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Bereshit 2:18בראשית ב׳:י״ח

Hashem, God, said, "It is not good for man to be alone. I will make him a helper to be his counterpart."

וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֱלֹהִים לֹא טוֹב הֱיוֹת הָאָדָם לְבַדּוֹ אֶעֱשֶׂה לּוֹ עֵזֶר כְּנֶגְדּוֹ.

Bereshit 3:22בראשית ג׳:כ״ב

Hashem, God, said, "Behold, man has become like one of us, knowing good and evil. Now, lest he send forth his hand and take also from the Tree of Life and eat, and live forever – "

וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֱלֹהִים הֵן הָאָדָם הָיָה כְּאַחַד מִמֶּנּוּ לָדַעַת טוֹב וָרָע וְעַתָּה פֶּן יִשְׁלַח יָדוֹ וְלָקַח גַּם מֵעֵץ הַחַיִּים וְאָכַל וָחַי לְעֹלָם.

Bereshit 6:3-7בראשית ו׳:ג׳-ז׳

(3) Hashem said, "My spirit will not reside in man forever, as he, too, is flesh; let his days be one hundred and twenty years." (4) The giants were on the earth in those days, and also afterwards, when the sons of God came to the daughters of man and they bore them children; they are the mighty ones of old, men of renown. (5) Hashem saw that the evil of man was great on the earth, and that every design of his heart's thoughts was only evil, all day long. (6) Hashem regretted that He had made man on earth, and He was pained to His heart.⁠ (7) Hashem said, "I will wipe out the man whom I have created from the face of the earth, from man to animal to creeping things to the birds of the heavens, because I regret that I have made them."

(ג) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י לֹא יָדוֹן רוּחִי בָאָדָם לְעֹלָם בְּשַׁגַּם הוּא בָשָׂר וְהָיוּ יָמָיו מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה. (ד) הַנְּפִלִים הָיוּ בָאָרֶץ בַּיָּמִים הָהֵם וְגַם אַחֲרֵי כֵן אֲשֶׁר יָבֹאוּ בְּנֵי הָאֱלֹהִים אֶל בְּנוֹת הָאָדָם וְיָלְדוּ לָהֶם הֵמָּה הַגִּבֹּרִים אֲשֶׁר מֵעוֹלָם אַנְשֵׁי הַשֵּׁם. (ה) וַיַּרְא י״י כִּי רַבָּה רָעַת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ וְכׇל יֵצֶר מַחְשְׁבֹת לִבּוֹ רַק רַע כׇּל הַיּוֹם. (ו) וַיִּנָּחֶם י״י כִּי עָשָׂה אֶת הָאָדָם בָּאָרֶץ וַיִּתְעַצֵּב אֶל לִבּוֹ. (ז) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י אֶמְחֶה אֶת הָאָדָם אֲשֶׁר בָּרָאתִי מֵעַל פְּנֵי הָאֲדָמָה מֵאָדָם עַד בְּהֵמָה עַד רֶמֶשׂ וְעַד עוֹף הַשָּׁמָיִם כִּי נִחַמְתִּי כִּי עֲשִׂיתִם.

Bereshit 18:17-21בראשית י״ח:י״ז-כ״א

(17) Hashem said,⁠ "Am I concealing from Avraham what I plan to do? (18) And Avraham will surely be a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth will be blessed through him. (19) For, I have chosen him so that he charge his children and household after him, that they will keep the way of Hashem to do righteousness and justice, so that Hashem may bring upon Avraham all that He spoke." (20) Hashem said, "The cry of Sedom and Amorah is indeed great; and their sin is indeed very heavy. (21) Let me go down now and see. If, as the cry that comes to me, they have done – destruction.⁠ If not – I will know."

