Midrash sobre Habacuc 2:4

R. Nechemiah says: If one takes upon himself a single mitzvah in (true) faith, he is worthy of having the Holy Spirit repose upon him. And thus do we find with Moses, David, and Devorah that (in the fulness of their faith) they chanted song and the Holy Spirit reposed upon them. And thus do you find that Israel were redeemed from Egypt only in reward for their faith, viz. (Exodus 4:31) "And the people believed, etc." And thus is it written (Psalms 31:24) "The L rd guards the faithful." The faithfulness of the fathers is brought to remembrance, viz. (Exodus 17:12) "And Aaron and Chur supported his (Moses') hands, and his hands were (lifted in) faithfulness until the sun set." And it is written (Psalms 108:20) "This is the gate to the L rd. Tzaddikim (faithful in prayer) will enter through it." What is written of the "believers"? (Isaiah 26:2) "Open the gates and let there enter a nation that is (a) tzaddik, a keeper of faith" — this gate is to be entered by all believers. (Psalms 92:2-5) "It is good to praise the L rd and so sing to Your exalted name. To proclaim in the morning Your lovingkindness, and Your faithfulness in the nights. With a ten-stringed harp, with voice and lyre together. For You have gladdened me by Your deeds, O L rd. At the work of Your hands I will sing." What made him worthy of this joy? The belief held by our fathers in this world, which is all "night." Thus, "to proclaim in the world (to come) Your lovingkindness and Your faithfulness in the 'nights'" (i.e., this world). And thus with Yehoshafat (II Chronicles 20:20) "And they rose early in the morning and they went to the desert of Tekoa. And as they went forth Yehoshafat arose and said: 'Hear me, Judah and dwellers of Jerusalem: Believe in the L rd your G d and you will rest assured. Believe in His prophets and you will succeed.'" And it is written (Jeremiah 5:3) "O L rd, are Your eyes not (looking) for belief?" (Habakkuk 2:4) "And the tzaddik in his belief shall live", and (Eichah 3:23) "They (Your mercies) are renewed every morning — Great is Your faithfulness." And thus do you find that the exiles are gathered in, only in reward for faith, as it is written (Song of Songs 4:8) "With Me, from Levanon, My bride; With Me from Levanon shall you come (out of exile). You shall look (upon the redemption) merosh amanah" (homiletically: "in the merit of emunah [belief]). (Hoshea 2:22) "And I will betroth you to Me forever … and I will betroth you to Me with emunah."

[Another interpretation (of Exod. 25:2): AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE.] The Holy One said to them: I am not bothering with <any> other people except you. What is written (in Hab. 2:4)? LO, HIS INNER SOUL IS ARROGANT, NOT UPRIGHT; BUT THE RIGHTEOUS PERSON SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITHFULNESS. LO, <HIS INNER SOUL> IS ARROGANT. This refers to Nebuchadnezzar. How? The Holy One had made him king over all the world but he was unhappy with his lot. (Ibid.:) HIS INNER SOUL IS <…> NOT UPRIGHT. Then he looked at himself and felt ashamed;¹⁷Cf. PRK 13:8, according to which Nebuchadnezzar was a dwarf. Similarly Tanh., Exod. 7:4, which finds a clue to his smallness in his name. but he said: I am king. Thus it says: HIS INNER SOUL IS <…> NOT UPRIGHT. (Ibid., cont.:) BUT THE RIGHTEOUS PERSON SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITHFULNESS (rt.: 'MN). In the world to come the Holy One will judge the children of Adam, each and every one along with the children of his handiwork (rt.: 'MN); BUT THE RIGHTEOUS PERSON SHALL LIVE with fidelity (rt.: 'MN). The Holy One said to them: Each and every one {is from} [lives off] his handiwork (rt.: 'MN). Now I have redeemed you from Egypt, but you are not setting aside for me a priestly share. (Exod. 25:2): AND LET THEM TAKE FOR ME A PRIESTLY SHARE….

