Midrasch zu Bereschit 15:12

The tabernacle of the testimony (Exod. 38:21). This refers the Torah in which they labored. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Because of the Torah and the sacrifices, I will rescue you from Gehinnom. You may know this from the fact that the Holy One, blessed be He, revealed to Abraham the Torah, the sacrifices, Gehinnom, and the servitude experienced by the exiles. The Torah: A flaming torch (Gen. 15:17), for it is written: At this hand was a fiery law unto them (Deut. 33:2), and the people perceived the thunder and lightning (Exod. 20:15); the sacrifices: Take me a heifer of three years (Gen. 15:9); Gehinnom: A smoking furnace and a flaming torch (ibid., v. 17); the servitude at the hands of the nations: For, behold, there was thick darkness (ibid.).

"And all the people saw": the sounds of sounds and the flames of flames. How many sounds were there and how many flames were there? The intent is that each heard according to his power (to absorb what he experienced), viz. (Psalms 29:4) "the voice of the L rd in power, the voice of the L rd in majesty." Variantly: "And all the people saw": to apprise us of the exalted state of Israel. When they all stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, as soon as they heard the pronouncement, they assimilated it. As it is written (Devarim 32:10) "He encircled him; he invested him (with understanding). As soon as they heard the pronouncement, they assimilated it. R. Eliezer says: to apprise us of the exalted state of Israel. When they all stood at Mount Sinai to receive the Torah, there were no blind ones among them, viz. "And all the people saw." And whence is it derived that there were no mutes among them? From (Exodus 19:8) "And all the people answered together." And whence is it derived that there were no deaf ones among them? From (Ibid. 24:7) "All that the L rd has spoken, we shall do and we shall hear." And whence is it derived that there were no large ones among them? From (Ibid. 17) "And they stood at the foot of the mountain." And whence is it derived that there were no fools among them? From (Devarim 4:35) "You have been shown to know, etc." R. Nathan says: Whence is it derived that the L rd showed our father Abraham, Gehennom, the giving of the Torah and the splitting of the Red Sea? From (Genesis 15:17) "And it was, when the sun had set, and it was dark, and, behold, a smoking furnace" — Gehennom, viz. (Isaiah 31:9) "He has an oven in Jerusalem." And "the torch of fire" (Genesis, Ibid.) — the lightning, viz. (Exodus 20:15) "And all the people saw the sounds and the lightnings. (Genesis, Ibid. 19) "between these pieces" — the splitting of the Red Sea — viz. (Psalms 136:13) "Who split the Red Sea into pieces." He showed him the Temple and the order of sacrifices, viz. (Genesis, Ibid. 9) "Take for Me a three-year-old heifer, etc." He showed him the four kingdoms that were destined to subjugate his children, viz. (Ibid. 12) "And when the sun was about to set, and a deep sleep fell upon Avram, and, behold, a great dark dread fell upon him": "dread" — the kingdom of Bavel. "dark" — the kingdom of Madai. "great' — the kingdom of Greece. "fell" — the wicked Rome. Some transpose it: "fell" — the kingdom of Bavel, viz. (Isaiah 21:9) "Bavel has fallen." "great" — the kingdom of Madai, viz. (Esther 3:1) "King Achashverosh made great, etc." "dark" — the kingdom of Greece, which darkened the eyes of Israel with afflictions. "dread" — the fourth kingdom, viz. (Daniel 7:7) "… fearful, dreadful, and of great strength."...

Abraham arose and prayed before the Holy One, blessed be He, that his children should not be enslaved by these four kingdoms. A deep sleep fell upon him, and he slept, as it is said, "A deep sleep fell upon Abram" (Gen. 15:12). Does then a man lie down and sleep, and yet be able to pray? But this teaches thee that Abraham was lying down and sleeping because of the intensity of his prayer that his children might enslave || these four kingdoms, as it is said, "And, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him" (ibid.). "Horror" refers to the kingdom of Edom, as it is written, "And behold a fourth beast, terrible and powerful, and strong exceedingly" (Dan. 7:7). "Darkness" is the kingdom of those who darken the eyes of Israel (by preventing the observance of) all the precepts which are in the Torah. "Great" (Gen. 15:12) refers to the kingdom of Media and Persia, which was great (enough to be able to afford) to sell Israel for nought. "Fell" (ibid.) refers to the kingdom of Babylon, because in their hand fell the crown of Israel, as it is said, "Babylon is fallen, is fallen" (Isa. 21:9). "Upon him" (Gen. 15:12) refers to the Ishmaelites, upon whom the Son of David will flourish, as it is said, "His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon him shall his crown flourish" (Ps. 132:18).

Another [explanation]: "For the Conductor..." For He who [it is as if He] leaps like a deer, as He gives light to the world in [its] dark hour. And when does He give light at night? Even though it is night, it [already] has its light - [that of] the moon, stars, and constellations? When is it [fully] dark? At daybreak [when] the moon sets and the stars go in and the constellations go on their way, there is no darkness greater than at that hour, and in that hour, the holy One, blessed be He, raises the dawn from the darkness and brings light to the world. And so He says (Genesis 15:12) "And behold a great dark dread was falling upon him" - "dark" refers to Medea in the days of Esther.