(יז) וַי״י אָמָר הַמְכַסֶּה אֲנִי מֵאַבְרָהָם אֲשֶׁר אֲנִי עֹשֶׂה. (יח) וְאַבְרָהָם הָיוֹ יִהְיֶה לְגוֹי גָּדוֹל וְעָצוּם וְנִבְרְכוּ בוֹ כֹּל גּוֹיֵי הָאָרֶץ. (יט) כִּי יְדַעְתִּיו לְמַעַן אֲשֶׁר יְצַוֶּה אֶת בָּנָיו וְאֶת בֵּיתוֹ אַחֲרָיו וְשָׁמְרוּ דֶּרֶךְ י״י לַעֲשׂוֹת צְדָקָה וּמִשְׁפָּט לְמַעַן הָבִיא י״י עַל אַבְרָהָם אֵת אֲשֶׁר דִּבֶּר עָלָיו. (כ) וַיֹּאמֶר י״י זַעֲקַת סְדֹם וַעֲמֹרָה כִּי רָבָּה וְחַטָּאתָם כִּי כָבְדָה מְאֹד. (כא) אֵרְדָה נָּא וְאֶרְאֶה הַכְּצַעֲקָתָהּ הַבָּאָה אֵלַי עָשׂוּ כָּלָה וְאִם לֹא אֵדָעָה.

Shemot 14:10-12שמות י״ד:י׳-י״ב

(10) Paroh approached,⁠ and the Children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were traveling after them. They were very afraid, and the Children of Israel cried out to Hashem. (11) They said to Moshe, "Was it for want of graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? What is this that you have done to us,⁠ to bring us out from Egypt?! (12) Is this not the thing that we spoke to you of in Egypt, saying, 'Leave us alone and let us serve the Egyptians, for it is better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness!'"

(י) וּפַרְעֹה הִקְרִיב וַיִּשְׂאוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת עֵינֵיהֶם וְהִנֵּה מִצְרַיִם נֹסֵעַ אַחֲרֵיהֶם וַיִּירְאוּ מְאֹד וַיִּצְעֲקוּ בְנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶל י״י. (יא) וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֶל מֹשֶׁה הֲמִבְּלִי אֵין קְבָרִים בְּמִצְרַיִם לְקַחְתָּנוּ לָמוּת בַּמִּדְבָּר מַה זֹּאת עָשִׂיתָ לָּנוּ לְהוֹצִיאָנוּ מִמִּצְרָיִם. (יב) הֲלֹא זֶה הַדָּבָר אֲשֶׁר דִּבַּרְנוּ אֵלֶיךָ בְמִצְרַיִם לֵאמֹר חֲדַל מִמֶּנּוּ וְנַעַבְדָה אֶת מִצְרָיִם כִּי טוֹב לָנוּ עֲבֹד אֶת מִצְרַיִם מִמֻּתֵנוּ בַּמִּדְבָּר.

Shemuel I 9:11-13שמואל א ט׳:י״א-י״ג

(11) As they went up the ascent to the city, they found young maidens going out to draw water and said to them, "Is the seer here?" (12) And they answered them and said, "He is. Behold, he is before you. Make haste now, for he has come today into the city, for the people have a sacrifice today in the high place. (13) As soon as you come into the city, you shall surely find him before he goes up to the high place to eat; for the people will not eat until he comes, because he blesses the sacrifice. Afterwards those that are invited eat. Now therefore get up; for at this time you shall find him."

(יא) הֵמָּה עֹלִים בְּמַעֲלֵה הָעִיר וְהֵמָּה מָצְאוּ נְעָרוֹת יֹצְאוֹת לִשְׁאֹב מָיִם וַיֹּאמְרוּ לָהֶן הֲיֵשׁ בָּזֶה הָרֹאֶה. (יב) וַתַּעֲנֶינָה אוֹתָם וַתֹּאמַרְנָה יֵּשׁ הִנֵּה לְפָנֶיךָ מַהֵר עַתָּה כִּי הַיּוֹם בָּא לָעִיר כִּי זֶבַח הַיּוֹם לָעָם בַּבָּמָה. (יג) כְּבֹאֲכֶם הָעִיר כֵּן תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתוֹ בְּטֶרֶם יַעֲלֶה הַבָּמָתָה לֶאֱכֹל כִּי לֹא יֹאכַל הָעָם עַד בֹּאוֹ כִּי הוּא יְבָרֵךְ הַזֶּבַח אַחֲרֵי כֵן יֹאכְלוּ הַקְּרֻאִים וְעַתָּה עֲלוּ כִּי אֹתוֹ כְהַיּוֹם תִּמְצְאוּן אֹתוֹ.

