Midrash for Isaiah 3:9
הַכָּרַ֤ת פְּנֵיהֶם֙ עָ֣נְתָה בָּ֔ם וְחַטָּאתָ֛ם כִּסְדֹ֥ם הִגִּ֖ידוּ לֹ֣א כִחֵ֑דוּ א֣וֹי לְנַפְשָׁ֔ם כִּֽי־גָמְל֥וּ לָהֶ֖ם רָעָֽה׃
The show of their countenance doth witness against them; And they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! For they have wrought evil unto themselves.
Ruth Rabbah
“The redeemer said to Boaz: Buy it for yourself. He removed his shoe” (Ruth 4:8).
“The redeemer said to Boaz: Buy it for yourself. He removed his shoe.” Whose shoe? Rav and Levi, one said: Boaz’s shoe, and the other said: The redeemer’s shoe. The matters appear to be in accordance with the one who said: Boaz’s shoe, as it is the way of the purchaser to give a down payment.
Likewise, “Aḥiya grabbed the new garment [that was on him, and rent it into twelve pieces]” (I Kings 11:30). Whose garment? Rav and Levi, one said: Yerovam’s garment, and the other said: Aḥiya’s garment. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It stands to reason, in accordance with the one who said: Aḥiya’s garment, as it is the way of the righteous to rend his garments when there is a schism in the royal House of David.
Likewise, “Samuel turned to go; he seized the edge of his robe, and it ripped” (I Samuel 15:27). Whose robe? Rav and Levi, one said: Saul’s robe, and the other said: Samuel’s robe. It stands to reason, in accordance with the one who said: Samuel’s garment, as it is the way of the righteous to rend their garments when their plantings are not successful.245Samuel had originally anointed Saul as king, and had informed Saul immediately before the verse cited here that his kingship would be torn from him.
Likewise, “Yerovam did not again recover strength [in the days of Aviya, and the Lord afflicted him and he died]” (II Chronicles 13:20).246It is not clear whether it was Yerovam or Aviya who was afflicted and died. Rabbi Shmuel said: Do you think that it was Yerovam who was afflicted? It was only Aviya who was afflicted. Why was Aviya afflicted? It is because he disfigured the faces of Israel, as it is stated: “The show of their countenance speaks against them” (Isaiah 3:9). Rabbi Aḥa said: It is because he stationed guards over them for three days so their form would be altered, as it is taught: One may testify that a man died only if he can testify about seeing the countenance of the face with the nose (Yevamot 120a).247Thus, Aviya’s army saw to it that the soldiers of Yerovam’s army who had been killed would not be able to be positively identified in such a way that their wives could remarry.
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is because he publicly humiliated them, as it is stated: “With you are the golden calves [that Yerovam made for you as gods]” (II Chronicles 13:8). Reish Lakish said: It is because he demeaned the honor of Aḥiya the Shilonite, as it is stated: “Vain and wicked men gathered around him” (II Chronicles 13:7) – he called Aḥiya the Shilonite wicked.248It was Aḥiya the Shilonite, a prophet, who had appointed Yerovam king over the ten tribes and declared that they would break away from the kingdom of Judah. Aviya characterized Yerovam’s rise to power as supported only by vain and wicked men. The Rabbis say: It is because idol worship came under his authority and he did not eliminate it. That is what is written: “Aviya pursued Yerovam [and captured cities from him: Beit El and its environs…]” (II Chronicles 13:19), and it is written: “He positioned one in Beit El” (I Kings 12:29).249Yerovam had positioned a golden calf in Beit El as a place of worship, in place of the Temple in Jerusalem. When Aviya captured Beit El he did not destroy it. Consequently, it is clear that when Aviya derided Yerovam and the kingdom of Israel for its golden calves, he did so only to demean them. These matters can be deduces a fortiori: If, [regarding] a king who demeans a king, the verse states that he was afflicted, a commoner who demeans a commoner all the more so.250The Holy One blessed be He takes pity on the downtrodden.
