Midrash Tadshe is unusual in several respects, compared to other midrashim. Although written in pure
Hebrew, it contains numerous expressions which are not found elsewhere, such as חג העומר and חג השופרות and ככבים שרועים (= "planets," p. 19). The structure of the midrash is very loose. The midrash is generally symbolic in tendency, and it plays much on groups of numbers. Section 2 contains a symbolization of the
Tabernacle, and, according to
A. Epstein, the central idea of the midrash is the theory of three worlds — earth, man, and the Tabernacle. Section 10 contains a mystical explanation of the numbers mentioned in connection with the offerings of the princes (
Numbers 7:12-89). Combinations and parallelisms based on the number ten are found in sections 5 and 15; on seven, in 6, 11, and 20; on six, in 20; on five, in 7; on four, in 20; on three, in 12, 18, etc. Desultory expositions of
Genesis 2:17; 3:3, 14 et seq.;
Exodus 7:12 et seq., 83 et seq.;
Leviticus 13:2, 14:34;
Lamentations 1:1 et seq.;
Numbers 4:3, 27:7; and Deut. 32:12, are contained in sections 7, 10, 17, 20, 21, and 22.
Analogies with the Book of Jubilees Especially noteworthy is section 8, on "the ages of the pious," the
Patriarchs, the
Matriarchs, and the twelve sons of
Jacob, giving also the dates of their births. In this list the months are not designated as
Nisan, etc., but as "the first," "the second," etc. The dates for
Zebulun and
Benjamin are lacking in the present text, but are given in a citation by
Baḥya and in the
Yalḳuṭ, where, however, the months are named and not numbered. The length of life ascribed to the sons of Jacob agrees with that given in
Seder Olam Zutta, but only the
Book of Jubilees gives the days and months of their births, and even it does not state the length of their lives. On the other hand, section 6 of Midrash Tadshe is in entire agreement with Jubilees (2, 3, 4, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, and 23) in its statement that 22 varieties of things were created in the world—seven on the first day; one on the second; four on the third; three on the fourth; three on the fifth; and four on the sixth—and that these 22 varieties correspond to the 22 generations from
Adam to
Jacob (and to the 22 letters of the alphabet). Epstein has drawn attention to other striking analogies between this midrash and the Book of Jubilees, especially to the theory of R'
Pinchas ben Yair (p. 31) that
Adam was created in the first week, and that
Eve was formed in the second week, from his rib; this serving as the foundation for the rule of purification given in
Lev. 12:2 et seq., with which Jubilees 3:8 can be compared. On these grounds, Epstein advances the hypothesis that in this and many other passages the author of the Midrash Tadshe used the Book of Jubilees, which existed at that time in
Hebrew and was much larger in scope than at present, and was ascribed, "on account of its
Essenic tendency," to R' Pinchas, who was famous for his great piety. However, it is unlikely that the present Book of Jubilees is incomplete, and a much more plausible view of Epstein's is that which regards the Midrash Tadshe as the work of Rabbi
Moses ha-Darshan.
Midrash Vayisau is also connected with Moses ha-Darshan, and shows some similarities with Tadshe. ==Later usage==