Midrash su II Re 19:35

“I remember my song in the night; I meditate with my heart, and my spirit searches” (Psalms 77:7). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon and Rabbi Aivu.⁵⁸The text of the midrash appears to be cut off. The statement of these Sages will be cited below.
The Rabbis say:⁵⁹This is a continuation of Chapter 21. Because they sinned from alef through tav, they are consoled from alef through tav. Likewise, you find that for all the harsh prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied regarding Israel, Isaiah preceded him and brought a remedy for them. Jeremiah said: “How [eikha] does…sit solitary”? (Lamentations 1:1). Isaiah said: “You will say in your heart: who bore me these.” (Isaiah 49:21).⁶⁰This is what Israel will say when its children return and it will no longer sit solitary. The verse stated by Jeremiah begins with the word “how” [eikha], which starts with an alef. The verse stated by Isaiah foresees the time when Jeremiah’s verse will be undone. Jeremiah said: “She weeps [bakho] bitterly at night” (Lamentations 1:2).⁶¹This verse starts with the word bakho, which begins with a bet. Isaiah said: “You will weep no longer, He will show you grace…” (Isaiah 30:19). Jeremiah said: “Judah was exiled [galta] due to affliction” (Lamentations 1:3).⁶²In Hebrew, the first word of this verse is galta, which begins with a gimmel. Isaiah said: “He will gather the dispersed of Israel…” (Isaiah 11:12). Jeremiah said: “The ways [darkhei] of Zion are in mourning” (Lamentations 1:4). Isaiah said: “A voice calls in the wilderness, clear the way of the Lord” (Isaiah 40:3). Jeremiah said: “Her adversaries have become [hayu] the head” (Lamentations 1:5). Isaiah said: “The sons of your tormentors will come to you, bowed” (Isaiah 60:14). Jeremiah said: “Gone [vayetze] from the daughter of Zion is all [her splendor] (Lamentations 1:6). Isaiah said: “A redeemer will come to Zion” (Isaiah 59:20). Jeremiah said: “Jerusalem remembered [zakhra] […all her delights]” (Lamentations 1:7). Isaiah said: “For, behold, I am creating new heavens and a new earth and the former will not be remembered and will not come to mind” (Isaiah 65:17). Jeremiah said: “Jerusalem has comitted a sin [ḥet]” (Lamentations 1:8). Isaiah said: “I have wiped away your transgressions like a cloud” (Isaiah 44:22). Jeremiah said: “Her impurity [tumatah] is on the edges of her skirts” (Lamentations 1:9). Isaiah said: “When the Lord will have washed the filth of the daughters of Zion” (Isaiah 4:4). Jeremiah said: “The adversary extended his hand [yado]” (Lamentations 1:10). Isaiah said: “The Lord will once again show His hand” (Isaiah 11:11). Jeremiah said: “All her [kol] people are sighing, [seeking bread]…” (Lamentations 1:11). Isaiah said: “They will not hunger and they will not thirst” (Isaiah 49:10). Jeremiah said: “May it not [lo] befall you, all wayfarers” (Lamentations 1:12) Isaiah said: “Until a spirit will be poured upon us from on high” (Isaiah 32:15).⁶³Maharzu amends the text such that the verse cited here is Isaiah 57:15, whereas Isaiah 32:15 is cited below after Lamentations 1:13. Accordingly, the midrash is understood as follows: Lamentations states “Is there any pain like my pain” (Lamentations 1:12) while Isaiah speaks of healing, as it is stated: “to revive the spirit of the humble and revive the heart of the downtrodden” (Isaiah 57:15). Jeremiah said: “From on high [mimarom] He sent fire into my bones” (Lamentations 1:13). Isaiah said: “Exalted and holy I will rest, and the despondent…” (Isaiah 57:15).⁶⁴According to the Maharzu,the verse cited here should be Isaiah 32:15, which more directly parallels Lamentations 1:13. Jeremiah said: “The yoke of my transgressions is preserved [niskad] in His hand” (Lamentations 1:14). Isaiah said: “Undo the restraints on your neck” (Isaiah 52:2). Jeremiah said: “[The Lord] trampled [sila] all my mighty” (Lamentations 1:15). Isaiah said: “Pave [solu] the highway, clear it of stones” (Isaiah 62:10). Jeremiah said: “For [al] these I weep; […my eye sheds water]” (Lamentations 1:16). Isaiah said: “With their eyes they will see [the Lord returning to Zion]” (Isaiah 52:8). Jeremiah said: “Zion spread [persa] her hands, [there was no comforter for her]” (Lamentations 1:17). Isaiah said: “I, it is I, who am your Comforter” (Isaiah 51:12). Jeremiah said: “The Lord is righteous [tzadik]” (Lamentations 1:18). Isaiah said: “Your people they are all righteous” (Isaiah 60:21). Jeremiah said: “I called [karati] to my lovers; they deceived me” (Lamentations 1:19). Isaiah said: “You will call Your walls salvation” (Isaiah 60:18). Jeremiah said: “See [re’e], Lord, for I am in distress” (Lamentations 1:20). Isaiah said: “You will see and your heart will be gladdened” (Isaiah 66:14). Jeremiah said: “They heard [shamu] that I sigh” (Lamentations 1:21). Isaiah said: “Comfort, comfort My people” (Isaiah 40:1). Jeremiah said: “Let all their wickedness come [tavo] before You” (Lamentations 1:22) Isaiah said: “I will bring them to the mountain of My holiness” (Isaiah 56:7).
Another matter, “I remember my song [neginati] in the night” (Psalms 77:7). Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Aivu says: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘I remember how I was broken before You in the night of the kingdoms,⁶⁵The times during which Israel suffered persecution at the hands of foreign nations is are referred to here as night. just as it says: “Blessed is God, the Most High, who broke [migen] your enemies into your hand”’ (Genesis 14:20). Rabbi Yehuda says: I remember the songs that I sang before You in the nights, just as it says: “[The Lord is to save me] and we will play my songs all the days of our lives” (Isaiah 38:20), this is the night of Pharaoh, as it is written: “It was at midnight” (Exodus 12:29). And the night of Gideon who smote the Midianite and Amalekite camp, as it is written: “It was on that night” (Judges 7:9). And the night of Sennacherib, in whose regard it is written: “It was on that night, and the angel of God emerged” (II Kings 19:35).⁶⁶According to Rabbi Yehuda, the reference is to the songs Israel sang when they experienced salvation at night. Each of the three verses cited refers to an event in which an enemy of Israel was defeated at night.
“I meditate with my heart” (Psalms 77:7), I speak with my heart. “And my spirit searches” (Psalms 77:7), I examine my actions. And it says: “Will the Lord forsake forever? Will He never again appease?” (Psalms 77:8). God forbid, He has not abandoned and will not abandon, as it is written: “For the Lord will not forsake forever” (Lamentations 3:31).
“Will He never again appease [lirtzot]” or be appeased [leratzot]? In the past He would appease others. When Moses was angry, it says: “And he returned [veshav] to the camp” (Exodus 33:11). Read it as: And return [veshuv].⁶⁷Despite Moses’s anger in the wake of the sin of the Golden Calf, God implores him to return to the camp. When Elijah was angry, it says: “Go, return on your way to the wilderness of Damascus” (I Kings 19:15); but now, He does not appease, and is not appeased.
“Has His kindness come to an end [he’afes] forever, [is His decision final for all generations]?” (Psalms 77:9). What is he’afes? Rabbi Reuven said: It is a Greek term, just as it says: “He will say none [afes]” (Amos 6:10).⁶⁸The word afes is a Greek term meaning “let go,” similar to the usage of the term in Amos, where one is asked if there is anyone with him and he says “none,” meaning dismiss the thought from your mind. Thus, It is not God’s kindness that has ceased, but He has let go of it in the sense that He has ceased to implement His kindness in the world. Rabbi Ḥanina bar Pappa and Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Ḥanina said: Has the matter that the Holy One blessed be He said to Moses, “I will favor whom I favor” (Exodus 33:19), concluded? Rabbi Simon says: It has already been concluded, and this was confirmed by means of Jeremiah: “For I have withdrawn My peace [and kindness and mercy from this people]” (Jeremiah 16:5).
“Has God forgotten to be gracious [ḥanot]” (Psalms 77:10), has God forgotten His encampment [ḥanoto] in the wilderness, “According to the word of God they would encamp” (Numbers 9: 20). Has He forgotten “God, merciful and gracious [veḥanun]”? (Exodus 34:6). “Has He closed in anger His mercy? Sela” (Psalms 77:10); even though He is angry, His mercy is near. Yet Zion said: ‘The Lord has forsaken me and my Lord has forgotten me,’ as it is written: “Zion said: The Lord has forsaken me [and the Lord has forgotten me]” (Isaiah 49:14).⁶⁹However, God responds: “Yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
“Then I said: This is my weakness [ḥaloti], [the right hand of the Most High has changed]” (Psalms 77:11). Rabbi Alexandrai said: Because we did not entreat [ḥilinu] You in repentance, the right hand has changed.⁷⁰The right hand signifies God’s support and giving. This has changed from supporting Israel to supporting its enemies (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: The oath that He made with us at Ḥorev⁷¹This is another name for Sinai. has been violated [nitḥalela], and so the right hand has changed.
Rabbi Simon said: Have you ever heard that the orb of the sun is ill and unable to rise and serve? For His servants there are no illnesses, but before Him there is illness?⁷²The term ḥaloti is expounded to mean illnesses [ḥolayin], such that the verse reads “this is my illness.” As the midrash explains, it cannot be that God’s providence has changed due to His illness, as that is impossible. Rabbi Yitzḥak said: [This is analogous] to a mighty person who was there in a province, and all the residents of the province relied on him and would say: ‘No troops will come here. If troops came to the city, once he would emerge and show his face, they would flee immediately.’ One time the troops came, and he said to them: ‘My right hand hurts.’⁷³Since he is not ready for battle, the enemies are no longer afraid of him. However, the Holy One blessed be He is not so, but rather, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not too short to save…” (Isaiah 59:1).
“The right hand of the Most High has changed.” Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: If it is due to illnesses, there is hope, for one who is hurt will ultimately heal. But if it has changed, there is no hope.⁷⁴In the case of the change to God’s right hand, as it were, there is hope, because the change is based on something akin to illness. The verse from Isaiah cited above is followed by the following: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God” (Isaiah 59:2) (Matnot Kehuna). That is the opinion of Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi <who said:="" “for="" you="" have="" despised="" us,="" [you="" were="" exceedingly="" angry="" at="" us]”="" (lamentations="" 5:22).="" if="" it="" is="" despising,="" there="" is="" no="" hope.="" if="" it="" is="" anger,="" there="" is="" hope,="" as="" who="" is="" angry="" will="" ultimately="" be="" appeased.="">
Rabbi Shimon bar Yoḥai said: The Holy One blessed be He said to Israel: ‘You wept a gratuitous weeping; ultimately, you will weep a weeping of substance.’ Where did Israel weep a gratuitous weeping? “Moses heard the people weeping according to its families” (Numbers 11:10). “The entire congregation raised and sounded their voice [and the people wept that night]” (Numbers 14:1). Where did Israel weep a weeping of substance? Rabbi Aivu and Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon, Rabbi Aivu said: Once in Rama and once in Babylon. In Rama, as it is written: “So said the Lord: A voice is heard in Rama, wailing, bitter weeping, [Rachel weeping for her children]” (Jeremiah 31:15). In Babylon, as it is written: “By the rivers of Babylon, [there we sat and also wept]” (Psalms 137:1). Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: One in the “province of Judah” (Ezra 5:8) and one in Babylon. In the province of Judah, “she weeps bitterly at night” (Lamentations 1:2). In Babylon, “by the rivers of Babylon.”
Rabbi Aivu said: So said the Holy One blessed be He to Israel: ‘As a reward for that weeping, I will gather in your exiles.’ That is what is written: “So said the Lord, restrain your voice from weeping…there is hope for your future, the utterance of the Lord” (Jeremiah 31:16–17).
“She weeps bitterly [bakho tivkeh],” she will weep [bakho] due to one calf; she will weep [tivkeh] due to two calves.⁷⁵The midrash expounds the doubled Hebrew expression bakho tivkeh (in which the root bet-kaf-heh is used twice consecutively) to refer to two sins: The sin of the Golden Calf in the wilderness and Jeroboam’s two golden calves in the Land of Israel (see I Kings 12:26–30). Another matter, over Judah, and over Zion and Jerusalem.⁷⁶Zion and Jerusalem count as one. Alternatively, they are separate and there is a third source of weeping expressed in the verse in Lamentations, which continues: “her tears are on her cheeks” (Lamentations 1:2). Another matter, she will weep [bakho] over the exile of the Ten Tribes; she will weep [tivkeh] over the exile of Judah and Benjamin. Another matter, she weeps and causes others to weep with her, she weeps and causes the Holy One blessed be He to weep with her, as it is written: “The Lord, God of hosts, called on that day for weeping and for lamentation” (Isaiah 22:12). She weeps and causes the ministering angels to weep with her, as it is written: “Behold, their angels cry out outside [ḥutza], [the messengers of peace weep bitterly]” (Isaiah 33:7). Rabbi Ze’eira said: Ḥitza is written,⁷⁷The word ḥutza is written without a vav, such that it can be read ḥitza. it is unnatural [ḥitza] for him to slaughter him.⁷⁸Rabbi Ze’eira interprets this verse as pertaining to God’s command to Abraham to sacrifice Isaac. The angels responded that this was a command that violated human nature. Rabbi Berekhya said: Just as it says: “He took him outside [haḥutza] [and said: Look now toward the heavens]” (Genesis 15:5).⁷⁹Rabbi Berekhya cites this verse to demonstrate that ḥutza refers to the heavens. Thus, he interprets the verse in Genesis to mean that God took Abraham outside and directed him to look toward the heavens, and he interprets the verse in Isaiah to mean that the angels cry in the heavens.
“She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the heavens and the earth to weep with her. That is what is written: “The sun and the moon darkened” (Joel 2:10). “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the mountains and the hills to weep with her. That is what is written: “I saw the mountains [they are quaking, and all the hills have disintegrated]” (Jeremiah 4:24). “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and causes the seventy nations to weep with her. Rabbi Pinḥas said: The seventy bulls that Israel would sacrifice on the festival of Sukkot correspond to the seventy nations, so that the world would not be vacant of them. “She will weep [bakho],” she weeps and casues the congregation of Israel to weep with her. That is what is written: “The entire congregation raised [vatisa]…[and the people wept that night]” (Numbers 14:1). Rabbi Ḥunya taught it in the name of Rabbi Neḥemya: Vatisa is written, they left a bad debt for the generations, just as it says: “When you lend [tasheh] to your neighbor” (Deuteronomy 24:10).