Yonah 1:8יונה א׳:ח׳

They said to him, "Tell us, please, as the one on whose account this evil has come upon us, what is your work and from where do you come? What is your land and from what people are you?"

וַיֹּאמְרוּ אֵלָיו הַגִּידָה נָּא לָנוּ בַּאֲשֶׁר לְמִי הָרָעָה הַזֹּאת לָנוּ מַה מְּלַאכְתְּךָ וּמֵאַיִן תָּבוֹא מָה אַרְצֶךָ וְאֵי מִזֶּה עַם אָתָּה.

Tehillim 118תהלים קי״ח

(1) Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, for His kindness is forever.⁠ (2) Let Israel say, "for His kindness is forever". (3) Let the house of Aharon say, "for His kindness is forever". (4) Let those who fear Hashem say, "for His kindness is forever". (5) From the straits I cried out to Hashem;⁠ Hashem answered me in expanse.⁠ (6) Hashem is with me; I shall not fear. What can man do to me?⁠ (7) Hashem is with me, among my helpers;⁠ I shall look upon my enemies.⁠ (8) Better to take refuge in Hashem than to trust in man. (9) Better to take refuge in Hashem than to trust in princes.⁠ (10) All the nations surrounded me; indeed,⁠ in the name of Hashem I cut them down.⁠ (11) They surrounded me, yes they surrounded me;⁠ indeed, in the name of Hashem I cut them down. (12) They surrounded me like bees.⁠ They were extinguished like a fire among thorns;⁠ indeed, in the name of Hashem, I cut them down. (13) You pushed me hard,⁠ that I should fall, but Hashem helped me. (14) Hashem is my might and my song;⁠ He was for me a salvation. (15) The sound of singing and salvation is in the tents of the righteous: Hashem's right hand does valiantly.⁠ (16) Hashem's right hand is raised; Hashem's right hand does valiantly. (17) I will not die; but I shall live and recount the deeds of Hashem.⁠ (18) Hashem has chastised me harshly, but He has not given me over to death. (19) Open for me the gates of righteousness;⁠ let me enter them and thank Hashem. (20) This is the gate to Hashem; the righteous shall enter it. (21) I thank You for You have answered me and been for me a salvation. (22) The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone. (23) From Hashem this has come about; it is wondrous in our eyes. (24) This is the day that Hashem has made; let us exult and rejoice in it.⁠ (25) We beseech you, Hashem, please save!⁠ We beseech you, Hashem, please make us successful. (26) Blessed is he that comes in the name of Hashem. We bless you from the house of Hashem. (27) Hashem is God and He has given us light; tie up the sacrifice with ropes,⁠ up to the horns of the altar. (28) You are my God and I thank you, my God and I exalt you. (29) Give thanks to Hashem for He is good, for His kindness is forever.

