Midrash for Daniel 7:9
חָזֵ֣ה הֲוֵ֗ית עַ֣ד דִּ֤י כָרְסָוָן֙ רְמִ֔יו וְעַתִּ֥יק יוֹמִ֖ין יְתִ֑ב לְבוּשֵׁ֣הּ ׀ כִּתְלַ֣ג חִוָּ֗ר וּשְׂעַ֤ר רֵאשֵׁהּ֙ כַּעֲמַ֣ר נְקֵ֔א כָּרְסְיֵהּ֙ שְׁבִיבִ֣ין דִּי־נ֔וּר גַּלְגִּלּ֖וֹהִי נ֥וּר דָּלִֽק׃
I beheld Till thrones were placed, And one that was ancient of days did sit: His raiment was as white snow, And the hair of his head like pure wool; His throne was fiery flames, and the wheels thereof burning fire.
Midrash Tanchuma
(Lev. 19:2:) “Speak unto the [whole congregation] of the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘You shall be holy.’” This text is related (to Is. 5:16), “The Lord of hosts has been exalted through justice, and the holy God has been sanctified through holiness.” When did the Holy One, blessed be He, become exalted in His world? When he brought about judgment and justice among the peoples of the world. It is so stated (in Is. 3:13), “The Lord stands up to plead a cause, and rises to judge peoples.” It also says (in Dan. 7:9), “I looked until thrones were set in place [or thrown down] (remiw).”1The Aramaic word can mean both WERE SET IN PLACE and WERE THROWN DOWN. The former meaning better fits the biblical context; but one of the midrashic interpretations given here requires the latter meaning. What is the meaning of “thrones” (in the plural)? Were there a lot of thrones, when [there is] that which is written (in Is. 6:1), “I saw the Lord seated upon a throne (in the singular)?” What is the meaning of “thrones?” R. Jose the Galilean and R. Aqiva differed.2Hag. 14a. One said, “Thrones denotes the throne plus its footstool; and the other said, “These are thrones that belong to the nations of the world, since the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to throw them down, as stated (in Hag. 2:22), ‘Then I will throw down the throne of kingdoms, [and destroy the kingdoms of the gentiles].’” You know [for yourself] that this is so. "Thrones were set up," is not written here (in Dan. 7:9), but “thrones were thrown down.” Thus it is written (in Exod. 15:1 or 21), “the horse and his rider he has thrown (rt.: rmh) into the sea.” Our masters say, “What is the meaning of thrones? In the age to come the Holy One, blessed be He, will sit down, and the angels will place thrones for the great ones of Israel for them to sit down, so that the Holy One, blessed be He, will be sitting with them like the president of the court (av bet din). Then they shall judge the peoples of the world, as stated (in Is. 3:14), ‘The Lord will come in judgment along with the elders of His people and their princes.’3Exod. R. 5:12. ‘Against the elders of His people’ is not written here, but ‘along with the elders [of His people].’ [Scripture] is teaching that the Holy One, blessed be He, will sit along with the elders and princes of Israel to judge the nations of the world.” And which [thrones] are they? These are the thrones of the house of David and the elders of Israel, as stated (in Ps. 122:5), “There stood the thrones of judgment, thrones of the House of David.” R. Pinhas said in the name of R. Hilqiyah the Southerner (i.e., from Judah), [who said] in the name of R. Reuben, “If you say, ‘When thrones stand there for judgment,’ [that] they are thrones of the House of David; then what is [the meaning of (Dan. 7:9), ‘and the Ancient of days (God) took His seat?’ That He sits among them like the president of the court, and with them He judges the nations. It is therefore written (ibid.), ‘until thrones were set in place.’” What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.), “and the hair of his head was like clean wool?” When the Holy One, blessed be He, cleanses Himself from the worshippers of idolatry; He gives them compensation for the easy commandments which they have observed in this world. [He does so] in order to judge them and convict them in the world to come, so that they will have no excuse and have no merit found for them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 14:32), “And what will he answer the angels of4Mal’akhe. In the biblical context, the word should be rendered as “messengers of,” but the midrash interprets the passage eschatologically. a [given] nation? That the Lord has established Zion, and in it there shall the afflicted of His people take refuge.” Then He immediately renders the judgment against them. At that time the Holy One, blessed be He, becomes exalted in his world, as stated (in Is. 5:16), “The Lord of hosts is exalted in judgment.” What is the meaning of (ibid.), “and the holy God is sanctified in justice (tsedekah, which also means charity)?” That He is sanctified in His world in justice, because He advocates for the defense concerning Israel, as stated (in Is. 63:1), “it is I who speaks in justice (tsedekah), mighty to save.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel, “In the future, I will be sanctified in you, as stated (in Is. 29:23), ‘For when [Jacob] sees his children in his midst, the work of My hands, they shall sanctify My name.’” And so it says (in Is. 49:3), “Israel in whom I will be glorified.” So you are sanctified in Me, and I am sanctified in you, as stated (in Lev. 11:44; cf. 19:2), “so you shall sanctify yourselves and be holy.”