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:2), “Command Aaron.” What is the function of Aaron here? Israel was bringing offerings whereas Aaron is mentioned, and Scripture says here, “Command Aaron.” But note, it is written (in Numb. 28:2), “Command the Children of Israel, and say unto them, ‘My offering, My bread,’” but here it says (in Lev. 6:2), “Command Aaron […], ‘This is the Torah of the one who ascends (h'lh).’”⁴The masoretic text vocalizes this word as ha’olah, which means, THE BURNT OFFERING, but the midrash interprets the word as though it were vocalized ha’oleh, which means, “The one who ascends,” with the ascending implying self-exaltation. So also Lev. R. 7:6. The Holy One, blessed be He, said (to warn Aaron and his sons), “Whenever someone raises (rt.: 'lh) himself up, his end is to go in the fire.”⁵M.Ps. 11:5. It is so stated (in Lev. 6:2, cont.), “that is the one which ascends upon the burning place.” The generation of the flood [suffered] because of what they said (in Job 21:15), “What is the Omnipresent that we should serve Him?” For that reason they were sentenced to the fire (of Gehinnom), as stated (Job 6:17), “at the time that they were heated, they were burnt in His heat,” and it is written (Job 22:20), “and the fire consumed their remnant.” And likewise the Sodomites, [as stated] (in Gen. 19:24), “Then the Lord rained down upon Sodom and upon Gomorrah brimstone and fire.” When Pharaoh said (in Exod. 5:2), “Who is the Lord, [that I should heed His voice],” he exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in Ezek. 29:3), “my Nile is my own and I made it myself.” [He is] therefore (in the words of Lev. 6:2) “upon the burning place.” For so it says (in Ps. 18:14), “The Lord thundered in the heavens,” (Ps. 18:13), "From the illumination in front of Him, His clouds were pierced by hail and coals of fire.” And also when Sennacherib exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in II Kings 19:23 = Is. 37:24), “it is I who have ascended (rt.: 'lh) the mountain heights to the remotest parts of Lebanon.” And what happened to him? (II Kings 19:35:) “The angel of the Lord went out and smote [one hundred and eighty-thousand] in the camp of Assyria.” He had blasphemed (according to II Kings 19:23: cf. 18:17–35) through a messenger (mal'akh);⁶The parallel in Is. 37:24 reads “servant” instead of “messenger.” therefore (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21) “the angel (mal'akh) of the Lord went out and smote.” What did he do to him? (Is. 10:16), “And under his glory there shall burn a burning like the burning of fire.” What is the meaning of “under his glory?” That it burned them from within and left alone their clothes on the outside, since a person's glory is his garment.⁷Cf. Sanh. 94a. And why did the Holy One, blessed be He, leave their clothes behind? Because they were descendants of Shem, as stated (in Gen. 10:22), “The sons of Shem are Elam, Asshur (Assyria)….” The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “I am indebted to their father Shem, because he took the garment and covered his father's nakedness, as stated (in Gen. 9:23), “Then Shem and Japheth took the garment… [and they covered their father's nakedness].”⁸Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:21, which interprets the verse to show that Shem took the lead in this act. Therefore, the Holy One, blessed be He, left their clothes alone and burned [only] their body. This is as it is written (Lev. 6:2), “that (i.e. the person who exalts himself) is the one which ascends (ha'oleh) upon the burning place.” And so too Nebuchadnezzar exalted (rt.: 'lh) himself and said (in Is. 14:14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud; I will become like the Most High (rt.: 'lh).” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “Upon your life, was it not enough that you said in your heart (in vs. 13), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) to the heavens; above the stars of God I will set my throne,” but that you should say (in vs. 14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud, I will become like the Most High (rt.: 'lh)?” And so he (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar) said to Hananiah and his friends (in Dan. 3:15), “’Now who is the God who shall deliver you out of my hand?’ I have burned His house and exiled His people. He did not stand against me in His house; so will He overcome me in my house?” What did he do? He threw them into the fiery furnace. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He gave a sign to the furnace and it became a highway.⁹PLTYA, from the Gk.: plateia. Buber suggests emending to PLNTYH, from the Gk.: planetes, i.e., “planets.” Whoever was designated to be burned was not burned and whoever was not designated to be burned was burned. So the fire went forth and burned half of the peoples. Thus you find, when they assembled for the dedication of the image, at first there were eight peoples, as stated (in Dan. 3:3), “Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the provincial officials assembled.” That makes eight peoples; but when they came in to see Hananiah and his friends, there were only four peoples written there (in vs. 27), “The satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the royal companions assembled.” So where were [the other] four peoples?] It is simply that (in vs. 22) “the flame of the fire slew them.” Now Nebuchadnezzar also was burned by the fire, and the fright (i.e., repulsiveness) of [a body disfigured by] burning was put upon him.¹⁰For this interpretation, Jastrow, s.v., ‘immus. Why was all of him not burned? The Holy One, blessed be He, said, “Leave this evil man half of himself so that he may know against Whom he blasphemed.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “O wicked one, did you not say, ‘I do not want to live with the children of Adam, but (in Is. 14:14), “I will ascend (rt.: 'lh) upon the heights of a cloud?”’ By your life, (according to Dan. 4:22) ‘You shall be driven away from humans and your domicile will be with the wild animals outside.’” Just as He brought the plagues upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, so did He bring [punishment] upon Nebuchadnezzar. It is so stated (in Dan. 3:32), “The signs and wonders which the most high God has worked for me [it seemed good to me to make known].” This fright of [a body disfigured by] burning fell upon him. Therefore it is stated (in Lev. 6:2), “that is the one which ascends (h'lh) upon the burning place.” (Lev. 6.2) “That is the one which ascends upon the burning place.” This is the kingdom of Edom (Rome), which exalted (rt.: 'lh) itself, as stated (in Obad. 1:4), “Though you make [your abode] as high as the eagle, and though [your nest is set] among the stars,” and will be judged by fire, as stated (in Dan. 7:11), “I looked on until the beast was slain and its body destroyed, given over for burning in the fire.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said (in Obad. 1:18), “The House of Jacob shall be fire, and the House of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau shall be straw; [… for the Lord has spoken].” And what did he say? Through Moses (in Lev. 6:2), “that is the one which ascends (ha'olah, rt.: 'lh) upon the burning place.” Then after that [Scripture says] (in Obad. 1:21), “Then saviors shall come up on Mount Zion to judge the Mountain of Esau.” Sisera also [was punished by fire] because he blasphemed. Thus it is written about him (in Jud. 4:3), “and he oppressed the Children of Israel with might,” [i.e.] with blasphemies and invectives.¹¹See M. Ps. 2:1, which derives this interpretation of WITH MIGHT (rt.: HZQ) from Mal. 3:13: YOUR WORDS HAVE BEEN MIGHTY (rt.: HZQ) AGAINST ME. See also below, 9:7. He was therefore punished by fire, as stated (in Jud. 5:20), “The stars fought from the heavens; from their courses they fought with Sisera.”¹²See Pes. 118b, according to which the stars descended and heated the iron implements in Sisera’s army. And in the world to come, when the Holy One, blessed be He, comes to exact retribution from Esau, what [will] Esau do? Wrapped in a prayer shawl like an elder, he comes and takes his seat beside Jacob. It is so stated, (in Obad. 1:4), “and though your nest is set among the stars.” Stars can only mean Israel, since it is stated (in Gen. 15:5), “look toward the heavens and count the stars …; so shall your seed be.” Jacob says to him, “My brother ('hy), you shall not be like me.” Thus it is stated (in Hos. 13:14), “my brother ('hy),¹³The unemended reading below, given in braces, shows that the midrash is reading the he in ‘HY as a het, so that the WHERE of the Masoretic Text cited here is to be interpreted as MY BROTHER. your words¹⁴Devarekha. YOUR WORDS is the translation required by the midrash. In the biblical context devarekha should be rendered, YOUR PLAGUES. are death; my brother ('hy), your descent (qtb) is to Sheol.”¹⁵A traditional translation of the line would read: WHERE IS YOUR PESTILENCE, O SHEOL? Your words are decrees which you decreed over me. You decreed two-edged decrees against me, that I should serve idols. If I had done so, I would have been condemned to death at the hands of Heaven; and if I had not served them, you would have killed me. Ergo (in Hos. 13:14), “my brother, your words are death.” (Ibid., cont.) “My brother ('hy), your descent (qtb) is to Sheol.” [Qtb] is a Hellenistic¹⁶From the Gk. adverb: Hellenisti. word, meaning to descend to Sheol.¹⁷Thus QTB is understood as coming from the Greek, kataba, an aorist imperative meaning, “descend.” When Esau descends to Sheol, Jacob will remain by himself. It is therefore stated (in Zech. 13:8), “And it shall come to pass throughout all the land, says the Lord, that two-thirds in it shall be cut off and die, but one-third shall remain in it.” Now the one-third can only be Israel, since it is stated (in Is. 19:24), “Israel shall be a third.” So Israel – because they made themselves despised and lowly, as stated (Malachi 2:9), “And I also made you despised and lowly” – are avenged and redeemed by fire; as stated (in Zech. 2:9), “And I Myself, says the Lord, will be a wall of fire around it (i.e., around Jerusalem).” When Esau departs from the world, the Holy One, blessed be He, and Israel remain, as stated (in Cant. 6:9), “[Only] one is my dove, my perfect one.” It also says (in Deut. 32:12), “The Lord alone did lead him, and there was no foreign God with Him.”

