Les Psaumes 68:32 Midrash : Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Midrash Tanchuma, Shemot Rabbah & Aggadat Bereshit

R. Cahana said: "When R. Ishmael, the son of R. Jose, became ill, Rabbi sent to him the following request: 'Tell us the two or three things which you spoke of in the name of your father. Whereupon R. Ishmael sent back word to him: 'Thus said my father: What is the meaning of the passage (Ps. 117, 1) Praise the Lord, all ye nations. How do heathens come to praise God? This is intended to mean: All the nations shall praise him for the power and the miracles He has done to them; how much more should we, Israel, praise Him, Since mighty is His kindness unto us.' R. Ishmael sent also the following to him: 'In the future, Egypt will send presents unto Messiah, who will hesitate whether to accept them or not.' But the Holy One, praised be He! will say to Messiah, 'Accept it from them because Egypt was a place of hospitality for my children.' (Ps. 68, 32) Soon nobles will come out of Egypt. Then Ethiopia will conclude a fortiori, saying: 'If they (the Egyptians) who treated them as slaves, fare thus, I (Ethiopia) who did not enslave them, will surely [be permitted to offer a gift to Messiah].' Whereupon the Holy One, praised be He! will say unto Messiah, 'Accept also of them,' and soon (Ib.) Ethiopia will eagerly stretch forth his hands unto God. Then the Aramites will conclude a fortiori, saying: 'If [acceptance of gifts was permitted] of these (Ethiopians) who had no family relations with Israel, how much more should a gift be acceptable of us, who are their brothers!' Whereupon the Holy One, praised be He! will say unto Gabriel (Ib.) Rebuke the wild beasts hiding among the reeds; i.e., rebuke the heathens and create a community for thyself." The above passage can be explained in another way, [reject with] rebuke the wild beast that lives among the reeds, as it is written (Ib. 80, 14) The bear out of the forest doth gnaw at it, and what moveth on the field feedeth on it. R. Chiya b. Abba said in the name of R. Jochanan: "The above passage means as follows, [reject with] "rebuke the beast (Rome), whose acts are recorded with the same pen [of tyranny]. (Ib. 68, 31) The multitude of bulls, with the calves of the peoples, refers to [the nations] who have slain the best [of Israel] like fat bulls; everyone submitted himself with pieces of silver; i.e., they stretch forth their hands to accept the silver [as bribes], and then refuse to do the givers' desire; He scattereth nations that are eager to become near; i.e., Why was Israel scattered among the nations? Because of his eagerness to become [near] very friendly with the nations." He also sent Rabbi the following: "There is a big city in the Roman Empire which contains three hundred and sixty-five streets, and in each street there are three hundred and sixty-five castles, and around each castle there are three hundred and sixty-five steps, and on each step there was sufficient wealth to feed the entire world." Whereupon R. Simon, the son of Rabbi, said to him, and according to others, it was R. Ishmael, the son of R. Jose, who said to Rabbi: "To whom will all this belong?" "To thee and thy associates and to thy associates' friends," was the answer, as it is said (Is. 23, 18) And her gain and her hire shall be holy to the Lord; it shall not be treasured nor laid up, but for those that dwell before the Lord shall her gain be." What is the meaning of It shall not be treasured nor laid up? R. Joseph explained that It shall not be treasured, refers to his store-house [for grain]; Nor laid up, refers to the treasury house [for gold]." But for those that dwell before the Lord shall her gain be, to eat to fullness, and to wear stately clothing. What is the meaning of But for those that dwell before the Lord? R. Elazar said: "This refers to one who recognizes his colleague's place in the house of study [because of the former's frequenting it]. According to others (Fol. 119), it refers to one who greets his colleague in the house of study. What is meant by Stately clothing? This refers to one who covers (conceals) things which those of ancient days desired to be unrevealed; this is Sisrei Torah. According to others, this refers to one who discovers what was concealed by those of ancient days, and what is it? The reasons [of various laws] of the Torah.

