Every

<<chapter

<<that was

<<dear

<<to

<<David,

<<he opened

<<it

<<with “Ashrei”

<<and closed

<<it

<<with “Ashrei.”

<<He opened

<<with “Ashrei,”

<<as it is written:

<<“Happy is

<<the man”;

<<and he closed

<<with “Ashrei,”

<<as it is written:

<<“Happy are

<<all

<<who take refuge

<<in Him.”

Those

<<hooligans

<<who were

<<in the neighborhood

<<of Rabbi Meir

<<and were

<<troubling

<<him

<<greatly.

<<Was

<<asking

<<Rabbi Meir

<<for mercy

<<concerning them,

<<so that

<<they would die.

<<Said

<<to him

<<Bruria

<<his wife:

<<what is

<<your thinking?

<<Because

<<it is written

<<“Let be consumed

<<sins”?

<<Is it

<<written

<<“sinners”?

<<“Sins”

<<is written!

And moreover,

<<look down

<<to the end

<<of the verse:

<<“and the wicked

<<no more

<<will be.”

<<Since

<<“will be consumed

<<sins,”

<<“and the wicked

<<no more

<<will be”?

<<Rather,

<<pray

<<for mercy

<<for them

<<that they return

<<in repentance,

<<“and the wicked

<<no more

<<will be.”

He prayed

<<for mercy

<<for them,

<<and they returned

<<in repentance.

Said to her

<<a certain heretic

<<to Bruria:

<<it is written:

<<“Sing,

<<barren one

<<that has not

<<borne.”

<<Because

<<she has not

<<borne,

<<sing?

She said

<<to him:

<<Fool!

<<Look down

<<to the end

<<of the verse,

<<as it is written:

<<“For

<<more numerous are

<<the children of

<<the desolate

<<than the children of

<<the married wife,

<<said

<<Hashem.”

Rather,

<<what is

<<“barren

<<that has not

<<borne”?

<<Sing,

<<congregation of

<<Israel,

<<which is like

<<a woman

<<barren

<<who did not

<<bear

<<children

<<for Gehinnom

<<like you.

Said to him

<<a certain heretic

<<to Rabbi Abbahu:

<<it is written:

<<“A psalm

<<of David,

<<when he fled

<<from

<<Avshalom

<<his son,”

<<and it is written:

<<“Of David,

<<a michtam,

<<when he fled

<<from

<<Shaul

<<in the cave.”

<<Which

<<event

<<was

<<first?

<<Since

<<the event of

<<Shaul

<<was

<<first,

<<let it write it

<<first!

He said to him:

<<you,

<<who do not

<<expound

<<juxtapositions,

<<it is difficult

<<for you;

<<we,

<<who expound

<<juxtapositions,

<<it is not

<<difficult

<<for us.

For Rabbi Yochanan said:

<<juxtapositions

<<from

<<the Torah,

<<from where?

<<As it is stated:

<<“Juxtaposed

<<for ever

<<and ever,

<<made

<<in truth

<<and uprightness.”

Why

<<was juxtaposed

<<the chapter of

<<Avshalom

<<to the chapter of

<<Gog

<<and Magog?

<<For if

<<will say

<<to you

<<a person:

<<at all

<<is there

<<a slave

<<who rebels

<<against his master?!

<<You

<<too

<<say

<<to him:

<<at all

<<is there

<<a son

<<who rebels

<<against his father?

<<Rather,

<<it happened;

<<here

<<too

<<it will happen.

Rabbi Yochanan said in the name of Rabbi Shimon ben Yochai:

<<what is

<<that which is written:

<<“Her mouth

<<she opens

<<with wisdom,

<<and the Torah of

<<kindness

<<is on

<<her tongue”?

<<Concerning

<<whom

<<did say

<<Shlomo

<<verse

<<this?

<<Not

<<did he say it

<<except

<<concerning

<<David

<<his father,

<<who dwelt

<<in five

<<worlds

<<and said

<<song.

