Midrash su Osea 10:14

When Rabbi Yosei of Milḥaya died, Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish went up to perform an act of kindness¹³⁶They went to participate in the funeral. and Rabbi Yitzḥak Pesaka went up with them. There was a certain elder there who sought to ascend and begin eulogizing him, but they did not allow him to do so. Rabbi Yitzḥak Pesaka said to him: ‘Before these lions of Torah you open your mouth?’ Rabbi Yoḥanan said to them: ‘Leave him, as he is an elder. Let him ascend and be honored in his place.’¹³⁷Since he is an elder and a local, let him deliver the first eulogy. He ascended, began, and said: ‘We find that the departure of the righteous is more difficult before the Holy One blessed be He than the ninety-eight rebukes in Mishne Torah¹³⁸This is a reference to the book of Deuteronomy. The reference is to the warnings of punishment in Deuteronomy 28:15–68. and the destruction of the Temple. In the rebukes it is written: “The Lord will render your blows extraordinary [vehifla]” (Deuteronomy 28:59).¹³⁹The Lord will strike you with extraordinary blows. Regarding the destruction of the Temple it is written: “She has declined extraordinarily [pela’im].” However, regarding the departure of the righteous it is written: “Therefore, behold, I will continue to bewilder [lehafli] this people, bewilderment [hafleh] upon bewilderment [vafeleh]” (Isaiah 29:14). Why to that extent? “The wisdom of her wise will be lost and the understanding of her men of understanding will be concealed” (Isaiah 29:14).’ Rabbi Yitzḥak Pesaka said: ‘May the mouth of this man be blessed.’ Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: ‘Had we not allowed him, from where would we have heard this pearl?’
The Divine Spirit was shouting and saying: “See, Lord, my affliction, for the enemy has expanded.”¹⁴⁰The midrash has returned to explicating the verse in Lamentations 1:8. The point is that the first part of the verse is a description of what has happened, whereas the phrase “see, Lord…” is the prophet, influenced by the Divine Spirit, calling out to God. “Evildoers dig pits for me that do not accord with Your Torah” (Psalms 119:85). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said two [examples]: It is written: “Do not take the mother with the young” (Deuteronomy 22:6), and here: “A mother was torn apart with her children” (Hosea 10:14);¹⁴¹The Torah prohibits trapping the mother bird while she is with her young, but the enemies attacked mothers in the presence of their children. that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said another: It is written: “To eradicate an infant from the street” (Jeremiah 9:20), but not from the synagogues; “young men from the squares” (Jeremiah 9:20), but not from the study halls. But here, “the wrath of the Lord arose against them…[He struck down the young warriors among them]” (Psalms 78:31);¹⁴²The “young warriors” refers to those involved in the study of Torah. At times the debate of matters of halakha in the course of study is compared to war (see, e.g., Megilla 15b). Alternatively, some suggest that the correct version of the text is as cited in Yalkut Shimoni, Tehillim 877, which provides a different prooftext: “Who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary” (II Chronicles 36:17) (Rabbi David Luria; Etz Yosef). that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said two [examples]: It is written: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28), but here, child and mother were killed on one day, as it is stated: “A mother was torn apart with her children” (Hosea 10:14); that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said another: It is written: “Who will hunt game of a beast…he shall [pour out its blood and] cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). But here, “They spilled their blood like water around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them” (Psalms 79:3); that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Berekhya said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You afforded burial to donkeys, but to Your children You did not afford burial.’ You afforded burial to donkeys, these are the Egyptians. That is what is written: “Whose flesh is the flesh of donkeys” (Ezekiel 23:20). And Rabbi Berekhya said: Because the sea would cast them to the dry land and the dry land cast them to the sea. The sea said to the dry land: ‘Accept your people,’ and the dry land said to the sea: ‘Accept your people.’ The dry land said: ‘If when I accepted only Abel’s blood, it is stated in my regard: “Cursed is the land” (Genesis 3:17), how can I accept the blood of this entire multitude?’ [This continued] until the Holy One blessed be He took an oath to it that He would not place it on trial. That is what is written: “You extended Your right hand; the earth swallowed them” (Exodus 15:12). The right hand is nothing other than an oath, as it is stated: “The Lord took an oath by His right hand” (Isaiah 62:8). But to your people, you did not afford burial, that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”