(א) הוֹדוּ לַי״י כִּי טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. (ב) יֹאמַר נָא יִשְׂרָאֵל כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. (ג) יֹאמְרוּ נָא בֵית אַהֲרֹן כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. (ד) יֹאמְרוּ נָא יִרְאֵי י״י כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ. (ה) מִן הַמֵּצַר קָרָאתִי יָּהּ עָנָנִי בַמֶּרְחָב יָהּ. (ו) י״י לִי לֹא אִירָא מַה יַּעֲשֶׂה לִי אָדָם. (ז) י״י לִי בְּעֹזְרָי וַאֲנִי אֶרְאֶה בְשֹׂנְאָי. (ח) טוֹב לַחֲסוֹת בַּי״י מִבְּטֹחַ בָּאָדָם. (ט) טוֹב לַחֲסוֹת בַּי״י מִבְּטֹחַ בִּנְדִיבִים. (י) כׇּל גּוֹיִם סְבָבוּנִי בְּשֵׁם י״י כִּי אֲמִילַם. (יא) סַבּוּנִי גַם סְבָבוּנִי בְּשֵׁם י״י כִּי אֲמִילַם. (יב) סַבּוּנִי כִדְבוֹרִים דֹּעֲכוּ כְּאֵשׁ קוֹצִים בְּשֵׁם י״י כִּי אֲמִילַם. (יג) דַּחֹה דְחִיתַנִי לִנְפֹּל וַי״י עֲזָרָנִי. (יד) עׇזִּי וְזִמְרָת יָהּ וַיְהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה. (טו) קוֹל רִנָּה וִישׁוּעָה בְּאׇהֳלֵי צַדִּיקִים יְמִין י״י עֹשָׂה חָיִל. (טז) יְמִין י״י רוֹמֵמָה יְמִין י״י עֹשָׂה חָיִל. (יז) לֹא אָמוּת כִּי אֶחְיֶה וַאֲסַפֵּר מַעֲשֵׂי יָהּ. (יח) יַסֹּר יִסְּרַנִּי יָּהּ וְלַמָּוֶת לֹא נְתָנָנִי. (יט) פִּתְחוּ לִי שַׁעֲרֵי צֶדֶק אָבֹא בָם אוֹדֶה יָהּ. (כ) זֶה הַשַּׁעַר לַי״י צַדִּיקִים יָבֹאוּ בוֹ. (כא) אוֹדְךָ כִּי עֲנִיתָנִי וַתְּהִי לִי לִישׁוּעָה. (כב) אֶבֶן מָאֲסוּ הַבּוֹנִים הָיְתָה לְרֹאשׁ פִּנָּה. (כג) מֵאֵת י״י הָיְתָה זֹּאת הִיא נִפְלָאת בְּעֵינֵינוּ. (כד) זֶה הַיּוֹם עָשָׂה י״י נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בוֹ. (כה) אָנָּא י״י הוֹשִׁיעָה נָּא אָנָּא י״י הַצְלִיחָה נָּא. (כו) בָּרוּךְ הַבָּא בְּשֵׁם י״י בֵּרַכְנוּכֶם מִבֵּית י״י. (כז) אֵל י״י וַיָּאֶר לָנוּ אִסְרוּ חַג בַּעֲבֹתִים עַד קַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ. (כח) אֵלִי אַתָּה וְאוֹדֶךָּ אֱלֹהַי אֲרוֹמְמֶךָּ. (כט) הוֹדוּ לַי״י כִּי טוֹב כִּי לְעוֹלָם חַסְדּוֹ.

Nechemyah 5:15נחמיה ה׳:ט״ו

But the former governors who were before me were chargeable to the people, and took of them bread and wine, besides forty shekels of silver; yes, even their servants bore rule over the people; but I didn't do so, because of the fear of God.

וְהַפַּחוֹת הָרִאשֹׁנִים אֲשֶׁר לְפָנַי הִכְבִּידוּ עַל הָעָם וַיִּקְחוּ מֵהֶם בְּלֶחֶם וָיַיִן אַחַר כֶּסֶף שְׁקָלִים אַרְבָּעִים גַּם נַעֲרֵיהֶם שָׁלְטוּ עַל הָעָם וַאֲנִי לֹא עָשִׂיתִי כֵן מִפְּנֵי יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים.

