מדרש על ישעיהו 1:18

R’ Abahu opened and said ‘“Those who dwelt in its shade shall return…” (Hoshea 14:8) This refers to the converts who come and take shelter in the shade of the Holy One. “…they shall revive [like] corn…” (ibid.) They will become primary, just as Israel as it says “…Corn [will give strength to] young men, and new wine will cause maids to speak.” (Zechariah 9:17) “…and blossom like the vine…” (Hoshea 14:8) As it says “You uprooted a vine from Egypt; You drove out nations and planted it.” (Tehillim 80:9)’ Another explanation. “…they shall revive [like] corn…” (Hoshea 14:8) in their Talmudic learning, “…and blossom like the vine…” (ibid.) in their aggadic learning. “; it (fragrance) will recall the wine of Lebanon.” (ibid.) The Holy One said ‘the names of converts are beloved to Me like idolatrous wine which was offered before Me on the altar.’ And why is its name Lebanon? Because of the verse “…this good mountain and the Lebanon.” (Devarim 3:25) R’ Shimon bar Yochai taught: why is it called Lebanon, because it bleaches out (malbin) the sins of Israel like snow, as it says “…If your sins prove to be like crimson, they will become white as snow; if they prove to be as red as crimson dye, they shall become as wool.” (Yeshayahu 1:18) R’ Teviyumi said ‘because all hearts (levavot) rejoice in it, as it says “The fairest of branches, the joy of the entire earth- Mount Zion…” (Tehillim 48:3) The Rabbis say ‘because “…and My eyes and My heart (libi) shall be there at all times.” (Melachim I 9:3)

For great is the day of the Lord and very terrible; and who can abide it? (Joel 2:11). This is Yom Kippur, when the books of life and death are sealed. Whence do we know that this verse also refers to the ten days between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur? Isaiah reminded (the people) that this was so, when he said: Wash you, make you clean, put away the evil of your doings from before Mine eyes; cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek justice (Isa. 1:16–17). That is, one must repent during those days. Then he added: Come now, and let us reason together (ibid., v. 18), that is, on the tenth day, the day of admonition, during which the Holy One, blessed be He, cleanses away (lit. whitens) the sins of Israel, as is said: Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow (ibid.). For His camp is very great. This refers to the angels who plead in behalf of or against the Israelites. For He is mighty who fulfilleth His word (Joel 2:11). Who is the mighty one amongst them (the angels)? He who fulfilleth His word.

(Gen. 18:2:) WHEN HE RAISED HIS EYES, HE LOOKED, < AND BEHOLD, THREE PERSONS WERE STANDING NEAR HIM >…. R. Simay said: The Holy One said to Abraham: By virtue of three races which you ran, by your life, when I come to give Torah to Israel, I am running three races before them. Now these are the three races which Abraham ran:²⁶See TSot. 4:1; BM 86b-87a; ARN, A, 13; Tanh., Gen. 4:4; Gen. R. 48:4; Exod. R. 25:5; Numb. R. 14:2. (Ibid., cont.:) HE RAN TO MEET THEM. (Ibid., vs. 7:) THEN ABRAHAM RAN UNTO THE HERD. (Ibid., vs. 6:) SO ABRAHAM HASTENED TO THE TENT…. Here are three races. The Holy One also repaid his children in kind for him at Sinai, as stated (in Deut. 33:2): AND HE SAID: THE LORD CAME FORTH FROM SINAI, < AND SHONE UPON THEM FROM SEIR, HE; HE APPEARED FROM MOUNT PARAN >…. The Holy One said to him: By your life, you said (in Gen. 18:4): PLEASE (na) LET A LITTLE WATER BE BROUGHT (rt.: LQH). With that very word I am redeeming you from Egypt, as stated (in Exod. 6:7): AND I WILL TAKE (rt.: LQH) YOU TO BE MY < PEOPLE >. So much for this world. [Where is it shown] in regard to the world to come? Where it is stated (in Jer. 3:14): I WILL TAKE (rt.: LQH) YOU, ONE FROM A TOWN AND TWO FROM A CLAN, < AND BRING YOU TO ZION >. You said to them (in Gen. 18:4): PLEASE (na). By your life, with that very word I am admonishing (rt.: YKH) your children, as stated (in Is. 1:18): PLEASE (na) COME, LET US REASON (rt.: YKH) TOGETHER, SAYS THE LORD…. You said to them (in 18:4): A LITTLE (me'at). By your life, with that very word I am driving out the peoples from before your children, as stated (in Exod. 23:30): LITTLE BY LITTLE (me'at me'at) I WILL DRIVE THEM OUT FROM BEFORE YOU. And where is it also shown for the world to come? Where it is stated (in Hag. 2:6f.): FOR THUS SAYS THE LORD {GOD} [OF HOSTS]: IN JUST A LITTLE WHILE (me'at) LONGER I WILL SHAKE < THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH, THE SEA AND THE DRY COUNTRY; I WILL SHAKE THE NATIONS >. You said to them (in 18:4): WATER. By your life, I am raising up a well for your children, as stated (in Numb. 21:17): RISE UP, O WELL! SING TO IT. And where is it also shown after they had entered the land? Where it is stated (in Deut. 8:7): FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS BRINGING YOU UNTO A GOOD LAND, [A LAND WITH STREAMS OF WATER]…. Where is it also shown for the world to come? Where it is stated (in Is. 30:25): THEN UPON [EVERY] HIGH MOUNTAIN [AND UPON EVERY LOFTY HILL THERE SHALL BE BROOKS AND STREAMS OF WATER].

