Jérémie 40:3 Midrash : Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition) & Pesikta DeRav Kahana

We are taught in a Baraitha: Rabban Jochanan b. Zakkai said to his disciples: "My children, what is the meaning of the passage (Prov. 14, 34) Tzedaka exalteth a people; but the disgrace of nations is sin?" R. Eliezer responded and said: "Tzedakah exalteth a people, refers to Israel, as it is written (II Sam. 7, 23) And who is like Thy people, like Israel, the only nation on the earth; but the disgrace of nations is sin; i.e., all the tzedakah and kindness of the nations, if they indulge in them only for the purpose of becoming great or gaining a good name, is a sin for them, as it is said (Ezra 6, 10) That they may offer sacrifices of sweet savours unto the God of heaven, and pray for the life of the king and of his sons." R. Joshua responded and said: "Tzedaka exalteth a people, refers to Israel; but the disgrace of the nation is sin; i.e., all the tzedaka and kindness of the nations is sin, for they do so in order that their kingdom shall endure for a long time, as it is said (Dan. 4, 24) Therefore, O king, let my council be agreeable unto thee, and atone for thy sins by … perhaps thy prosperity may (thereby) endure long." Rabban Gamaliel responded and said: "Tzedaka exalteth a people, refers to Israel; but the disgrace of nations is sin; i.e., all the tzedaka and kindness of the nations is sin for the nations, because if they do, it is solely to boast of it to other nations. And whoever boasts of himself falls into Gehenna, as it is said (Prov. 21, 24) The presumptuous and proud, scorner is his name, who dealeth in the (ebra) wrath of presumption. Ebra (wrath) refers to Gehenna, for it is said (Zeph. 1, 15) A day of ehra (wrath) is that day." "For the right interpretation of this verse," remarked Rabban Gamaliel, "we are still in need of the Modite; for R. Eliezer the Modite, interpreted it thus: 'Tzedaka exalteth a people, refers to Israel; but the disgrace of nations is sin; i.e., all the tzedaka and kindness of the nation is only for the purpose of insulting Israel, as it is said (Jer. 40, 3) Now the Lord hath brought it ... ... ... because ye have sinned." etc. R. Nechunia b. Hakana, however, responded and said: "Tzedaka and kindness exalteth a nation, refers to Israel; to whom it is a grace as well, but to the nations it is considered a sin-offering." Rabban Jochanan b. Zakkai [the teacher] then rejoined: "It seems to me that Nechunia's interpretation is better than yours and mine." "Than min!" Did he also say something in connection with this? If so, then what is it? As we have been taught in a Baraitha: R. Jochanan b. Zakkai said: "As a sin-offering atones for Israel, so does charity atone for all other nations."

"Righteousness (tzedakah) elevates a people, and chesed to the nations is a sin" (Prov. 14:34).^*Note that the second clause can also be rendered, "sin is chesed to the nations." Although chesed usually means "kindness" (i.e., "kindness to the nations is a sin" or "sin is a kindness to the nations"), there is a secondary meaning of "reproach" or "shame," which indeed is how this verse is generally translated ("...and sin is a reproach to the nations"). As both meanings are employed here, this translation leaves "chesed" untranslated where the meaning is ambiguous. Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Yehoshua and the Rabbanim: Rabbi Eliezer said, "Righteousness elevates a people" -- that is Israel. "And chesed to the nations is a sin" -- those [of other nations] who perform acts of kindness (chesedim), they bring sin to the nations, for they are [merely] aggrandizing themselves through [these acts]. Rabbi Yehoshua said, "Righteousness elevates a people" -- that is Israel. "And chesed to nations is a sin" -- it is pleasing (i.e., an act of kindness) to the nations of the world any time that Israel sin, for they return and enslave them. And Rabban Gamaliel says, "Righteousness elevates a people" -- that is Israel. "And chesed to the nations is a sin" -- an act of kindness that the nations of the world perform is a