He dwelt

<<in the womb of

<<his mother

<<and said

<<song,

<<as it is stated:

<<“Bless,

<<my soul,

<<Hashem,

<<and all

<<my innards,

<<the name of

<<His holiness.”

He went out

<<to the air of

<<the world

<<and looked

<<at the stars

<<and constellations

<<and said

<<song,

<<as it is stated:

<<“Bless

<<Hashem,

<<His angels,

<<mighty

<<in strength,

<<who do

<<His word,

<<to hearken

<<to the voice of

<<His word.

<<Bless

<<Hashem,

<<all

<<His hosts,”

<<etc.

He nursed

<<from the breasts of

<<his mother

<<and gazed

<<at her bosom

<<and said

<<song,

<<as it is stated:

<<“Bless,

<<my soul,

<<Hashem,

<<and do not

<<forget

<<all

<<His benefits.”

What is

<<“all

<<His benefits”?

<<Rabbi Abbahu said:

<<that He made

<<for her

<<breasts

<<in the place of

<<understanding.

The reason

<<is what?

<<Rav Yehuda said:

<<so

<<that not

<<he gaze

<<at the place of

<<nakedness.

<<Rav Masna

<<said:

<<so

<<that not

<<he nurse

<<from the place of

<<filth.

He saw

<<the downfall

<<of

<<the wicked

<<and said

<<song,

<<as it is stated:

<<“Let be consumed

<<sinners

<<from

<<the earth,

<<and the wicked

<<no more

<<be;

<<bless,

<<my soul,

<<Hashem.

<<Halleluyah.”

He gazed

<<at the day of

<<death

<<and said

<<song,

<<as it is stated:

<<“Bless,

<<my soul,

<<Hashem;

<<Hashem

<<my God,

<<You are great

<<exceedingly;

<<majesty

<<and splendor

<<You have donned.”

What

<<indicates

<<that about

<<the day of

<<death

<<it is said?

<<Rabbah bar Rav Sheila said:

<<from the end

<<of the passage,

<<as it is written:

<<“You hide

<<Your face,

<<they are terrified;

<<You gather

<<their breath,

<<they perish,”

<<etc.

Rav Shimi bar Ukva,

<<and some say:

<<Mar Ukva,

<<was

<<frequently

<<before

<<Rabbi Shimon ben Pazi,

<<and he would

<<arrange

<<aggadah

<<before

<<Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi.

<<He said to him:

<<what is

<<that which is written:

<<“Bless,

<<my soul,

<<Hashem,

<<and all

<<my innards,

<<the name of

<<His holiness”?

<<He said to him:

<<come

<<and see

<<that not

<<like the attribute of

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<is the attribute of

<<flesh

<<and blood.

<<The attribute of

<<flesh

<<and blood:

<<he forms

<<a form

<<upon

<<the wall,

<<and is not

<<able

<<to put

<<in it

<<spirit

<<and soul,

<<innards

<<and intestines.

<<But the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<is not

<<so:

<<He forms

<<a form

<<within

<<a form

<<and puts

<<in it

<<spirit

<<and soul,

<<innards

<<and intestines.

<<And this is

<<what said

<<Channah:

<<“There is none

<<holy

<<like Hashem,

<<for

<<there is none

<<besides You,

<<and there is no

<<rock

<<like our God.”

What is

<<“there is no

<<rock

<<like our God”?

<<There is no

<<artist

<<like our God.

What is

<<“for

<<there is none

<<besides You”?

<<Rabbi Yehuda bar Menasya said:

<<do not

<<read

<<“for

<<there is none

<<besides You,”

<<but

<<“there is none

<<to outlast You.”

<<For not

<<like the attribute of

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<is the attribute of

<<flesh

<<and blood:

<<the attribute of

<<flesh

<<and blood —

<<the works of

<<his hands

<<outlast

<<him;

<<but the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<outlasts

<<His works.

He said to him:

<<I

<<thus

<<am saying

<<to you:

<<these

<<five

<<“Bless,

<<my soul” —

<<concerning

<<whom

<<did say them

<<David?

<<Not

<<did he say them

<<except

<<concerning

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<and concerning

<<the soul.