“Your nose is like the tower of Lebanon,” just as the nose is located at the highest part of a person, so the Temple is located at the highest part of the world. Just as the nose has much jewelry suspended from it,³⁴Although people generally do not suspend much jewelry from their nose, it was customary to include one’s most beautiful jewel in a nose ring (Yefei Kol). Alternatively, the term nose [af] in this instance includes the area up to the forehead, from which people would suspend various types of chains and jewelry (Matnot Kehuna). so do priesthood, Levitical status, and kingship descend from Jacob. “Like the tower of Lebanon,”³⁵Many commentaries (see, e.g., Matnot Kehuna) assert that the text should read: “Like the tower of Lebanon,” this is the Temple, as it is stated… as it is stated: “This good mountain and the Lebanon” (Deuteronomy 3:25). Rabbi Tavyomi said: Because it whitens [malbin] the iniquities of Israel like snow, as it is stated: “If your sins will be like scarlet they will become white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18). Rabbi Shimon ben Yoḥai says: Because all the hearts [levavot] rejoice there, as it is stated: “Beautiful in its view, joy of all the land” (Psalms 48:3). The Rabbis say: [It is so called] because of [what is stated]: “My eyes and My heart [libi] will be there for all days” (I Kings 9:3).
“Overlooking Damascus,” Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Jerusalem is destined to reach until the gates of Damascus, as it is stated: “A prophecy, the word of the Lord: Ḥadrakh [and Damascus]” (Zechariah 9:1). What is Ḥadrakh? Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Neḥamya, Rabbi Yehuda said: There is a place that is called Ḥadrakh. Rabbi Yosei ben Durmaskit said to him: By the Temple service, I am from Damascus and there is a place there named Ḥadrakh. Rabbi Neḥemya said: This is the messianic king who is sharp [ḥad] and gentle [rakh]; sharp to the nations and gentle to Israel.
Another matter, Ḥadrakh, this is the messianic king who is destined to guide [lehadrikh] all mankind in repentance before the Holy One blessed be He. “Damascus is His resting place” (Zechariah 9:1). Is Damascus His resting place? But is His resting place not the Temple, as it is stated: “This is My resting place forever” (Psalms 132:14)? He said to him: Jerusalem is destined to expand on all its sides until it reaches the gates of Damascus, and all the exiles will come and rest under its auspices, to realize what is stated: “Damascus is His resting place,” His resting place will reach Damascus.
How does Rabbi Yoḥanan realize: “The city will be rebuilt on its mound” (Jeremiah 30:18)?³⁶This verse implies that it will be rebuilt upon its original location, but will not expand significantly beyond its original location. Like a fig tree that is narrow below and wide above, so Jerusalem is destined to expand on all its sides, and all the exiles will come and rest under its auspices, to realize what is stated: “For you will spread right and left” (Isaiah 54:3). This is lengthwise; from where is it derived [that it will expand] widthwise? The verse states: “From the Tower of Ḥananel to the winepresses of the king” (Zechariah 14:10). Rabbi Zakkai the Great said: Until the pits of Rifa,³⁷Some assert that the correct reading is “the pits of Jaffa” (see Etz Yosef). In any event, the reference is to a location on the Mediterranean coastline in the land of Israel. until the winepresses that the King of kings, the Holy One blessed be He, dug out;³⁸This is a reference to the oceans. that is lengthwise and widthwise. From where is upward [that it will expand] derived? The verse states: “The side-chambers widened and wound about higher and higher” (Ezekiel 41:7). It is taught: Jerusalem is destined to expand and ascend and reach the Throne of Glory, until you will say: “The place is crowded for me” (Isaiah 49:20).³⁹Even when Jerusalem expands so greatly in all directions, it will still be crowded due to all the exiles who will return there. Rabbi Yosei ben Rabbi Yirmeya said: We have still not learned the praise of Jerusalem. From where do you learn its praise? From its walls, as it is stated: “I will be for it, the utterance of the Lord, a wall of fire all around” (Zechariah 2:9).