Another interpretation (of Lev. 6:2 [9]): COMMAND AARON…. What is the function of Aaron here?⁷Tanh., Lev. 2:2. Israel was bringing offerings while Aaron waited. So the Scripture says here: COMMAND AARON. Note also, it is written (in Numb. 28:2): COMMAND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL, AND SAY UNTO THEM: MY OFFERING, MY BREAD FOR MY FIRE OFFERING < … YOU SHALL TAKE HEED TO OFFER ME IN ITS DUE SEASON >, but here it says (in Lev. 6:2 [9]): COMMAND AARON < … >: THIS IS THE TORAH OF THE ONE WHO ASCENDS (H'LH).⁸The masoretic text vocalizes this word as ha’olah, which means, THE BURNT OFFERING, but the midrash interprets the word as though it were vocalized ha’oleh, which means, “The one who ascends,” with the ascending implying self-exaltation. So also Lev. R. 7:6. The Holy One said: Whenever someone raises (rt.: 'LH) himself up, his end is to go in the fire.⁹M.Ps. 11:5. [It is so stated (in Lev. 6:2 [9], cont.):] THAT IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS UPON THE BURNING PLACE…. The generation of the flood < suffered > because of what they said (in Job 21:15): WHAT IS THE ALMIGHTY THAT WE SHOULD SERVE HIM? AND WHAT DO WE PROFIT WHEN WE PRAY TO HIM? For that reason they were sentenced to the fire (of Gehinnom). And likewise the Sodomites, as stated (in Gen. 19:24): THEN THE LORD RAINED DOWN UPON SODOM AND UPON GOMORRAH BRIMSTONE AND FIRE. When Pharaoh said (in Exod. 5:2): WHO IS THE LORD, [THAT I SHOULD HEED HIS VOICE]? he exalted (rt.: 'LH) himself and said (in Ezek. 29:3): THE NILE IS MY OWN AND I MADE MYSELF. < He is > therefore (in the words of Lev. 6:2 [9]) UPON THE BURNING PLACE, for so it says (in Ps. 18:14 [13]): THE LORD THUNDERED {FROM HEAVEN} [IN THE HEAVENS], AND THE MOST HIGH GAVE FORTH HIS VOICE, HAIL AND COALS OF FIRE. And also when Sennacherib exalted (rt.: 'LH) himself and said (in II Kings 19:23 = Is. 37:24): IT IS I WHO HAVE ASCENDED (rt.: 'LH) THE MOUNTAIN HEIGHTS TO THE REMOTEST PARTS OF LEBANON…, what happened to him? (II Kings 19:35:) THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE < ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. (According to II Kings 19:23: cf. 18:17–35) he had blasphemed through a messenger (mal'akh);¹⁰The parallel in Is. 37:24 reads “servant” instead of “messenger.” therefore (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21:) THE ANGEL (mal'akh) OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE < ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA. What did he do to him? (Is. 10:16): AND UNDER HIS GLORY THERE SHALL BURN A BURNING LIKE THE BURNING OF FIRE. What is the meaning of UNDER HIS GLORY? That it burned him from within and left alone his clothes on the outside, since a person's glory is his garment.¹¹Cf. Sanh. 94a. Why did the Holy One leave their clothes behind? Because they were descendants of Shem, as stated (in Gen. 10:22): THE SONS OF SHEM ARE ELAM, ASSHUR,…. The Holy One said: I am indebted to their father Shem, because he took the garment and covered his father's nakedness, as stated (in Gen. 9:23): THEN SHEM AND JAPHETH TOOK A GARMENT…, < AND THEY COVERED THEIR FATHER'S NAKEDNESS >.¹²Cf. Tanh. (Buber), Gen. 2:21, which interprets the verse to show that Shem took the lead in this act. Therefore, the Holy One left their clothes alone and burned < only > their body. (Lev. 6:2 [9]:) THAT (i.e. the person who exalts himself) IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS (ha'oleh) UPON THE BURNING PLACE…. And so < it was in the case of > [Nebuchadnezzar, < who > he exalted (rt.: 'LH) himself. He said (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: 'LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD; I WILL BECOME LIKE THE MOST HIGH (rt.: 'LH). The Holy One said to him: O wicked one, was it not enough that you should say (in vs. 13): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: 'LH) < TO THE HEAVENS >; ABOVE THE STARS OF GOD I WILL SET MY THRONE, but that you should say (in vs. 14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: 'LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD, on high (rt.: 'LH)? And so he (i.e., Nebuchadnezzar) said to Hananiah and his friends (in Dan. 3:15): {WHO IS} [NOW WHO IS] THE GOD WHO SHALL DELIVER YOU OUT OF MY HAND? I have burned his house and exiled his people. He did not stand against me in his house; so will he overcome me in my house? What did he do? He threw them into the fiery furnace. What did the Holy One do? He gave a sign to the furnace and it became a highway.¹³PLTYA, from the Gk.: plateia. Buber suggests emending to PLNTYH, from the Gk.: planetes, i.e., “planets”. Whoever was designated to be burned [was not burned and whoever was not designated to be burned] was burned. So the fire went forth and burned half of the peoples. Thus you find, when they assembled for the dedication of the image, at first there were eight peoples, as stated (in Dan. 3:3): THEN THE SATRAPS, THE PREFECTS, AND THE GOVERNORS, THE COUNSELORS, THE TREASURERS, THE JUDGES, THE MAGISTRATES, AND ALL THE PROVINCIAL OFFICIALS ASSEMBLED. That makes eight peoples; but when they came in to see Hananiah and his friends, there were only four peoples written there (in vs. 27): THE SATRAPS, THE PREFECTS, THE GOVERNORS, AND THE ROYAL COMPANIONS ASSEMBLED. {That makes four peoples.} [So where were four peoples?] It is simply that (in vs. 22) THE FLAME OF THE FIRE SLEW THEM. Now Nebuchadnezzar also was burned by the fire, and the fright (i.e., repulsiveness) of < a body disfigured by > burning was put upon him.¹⁴For this interpretation, Jastrow, s.v., ‘immus. Why was all of him not burned? The Holy One said: Leave this evil man half of himself so that he may know against whom he blasphemed. The Holy One said to him: O Wicked One, did you not say: I do not want to live with the children of Adam, but (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND (rt.: 'LH) UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD? [By your life,] (according to Dan. 4:22 [25]) YOU SHALL BE DRIVEN AWAY FROM HUMANS. Just as he brought the plagues upon Pharaoh and upon Egypt, so he brought < punishment > upon Nebuchadnezzar. It is so stated (in Dan. 3:32 [4:2]): THE SIGNS AND WONDERS WHICH THE MOST HIGH GOD HAS WORKED FOR ME IT SEEMED GOOD TO ME TO MAKE KNOWN. This fright of < a body disfigured by > burning fell upon him. Therefore it is stated (in Lev. 6:2 [9]): THAT IS THE ONE WHICH ASCENDS (H'LH) UPON THE BURNING PLACE….

“The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world did not believe that an adversary and enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem” (Lamentations 4:12).
“The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world.” There were four kings, what this one demanded that one did not demand, and these are: David, Asa, Yehoshafat, and Hezekiah. David said: “I will pursue my enemies and overtake them…” (Psalms 18:38). The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I will do so.’ That is what is written: “David smote them from twilight until the evening of their next day” (I Samuel 30:17). What is “of their next day”? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: For two nights and one day. The Holy One blessed be He would illuminate for him with comets and lightning, as we learned there: Over comets, over earthquakes, and over lightning.³⁰On any of these phenomena one recites the blessing “Whose strength and power fill the world” (Mishna Berakhot 9:2). That is what is written: “For you will illuminate my lamp…” (Psalms 18:29).
Asa arose and said: ‘I do not have the power to kill them, but I will pursue them and You do [the killing].’ He said to him: ‘I will do so,’ as it is stated: “Asa…pursued them…as they were broken before the Lord and before His camp; they carried a great many spoils” (II Chronicles 14:12). “Before Asa” is not written here, but rather, “before the Lord and before His camp.”
Yehoshafat arose and said: ‘I have the power neither to kill nor to pursue; rather, I will recite song and You do so.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I will do so,’ as it is stated: “At the time that they began with song and praise, [the Lord set ambushes against the children of Amon, Moav, and the highlands of Se'ir]” (II Chronicles 20:22).
Hezekiah arose and said: ‘I have the power neither to kill, nor to pursue, nor to recite song; rather I will sleep in my bed and You do so.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I will do so,’ as it is stated: “It was on that night that an angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians” (II Kings 19:35).
How many remained of them? Rav said: Ten, as it is stated: “A child will record them” (Isaiah 10:19), as it is typical of a child to write yod.³¹Yod is the smallest letter and its numerical value is ten. Rabbi Elazar says: Six, as it is typical of a child to scratch a line.³²The letter vav is a straight vertical line. Its numerical value is six. Rabbi Yehoshua said: Five, as it is stated: “Two, three berries at the treetop” (Isaiah 17:6).³³The two were Nebuchadnezzar and Nevuzaradan, who were officers, and the three were Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, and his two sons. They were the survivors. Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said: Nine. That is what is written: “Four, five on its flourishing branches” (Isaiah 17:6).³⁴Four and five are nine. Rabbi Tanḥum ben Ḥanilai said: Fourteen. That is what is written: “Two, three berries at the treetop, four, five on its flourishing branches.”
Both according to statement of these, and according to the statement of those, Nebuchadnezzar was one of them. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Ascend and destroy the Temple,’ he said: ‘He seeks only to eliminate me. He will do to me what he did to my grandfather.’³⁵Nebuchadnezzar is identified as the grandson of Sennacherib. What did he do? He came and encamped at Daphne in Antioch and sent Nevuzaradan, captain of the guard, to destroy Jerusalem. He stayed there three and a half years. Each day he would circle Jerusalem, but was unable to conquer it. Since he was unable to conquer it, he sought to return. The Holy One blessed be He introduced [an idea] into his mind and he began measuring the wall and it was sinking two and a half handbreadths each day until it was completely sunk. Once it completely sunk, the enemies entered Jerusalem. Regarding that moment, it states: “The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world did not believe that an adversary and enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem.”

