5. Homiletic Midrashim
that two parts are to be distinguished,
the first of which is derived from an
early exegetical midrash, while the
second is dependent upon Tanlauma. Its date is
probably the eleventh or the twelfth century.
LevUicue rabba
or
Vayyikrarabba is
made up of thirtyseven homilies on the sections appointed for festival readings. It appears to belong to the seventh
century.
Numeri rabba
or
Bemidhbar rabba
or
Bemidhbar Sinai rabba,
in twenty-three sections, is in
two very different parts. The first (sections 114, about one-third of the whole) is a late haggadic
exposition of Num. i-vii., of which Num. i. iv.
are expansions of Tanbuma, while in Num. v.-vii.
there is an effort to discuss the entire text by compilations from
halachic and
haggadic works. This
part is not earlier than the twelfth century. The
second part is essentially Tanbuma to the eight
sections beginning with Num. viii., but with a different introductory formula. The nine.chief sections correspond to as many Sabbath readings in
the single-year cycle; but thirty homilies are distinguishable.
,
Deuteronomium rabba
or
Debarim
rabba
follows generally in the printed editions the
single-year cycle in eleven sections.. But in fact
there are twenty-seven separate homilies which are
related .to the three-year cycle of reading. These
homilies begin with a halachic exordium, then one
or more introductions of quite independent homiletical character, exposition of the beginning of
the Scripture lesson, and a hortatory or comforting
conclusion. The time of compilation of this mishna
is about 900
A.D.
The authors of the thirteenth
and later centuries often refer sections of this collection to Tanhuma, though there is little in common between them in the printed text. There are
in this mishna only three homilies completed according to the rules for such discourse. It was published by S. Buber (Vienna, 1885) from a Munich
manuscript.
Aggadath Bereshilh,
consisting of
homilies, is later than the close of Genesis rabba.
A late edition is by B. Epstein (Shitomir, 1899).
Pesikta rabbathi is
a collection of homilies for festivals, and is not earlier than 850
A.D.,
though it is
claimed that the details on which
this dating depends are glosses. It is believed to have been
the work of at least four authors. A critical edi-
tion is by M. Friedmann, Vienna, 1880. Peafkta
hadatha,
"New Pesi$ta," is a briefer midrash for
festivals.
