve, he found a way6 Lit. “opening.” See Tertullian, de Patient., loc. cit. through which he could enter (to approach her), so he said to her: This precept is nought else except the evil eye, for in the hour when ye eat thereof, ye will be like Him, a God. Just as7 The first editions read: “What does He do?” He creates worlds and destroys worlds,8 This idea of being able to create other worlds has a parallel in Slavonic Enoch xxxi. 3: “And the devil took thought, as if wishing to make another world.” so will ye be able to create worlds and to destroy worlds. Just as He slays and brings to life, so also will ye be able to kill and to bring to life, as it is said, "For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof,1 The MSS. end the quotation here, but add “etc.”; the first editions continue the verse. then your eyes shall be opened" (ibid. 5).2 Our MS. ends here the 12th chapter.
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 13:6
The serpent went and touched the tree, which commenced to cry out, saying:3 See Aboth de R. Nathan (a) i. p. 2b, the tree cried out when Eve stared at it and (desired its fruit). See also Jeraḥmeel xxii. 3. Wicked One! do not touch me! as it is said, "Let not the foot of pride come against me, and let not the hand of the wicked drive me away. There are the workers of iniquity fallen"4 The MSS. give only the verse from Ps. 36:11; the first two editions omit the second half of this verse and add the first half of the next verse. (Ps. 36:11, 12).
Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 13:7
The serpent went and said to the woman: Behold, I touched it, but I did not die; thou also mayest touch it, and thou wilt not die.5 The Midrash Haggadol, Gen. c. 88, adds: “Forthwith the woman saw that the tree was good for food.” See Aboth de R. Nathan, loc. cit., and Pal. Targum, Gen. 3:6. The woman went and touched the tree, and she saw the angel of death6 According to the Pal. Targum (loc. cit.), “and the woman beheld Sammael, the angel of death, and she was afraid.” coming towards her; she said: Woe is me ! I shall now die, and the Holy One, blessed be He, will make another woman7 The printed editions add: “for him.” and give her to Adam,8 See Tertullian, de Patient., loc. cit., where Adam is described as “not yet Eve’s husband.” but behold I will cause || him to eat with me; if we shall die, we shall both die,9 See a similar Midrash in the Church Father Ephraim, Comm. in Gen. vol. i. p. 35. and if we shall live, we shall both live. And she took of the fruits of the tree, and ate thereof, and also gave (of its fruits) to her husband, so that he should eat with her, as it is said, "And she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat; and she gave also unto her husband with her" (Gen. 3:6). When Adam had eaten of the fruit of the tree, he saw that he was naked,10 See infra, p. 98. and his eyes were opened, and his teeth were set on edge. He said to her: What is this that thou hast given me to eat, that my eyes should be opened and my teeth set on edge?11 The first editions add: “against my knowledge.” See Jer. 31:29, 30, and Ezek. 18:2. For the Rabbinic sources dealing with the Serpent, Eve, and Adam see Tosephta Soṭah iv. (end); T.B. Soṭah, 9b; Gen. Rab. 19:4; Pesiḳta Rabbathi, § xv. p. 68b; Tanchuma, Leḳach Ṭob and Jalḳuṭ, in loc.; and see Midrash Agadah and Rashi on Gen. 3, and cf. Jeraḥmeel xxii.; see also Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, pp. 27 ff.; Ginzberg, Legends of the Jews, vol. i. pp. 71 ff.; and F. R. Tennant, The Fall and Original Sin, 1903, pp. 152 and 158. Just as my teeth were set on edge, so shall the teeth of all generations be set on edge.1 See the parallel version from Gen. Rab. 19:5, translated in Rabbinic Philosophy and Ethics, p. 28, and cf. Aboth de R. Nathan, loc. cit., Midrash Haggadol, Gen. c. 90, “their teeth and the teeth of all generations.” According to Slavonic Enoch xxx. 16: “Therefore his ignorance is a woe to him that he should sin, and I appointed death on account of his sin.” The expression “to set the teeth on edge” in our text means “paying the penalty.” See also 4 Ezra 3:7.
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