And He called to Moshe: And why does it say, "And He called?" Rather it is is because it stated above (Exodus 40:35), "and Moshe could not come to the Tent of Meeting" - when the Divine Presence rested upon the Tent of Meeting. And he could not come since the cloud [of glory] was resting upon it. Hence the Holy One, blessed be He, called him. "Saying": What is "saying?" To say to the Children of Israel. "A man from you that brings a sacrifice": Why does it state, "a man (adam)" and it does not say, "eesh?" It wants to say, when a man sins like Adam (the first man) started to sin - he should bring a sacrifice. Why does it state, "from the beast," when it [also] states, "from the cattle or the sheep?" Rather, it wanted to say [that we should] distinguish them from the beast; that his soul does not descend to the lowest pit like the beast, the soul of which descends below to the earth - as it is stated (Ecclesiastes 3:21), "Who knows if the [soul] of man ascends above, and the [soul] of the beast is the one that descends below." And truly does a man not know? Rather it is like the verse stated (Joel 2:14), "Who knows, [God] may turn and regret" - and this is its understanding: He "who knows" that he is a sinner, should "turn" to "God," and He will atone for him for all of his iniquities. What is "and regret?" Rather, He will relent about the bad that He planned to do to him. And likewise it is saying [here], "Who is the one that knows and understands and has intelligence and understanding - he will understand and know that the soul of man ascends above to the place from which it was fashioned, and the spirit of the beast descends below to earth." As so did King Shlomo, peace be upon him, state (Ecclesiastes 12:7), "and the spirit returns to God who gave it." And which spirit returns to "God who gave it?" These are the spirits of the righteous ones, the pious ones and the penitents who stand in front of Him in great stature. And that is the life that has no death with it, and the good which has [nothing] bad with it. This is the [meaning of] that which is written in the Torah (Deuteronomy 22:7), "so that it shall be good for you," forever. And we learned from the heard tradition, "'so that is shall be good to you,' in the world that is completely good; 'and you shall have length of days,' in the world that is completely long." And the reward of the righteous is that they will merit and live for the good. Happy is the man that merited good and delight; may the Omnipresent have us merit it with the righteous! And the early sages have already informed us that man does not have the ability to investigate and speak [about] the goodnesses of the world to come, as it has no measure, nor comparison nor model. And so did the verse state (Isaiah 64:3), "no eye has seen, God, but You, who acts for those who wait for Him" - meaning to say, the good that no eye has seen besides You, God. And that which they called it, "the world to come," is not because it is not found now. [Rather,] for us who are in this world now, it is [still] to come. And hence he says, the world to come - after a man leaves this world. And one who says that [first] this world is destroyed, and afterwards comes the world to come - the matter is not like that. Rather, when the righteous depart from the world, they immediately ascend and stand in this stature, as it is stated (Psalms 31:20), "How great is Your goodness that You have stored for those that fear You, that You have done for those that take refuge in You." But [the souls] of the evildoers float throughout the whole world and do not find rest for the soles of their feet. And they only ascend to the place from which they were fashioned [after] twelve months. What does it do [during this time]? It goes to the grave and comes back, and its seeing the body rotten and that it is maggots and worms is difficult for it. To what is the thing comparable? To a man that had a nice house and it fell. He goes to see it every day, that thorns are growing on it, brambles are covering its face and its stone fence is destroyed - and he cries and mourns over it, since he sees it like this. And so is the spirit floating throughout all of the world and coming back to the grave. And so did our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, say (Berakhot 18b), "Maggots are as harsh for the dead as a needle for the flesh of the living." And from where [do we know] that the soul mourns over it? As it is stated (Job 14:22), "But his flesh pains him, and his soul mourns over it." That is [the meaning of] "the beast" - and it is destroyed like a beast. And therefore it stated, "from the beast," and it stated "from the cattle and from the sheep" - since they will offer from the cattle and from the sheep, so that his soul not descend below like a beast. And why do we offer sacrifices from fowl, from lambs, from sheep and from goats, but not from fish - as it is stated, "if from the fowl is his burnt-offering sacrifice?" Rather, since they are flesh and blood like man and they come out of the belly of their mothers like man, [so too, do] they atone for a man. But fish are eggs - they come out of them and live. Our Rabbis, may their memory be blessed, said "Any image that the Holy One, blessed be He, created on the dry land, He [also] created in the ocean with fish." Rabbi Tarfon said, "The fish was designated from the six days of creation to swallow Yonah, as it is stated (Jonah 2:1), 'And the Lord designated a great fish.'" Yonah fled from his God on the fifth day. And why did he flee? Rather the first time, [God] sent him to restore the border of Israel; and his words were fulfilled, as it is stated (II Kings 14:25), "He restored the border of Israel." The second time, He sent him to Jerusalem to destroy it; but the Holy One, blessed be He, worked up His great mercies and relented from the bad, and did not destroy it. And [so] they would call him a false prophet. The third time, He sent him to Nineveh to destroy it. Yonah judged the case between him and himself - Yonah said: I know that the [other] nations are close to repentance. Now if I go on my mission, they will repent immediately and the Holy One, blessed be He, is long-suffering and of great kindness - at the time that they repent, He will immediately have mercy [on them]. And the Holy One, blessed be He will [resultantly] become enraged towards Israel, as He did at the time of Sancheriv. When Ravshakeh came to blaspheme the living God, he said, "You are saying that mere words of the lips is counsel and valor for war; now, on whom are you relying, that you have rebelled against me? And if you tell me, 'we are relying on the Lord, our God,' He is the one whose shrines and altars Hizkiyahu did away with" (II Kings 18:20, 22) - what did Hizkiyahu do at that time? "And Hizkiyahu prayed to the Lord and said, 'Lord, God of Israel, enthroned on the cherubs - You alone are God of all the kingdoms of the earth; You made the heavens and the earth. Lord, incline Your ear and hear; open Your eyes and see - hear the words that Sancheriv has sent to blaspheme the living God!' And Yishayahu son of Amots sent to Hizkiyahu, saying, 'Thus said the Lord, God of Israel, "I have heard that which you prayed to Me concerning King Sancheriv of Assyria. I will [delude] him, etc."' (II Kings 19:15-16, 20, 7)." And four hundred angels armed with swords and spears came and drove him away, etc. - "And it was on that night that an angel of the Lord went out and smote one hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp, and the following morning behold, they were all dead corpses. And King Sancheriv of Assyria moved and went and returned, and he stayed in Nineveh" (II Kings 19:25-26). He said to [his] sages, "Why is the love of the Holy One, blessed be He, with Israel more than all the nations of the world?" They said to him, "They had an ancient father and his name was Avraham, and he went to slaughter his son to bring up as a burnt-offering." He said to them, "Did he slaughter him?" They said to him, "No." He said to them, "[With] him, it was because it was his will to slaughter [his son, that] there was [such] love between him and his God." He said, "I will [then actually] slaughter my son and bring him up as a burnt-offering." And so did he do, as it is stated (II Kings 3:27), "And he took his first-born son, who was to reign in his place, and brought him up as a burnt-offering." [So] the Holy One, blessed be He, said, "How much do the nations of the world, to whom I did not give statutes and judgments, do for My name; as it is stated (Malachi 1:11), 'and everywhere incense is presented for My name.'" [And] immediately, "and a great wrath came upon Israel" (II Kings 3:27). Therefore Yonah said, "The nations will repent and the anger of the Holy One, blessed be He, will be upon Israel; as He will say, 'The nations, to whom I did not give statutes and judgments - when I make a decree upon them and they know [about it], they immediately repent. But Israel is not like this, as I send them My prophets all the time, yet they are stiff-necked.' And therefore, 'a great wrath [will come] upon Israel.'" And not only does Israel call him a false prophet, but even the nations of the world [will] call him so. Yonah said, "I am fleeing from in front of Him to a place where His glory is not [found]. What shall I do? If I ascend to the heavens, His glory is there, as it is stated (Psalms 113:4), 'upon the heavens is His glory.' And if upon the earth, His glory is there [too], as it is stated (Isaiah 6:3), 'the whole earth is full of His glory.' Behold, I will flee to the sea, as His glory is not stated there." [So] he went down to Jaffa, but he did not find a ship to board there. And the ship that Yonah would board upon was two days' journey away from Jaffa, in order to test Yonah. What did the Holy One, blessed be He, do? He brought a great storm in the sea and brought [the ship quickly] to Jaffa. And Yonah saw this and rejoiced in his heart and said, "Now, I know that my path is straight in front of me." And he did not know that the Holy One, blessed be He, was causing the thing to let him know that His glory was there (in the sea). He said to [the boatsmen], "I will come with you." And the way of all ships is that when a man exits from them, he gives his payment. But in the joy of Yonah's heart, He preceded and gave his wage [right away], as it is stated (Jonah 1:3), "And Yonah arose to flee to Tarshish from in front of the Lord [... and he gave its pay]." And they traveled the distance of a day, and a great storm came upon them in the sea from their right and from their left. And the way of all ships is to come and go in peace and quiet. And the ship upon which Yonah boarded was in great distress to break apart, as it is stated (Jonah 1:4), "And the Lord placed a great wind upon the sea." Rabbi Chaninah said, "[Men of all] the seventy languages were in the ship, and each and every one had his god in his hand." They said, "The god that answers and saves us from this distress, he is the [true] God." And they stood and each man cried out in the name of his god, but they did not help. [Meanwhile,] Yonah dozed off and was sleeping in the distress of his soul; and the captain came to him. He said to him, "Behold, we are standing between death and life, and you are dozing off? From which people are you?" He said to them, "I am a Hebrew." They said to him, "And have we not heard that the God of the Hebrews is great? 'Cry out to your God' (Jonah 1:6). Maybe He will do for us like all of His wonders at the Red Sea." He said to them, "This distress has come upon you because of me, as I am fleeing from in front of Him, as I thought that His glory was not in the sea, and now I see that His glory is on the dry land and in the sea." He said to them, "Because of me; 'Lift me and put me in the sea, and the sea will be quiet upon you' (Jonah 1:12)." Rabbi Shimon said, "The men did not accept from Yonah to drop him into the sea; and [so] they cast lots, as it is stated (Jonah 2:7), 'and they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Yonah.'" What did they do? They took the vessels that were on the ship and threw them to the sea to make themselves lighter, but it did not help a bit. They sought to return to dry land, but they were not able, as it is stated (Jonah 1:13), "And the men rowed, etc." What did they do? They took Yonah and stood him upon the edge of the ship and said, "God of the world, Lord, 'do not put innocent blood upon us' (Jonah 1:14), as we do not know what is the nature of this man; yet he says to us with his mouth, 'because of me has this distress come upon you.'" They placed him [into the sea] until his knees, and the sea stopped from its fury. They [then] took him back towards them, and the sea stormed against them. They placed him [into the sea] until his navel, and the sea stopped from its fury. They [then] took him back towards them, and it stormed against them. They placed him completely [in the sea, and] the sea was immediately quiet from its fury, as it is stated (Jonah 1:15), "And they lifted Yonah and placed him, etc." "And the Lord designated a great fish to swallow Yonah, and Yonah was in the innards of the fish three days and three nights"(Jonah 2:1) - and Yonah entered its mouth, like a man that enters a large synagogue, and the two eyes of the fish were like opened windows giving light to Yonah. Rabbi Meir said, "A pearl was hanging in the innards of the fish, and it would give light to Yonah, like the sun lights up in its strength in the afternoon. And Yonah could see everything that was in the sea and that was in the depths, as it is stated (Psalms 97:11), "Light is planted for the righteous, and joy for the righteous of heart." The fish said to Yonah, "Do you not know that my time has come to be eaten into the mouth of the Leviathan?" He said to it, "Take me there and I will save you, and my soul." It took him to the Leviathan. He said to the Leviathan, "Because of you have I come to see your dwelling place in the sea. And not only that, but in the future I will come down to put a rope on your neck and to bring you up for the great meal of the righteous ones." He showed it his seal from Avraham, our father (his circumcision). The Leviathan saw it and fled the journey of two days from before Yonah. He said to the fish, "Behold, I saved you from the mouth of the Leviathan; [now] show me all that is in the sea and in the depths." And [so] it showed him the great river of the waters of the ocean, as it is stated (Yonah 2:6), "up to my soul was the deep." And it showed him the paths of the Red (literally Reed) Sea, as it is stated, "reeds are twined around my head." And it showed him the place from where the breakers of the sea and its waves go out, as it is stated (Yonah 2:4), "all Your breakers and waves passed over me." And it showed him the pillars of the Earth in its foundation, as it is stated (Jonah 2:7), "the bars of the earth were around me forever." And it showed him Geihinnom, as it is written (Jonah 2:3), "from the belly of the pit I cried out; You heard my voice." And it showed him under the Chamber of God, as it is stated (Jonah 2:7), "I descended to the bases of the mountains." From here we learn that Jerusalem stands on seven mountains. And he saw the Stone of the Foundation there, set in the depths. And he saw the sons of Korach, standing and praying upon it. It said to Yonah, "Behold, you are standing under the Chamber of the Lord; pray and you shall be answered." Immediately Yonah said to the fish, "Stand in the place that you are standing, as I would like to recite a prayer." And the fish stopped. And Yonah began to pray in front of the Holy One, blessed be He, "Master of the Universe, You have been called the One that brings down and raises up - behold, I have gone down, [now] raise me up; You have been called the One that brings death and that brings life - behold, my soul has reached death, [now] bring me life." And he was not answered until [this] came out from his mouth (Jonah 2:10): "that which I have vowed, I will fulfill, etc." - "That which I have vowed" to bring up the Leviathan in front of You, "I will fulfill" on the day of Israel's salvation, as it is stated, "But I, with loud thanksgiving, will sacrifice to You that which I have vowed." And immediately the Holy One, blessed be He, indicated [to the fish], and it spewed Yonah out to the dry land, as it is stated (Jonah 2:11), "And the Lord said to the fish, and it spewed Jonah out to the dry land." When the sailors saw all of the great miracles, signs and wonders that the Holy One, blessed be He, did with Yonah, they got up and every man cast away his god, as it is stated (Jonah 2:9), "They who preserve the vanities of emptiness forsake their kindness." And they went back to Jaffa and went up to Jerusalem, and they circumcised the flesh of their foreskin, as it is stated (Jonah 1:15), "And the men feared a great fear of the Lord, and they slaughtered a sacrifice to the Lord and they made vows" - and did they slaughter a sacrifice? Rather, [this was] circumcision, which is like the blood of a sacrifice. And each man of them vowed to bring his children and everything that he had to the God of Yonah. And they vowed and they fulfilled [it]. And about them is it said, the converts were righteous converts.