Ramban Shemot 14:10רמב״ן שמות י״ד:י׳

(10-12) AND THEY WERE SORE AFRAID; AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL CRIED OUT UNTO THE ETERNAL. 11. AND THEY SAID UNTO MOSES: 'BECAUSE WERE THERE NO GRAVES IN EGYPT, HAST THOU TAKEN US TO DIE IN THE WILDERNESS'? It does not appear logical that people who are crying out to G-d to help them, should at the same time protest against the deliverance He performed for them, and say that it would have been better if He had not saved them! The correct interpretation therefore is that there were conflicting groups,⁠ and Scripture relates what all of them did. Thus it narrates that one group cried to G-d [for help], and another denied His prophet and did not acknowledge the deliverance done for them. They said it would have been better for them had He not saved them. It is with reference to this group that it is written, They were rebellious at the sea, even at the Red Sea.⁠ This is why Scripture here repeats in the same verse the term, the children of Israel, [saying: and 'the children of Israel' lifted up their eyes…] and 'the children of Israel' cried out unto the Eternal. It thus indicates that it was the better ones among the people that cried out to G-d; the remainder rebelled against His word. This is why Scripture says afterward, And the people feared the Eternal; and they believed in the Eternal, and in His servant Moses.⁠ It does not say "and Israel feared the Eternal, and they believed," but it says instead "the people," for the term the children of Israel signifies the outstanding ones, while the people is a name for the multitude. Similarly, the verse, And the people murmured,⁠ [clearly indicates the usage of the term people in Scripture]. Our Rabbis have also mentioned it:⁠ "And the people began to commit harlotry.⁠ Wherever it says the people, it is an expression of reproach, and wherever it says Israel, it is one of praise." Now the people did not say, "you have taken us away to die in war," but [they said], hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness, and again they said, that we should die in the wilderness (Shemot 14:12). This was due to the fact that long before they feared war,⁠ they already did not want to go out to the desert lest they die there from hunger and thirst. It is possible that they said so to Moses upon their going forth from the country while they were still in the land of Egypt, when G-d led them about by the way of the wilderness by the Red Sea (Shemot 13:18). Perhaps they said so to Moses at the beginning: "Where shall we go? If by the way of the Philistines, they will war against us, and if by the way of the wilderness, better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness." (Shemot 14:12) It is also possible to say that the people did believe in G-d and prayed to Him to save them, but a doubt entered their hearts concerning Moses lest he took them out of Egypt in order to rule over them. Although they had seen the signs and wonders he did, they thought that he did them through some manner of wisdom. Perhaps G-d brought the plagues upon the Egyptians on account of their wickedness, [but not necessarily for the purpose of redemption of Israel, and Moses took them out of Egypt just to rule over them], for if G-d had desired their going out, Pharaoh would not have pursued after them. And Onkelos here translated vayitz'aku (and they cried out) as uz'aku,⁠ thus making its purport to be "complaint," meaning that they did not pray to G-d but that they complained to Him for having taken them out of Egypt. It is similar in usage to that in the verse, 'vayitz'aku' unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? (Shemot 5:15) [which does not mean "and they prayed," but that they complained.] Similarly, Then there was a great 'tza'akath' of the people and of their wives against their brethren the Jews,⁠ which means they were complaining against them with a great voice and outcry. In the Mechilta we find;⁠ "They seized upon the occupation of their fathers, [i.e., at first they conducted themselves properly in that they prayed to G-d as their fathers had done]. And they said unto Moses: 'Because were there no graves, etc.?' After 'they had added leaven into the dough,' they came to Moses and said to him, Is not this the word that we spoke unto thee in Egypt, etc.?" (Shemot 14:12) The "leaven in the dough" is a reference to the evil inclination. Thus the Sages in the Mechilta intended to say that at first the people prayed to G-d to instill in Pharaoh's heart the desire to turn back from pursuing them. However, when they saw that he was not turning back but instead was marching and drawing near them, they said, "Our prayers have not been accepted," and an evil thought entered their hearts to find fault with Moses as they had previously done.