R. Simlai lectured: "Six hundred and thirteen commands were spoken to Moses; three hundred and sixty-five of them negatives, corresponding to the number of days in the year counting according to the solar system, and two hundred and forty-eight positives, corresponding to the members of a human body." Said R. Hamnuna: "Where is the passage to prove this? (Deut. 33, 4) The Torah which Moses commanded us. The numerical value of the word Torah amounts to six hundred and eleven. (Fol. 24) I am; and, Thou shalt have no [of the first two commandments], we heard from the Almighty Himself. David, however, came and reduced their number to eleven, as it is written (Ps. 15, 2-5) A Psalm of David, Lord, we shall sojourn in Thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell upon Thy holy mountain? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh truth in his heart, etc., i.e., He that walketh uprightly, refers to Abraham, concernnig whom such an expression is written (Gen. 17, 1) Walk before Me, and be upright. Worketh righteously, refers to a man like Aba Chelkia.' And speaketh the truth refers to man like Rabbi Saphra. Nor doeth evil to his fellows, i.e., who takes care not to compete with his neighbor's business. That hath no slander upon his tongue, refers to our father Jacob, concerning whom it is written (Gen. 27, 12) My father peradventure will feel me. Nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbor, refers to one who befriends his relatives. In whose eyes a vile person is despised, refers to Hezekiah, King of Judea, who caused his father's bones to be carried on a bed of ropes. But he honoreth them that fear the Lord, refers to Jehoshaphath, King of Judea, who upon seeing a scholar, would rise from his throne, kiss him, and call him, my father, my master, my teacher, my master, my master. But that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not; this refers to R. Jochanan, who said: 'If one says I will fast until I will come home.' He that putteth not out his money on interest, i.e., not even from an idolater. Nor taketh no bribe, refers to men like R. Ismael b. Jose. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. When R. Gamaliel would come to this passage, he used to weep, saying: "Only one who performed all these shall not be moved, but [if he performs merely] one of them, he might be moved;" whereupon R. Akiba said to him: "According to your opinion then how would you explain the passage (Lev. 18, 24) Defile not ye yourselves in all of those things. Do you mean to say that only if in all of these things, but not one?" You must therefore say that it means to any of these things. The same could also be explained. Isaiah then came and reduced them (the six hundred and thirteen commands) to six as it is said (33, 15) He that walketh righteously, and speaketh uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that shaketh his hands from holding of bribes; that stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes from looking on evil. He that walketh righteously, refers to Abraham, of whom it is written (Gen. 18, 19) For I have known him, to do righteousness and justice, etc. Speaketh uprightly, refers to him who does not anger his colleague in public. And he despiseth the gain of oppressions, refers to R. Ismael b. Elisha. That shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, refers to R. Ishmael b. Jose. That stoppeth his ears from hearing of blood, refers to R. Elazar b. Simon. And shutteth his eyes from looking on evil, as R. Chiya b. Aba explained this to refer to one "who does not look upon women washing near the bank of the river." When Michah [the prophet] came he reduced them to three (6, 8) It hath been told thee, o man, what is good; and what the Lord doth require of thee: (only) to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God. To do justly, refers to the law; love mercy, refers to loving kindness; and walk humbly, providing for the marriage of poor maidens and the burial of the dead. Is this not an a fortiori conclusion! If concerning matters which are not to be performed in secrecy, the Torah says to walk humbly, how much more so should this be applied to matters which are accustomed to be done in secrecy! Isaiah finally reduced them to two, as it is said (56, 1) Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye justice, and do righteousness. Amos then came and reduced them to one, as it is said (Amos 5, 4) For thus saith the Lord unto the house of Israel: Seek ye Me, and live. R. Nachman b. Isaac raised the following objection: Perhaps he means by Seek ye Me, to perform the entire Torah? We must therefore say that it was Habakkuk [the prophet] who came and reduced them to one (2, 4) But the righteous shall live by his faith.

Take for Me an offering. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Israel: I did not impose this upon other nations but upon you alone. Observe what is written in the verse Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him; but the righteous shall live by his faith (Hab. 2:4). Behold, his soul is puffed up, it is not upright in him refers to Nebuchadnezzar. How do we know this? The Holy One, blessed be He, made him ruler of the entire world, yet he did not rejoice in his lot, as it is said: His soul is not upright in him. When he looked at himself he became embarrassed in the presence of his fellow men. He would say: “I am king,” yet his soul was not upright in him. Why was that? Because he was squat in stature, like a kad (“jug”). That is why he was called Nebukadnezzar.

