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P. Derek Overfield PhD Thesis - Research@StAndrews:FullText

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Sabbath 88b<br />

Sanhedrin 38b<br />

R. Joshua b. Levi also said 'When<br />

Moses ascended on high, the ministering<br />

angels spake before the Holy One,<br />

blessed be He, Sovereign of the Universe!<br />

What business has one born of a woman<br />

amongst us?' 'He has come to receive<br />

the Torah' answered He to them. Said<br />

they to Him 'That secret treasure, which<br />

has been hidden by thee for 974 generations<br />

before the world was created, Thou<br />

desirest to give to flesh and blood'.<br />

'What is man that thou art mindful of him<br />

and the Son of Man, that thou visitest<br />

Him' ••. 0 Lord our God, How excellent<br />

is thy name in all the earth'. Who<br />

hast set thy glory upon the Heavens. 125<br />

Rab Judah said in Rab's name: when the<br />

Holy One, blessed be He, wished to create<br />

man, He first created a company of<br />

ministering angels, and said to them:<br />

Is it your desire that we make a man in<br />

your image? They answered: Sovereign<br />

of the Universe, what will be his deeds?<br />

Such and such will be his deeds, He<br />

replied. Thereupon they exclaimed:<br />

Sovereign of the Universe, What is man<br />

that thou art mindful of him and the<br />

Son of Man that thou thinkest of him.<br />

R<br />

. H .<br />

oSJ aSJana<br />

126<br />

Rabh and Samuel quarrel: one says 50<br />

gates of Wisdom have been created in<br />

the world which, with a single exception,<br />

were put in charge of Moses, for it says:<br />

Ps VIII 6: Thou madest him but little<br />

lower than God.<br />

Midrash Tehillim on Psalm 8:5<br />

In saying that Thou makest him less<br />

only than God they were referring to<br />

Jacob who commanded the flocks to bring<br />

forth streaked, speckled and spotted young,<br />

as it is said •••<br />

-51-

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