(2.) I'esikta (Xnp'^DB),compiledby CahanaorKahana ben-Tachlifa, who was born about A.D. 330, and died in 411. This Midrash, which comprises a complete cycle of lectures on the Pericopes of tlie feasts and fasts [see Haimi lAitAii], and which was lost for several centuries, has been restored by an anonymous writer about the year A.D. 810, and edited under the name I'esikta Rah- bathi (T2"i Xrp'^DS), intermixing it, however, with portions from the Midrash Jelammedenu. In this new form ihcPesikta was first published by Isaac ben-Chajim Ila-Cohen (I'rague, 1G55\ An excellent edition, enti- tled TTIIEI r"!n5n C:." "^rSI XrpOB, with divisions into paragraphs, an emended text, extensive references,
and a critical commentary- and indices by Seeb (Wolf) ben-Israel Isser, was published in Breslau in 1831. The nature and date of this Midrash are discussed in a most masterly maimer by Zunz, iJie Gottesdienstlichen Vor- trdge, p."l85-22G, 239-251 : Kapaport. Ertch Millin,p. 171.
(3.) Midrash Tanchuma (5<-2"n:n "^m^C), i. e. the Midrash compiled by Tanchuma ben-Abba (Hourished cir. A.D. 440), also called Midrash Jelammedenu (;yni3 I'TOx^), from the fact that eighty-two sections begin with the formula UlTsb^, it uill teach us. This Mid- rash extends over the whole Pentateuch, and consists of 140 sections. It contains extracts from tlie Mcchilta, Siphre,Va-Ikra Rabba, Pesikfa, and Boraitha de Kabbi Eliezer, and was first published after a redaction of the first Geonim period, when a great deal of it was lost, altered, and interpolated by Joseph ben-Shoshan (Con- stantinople, 1520; also Venice, 1545; Mantua, 1563; Sa- lonica, 1578; with corrections after two MSS, and addi- tions, Verona, 1595; and at different other places); the best edition is that with the twofold eommentarv- by Chan. Sandel ben-Joseph (Vilna, 1833). For a thorough analysis of this Midrash we must refer to Zuuz, Die Gottesdienstlichen Vortrdge, p. 220-238.
(4.) Pirke Rabbi Eliezer (ITSibx ""S-l "^pIS), also called Boraitha or Agada de Rabbi Eliezer (IX XlSiS '^VJ'hx -^nm Xn^i-iS), because Eliezer ben-llyrcanus (fiourished cir. A.D. 70) is its reputed author. This ^Midrash, which discusses the principal events recorded in the Pentateuch, consists of fifty-four sections, treat- ing respectively on the following important subjects: the life of R. Eliezer (sees, i and ii) ; the creation (iii- vi) ; new moon (vii) ; intercalary year (viii) ; the fifth day's creation (ix); the fiight of Jonah, and his abode in the fish (x) ; the sixth day's creation (xi) ; Adam, paradise, and the creation of the plants (xii) ; tlie fall (xiii); the curse (xiv); paradise and hell (xv): Isaac and Rebecca (xvi) ; the oflices to be performed to bridal pairs and mourners (xvii); the creation (xviii); the ten things created on the eve of the sixth creation day (xix); the expulsion from paradise (xx); Adam, Eve, Cain, and Abel (xxi); the degeneracy of Cain's de- scendants and the flood (xxii); the ark and its occu- pants (xxiii); the descendants of Noah, the tower of Babel (xxiv); Sodom, Lot, and his wife (xxv) ; the ten temptations of Abraham (xxvi) ; his rescuing Lot (xxvii) ; God's covenant with Abraham (xxviii) ; his circumcision (xxix); the sending away of Ilagar and Ishmael, the condition of the Jews in the days of Mes- siah (xxx) ; Abraham about to sacrifice Isaac (xxxi) ; Isaac bestowing the blessing on Jacob (xxxii) ; tl)e res- urrection (xxxiii) ; future state (xxxiv); Jacob's dream (xxxv); his sojourn with Laban (xxxvi); his wrest- ling with the angel (xxxvii) ; the selling of Joseph (xxxviiil; Jacob's sojourn in Egypt (xxxix); (iod's manifestation in the bush (xl) : the giving of the law I (xli); the exodus (xlii); the power of re])cntancc (xliii); ' the conflict of Moses with Anialek (xliv^; the golden calf (xlv) ; the tables of stone and the atonement (xlvi) ; the exploit of Phineas (xlvii) ; the birth of Moses and the rcdenii)tion from Egypt (xlviii) ; Sanniel, Saul, Agag, Haman, Mordecai, Titus, Nebudiadnezzar. Ahas- uerus, Vashti, and Esther (xlix, 1); the new creation (li); the seven wonders of the worlil (lii); the punish- ment of calumny, Absalom and David ( liii) ; and the leprosy of Miriam (liv). This Jlidrash. which is cliiefly written in pure and easy Hebrew, was first published at Constantinople in 1514, and has since been reprinted numerous times; but the best edition is with the criti- cal commentary called the Great Edifice (bltsn "":), emended text and references to Talmud and ^lidrasliim by Broda (Vihia, 183H; a more convenient edition of it, Lemberg, 18.58). A Latin translation by Vorst was publislied under the title Capi/ula R. Elicseris coiilineii- I /id iiii])ri»iis succiiictdm lii.itoriir sacrw ncensinticm, etc., I cum velt, Rabb. Commentariis (Leyden, 1044). The com-
MIDRASH
243
MIDRASH
position and age of this ]Midrash are discussed by Zunz, Die Gottesdiemtlichen Vortrage, p. 271-278.
(5.) Midrash on Samuel, called (bxiTsa TT'i'in [Nri2"l]) Midrash Shemuel [Rahbatha], divided into thirtj'-two sections (nii:3"lS), twenty-four of which are devoted to 1 Sam. and eight to 2 Sam. It is chiefly made up of excerpts from older works, and the compiler is supposed to have lived about the beginning of the 11th century'. Eashi is the first who quotes this Mid- rasli {Comment, on Chron. x, 13). It was first published at Constantinople in 1517, and has since been frequently reprinted with the Midrash described below. The best editions of it are the one with the twofold commentary Ez Joseph and Anaph Joseph, references to the parallel passages in the Talmud and Midrashim, etc., by Schrent- zel (Stettin, 1860) ; and the other published together with the Midrash on Proverbs and the commentary of Isaac Cohen (Lemberg, 1861),