Midrash sobre Isaías 60:19

(Deut. 29:9:) “You are standing today.” This text is related (to Prov. 12:7), “The wicked are overturned (rt.: hpk) and are no more, but the house of the righteous shall stand.” Every time that the Holy One, blessed be He, looks at the works of the wicked and turns (rt.: hpk) them over (examines them), there is no recovery for them. He turned over the works of the generation of the flood, and there was no recovery for them, as stated (in Gen. 7:23), “And he wiped out all living things.” He turned over the works of the Sodomites, and there was no recovery for them, as stated (in Gen. 19:25), “And he overturned those cities.” He turned over the works of the Egyptians, and there was no recovery for them, as stated (in Exod. 14:28), “and not so much as one of them remained.” He turned over the works of Babylon, and there was no recovery for them, as stated (in Is. 14:22), “and from Babylon i will cut off name, remnant, offspring, and posterity.” Moreover, David has said about all of them (in Ps. 36:13), “There the evildoers have fallen; they are thrust down and cannot rise.” When Israel falls, however, it stands up [again], as stated (in Micah 7:8), “Rejoice not over me, O my enemy; when I fall, I shall arise….” It also says (in Mal. 3:6), “For I the Lord do not change; [and you, O Children of Jacob, are not destroyed (rt.: klh).” R. Hanina bar Pappa said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have never smitten a people and [restored] them, but (according to Mal. 3:6), “you Children of Jacob are not destroyed,”’ This is as stated (in Deut. 32:23), ‘I will use up (rt.: klh) My arrows on them,’ [meaning that] My arrows are used up (rt.: klh) but they are not destroyed (rt.: klh).” And so has the assembly of Israel said (in Lam. 3:12), “He has bent his bow; he has set me as a target for the arrow.” To what is the matter comparable? To a warrior who raises up the [target] post and shoots the arrows at them. The arrows are used up (rt.: klh), but the post stands. So it is also with Israel. Every time that afflictions came upon them, the afflictions ended, and they were standing in their place. Ergo it is stated (in Prov. 12:7), “The wicked are overturned and are no more.” Hezekiah the son of R. Hiyya said, “Why is this parashah next to the parashah about curses (i.e., Deut. 27:11-28:69)?¹Rashi on Deut. 29:12. Because Israel heard a hundred curses less two in this parashah, apart from the forty-nine which are uttered in the priestly Torah (i.e., in Leviticus). They immediately turned green in the face and said, ‘Who can withstand these [curses]?’ Moses called them immediately (in Deut. 29:1) and pacified them with [the words from Deut. 29:9].” What is written above the matter (in Deut. 29:1-2, 6)? “Then Moses summoned all of Israel [and said unto them, ‘You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt,] …. The great trials [which your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders]. When you came unto this place, [Sihon king of Heshbon and Og king of Bashan came out to engage us in battle; but we defeated them].” And you did not heed My voice, and you uttered words before Me for which you deserved destruction. Still I did not wreak destruction upon you, when it is stated (in Ps. 106:7), “When our ancestors were in Egypt, they did not consider Your wondrous works….” And not only that, but they said of the calf (in Exod. 32:4), “This is your god, O Israel.” Now if you should say, “For what reason did the [other] nations deserve destruction, while we are remaining alive?” It is because when afflictions come upon them, they kick against them and do not mention the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Ps. 79:6), “Pour out your wrath upon the nations that have not known you, [upon the kingdoms that do not invoke Your name].” In the case of Israel, however, when afflictions come upon them, they make submit and pray, as stated (in Ps. 116:3-4), “I found trouble and sorrow, but I shall invoke the name of the Lord.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Even though these maledictions come upon you, they [themselves] stand you up; and so it says (in Deut. 8:16), ‘in order to humble you and in order to test you, [so as to benefit you in the end].’” Thus did Moses say to Israel, “Even though afflictions come upon you, you have a standing.” It is therefore stated (in Deut. 29:9), “You are standing today, all of you.” Another interpretation (of Deut. 29:9), “You are standing (nizavim) today”: Why did Moshe make them into a pillar (mazevah)²A type of altar generally used for idolatry, but always forbidden by the Torah. See Deut. 16:22.? Because they would [change] from one opinion to another opinion: from the opinion of Moshe to the opinion of Joshua; from the opinion of Joshua to the opinion of the elders. And Joshua also made them into a pillar, as stated (in Josh. 24:1), “Joshua assembled all the tribes of Israel at Schechem, [and he summoned Israel’s elders and commanders, magistrates and officers; and they presented (yityazvu) themselves].” And Samuel – since they [changed] from his opinion to the opinion of the kings – also made them into a pillar, as stated (in I Sam. 12:7), “And now stand (hityazvu) and I will judge you.” Another interpretation (of Deut. 29:9), “You are standing today”: Just as today (literally: the day) sometimes darkens and sometimes lightens, so it is with you. Although you have darkness, the Holy One, blessed be He, is going to shine on you with light eternal, as stated (in Is. 60:19), “for the Lord shall be your everlasting light.” When? When you all become one group, as stated (in Deut. 4:4), “are all alive today.” According to universal custom, if one takes a group of reeds, will he be able to break them at one stroke! But if he takes them one by one, even an infant can break them. So also you find that Israel was not redeemed until they became one group, as stated (in Jer. 50:4), “’In those days and at that time,’ says the Lord,’ the children of Israel, they and the children of Judah, shall come together.’” When they are united, they shall welcome the face of the Divine Presence.

