high-priest on the Day of Atonement; the rain never quenched the fire
of the wood-pile on the altar (11); neither did the wind overcome the
column of smoke that arose therefrom (12); nor was there ever found
any disqualifying defect in the omer (of new barley, offered on the
second day of Passover) or in the two loaves (the first fruits of the
wheat-harvest, offered on Pentecost) (13), or in the shewbread (14);
though the people stood closely pressed together, they found ample
space to prostrate themselves; never did serpent or scorpion injure
any one in Jerusalem; nor did any man ever say to his fellow, "the
place is too strait for me (15) to lodge over night in Jerusalem." 9.
Ten things were created on the eve of Sabbath in the twilight (16):
the mouth of the earth (17); the mouth of the well (18); the mouth of
the ass (19); the rainbow (20); the manna (21); the rod (22); the
shamir (23); the shape of written characters; the writing, and the
tables of stone: some say, the destroying spirits also, and the
sepulchre of Moses (24), and the ram of Abraham our father (25); and
others say, tongs, also, made with tongs (26).

(1) The expression "and God said" occurs ten times in Genesis
I (verses 3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, 26 28, and 29). Many
commentators count the opening phrase of this chapter, "In the
beginning God created the heavens and the earth," as one of
the sayings, maintaining that the idea of saying is implied in
it. Cf. Ps. XXXIII, 16. According to the Rabbis, the wicked
destroy and the righteous preserve the world, and, since it
required ten sayings to create the world, the guilt of the
sinner and the righteousness of the just are emphasized more
than if it had been created merely by one word.

(2) The ten generations are Adam, Seth, Enosh, Kenan,