“Like the tents of Kedar,” just as the tents of Kedar appear externally to be ugly, black, and in tatters, but internally they are gems and pearls, so too Torah scholars, even though they appear ugly and black in this world, internally there is Torah in them, Bible, Mishna, Midrash, halakhot, Talmud, Tosefta, and aggada. If so, just as tents of Kedar do not require laundering, perhaps the same is true of Israel; the verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon”—just as these curtains of Solomon are soiled and laundered, and are again soiled and laundered, so, too, Israel, even though they are soiled with sins all the days of the year, Yom Kippur arrives and atones for them, as it is stated: “For on this day He will atone for you” (Leviticus 16:30), and it is written: “If your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).
If so, just as the tents of Kedar are moved from place to place, perhaps the same is true of Israel. The verse states: “Like the curtains of Solomon [Shelomo],” like the curtains¹⁹⁷The heavens. of the One [of Whom it may be stated] that the peace is His, the One Who spoke and the world came into being, that from the moment He spread them, they did not move from their place. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yaakov taught: “A tent that will not be displaced [yatzan]” (Isaiah 33:20); it will not emerge [yetze] and will not move [yanua].¹⁹⁸Yatzan is an acronym of yetze and yanua.
Just as the tents of Kedar are not subject to the yoke of any creature,¹⁹⁹The reference is to nomads who live in the wilderness. so too, Israel, in the future, will not be subject to the yoke of any creature. Rabbi Ḥiyya taught: “I led you upright” (Leviticus 26:13); with an upright stature, without fear of any creature.²⁰⁰Although the verse cited is stated regarding the exodus from Egypt, it is understood as also alluding to the future redemption. Rabbi Yudan said: Like Joseph; just as Joseph was sold to the tents of Kedar, as it is stated: “They sold Joseph to the Ishmaelites… [and they brought Joseph to Egypt]” (Genesis 37:28), and he then purchased his purchasers, as it is stated: “Joseph purchased all the land of Egypt” (Genesis 47:20), so too Israel: “They will be captors of their captors” (Isaiah 14:2).

Why is it called "levanon"? Because it "whitens" ("malbin") the sins of Israel, viz. (Ibid 1:18) "If your sins are like scarlet, they will become white as snow." (Devarim, Ibid.)

(Mishnah) Whence do we learn that a string of crimson-wool must be tied to the head of the goat that was to be sent away on the Day of Atonement? It is said (Is. 1, 18.) Though your sins should le as crimson, etc.