(Zech. 13:8:) “’And it shall come to pass throughout all the land,’ says the Lord, ‘that two-thirds in it shall be cut off [and] die, but one-third shall remain in it.’” This is what is stated with the holy spirit through David (in Ps. 97:7), “All who worship an image, who boast in idols, are put to shame.” With reference to whom was he saying it? He only said it with reference to the Holy One, blessed be He. R. Hanina said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, is going to show His glory to all who have come into the world; for He will lower His throne in the middle of the firmament and again set it in place where the sun rises during the period of [the month of] Tebeth.” R. Hanina the Elder said to him, “Is it possible to see His glory, even the One of whom it is written (in Exod. 33:20), ‘for no human may see Me and live?’ Now you are saying, ‘The Holy One, blessed be He, is going to show His glory to all who have come into the world.’” He said to him, “See, it is written (in Ps. 84:12), ‘For the Lord God] is sun and shield […].” Just as a sun and shield denotes a shield over one in time of war, so also will the Holy One, blessed be He, be a shield over His children at that time [of His appearing].²⁰Even though the Holy One on his throne shines with the blinding rays of the sun, He will also provide a shield from these rays. R. Hanina said, “In the time that the Lord judges the peoples of the world, He seizes them for judgment; them, their Gods, and the one who sets up images²¹The translation reads protomin (Gk. partomai, denoting imperial busts.) for Buber’s pittumin. The emendation was first suggested by Jastrow, s.v. perotomi, and agrees with a note from S. Lieberman given orally to Daniel Sperber and cited in “Greek and Latin Words in Rabbinic Literature,” Bar-Ilan: Annual of Bar-ilan University Studies in Judaica and the Humanities, 14–15(1977), p. 12, n. 7. Buber’s pittumin, which means “ingredients” or “spices,” makes relatively little sense. Cf. Codex Vaticanus, Ebr. 34, which reads “patronin” (Gk.: patrones; Lat.: patroni), and denotes protectors. for them. Next He brings the two tablets with the Ten Commandments and says to them (i.e., to the tablets), ‘Have they all paid attention to you?’ Then they say to him, ‘From the day that You created us, no one has paid attention to us with the lone exception of Your people Israel.’” (Ps. 96:7:) “Who boast in idols.” [It would be] more fitting for Scripture to say, “who trust.” What is the meaning of “who boast?” That they did not perform idol worship until they had honored each other (for doing so). The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “On each day you will feel shame before Me. There are those among you who serve doves, and a lot of doves are slaughtered. There are also those among you who serve bricks, and a lot of bricks are broken in the marketplace. There are those among you who serve fish, and a lot of fish are sold in the marketplace.” Immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, put them to shame, as stated (in Micah 7:16), “The nations shall see Me and be ashamed […].” R. Hama bar Hanina said, “What is the meaning of (Is. 43:9), ‘All the nations are gathered together […].’ In the world to come the Holy One, blessed be He, brings the book of Torah and puts it on His lap.²²‘AZ 2a-3b. Then He says, ‘Let anyone who is occupied with this, come and receive his reward.’ Immediately all the peoples gather in confusion, as stated (ibid.), ‘All the nations are gathered together […].’ The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘Do not be gathered in confusion, but [have] every nation [come separately] with its scribes,’ as stated (ibid, cont.), ‘and let the peoples assemble.’ Edom (the Roman Empire) entered. The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘With what were you occupied?’ They say to Him, ‘We have established a lot of marketplaces, produced a lot of baths, and multiplied silver and gold. And everything was [done] so that Israel would [have leisure to] be occupied with Torah.’ He [then says] to them, ‘Everything that you did, you did for your own needs. Marketplaces are for settling harlots in. Baths are to refresh yourselves. Silver and gold are mine, as stated (in Hag. 2:8), “The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine.”’ The Persian Empire entered. He says to them, ‘With what were you occupied?’ They say, ‘We have conquered a lot of cities, established a lot of bridges, waged a lot of wars. And everything was [done] for the sake of Israel.’ He [then] says to them, ‘Everything that you did, you did for the sake of yourselves. Cities were for producing forced labor²³Gk.: angareia; Lat.: angaria. in them. Bridges were for collecting tolls. Wars [are what] I have waged, as stated (in Exod. 15:3), “The Lord is a man of war.” Are there any among you declaring “this?”’ It is so stated (in Is. 43:9, cont.), ‘who among them will declare this?’ Now ‘this’ can only be Torah, since it is stated (in Deut. 4:44), ‘And this is the Torah which Moses set.’ They say to Him ‘Did you give us anything that we have not accepted?’ [But] it says about them (in Deut. 33:2), ‘The Lord came forth from Sinai, and shone upon them from Seir….’ [This] teaches that the Holy One, blessed be He, brought [the light of Torah] to all the peoples of the world, but they did not want to accept it. [So] they say to Him, ‘Did You overturn the mountain above us like a basin like you did to Israel, as stated (in Exod. 19:17), “And they stood at the nether part of the mount,” and You said to them, “If you accept the Torah, excellent, but if not, there [under the mountain], will be your burial.” As if it were not for this, they [too] would not have accepted it.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, says to them, ‘But did they not say from the beginning (in Exod. 24:7), “we shall do and we shall heed?”’ They [then] say to Him, ‘Master of the world, give it to us in advance, and we will carry it out.’ He says to them, ‘I am giving you an easy commandment. If you observe it, I will give you a reward like [that of] Israel.’ He says to them, ‘Go and make a sukkah (booth).’ Immediately each and every one goes and builds a sukkah for himself. [But] when the Holy One, blessed be He, brings out the sun from its case,²⁴Gk. and Lat.: narthex, where it originally denoted a shrub. each one tramples down his sukkah and goes away, as stated (in Ps. 2:3), ‘Let us break their bonds asunder.’ Then the Holy One, blessed be He, sits and laughs at them, as stated (in vs. 4), ‘The One sitting in the heavens will laugh; the Lord will deride them.’” (Ps. 97:7, end:) “And all the powers will bow down to Him.” When He judges the peoples of the world, he will judge their gods along with them, as stated (in Is. 66:16), “For in fire will the Lord execute judgment….” When they are unable to remain in the fire, they fly away. Then the Holy One, blessed be He, sends out angels with [prisoner] collars²⁵Qolarin from the Lat.: collaria; cf. colla (“necks”). and chains, and they cast them into the midst of the fire, as stated (in Mal. 3:19), “’And that day is coming burning like an oven,’ said the Lord of Hosts, ‘[(it) shall burn them to ashes] and leave of them neither stock nor boughs.’” Another interpretation (of Ps. 97:7), “And all the powers bow down to Him”: All the idolaters say to their gods, “Come and bow down before the Holy One, blessed be He, for you have led us astray.” Immediately (according to Is. 2:18), “And the idols shall completely vanish,” and the idolaters bring them down into Gehinnom. It is therefore stated (in Ps. 97:7), “All who worship an image are put to shame.” (Zech. 13:8:) “And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds in it shall be cut off [and] die,” these are those that say there are two powers in the Heavens; “but one-third (shelishit) shall remain in it,” these are Israel, who are from a third (shelishit) of the world, [as they are] the children of three (sheloshet) patriarchs. Another interpretation (of Zech. 13:8) “but one-third shall remain in it”: [These words mean] that they shall only settle in their land in the third deliverance. The first deliverance was the deliverance from Egypt. The second was the deliverance of [in the time of] Ezra. The third has no interruption. R. Simlay said, “Six hundred and thirteen commandments were spoken to Moses on Sinai.²⁶Makk. 23b-24a; M. Pss. 17(addendum):18-25. David came and established them upon eleven [principles], as stated (in Ps. 15:1), ‘O Lord, who shall dwell in Your tent,’ and all [of that] psalm.²⁷The five verses to this psalm contain exactly eleven stipulations (in vss. 2-4a) for dwelling with the Holy One without being shaken. Isaiah came and established them upon six, as stated (in Is. 33:15), ‘(1) One who walks righteously and (2) speaks uprightly, (3) who detests the unjust gain of oppression, (4) who shakes his finger (literally, his hand) against grasping at a bribe, (5) [who shuts off his ears against hearing of bloodshed, and (6) closes his eyes against looking at evil].’ And it is written after that (in vs.16), ‘Such a one shall dwell on the heights; the strongholds on cliffs shall be his refuge, with his food supplied and his water assured.’ Micah came and established them upon three, as stated (in Micah 6:8), ‘He has told you, O human, what is good; so what does the Lord demand of you but to practice justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God.’ Amos came established them upon two, as stated (in Amos 5:4), ‘For thus says the Lord […], “seek Me and live.”’ Habakkuk came and established them upon one, as stated (in Hab. 2:4), ‘but the righteous person shall live by his faithfulness.’”

“What is the advantage of one who works, in that he toils?” (Ecclesiastes 3:9).
“What is the advantage of one who works…” – Solomon said: Since there are appointed times for everything, to what avail is his craft for the craftsman, and uprightness for the upright?²⁷One is subject to good or bad fortune regardless of one’s efforts in this world, or one’s uprightness. Alternatively, “what is the advantage”? Each and every person is situated only with those whose actions are like his.²⁸People whose degree of righteousness is similar receive a similar portion in the World to Come. Rabbi Yitzḥak ben Rabbi Maryon said: “The righteous one will live by his faith” (Habakkuk 2:4), even the eternal Righteous One is sustained by His faithfulness. The Holy One blessed be He said: ‘Initially, I killed the Egyptian firstborn, as it is stated: “It was at midnight, and the Lord smote…” (Exodus 12:29); so, too, every firstborn that will be born to you, you shall consecrate to me, as it is stated: “Consecrate to me each firstborn” (Exodus 13:2); you shall consecrate the firstborn to me due to My faithfulness’ – that is: “The righteous one will live by his faith.”
Rabbi Pinḥas [said] in the name of Rabbi Reuven: To what is this matter comparable? [It is comparable] to a king who prepared a feast and invited guests to join him. The king issued an edict and said: ‘Each and every person shall bring with him something on which to recline.’ Some brought rugs, some brought mats, some brought blankets, some brought pillows, some brought chairs, some brought logs, and some brought stones. The king viewed them and said: ‘Each and every person shall recline on what he brought.’ Those who were sitting on the logs and the stones were aggrieved at the king, and said: ‘Is this befitting the honor of a king, that we should be sitting on logs and stones?’ When the king heard [this], he said to them: ‘Is it not enough that you tarnished the palace with [your] logs and stones, which cost me significant [cleaning] expenditures, but you are also impudent to me, and direct accusations against me? Your “honor” was achieved only by you, yourselves.’ So too, in the future, the wicked will be sentenced to Gehenna, and they will be aggrieved at the Holy One blessed be He: ‘We were anticipating the salvation of the Holy One blessed be He, and this befell us?’ The Holy One blessed be He will say to them: ‘When you were [alive] in the world, were you not quarrelsome, slanderers, and evildoers? Were you not men of disputes and men of violence?’ That is what is written: “Behold, all you who kindle a fire, who gird yourselves with firebrands” (Isaiah 50:11) – therefore, “go in the flame of your fire, and among the firebrands that you kindled” (Isaiah 50:11). Lest you say: “From My hand this was to you” (Isaiah 50:11): no, you did this to yourselves; therefore, “you shall lie in sorrow” (Isaiah 50:11), you did this to yourselves.
Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish was toiling in Torah study to the fullest extent in the forest of Tiberias. There was a potter there who would prepare him a vessel of drinking water each day. [Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish] would enter²⁹A cave, where the potter would leave water for him (Etz Yosef). very tired, and take it and drink it. One time, [the potter] entered and sat with him and fanned him lightly. He said to him: ‘Rabbi, do you remember that you and I would go to the synagogue³⁰When they were children, to study Torah. together? You merited and this man³¹The potter said this about himself. did not merit. Pray for me that my portion will be with you in the World to Come.’ He said to him: ‘What will I pray for you that you should have it? You will come with people whose actions are like yours. Each and every person is situated only with those whose actions are like his.’

