Myth and Bible II Notes

Myth and Bible II J Ungar MD Dec 13th 2015 …Rabbi Yehuda said: The coats which the Holy One, blessed be He, made for Adam and his wife, were with Noah in the ark, and when they went forth ‫ר’ יהודה אומ’ הכתונת שעשה הקב”ה לאדם‬

from the ark, Ham, the son of Noah, brought them forth with him, and gave them as an inheritance to

‫ וכשיצאו מן‬,‫ולאשתו היתה עמהם בתיבה‬ ‫התיבה לקחה חם בן נח הוציאה עמו והנחילה‬ ‫ ובשעה שהיה לובש אותה היו כל‬,‫לנמרוד‬

Nimrod. When he put them on, all beasts, animals, and birds, when they saw the coats, came and prostrated themselves before him. The sons of men

‫ כסבורין‬,‫ חיה ועוף באין ונופלים לפניו‬,‫בהמה‬

thought that this (was due) to the power of his might;

‫ לפיכך המליכוהו עליהם‬,‫שהוא מכח גבורתו‬

therefore they made him king over themselves, as it

‫ שנ’ על כן יאמר “כנמרוד גבור ציד לפני‬,‫מלך‬ (‫ט‬:‫ה'” )בר’ י‬

is said, “Like Nimrod, a mighty hunter before the LORD” (Gen. 10:9).

Prke deReb Eliezer ch 24

‫קם על רגליו והיה בתואר כדמות‬

He stood on his legs and was in appearance like that of

‫ והיתה קומתו מן המזרח‬,‫אלהים‬

God, and his stature extended from east to west… All

‫למערב… וראו אותו כל הבריות‬ ‫ונתייראו מלפניו סבורין שהוא בוראן‬ .‫ובאו להשתחוות לפניו‬

the creatures saw him and became afraid of him, thinking that he was their creator, and they came to prostrate themselves before him (PRE 11).

‫ר’ ]מאיר[ אומ’ עשו אחיו של יעקב‬ ‫ראה את הכתונת שעשה הקב”ה‬

coats of Nimrod, and in his heart he coveted them, and

‫לאדם ולחוה על נמרוד וחמד אותם‬

he slew him, and took them for himself. How (do we

‫ ומניין‬.‫בלבו והרגו ולקח אותם ממנו‬

know) that they were desirable in his sight? Because it

‫ שנ’ “ותקח‬,‫שהיו חמודות בעיניו‬

is said, “And Rebecca took the covetedclothing of Esau

‫רבקה את בגדי עשו בנה הגדול‬

[‫]החמוד ות…עש וב גד י‬, her elder son” (Gen. 27:15).

, (‫טו‬:‫החמודות” )בר’ כז‬

Rabbi Meir said: Esau, the brother of Jacob, saw the

(PRE 24)

‫וכשלבש אותם נעשה גם הוא‬

When he (=Jacob) put them on he also became, by means

‫ שנ’ “ויהי עשו איש יודע‬,‫גבור‬

of them, a mighty hero, as it is said, “And Esau was a cunning hunter” (ibid. 25:27). And when Jacob left the

‫ וכשבא יעקב‬,(‫כז‬:‫ציד” )בר’ כה‬ ‫ “אין‬,‫מאת פני יצחק אביו אמר‬

presence of Isaac, his father, he said: Esau, the wicked one

‫זה ]עשו[ ראוי ללבוש את‬

is not worthy to wear these coats. What did he do? He dug

‫” וחפר וממנם‬.‫הכתונת הללו‬

in the earth and hid them there as it is said, “The rope for

,‫ שנאמר‬, [‫ ]בארץ וטמנה‬,‫שם‬

him lies hidden in the ground [His snare, on the path]”

(‫י‬:‫“טמון בארץ חבלו” )איוב יח‬

(Job 18:10). (PRE 24)

Our Sages, however, explained the fact that goats were always the sin-offerings of the congregation (cf. Lev. 9:3), as an allusion to the sin of the whole congregation of Israel: for in the account of the selling of the pious Joseph we read, “And they slaughtered a kid-goat…” (Gen. 37:31).[17] Maimonides Guide III:46

‫ אף בגדי‬,‫מה קרבנות מכפרין‬ ‫ כתונת מכפרת על‬.‫כהונה מכפרין‬ ‫ וישחטו שעיר‬:‫ שנאמר‬,‫שפיכות דם‬ .‫עזים ויטבלו את הכתנת בדם‬

The tunic (of the Kohen) atones for the spilling of blood, as it says “And they slaughtered a goat and dipped the tunic [Joseph’s ornamented tunic] in blood (Gen. 37:31). Zevachim 88b

Yemenite Midrash found by Kasher Torah Sheleima I:1399 #50 ‫כתנת פסים – הכתונת שעשה‬ ‫הקב”ה לאדם ולעזרו היא‬

Holy One, blessed be He, made for Adam and his partner.

‫ והיא בגדי‬,‫שלקחה עשו מנמרוד‬

It is this same tunic which Esau took from Nimrod, and

‫עשו החמודות שלבש יעקב‬

these are the coveted garments of Esau that Jacob wore

.‫בשעת הברכה‬

The ornamented tunic – this is the same tunic which the

when he received [Isaac’s] blessing.