Midras 2 Raja-raja 3:27: Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition), Pesikta DeRav Kahana, Midrash Tanchuma & Midrash Tanchuma Buber

R. Samuel b. Nachmeni, in the name of R. Jonathan, said: Three men made an unreasonable demand (making their actions dependent on chance); two of them were answered desirably (Providence favored their ways), but one was answered according [to his unreasonableness]. They are: Eliezer, the servant of Abraham; Saul, the son of Kish; and Jephthah, of Gilead. Concerning Eliezer it is written (Gen. 24, 13) … and the daughters of the men of this city come out to draw water, etc. Now, such a maiden might have been blind or maimed, nevertheless he was answered desirably when Rebekah came [providentially] to him. Concerning Saul, the son of Kish, it is written (I Sam. 17, 25) And it shall be, that the man who killeth him, the king enrich him with great riches, and will give him his daughter, etc. It might have happened that a slave, or an illegitimate son, might accomplish the feat, nevertheless he was answered desirably; and David came [providentially] to him. Concerning Jephthah it is written (Jud. 11, 31) Then it shall be, that whatsoever cometh forth of the doors of my house … I will offer it up for a burnt-offering. An unclean animal might have come forth [which would not be a proper sacrifice] . He was therefore answered undesirably, for his own daughter came [providentially] to meet him. This is meant by the words of the prophet (Jer. 8, 22) Is there no mere balm in Gilead? Or, is no physician there? And further, it is written (Ib. 19, 5) which I had not commanded nor spoken, and which had not come into my mind; i.e., which I had not commanded refers to the son of Mesha, the King of Moab, as it is said (II Kings, 3, 27) Then he took his eldest son that should have reigned in his stand, and offered him for a burnt-offering upon the wall. And there came great wrath upon Israel; and they departed from him, and returned to their own land; nor spoken, refers to the daughter of Jephthah, the Gilodite; and which had not come into my mind, refers to Isaac, son of Abraham." R. Berachia said: "The congregation of Israel also made an unreasonable demand, but the Holy One, praised be He! answered it in a desirable manner, as it is written (Hos 6, 3) And let us know, eagerly strive to know the Lord; His going forth is sure as the morning; and He shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter rain that watereth the earth. The Holy One, praised be He! said: 'My daughter, thou askest a thing which is sometimes desirous and sometimes superfluous, nevertheless I shall be to thee as a thing which is needed all the time; as it is said (Ib. 14, 6) I will be as the dew unto Israel. Another time did the congregation of Israel make an unreasonable demand, saying: 'Sovereign of the universe! (Songs 8, 6) Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon thy arm.' Whereupon the Lord said: 'Thou askest me to do a thing which sometimes can be observed and sometimes cannot; but I will set thee as a seal in such a place that you will always be observed'; as it is said (Is. 49, 16) Behold, upon the palms of my hands have I engraved thee."

"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).

"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).