לָ֭מָּה יֹאמְר֣וּ הַגּוֹיִ֑ם אַיֵּה־נָ֝֗א אֱלֹהֵיהֶֽם׃
Mengapa bangsa-bangsa akan berkata, “Di manakah sekarang Allah mereka?”
Shemot Rabbah
“When Pharaoh will speak to you, saying: Provide a wonder for you; then you shall say to Aaron: Take your staff, and cast it before Pharaoh, it will become a serpent” (Exodus 7:9).
“When Pharaoh will speak to you” – Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama began: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times matters that have not been done; saying: My counsel will stand, and all My desire I will do” (Isaiah 46:10) – the Holy One blessed be He declares at the beginning what will be at the end, as He says to Moses: “This people will rise, and go astray after the foreign gods of the land” (Deuteronomy 31:16), which they were destined to do after the death of Joshua: “And they will forsake Me, and breach My covenant” (Deuteronomy 31:16); “they forsook the Lord and did not worship Him” (Judges 10:6). That is “declaring the end from the beginning.”
Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama said: Anyone who reads this verse thinks that perhaps there is a dispute on High, as He says: “My counsel will stand [and all My desire I will do].” What is “and all My desire I will do”? It is that He desires to vindicate His creations, as it is stated: “The Lord desires for the sake of His righteousness, to make the Torah great and glorious” (Isaiah 42:21), and does not seek to condemn any creature, as it is stated: “I have no desire in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked repent from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). Therefore, it is stated: “And all My desire I will do.” Likewise you find that the Holy One blessed be He told Moses the end from the beginning; it is not written: If Pharaoh will speak to you, but rather, “when [Pharaoh] will speak”; he is destined to say this to you.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: He is speaking appropriately: “Provide a wonder for you.” Likewise, you find with Noah, after all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed for him in the ark, and He took him out of it, He said to him: “And the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Genesis 9:15). [Noah] began asking for a sign,1That there would never again be a flood. until the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “I have set My rainbow in the cloud” (Genesis 9:13); if the righteous Noah asked for a sign, all the more so, the wicked Pharaoh [would].
Likewise, you find with Hezekiah, when Isaiah came and said to him: “So says the Lord…I will heal you; on the third day you will go up to the house of the Lord” (II Kings 20:5), he began asking for a sign, as it is stated: “Hezekiah said…what is the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” (II Kings 20:8). If the righteous Hezekiah asked for a sign, all the more so, the wicked Pharaoh [would].
Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, when they descended into the fiery furnace, they descended only with a sign. How so? “Not to us, Lord, not to us” (Psalms 115:1), said Ḥananya. “To Your name give glory” (Psalms 115:1), said Mishael. “For Your kindness and for Your truth” (Psalms 115:1), said Azarya. Gabriel was answering after them: “Why should the nations say: Where [now is their God?]” (Psalms 115:2). Once this became fluent in their mouths all night, they took that as a sign and descended.2They took as a sign the fact that their prayer was fluent in their mouths. See Berakhot 34b.
If you cannot learn it from here, learn it from another source, as it is written: “Hear now, Yehoshua the High Priest, you and your counterparts who sit before you; as they are men of a sign” (Zechariah 3:8). Who were they? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: They were Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, for whom this sign was performed.3The reference is to the sign that they received before descending into the furnace. If the righteous seek a sign, all the more so, the wicked [Pharaoh would].
“When Pharaoh will speak to you” – Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama began: “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times matters that have not been done; saying: My counsel will stand, and all My desire I will do” (Isaiah 46:10) – the Holy One blessed be He declares at the beginning what will be at the end, as He says to Moses: “This people will rise, and go astray after the foreign gods of the land” (Deuteronomy 31:16), which they were destined to do after the death of Joshua: “And they will forsake Me, and breach My covenant” (Deuteronomy 31:16); “they forsook the Lord and did not worship Him” (Judges 10:6). That is “declaring the end from the beginning.”
Rabbi Pinḥas HaKohen bar Ḥama said: Anyone who reads this verse thinks that perhaps there is a dispute on High, as He says: “My counsel will stand [and all My desire I will do].” What is “and all My desire I will do”? It is that He desires to vindicate His creations, as it is stated: “The Lord desires for the sake of His righteousness, to make the Torah great and glorious” (Isaiah 42:21), and does not seek to condemn any creature, as it is stated: “I have no desire in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked repent from his way and live” (Ezekiel 33:11). Therefore, it is stated: “And all My desire I will do.” Likewise you find that the Holy One blessed be He told Moses the end from the beginning; it is not written: If Pharaoh will speak to you, but rather, “when [Pharaoh] will speak”; he is destined to say this to you.
