📖 Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 18

בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמְרִים: הַשָּׁמַיִם נִבְרְאוּ תְּחִלָּה וְאַחַר כָּךְ הָאָרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, א): ״בְּרֵאשִׁית בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ״. וּבֵית הִלֵּל אוֹמְרִים: הָאָרֶץ נִבְרֵאת תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים קב, כו): ״לְפָנִים הָאָרֶץ יָסַדְתָּ וּמַעֲשֵׂה יָדֶיךָ שָׁמָיִם״. בֵּית שַׁמַּאי אוֹמֵר: שָׁמַיִם נִבְרֵאת תְּחִלָּה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו מח, יג): ״אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמָיִם״. נִכְנַס תַּחֲרוּת בֵּינֵיהֶם עַל הַדָּבָר הַזֶּה עַד שֶׁשָּׁרְתָה שְׁכִינָה בֵּינֵיהֶם וְהִסְכִּימוּ אֵלּוּ עִם אֵלּוּ שֶׁשְּׁנֵיהֶם נִבְרְאוּ בְּשָׁעָה אַחַת וּבְרֶגַע אֶחָד.

THE SABBATH THE School of Shammai said: The heavens were created first, and the earth afterwards, as it is said, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen. 1:1). The School of Hillel said: The earth was created first, and the heavens afterwards, as it is said, "Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of thy hands" (Ps. 102:25). The School of Shammai said: The heavens were created first, and the earth afterwards, as it is said, "These are the generations of the heavens and of the earth" (Gen. 2:4). The School of Hillel said: The earth was created first, and the heavens afterwards, as it is said, "In the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven" (ibid.). The School of Shammai said: The heavens were created first, because it is said, "And the heavens and the earth were finished" (Gen. 2:1). The School of Hillel said: The earth was created first, and the heavens afterwards, as it is said, "Yea, mine hand hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens" (Isa. 48:18). The School of Shammai said: The heavens were created first, and the earth afterwards, because it is said, "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool" (Isa. 66:1). Contention arose between them (i.e. the Schools) on this question, until the Holy Spirit rested between them, and they both agreed that both (heavens and earth) were created in one hour and at one moment.

מָה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? פָּשַׁט יַד יְמִינוֹ וְנָטָה שָׁמַיִם, וּפָשַׁט יַד שְׂמֹאלוֹ וְיָסַד אֶרֶץ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו מח, יג): ״אַף יָדִי יָסְדָה אֶרֶץ וִימִינִי טִפְּחָה שָׁמָיִם״, וְעָמְדוּ יַחְדָּיו אֶרֶץ וְשָׁמַיִם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ב, א): ״וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ וְכָל צְבָאָם״. וְכִי כָּלוּ שָׁמַיִם וָאָרֶץ מִלִּהְיוֹת וּמִלַּעֲמֹד עוֹד, וַהֲלֹא כְּבָר נֶאֱמַר עֲלֵיהֶם (ירמיהו כג, כד): ״הֲלוֹא אֶת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֶת הָאָרֶץ אֲנִי מָלֵא״. אֶלָּא שֶׁכָּלוּ מִמְּלָאכָה מִפֹּעַל, וּמִצִּוּוּי לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר וַיְכֻלּוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ.

What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He put forth His right hand and stretched forth the heavens, and He put forth His left hand and founded the earth, as it is said, "Yea, mine hand || hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spread out the heavens: when I called unto them, they stood up together" (Isa. 48:13). Both of them were created simultaneously, as it is said, "And the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their host" (Gen. 2:1). And, indeed, were the heavens and the earth completed (so as not to require God's providence) for their continued existence and maintenance? Has it not been written concerning them, "Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool" (Isa. 66:1)? But they were finished with reference to the original deed (of creation) and with reference to the work (of being created) and being called into existence. Therefore it is said, "And the heavens and the earth were finished" (Gen. 2:1).

אָמְרוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, הַשָּׁמַיִם וְהָאָרֶץ כָּלִים מִמְּלָאכָה מִפֹּעַל וּמִצִּוּוּי מִשֵּׁשֶׁת יְמֵי בְרֵאשִׁית, רַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ אַל תִּכְלָא, שֶׁאִם תִּכְלָא רַחֲמְךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ אֵין אָנוּ יְכוֹלִין לַעֲמֹד, שֶׁעַל רַחֲמֶיךָ וַחֲסָדֶיךָ הָעוֹלָם עוֹמֵד, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו נד, י): כִּי הֶהָרִים יָמוּשׁוּ״ וְכוּ'.

