The Midrash of Three and Four

Chapter One

[ . . . ] About three things a man must request mercy every day: good news, a good king, and a good dream—and some say even a good neighbor [see b. Berakhot 55a].

There are three to whom the Holy One offers grace and mercy: the grace of the Torah for those who study it, the grace of a woman for her husband, the grace of a purchased item for its buyer—and some say the grace of a place on its inhabitants [see b. Sotah 47a].

Three inherit the world to come: one who lives in the land of Israel, one who raises his sons to Torah study, and one who recites Havdalah over wine at the end of the Sabbath [b. Pesaḥim 113a].

Three things bring a person into poverty: disparaging the ritual washing of the hands, urinating in front of the bed while naked, and being cursed by one’s wife in one’s presence [b. Shabbat 62b].

Three things cause a person to suffer from gout: tight shoes, a short bed, and too much sexual intercourse.

There are three kings. The king of the domesticated animals is the bull, the king of the wild animals is the lion, and the king of the birds is the eagle. And the Holy One is exalted above all of these, as it is said: The Lord is exalted above all [nations] (Psalms 113:4). [ . . . ]

Three foods enter the body, but the body does not benefit from them: sweet clover, grape leaves, and unripe dates. And therefore they said: sweet clover brings many children, therefore those without children eat from it. When is this stated? Only when it has not yet hardened into seed. But if it has hardened, even if they have children, they should not eat it.

Three things do not enter the body, yet the body benefits from them, and they are: washing, anointing, and sexual relations.

Three things give a person comfort, and they are: a beautiful house, a beautiful wife, and beautiful vessels [see b. Berakhot 57b].

There are three who die before their time: the merciful, the choleric, and the delicate [b. Pesaḥim 113b].

Three times every day, the proclamation is made before the Holy One: “Do not touch My anointed ones (Psalms 105:15)—these are the scholars. Do not harm My prophets (Psalms 105:15)—these are the schoolchildren.”

Three times the proclamation is made before the Holy One, “It would have been better if man had not been created then. However, now that he has been created, he should assess his actions.”

For three years, Beit Shammai and Beit Hillel disagreed. These said: It is better if man had not been created. And those said: It would have been better had man been created [see b. Eruvin 13b].

R. Simeon said: Regarding three things I think well of the Persians: they are modest in their eating, they are modest in the bathroom, and they are modest in “another thing” [i.e., sexual relations] [see b. Berakhot 8b]. [ . . . ]

Chapter Two

Four types of people will be judged outside of the heavenly curtain: scorners, hypocrites, liars, and slanderers—scorners, as it is written: nor sat in the seat of the scornful (Psalms 1:1); hypocrites, as it is written: That a hypocrite cannot come before Him (Job 13:16); liars, as it is written: He who speaks falsehood shall not be established before my eyes (Psalms 101:7). Slanderers will not greet the shekhinah, as it is written: He who works deceit shall not dwell in my house (Psalms 101:7) [see b. Sotah 42a].

There are four things that Ahithophel commanded his sons: do not engage in argument; do not revolt against the kingship of the house of David; if you see the pangs of the Messiah coming, send a gift for him; and if the festival of Shavuot occurs on a clear day, sow wheat for the coming year [see b. Bava Batra 147a].

Four entered the orchard, and they are: Ben Azzai, Ben Zoma, Elisha ben Abuya, and R. Akiva. Ben Azzai peered and died. And with regard to him, the verse states: Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints (Psalms 116:15). Ben Zoma peered and was injured. With regard to him the verse states: Have you found honey? Eat so much as is sufficient for you, lest you be filled with it and vomit it (Proverbs 25:16). Elisha ben Abuya chopped the shoots. With regard to him, the verse states: Suffer not your mouth to bring your flesh into guilt (Ecclesiastes 5:5). R. Akiva entered safely and came out safely. With regard to him the verse states: Draw me after you, let us run! (Song of Songs 1:4) [see b. Ḥagigah 14b]. [ . . . ]

Chapter Three

[ . . . ] Five things were said about garlic: it satiates, it warms, it causes one’s face to shine, it increases sperm, and it kills lice in the innards—and some say that it also causes love and takes away jealousy [b. Bava Kamma 82a]. Leeks are hard on the teeth and good for the intestines [b. Berakhot 44b]. A cabbage dish is beneficial for the heart and good for the eyes and certainly for the intestines [see b. Berakhot 39a].

If one eats dates in the morning, they are beneficial; in the afternoon, they are harmful. At noon, there is nothing like them, and they ameliorate three things: a bad thought, sickness of the intestines, and hemorrhoids [b. Ketubbot 10b].

Five things are said about [one who sees] an ox [in his dreams]: if he eats its flesh, he will become rich. If he is riding it, he will rise to greatness. If it kicks him, he will have a long distance to travel. If it bites him, suffering is coming to him. If it gores him, he will have sons who gore each other in [studying] Torah [see b. Berakhot 56b].

Five things are said with regard to a horse: It eats a lot and excretes a little. It loves promiscuousness. It loves war. Its spirit is proud. It spurns sleep. And some say: It also seeks to kill its owner in war [see b. Pesaḥim 113b].

Five may be killed on the Sabbath, and they are: the fly of the land of Egypt, the hornet of Nineveh, the scorpion of Adiabene, the snake of the land of Israel, and a mad dog of anywhere [b. Shabbat 121b]. [ . . . ]

Concluding Chapter

[ . . . ] God created twenty-four good attributes, but all became nullified (except for two that did not). Adam nullified knowledge [de‘ah], wisdom [binah], stature [komah], countenance [klaster], and the garden of Eden. The generation of the flood nullified power [ko’aḥ], strength [gevurah], childbirth, and child-rearing. The generation of the dispersion [of Babel] confused language. The people of Sodom nullified the beauty of grain and the beauty of humankind. The generation of the desert nullified the manna, the well, the pillar of fire, and the pillar of cloud, and they brought thirst to the world, which is equivalent to all of the catastrophes of the world. The people of Jerusalem nullified the holy city of Jerusalem, the monarchy of the House of David, the Temple service, the service of the priests, and the service of the Levites. None were left of them, save the Torah and works of righteousness. And the world only survives because of the mercy of the Holy One, as it says: Let Your mercy, O Lord, be upon us, as we have waited for You. (Psalms 33:22).