sin for them, for so did Daniel say to Nebuchadnezzar, "And let your sin [committed] through righteousness be broken off" (Dan. 4:24). Rabbi Elazar ben Arach says, "Righteousness elevates a people, and [so does] kindness (chesed)" -- that is Israel. But they (i.e., righteousness and kindness) are [considered] sinful to the nations of the world. Said Rabban Yochanan ben Zakkai, I prefer the words of Elazar ben Arach to their words (cf. Avot 2:9), for he bestows [both] righteousness and kindness to Israel, and sinfulness to the nations of the world. Avin b'Rabbi Yehuda says, "Righteousness elevates a people" -- that is Israel. "And the reproach (chesed) of the nations is [brought about by] sin" -- Israel are the objects of reproach (chisudim; see Lev. 20:17) of the nations of the world when they engage in sin. For thus did Ravshakeh say to Hezekiah, "Did I now -- without Hashem -- come up upon this land [to destroy it? It is Hashem who said to me, 'Come up upon this land, and destroy it.']" (see 2 Kings 18:25). For thus [too] did Nebuzar'adan say to Jeremiah, "Now Hashem has brought and done unto you that which He spoke" (Jer. 40:3). The thing [that Hashem spoke of] is written [thereafter].^*"Because you (pl.) sinned against Hashem, and you did not hearken to His voice, this thing (i.e., the destruction) has come upon you" (Jer. 40:3). Rabbi Nechuniah ben HaKaneh says, "Righteousness elevates a people" -- that is Israel. "And kindness (chesed) to the nations is a sin" -- acts of kindness that the nations of the world perform, it is a sin to Israel. From where do you learn that? From Mesha -- "And Mesha the king of Moab was a noked (2 Kings 3:4). What is a "noked"? A shepherd. "And he delivered to the king of Israel a hundred thousand lambs, and a hundred thousand woolly rams" (ibid.). What are "woolly rams"? Rabbi Abba bar Kahana says, "flocks of sheep" (p'rovitya). What did he do? He brought all of his astrologers and he said to them, "Should I wage war together with all the nations against Israel, and be victorious [along] with them, or should I wage war alone against Israel so that the victory is mine alone?" ^*The translation from "They replied" through "upon Israel" follows Midrash Tanchuma, Ki Tisa 5:5 (Berman tr.)They replied: “Israel had a patriarch called Abraham who was given a child when he was one hundred years old, and he offered him as a sacrifice.” He asked them: “Was the sacrifice completed?” “No,” they answered. He replied: “He offered a sacrifice that was not completed and yet He performed miracles for them, how many more miracles would He have performed if the sacrifice had been completed. Now, since I have a firstborn son who will rule in my stead, I shall offer him as a sacrifice, and perhaps a miracle will be performed in my behalf.” Hence it is written: "Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stead, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall, and there came a great wrath upon Israel" (2 Kings 3:27–28). "Upon the wall" is written -- for he would bow down to the wall. And what is written thereafter, "And there came a great wrath upon Israel." Said the Holy One Blessed be He to Israel, "My children, the nations of the world, who know not My power, rebel against Me, while you know My power, yet you [nonetheless] rebel against me." Said Rabbi Mana, were it not for the merit of the wife of Obadiah, Israel would have been destroyed at that time. What is the reason? "And one of the wives of the sons of the prophets cried out to Elisha saying, 'My husband was your servant, etc." (2 Kings 4:1).^*In other words, her righteousness and diligence in following the words of the Elisha caused the wrath of God to dissipate. ... And Rabbanim say, "Righteousness elevates, etc." -- through the generosity that Israel brought [gift-offerings] for the work of the Tabernacle and for the Tent of Meeting, a "suspended head (rosh)" (i.e., a suspended sentence) was granted to them through Moses, and [thus] it says, "When you will raise up the head (or 'take away [the guilt] from the head') of the Children of Israel, etc." (Ex. 30:12).