Midrash su Daniele 1:12

Similarly, you find that though the Holy One, blessed be He, decreed that Daniel and his companions should eat unclean bread, as it is said: And the Lord said: “Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their bread unclean, among the nations whither I will drive them” (Ezek. 4:13), nevertheless when Nebuchadnezzar commanded them to eat his food, as is said: And the king appointed for them a daily portion of the king’s food and of the wine which he drank (Dan. 1:5), Daniel would not obey. He declared: Even though the Holy One, blessed be He, has decreed that we should eat unclean food, He did so only to test us. We will do our part, let Him do His part. Then he said to the chief of the officers: Try thy servants, I beseech thee, ten days; and let them give us pulse to eat, and water to drink. Then let our countenances be looked upon before thee, and the countenance of the youths that eat of the king’s food; and as thou seest, deal with thy servants (Dan. 1:12–13). The officers retorted: “Are you descended from nobility that you are able to withstand the test of ten days without food or wine?” “Yes, indeed,” they replied, “for we are the descendants of that righteous man who was tried ten times. Perhaps his merit will assist us. After all, has not the king found us to be ten times as wise as all his magicians and sorcerers?” Forthwith, the Holy One, blessed be He, made the officer feel well disposed toward Daniel: So he hearkened unto them in this matter, and tried them for ten days. And at the end of ten days their countenances appeared fairer, and they were fatter in flesh, than all the youth that did eat of the king’s food (ibid., vv. 14–15).

(Gen. 22:1, cont.:) THAT GOD TESTED (rt.: NSH) ABRAHAM. This text is related (to Ps. 60:6 [4]): YOU HAVE GIVEN THOSE WHO FEAR YOU A TRIAL (NS) IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FLEE (rt.: NWS)¹⁴⁸A more traditional translation reads: YOU HAVE GIVEN THOSE WHO FEAR YOU A BANNER (NS) THAT IT MIGHT BE DISPLAYED. < ON ACCOUNT OF TRUTH. SELAH >.¹⁴⁹Gen. R. 55:1. < The passage refers to > a flight (rt.: NWS) through which Israel has been delivered from the judgment of Gehinnom. {Another interpretation: A TRIAL (NS) IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FLEE (rt.: NWS)} ON ACCOUNT OF TRUTH. SELAH. < The reason is > in order to grant < Israel > a reward in truth, as stated (in Is. 61:8): AND I WILL GIVE THEM THEIR RECOMPENSE IN TRUTH. The wicked, however, have no flight, as stated (in Job 11:20): BUT THE EYES OF THE WICKED FAIL; AND RETREAT IS CUT OFF FROM THEM. (Ps. 60:6 [4]:) YOU HAVE GIVEN THOSE WHO FEAR YOU A TRIAL (NS).¹⁵⁰Cf. Tanh., Gen. 4:21. Come and see the difference between the early < ancestors > and those who came later! The early ones were tested (rt.: NSH) at the hands of the Holy One, as stated (in Gen. 22:1): THAT GOD TESTED (NSH) ABRAHAM. So also with the people of the wilderness generation (according to Exod. 16:4): SO THAT I MAY TEST < THE PEOPLE > AS TO WHETHER THEY SHALL WALK IN MY TORAH OR NOT. It also says this (in Deut. 8:16): IN ORDER TO HUMBLE YOU [AND IN ORDER] TO TEST YOU…. Those who came later, however, were tested at the hands of the nations, as stated (in Jud. 3:1): NOW THESE ARE THE NATIONS WHICH THE LORD LEFT TO TEST ISRAEL. Ergo (in Ps. 60:6 [4]): YOU HAVE GIVEN THOSE WHO FEAR YOU A TRIAL (NS) IN ORDER FOR THEM TO FLEE (rt.: NWS) ON ACCOUNT OF TRUTH. SELAH. What is the meaning of ON ACCOUNT OF TRUTH. SELAH? < The words refer to > whoever has been tested (rt.: NSH) and withstood trials (rt.: NSH). And so you find in the case of Daniel and his companions, that when they went into exile, the Holy One decreed for them to eat unclean bread. It is so stated (in Ezek. 4:13): SO SHALL THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL EAT THEIR UNCLEAN BREAD AMONG THE GENTILES WHERE I SHALL BANISH THEM. Nebuchadnezzar arose and fulfilled the oracle. He began by saying: I decree that they eat of my food. Thus it is stated (in Dan. 1:5): AND THE KING APPOINTED FOR THEM < A DAILY PORTION OF THE KING'S FOOD >…. Daniel did not accept it. Instead he said: Although the Holy One has decreed for us to eat unclean bread, he wants to test us. We, however, will do our part; and the Holy One will do his. He began to say [to the captain of the guards (in Dan. 1:12f.): If you please], PRAY, TEST (NS) YOUR SERVANTS FOR TEN DAYS, [AND GIVE US SOME LEGUMES TO EAT AND WATER TO DRINK. THEN LET OUR APPEARANCE AND THE APPEARANCE OF THE CHILDREN WHO EAT THE KING'S FOOD BE LOOKED AT IN YOUR PRESENCE, AND DEAL WITH YOUR SERVANTS ACCORDING TO WHAT YOU SEE]. He said to them: But are you able to stand the test (rt.: NSH) for ten days without eating bread or drinking wine? They said to him: Yes, because we are of the children of that person who withstood the test of ten trials from God. His merit will stand by us. Thus it is stated (in Dan. 1:12): PRAY, TEST (NS) YOUR SERVANTS. Has not the king already found us ten times better than the magicians? By whose merit? By the merit of Abraham, who withstood the test of ten trials.¹⁵¹On Daniel and the merit of Abraham, see Ber. 7b. Concerning Abraham’s ten trials, opinions differ as to which events they included, but the tradition is old. See Jubilees 19:8; Avot 5:3. See also above, 3:4; below, section 46; M.Pss. 18:25. For listings, see ARN, A, 33; ARN, B, 36; PRE 26. Once they had withstood their trial (rt.: NSH), what is written (in Dan. 1:9, 14-15): THEN GOD GRANTED DANIEL [MERCY AND COMPASSION BEFORE THE CHIEF OF THE EUNUCHS…. SO HE HEEDED THEM IN THIS MATTER AND TESTED (rt.: NSH) THEM FOR TEN DAYS. THEN AT THE END OF TEN DAYS, THEIR APPEARANCE WAS SEEN TO BE BETTER AND THEIR FLESH FATTER THAN ALL THE CHILDREN WHO HAD EATEN THE KING'S FOOD]. Ergo (in Ps. 60:6 [4]): YOU HAVE GIVEN THOSE WHO FEAR YOU A TRIAL (NS) IN ORDER TO HAVE A MIRACLE OCCUR (rt.: NWS).¹⁵²This translation better fits the interpretation here than a more traditional rendering. In Ps. 60:6 [4] what is the meaning of (NS)? < That > you have made them great. It is just as it is stated (in Is. 30:17): AND LIKE A BANNER (NS)¹⁵³This is the usual interpretation of NS in the verse. Just as A Banner UPON A HILL implies greatness, so has the Holy One made Israel great. UPON A HILL. So why did the Holy One test (NSH) them? In order to make them great. In order not to give the nations of the world a pretext for saying: He has made them great, but he did not test them. So they endured their test. Therefore (in Gen. 22:1): NOW IT CAME TO PASS AFTER THESE THINGS, [THAT GOD TESTED ABRAHAM].