“The redeemer said to Boaz: Buy it for yourself. He removed his shoe.” Whose shoe? Rav and Levi, one said: Boaz’s shoe, and the other said: The redeemer’s shoe. The matters appear to be in accordance with the one who said: Boaz’s shoe, as it is the way of the purchaser to give a down payment.
Likewise, “Aḥiya grabbed the new garment [that was on him, and rent it into twelve pieces]” (I Kings 11:30). Whose garment? Rav and Levi, one said: Yerovam’s garment, and the other said: Aḥiya’s garment. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: It stands to reason, in accordance with the one who said: Aḥiya’s garment, as it is the way of the righteous to rend his garments when there is a schism in the royal House of David.
Likewise, “Samuel turned to go; he seized the edge of his robe, and it ripped” (I Samuel 15:27). Whose robe? Rav and Levi, one said: Saul’s robe, and the other said: Samuel’s robe. It stands to reason, in accordance with the one who said: Samuel’s garment, as it is the way of the righteous to rend their garments when their plantings are not successful.245Samuel had originally anointed Saul as king, and had informed Saul immediately before the verse cited here that his kingship would be torn from him.
Likewise, “Yerovam did not again recover strength [in the days of Aviya, and the Lord afflicted him and he died]” (II Chronicles 13:20).246It is not clear whether it was Yerovam or Aviya who was afflicted and died. Rabbi Shmuel said: Do you think that it was Yerovam who was afflicted? It was only Aviya who was afflicted. Why was Aviya afflicted? It is because he disfigured the faces of Israel, as it is stated: “The show of their countenance speaks against them” (Isaiah 3:9). Rabbi Aḥa said: It is because he stationed guards over them for three days so their form would be altered, as it is taught: One may testify that a man died only if he can testify about seeing the countenance of the face with the nose (Yevamot 120a).247Thus, Aviya’s army saw to it that the soldiers of Yerovam’s army who had been killed would not be able to be positively identified in such a way that their wives could remarry.
Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish, Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It is because he publicly humiliated them, as it is stated: “With you are the golden calves [that Yerovam made for you as gods]” (II Chronicles 13:8). Reish Lakish said: It is because he demeaned the honor of Aḥiya the Shilonite, as it is stated: “Vain and wicked men gathered around him” (II Chronicles 13:7) – he called Aḥiya the Shilonite wicked.248It was Aḥiya the Shilonite, a prophet, who had appointed Yerovam king over the ten tribes and declared that they would break away from the kingdom of Judah. Aviya characterized Yerovam’s rise to power as supported only by vain and wicked men. The Rabbis say: It is because idol worship came under his authority and he did not eliminate it. That is what is written: “Aviya pursued Yerovam [and captured cities from him: Beit El and its environs…]” (II Chronicles 13:19), and it is written: “He positioned one in Beit El” (I Kings 12:29).249Yerovam had positioned a golden calf in Beit El as a place of worship, in place of the Temple in Jerusalem. When Aviya captured Beit El he did not destroy it. Consequently, it is clear that when Aviya derided Yerovam and the kingdom of Israel for its golden calves, he did so only to demean them. These matters can be deduces a fortiori: If, [regarding] a king who demeans a king, the verse states that he was afflicted, a commoner who demeans a commoner all the more so.250The Holy One blessed be He takes pity on the downtrodden.
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Sifrei Devarim
They said in the name of Abba the expounder: "shicheth lo": Israel has corrupted itself; (and) "not" its Father in heaven. And why all this? So as not to give a pretext to the wicked to say: "If we sin against Him, we distress Him" (for which reason He has forbidden us to sin). An analogy: A man is taken out to be crucified. His father cries over him and his mother cries and beats her breast over him. He says: "Woe unto me!" and she says: "Woe unto me!" But there is woe only unto him who is taken out to be crucified! And thus does Scripture state (Isaiah 3:9) "Woe unto their souls, for they have brought evil upon themselves!"
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