📖 Pirkei DeRabbi Eliezer 20

״וַיְגָרֶשׁ אֶת הָאָדָם״, גֹּרַשׁ וַיֵּצֵא מִגַּן עֵדֶן וַיֵּשֶׁב לוֹ בְּהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה שֶׁשַּׁעַר גַּן עֵדֶן סָמוּךְ לְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה, מִשָּׁם לְקָחוֹ וּלְשָׁם הֶחֱזִירוֹ בַּמָּקוֹם שֶׁנִּלְקַח שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״וַיִּקַּח אֱלֹהִים אֶת הָאָדָם״. מֵאֵי זֶה מָקוֹם לְקָחוֹ? מִמְּקוֹם בֵּית הַמִּקְדָּשׁ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר ״לַעֲבֹד אֶת הָאֲדָמָה אֲשֶׁר לֻקַּח מִשָּׁם״.

ADAM'S PENITENCE "So he drove out the man" (Gen. 3:24). Driving out (i.e.) and he went forth outside the garden of Eden (and he abode) on Mount Moriah, for the gate of the garden of Eden is nigh unto Mount Moriah. Thence He took him and thither He made him return to the place whence he was taken, as it is said, "To till the ground from whence he was taken" (Gen. 3:23).

רַבִּי יְהוּדָה אוֹמֵר: הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שָׁמַר שַׁבָּת רִאשׁוֹן, וְאָדָם שָׁמַר אוֹתוֹ תְּחִלָּה בַּתַּחְתּוֹנִים. וְהָיָה יוֹם הַשַּׁבָּת מְשַׁמְּרוֹ מִכָּל רַע וּמְנַחֲמוֹ מִכָּל שַׂרְעַפֵּי לִבּוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״בְּרֹב שַׂרְעַפַּי בְּקִרְבִּי תַּנְחוּמֶיךָ״ וְכוּ'.

Rabbi Jehudah said: The Holy One, blessed be He, kept the Sabbath first in the heavenly regions, and Adam kept the || Sabbath first in the lower regions. The Sabbath day protected him from all evil, and comforted him on account of all the doubts of his heart, as it is said, "In the multitude of my doubts within me, thy comforts delight my soul" (Ps. 94:19).

רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קָרְחָה אוֹמֵר: מִן הָאִילָן שֶׁנֶּחְבְּאוּ שָׁם תַּחְתָּיו, לָקְחוּ עָלִים וְתָפְרוּ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיִּתְפְּרוּ עֲלֵי תְאֵנָה״. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: מִן הָעוֹר שֶׁהִפְשִׁיט הַנָּחָשׁ עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא כְּתֹנֶת כָּבוֹד לְאָדָם וּלְעֶזְרוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וַיַּעַשׂ ה' אֱלֹהִים לְאָדָם וּלְאִשְׁתּוֹ כָּתְנוֹת עוֹר וַיַּלְבִּשֵׁם״.

Rabbi Joshua ben Ḳorchah said: From the tree under which they hid themselves, they took leaves and sewed (them), as it is said, "And they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons" (Gen. 3:7). Rabbi Eliezer said: From the skin which the serpent sloughed off, the Holy One, blessed be He, took and made coats of glory for Adam and his wife, as it is said, "And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife coats of skin, and clothed them" (Gen. 3:21).

בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת שֶׁל שַׁבָּת ��ָיָה אָדָם וְיוֹשֵׁב וּמְהַרְהֵר בְּלִבּוֹ וְאוֹמֵר: ״אוֹי לִי, שֶׁמָּא יָבֹא הַנָּחָשׁ שֶׁהִטְעָה אוֹתִי בְּעֶרֶב שַׁבָּת וִישׁוּפֵנִי עָקֵב!״ נִשְׁתַּלַּח לוֹ עַמּוּד שֶׁל אֵשׁ לְהָאִיר לוֹ וּלְשָׁמְרוֹ מִכָּל רַע. רָאָה אָדָם לְעַמּוּד שֶׁל אֵשׁ וְשָׂמַח בְּלִבּוֹ וְאָמַר: ״עַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁהַמָּקוֹם עִמִּי״, וּפָשַׁט יָדָיו לְאוֹר הָאֵשׁ וּבֵרַךְ: ״מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ״. וּכְשֶׁהִרְחִיק יָדָיו מֵהָאֵשׁ אָמַר אָדָם: ״עַכְשָׁיו אֲנִי יוֹדֵעַ שֶׁנִּבְדַּל יוֹם הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִיּוֹם הַחוֹל, שֶׁאֵין לְבַעֵר אֵשׁ בְּשַׁבָּת״. אָמַר: ״בָּרוּךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל״.

