Pensée juive sur Ézéchiel 21:19

And in the Midrash (Vayikra Rabba 13,5) This is the opinion of Rebbe Yochanan, that said Rebbe Yochanan (Jeremiah 5:6) "Therefore, the lion of the forest" - this is Babylon, "the wolf of the desert ravages them" - this is Persia, "The leopard lies in wait" - this is Greece, "Whoever leaves them will be torn to pieces" - this is Rome. Why? "For their transgressions are many, their rebellious acts unnumbered". (Daniel 7:6) "After that, as I looked on, there was another one, like a leopard" - this is Greece, for they established their decrees and they said to Yisrael write on the horn of an ox that there isn't to you a portion in the World to Come (in the G-d of Yisrael). (Daniel 7:7) "After that, as I looked on in the night vision, there was a fourth beast—fearsome, dreadful, and very powerful" - this is Rome. Daniel saw three in one night, and this one [the vision of Rome] in one night. Why? Rebbe Yochanan and Rebbe Shimon Ben Lakish: Rebbe Yochanan says, that is [Rome] is weighted against the three, and Rebbe Shimon Ben Lakish says, even more. Rebbe Yochanan challenged Rebbe Shimon Ben Lakish (Ezekiel 21:19) "O mortal, prophesy, striking hand against hand". This is what Rebbe Shimon Ben Lakish was using (Ezekiel 21, 19) "A second time [doubling]". Behold you can explain these worlds as we have said, for the fourth empire is weighted against the other three empires. And therefore Daniel sees the three empires in one night, and the fourth empire in one night unto itself. And what that Reish Lakish reasons that it [the fourth empire] was weighted more than the other three, this concept is because in such as there exists within it [the fourth empire] the three in such that there are three empires, each power has assistance to it from the second one [each power bolsters the next]. For certainly the years of people who are together, versus one who is alone, the [years of] one aren't weighted like half the the years of those who are together, for good are the years together rather than alone, for one individual assists the second one. And therefore, Reish Lakish says that the Empire which incorporates these three [empires] is actually bigger than these three, in such that they are divided, each one unto itself. And the attacking question of Rebbi Yochanan upon Reish Lakish, from the verse (Ezekiel 29:19) "O mortal, prophesy, striking hand against hand", this concept is that he hit hand against hand in renewal and wonder, and this concept was said when he said that there would be established a fourth Empire. And upon this it said "striking hand against hand", for the Empire will be forceful within the world, for this empire will be weighted against the other three Empires. And therefore it was said, "striking hand against hand", for a hand is three Empires, and the second hand is unto itself, this is the fourth Empire, which is weighted equal to the other three, and not more, for it is not mentioned more, but that it should be striking hand against hand. And upon this Reish Laish responds, "A second time [doubling]" (Ezekiel 21:19) it was written, which his to say that there will be two occasions of striking, hand against hand, that the fourth Empire will be weighed equal to the three and then further still than the three, which is a further wonder, and that's why [the verse] says "A second time [doubling]". And therefore this empire, it demands that it should be everything, and none other should be with it in existence whatsoever, and this isn't so with the three initial Empires. For to each one of the four empires there was a specific attribute: [G-dliness, for to each one of the four empires there was a specific attribute: -- this line is taken out of R' Hartman edition and seemingly sensibly for it appears a mimic of the previous sentence].

And this, is because the first empire - the Babylonian Empire - sought the important of being considered "everything", as it is written in Daniel (Daniel 2:38) "you are the head of gold", which is to say that he [Babylon] is the head with the most importance. And this is what he sought in his elevation upon everything, and when Daniel saw this first beast, it was similar to a lion. For the lion is the most important of the beasts, as it is said in [the Talmud] (Chagigah 13b) "As the Master said: The king of the beasts is the lion". And it sought only the most exceeding importance, and therefore [Daniel] saw that it had (Daniel 7:4) "wings of an eagle", for the eagle is the bird of the sky that soars to the highest heights. But the second empire [Daniel] said about it (Daniel 2:32) "its breast and arms were of silver". For this empire loved the accumulation of wealth, and 'the lover of money will never be satiated by money' [(Ecclesiastes 5:9) - this version does not quote to original source as does in R' Hartmann]. And the third Empire [Daniel] saw it (Daniel 2, 39) "Copper", because it was bold and swift to go and conquer distant lands, and therefore it's empire was aggressive and bold like copper which is bold, and he [Daniel] called it a leopard for it is bold faced.