You shall offer it terms of peace (Deuteronomy 20:10): Rabbi Levi said, "Moshe did three things and the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him. And these are them: It is written (Exodus 34:7), 'visits the iniquity of the fathers upon children.' But Moshe said (Deuteronomy 24:10), 'Fathers will not be put to death for children [and children will not be put to death for fathers].' And from where [do we know] that the Holy One, blessed be He, agreed with him? As it is stated (II Kings 14:6), 'But he did not put to death the children of the assassins, in accordance with what is written in the Book of the Torah of Moshe, [...] "Parents shall not be put to death for children, etc."' And the second was when he broke the tablets. And [the third] was in the days of Sichon and Og. The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'Go and fight with him, block his acqueduct.' But Moshe did not do so, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 2:26), 'And I sent messengers.' The Holy One, blessed be He, said, 'By your life, you have done as is fitting, as I agree with you.'" Therefore Moshe warns Israel and says to them (Deuteronomy 20:10), "When you approach a town to attack it, you shall offer it terms of peace." "You shall offer it terms of (for) peace (leshalom)." In peace (beshalom) is not written here, so that they would go forth with peace and return in peace. As Avner and Avshalom about whom it is written, "in peace," did not return. But Moshe to whom Yitro said, "for peace," went and returned. Another interpretation [of] "You shall offer it terms of peace": It is speaking about the days of the king messiah, who opens to them with peace, as it is stated (Zechariah 9:10), "He shall speak peace to the nations, and his rule shall extend from sea to sea." "If it responds peaceably" (Deuteronomy 20:11); if they bind themselves, as it is stated (Isaiah 2:4), "And they shall beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation; they shall never again learn war." "All the people present there shall be as tribute and serve you"(Deuteronomy 20:11); that they should bring you tribute. As it is stated (Psalms 68:32), "Tribute-bearers (chasmanim) shall come from Egypt," as they shall hurry (chasim) and bring their gifts; "Cush shall hasten (tarits) its gifts to God," as they shall run (ratsim) and bring their gifts. "But if it shall not make peace with you" (Deuteronomy 20:12). [If] a strange spirit enters into them and they rebel against the king messiah, he kills them immediately; as it is stated (Isaiah 11:4), "he shall strike down a land with the rod of his mouth, and slay the wicked with the breath of his lips." And he shall only leave Israel, as it is stated (Deuteronomy 32:12), "The Lord guided him alone, and there is no alien god with him."

Another matter, “You shall craft the boards.” What is written above? “This is the gift that you shall collect from them: Gold and silver and bronze” (Exodus 25:3). Gold, this is Babylon, as it is stated: “That image, its head was of fine gold” (Daniel 2:32).¹²The context of this verse is Daniel’s interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, in which Nebuchadnezzar saw an image made of different metals. Daniel interpreted it as representing his kingdom and those that would rise afterward (see Daniel 2:38–40). The head of gold represented Babylon (see Daniel 2:38). Silver, this is Media, as it is stated: “Its breast and its arms of silver (Daniel 2:32). Bronze, this is Greece, as it is stated: “Its belly and its thighs of bronze” (Daniel 2:32). But iron is not written here, neither in the Temple nor in the Tabernacle. Why? It is because Edom, which destroyed the Temple, was analogized to it.¹³“The fourth kingdom will be strong as iron” (Daniel 2:40). This is to teach you that, in the future, the Holy One blessed be He will receive tributes from all the kingdoms other than Edom. But did Babylon not also destroy it?¹⁴Babylonians destroyed the first Temple, while the Romans, identified as descendants of Edom, destroyed the second Temple. It is because it did not raze it. But what is written with regard to Edom? “Who said: Raze it, raze it, to its very foundation” (Psalms 137:7). To this day the foundation remains in it. That is why iron, to which Edom is analogized, is not written regarding the Tabernacle and the Temple.
Likewise, you find in the future that all the nations are destined to bring a tribute to the messianic king. Egypt brings first, and he will think he should not accept it from them. The Holy One blessed be He will say to him: ‘They were hosts to My children in Egypt.’ As it is stated: “Noblemen will arrive from Egypt; Kush will hasten to extend its hands to God” (Psalms 68:32). Immediately, he will accept it from them. Kush will draw an a fortiori inference: If he accepted [a gift] from Egypt, which enslaved them, all the more so [will he will accept it from] us, who did not enslave them. Immediately, “Kush will hasten to extend its hands to God.” Immediately, all the nations will hear and bring [gifts], as it is stated: “Kingdoms of the earth, sing to God” (Psalms 68:33). Then, the kingdom of Edom will draw an a fortiori inference for itself and say: If these, who are not their brethren, he accepted [gifts] from them, we, all the more so. It, too, will seek to bring a tribute to the messianic king. The Holy One blessed be He will say to him: “Castigate the beast of the reed” (Psalms 68:31).¹⁵Rome, which is identified as descending from Edom, is referred to here as a reed, based on the following statement of the Gemara: “Rav Yehuda said that Shmuel said: When Solomon married Pharaoh’s daughter, Gavriel descended and implanted a reed into the sea, and a sandbar grew around it, and upon it the great city of Rome was built” (Shabbat 56b).
Another matter, castigate the beast that resides among the reeds, as it is stated: “The boar from the forest gnaws at it” (Psalms 80:14). “The herd of cavalry horses among the calves of the people” (Psalms 68:31); the one that consumes the wealth of the peoples and comes with the authority of Abraham and says: ‘I am one of them, Esau, son of Isaac, son of Abraham.’¹⁶Rome is identified as descending from Edom, which descends from Esau. “Who grovel for pieces of silver” (Psalms 68:31); even if a person sins against it,¹⁷The kingdom of Edom. and it becomes angry at him, it extends its palm, takes the money, and is reconciled.
And what is: “He scatters the peoples who desire battle”? (Psalms 68:31). It is that [Edom] scatters Israel from Torah study and assembles them for what the evil inclination desires. Alternatively, “he scatters the peoples who desire battle,” as they scattered Israel from the world. Alternatively, “he scatters the peoples” – they estranged Israel from Me, and they are bringing offerings?¹⁸When they attempt to bring offerings to the messianic king, God will instruct him to reject them because of what they did.