At twilight on Saturday (evening), Adam was meditating in his heart and saying: Perhaps the serpent, which deceived me, will come in the evening, and he will bruise me in the heel. A pillar of fire was sent to him to give illumination about him and to guard him from all evil. Adam saw the pillar of fire and rejoiced in his heart, and he put forth his hands to the light of the fire, and said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the flames of fire. And when he removed his hands from the light of the fire, he said: Now I know that the holy day has been separated from the work day here below (on earth), for fire may not be kindled on the Sabbath day; and in that hour he said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who divides || the holy from the profane, the light from the darkness.

רַבִּי מָנָא אוֹמֵר: כֵּיצַד חַיָּב אָדָם לְבָרֵךְ עַל כּוֹס שֶׁל יַיִן לְאוֹר הָאֵשׁ? וְאוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ״, וּכְשֶׁמַּחֲזִיר יָדוֹ מִן הָאֵשׁ אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל״.

Rabbi Mana said: How must a man say the Habdalah blessing? (He does this) over the cup of wine, with the light of fire, and he says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the various flames of fire; and when he removes his hand from the fire (flame) he says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who divides the holy from the profane.

וְאִם אֵין לוֹ יַיִן, פּוֹשֵׁט אֶת יָדָיו לְאוֹר הָאֵשׁ וּמִסְתַּכֵּל בְּצִפָּרְנָיו שֶׁהֵן לְבָנוֹת מִן הַגּוּף, וְאוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ בּוֹרֵא מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ״, וְכֵיוָן שֶׁמַּרְחִיק יָדוֹ מִן הָאֵשׁ אוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל״.

If he have no wine he puts forth his hands towards the light of the lamp and looks at his nails, which are whiter than his body, and he says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates various flames of fire; and when he has removed his hands from the fire, he says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord, who divides the holy from the profane.

וְאִם אֵין לוֹ אֵשׁ, פּוֹשֵׁט יָדוֹ לְאוֹר הַכּוֹכָבִים שֶׁהֵן שֶׁל אֵשׁ, וְיִסְתַּכֵּל בְּצִפָּרְנָיו שֶׁהֵן לְבָנוֹת מִן הַגּוּף, וְאוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ מְאוֹרֵי הָאֵשׁ״. וְאִם נִתְקַדְּרוּ הַשָּׁמַיִם, תּוֹלֶה אֶבֶן מִן הָאָרֶץ וּמַבְדִּיל וְאוֹמֵר: ״בָּרוּךְ הַמַּבְדִּיל בֵּין קֹדֶשׁ לְחוֹל״. רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר אוֹמֵר: לְאַחַר שֶׁשּׁוֹתֶה אַרְבַּע כּוֹס שֶׁל הַבְדָּלָה, מִצְוָה לְהַטִּיל מְעַט מַיִם בְּכוֹס שֶׁל הַבְדָּלָה וְשׁוֹתֶה כְּדֵי לְחַבֵּב אֶת הַמִּצְוָה. וּמַה שֶׁיִּשָּׁאֵר מִן בַּכּוֹס מִן הַמַּיִם, מַעֲבִירוֹ עַל גַּבֵּי עֵינָיו. לָמָּה? מִשּׁוּם שֶׁאָמְרוּ חֲכָמִים: שְׁיָרֵי מִצְוָה מְעַכְּבִין אֶת הַפֻּרְעָנוּת.

If he be on a journey, he puts forth his hand to the light of the stars, which are also fire, and says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the various flames of fire. If the heavens be darkened, he lifts up a stone outside, and says: Blessed art Thou, O Lord our God, who creates the various flames of fire.

רַבִּי צָדוֹק אוֹמֵר: כָּל מִי שֶׁאֵינוֹ מַבְדִּיל עַל הַיַּיִן בְּמוֹצָאֵי שַׁבָּתוֹת אוֹ אֵינוֹ שׁוֹמֵעַ מִן הַמַּבְדִּילִים, אֵינוֹ רוֹאֶה סִימַן בְּרָכָה לְעוֹלָם. וְכָל מִי שֶׁהוּא שׁוֹמֵעַ מִן הַמַּבְדִּילִים אוֹ מַבְדִּיל עַל הַיַּיִן, הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא קוֹנֶה אוֹתוֹ לִסְגֻלָּתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וָאַבְדִּל אֶתְכֶם מִן הָעַמִּים וִהְיִיתֶם לִי סְגֻלָּה״.

Rabbi Zadok said: Whosoever does not make Habdalah at the termination of Sabbaths, or does not listen to those who perform the ceremony of Habdalah, will never see a sign of blessing. Everyone who makes Habdalah at the termination of Sabbaths, or whosoever hears those who perform the Habdalah, the Holy One, blessed be He, calls him holy to be His holy treasure, and delivers him from the affliction of the peoples, as it is said, "And ye shall be holy unto me: for I the Lord am holy" (Lev. 20:26). ||