(Lev. 13:2:) “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh.” This text is related (to Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful [is that one].”²⁷In the biblical context THAT ONE is the nation of the Chaldeans. This verse is speaking about the first Adam, about Pharaoh, about Edom, about Sennacherib and about Nebuchadnezzar.²⁸Cf. Lev. R. 18:2. How does it concern the first Adam? R. Abba bar Kahana said, “When the Holy One, blessed be He, created the first Adam, He created him in His likeness, as stated (in Gen. 1:27), ‘And God created man (Adam) in His own image.’” And when He created him, He created him [to extend] from the one end of the world to the other, as stated (in Deut. 4:32), “So please ask about the former days which came before you, [ever since the day that God created man upon the earth, even from one end of heaven to the other].”²⁹Cf. Gen. R. 8:1. Now he ruled over the whole earth, as stated (in Gen. 1:28), “and rule over the fish of the sea […].” It also says (in Gen. 9:2), “And the dread of you and the fear of you [shall be upon every beast of the earth].” It is therefore stated (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful.” This refers to the first Adam. (Ibid., cont.:) “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.”³⁰The midrash requires such a literal translation. In the biblical context a more normal translation would read with reference to the Chaldeans: THEIR JUSTICE AND THEIR DIGNITY PROCEED FROM THEMSELVES. This refers to Eve who came out of him, as she caused him to die, as stated (in Gen. 3:6), “Then she also gave some to her husband, and he ate.” And where is it shown that she came out of him? Where it is so written (in Gen. 2:23), “bone out of my bone and flesh out of my flesh.” Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful [is that one],” this refers to the first Adam; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to Eve, who came out from him. Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is that one”: This refers to Pharaoh, [when] he was world ruler,³¹Gk.: Kosmokraton. as stated (concerning him in Ps. 105:20), “the ruler of peoples released him (i.e., Joseph).” (Hab. 1:7, cont.:), “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.” This refers to Moses, since he was reared within that one's house, so that he believed that he [actually] was a child of his house, as stated (in Exod. 2:10), “When the boy had grown up, she brought him [to Pharaoh's daughter; and he became her son].” Then he arose and brought ten plagues upon him, as stated (in Exod. 3:10), “So come now, I will send you unto Pharaoh.” R. Judah said, “The rod had a weight of forty seah and was [made] of sapphire;³²Gk.: sappheirinon, an adj. meaning “of sapphire,” or “of lapsis lazuli.” it also had ten plagues (makkot) inscribed upon it with the acronym³³notarikon. dtsk 'dsh b'hb.³⁴D = dam (“blood”), Ts = Tsefardia‘ (“frogs”), K= kinnim (“gnats”), ‘ = ‘arov (“flies”), D = dever (“cattle pestilence”), Sh = shehin (“boils”), B = barad (“hail”), ‘ = ‘arbeh (“locusts”), H = hoshekh (“darkness”), B = bekhorot (“first-born”). Then Moses, when he had looked at the rod and seen the punishment (makkah) which had been appointed to come, brought it upon Pharaoh. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful [is that one],” this refers to Pharaoh; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to Moses. And also the messiah, who in the future will take retribution from Gog and Magog and all of its troops, grew up with them in the city, as stated (Isaiah 27:10), “there shall the calf feed, and there shall he lie down and consume the branches thereof.” Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful [is that one]”: This refers to Edom, of which it is stated (in Dan. 7:7), “frightful, dreadful, and [exceedingly] strong.” (Hab. 1:7, cont.), “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.” This refers to Obadiah since he was an Edomite proselyte and he also prophesied [against] him (i.e., against Edom, in Obad. 1:1), “The vision of Obadiah; thus says the Lord God to Edom […].”³⁵Cf. Sanh. 39b. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful,” this refers to Edom; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to Obadiah.Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful”: This refers to Sennacherib, since it is stated (in II Kings 19:24), “with the sole of my feet I have dried up all the streams of Egypt.” He also said (in II Kings 18:35 = Is. 36:20 // II Chron. 32:14), “Who are there among all the gods of the lands which have saved their land from my hand?” And it also says (in Is. 8:8), “and the radial bones³⁶For this translation of muttah, see Jastrow, s.v. In the context of Scripture, a more normal translation of muttah would be “spread.” of his wings (i.e., the army of Sennacherib) shall fill the breadth of your land, O Immanu-El].”³⁷Cf. M. Pss. 79:1. One sixtieth of the troops³⁸Gk.: ochlos. had been sufficient for the Land of Israel, since it is stated (ibid.), “and the radial bone of his wings.” This radial bone of a cock is one sixtieth of its wings. When he came to enter Jerusalem, he said to his troops, “You sleep, and in the morning we shall throw our rings into its midst and stone them with them.”³⁹In other words, Sennacherib believed that his army was so large and Jerusalem so small that his army could bury the city in their rings. Cf. Sanh. 95a, according to some renderings of which, each soldier would use as much mortar as necessary to seal a letter with a signet ring. So Levi, in his Talmud and Midrash lexicon, s.v., gulmohrag. See also Rashi on this passage, according to whom the army would use stones easily dislodged from the wall of Jerusalem. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he.” (Ibid., cont.:), “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.” These refer to his children. When he went up to destroy Jerusalem, he did not succeed. [It is so stated (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36),] “the angel of the Lord went out and smote [one hundred and eighty-thousand] in the camp of Assyria….” It is also written (in II Chron. 32:21), “so he returned shamefaced to his own land, and when he came into the house of his god, [some of those who came out of his own belly struck him down there with the sword].” Ergo (in Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he,” this refers to Sennacherib; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to his children, who killed him. Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he”: This refers to Nebuchadnezzar, of whom it is stated (in Is. 14:13), “And I will ascend to the heavens; [above the stars of God I will set my throne].” (Hab. 1:7, cont.:) “His justice and his dignity proceed from himself.” This refers to Evil-merodach (his son). Our masters have said, “When Nebuchadnezzar was driven away, just as it is written (in Dan. 4:29), ‘You shall be driven away from humankind’; all that time Evil-merodach served in his place.” Then when he returned, he put him in prison. Now whoever was imprisoned by him never emerged from the prison until the day of his death. Thus it is stated (in Is. 14:17), “he never released his prisoners to their homes.” When Nebuchadnezzar died, they wanted to make Evil-merodach king. They approached him, but he did not accept. He said to them, “I listened to you the first time. For that reason I was imprisoned. So now I shall not listen to you. Perhaps he is alive. Then he will rise up against me and kill me.” They stood over Nebuchadnezzar, dragged him from his grave, and brought him out. Then he saw that he was dead, and they made him king. [This act was] to fulfill what is stated (in Is. 14:19), “And you have been cast from your grave like a detestable offshoot.” Ergo (Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he,” this refers to Nebuchadnezzar; “his justice and his dignity proceed from himself,” this refers to Evil-merodach. Another interpretation (of Hab. 1:7), “Terrible and dreadful is he”: This refers to the human race, which rules over all which the Holy One, blessed be He, has created in His world. Thus it is stated (in Ps. 8:7), “You have set him as ruler over the [works] of Your hands [….].” (Hab. 1:7, cont.) “His justice and his dignity proceed from him.” Thus when he sins, the Holy One, blessed be He, brings torments upon him from his [own body]. Why? Because His ways are not like the ways of flesh and blood. When [a person of] flesh and blood wants to punish his slaves, he brings [whips] and fetters to punish them and cause them pain; but the Holy One, blessed be He, is not like that. Rather it is from a person's whole body that He punishes and beats him. And from where is it shown? From what is written about the matter (in Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh [a swelling or a sore or a bright spot, and it becomes on the skin of his flesh the plague of leprosy, he shall be brought unto Aaron the priest].” One verse says (in Is. 46:10), “My plan shall come to pass, and I will accomplish all My desire.” But another verse says (in Ezek. 33:11), “As I live, says the Lord, [it is not my delight for the wicked to die].” This is what is written about the matter, (in Lev. 13:2), “When anyone has on the skin of his flesh ….”; and it is [yet also] written (in Ps. 5:5), “For You are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not abide with You.”

(Numb. 22:20:) “Then God came unto Balaam at night.” This text is related (to Exod. 12:42), “That was for the Lord a night of vigil.” All miracles which were done for Israel and which involved exacting retribution for them from the wicked took place at night:²⁵Numb. R. 20:12. (Gen. 31:24:) “And God came unto Laban the Aramean in a dream at night.” And it is written (in Gen. 20:3:) “But God came unto Abimelech in a dream at night.” And it is written (in (Gen. 14:15), “And he deployed at night.” And it is written (in Exod. 12:29), “And it came to pass in the middle of the night.” And so [it was with] all of them. Another interpretation: Why did he reveal himself to Balaam by night? He was not worthy of [receiving] the holy spirit [except at night]. Since He speaks at night with all the prophets of the nations, as stated (in Job 4:13), “In opinions from night visions.” And so Eliphaz says (in Job 4:13), “In a dream, a vision of the night,” about [Balaam’s] speaking with him at night. (Numb. 22:20, cont.:) “If these men have come to invite you, arise and go with them.” From here you learn that in the way that a man wants to go, in it is he driven. As at first it was said to him (in Numb. 22:12), “Do not go with them.” As soon as he had become defiant, he went. As so is it written about him (in Numb. 22:22), “But God's anger was kindled because he was going.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “I do not desire the death of the wicked. [But] in as much as you want to be obliterated from the world, ‘arise and go with them.’” And it is written (in Numb. 22:20, cont.), “but only the thing [that I tell you are you to do].” [These words are] to teach you that he went with a warning. Immediately he got up early in the morning, as stated (in vs. 21), “So Balaam arose early in the morning, saddled his she-ass, [and went with the princes of Moab].” Did he not have a male or female slave [to saddle his donkey]? It was simply that his hatred for Israel was so great that he beat [his servant] to it and arose quickly all by himself. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “You wicked man! Their ancestor Abraham has already anticipated you at the binding of his son Isaac,” as stated (in Gen. 22:3), “So Abraham arose early in the morning, saddled his he-ass.” (Numb. 22:21, cont.:) “And went with the princes of Moab.” [These words are] to teach you that he was as glad at the tribulation of Israel as they were. (Numb. 22:22:) “But God's anger was kindled because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took a stand [in the road as his adversary (satan)].”²⁶A good example of this Hebrew word when it is not used as a proper noun. He was an angel of mercy, but to [Balaam] he had become an adversary (satan).²⁷Numb. R. 20:13. And so he said [unto] Balaam, “You have caused me to practice a craft that is not my own, as stated (Numb. 22:32), “here I have come out as an adversary (satan).” (Numb. 22:22, cont.:) “And two of his servant boys were with him.” This is customary for one going out on the road. It is necessary for two to attend him. Then in turn they attend each other. (Numb. 22:23:) “Now the she-ass saw the angel of the Lord and a sword was drawn in his hand.” Was not the angel able to breathe on him and take away his spirit unless he drew his sword? And look at what is written about Sennacherib (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21.), “the angel of the Lord went out and smote [one hundred and eighty-five thousand] in the camp of Assyria.” [It is also written (in Is. 40:24),] “he blows on them and they wither.” However, he said to him, “[Skill with] the mouth was given to Jacob, as stated (in Gen. 27:22), ‘The voice is the voice of Jacob.’ And [skill with] the hands to Esau, as stated (in Gen. 27:40), ‘Upon your sword shall you live.’ All the nations all live by the sword. Now you are trading off your craft and coming against them with their [craft]. I also am coming against you with your own [craft].” (Numb. 22:24:) “Then the angel of the Lord stood in a lane between the vineyards.” Could he not have gone after him into the field?²⁸Numb. R. 20:14. It is simply that this is the nature of the Holy One, blessed be He. When a king of flesh and blood sends an executioner²⁹Lat.: speculator (“examiner”). to kill a particular person, he goes after him for many days, so that this person who has incurred the penalty of death [continues] eating and drinking, while the executioner goes after him from place to place. With the Holy One, blessed be He, however, it is not like that. Rather the executioner is in his place and whoever has incurred the penalty of death comes to him of his own accord. So that the angel would not be bothered with going after Balaam, he simply went ahead of him on the road, for it is so written (ibid.), “Then the angel of the Lord stood in a lane between the vineyards.” He said to him, “Shall the vineyards (i.e., Israel) be given over to the foxes?”³⁰Cf. the parallel text in Numb. R. 20:14, which has “like foxes.” (Numb. 22:24, cont.:) “With a wall on one side and a wall on the other side.” You cannot prevail against them, because in their hand (according to Exod. 32:15) are tablets of stone, written [on both their sides], on the one side and on the other side they are written. (Numb. 22:25-26:) “When the she-ass saw the angel of the Lord, she was pressed [against the wall and pressed Balaam's foot against the wall; so he struck it again]. Then the angel of the Lord moved forward again [and stood in a place so narrow that there was no room to turn aside to the right or to the left].” What reason did he have to go ahead of him three times? He showed him here symbols of the [three] patriarchs. When he stood before him the first time, there was space on one side and on the other, [as stated] (in Numb. 22:23), “so the she-ass turned aside from the road.” On the second occasion she could only move to one side. On the third occasion (according to Numb. 22:26) “there was no room to turn aside to the right or to the left.” So what do the symbols mean? If he ever sought to curse the Children of Abraham, he would find the Children of Ishmael and the Children of Keturah on one side and on the other. [If] he sought to curse the Children of Isaac, he would find the Children of Esau on one side, and (according to Numb. 22:25) “she was pressed against the (one) wall.” In the case of the Children of Jacob, however, he found among them no residue through which to touch them. It is therefore written about the third occasion (in vs. 26), “in a narrow (‘zar) place.” This is Jacob, as stated (in Genesis 32:8), “Jacob was very frightened and [it] distressed (ye‘zer) him.”
(Numb. 22:26:) “There was no room to turn aside to the right or to the left.” As there was no residue in any of his sons. (Numb. 22:27:) “When the she-ass saw the angel of the Lord, she lay down under Balaam, [so Balaam's anger was kindled, and he struck the she-ass with a stick (mql)],” because of the shame with which she had shamed him.³¹Both the noun and verb, translated here as SHAME, come from the root, BZH; but the interpretation may have been suggested by a word with a similar meaning, namely MQLH, which means “putting to shame.” This word could have implied the relation between shame and MQL as used in Numb. 22:27.

