Midrash Esfah
Encyclopedia
Midrash Esfah is one of the smaller midrashim
, which as yet is known only from a few excerpts in Yalḳuṭ
and two citations in Sefer Raziel and Ha-Roḳeaḥ. It receives its name from Num. xi. 16: "Gather unto me ["Esfah-li"] seventy men of the elders of Israel."
In Yalḳ. i, § 736 is found a citation relating to the same verse, which cannot be traced to any other midrash, and is doubtless taken from Midrash Esfah. To this midrash may possibly be referred a passage in the Halakot Gedolot (ed. Warsaw, p. 282b) and a fragment on Num. xvii. 14, xx. 1-3, in Wertheimer, Batte Midrashot, iii. 8-10, which agrees in its concluding words with the excerpt in Yalḳ., Num. 763 on Num. xx. 3 (found also ib. 262, on Ex. xvii. 2, which begins with the same words). The name of the midrash shows that it must have begun with Num. xi. 16. The other excerpts in the Yalḳuṭ
from the Midrash Esfah, §§ 737, 739, 742, 764, 773, and 845, are based on Num. xi. 24, xii. 3-7, xii. 12, xxi. 9, xxvi. 2 (found also ib. 684, on Num. i. 2, which begins with the same words), and Deut. vi. 16; the extent of the midrash, however, can not be determined.
The interesting extract in Yalḳ., Num. on Num. xi. 16 names the seventy elders in two of its recensions (a third recension of this passage is furnished by a Vatican library
manuscript); and one of these versions concludes with a noteworthy statement which justifies the inference that the midrash was taught in the academy or Ḥanina Gaon by Rabbi Samuel, brother of Rabbi Phinehas. It would seem, therefore, that the midrash was composed in Babylon
in the first half of the 9th century.
Smaller midrashim
A number of midrashim exist which are smaller in size, and generally later in date, than those dealt with in the articles Midrash Haggadah and Midrash Halakah....
, which as yet is known only from a few excerpts in Yalḳuṭ
Yalkut
There are several rabbinical works that bear the title "Yalkut" :*Yalkut Yosef*Yalkut Shimoni*Yalkut Makiri*Yalkut Reuveni...
and two citations in Sefer Raziel and Ha-Roḳeaḥ. It receives its name from Num. xi. 16: "Gather unto me ["Esfah-li"] seventy men of the elders of Israel."
In Yalḳ. i, § 736 is found a citation relating to the same verse, which cannot be traced to any other midrash, and is doubtless taken from Midrash Esfah. To this midrash may possibly be referred a passage in the Halakot Gedolot (ed. Warsaw, p. 282b) and a fragment on Num. xvii. 14, xx. 1-3, in Wertheimer, Batte Midrashot, iii. 8-10, which agrees in its concluding words with the excerpt in Yalḳ., Num. 763 on Num. xx. 3 (found also ib. 262, on Ex. xvii. 2, which begins with the same words). The name of the midrash shows that it must have begun with Num. xi. 16. The other excerpts in the Yalḳuṭ
Yalkut
There are several rabbinical works that bear the title "Yalkut" :*Yalkut Yosef*Yalkut Shimoni*Yalkut Makiri*Yalkut Reuveni...
from the Midrash Esfah, §§ 737, 739, 742, 764, 773, and 845, are based on Num. xi. 24, xii. 3-7, xii. 12, xxi. 9, xxvi. 2 (found also ib. 684, on Num. i. 2, which begins with the same words), and Deut. vi. 16; the extent of the midrash, however, can not be determined.
The interesting extract in Yalḳ., Num. on Num. xi. 16 names the seventy elders in two of its recensions (a third recension of this passage is furnished by a Vatican library
Vatican Library
The Vatican Library is the library of the Holy See, currently located in Vatican City. It is one of the oldest libraries in the world and contains one of the most significant collections of historical texts. Formally established in 1475, though in fact much older, it has 75,000 codices from...
manuscript); and one of these versions concludes with a noteworthy statement which justifies the inference that the midrash was taught in the academy or Ḥanina Gaon by Rabbi Samuel, brother of Rabbi Phinehas. It would seem, therefore, that the midrash was composed in Babylon
Babylon
Babylon was an Akkadian city-state of ancient Mesopotamia, the remains of which are found in present-day Al Hillah, Babil Province, Iraq, about 85 kilometers south of Baghdad...
in the first half of the 9th century.
Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography
- ZunzZunzZunz, Zuntz is a Yiddish surname: , Belgian pharmacologist* Leopold Zunz , German Reform rabbi* Gerhard Jack Zunz , British civil engineer- Zuntz :* Nathan Zuntz , German physiologist...
, G. V. pp. 279 et seq.; - Chones, Rab Pe'alim, pp. 36 et seq.;
- J.L. Rapoport, Kerem Ḥemed, vi.;
- Weiss, Dor, iv. 41, 216;
- S. Buber, in Keneset Yisrael, i.;
- Müller, Einleitung in die Responsa, 1891, p. 73;
- Wertheimer, Batte Midrashot, Introduction, pp. 5 et seq. The excerpts from the Midrash Esfah have been collected by Buber (l.c.) and by Chones (l.c. pp. 147-153; comp. Buber, Yeri'ot Shelomoh, pp. 13 et seq.).