Israel spake before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of the worlds! Thou didst complete the heavens and the earth with reference to being made, created, and called into existence; let not Thy mercy and loving-kindness be withheld, for if Thou withholdest Thy mercy and loving-kindness we are unable to exist, because the world rests upon Thy mercy and loving-kindness, as it is said, "For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee… saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee" (Isa. 54:10); and it says (elsewhere), "Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy loving-kindnesses; for they have been ever of old" (Ps. 25:6).

״וַיְכַל אֱלֹהִים בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי״ וְכוּ' (בראשית ב, ב). שֶׁבַע חֲנֻכּוֹת בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: שֵׁשׁ מֵהֶן חִנֵּךְ וְאֶחָד שְׁמוּרָה לַדּוֹרוֹת. בָּרָא יוֹם רִאשׁוֹן וְחִנְּכוֹ וְגָמַר כָּל מְלַאכְתּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית א, ה): ״וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר יוֹם אֶחָד״, וְכָךְ כָּל יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה. בָּרָא יוֹם שְׁבִיעִי, לֹא נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ מְלָאכָה וְלֹא נֶאֱמַר בּוֹ וַיְהִי עֶרֶב וַיְהִי בֹקֶר שֶׁהוּא שָׁמוּר לַדּוֹרוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (זכריה יד, ז): ״וְהָיָה יוֹם אֶחָד הוּא יִוָּדַע לַה' לֹא יוֹם וְלֹא לָיְלָה״.

"And on the seventh day God finished his work" (Gen. 2:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, created seven dedications, six of them He dedicated, and one is reserved for the (future) generations. He created the first day and finished all His work and dedicated it, as it is said, "And it was evening, and it was morning, one day" (Gen. 1:5). He created the second day and finished all His work and dedicated it, as it is said, || "And it was evening, and it was morning, a second day" (Gen. 1:8); and so through the six days of creation. He created the seventh day, (but) not for work, because it is not said in connection therewith, "And it was evening and it was morning." Why? For it is reserved for the generations (to come), as it is said, "And there shall be one day which is known unto the Lord; not day, and not night" (Zech. 14:7).

לְמָה הַדָּבָר דּוֹמֶה? לְאֶחָד שֶׁהָיָה לוֹ כְּלִי חֶמְדָּה וְלֹא רָצָה לְהַנְחִילָהּ אֶלָּא לִבְנוֹ הָעוֹבֵד אוֹתוֹ. כָּךְ הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, יוֹם שַׁבָּת מְנוּחָה וּקְדוּשָׁה שֶׁהָיָה לְפָנָיו לֹא רָצָה לְהַנְחִילָהּ אֶלָּא לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. תֵּדַע לְךָ שֶׁהוּא כֵּן: כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, הִנְחִיל אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת לְיִשְׂרָאֵל. וּשְׁתֵּי שַׁבָּתוֹת שָׁבְתוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל עַד שֶׁלֹּא נָתַן לָהֶם אֶת הַתּוֹרָה, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (נחמיה ט, יד): ״מִצְווֹת וְחֻקִּים וְתוֹרָה נָתַתָּ לָהֶם בְּיַד מֹשֶׁה עַבְדֶּךָ״.

A parable: To what is this matter to be compared? To a man who had precious utensils. And he did not desire to give them as an inheritance except to his son; likewise with the Holy One, blessed be He. The day of blessing and holiness which was before Him, He did not desire to give it as an inheritance except to Israel. Know that it is so ! Come and see ! for when the Israelites went forth from Egypt, whilst yet the Torah had not been given to them, He gave them the Sabbath as an inheritance. Israel kept two Sabbaths whilst as yet the Torah had not been given to them, as it is said, "And thou madest known unto them thy holy Sabbath" (Neh. 9:14). And afterwards He gave them the Torah, as it is said, "And commandedst them commandments, and statutes, and Torah by the hand of Moses, thy servant" (ibid.).

הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שָׁמַר וְקִדֵּשׁ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת, וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָן חַיָּבִין אֶלָּא לִשְׁמֹר וּלְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת. תֵּדַע שֶׁהוּא כֵּן, בֹּא וּרְאֵה: כְּשֶׁהָיָה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם אֶת הַמָּן אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה, הָיָה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה וּבְשַׁבָּת לֹא הָיָה נוֹתֵן. שֶׁמָּא תֹּאמַר לֹא הָיָה בּוֹ כֹּחַ לִיתֵּן בְּכָל יוֹם וָיוֹם, אֶלָּא שֶׁשָּׁבַת. לְפִיכָךְ הָיָה נוֹתֵן לָהֶם לֶחֶם יוֹמַיִם בַּשִּׁשִּׁי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טז, כט): ״רְאוּ כִּי ה' נָתַן לָכֶם הַשַּׁבָּת עַל כֵּן הוּא נֹתֵן לָכֶם בַּיּוֹם הַשִּׁשִּׁי לֶחֶם יוֹמָיִם״. כֵּיוָן שֶׁרָאוּ יִשְׂרָאֵל שֶׁשָּׁבַת לְפָנָיו, שָׁבְתוּ גַּם הֵם, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (שמות טז, ל): ״וַיִּשְׁבְּתוּ הָעָם בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי״.