(Lev. 22:27:) “When a bull or a sheep or a goat […].” This text is related (to Micah 6:3), “My people, what have I done to you and how have I wearied you; testify against Me.”⁵¹PRK 9:5; Lev. R. 27:6; Numb. R. 10:1. R. Aha said, “Testify against Me (i.e., prove me wrong by keeping the commandments), and receive a reward. And do not testify (against your neighbor falsely), and receive a settlement of accounts.” R. Samuel bar Nahman said, “On three occasions the Holy One, blessed be He, came to dispute with Israel, when the nations of the world rejoiced: At that time, when He said to them (in Is. 1:18), ‘Please come and let us dispute together,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’ When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that they were rejoicing, He reversed [the punishment] for the better. He said (ibid.), ‘though your sins be as scarlet, they shall become as white as snow […].’ When the nations of the world heard this, they were astonished and said, ‘Is this an answer; is this a rebuke? He has only come to amuse Himself with His children (and not to dispute with them seriously).’ In the second [occasion], when He said to them (in Micah 6:2), ‘[Hear, O mountains, the claim of the Lord …] for the Lord has a claim with His people, and He will dispute with Israel,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’ When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that, He reversed [the punishment] for the better and said (in Micah 6:5), ‘My people, please remember what King Balak of Moab plotted and what Balaam answered him….’⁵²Cf. PR 48:1. When the nations of the world heard this, they were astonished and said, ‘Is this an answer; is this a rebuke? He has only come to amuse Himself with His children.’ The third [occasion] when He said (in Hos. 12:3), ‘The Lord has a claim with Judah,’ they rejoiced and said, ‘Now He will finish them off.’ When the Holy One, blessed be He, saw that, He reversed [the punishment] for the better and said (in Hos. 12:4) ‘In the womb he grabbed his brother by the heel […].’” [The situation] is similar to a woman who complained to the judge about her son and brought him for trial. Everyone came to see. They said, one to another, “See that this woman has brought her son to be killed in the case.” When the woman saw this and heard what they said, she reversed [her mind] to speak with different words. When she came before the judge, he said to her, “What has your son done to you?” She said to him, “When he was in my womb, he kicked me.” He said to her, “Has he done anything else to you?” She said, “No.” He said to her, “There is no legal offense at all.” Everyone was astonished and said, “Is this an answer; is this a rebuke? She only came to amuse herself with her son.” So they left with embarrassment on their faces. So too did the Holy One, blessed be He, go back and reverse His rebuke to love, and the nations of the world left confounded. (Micah 6:3:) “And how have I wearied you?” R. Berekhyah said, “[The situation] is similar to a king who sent his proclamation⁵³Gk.: prostagma. to a province. What did the people of the province do? When they received it, they uncovered their heads, and read it in fear, in awe and in trembling. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel, ‘The reading of the Shema is My proclamation. I did not burden you and I did not tell you that you were to read it either standing upon your feet or with your heads uncovered, but (according to Deut. 6:7) “when you are sitting in your house, when you are walking on the road, when you are lying down, and when you are getting up.”’” Another interpretation (of Micah 6:3), “and how have I wearied you”: R. Judah bar Simon said, “The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘I have delivered ten [kinds of] beasts to you (for food).⁵⁴See also PR 16:1; Numb. R. 20:5; 21:16. Three are in your possession, and seven are not in your possession. Now these are those which are in your possession (according to Deut. 14:4), “the bull, the sheep, and the goat.” And these are those which are not in your possession (according to Deut. 14:5), “The deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain sheep.” I did not burden you, nor did I tell you to go up into the mountains or tire yourselves out in the fields in order to bring Me a sacrifice from those [which are not in your possession]. Rather [your sacrifices come] from those which are in your possession, which grew up at your feeding trough. This is what is stated (in Lev. 22:27), “A bull or a sheep or a goat.”’”

His eyes shall be red with wine (Gen. 49:12). You learn from this verse that he devoted himself to the study of the Torah. The word hakhlili (red) should be read as hekh li li (“it is tasty to me”), that is, the wine of the Torah is sweet to me. And His teeth white with milk (ibid.). That is, if they should sin, they shall be made as white as snow, because of the Torah (they study).

[Another interpretation of (Lev. 22:27): A BULL OR A SHEEP < OR A GOAT >. This text is related] (to Micah 6:3): MY PEOPLE, WHAT HAVE I DONE TO YOU? AND HOW HAVE I WEARIED YOU? TESTIFY AGAINST ME.⁶⁰Tanh., Lev. 8:10; PRK 9:5; Lev. R. 27:6; Numb. R. 10:1. R. Aha said: TESTIFY AGAINST ME (i.e., prove me wrong by keeping the commandments), and receive a reward. (Exod. 20:13 [16]): DO NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS AGAINST YOUR NEIGHBOR, and you will receive settlement of accounts. R. Samuel bar Nahman said: On three occasions the Holy One came to dispute with Israel, when the nations of the world rejoiced and said: How can these people dispute with their creator? Now he will finish them off. At that time, when he said to them (in Is. 1:18): PLEASE COME AND LET US DISPUTE TOGETHER, they rejoiced and said: Now he will finish them off. When the Holy One saw that they were rejoicing, he reversed < the punishment > for the better. He said (ibid.): THOUGH YOUR SINS BE AS SCARLET, < THEY SHALL BECOME AS WHITE > AS SNOW < …. > When the nations of the world heard this, they were astonished and said: Is this an answer? Or is this a rebuke? They said: He has only come to amuse himself with his children (and not to dispute with them seriously). The second < occasion > was when he said to them (in Micah 6:2): HEAR, O MOUNTAINS, THE LAWSUIT OF THE LORD < …; > [FOR THE LORD HAS A LAWSUIT WITH HIS PEOPLE, AND HE WILL DISPUTE WITH ISRAEL]. The nations of the world rejoiced and said: Now he will finish them off. When the Holy One saw that, he reversed < the punishment > for the better and said (in Micah 6:5–6): MY PEOPLE, PLEASE REMEMBER WHAT KING BALAK OF MOAB PLOTTED…. WITH WHAT SHALL I COME BEFORE THE LORD?⁶¹Cf. PR 48:1. The nations of the world were astonished and said: Is this an answer? Or is this a rebuke? He has only come to amuse himself with his children. The third < occasion > was when he said (in Hos. 12:3 [2]): THE LORD HAS A LAWSUIT WITH JUDAH [AND WILL PUNISH JACOB ACCORDING TO HIS WAYS]. The nations of the world said: Now the Holy One will finish them off. When the Holy One saw that, he reversed < the punishment > for the better. (Hos. 12:4 [3]:) IN THE WOMB HE GRABBED HIS BROTHER BY THE HEEL…. < The situation > is similar to a woman who complained to the judge about her son. When she {decided} [saw] that the judge was sentencing {her} [the] people to death, [she said]: If I make known the offense of my son, he will say to kill him. What did she do? She hung around [until] he had finished his cases. He said to her? What was your son's offense? She said to him: When he was in my womb, he kicked me. He said to her: But has he done anything to you now? She said: No. He said to her. Be gone! There is no legal offense at all. The nations of the world were astonished [and said]: He has {not} [only] come to amuse himself with his children.

Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: On three occasions, the Holy One blessed be He entered into a dispute [nitvake’aḥ] with Israel, and the nations of the world rejoiced with great joy but ultimately departed shamefacedly. When the prophet said to them: “Let us go now and reason together [venivakheḥa], says the Lord” (Isaiah 1:18) – the nations of the world rejoiced and said: How can they enter into a dispute with their Creator? Who can enter into a dispute with his Creator? Now He will eliminate them from the world. When the Holy One blessed be He saw that the nations of the world were joyful, he transformed it for [Israel] into good, as it is stated: “If your sins will be like scarlet, they will be whitened as snow; if they will be reddened like crimson, they will be like wool” (Isaiah 1:8). The nations of the world were astounded and said: Is that a response, is that rebuke; rather, He came only to amuse Himself with His children.
When the Holy One blessed be He said: “Hear, mountains, the Lord’s quarrel, and the strong foundations of the earth, [the Lord has a quarrel with His people,] and with Israel He will contend” (Micah 6:2), the nations of the world rejoiced and said: How can they enter into a dispute with their Creator? Who can enter into a dispute with his Creator? Now He will eliminate them from the world. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the joy of the nations of the world, he transformed it for them into good. That is what is written: “My people, what did I do to you and how did I tire you? Testify against Me” (Micah 6:3). “My people, remember now what [Balak king of Moav] counseled” (Micah 6:5) – the nations of the world were astounded and said: How can this be; He came only to amuse Himself with His children.
When the prophet said: “The Lord has a quarrel with Judah and will reckon with Jacob” (Hosea 12:3), the nations of the world rejoiced and said: How can they stand before their Creator? Who can enter into a dispute with his Creator? Now He will eliminate them from the world. When the Holy One blessed be He saw the joy of the nations of the world, he transformed it for them into good, as it is stated: “In the womb he was at his brother’s heels, [and in his strength he strove with God]” (Hosea 12:4).
Rabbi Yudan said: This is analogous to a widowed woman who was complaining about her son to a judge. Once she saw that the judge sentences people with fire and tar, with punishments and rods, she said: If I inform the judge of my son’s misdeeds, he will kill him. When the previous trial ended, he said to her: ‘Is this your son?’ He said to her: ‘How did this son of yours mistreat you?’ She said to him: ‘Sir, when he was in my womb he kicked me.’ He said to her: ‘This is not [cause for] a trial.’ That is what is written: “In the womb he was at his brother’s heels” (Hosea 12:4). Rabbi Elazar bar Rabbi Simon said: The God of Jacob our patriarch accorded him honor.⁹⁰The conclusion of the verse in Hosea is: “And in his strength he strove [sara] with God.” Rabbi Shimon interprets the word sara as related to serara, authority, and asserts that God accorded Jacob honor by granting him authority.

In the case of the sacrifices, also it is so. The Holy One, blessed be He, said: ‘The Ox is pursued by the lion, the goat is pursued by the leopard, the lamb by the wolf; do not offer unto Me from those that pursue but from those that are pursued.’ Hence if is written, “When a bullock, or a sheep, or a goat, is brought forth …It may be accepted for an offering” (Lev. 22:27).

"and the Levanon": This is the Temple, viz. (Jeremiah 22:6) "You are Gilead to Me, the head of the Levanon, etc.", and (Isaiah 10:34) "And the Levanon by a mighty one will fall." And why is it called "Levanon"? Because it "whitens" (malbin) the sins of Israel, as it is written (Ibid. 1:18) "If your sins be like scarlet, they will be as white (yalbinu) as snow."

..."Until he comes to Shiloh" - the one to whom the kingdom is his (shelo); "and to him will be a gathering of peoples" - the one to whom the nations of the world will stream, as it is stated (Isaiah 11:10), "the stock of Jesse that has remained standing shall become a standard to peoples—nations shall seek his counsel"...