Kommentar zu Jechezkiel 31:19

Whom are you like in your greatness In your haughtiness against Me, whom did you think to resemble?

Behold Assyria which I have already cast down.

a cedar in Lebanon it was

shady woods A forest that covers, [making] a great shade.

and among the interwoven branches the green trees.

its lofty tops [Heb. צַמַּרְתּוֹ,] cime in French, top.

its canals [Heb. תְּעָלתֶיהָ,] fosses in French, ditches, canals.

to all the trees of the field to water them. The symbol is as the Targum of Jonathan interprets it: Behold the Assyrians were like the cedars of Lebanon, etc., as above.

Water nurtured it; the deep made it grow tall [Jonathan paraphrases:] Among nations he is great; because of his supporters he is powerful; he subjugates kings under his kingdom, and he appoints rulers over every state of the earth. The Midrash Aggadah (Pesikta Rabbathi 34:11, Meir Ayin 33) [states]: “and among the interwoven branches was its lofty top.” Whence did he merit greatness? Because 1) he withdrew from the counsel of the generation of separation, as it is said (Gen. 10: 11): “Out of that land Asshur went forth. “When all those who came upon the world formed one league to enter counsel to rebel against Him, then his lofty top was visible by itself, and [he] did not link himself with them. “Water nurtured him; the [waters of the] deep raised him up” and because 2) he hearkened to the voice of Jonah the son of Amittai, who descended into the [waters of the] deep, and the people of Nineveh repented of the violence that was in their hands.

its boughs [Heb. סַרְעַפֹּתָיו,]

its branches [Heb. פֹארֹתָיו.]

because of abundant waters when it sent forth its branches through the abundant waters. When it sent forth its branches, i.e., when it grew its branches, and the expression “sending” applies to them, as “and sent forth branches.”

In its boughs [Heb. בִּסְעַפֹתָיו.]

nested [Heb. קִנְנוּ,] from the word קֵּן, nest.

And it became beautiful [Heb. וַיִיף,] an expression of beauty (יֹפִי).

its tendrils [Heb. דָּלִיוֹתָיו.] They too are an expression used for branches: [those] that extend lengthwise in every direction, like the tendrils of a vineyard, ses treilles in French, its climbing vines.

did not dim it They did not dim its form; i.e., none among them surpassed it in beauty.

in the garden of God i.e., in the entire world.

and chestnut trees [Heb. ועֲרְמֹנִים,] chastaniyers, chastaneyrs in Old French [chataigniers in Modern French].

all the trees of Eden i.e., all the praiseworthy kings.

Because you grew haughty with your height So I said to Assyria.

into the hands of the strongest of nations into the hands of the harshest of nations; I gave him into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar, as the master said (Seder Olam, ch. 24; Meg. 11b; Arachin 12a): In his first year, he conquered Nineveh.

that he execute upon him [that] Nebuchadnezzar [execute upon him] in accordance with all My wishes.

cast it down [Heb. וַיִטְשֻּׁהוּ,] and they cast it down to the earth, like (Num. 11:31): “and let them down (וַיִטשּׁ) upon the camp.”

Upon its carcass...rested as the Targum paraphrases: Upon the carcass of his slain.

water trees which are tender and frail, but have numerous and long branches because of the moisture of the water, should not compare themselves to the cedars of Eden; i.e., he should not have been haughty over Israel and should not have stood over them.

among the interwoven branches They should not haughtily compare their might - the trees that drink water to the interwoven trees.

On the day he descended into the Grave When I humbled the king of Assyria into the hands of his enemy.

I caused mourning [I caused] many mourners who relied on him [to mourn] over him.

I covered the deep on his account I covered the deep because of him, for it was accustomed to water him and cause his growth, as Scripture stated above (verse 4): “the deep made it grow tall.” That day, I covered it so that it should not ascend and extinguish his fire. i.e., I weakened his aids.

I withdrew its rivers which were flowing around its planting.

abundant waters stopped [The waters] that used to make its branches grow long, as he said above (verse 5): “and its branches grew long because of abundant waters.”

and I darkened the Lebanon because of him.

[Heb. וָאַקְדִיר,] from an expression for blackness.

and all the trees of the field to which his channels were sent, as stated above.

swooned over him Because of him, their moisture ceased, as a person who swoons and whose spirit flies away [i.e., he loses consciousness]; pasmer in Old French, to faint, to swoon. [pamer in Modern French.]

and they were consoled in the nether part of the earth The others who descended to Gehinnom received consolations. They said, “This one is like us also.”

and his allies, who dwelt in his shade [Heb. וּזְרֹעוֹ, lit. and his arm,] and his helpers, who dwelt in his shade.

To whom have you likened yourself so You, Pharaoh, to which of the trees of Eden have you likened yourself, who is as great as Assyria in glory and in greatness? Behold you have seen that I lowered him into the Grave, and you too will be lowered with the trees of Eden, with the other strong monarchs.

into the nether part of the earth Gehinnom.