2, 9; 6, 33; 13, 68; 16, 130; EZ 10, 189. Subsequently the legend concerning the nine hundred and seventy-four generations was brought into relation with the Haggadah that the Torah was created one thousand years prior to the creation of the world. Comp. Excursus I. See also Shabbat 88b and Targum Job 22, 16, according to the manuscript reading recorded in Levy’s Chaldäisches Wörterbuch I, 186.
6 BR 12.15 and 21.7; Midrash Shir 39b; PR 40, 167a (instead of רע היא מתענג read עכבר היא מתגעג “he would act as a spoiled child”); Yelammedenu quoted by Sikli (comp. Poznanski in Hazofeh, III, 1b–17, and in Maybaum-Festschrift, as well as Ginzberg’s remarks in Hazofeh IV, 31; Ozar Midrashim 64); Yerushalmi Targumim on Gen. 1.2; a quotation from an unknown Midrash by R. Bahya in Kad ha-Kemah, Rosh ha-Shanah 68a, and by R. Aaron in Orehot Hayyim I, 99c. The goodness of God as underlying the principle of creation is very frequently mentioned by Philo; comp. De Mut. Nom., 5; De M. Opif., 5 (further references to Philo are cited by Siegfried, Philo, 205–206). Similarly Wisdom 11.24. The daily morning prayer (Yozer) reads: “And in His goodness He renews the creation every day continually.” God is often described as “the very good” (Yerushalmi Ta’anit 2, 65b; PK 25, 161a), and hence the maxim: “Only God is good” (Matthew 19.17; Alphabetot 83; the latter source was very likely used by R. Bahya, Gen. 1.31), is only a paraphrase of Ps. 149.9, as pointed out in the Alphabetot. Philo is accordingly dependent upon Jewish tradition, but the Jewish sources are independent of him, although it is rather striking that the rendering of אלהים by “God’s goodness” in the Targumim, loc. cit., coincides with that of Philo (Quis Haeres Sit, 6), while the Rabbis (see e.g. Sifre D., 27) maintain that the Tetragrammaton יהוה designates God’s attribute of goodness but His justice is expressed by אלהים. Comp. note 46 on vol. I, p. 164, as well as note 9.
7 As to Behemoth and Ziz, comp. vol. I, pp. 28, 29, 30.
8 Comp. Index, s.v. “Israel, Guardian Angels of”. Originally these two angels belonged to two different traditions: one considered Michael the guardian angel of Israel, while according to the other, contrary to Daniel 10.21, Gabriel occupied this position. The rivalry of these two angels is met with in Jewish legends throughout the centuries (comp. Index, s.v.) and the harmonizing tendency of our legend argues for its comparatively late date. Instead of Michael and Gabriel, in Hekalot 6, 179–180, the Serafim (two of them; comp. Sode Raza in Yalkut Reubeni,Gen. 1.26, 10a, which reads: There are two
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