The Holy One, blessed be He, observed and sanctified the Sabbath, and Israel is obliged only to observe and sanctify the Sabbath. Know that it is so! Come and see! for when He gave them the Manna, He gave it to them in the wilderness during forty years on the six days of creation, but on the Sabbath He did not give (it) || to them. Wilt thou say that He did not have power enough to give it to them every day? But (the fact was) the Sabbath was before Him; therefore He gave to them bread for two days on the Friday, as it is said, "See, for that the Lord hath given you the Sabbath, therefore he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days" (Ex. 16:29). When the people saw that Sabbath (was observed) before Him, they also rested, as it is said, "So the people rested on the seventh day" (Ex. 16:30).

״וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ״ (בראשית ב, ג), הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא בֵּרַךְ וְקִדֵּשׁ אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת וְיִשְׂרָאֵל אֵינָן חַיָּבִין אֶלָּא לִשְׁמֹר וּלְקַדֵּשׁ אֶת יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת. מִכָּאן אָמְרוּ: כָּל הַמְבָרֵךְ עַל הַיַּיִן בְּלֵילֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת מַאֲרִיכִין לוֹ יָמָיו וּשְׁנוֹתָיו בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְיוֹסִיפוּ לוֹ שְׁנוֹת חַיִּים לָעוֹלָם הַבָּא.

"And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it" (Gen. 2:3). The Holy One, blessed be He, blessed and hallowed the Sabbath day, and Israel is bound only to keep and to hallow the Sabbath day. Hence they said: Whosoever says the benediction and sanctification over the wine on the eves of Sabbath, his days will be increased in this world, and in the world to come, as it is said, "For by me thy days shall be multiplied" (Prov. 9:11) in this world; "and the years of thy life shall be increased" (ibid.) in the world to come.

״וּשְׁמַרְתֶּם אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת כִּי קֹדֶשׁ הִוא לָכֶם״ (שמות לא, יד), מַה הִיא שִׁמּוּר שֶׁל שַׁבָּת? מִלְּהַבְעִיר בָּהּ אֵשׁ וּמִלַּעֲשׂוֹת בּוֹ מְלָאכָה וּמִלָּצֵאת וּמִלָּבֹא חוּץ לַתְּחוּם אֲפִלּוּ רֶגֶל אַחַת, וּמִלְּהָבִיא דָּבָר בְּיָדוֹ וּלְהַעֲבִירוֹ אַרְבַּע אַמּוֹת בִּרְשׁוּת הָרַבִּים וּלְהוֹצִיא מֵרְשׁוּת לִרְשׁוּת. וְזוֹ הִיא שְׁמִירָתָהּ שֶׁל שַׁבָּת:

"Ye shall keep the Sabbath, for it is holy unto you" (Ex. 31:14). What is the keeping of the Sabbath? Neither to do any work thereon, nor to kindle fire thereon, neither to take forth nor to bring in beyond the Techum (limit) of the Sabbath even one foot, nor to fetch in his hand something which is not his food nor the food for his cattle. This is the keeping of the Sabbath, as it is said, "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath" (Ex. 31:16).

״בֵּינִי וּבֵין בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל, אוֹת הִיא לְעוֹלָם״ (שמות לא, יז). אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: הַשַּׁבָּת הַזֶּה נָתַתִּי לְיִשְׂרָאֵל בֵּינִי לְבֵינָם. בְּשֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי הַמַּעֲשֶׂה פָּעַלְתִּי אֶת הָעוֹלָם, בְּשַׁבָּת נַחְתִּי. לְפִיכָךְ נָתַתִּי לָהֶם שֵׁשֶׁת יְמֵי מְלָאכָה, וְיוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי בְּרָכָה וּקְדֻשָּׁה וּמְנוּחָה לִי וְלָהֶם. לְכָךְ נֶאֱמַר: ״בֵּינִי וּבֵין יִשְׂרָאֵל״.

"It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever" (Ex. 31:17). The Holy One, blessed be He, said: This (Sabbath) have I given to Israel as a sign between Me || and them; for in the six days of creation I fashioned all the world, and on the Sabbath I rested, therefore have I given to Israel the six days of work, and on the Sabbath, a day (for) blessing and sanctification, for Me and for them; therefore it is said, "Between me and the children of Israel it is a sign for ever" (ibid.).