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Midrash Tanchuma Buber
(Lev. 19:1–2:) THEN THE LORD SPOKE UNTO MOSES, SAYING: SPEAK UNTO THE WHOLE CONGREGATION OF THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: YOU SHALL BE HOLY, [BECAUSE I, THE LORD YOUR GOD, AM HOLY]. This text is related (to Is. 5:16): THE LORD OF HOSTS HAS BEEN EXALTED THROUGH JUSTICE, AND THE HOLY GOD HAS BEEN SANCTIFIED THROUGH HOLINESS. When did the Holy One become exalted in his world?1Tanh., Lev. 7:1. When he brought about judgment and justice among the peoples of the world. It is so stated (in Is. 3:13): THE LORD STANDS UP TO PLEAD A CAUSE, AND RISES TO JUDGE PEOPLES. It also says (in Dan. 7:9): I LOOKED UNTIL THRONES WERE SET IN PLACE < or THROWN DOWN > (remiw).2The Aramaic word can mean both WERE SET IN PLACE and WERE THROWN DOWN. The former meaning better fits the biblical context; but one of the midrashic interpretations given here requires the latter meaning. What is the meaning of THRONES (in the plural)? Were there a lot of thrones, when < there is > that which is written (in Is. 6:1): I SAW THE LORD SEATED UPON A THRONE (in the singular)? What is the meaning of THRONES? R. Jose the Galilean and R. Aqiva differed.3Hag. 14a. One said: THRONES denotes the throne plus its hypopodion4The Greek word means “footstool.” {i.e., its footstool}; and the other said: These are thrones that belong to the nations of the world, since the Holy One is going to throw them down, as stated (in Hag. 2:22): THEN I WILL THROW DOWN THE THRONE< S > OF KINGDOMS, AND DESTROY THE KINGDOMS OF THE GENTILES. You know [for yourself] that this is so. "Thrones were set up," is not written here (in Dan. 7:9), but THRONES WERE THROWN DOWN. Thus it is written (in Exod. 15:1 or 21): THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER HE HAS THROWN (rt.: RMH) INTO THE SEA. < Our > masters say: What is the meaning of THRONES? In the age to come the Holy One will sit down, and the angels will place thrones for the great ones of Israel for them to sit down, so that the Holy One will be sitting with them like the president of the court (av bet din). Then they shall judge the peoples of the world, as stated (in Is. 3:14): THE LORD WILL COME IN JUDGMENT ALONG WITH THE ELDERS OF HIS PEOPLE AND THEIR PRINCES.5Exod. R. 5:12; see Wisdom 3:8; I Enoch 38:5; 48:9; I Corinthians 6:2. "Against the elders of his people" is not written here, but ALONG WITH THE ELDERS < OF HIS PEOPLE >. < Scripture > is teaching that the Holy One will sit along with the elders and princes of Israel to judge the nations of the world. And which < thrones > are they? These are the thrones of the house of David and the elders of Israel, as stated (in Ps. 122:5): THERE STOOD THE THRONES OF JUDGMENT, THRONES OF THE HOUSE OF DAVID. R. Pinhas said in the name of R. Hilqiyah the Southerner (i.e., from Judah), < who spoke > in the name of R. Reuben: If you say: When thrones stand there for judgment, they are thrones of the house of David. Then what is < the meaning of > (Dan. 7:9): AND THE ANCIENT OF DAYS TOOK HIS SEAT? That he sits among them like the president of the court, and with them he judges the nations. It is therefore written (ibid.): UNTIL THRONES WERE SET IN PLACE. What is the meaning of (ibid., cont.): AND THE HAIR OF HIS HEAD WAS LIKE CLEAN WOOL? When the Holy One cleanses himself from the nations of the world,6Cf. the parallel in the traditional Midrash Tanhuma, Lev. 6:11 (Jerusalem: Eshkol, n.d.), which reads: “The Holy One cleanses himself from the worshipers of idols.” he gives them compensation for the easy commandments which they have observed in this world. < He does so > in order to judge them and convict them in the world to come, so that they will have no excuse and have no merit found