Commentaire sur Daniel 4:35

was tranquil in my house [as translated,] was tranquil in my house.

and it frightened me It brought upon me fear and fright.

Until, at last, until, at last, Daniel was brought in before me.

like the name of my god The deity of Babylon was named Bel. Teshazzar is the name of an expression of wisdom in Aramaic.

and no secret is hidden from you No mystery is robbed [from you] or denied you.

The tree grew and became strong The tree grew and became stronger and stronger.

reached the sky [as translated,] reached the sky.

its branches were beautiful [as translated,] its branches were beautiful.

and its fruit was plentiful [as translated,] and its fruit was plentiful.

and on it was sustenance for all On it was enough sustenance for all

took shade Aram. תַּטְלֵל, an expression of shade.

dwelt Aram. יְדֻרָן, an expression of dwelling and lodging.

was nourished Aram. יִתְּזִין, an expression of food.

I saw lit. I was seeing.

and behold a wakeful holy one i.e., an angel who is forever awake and holy.

Crying out loudly crying with might.

Cut down the tree...shake off its branches shake off and cause its branches to fall.

shake off its branches shake off and cause its branches to fall.

and scatter its fruit [as translated,] and scatter its fruit.

the beasts shall wander away from beneath it [as translated,] the beasts shall wander away from beneath it.

But leave its main roots in the ground but its main roots leave over.

and in fetters of iron and copper i.e., place his feet in iron fetters as is done to a horse that is left in the meadow; so shall you chain him with fetters.

in the grass Aram. בְדִתְאָא in the grass of the field, i.e., in the meadow, so that he should not move from there.

it shall be drenched Aram.

its lot [as translated,] its lot. יִצְטַבַּע, it shall always be drenched, an expression of immersion.

and seven periods seven years.

will pass over him will pass over him with this decree.

the edict a decree, but since they take counsel from the Holy One, blessed be He, before they issue the decree, he calls it a question.

in order that Aram. עַד דִּבְרַת, like לְמַעַן.

that the living should know in order that all the living should know.

and to whom He wishes [as translated,] and to whom He wishes.

its interpretation [as translated,] its interpretation.

but you can [as translated,] but you can.

Then Daniel, whose name is Belteshazzar, was bewildered He was silent.

and his thoughts [as translated,] and his thoughts.

alarmed him for he was afraid to interpret the dream for him.

My lord Aram. מָרִאי. Our Rabbis said (Shevu. 35b): “My Lord, may the dream be for Your enemies,” refers to God. He raised his eyes to the Holy One, blessed be He, and said, “May this dream be fulfilled upon this enemy of Yours.” But if you say that he said it to Nebuchadnezzar, was not Israel his enemy? Is it possible that he would curse them?

for your foes Aram. לְעָרָךְ, like (Sam. 28:16): “and has become [the supporter of] your foes (עָרֶךָ).”

which befalls my lord, the king [as translated,] which befalls my lord, the king.

And they will banish you from mankind [as translated,] and they will banish you from mankind.

and with the dew of the heavens you shall be drenched They will immerse you.

and seven periods shall pass over you We may say that this is the recompense for the Temple, which he destroyed, which was built in seven years.

And what they said, etc. What they said—to leave the roots of the tree—this is the interpretation: מַלְכוּתָךְ, your kingdom—will remain yours. Your kingdom will ultimately be restored to you.

as soon as you know that Heaven rules as soon as you know that the heavenly beings rule over the world.

Indeed, O king Indeed, O king, hearken to my counsel.

my counsel Aram. מִלְכִּי, my counsel, like (Num. 24:14): “I shall advise you (אִיעָצְךָ),” which is translated: אֲמַלְּכִינָךְ.

please you May my counsel please you that you hearken to my words.

and with charity you will remove your sin With charity, break your sin off your neck.

and your iniquity by showing mercy to poor and remove your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor.

perhaps your tranquility will last Perhaps there will be time for your tranquility, that the evil should not come swiftly. Now what did Daniel see to give Nebuchadnezzar good advice? He saw the Jews poor and humbled by the exile, going from door to door begging for alms, and he gave him advice to deal mercifully with them. He said to him, “These poor people whom you exiled are hungry; nourish them.” And so he did. He opened his storehouses and fed them for a full twelve months.

All this befell The entire interpretation befell Nebuchadnezzar.

he was walking [as translated,] he was walking.

Is this not He heard poor people coming to the door and crying out. He said, “What is the sound of this multitude in my ears?” His servants said to him, “These are the poor for whom you arranged a time to feed.” He said, “Is this not the great Babylon, etc. If I had squandered my storehouses, from where would I have built all these palaces? From now on, I shall not feed them.” Rabbi Tanhuma (Mishpatim 4) explained it in this manner.

and for the honor of my glory [as translated,] and for the honor of my glory.

has turned away from you [as translated,] has turned away from you.

they will banish Aram. טָרְדִין. an expression of driving away.

was fulfilled The decree was executed upon him.

his hair grew like [the feathers of] eagles His hair grew over his entire body like eagles’ feathers.

and his nails like birds and his nails were like a bird’s [talons].

And at the end of the days at the end of the days that were set for him; at the end of the seven years.

raised [as translated,] raised.

and my understanding was restored to me [as translated,] and my understanding was restored to me.

and I blessed the Most High [as translated,] and I blessed the Most High.

are reckoned as nothing Aram. כְּלָה. Our Rabbis said (Yoma 20b): The dust of the sun is called לָא i.e., the dust that appears in the sun.

and according to His will, He does with the host of heaven [as translated,] and according to His will, He does with the host of heaven.

and no one can stop His hand Aram. וְלָא אִיתַי דִּי יְמַחֵא בִידֵהּ. And there is none who will stop His hand.

At that time [as translated,] at that time.

and I returned to the glory of my kingdom [as translated,] and I returned to the glory of my kingdom.

and my splendor the features of my face.

my leaders and my dignitaries were seeking me and My advisers and my princes were seeking me and hoping for my return.

and I was established [as translated,] and I was established.

and excessive greatness was added to me and more greatness than the earlier [kings] was added to me. Our Rabbis said (Shab. 150a) that he rode astride a lion and tied a serpent to its head.

and Whose ways are just His ways are just.

who walk with arrogance Those who walk with arrogance He can humble.