(Lev. 22:28:) “In the case of an animal from the herd or the flock, [you shall not slaughter] it and its offspring on the same day.”⁶⁶Although the nouns here are masculine singular and would normally read: IN THE CASE OF A BULL OR A SHEEP, Rashi understands the verse as only prohibiting the slaughter of a female beast and its offspring on the same day. Others like Ibn Ezra understand the prohibition in the verse as referring to both sexes. For a discussion of the two interpretations, see Hul. 78b-80a. This text is related (to Prov. 12:10), “A righteous one regards the life of his beast, but the compassion of the wicked is cruel.”⁶⁷Lev. R. 27:11: PRK 9:11. “A righteous one regards the life of his beast.” This refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written in the Torah (in Deut. 22:6 with reference to birds), “you shall not take the mother with the young.”⁶⁸Cf. Tos. Meg. 25a. “But the compassion of the wicked is cruel.” This refers to Sennacherib, of whom it is written (in Hos. 10:14), “the mother was dashed to pieces with the children.” “A righteous one regards the life of his beast.” This refers to the Holy One, blessed be He, as it is written in the Torah (in Lev. 22:28), “In the case of an animal from the herd or the flock, [you shall not slaughter] it and its offspring….” “But the compassion of the wicked is cruel.” This refers to Haman, of whom it is written (in Esth. 3:13), “to destroy and to annihilate [all the Jews].” R. Levi said, “Woe to the wicked, because they devise secret plans against Israel.⁶⁹M. Ps. 2:4. Each and every one says, ‘My plan is better than your plan.’ Esau said, ‘Cain was stupid to kill [his brother] Abel during his father's lifetime.⁷⁰Cf. Gen. R. 75:9. Did he not know that his father would be fruitful and multiply [afterwards]? I am not acting like that. Instead (in Gen. 27:41), “Let the days of mourning for my father come; then I will kill my brother Jacob.”’ Pharaoh said, ‘Esau was stupid to say, “Let the days of mourning for my father come.” Did he not know that his brother would be fruitful and multiply during his father's lifetime? I will not act like that. Instead, while they are tiny under their mothers' birthstool, I will strangle them.’ Thus it is written (in Exod. 1:22), ‘Every son born you shall throw into the Nile.’ Haman said, ‘Pharaoh was stupid to say, “Every son born [you shall throw into the Nile, but every daughter you shall keep alive].” Did he not know that, when the daughters are married to men,⁷¹According to Yafat Toar, this means foreign men, but it appears to me to be speaking about older Jewish men who were born before this decree (Ed. FN). they are fruitful and multiply through them. I will not act like that. Instead, [I will act] (in Esth. 3:13), “to destroy and to annihilate [all the Jews, young and old, children and women, on a single day].”’” R. Levi said, “Gog and Magog as well are going to say the same, ‘The former ones were stupid because they devised secret plans against Israel. Did they not know that they have a Patron⁷²Lat.: patronus. in the heavens? I will not act like that. First I will join in battle with their Patron, and after that I will join in battle with them.’” Thus it is written (in Ps. 2:2), “The kings of the earth take their stand, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “O wicked one, have you come to Me to join in battle?⁷³Rt.: ZWG. The root more commonly refers to joining in wedlock as does the Greek verb, zeugnunai. By your life I will wage war with you,” as stated (in Is. 42:13), “The Lord shall go forth like a warrior […].” It also says (in Zech. 14:3) “Then the Lord will come forth and fight with those nations.”

(Lev. 22:28:) IN THE CASE OF AN ANIMAL FROM THE HERD OR THE FLOCK, YOU SHALL NOT SLAUGHTER IT AND ITS OFFSPRING ON THE SAME DAY.⁷⁵Although the nouns here are masculine singular and would normally read: IN THE CASE OF A BULL OR A SHEEP, Rashi understands the verse as only prohibiting the slaughter of a female beast and its offspring on the same day. Others like Ibn Ezra understand the prohibition in the verse as referring to both sexes. For a discussion of the two interpretations, see Hul. 78b-80a. This text is related (to Prov. 12:10): A RIGHTEOUS ONE REGARDS THE LIFE OF HIS CATTLE….⁷⁶Tanh., Lev. 8:13; Lev. R. 27:11: PRK 9:11. This refers to the Holy One, who said (in Deut. 22:6 with reference to birds): YOU SHALL NOT TAKE THE MOTHER WITH THE YOUNG.⁷⁷Cf. Tos. Meg. 25a. (Prov. 12:10, cont.:) BUT THE COMPASSION OF THE WICKED IS CRUEL. This refers to Sennacherib, of whom it is written (in Hos. 10:14): THE MOTHER WAS DASHED TO PIECES WITH THE CHILDREN.