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: He is speaking appropriately: “Provide a wonder for you.” Likewise, you find with Noah, after all the miracles that the Holy One blessed be He performed for him in the ark, and He took him out of it, He said to him: “And the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh” (Genesis 9:15). [Noah] began asking for a sign,1That there would never again be a flood. until the Holy One blessed be He said to him: “I have set My rainbow in the cloud” (Genesis 9:13); if the righteous Noah asked for a sign, all the more so, the wicked Pharaoh [would].
Likewise, you find with Hezekiah, when Isaiah came and said to him: “So says the Lord…I will heal you; on the third day you will go up to the house of the Lord” (II Kings 20:5), he began asking for a sign, as it is stated: “Hezekiah said…what is the sign that the Lord will heal me, and that I will go up to the house of the Lord on the third day?” (II Kings 20:8). If the righteous Hezekiah asked for a sign, all the more so, the wicked Pharaoh [would].
Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, when they descended into the fiery furnace, they descended only with a sign. How so? “Not to us, Lord, not to us” (Psalms 115:1), said Ḥananya. “To Your name give glory” (Psalms 115:1), said Mishael. “For Your kindness and for Your truth” (Psalms 115:1), said Azarya. Gabriel was answering after them: “Why should the nations say: Where [now is their God?]” (Psalms 115:2). Once this became fluent in their mouths all night, they took that as a sign and descended.2They took as a sign the fact that their prayer was fluent in their mouths. See Berakhot 34b.
If you cannot learn it from here, learn it from another source, as it is written: “Hear now, Yehoshua the High Priest, you and your counterparts who sit before you; as they are men of a sign” (Zechariah 3:8). Who were they? Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Shalom said: They were Ḥananya, Mishael, and Azarya, for whom this sign was performed.3The reference is to the sign that they received before descending into the furnace. If the righteous seek a sign, all the more so, the wicked [Pharaoh would].
Midrash Tanchuma Buber
Another interpretation (of Gen. 8:16): GO FORTH FROM THE ARK. This text is related (to Eccl. 8:2-3): I < SAY >: KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND, AND BECAUSE OF THE OATH OF GOD, < DO NOT BE DISMAYED >.46Tanh., Gen. 2:10; Lev. R. 33:6. The Holy Spirit said to them: I made you swear that if a kingdom makes decrees over you, you shall not rebel against it in respect to anything which it has commanded concerning you. Rather, I < SAY >: KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND. However, if it commands you to abolish the Torah, the commandments and the Sabbath, do not obey them. I < SAY > KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND, in respect to anything which is necessary, but BECAUSE OF THE OATH OF GOD, DO NOT BE DISMAYED. LEAVE HIS PRESENCE; [DO NOT REMAIN IN SOMETHING EVIL]. Why? Because they will not separate you from the commandments, unless you deny the Holy One. Ergo: BECAUSE OF THE OATH OF GOD. And thus did Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah do when Nebuchadnezzar set up the image. They said to him: What do you think? That when you cast us into the midst of a fiery furnace, the Holy One will not save us? Whether he saves or does not save us, we will not bow down to the image. Thus it is stated (in Dan. 3:17): IF OUR GOD WHOM WE SERVE IS ABLE TO SAVE US, HE SHALL SAVE US FROM THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE AND FROM YOUR HAND. O KING. It is also written after this (in vs. 18): BUT IF NOT, BE IT KNOWN TO YOU, O KING, THAT WE SHALL NOT SERVE YOUR GODS NOR PAY HOMAGE TO THE IMAGE OF GOLD WHICH YOU HAVE SET UP. Nebuchadnezzar said to them: Are you telling the truth? It is so stated (in vs. 14): IS IT TRUE, SHADRACH, MESHACH, < AND ABEDNEGO >? They said to him: WE DO NOT {CARE} [NEED] TO ANSWER YOU IN THIS MATTER. They said to him: With respect to whatever you may decree for us, crop taxes,47Lat.: annona. imposts, poll taxes, we shall obey you; but with regard to denying the Holy One, we will not obey you. (Eccl. 8:2f.:) BECAUSE OF THE OATH OF GOD, DO NOT BE DISMAYED. LEAVE HIS PRESENCE. When he heard that from them, he began to be angry, as stated (in Dan. 3:19): THEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS FILLED WITH RAGE. When they had heated the furnace, they threw them in bound. When they had descended into the midst of the furnace, they raised their eyes to the Holy One, Blessed Be He, and said: Sovereign of the Universe, you know that we have not trusted in our works but in your name. (Ps. 115:1:) NOT UNTO US, O LORD, NOT UNTO US, BUT UNTO YOUR NAME GIVE GLORY…. Behold now, this wicked man had assembled all the tongues, as stated (in Dan. 3:3): THEN WERE ASSEMBLED THE SATRAPS…. {(Ps. 115:2:) WHY SHOULD THE NATIONS SAY < WHERE NOW IS THEIR GOD > ?} Immediately the angels wanted to go down to free them. The Holy One said to them: Was it for your name that they descended (into the furnace)? For my name they descended, and I will descend to free them. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 146:7): [THE ONE WHO EXECUTES JUSTICE FOR THE OPPRESSED]…. THE LORD FREES THOSE WHO ARE BOUND. The Holy One freed them immediately, flooded the furnace, and raised them up.48Cf. Sanh. 92b (bar.), according to which the furnace was raised. Then he leveled it (the furnace) to the ground, since it was deep. When the angel saw that, he said to them: Come out of there; for behold, the Holy One has freed you, performed miracles for you, and leveled the furnace to the ground. Come forth! They said to him: We are not coming forth without Nebuchadnezzar lest they say: They fled from the furnace. (Eccl. 8:2:) I < SAY >: KEEP THE KING'S COMMAND: With his permission we entered into here, and with his permission we are going forth. When Nebuchadnezzar came and saw them, he was astonished. He began crying out to them, as stated (in Dan. 3:26): HE SPOKE AND SAID: SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO, SERVANTS OF THE GREAT GOD [GET OUT AND COME]. "Get out and come up" is not written here, but GET OUT AND COME. Hence < one may conclude > that the furnace was leveled to the ground. They immediately said to the king: Now we will leave. Thus it is stated (ibid., cont.): THEN SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO CAME OUT [FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE]. From whom had they learned < what to do >? From Noah, who had entered the ark with the permission of the Holy One. Now it is stated (in Gen. 8:15-16): AND GOD SPOKE UNTO NOAH < … > GO FORTH FROM THE ARK. For when the earth had dried out and the ark had come to rest, as stated (in Gen. 8:4): SO THE ARK CAME TO REST, his sons said to him: Let us go out. He said to them: Heaven forbid! With the permission of the Holy One we entered, and with the permission of the Holy One we will leave. When the Holy One heard that, he immediately gave them permission, as stated (in Gen. 8:15-16): AND GOD SPOKE UNTO NOAH < … > GO FORTH FROM THE ARK.
Midrash Tehillim
"For the conductor, a psalm of David. My God, do not be silent about my praise. As it is written (Deuteronomy 10:20), "You shall fear the LORD your God; you shall serve Him and cling to Him." If you do so (Psalms 22:4), He is your praise and He is your God. Israel has no praise except for the Holy One, blessed be He, and the Holy One, blessed be He, has no praise except for Israel, as it is written (Isaiah 43:21), "This people I have formed for Myself; they shall relate My praise." David said before the Holy One, blessed be He, "You are my praise and You are silent. My God, do not be silent about my praise." For the mouths of wicked and deceitful men have opened against me, and so it says (Psalms 37:13), "The LORD laughs at him, for He sees that his day is coming." And You are silent about all this. Thus it says (Psalms 83:2), "O God, be not silent; be not deaf and be not still, O God." And You are silent about what they did in Your Temple, as it says (Isaiah 64:10-11), "Our holy and beautiful house, where our fathers praised You, has become a burning waste." The Holy One, blessed be He, said to them (Jeremiah 7:16), "I have been silent from the day your fathers left Egypt, and you have not listened to Me." Now Edom is acting like a woman in labor. For the mouths of wicked and deceitful men have opened. And what did they say? They opened the gates and entered the Holy of Holies and said, "Where is their God, that He may come and fight with us?" As it says (Deuteronomy 32:37-38), "And he will say, 'Where are their gods, the rock in which they sought refuge, who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their libation? Let them rise up and help you! Let them be your protection!'" And they said in the Temple (Psalms 115:2-3), "Why should the nations say, 'Where is their God?' Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases." Therefore, it is said, "For the mouths of wicked and deceitful men have opened against me." These are words of hatred that surround me. What is the hatred that is spoken in hatred? It is that which Esau did to Jacob, as it is written (Genesis 27:41), "And Esau hated Jacob because of the blessing with which his father had blessed him." And they take revenge and contend with me for no reason. Israel said, "When we sent to him in peace, we dealt with him peacefully," as it says (Numbers 20:14), "And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh to the king of Edom: 'Thus says your brother Israel...'" But he (Esau) said, "No, I will go out with the sword" (Genesis 32:31). Israel said, "I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war" (Psalm 120:7). God said, "I did not leave you for that" (Amos 1:11), as it says, "Thus says the Lord, 'For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not revoke the punishment; because he pursued his brother with the sword, and cast off all pity, and his anger tore perpetually, and he kept his wrath forever'" (Amos 1:11). God said, "Lest I come with the sword and they attack me without cause" (Exodus 20:22). If Esau hated Jacob and took the birthright from him to drink and eat, what did he do?