שִׁבְעָה רְקִיעִים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּם לֹא בָחַר לִמְכוֹן שִׁבְתּוֹ אֶלָּא עֲרָבוֹת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סח, ה): ״סֹלּוּ לָרֹכֵב בָּעֲרָבוֹת בְּיָהּ שְׁמוֹ״. שִׁבְעָה אֲרָצוֹת בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּם לֹא בָחַר אֶלָּא אֶרֶץ יִשְׂרָאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים יא, יב): ״תָּמִיד עֵינֵי ה' אֱלֹהֶיךָ בָּהּ״. שִׁבְעָה הָרִים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּם לֹא בָחַר אֶלָּא בְּהַר סִינַי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (תהלים סח, יז): ״חָמַד אֱלֹהִים לְשִׁבְתּוֹ״.

The Holy One, blessed be He, created seven firmaments, and He selected from them all 'Araboth only for the place of the throne of glory of His kingdom, as it is said, "Cast up a highway for him that rideth on the 'Araboth, with Jah, his name" (Ps. 68:5). The Holy One, blessed be He, created seven lands, and He chose from all of them the land of Israel only, as it is said, "A land… the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year" (Deut. 11:12). Another verse says, "I said, I shall not see the Lord, even the Lord in the land of the living" (Isa. 38:11). The Holy One, blessed be He, created seven deserts, and of them all He chose the desert of Sinai only to give therein the Torah, as it is said, "The mountain which God hath desired for his abode" (Ps. 68:16).

שִׁבְעָה יַמִּים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּם לֹא בָחַר אֶלָּא יָם כִּנֶּרֶת וְהִנְחִילוֹ לְשֵׁבֶט נַפְתָּלִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (דברים לג, כג): ״נַפְתָּלִי שְׂבַע רָצוֹן וּמָלֵא בִּרְכַּת ה' יָם וְדָרוֹם יְרָשָׁה״.

The Holy One, blessed be He, created seven seas, and of them all He chose the Sea of Kinnereth only, and gave it as an inheritance to the tribe of Naphtali, as it is said, "O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the Lord: possess thou the sea and the south" (Deut. 33:23). What is the "blessing of the Lord"? (It means) that He blessed him and gave him as an inheritance the sea and the south, as it is said, "Possess thou the sea and the south" (ibid.).

שִׁבְעָה מִדְבָּרוֹת בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּם לֹא בָחַר אֶלָּא מִדְבַּר קֹדֶשׁ וְהֶעֱבִיר בּוֹ יִשְׂרָאֵל כְּשֶׁיָּצְאוּ מִמִּצְרַיִם. שִׁבְעָה עוֹלָמוֹת בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּם לֹא בָחַר אֶלָּא עוֹלָם שְׁבִיעִי: שִׁשָּׁה לָצֵאת וְלָבוֹא וְאֶחָד שֶׁכֻּלּוֹ שַׁבָּת וּמְנוּחָה לְחַיֵּי הָעוֹלָם. שִׁבְעָה יָמִים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּן לֹא בָחַר אֶלָּא יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (בראשית ב, ג): ״וַיְבָרֶךְ אֱלֹהִים אֶת יוֹם הַשְּׁבִיעִי וַיְקַדֵּשׁ אֹתוֹ״. שִׁבְעָה שָׁנִים בָּרָא הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא, וּמִכֻּלָּן לֹא בָחַר אֶלָּא שְׁנַת שְׁמִטָּה.

The Holy One, blessed be He, created seven æons, ∥ and of them all He chose the seventh æon only; the six æons are for the going in and coming out (of God's creatures) for war and peace. The seventh æon is entirely Sabbath and rest in the life everlasting. Seven lamps were made for the sanctuary, and the lamp of Sabbath was illuminating opposite the other six (lamps), as it is said, "In front of the lamp-stand the seven lamps shall give light" (Num. 8:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, created seven days, and of them all He chose the seventh day only, as it is said, "And God blessed the seventh day, and hallowed it" (Gen. 2:3).

וְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹמֵר אֶת הַשַּׁבָּת בָּעוֹלָם הַזֶּה, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מוֹחֵל לוֹ כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר (ישעיהו נו, ב): ״שֹׁמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ״, אַל תִּקְרֵי שׁוֹמֵר שַׁבָּת מֵחַלְּלוֹ אֶלָּא מָחוּל לוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁמּוֹחֲלִין לוֹ עַל כָּל עֲוֹנוֹתָיו.

Everyone who keeps the Sabbath, happy is he in this world and happy will he be in the world to come, as it is said, "Happy is the man that doeth this, and the son of man that holdeth fast by it: who keepeth the Sabbath from profaning it" (Isa. 56:2). Do not read "(He who keepeth the Sabbath) from profaning it," but read "He who keepeth the Sabbath is pardoned" concerning all his transgression.