Aggada -- Translations into English; Bible. Old Testament -- Legends; Jewish legends; Midrash -- Translations into English
In His modesty, God took counsel with the angels, before the creation
of the world, regarding His intention of making man. He said: "For the
sake of Israel, I will create the world. As I shall make a division
between light and darkness, so I will in time to come do for Israel in
Egypt—thick darkness shall be over the land, and the children of Israel
shall have light in their dwellings; as I shall make a separation
between the waters under the firmament and the waters above the
firmament, so I will do for Israel—I will divide the waters for him
when he crosses the Red Sea; as on the third day I shall create plants,
so I will do for Israel—I will bring forth manna for him in the
wilderness; as I shall create luminaries to divide day from night, so I
will do for Israel—I will go before him by day in a pillar of cloud and
by night in a pillar of fire; as I shall create the fowl of the air and
the fishes of the sea, so I will do for Israel—I will bring quails for
him from the sea; and as I shall breathe the breath of life into the
nostrils of man, so I will do for Israel—I will give the Torah unto
him, the tree of life." The angels marvelled that so much love should
be lavished upon this people of Israel, and God told them: "On the
first day of creation, I shall make the heavens and stretch them out;
so will Israel raise up the Tabernacle as the dwelling-place of My
glory. On the second day, I shall put a division between the
terrestrial waters and the heavenly waters; so will he hang up a veil
in the Tabernacle to divide the Holy Place and the Most Holy. On the
third day, I shall make the earth put forth grass and herb; so will he,
in obedience to My commands, eat herbs on the first night of the
Passover, and prepare showbread for Me. On the fourth day, I shall make
the luminaries; so will he make a golden candlestick for Me. On the
fifth day, I shall create the birds; so will he fashion the cherubim
with outstretched wings. On the sixth day, I shall create man; so will
Israel set aside a man of the sons of Aaron as high priest for My
service."[10]
Accordingly, the whole of creation was conditional. God said to the
things He made on the first six days: "If Israel accepts the Torah, you
will continue and endure; otherwise, I shall turn everything back into
chaos again." The whole world was thus kept in suspense and dread until
the day of the revelation on Sinai, when Israel received and accepted
the Torah, and so fulfilled the condition made by God at the time when
He created the universe.[11]
THE ANGELS AND THE CREATION OF MAN
God in His wisdom hiving resolved to create man, He asked counsel of
all around Him before He proceeded to execute His purpose—an example to
man, be he never so great and distinguished, not to scorn the advice of
the humble and lowly. First God called upon heaven and earth, then upon
all other things He had created, and last upon the angels.
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