Midrash Tadshe(Hebrew:מדרש תדשא) is asmall midrashwhich begins with an interpretation ofGen.1:11:
"And God said, Let the earth bring forth" ( "Tadshe ha-aretz" ).R. Pinchasasked, "Why did God decree that grass and herbs and fruits should grow upon the third day, while light was not created until the fourth? To show His infinite power, which is almighty; for even without the light He caused the earth to bring forth [while now He creates all manner of trees and plants through the operation of the light]."
The name of the author occurs twice,[1]and the midrash closes with the words "'ad kan me-divrei R.Pinchas ben Yair."No other authors are named.
Midrash Tadshe must not be confused with another baraita bearing the titleBaraita de-Rabbi b. Yair,which deals with gradations of virtues, the highest of which causes its possessor to share in the holy spirit.[2]
Midrash Tadshe is unusual in several respects, compared to other midrashim. Although written in pureHebrew,it contains numerous expressions which are not found elsewhere, such as חג העומר and חג השופרות and ככבים שרועים (= "planets," p. 19). The structure of the midrash is very loose.
The midrash is generally symbolic in tendency, and it plays much on groups of numbers. Section 2 contains a symbolization of theTabernacle,and, according toA. Epstein,the central idea of the midrash is the theory of three worlds — earth, man, and the Tabernacle. Section 10 contains a mystical explanation of the numbers mentioned in connection with the offerings of the princes (Numbers7:12-89). Combinations and parallelisms based on the number ten are found in sections 5 and 15; on seven, in 6, 11, and 20; on six, in 20; on five, in 7; on four, in 20; on three, in 12, 18, etc. Desultory expositions ofGenesis2:17; 3:3, 14 et seq.;Exodus7:12 et seq., 83 et seq.;Leviticus13:2, 14:34;Lamentations1:1 et seq.;Numbers4:3, 27:7; and Deut. 32:12, are contained in sections 7, 10, 17, 20, 21, and 22.
Especially noteworthy is section 8, on "the ages of the pious," thePatriarchs,theMatriarchs,and the twelve sons ofJacob,giving also the dates of their births. In this list the months are not designated asNisan,etc., but as "the first," "the second," etc. The dates forZebulunandBenjaminare lacking in the present text, but are given in a citation byBaḥyaand inYalkut Shimoni,where, however, the months are named and not numbered. The length of life ascribed to the sons of Jacob agrees with that given inSeder Olam Zutta,but only theBook of Jubileesgives the days and months of their births, and even it does not state the length of their lives.[3]
On the other hand, section 6 of Midrash Tadshe is in entire agreement with Jubilees (2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, and 23) in its statement that 22 varieties of things were created in the world—seven on the first day; one on the second; four on the third; three on the fourth; three on the fifth; and four on the sixth—and that these 22 varieties correspond to the 22 generations fromAdamtoJacob(and to the 22 letters of the Alpha bet).
Epstein has drawn attention to other striking analogies between this midrash and the Book of Jubilees, especially to the theory of R'Pinchas ben Yair(p. 31) thatAdamwas created in the first week, and thatEvewas formed in the second week, from his rib; this serving as the foundation for the rule of purification given inLev.12:2 et seq., with which Jubilees 3:8 can be compared. On these grounds, Epstein advances the hypothesis that in this and many other passages the author of the Midrash Tadshe used the Book of Jubilees, which existed at that time inHebrewand was much larger in scope than at present, and was ascribed, "on account of itsEssenictendency, "to R' Pinchas, who was famous for his great piety. However, it is unlikely that the present Book of Jubilees is incomplete, and a much more plausible view of Epstein's is that which regards the Midrash Tadshe as the work of RabbiMoses ha-Darshan.
Either due to its beginning, or for some other reason, R' Pinchas ben Yair was regarded as the author of this midrash, andNumbers Rabbah13:10 and 14:12,18 contain excerpts from the midrash in the name of R' Pinchas ben Yair.Yalkut Shimoniexcerpted several passages from it, and it has been cited by various authors.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain:Singer, Isidore;et al., eds. (1901–1906)."Smaller Midrashim".The Jewish Encyclopedia.New York: Funk & Wagnalls.