בְּאֶחָד בַּשַּׁבָּת נִכְנַס אָדָם בְּמֵי גִּיחוֹן הָעֶלְיוֹן עַד שֶׁהִגִּיעוּ מַיִם עַד צַוָּארוֹ וְנִתְעַנָּה שִׁבְעָה שַׁבָּתוֹת יָמִים עַד שֶׁנַּעֲשָׂה גוּפוֹ כְּמִין כְּבָרָה. אָמַר אָדָם לִפְנֵי הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא: ״רִבּוֹן כָּל הָעוֹלָמִים, הַעֲבֵר נָא חַטָּאתִי מֵעָלַי וְקַבֵּל אֶת תְּשׁוּבָתִי, וְיִלְמְדוּ כָּל הַדּוֹרוֹת שֶׁיֵּשׁ תְּשׁוּבָה וְאַתָּה מְקַבֵּל תְּשׁוּבַת הַשָּׁבִים״. מֶה עָשָׂה הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא? פָּשַׁט יַד יְמִינוֹ וְהֶעֱבִיר אֶת חַטָּאתוֹ מֵעָלָיו וְקִבֵּל אֶת תְּשׁוּבָתוֹ, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״חַטָּאתִי אוֹדִיעֲךָ וַעֲוֹנִי לֹא כִסִּיתִי, סֶלָה״ – מִן הָעוֹלָם הַזֶּה וְסֶלָה מִן הָעוֹלָם הַבָּא. יָשַׁב וְדָרַשׁ בְּלִבּוֹ: ״וְאִם כִּי אָמַרְתִּי מָוֶת תְּשִׁיבֵנִי וּבֵית מוֹעֵד לְכָל חָי״. אָמַר אָדָם: ״עַד שֶׁאֲנִי בָּעוֹלָם אֶבְנֶה לִי בֵּית מָלוֹן לְרִבְצִי חוּץ לְהַר הַמּוֹרִיָּה״, וְחָצַב וּבָנָה לוֹ מָלוֹן לְרִבְצוֹ. אָמַר אָדָם: ״מָה הַלּוּחוֹת שֶׁהֵן עֲתִידִין לְהִכָּתֵב בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ שֶׁל הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וַעֲתִידִין מֵימֵי הַיַּרְדֵּן לִבְרֹחַ מִפְּנֵיהֶם, וְגוּפִי שֶׁנִּבַּל בִּשְׁתֵּי יָדָיו וְרוּחַ נִשְׁמַת פִּיו נָפַח בְּאַפִּי, וְאַחַר מוֹתִי יִקְּחוּ אוֹתִי וְאֶת עַצְמוֹתַי וְיַעֲשׂוּ לָהֶם עֲבוֹדָה זָרָה? אֶלָּא אַעֲמִיק אֲנִי אֲרוֹנִי לְמַטָּה מִן הַמְּעָרָה וְלִפְנִים מִן הַמְּעָרָה״. לְפִיכָךְ נִקְרֵאת מְעָרַת הַמַּכְפֵּלָה, שֶׁהִיא כְּפוּלָה, וְשָׁם הוּא נָתוּן: אָדָם וְחַוָּה, אַבְרָהָם וְשָׂרָה, יִצְחָק וְרִבְקָה, יַעֲקֹב וְלֵאָה. וּלְפִיכָךְ נִקְרֵאת קִרְיַת אַרְבַּע, שֶׁנִּקְבְּרוּ בָּהּ אַרְבַּע זוּגוֹת. וַעֲלֵיהֶם הַכָּתוּב אוֹמֵר: ״יָבֹא שָׁלוֹם יָנוּחוּ עַל מִשְׁכְּבוֹתָם הֹלֵךְ נְכֹחוֹ״.

On the first day of the week he went into the waters of the upper Gihon until the waters reached up to his neck, and he fasted seven weeks of days, until his body became like a species of seaweed. Adam said before the Holy One, blessed be He: Sovereign of all worlds ! Remove, I pray Thee, my sins from me and accept my repentance, and all the generations will learn that repentance is a reality. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He put forth His right hand, and accepted his repentance, and took away from him his sin, as it is said, "I acknowledge my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid: I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Selah" (Ps. 32:5). Selah in this world and Selah in the world to come. Adam returned and meditated in his heart, and said: I know that death will remove me (to) "the house appointed for all living" (Job 30:28). Adam said: Whilst I am yet alive I will build for myself a mausoleum to rest therein. He planned and built for himself a mausoleum to rest therein beyond Mount Moriah. Adam said: If in the case of the tables (of stone), just because in the future they will be written by the finger (of God), the waters of the Jordan are destined to flee before them; how much more so will this be the case with my body which His two hands kneaded, and because He breathed into my nostrils the breath of the spirit of His mouth? After my death they will come and take my bones, and they will make them into an image for idolatry; but verily I will put || my coffin deep down beneath the cave and within the cave. Therefore it is called the Cave of Machpelah, which is a double cave. There Adam was put and his help-meet, Abraham and his help-meet, Isaac and his help-meet, Jacob and his help-meet. Therefore it is called "the city of four" (Kirjath Arba'); for four pairs (were buried there), and concerning them the verse says, "He entereth into peace; they rest in their beds, each one that walketh in his up-rightness" (Isa. 57:2).