for them. Thus it is stated (in Is. 14:32): AND WHAT WILL HE ANSWER THE ANGELS OF7mal’akhe. In the biblical context, the word should be rendered as “messengers of,” but the midrash interprets the passage eschatologically. A < GIVEN > NATION? THAT THE LORD HAS ESTABLISHED ZION, AND IN IT THERE SHALL THE AFFLICTED OF HIS PEOPLE TAKE REFUGE. Then he immediately renders the judgment against them. At that time the Holy One becomes exalted in his world, as stated (in Is. 5:16): THE LORD OF HOSTS IS EXALTED IN JUDGMENT, [AND THE HOLY GOD IS SANCTIFIED IN JUSTICE]. What is the meaning of (ibid.): THE LORD OF HOSTS IS EXALTED IN JUDGMENT? That he is sanctified in his world in justice, because he teaches concerning Israel what is stated (in Is. 63:1): I SPEAK IN JUSTICE. The Holy One said to Israel: I am sanctified in you, as stated (in Is. 29:23): FOR WHEN < JACOB > SEES HIS CHILDREN IN HIS MIDST, THE WORK OF MY HANDS, THEY SHALL SANCTIFY MY NAME; YES, THEY SHALL SANCTIFY THE HOLY ONE OF JACOB…. And so it says (in Is. 49:3): ISRAEL IN WHOM I WILL BE GLORIFIED. So you are sanctified in me, and I am sanctified in you, as stated (in Lev. 11:44; cf. 19:2): [SO YOU SHALL SANCTIFY YOURSELVES] AND BE HOLY, BECAUSE I AM HOLY.
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Eikhah Rabbah
“How does the greatly crowded city sit alone? She has become like a widow. Great among the nations, a princess among the states: She has become a vassal” (Lamentations 1:1).
“How [eikha] does…sit [alone].” Three prophesied with the term eikha: Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Moses said: “How [eikha] can I bear alone…” (Deuteronomy 1:12). Isaiah said: “How [eikha] did [the faithful city] become a harlot?” (Isaiah 1:21). Jeremiah said: “How [eikha] does [the greatly crowded city] sit alone?” Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a noblewoman who had three friends. One saw her in her tranquility, one saw her in her debauchery, and one saw her in her disgrace. So, Moses saw them in their glory and their tranquility and said: “How [eikha] can I bear alone your troubles?” Isaiah saw them in their debauchery and said: “How [eikha] did [the faithful city] become a harlot?” Jeremiah saw them in their disgrace and said: “How [eikha] does [the greatly crowded city] sit [alone]?”
They asked ben Azai, saying to him: ‘Our teacher, expound for us one matter from the scroll of Lamentations.’ He said to them: ‘Israel was exiled only after they denied the Unique One of the world, circumcision that was given after twenty generations, the Ten Commandments, the five books of the Torah; the numerical value of eikha.’1Alef—the Unique One of the world; yod—the Ten Commandments; kaf—twenty generations; heh—five books of Moses.
Rabbi Levi said: Israel was exiled only after they denied the thirty-six instances of karet in the Torah and the Ten Commandments, the numerical value of “how does…sit solitary [eikha yasheva badad]?”2Eikha: Alef -1, yod – 10, kaf – 20, heh – 5 = 36. Badad: Beit – 2, dalet – 4, dalet – 4 = 10.
Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Avdimai of Haifa: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son. When he would perform his father’s will, [the king] would clothe him in fine silk, and when he would not perform his will, he would clothe him in the garments of an olive-press worker [badad]. So too Israel, as long as they would perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, it is written: “I clothed you in embroidery” (Ezekiel 16:10). Rabbi Sima said: Purple garments. Onkelos translated: Embroidered garments. But when they do not perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He clothes them in the garments of olive-press workers. That is what is written: “How does…sit solitary [badad]?”