Another interpretation (of Exod. 7:1) SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. The Holy One said: Because he made himself into a god, they informed him that he was nothing in the world. See, I have made you a god over him.⁴⁹Tanh., Exod. 2:9. And where is it shown that Pharaoh made himself into a god? Where it is stated (of Pharaoh in Ezek. 29:3): {BECAUSE HE} [WHO] SAID {THE} [MY] NILE IS MY OWN, AND I MADE MYSELF.⁵⁰A more traditional rendering would be, AND I MADE IT FOR MYSELF. I am the one who created myself. Now this is one of four sons of Adam who made themselves into gods and had sexual relations like women.⁵¹See Enoch Zundel’s commentary, ‘Ets Yosef, on Tanh., Exod. 2:9, which explains that, because the four promoted themselves to divinity, they would have had to bestow largess like a god, who always bestows it to the world as the male bestows it in the female. He gives and she receives. Therefore, “they had sexual relations like women” to show that they were bestowed upon and did not do the bestowing. Three were from the nations of the world, and one was from Israel. They were the following: Hiram, Nebuchadnezzar, Pharaoh, and Joash. Where is it shown of Hiram? Where it is stated (in Ezek. 28:2): SAY TO THE PRINCE OF TYRE: THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD: BECAUSE YOUR HEART IS PROUD, YOU HAVE SAID: I AM A GOD. Because he had made himself into a god, he had sexual relations like women, as stated (in vs. 17): YOU HAVE DEBASED YOUR WISDOM…; <I HAVE CAST YOU UPON THE GROUND; I HAVE GIVEN YOU OVER BEFORE KINGS > TO STARE AT YOU. What is the meaning of TO STARE (R'WH) AT YOU? <That> they would work their "friendship" (as if from R'WT) on you. Where is it shown of Nebuchadnezzar? Where it is stated <of the king of Babylon that he said> (in Is. 14:14): I WILL ASCEND UPON THE HEIGHTS OF A CLOUD; I WILL BECOME LIKE THE MOST HIGH. The Holy One said to him: By your life, (in vs. 15) YOU SHALL ALSO BE BROUGHT DOWN UNTO SHEOL, UNTO THE UTTERMOST PARTS OF THE PIT. What did the Holy one do? He banished him while he was in his kingship and had him eat grass like the cattle. It is so stated (in Dan. 4:22 [25]): AND THEY SHALL FEED YOU GRASS LIKE OXEN…. So, when the cattle and the wild beasts saw him in the likeness of a <female> animal, they had sexual relations with him, as stated (in Hab. 2:17): AND THE VIOLENCE OF THE BEASTS WILL TERRIFY THOSE FEMALES. What is the meaning of TERRIFY THOSE FEMALES (rt.: HTT+N)? <Its meaning > is like what is stated (in Deut. 7:3): YOU SHALL NOT INTERMARRY (rt.: HTN) WITH THEM. So he became a bridegroom (HTN) to all cattle and wild beasts. Where is it shown of Joash? Where it is stated (in II Chron. 24:17): NOW AFTER THE DEATH OF JEHOIADA, THE PRINCES OF JUDAH CAME AND BOWED LOW TO THE KING. What is the meaning of BOWED LOW TO THE KING? That they made him < their > god. Moreover, since he was in agreement, as stated (ibid., cont.): THEN THE KING HEARKENED TO THEM, he had sexual relations like a woman. Thus it is stated (vs. 24): <FOR THE ARMY OF ARAM CAME WITH A FEW MEN….> SO THEY INFLICTED JUDGMENTS ON JOASH. It is just as it says (in Lev. 20:13): IF A MAN LIES WITH A MALE AS ONE LIES WITH A WOMAN, BOTH OF THEM HAVE COMMITTED AN ABOMINATION.⁵²The midrash is arguing that the JUDGMENT inflicted on Joash is this ABOMINATION. Cf. Mekhilta de Rabbi Ishmael, ‘Amaleq 1, which would revowel JUDGMENTS (shefatim) to read “sports” (shipputim). For a similar solution, see Exod. R. 8:2. Pharaoh also made himself into a god and had sexual relations like a woman. It is so stated (in Jer. 44:30): BEHOLD, I AM GIVING PHARAOH HOPHRA, KING OF EGYPT, <INTO THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES>. What is the meaning of HOPHRA (rt.: PR')?⁵³Although the Masoretic Text spells HOPHRA with a gutturalized initial H (het), the midrash text spells the name with a simple H (he), which need not be part of the root. That they uncovered (PR') his posterior. He was a pharaoh who had been a male and became a female. Another interpretation of HOPHRA. <Its meaning is> like that used (in the context of Numb. 5:18): AND HE (the priest) SHALL UNCOVER (PR') THE WOMAN'S HEAD. And to which father's house did he belong? (Is. 19:16:) IN THAT DAY {THE LAND OF EGYPT SHALL BE A FESTIVAL….} [EGYPT SHALL BE LIKE WOMEN.] And what was the cause? <It was> because he made himself into a god. Thus it is stated (in Ezek. 29:3): {BECAUSE HE} [WHO] SAID {THE} [MY] NILE IS MY OWN, AND I MADE MYSELF. For that reason the Holy One said to Moses: Because he has made himself into a god, go and become a god over him. It is so stated (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. Why? (Eccl. 5:7 [8]:) FOR ONE EXALTED PERSON WATCHES ANOTHER FROM ABOVE, AND THERE ARE MORE EXALTED ONES OVER THEM. Ergo, you are a god over him; so make him an arrogant abomination (ShHTs) in the world because he became exalted by himself. And this is what is written (in Job 41:26 [34]): HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED, {AND} HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). Does the Holy One not see the lowly? It is also written (in Zech. 4:10): <THESE SEVEN ARE> THE EYES OF THE LORD. THEY ROAM AROUND ALL THE EARTH. And (in Job 41:26 [34]) what is the meaning of HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED? R. Berekhyah said: These are the proud, whose spirit becomes <too> haughty for them, so that they exalt themselves and make themselves into gods. What does the Holy One do to them? He exhibits them to mortals and makes them arrogant abominations (ShHTs) in the world, as stated (in Job 41:26 [34]): HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). <There is> Nebuchadnezzar, for example, in that he made him an arrogant abomination (ShHTs), as stated (in Dan. 5:21): HE WAS DRIVEN AWAY FROM HUMANS…. So also was Sennacherib made an arrogant abomination (ShHTs), as stated (II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21): SO IT CAME TO PASS IN THAT NIGHT THAT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE <ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY FIVE THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. Thus the Holy One shows the abominable arrogance (ShHTs) of the proud to every creature. The Holy One has said (in Jer. 23:24): IF SOMEONE HIDES IN SECRET PLACES, SHALL I NOT SEE (rt.: R'H) HIM? SAYS THE LORD. R. Benjamin bar Levi said: If someone goes to handle the Torah and sits by himself, I will exhibit (rt.: R'H) his deed in the world. And so, if someone conceals himself to commit a transgression, I will exhibit (rt.: R'H)his deed to the world. It is so stated (in Jer. 23:24): SHALL I NOT SEE (rt.: R'H) HIM? SAYS THE LORD. DO I NOT FILL THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH? SAYS THE LORD. What is the meaning of I FILL? R. Hama b. R. Hanina said: The Holy One said: From him (i.e., from his evil works) I will fill the upper and lower worlds. Then I will exhibit (rt.: R'H) him to humankind as an arrogant abomination (ShHTs). Why? Because they (sic) are proud and make themselves into gods. (Job 41:26 [34]:) HE BEHOLDS EVERYTHING EXALTED, {AND} HE IS KING OVER ALL THE CHILDREN OF ABOMINABLE ARROGANCE (ShHTs). Thus he reigns over all those who are proud and makes them arrogant abominations (ShHTs). For that reason, the Holy One said to Moses (in Exod. 7:1): SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH. Go and exact punishment from him.⁵⁴Exod. R. 8:3. Go and bring the ten plagues (of Exod. 7:14–12:29) upon him. He said to him: How shall I bring the plagues upon him? The Holy One said to him (in Exod. 4:17): AND YOU SHALL TAKE IN YOUR HAND THIS ROD, < WITH WHICH YOU SHALL PERFORM THE SIGNS>. R. Judah bar Ammi said: The rod which he had weighed forty seahs⁵⁵I.e., weighed forty seahs of wheat. and was <made> of sapphire.⁵⁶Gk.: sappheirinon. Moreover ten plagues were inscribed upon it through an acronym,⁵⁷Gk.: notarikon. <i.e.,> DeTsaKh 'aDaSh Be'aHaBh.⁵⁸The acronym stands for the following: Dam (blood), Tsefarde‘im (frogs), Kinnam (gnats), ‘arov (flies), Dever (pestilence), Shehin (boils), Barad (hail), ‘arbeh (locusts), Hoshekh (darkness), and Bekhor (first-born). The Holy One said to him: this rod will bring the plagues upon him. (Exod. 7:1:) SEE, I HAVE SET YOU AS A GOD TO PHARAOH.

Woe to the kingdom of Esau when the Holy One sees its works and arises to exact retribution from it. We have found in the case of Egypt that, when the Holy One exacted retribution from them, he exacted retribution from them in the early morning. Thus it is stated (in Exod. 14:24): THEN IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MORNING WATCH < THAT THE LORD LOOKED DOWN AT THE HOST OF THE EGYPTIANS FROM THE PILLAR OF FIRE AND THE CLOUD AND CONFOUNDED THE HOST OF THE EGYPTIANS >. What is written about Assyria (in II Kings 19:35)? < SO IT CAME TO PASS IN THAT NIGHT > THAT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE < ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FIVE THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. In the case of Media it was at the hands of Mordecai and Esther. In the case of Greece it was at the hands of Mattathias and his sons. But in the case of Edom the Holy One said: There is no creature who will exact retribution from it. I myself will exact retribution against it. Where is it shown? (In Obad. vs. 1-2:) THE VISION OF OBADIAH. THUS SAYS THE LORD GOD TO EDOM: WE HAVE HEARD TIDINGS FROM THE LORD…. < BEHOLD I WILL MAKE YOU SMALL AMONG THE NATIONS >…. R. Berekhyah said: What did Obadiah see exacting retribution from Edom? He saw that, < if > the Holy One gives back recompense to those who love him, how much the more < would he do > so for those who hate him. So the Holy Spirit says through Eliphaz the Temanite (in Job 4:1-2): THEN ANSWERED ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE³²Eliphaz is identified as Esau’s eldest son in Gen. 36:4, 10-12, 15; 1 Chron. 1:35-36. Teman was a district of Edom. AND SAID: IF ONE TRIES YOU IN SOMETHING, DO YOU FIND IT TOO MUCH?³³This translation fits the context here better than a more traditional one, which would read, IF ONE VENTURES A WORD WITH YOU, WILL YOU FIND IT TOO MUCH? Eliphaz said to Job: Here you say: In what way am I not like Abraham? Thus have you said (in Job 30:19): < GOD > HAS CAST ME INTO THE MUD, AND I HAVE BECOME LIKE DUST AND ASHES.³⁴Cf. Gen. 18:27, according to which Abraham said: AND I AM DUST AND ASHES. Do you think that he is comparing you to him? R. Berekhyah said: Transpose the text and interpret it. (Job 30:19a:) AND I HAVE BECOME LIKE DUST AND ASHES < means >, "And he judges you like the generation of the dispersion (i.e., of the Tower of Babel), of which it is written in Gen. 11:3): NOW THEY HAD BRICKS FOR STONE < AND BITUMEN FOR MORTAR >. (Job 30:19a:) < GOD > HAS CAST ME INTO THE MUD. Eliphaz said to him: Are your works like < those of > Abraham? Abraham was tried in ten trials and endured all of them, but you < have only been > in one trial. (Job 4:2-3:) IF ONE TRIES YOU IN SOMETHING, DO YOU FIND IT TOO MUCH? < … > HERE YOU HAVE INSTRUCTED MANY. You would comfort all who were suffering. When a blind person came to you, you would say to him: The Holy One already knows what he is going to do. After all, he < was the one who > made that person blind. You also used to console him and say to him: If you had built a house and did not want to open windows, who would have protested your right? So the Holy One is going to be glorified in you, as stated (in Is. 35:5): THEN THE EYES OF THE BLIND SHALL BE OPENED. When a deaf person would come to you, [you would comfort him and say to him:] If you want to make a juglet,³⁵Gk.: kothon. < but > did not want to make ears for it, who would protest your right? So the Holy One is going to be glorified in you, as stated (in ibid., cont.): AND THE EARS OF THE DEAF SHALL BE OPENED. To a lame person you would say (in ibid., vs. 6): THEN THE LAME SHALL LEAP LIKE A DEER. So you would comfort him. (According to Job 4:4:) YOUR WORDS HAVE UPHELD THE STUMBLING. But now that it affects you, you are dismayed! (Job. 4:5:) BUT NOW THAT < TROUBLE > HAS COME UNTO YOU, YOU FIND IT TOO MUCH…. (Job 4:6:) IS NOT YOUR GODLY FEAR YOUR CONFIDENCE? After all, you have said: I am a righteous person; so why does he punish me? Have you ever seen a righteous person perishing? (Job 4:7:) PLEASE RECALL, WHAT INNOCENT ONE HAS PERISHED … ? Because Noah was righteous, he was saved from his generation. Abraham was saved from the furnace; Isaac was saved from the knife; Jacob was saved from the angel; Moses was saved from Pharaoh's sword. (Job 4:7:) PLEASE RECALL, WHAT INNOCENT ONE HAS PERISHED … ? He delivered Israel from Egypt, but he destroyed the Egyptians (according to Job 4:8): AS [I HAVE SEEN], THOSE WHO PLOW EVIL AND SOW TROUBLE, REAP IT. So what happened to them (according to vs. 9)? BY THE BREATH (NShMT) OF GOD THEY PERISH. It is so stated (in Exod. 15:10): YOU BLEW (NShMT) WITH YOUR WIND, AND THE SEA COVERED THEM. Also < with reference to > all the wicked who are going to arise, (according to Job 4:10) < there is > A LION'S ROAR AND A FIERCE LION'S VOICE. Job said to him (to Eliphaz): Please look at your father, Esau. He said to him: I am not concerned with him. (According to Ezek. 18:20): {THE} [A] SON SHALL NOT BEAR THE FATHER'S GUILT…. (Job 4:11:) THE STRONG LION PERISHES FOR LACK OF PREY. This < strong lion > is Esau in that he perishes for lack of < good > works. (Ibid., cont.:) AND THE OFFSPRING OF THE LIONESS ARE SCATTERED. These < offspring > are his chieftains. Job said to him: Now in your case, what do you have for yourself? (Job 4:12:) NOW A WORD WAS SECRETLY BROUGHT UNTO ME. I am a prophet. My only concern with him is to rebuke you (according to vs. 13) IN OPINIONS³⁶The Hebrew word here is a homonym of the reading in Masoretic Text, which denotes THOUGHTS. FROM NIGHT VISIONS. The Holy One said [to Eliphaz]: You have rebuked my servant Job through a vision. I am raising up a prophet from you who will exact punishment from your father's house (the Edomites) through a vision. [It is so stated (in Obad., vs. 1): THE VISION OF OBADIAH.] So R. Samuel bar Nahmani said: What did Obadiah see, since he only prophesied against Edom? The Holy One said: Esau grew up between two righteous people³⁷Jacob and Rebekah. So Sifre, Numb. 27:1 (133). without learning from their works; but Obadiah dwelt between two wicked people³⁸Ahab and Jezebel. So Sifre, Numb. 27:1 (133); Rashi on Sanh. 39b. See also Jerome’s introduction to his commentary on Obadiah. without learning from their works. Obadiah would come and exact punishment from Esau. Ergo (in Obad., vs. 1) THE VISION OF OBADIAH. And what is written in his prophecy (in vs. 18)? THE HOUSE OF JACOB SHALL BE FIRE, AND THE HOUSE OF JOSEPH A FLAME, AND THE HOUSE OF ESAU SHALL BE STRAW; THEY SHALL BURN IT AND CONSUME IT, AND THERE SHALL BE NO SURVIVOR TO THE HOUSE OF ESAU; FOR THE LORD HAS SPOKEN.

