Midrash Vayosha is one of the smaller midrashim

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....

, based on Ex. xiv. 30-xv. 18. It is an exposition in the style of the later aggadah

Aggadah

Aggadah refers to the homiletic and non-legalistic exegetical texts in the classical rabbinic literature of Judaism, particularly as recorded in the Talmud and Midrash...

 and seems to have been intended for "Sabbat Shirah" or for the seventh day of the Passover

Passover

Passover is a Jewish holiday and festival. It commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt...

.

Sources

Entire sections of Midrash Vayosha are taken verbatim from the Tanḥuma

Tanhuma

Midrash Tanhuma is the name given to three different collections of Pentateuch haggadot; two are extant, while the third is known only through citations. These midrashim, although bearing the name of R. Tanḥuma, must not be regarded as having been written or edited by him...

, such as the passage on Ex. xv. 3 from Tan., Bo, and on xv. 5 from Ḥuḳḳat, beginning. With the story in the exposition of Ex. xiv. 30, concerning Satan

Satan

Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...

, who appeared before Abraham

Abraham

Abraham , whose birth name was Abram, is the eponym of the Abrahamic religions, among which are Judaism, Christianity and Islam...

 and Isaac

Isaac

Isaac as described in the Hebrew Bible, was the only son Abraham had with his wife Sarah, and was the father of Jacob and Esau. Isaac was one of the three patriarchs of the Israelites...

 as they went to the sacrifice, may be compared the addition in Tan., Wayera, ed. Stettin, No. 24; Yalḳ., Ex. §§ 98-99, end; and Sefer ha-Yashar

Sefer haYashar (midrash)

The Sefer haYashar is a Hebrew midrash also known as the Toledot Adam and Dibre ha-Yamim be-'Aruk. It is known in English translation mostly as The Book of Jasher...

, end of pericope "Wayera." The midrash on Ex. xv. 2, 7 also contains extracts from the Chronicle of Moses

Chronicle of Moses

The Chronicle of Moses is one of the smaller midrashim. In this midrash, which is written in pure Hebrew, and which is in many portions only provides a mere hint of verses from the Bible in a close imitation of Biblical style, is presented a history of the life of Moses embellished with many...

, the passage on Usa, the genius of Egypt, agreeing word for word with the excerpt in Yalḳ., § 241. Here the first edition has merely "Midrash," while other editions give the Midrash Abkir

Midrash Abkir

Midrash Abkir is one of the smaller midrashim, the extant remains of which consist of more than 50 excerpts contained in the Yalḳuṭ and a number of citations in other works...

as the source, although it is doubtful whether this aggadah ever occurred in that work.

The sections begin for the most part with the words "ameru ḥakamim," though Rabbi Joshua ben Levi

Joshua ben Levi

Joshua ben Levi or Yehoshua ben Levi was an amora who lived in the land of Israel of the first half of the third century. He headed the school of Lydda in the southern Land of Israel. He was an elder contemporary of Johanan bar Nappaha and Resh Lakish, who presided over the school in Tiberias...

 and Rabbi Samuel b. Naḥmani are occasionally given as the authors.

Eschatology

In the exposition of xv. 18 on the sorrows and the redemption in the Messianic time, the terrible figure of King Armilus is described, and it is said that he will slay the Messiah of the race of Joseph

Messiah ben Joseph

Messiah ben Joseph , also alternatively known as Messiah ben Ephraim , is a Messianic figure peculiar to the rabbinical apocalyptic literature. One of the earliest known mentions of him is in , where three statements occur in regard to him, for the first of which Rabbi Dosa is given as authority...

, but will himself be slain by the Messiah who is the son of David

Jewish Messiah

Messiah, ; mashiah, moshiah, mashiach, or moshiach, is a term used in the Hebrew Bible to describe priests and kings, who were traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil as described in Exodus 30:22-25...

 (comp. Suk. 52a); God will then gather together the scattered remnant of Israel and hold the final judgment; and the wonderful beauty of a new world full of joy and happiness is revealed.

Editions

The Midrash Wayosha' was first published at Constantinople in 1519 (Metz, 1849, and elsewhere), and has been reprinted by A. Jellinek (B. H. i. 35-37).

Jewish Encyclopedia bibliography

• Zunz
  Zunz
  Zunz, 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. p. 282;
• Rab Pe'alim, p. 55;
• A. Jellinek, B. H. i., p. xvii.;
• Benjacob, Oẓar ha-Sefarim, p. 299.

External links

• Jewish Encyclopedia article for Smaller Midrashim