Rav Naḥman said that Shmuel said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He summoned the ministering angels and said to them: ‘A flesh and blood king, when a relative of his dies and he mourns, what does he typically do?’ They said to Him: ‘He hangs sackcloth on his entrance.’ He said to them: ‘I, too, will do so.’ That is what is written: “I clothe the heavens in blackness and I place sackcloth as their garment” (Isaiah 50:3). ‘A flesh and blood king, what [else] does he typically do?’ They said to Him: ‘He extinguishes the lamps.’ He said to them: ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The sun and the moon darkened and the stars withdrew their shining” (Joel 4:15). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He overturns the beds.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “Until thrones were set in place and the Ancient One sat” (Daniel 7:9), [implying,] as it were, that they had been overturned.3Beds were a general term for anything one would sit on. The fact that the thrones, in this verse, were set in place, implies that previously they had been overturned as a sign of mourning. ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He walks barefoot.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “His path is in tempest and in storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He rends his purple garments.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The Lord accomplished what He devised; He implemented [bitza] His statement [emrato]” (Lamentations 2:17). Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan explained it: What is bitza emrato? It is that He rent His purple garments.4The word rent, or tear, in Aramaic, biza, is similar to bitza. The word emrato is spelled the same as imrato, which in rabbinic parlance means the edge of one’s garment (Matnot Kehuna). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He sits in silence.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “Let him sit alone and be silent” (Lamentations 3:28). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He sits and weeps.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation and for baldness” (Isaiah 22:12).
Another matter: Eikha, Jeremiah said to them: ‘What did you see in idol worship that you are so enthusiastic to follow it? If it had a mouth to engage in debate, we would have said this.5We would have proven the falseness of idolatry and the idols themselves would have had to concur. The word eikha is being interpreted as two words: Ei, ka, “if…this” (Etz Yosef). Instead, we will speak of it and we will speak of Him.’ We will speak of it, “So said the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations, and from the signs of the heavens do not be frightened, though the nations are frightened by them” (Jeremiah 10:2). We will speak of Him: “Tell them this: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall vanish from the earth and from under these heavens. [He makes the earth with His might]” (Jeremiah 10:11–12). “The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the one who forms everything, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Jeremiah 10:16).
Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: The term eikha is nothing other than an expression of reproof. That is what is written: “How [eikha] can you say: We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us...”? (Jeremiah 8:8). Rabbi Neḥemya says: The term eikha is nothing other than an expression of lamentation. That is what is written: “The Lord God called to the man, and said to him: Where are you [ayeka]?” (Genesis 3:9), woe are you [oy lekha]. When was the scroll of Lamentations composed? Rabbi Yehuda says: It was composed in the days of Yehoyakim.6This was before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. This is consistent with Rabbi Yehuda’s view that the term eikha is a term of reproof. In his view, Lamentations, or Eikha, was composed as a warning before the destruction. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: ‘Does one weep over the dead before he dies? Rather, when was it composed? After the destruction of the Temple. This is its solution: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary?”’7This phrase implies that Jerusalem was already desolate.
“How [eikha] does…sit [alone].” Three prophesied with the term eikha: Moses, Isaiah, and Jeremiah. Moses said: “How [eikha] can I bear alone…” (Deuteronomy 1:12). Isaiah said: “How [eikha] did [the faithful city] become a harlot?” (Isaiah 1:21). Jeremiah said: “How [eikha] does [the greatly crowded city] sit alone?” Rabbi Levi said: This is analogous to a noblewoman who had three friends. One saw her in her tranquility, one saw her in her debauchery, and one saw her in her disgrace. So, Moses saw them in their glory and their tranquility and said: “How [eikha] can I bear alone your troubles?” Isaiah saw them in their debauchery and said: “How [eikha] did [the faithful city] become a harlot?” Jeremiah saw them in their disgrace and said: “How [eikha] does [the greatly crowded city] sit [alone]?”
They asked ben Azai, saying to him: ‘Our teacher, expound for us one matter from the scroll of Lamentations.’ He said to them: ‘Israel was exiled only after they denied the Unique One of the world, circumcision that was given after twenty generations, the Ten Commandments, the five books of the Torah; the numerical value of eikha.’1Alef—the Unique One of the world; yod—the Ten Commandments; kaf—twenty generations; heh—five books of Moses.