VI) The zeal of the LORD (II Kings 19:31) is written, but a continuation of of Hosts is suspended to it in the margin, for great vengeance the LORD did against him first, but after that by the hands of the hosts of His angels. And thus it says And an angel of God came out and struck the camp of Assyria, a hundred and eighty-five thousand (II Kings 19:35), thus it is suspended outside to make known both of the vengeances that God avenged.

Similarly, Sennacherib exalted himself and became an abomination throughout the world, as it is said: And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrian a hundred fourscore and five thousand; and when men arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses (II Kings 19:35). Hence, it is written: He looketh at all high things (Job 41:26), for the Holy One, blessed be He, reveals to all mankind the abominations of the arrogant. Thus it is written: The Holy One, blessed be He, said: Can anyone hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? (Jer. 23:24).

[Another interpretation] (of Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL. This refers to Sennacherib, since it is stated (in II Kings 19:24): WITH THE SOLE OF MY FEET I HAVE DRIED UP ALL THE STREAMS OF EGYPT. He also said (in II Kings 18:35 = Is. 36:20 // II Chron. 32:14): WHO ARE THERE AMONG ALL THE GODS OF THE LANDS WHICH HAVE SAVED THEIR LAND FROM MY HAND, < THAT THE LORD SHOULD SAVE JERUSALEM FROM MY HAND >? [But it says this] (in Is. 8:8): AND THE RADIAL BONES⁴⁷For this translation of muttah, see Jastrow, s.v. In the context of Scripture, a more normal translation of muttah would be “spread.” OF HIS WINGS (i.e., the army of Sennacherib) SHALL < FILL THE BREADTH OF YOUR LAND, O IMMANUEL >.⁴⁸Cf. M. Pss. 79:1. One sixtieth of the troops⁴⁹Gk.: ochlos. had been sufficient for the land of Israel, since it is stated (ibid.): AND THE RADIAL BONE OF HIS WINGS. This radial bone of a cock is one sixtieth of its wings. When he came to enter Jerusalem, he said to his troops: You sleep, and in the morning we shall throw our rings into its midst and stone them with them.⁵⁰In other words, Sennacherib believed that his army was so large and Jerusalem so small that his army could bury the city in their rings. Cf. Sanh. 95a, according to some renderings of which, each soldier would use as much mortar as necessary to seal a letter with a signet ring. So Levi, in his Talmud and Midrash lexicon, s.v., gulmohrag. See also Rashi on this passage, according to whom the army would use stones easily dislodged from the wall of Jerusalem. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL. This refers to Sennacherib. (Ibid., cont.): HIS JUSTICE AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIMSELF. These refer to his children. When he went up to destroy Jerusalem, he did not succeed. [It is so stated] (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36): THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE < ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THOUSAND > IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. It is also written (in II Chron. 32:21): < THEN THE LORD SENT AN ANGEL, WHO DESTROYED EVERY MIGHTY WARRIOR, COMMANDER, AND OFFICER IN THE CAMP OF THE KING OF ASSYRIA. > SO HE RETURNED SHAMEFACED TO HIS OWN LAND. THEN WHEN HE CAME INTO THE HOUSE OF HIS GOD, [SOME OF] THOSE WHO CAME OUT OF HIS OWN BELLY {SMOTE HIM WITH THE SWORD} [STRUCK HIM DOWN THERE WITH THE SWORD]. [When he went in to pray before his god Nisroch, his children spoke thus: This one is deceiving himself. They had been a pillar for him. When all his troops were burned, they were pining away.⁵¹Gk.: nosoi. So they killed him.] It is so stated (in II Kings 19:37): AND IT CAME TO PASS THAT, AS HE WAS WORSHIPING IN THE HOUSE OF HIS GOD NISROCH, HIS SONS ADRAMMELECK AND SAREZER SMOTE HIM WITH THE SWORD. Ergo (in Hab. 1:7): TERRIBLE AND DREADFUL. This refers to Sennacherib. (Ibid., cont.): HIS JUSTICE AND HIS DIGNITY PROCEED FROM HIMSELF. This refers to his children.

(Numb. 22:23:) NOW THE SHE-ASS SAW THE ANGEL OF THE LORD. Was not the angel able to breathe on him and take away his spirit? Instead, he drew his sword. And look at what is written about Sennacherib (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21.): <SO IT CAME TO PASS IN THAT NIGHT> THAT THE ANGEL OF THE LORD WENT OUT AND SMOTE <ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-FIVE THOUSAND> IN THE CAMP OF ASSYRIA…. It is also written (in Is. 40:24): HE BLOWS ON THEM AND THEY WITHER. However, he said to him: <Skill with> the mouth was given to Jacob, as stated (in Gen. 27:22): THE VOICE IS THE VOICE OF JACOB, BUT THE HANDS ARE THE HANDS OF ESAU; but the nations all live by the sword. Now you are trading off your skill and coming against them with their <skill>. I also am coming against you with your own <skill>.

We are taught in a Baraitha, in the name of R. Joshua b. Karcha: Pharaoh who personally blasphemed the Holy One, praised be He! was also punished by the Holy One, praised be He! Sennacherib, who blasphemed through a messenger, was also punished through a messenger. Concerning Pharaoh, it is written (Ex. 5, 2) And Pharaoh said, Who is the Everlasting, whose voice I am to obey? And he was punished by the Holy One, praised be He! as it is written (Ib. 14, 27) And the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. And also (Habakkuk, 3, 15) (But) thou didst pass along over the sea. Concerning Sennacherib it is written (II Kings 19, 23) By the messengers thou hast blasphemed the Lord. He was punished through a messenger, as it reads (Ib. ib. 3) And it came to pass … that an angel of the Lord smote in the camp of the Assyrians, one hundred eighty and five thousand." R. Chanina b. Papa raised the following contradiction (Isa. 37, 24) I will enter into the height of its summit. (II Kings, 19, 23) I will enter into the lodgings of its summit, i.e., Thus thought Sennacherib: I will first destroy the lower dwelling and thereafter the higher one. R. Joshua b. Levi said: "What is the meaning of the passage (Ib. 18, 25) Now am I come up without the Lord ('s will) against this place to destroy it, i.e., the Lord hath said to me, Go up against this land, and destroy it." What is it? He heard the prophet who said (Isa. 8, 6-7) For as much as this people despiseth the waters of Shiloach that flow softly, and rejoice in Rezin and Remaliahu's son, etc. R. Joseph said: "Were it not for the translation of this verse into Chaldaic, we would not understand its meaning. The translation is thus: Because this people despised the kingdom of David, who ruled them gently like the waters of Shiloach which flow gently, and grew fond of Rezin and the son of Remalyahu.

R. Huna said: "Ten trips that wicked person made on that day, as it is said (Ib. 10, 28-32) "He cometh to Ayath, he passeth on to Migron; at Michmash he layeth up his baggage: They go through the pass; they take up their lodgings at Geba; Rama trembleth; Gib'as of Saul fleeth. Let thy voice resound O, daughter of Galim! Listen Layshah; O noor Anathoth! Madmenah is in motion (the inhabitants of Gebin) etc." Here are mentioned more than ten places. The passage, Let thy voice resound, etc., was spoken by the prophet unto the Congregation of Israel. Let thy voice resound, O daughter of Galim, ye daughter of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who performed divine commandments as numerous as the waves of the sea. Listen Layshah, i.e., Be not afraid of him (Sennacherib) but you should be afraid of Nebuchadnezzar, who is equal to a lion, as it is said (Jer. 4, 7) The lion has come up from his thicket. (Fol. 95) O poor Anathoth! i.e., A time will come when Jeremiah, the prophet, who comes from Anathoth, will prophesy the destruction of Jerusalem, as it is written (Jer. 1, 1) These are the words, etc. What does As yet will he remain at Nob mean? R. Huna said: "One day was left [within the time set] for the punishment of the iniquity of Nob." And the astrologers told Sennacherib: "If you can reach Jerusalem on that day you will be victorious, but if not, then you will fail." He therefore hastened his march and made a journey of ten days in one day. And when he reached Jerusalem, there was thrown down to him a recepticle of braided wool, upon which he ascended the fortification wall from where he could view the entire city. As he looked at it, it appeared to him very small, and he exclaimed: "Indeed, is this the city of Jerusalem for which I set all my camp in motion and for which I have gathered together all my forces? Behold! She is smaller and weaker than all the great cities and countries which I conquered with my powerful arm." He stood nodding his head, and gestured with his hands over the Sanctuary in Zion and over the Temple Court in Jerusalem. His advisers said: "Let us throw our hands upon it immediately," but he said to them: "You are too tired from the journey; tomorrow everyone of you should bring with him a piece of the wall which surrounds it." Immediately (II Kings, 19, 35) And it came to pass, on that same night, that an angel of the Lord … smote … of the Assyrians one hundred eighty and five thousand men … and when men (from Jerusalem) arose early in the morning, behold they were all dead corpses. R. Papa said: "This is what people say: "If a judgment is postponed over night, it may be entirely lost."