Just as

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<fills

<<all

<<the world,

<<so

<<the soul

<<fills

<<all of

<<the body.

<<Just as

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<sees

<<and is not

<<seen,

<<so

<<the soul

<<sees

<<and is not

<<seen.

<<Just as

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<sustains

<<all of

<<the world

<<entirely,

<<so

<<the soul

<<sustains

<<all of

<<the body.

<<Just as

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<is pure,

<<so

<<the soul

<<is pure.

<<Just as

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<dwells

<<in the innermost

<<chambers,

<<so

<<the soul

<<dwells

<<in the innermost

<<chambers.

<<Let come

<<one

<<who has

<<in him

<<five

<<things

<<these

<<and praise

<<the One

<<who has

<<in Him

<<five

<<things

<<these.

Rav Hamnuna said:

<<what is

<<that which is written:

<<“Who is

<<like the wise man,

<<and who

<<knows

<<the interpretation of

<<a matter?”

<<Who is

<<like the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<who knows

<<to make

<<a compromise

<<between

<<two

<<righteous men,

<<between

<<Chizkiyahu

<<and Yeshayahu.

<<Chizkiyahu

<<said:

<<let come

<<Yeshayahu

<<to me,

<<for thus

<<we find

<<with Eliyahu,

<<who went

<<to

<<Achav,

<<as it is stated:

<<“And went

<<Eliyahu

<<to appear

<<to

<<Achav.”

<<Yeshayahu

<<said:

<<let come

<<Chizkiyahu

<<to me,

<<for thus

<<we find

<<with Yehoram

<<son of

<<Achav,

<<who went

<<to

<<Elisha.

What

<<did do

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He?

<<He brought

<<sufferings

<<upon

<<Chizkiyahu,

<<and said

<<to him,

<<to Yeshayahu:

<<go

<<and visit

<<the sick one.

<<As it is stated:

<<“In days

<<those

<<became sick

<<Chizkiyahu

<<unto death;

<<and came

<<to him

<<Yeshayahu

<<son of

<<Amotz

<<the prophet,

<<and said

<<to him:

<<‘Thus

<<Hashem said

<<of hosts:

<<command

<<your household,

<<for

<<dead

<<are you,

<<and not

<<will you live,’”

<<etc.

<<What is

<<“for

<<dead

<<are you

<<and not

<<will you live”?

<<Dead

<<are you

<<in this world,

<<and not

<<will you live

<<in the World to Come.

He said to him:

<<what is

<<all

<<this?

<<He said to him:

<<because

<<not

<<you engaged

<<in being fruitful

<<and multiplying.

<<He said to him:

<<because

<<I saw

<<for myself

<<with the holy spirit

<<that will come out

<<from me

<<children

<<who are not

<<proper.

He said to him:

<<with

<<the hidden matters of

<<the Merciful One —

<<why do you need it?

<<What

<<you are commanded

<<you must

<<do,

<<and what

<<is pleasing

<<before

<<the Holy One, Blessed be He,

<<let Him do.

He said to him:

<<now,

<<give

<<me

<<your daughter;

<<perhaps

<<will cause

<<merit

<<mine

<<and yours

<<and there will come out

<<from me

<<children

<<who are proper.

<<He said to him:

<<already

<<has been decreed

<<upon you

<<a decree.

<<He said to him:

<<son of

<<Amotz,

<<finish

<<your prophecy

<<and leave!

Thus

<<I have received

<<from the house of

<<the father of

<<my father:

<<even

<<a sword

<<sharp

<<resting

<<on

<<the neck

<<of

<<a person,

<<let him not

<<withhold

<<himself

<<from

<<mercy.

It was said

<<also:

<<Rabbi Yochanan

<<and Rabbi Eliezer,

<<who say

<<both of them:

<<even

<<a sword

<<sharp

<<resting

<<on

<<the neck

<<of

<<a person,

<<let him not

<<withhold

<<himself

<<from

<<mercy,

<<as it is stated:

<<“Though

<<He slay me,

<<for Him

<<I will hope.”