(Gen. 6:9:) THESE ARE THE GENERATIONS OF NOAH. [Let our master instruct us: For how many transgressions do women die at the time of their childbirth? Thus] have our masters taught (in Shab. 2:6):¹Tanh., Gen. 2:1. WOMEN DIE AT THE TIME OF THEIR CHILDBIRTH FOR THREE TRANSGRESSIONS: [BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN CAREFUL IN REGARD TO MENSTRUATION, IN REGARD TO THE HALLAH,²I.e., the priest’s share of the dough. AND IN REGARD TO THE LIGHTING OF THE < SABBATH > LAMP. These three commandments are also from the Torah.] Where is it shown about menstruation? Where it is stated (in Lev. 15:25): AND WHEN A WOMAN HAS HAD A DISCHARGE OF BLOOD. And where is it shown about the hallah? Where it is stated (in Numb. 15:20): YOU SHALL SET ASIDE THE FIRST OF YOUR DOUGH AS A HALLAH OFFERING. And where is it shown about the Sabbath lamp? Where it is stated (in Is. 58:13): AND YOU CALL THE SABBATH A DELIGHT. And why are the women charged with regard to these commandments?³Gen.R. 17:8; yShab. 2:4 (5b). Our sages have said: In the creation of the world Adam was first. Then came Eve, and she shed his blood in that he had heeded her. Thus it is stated (in Gen. 3:19): FOR DUST YOU ARE AND TO DUST YOU SHALL RETURN. The Holy One said: Let her be given the commandment of menstrual blood [so that she may have atonement] for that blood which she shed. And why the commandment of the hallah? Because Adam was the hallah of the world when she came and defiled him,⁴Cf. Gen. R. 14:1. the Holy One said: Let her be given the commandment of hallah so that she may have atonement for the hallah of the world, which she defiled. And where is it shown that Adam is the hallah of the world? Thus have our masters taught (in Hal. 3:1): ONCE THE WOMAN PUTS WATER into the dough, SHE IS TO REMOVE HER HALLAH. Thus did the Holy One do. R. Jose ben Qetsarta said: Once the Holy One put water on the ground, he immediately removed Adam as his hallah from the ground. Thus it says (in Gen. 2:6): BUT A MIST ('D) WENT UP FROM THE EARTH. THEN immediately (in vs. 7) THE LORD GOD FORMED < THE HUMAN ('DM) OUT OF DUST FROM THE GROUND >…. And the commandment of the lamp exists because Adam was the lamp of the Holy One, as stated (in Prov. 20:27): THE LAMP OF {GOD} [THE LORD] IS THE BREATH OF ADAM. But Eve came and extinguished it. The Holy One said: Let her be given the commandment of the lamp in order that she may have atonement for the lamp which she extinguished. Thus women have been charged with the commandments of the Sabbath lamp. The Holy One said: If you are careful with the Sabbath lamp, I also will be shining for you, as stated (in Is. 60:19): FOR THE LORD SHALL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT.

Another interpretation (of Deut. 29:9 [10]): YOU ARE STANDING TODAY <ALL OF YOU>. Just as TODAY (literally: THE DAY) sometimes darkens and sometimes lightens, so it is with you. Although you have darkness, the Holy One is going to shine on you with light eternal, as stated (in Is. 60:19): FOR THE LORD SHALL BE YOUR EVERLASTING LIGHT. When? When you all become one group, as stated (in Deut. 4:4): [BUT YOU WHO CLUNG TO THE LORD YOUR GOD] ARE ALL ALIVE TODAY. According to universal custom, if one takes a group of reeds, will he be able to break them at one stroke! But if he takes them one by one, even an infant can break them. So also you find that Israel was not redeemed until they became one group, as stated (in Jer. 50:4): IN THOSE DAYS AND AT THAT TIME, SAYS THE LORD, THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, THEY AND THE CHILDREN OF JUDAH, SHALL COME TOGETHER. It also says (In Jer. 3:18): [IN THOSE DAYS] THE HOUSE OF JUDAH SHALL GO WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, AND THEY SHALL COME TOGETHER FROM THE LAND OF THE NORTH. When they are united, they shall welcome the face of the Divine Presence.