Rabbi Yudan said: While Hezekiah and his entourage were partaking of their Paschal offerings in Jerusalem, the Holy One blessed be He had already come earlier that night, as it is stated: “It was on that night that an angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians” (II Kings 19:35).
Rabbi Abahu said: While Moses and the Israelites were reclining and partaking of their Paschal offerings in Egypt, the Holy One blessed be He had already come earlier, as it is stated: “It was at midnight, and the Lord smote every firstborn in the land of Egypt” (Exodus 12:29). According to the opinion of Rabbi Abahu it should have said: My stench released its odor. It teaches that the odor of that blood was intolerable, but the Holy One blessed be He provided them with a fine fragrance from the spices of the Garden of Eden²⁷⁹They wished to partake of the Paschal offering that had been prepared with those spices. and their souls desired to partake of it. They said to him: ‘Moses our master, give us something to eat.’ Moses said to them: ‘This is what the Holy One blessed be He said to me: “No foreigner shall partake of it”’ (Exodus 12:43). They rose and separated the foreigners that were in their midst. Their soul desired to partake. They said to him: ‘Moses our master, give us something to eat.’ Moses said to them: ‘This is what the Holy One blessed be He said to me: “And any man’s slave, purchased with silver: you shall circumcise him, then he shall partake of it”’ (Exodus 12:44). They rose and circumcised their slaves. Their soul desired to partake. They said to him: ‘Give us something to eat.’ He said to them: ‘This is what the Holy One blessed be He said to me: The principle is: “All uncircumcised men shall not partake of it”’ (Exodus 12:48). Immediately, each and every one of them placed his sword on his thigh and circumcised himself.
Who circumcised them? Rabbi Berekhya said: Moses was the circumciser, Aaron uncovered,²⁸⁰After cutting the foreskin, one then pulls back a membrane and uncovers the corona. and Joshua gave them to drink. Some say: Joshua was the circumciser, Aaron uncovered, and Moses gave them to drink; that is what is written: “At that time, the Lord said to Joshua: Make flint knives for yourself and circumcise the children of Israel again, a second time” (Joshua 5:2). Why “a second time”? From here [it may be derived] that he had circumcised them the first time. Immediately, “Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the children of Israel at the Hill of the Foreskins” (Joshua 5:3). What is “at the Hill of the Foreskins”? Rabbi said: It teaches that they made that hill out of foreskins.

Another explanation: "And it was in the middle of the night" - David said (Psalms 77:7), "I recall my music at night:" The congregation of Israel said, "I recall the breakings, that You broke the enemies for my sake at night." And [the term], 'my music' (niginati) only means breaking, as you would say (Lamentations 3:63), "I am their song." And I [would also] say (Genesis 14:20), "who gave over (migen) your enemies into your hand." Sancheriv came against us - You broke him at night, as it is stated (II Kings 19:35), "And it was on that night and the angel of the Lord came out and he smote in the camp of Assyria." Rabbi Nechemia said, "Come and see the love of the Holy One, blessed be He for Israel; as behold, the ministering angels - who are mighty of strength, doers of His will - the Holy One, blessed be He, made them guardians over Israel. And who are they? Michael and Gavriel, as it is stated (Isaiah 62:6), 'Upon your walls Jerusalem, I have appointed guardians.' And when Sancheriv came, Michael went out and smote them; and Gavriel, from the command of the Holy One, blessed be He, saved Chanania and his friends." Why was it like that? Rather the Holy One, blessed be He, made a condition with them. When? When He wanted to go down to save Avaraham from the fiery pit: Michael and Gavriel said in front of Him, "We will go down to save him." He said [back] to them, "If [even] one of you would go down there to the pit, you would save him, but [since Avraham] went down for My name, then I will go down and save him," as it is stated (Genesis 15:7), "I am the Lord who took you out of the Ur Kasdim (understood here as the fire of Kasdim);" "but I will give you a time [to go down and save others."] When did they go down? "Since you were prepared to save him for My honor, you, Michael [will descend] against the camp of Assyria; and you, Gavriel [will descend] against the camp of Kasdim (the Chaldeans)." When Gavriel went down to save Chanania, Mishael and Azaria, he tore the fire and came out and set aflame all those that had thrown them in, as it is stated (Daniel 3:22), "those men that raised Shadrakh, Meshakh, etc." And some say, "Four nations died there: At first, it is written (Ibid. 3), 'Then were gathered the satraps, the prefects, the governors[, etc.]' and the advisers of the king and, here, four [of them] are lacking, as it states (Ibid. 27), 'And the satraps gathered.'" Hence Chanania said (Psalms 117:1), "Praise the Lord, all nations;" Mishael said (Ibid.), "exalt him all peoples;" and Azaria said (Ibid. 2), "Since His kindness has overwhelmed us;" and the angel said (Ibid.), "'and the truth of the Lord is forever' - what He said to me when I went down to save Avraham is true." And so [too with] Michael, [God] did what He told him, as it is stated (II Kings 19:35), "And it was on that night and the angel of the Lord came out." It was taught, "All of the commanders and the dukes were drinking wine and left their receptacles thrown out. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to Sancheriv, 'You have done yours,' as it is stated (Ibid. 23), 'By the hand of your messengers have you cursed;' 'I too [will act] by the hand of my messenger.'" What did He do to him? "And under his glory there shall be kindled a burning like the burning of fire." (Isaiah 10:16) What is [meant by] "and under his glory?" That He burned his body from the inside and left his clothing on the outside, since the glory of a person is his clothing. And why did He leave his clothing? Rather, since they were the descendants of Shem, as it is stated (Genesis 10:22), "The sons of Shem were Eilam and Ashur (Assyria)." The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "I am indebted to Shem, their father, as he and Yafet took their clothing and covered the nakedness of their father," as it is stated (Genesis 9:23), "And Shem and Yafet took the cloak." Hence, the Holy One, Blessed be He, said to Michael, "Leave their clothing and burn their souls." What is written there? "And they arose in the morning and, behold, dead corpses." This is [the meaning of] that which is written (Psalms 101:8), "In the mornings, I will annihilate the evildoers of the world." And Hizkiyahu and Israel were sitting and saying Hallel (Psalms of praise recited on festivals), as it was the night of Pesach, and they were afraid to say [it] now - Jerusalem was being conquered by his hand. When they woke up early in the morning to stand and read the Shema and to pray, they found their enemies were dead corpses. Hence, the Holy One, blessed be He, said to Yeshaya (Isaiah 8:3), "'and call his name, "quick take booty, fast loot"' and be quick to loot booty; and the [other] one call 'with us is the Power (Imanuel),' to say that I am with him," as it is stated (II Chronicles 32:8), "with him is the forearm of flesh but with us is the Lord, our God." And just like the Holy One, blessed be He, acted in this world by the hand of Michael and Gavriel, so [too] in the future to come, he will act through them, as it is stated (Obadiah 1:21), "And the saviors will come up on Mount Zion to judge the mountain of Esav" - this is [referring to] Michael and Gavriel. And our Holy Rabbi said, "This is Michael by himself, as it is stated (Daniel 12:1), 'And at that time, Michael will stand, the great minister who stands for the children of Your people.'" As he [is the one that] demands the needs of Israel and speaks for them, as it is stated (Zechariah 1:12), "And the angel of the Lord answered and said, 'Lord of hosts, until when when will you not have mercy on Jerusalem?'" And I will [also] say (Daniel 10:21), "and none is being strong with Me except for Michael, your minister." Rabbi Yose said, "To what are Michael and Samael similar? To a defender and a prosecutor standing in court. This one is speaking and that one is speaking. [When] this one finished his words and that one his words, that defender knows that he has won. [Then] he begins to praise the judge, that issues the verdict. That prosecutor [then] requests to add something. The defender [then] says to him, 'Be quiet and let us hear from the judge.' So is it that Michael and Samael stand in front of the Divine Presence; and the Satan [Samael] prosecutes and Michael deliberates on the merit of Israel, and [then] the Satan comes to speak and Michael silences him. Why? As it is stated (Psalms 85:9), 'I will hear what the Power, the Lord, will speak, as He will speak peace about His people.'" This is [the meaning of] "I recall my music at night" - about the miracle of Hizkiyahu. Another explanation: "I recall my music at night" - I recall what you have done for us in Egypt, and the plots (menagnin) that you did to the Egyptians. How is it? At first, when the Holy One, blessed be He, requested to bring plagues upon the Egyptians, He said to bring the plague of the firstborn first, as it is stated (Exodus 4:23), "behold I am killing your son, your firstborn." [Pharaoh] started to say (Exodus 5:2), "Who is the Lord that I should listen to His voice?" The Holy One, blessed be He, said [to Himself], "If I bring the plague of the firstborn first, he will send them [right away], but rather I will bring other plagues upon him (first). And in its heels (beekev zot), I will bring them all," as it is stated, "And the Lord smote every firstborn." Hence David praises (Psalms 90:11), "Who knows the boldness of Your anger" - who knows your plots that You do in the sea, as it is stated (Psalms 77:20), "In the sea is Your way and Your path in the great waters, and Your footsteps (eekvotekha) were not known" - things that you do afterward (beekev), who [can] know?

13 (Numb. 22:22) “But God's anger was kindled because he was going, and the angel of the Lord took a stand [in the road as his adversary (satan)]”:¹⁸A good example of this Hebrew word when it is not used as a proper noun. He was an angel of mercy, but to [Balaam] he had become an adversary (satan). (Numb. 22:22, cont.) “And two of his servant boys were with him”: This is customary for one going out on the road. It is necessary for two to attend him. Then in turn they attend each other. (Numb. 22:23) “Now the she-ass saw the angel of the Lord [and a sword was drawn in his hand]”: Was not the angel able to breathe on him and take away his spirit unless he drew his sword? And look at what is written about Sennacherib (in II Kings 19:35 = Is. 37:36 // II Chron. 32:21.), “the angel of the Lord went out and smote [one hundred and eighty-five thousand] in the camp of Assyria.” It is also written (in Is. 40:24), “he blows on them and they wither.” However, he said to him, “[Skill with] the mouth was given to Jacob, as stated (in Gen. 27:22), ‘The voice is the voice of Jacob, but the hands are the hands of Esau.’ And it is written (in Gen. 27:40), ‘Upon your sword shall you live.’ All the nations all live by the sword. Now you are trading off your craft and coming against them with their [craft]. I also am coming against you with your own [craft].” Hence it is written (in Numb. 22:23) “and a sword was drawn in his hand.”

Zavdi ben Levi began: “The kings of the earth did not believe…” (Lamentations 4:12). There were four kings; what this one demanded that one did not demand, and they are: David, Asa, Yehoshafat, and Hezekiah. David said: “I will pursue my enemies and overtake them…” (Psalms 18:38).¹¹⁶This verse is generally translated “I have pursued my enemies” or “I pursue my enemies.” However, a more literal translation is “I will pursue my enemies” or “let me pursue my enemies,” which is how the midrash understands it here. The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I will do so.’ That is what is written: “David smote them from twilight until the evening of the next day” (I Samuel 30:17). What is “of the next day”? Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: For two nights and one day. The Holy One blessed be He would illuminate for him with comets and lightning, as we learned there: Over comets, over earthquakes, and over lightning.¹¹⁷Mishna Berakhot 9:2. The mishna continues: One recites: Blessed…whose strength and power fill the world. That is what is written: “For You will illuminate my lamp…” (Psalms 18:29).
Asa arose and said: ‘I do not have the power to kill them, but I will pursue them and You do [the killing].’ He said to him: ‘I will do so,’ as it is stated: “Asa…pursued them…[and Kushites were falling…before the Lord and before His camp]” (II Chronicles 14:12); it is not written here, “before Asa,” but rather, “before the Lord and before His camp.”
Yehoshafat arose and said: ‘I have the power neither to kill nor to pursue; rather, I will recite song, and You do so.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I will do so,’ as it is stated: “At the time that they began with song and praise, [the Lord set ambushes against the children of Amon, Moav, and the highlands of Seir]” (II Chronicles 20:22).
Hezekiah arose and said: ‘I have the power neither to kill, nor to pursue, nor to recite song; rather I will sleep in my bed and You do so.’ The Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘I will do so,’ as it is stated: “It was on that night that an angel of the Lord went out and smote in the camp of the Assyrians [one hundred eighty-five thousand]” (II Kings 19:35).
How many remained of them? Rav said: Ten, as it is stated: “A child will record them” (Isaiah 10:19), as it is typical of a child to write a yod.¹¹⁸Yod is the smallest letter and is very easy to write. Its numerical value is ten. Rabbi Elazar says: Six, as it is typical of a child to make a line.¹¹⁹The letter vav is a straight vertical line. Its numerical value is six. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi said: Five, as it is stated: “Two, three berries at the treetop” (Isaiah 17:6).¹²⁰The two are Nebuchadnezzar and Nevuzaradan, who were officers, and the three were Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, and his two sons. They were the survivors (Etz Yosef). Rabbi Yehuda and Rabbi Simon said: Nine. That is what is written: “Four, five on its flourishing branches” (Isaiah 17:6).¹²¹Four and five are nine. Rabbi Tanḥum ben Ