Midrash sur Daniel 5:12
כָּל־קֳבֵ֡ל דִּ֣י ר֣וּחַ ׀ יַתִּירָ֡ה וּמַנְדַּ֡ע וְשָׂכְלְתָנ֡וּ מְפַשַּׁ֣ר חֶלְמִין֩ וַֽאַֽחֲוָיַ֨ת אֲחִידָ֜ן וּמְשָׁרֵ֣א קִטְרִ֗ין הִשְׁתְּכַ֤חַת בֵּהּ֙ בְּדָ֣נִיֵּ֔אל דִּֽי־מַלְכָּ֥א שָׂם־שְׁמֵ֖הּ בֵּלְטְשַׁאצַּ֑ר כְּעַ֛ן דָּנִיֵּ֥אל יִתְקְרֵ֖י וּפִשְׁרָ֥ה יְהַֽחֲוֵֽה׃ (פ)
Parce qu’un esprit supérieur, la science, l’intelligence, l’art d’interpréter les songes, d’éclaircir les énigmes, de résoudre les difficultés se sont rencontrés chez ce Daniel, que le roi avait surnommé Beltchaçar. Que Daniel soit donc mandé, et il dévoilera ce que cela signifie."
Ruth Rabbah
“He said: Bring the kerchief that is upon you, and hold it, and she held it. He measured six measures of barley, and placed it on her; and he came to the city” (Ruth 3:15).
“He said: Bring [havi (fem.)] the kerchief that is upon you,” – hava [masc.] is written,224In the standard version of the book of Ruth, this term is actually written havi, not hava. teaching that he spoke to her in masculine language so no one would sense.225That a woman was present. “And hold it,” teaching that she girded her loins like a man.226She was very powerful in her ability to carry so great a burden. “He measured six measures of barley, and placed it on her.” 227The literal translation is “six barleys” rather than six measures of barley. Rabbi Simon said: Bar Kappara expounded in Tzippori: Is it the way of a king228Boaz, who was a judge. to marry a woman with six grains of barley? Or is it the way of a woman to carry six se’a? Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: By virtue of “he measured [vayamod] six barleys and he placed them on her,” she was privileged, and six righteous men emerged from her, and each one of them had six attributes [middot]: David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Ḥananya, Mishael, Azarya,229Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya are counted here as one, because they acted together and displayed the same characteristics (Matnot Kehuna). Daniel, and the messianic king.
David, as it is stated: “Skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, understands matters, a comely person, and the Lord is with him” (I Samuel 16:18). Hezekiah, as it is stated: “For abundant authority and boundless peace on the throne [of David]” (Isaiah 9:6). “He called his name: Wonder, adviser, leader, mighty, eternal father, prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:5). Some say: “For abundant authority [lemarbe hamisra]…,” lemarbe is written without a mem.”230Actually, it is written with a closed mem, usually found at the end of the word; an allusion to the fact that Hezekiah was disqualified from being the messianic king because he failed to sing God’s praises (Sanhedrin 94a). Josiah, as it is stated: “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that spreads its roots near the river, [does not see when heat comes, its foliage will be fresh; and will not be anxious in a year of drought, and will not cease from producing fruit]” (Jeremiah 17:8). Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, as it is stated: “Youths in whom there was no blemish, fair in appearance, [skillful in all wisdom, knowledgeable and understanding in thought, with ability to stand in the king's palace, and for him to teach them the writings and the language of the Chaldeans]” (Daniel 1:4). Daniel, as it is stated: “Since surpassing spirit, [knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, declaring of riddles, and solving of problems were found in Daniel]” (Daniel 5:12). The messianic king, as it is stated: “The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom [and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord]” (Isaiah 11:2).
“He said: Bring [havi (fem.)] the kerchief that is upon you,” – hava [masc.] is written,224In the standard version of the book of Ruth, this term is actually written havi, not hava. teaching that he spoke to her in masculine language so no one would sense.225That a woman was present. “And hold it,” teaching that she girded her loins like a man.226She was very powerful in her ability to carry so great a burden. “He measured six measures of barley, and placed it on her.” 227The literal translation is “six barleys” rather than six measures of barley. Rabbi Simon said: Bar Kappara expounded in Tzippori: Is it the way of a king228Boaz, who was a judge. to marry a woman with six grains of barley? Or is it the way of a woman to carry six se’a? Rabbi Yehuda bar Rabbi Simon said: By virtue of “he measured [vayamod] six barleys and he placed them on her,” she was privileged, and six righteous men emerged from her, and each one of them had six attributes [middot]: David, Hezekiah, Josiah, Ḥananya, Mishael, Azarya,229Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya are counted here as one, because they acted together and displayed the same characteristics (Matnot Kehuna). Daniel, and the messianic king.
David, as it is stated: “Skillful in playing, a mighty man of valor, a man of war, understands matters, a comely person, and the Lord is with him” (I Samuel 16:18). Hezekiah, as it is stated: “For abundant authority and boundless peace on the throne [of David]” (Isaiah 9:6). “He called his name: Wonder, adviser, leader, mighty, eternal father, prince of peace” (Isaiah 9:5). Some say: “For abundant authority [lemarbe hamisra]…,” lemarbe is written without a mem.”230Actually, it is written with a closed mem, usually found at the end of the word; an allusion to the fact that Hezekiah was disqualified from being the messianic king because he failed to sing God’s praises (Sanhedrin 94a). Josiah, as it is stated: “For he will be like a tree planted by the water, that spreads its roots near the river, [does not see when heat comes, its foliage will be fresh; and will not be anxious in a year of drought, and will not cease from producing fruit]” (Jeremiah 17:8). Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, as it is stated: “Youths in whom there was no blemish, fair in appearance, [skillful in all wisdom, knowledgeable and understanding in thought, with ability to stand in the king's palace, and for him to teach them the writings and the language of the Chaldeans]” (Daniel 1:4). Daniel, as it is stated: “Since surpassing spirit, [knowledge, understanding, interpreting of dreams, declaring of riddles, and solving of problems were found in Daniel]” (Daniel 5:12). The messianic king, as it is stated: “The spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom [and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord]” (Isaiah 11:2).
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