(י-יב) וייראו מאד ויצעקו בני ישראל אל י״י, ויאמרו אל משה המבלי אין קברים במצרים לקחתנו – איננו נראה כי בני אדם הצועקים אל י״י להושיעם יבעטו בישועה אשר עשה להם ויאמרו כי טוב להם שלא הצילם. אבל הנכון שנפרש שהם כתות, והכתוב יספר כל מה שעשו כלם. אמר כי הכת האחת צועקת אל י״י, והאחרת מכחשת בנביאו ואינה בוחרת בישועה הנעשת להם, [ויאמרו כי טוב להם שלא הצילם.]⁠ ועל זאת כתוב: וימרו על ים בים סוף (תהלים ק״ו:ז׳), ולכך יחזיר הכתוב בני ישראל פעם אחרת: ויצעקו בני ישראל אל י״י, כי הטובים שבהם צעקו אל י״י והנשארים מרו בדברו. ולכך אמר אחרי כן: וייראו העם את י״י ויאמינו בי״י ובמשה עבדו (שמות י״ד:ל״א) – לא אמר: וירא ישראל את היד הגדולה וייראו ישראל את י״י ויאמינו, אבל אמר: העם, כי ׳בני ישראל׳ שם ליחידים, ו׳העם׳ שם להמון. וכן: וילונו העם (שמות ט״ו:כ״ד). וכך הזכירו רבותינו: ויחל העם (במדבר כ״ה:א׳) – כל מקום שנאמר ׳העם׳ לשון גנאי הוא, וכל מקום שנאמר ׳ישראל׳ לשון שבח הוא (במדבר רבה כ׳:כ״ג). והנה לא אמרו: לקחתנו למות במלחמה, אבל לקחתנו למות במדבר, וממותנו במדבר, כי טרם יראו המלחמה לא היו חפצים לצאת אל המדבר פן ימותו שם ברעב ובצמא. ויתכן שאמרו לו כן בצאתם בעודם בארץ מצרים, כאשר הסב אותם אלהים דרך המדבר ים סוף (שמות י״ג:י״ח). או שאמרו לו מתחלה: אנה נצא, אם דרך פלשתים ילחמו בנו, ואם דרך המדבר טוב לנו לעבוד את מצרים ממותנו שם.⁠ ואיפשר עוד לומר כי היו העם מאמינים בי״י ומתפללים אליו להצילם, אבל במשה נכנס ספק בלבם פן יוציאם למשול עליהם, ואף על פי שראו האותות והמופתים חשבו שעשה אותם בדרך חכמה או שהשם הביא עליהם המכות ברשעת הגוים, כי אלו חפץ השם ביציאתם לא היה פרעה רודף אחריהם. ואנקלוס תרגם בכאן ויצעקו – וצעיקו, עשאו ענין תרעומת, לומר שלא התפללו אבל היו מתרעמים לפניו על שהוציאם ממצרים, כלשון: ויצעקו אל פרעה לאמר למה תעשה כה (שמות ה׳:ט״ו), וכמוהו: ותהי צעקת העם ונשיהם גדולה אל אחיהם היהודים (נחמיה ה׳:א׳) – מתרעמים עליהם בקול גדול ובצעקה. ובמכילתא (מכילתא דרבי ישמעאל שמות י״ד:י׳): ויצעקו – תפשו להם אומנות אבותיהם, ויאמרו אל משה המבלי אין קברים במצרים – מאחר שנתנו שאור בעיסה, באו להם אצל משה, אמרו לו: הלא זה הדבר וכו׳. ושאור שבעיסה הוא יצר הרע. ודעתם לומר כי מתחלה צעקו אל השם לתת בלב פרעה לשוב מאחריהם, וכאשר ראו שלא היה חוזר אבל היה נוסע וקרב אליהם, אז אמרו לא נתקבלה תפלתנו, ונכנסה בלבם מחשבה רעה להרהר אחרי משה כאשר בתחלה.