Rabbi Levi said: Israel was exiled only after they denied the thirty-six instances of karet in the Torah and the Ten Commandments, the numerical value of “how does…sit solitary [eikha yasheva badad]?”2Eikha: Alef -1, yod – 10, kaf – 20, heh – 5 = 36. Badad: Beit – 2, dalet – 4, dalet – 4 = 10.
Rabbi Berekhya [said] in the name of Rabbi Avdimai of Haifa: [This is analogous] to a king who had a son. When he would perform his father’s will, [the king] would clothe him in fine silk, and when he would not perform his will, he would clothe him in the garments of an olive-press worker [badad]. So too Israel, as long as they would perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, it is written: “I clothed you in embroidery” (Ezekiel 16:10). Rabbi Sima said: Purple garments. Onkelos translated: Embroidered garments. But when they do not perform the will of the Holy One blessed be He, He clothes them in the garments of olive-press workers. That is what is written: “How does…sit solitary [badad]?”
Rav Naḥman said that Shmuel said in the name of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi: The Holy One blessed be He summoned the ministering angels and said to them: ‘A flesh and blood king, when a relative of his dies and he mourns, what does he typically do?’ They said to Him: ‘He hangs sackcloth on his entrance.’ He said to them: ‘I, too, will do so.’ That is what is written: “I clothe the heavens in blackness and I place sackcloth as their garment” (Isaiah 50:3). ‘A flesh and blood king, what [else] does he typically do?’ They said to Him: ‘He extinguishes the lamps.’ He said to them: ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The sun and the moon darkened and the stars withdrew their shining” (Joel 4:15). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He overturns the beds.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “Until thrones were set in place and the Ancient One sat” (Daniel 7:9), [implying,] as it were, that they had been overturned.3Beds were a general term for anything one would sit on. The fact that the thrones, in this verse, were set in place, implies that previously they had been overturned as a sign of mourning. ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He walks barefoot.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “His path is in tempest and in storm, and clouds are the dust of His feet” (Nahum 1:3). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He rends his purple garments.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The Lord accomplished what He devised; He implemented [bitza] His statement [emrato]” (Lamentations 2:17). Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Ḥanan explained it: What is bitza emrato? It is that He rent His purple garments.4The word rent, or tear, in Aramaic, biza, is similar to bitza. The word emrato is spelled the same as imrato, which in rabbinic parlance means the edge of one’s garment (Matnot Kehuna). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He sits in silence.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “Let him sit alone and be silent” (Lamentations 3:28). ‘A flesh and blood king, what does he typically do?’ ‘He sits and weeps.’ ‘That is what I will do,’ as it is stated: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation and for baldness” (Isaiah 22:12).
Another matter: Eikha, Jeremiah said to them: ‘What did you see in idol worship that you are so enthusiastic to follow it? If it had a mouth to engage in debate, we would have said this.5We would have proven the falseness of idolatry and the idols themselves would have had to concur. The word eikha is being interpreted as two words: Ei, ka, “if…this” (Etz Yosef). Instead, we will speak of it and we will speak of Him.’ We will speak of it, “So said the Lord: Do not learn the way of the nations, and from the signs of the heavens do not be frightened, though the nations are frightened by them” (Jeremiah 10:2). We will speak of Him: “Tell them this: The gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall vanish from the earth and from under these heavens. [He makes the earth with His might]” (Jeremiah 10:11–12). “The Portion of Jacob is not like these, for He is the one who forms everything, and Israel is the tribe of His inheritance, the Lord of hosts is His name” (Jeremiah 10:16).
Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥemya, Rabbi Yehuda says: The term eikha is nothing other than an expression of reproof. That is what is written: “How [eikha] can you say: We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us...”? (Jeremiah 8:8). Rabbi Neḥemya says: The term eikha is nothing other than an expression of lamentation. That is what is written: “The Lord God called to the man, and said to him: Where are you [ayeka]?” (Genesis 3:9), woe are you [oy lekha]. When was the scroll of Lamentations composed? Rabbi Yehuda says: It was composed in the days of Yehoyakim.6This was before the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. This is consistent with Rabbi Yehuda’s view that the term eikha is a term of reproof. In his view, Lamentations, or Eikha, was composed as a warning before the destruction. Rabbi Neḥemya said to him: ‘Does one weep over the dead before he dies? Rather, when was it composed? After the destruction of the Temple. This is its solution: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary?”’7This phrase implies that Jerusalem was already desolate.
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