Another interpretation (of Ps. 97:7): {AND} ALL GODS BOW DOWN TO {YOU} [HIM]. The peoples of the world say to their gods: Come and fall down before the Holy One, for you have led us astray. Immediately (according to Is. 2:18): AND THE IDOLS SHALL COMPLETELY VANISH. Then the Holy One brings the peoples of the world down into Gehinnom. It is therefore stated (in Ps. 97:7): ALL WHO WORSHIP AN IMAGE, <WHO BOAST IN IDOLS, > ARE PUT TO SHAME…. (Zech. 13:8:) AND IT SHALL COME TO PASS THROUGHOUT ALL THE LAND, SAYS THE LORD, THAT TWO-THIRDS IN IT SHALL BE CUT OFF {AND} DIE, BUT ONE-THIRD (shelishit) SHALL REMAIN IN IT. [These comprise Israel, who are from a deposit (shelishut)⁴⁴Cf. the parallel in Tanh., Deut. 5:9, which reads shelishut (“third”) here. for the world <as> the children of three (sheloshet) patriarchs. Another interpretation (of Zech. 13:8:) BUT ONE-THIRD SHALL REMAIN IN IT.: <These words mean> that they shall only settle in their land in a third deliverance. The first deliverance was the deliverance from Egypt. The second was the deliverance of <in the time of> Ezra. The third has no interruption. R. Simlay said: Six hundred and thirteen commandments were spoken to Moses on Sinai.⁴⁵Makk. 23b-24a; M. Pss. 17(addendum):18–25. David came and reduced them to eleven, as stated (in Ps. 15:1–2): O LORD, WHO SHALL DWELL IN YOUR TENT? […. ] THE ONE WHO WALKS BLAMELESSLY…. up to (vs. 5): THE ONE WHO DOES THESE THINGS SHALL NEVER BE SHAKEN.⁴⁶The five verses to this psalm contain exactly eleven stipulations (in vss. 2–4a) for dwelling with the Holy One without being shaken. Isaiah came and reduced them to six, as stated (in Is. 33:15): (1) ONE WHO WALKS RIGHTEOUSLY AND (2) SPEAKS UPRIGHTLY, (3) WHO DETESTS THE UNJUST GAIN OF OPPRESSION, (4) WHO SHAKES HIS FINGER (literally: HIS HAND) AGAINST GRASPING AT A BRIBE, (5) [WHO SHUTS OFF HIS EARS AGAINST HEARING OF BLOODSHED,] AND (6) CLOSES HIS EYES AGAINST LOOKING AT EVIL. It is also written after that (in vs.16): {AND} THAT SUCH A ONE SHALL DWELL ON THE HEIGHTS; THE STRONGHOLDS ON CLIFFS SHALL BE HIS REFUGE, WITH HIS FOOD SUPPLIED AND HIS WATER ASSURED. Micah came and reduced them to three, as stated (in Micah 6:8): HE HAS TOLD YOU, O HUMAN, WHAT IS GOOD. SO WHAT DOES THE LORD DEMAND OF YOU BUT TO PRACTICE JUSTICE, LOVE KINDNESS, AND TO WALK HUMBLY WITH YOUR GOD. Amos came and reduced them to two, as stated (in Amos 5:4): FOR THUS SAYS THE LORD […]: SEEK ME AND LIVE. Habakkuk came and reduced them to one, as stated (in Hab. 2:4): BUT THE RIGHTEOUS PERSON SHALL LIVE BY HIS FAITHFULNESS.⁴⁷See Romans 1:17.

Scripture states: This is the gate of the Lord, the righteous shall enter into it (Ps. 118:20). Who are the righteous ones that will enter? The faithful ones, as it is said: Open ye the gates, that the righteous nation that keepeth faithfulness may enter in (Isa. 26:2). This is the gate that the faithful enter, as it is said: It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O Most High, to declare Thy loving-kindness in the morning (Ps. 92:2). What is written after that? For Thou hast made me glad. What makes us glad? It is the faith which our fathers professed in this world, which is all night, as it is written: And thy faithfulness in the night seasons (ibid., v. 3). And it is also written: But the righteous shall live by his faith (Hab. 2:4), and They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness (Lam. 3:23).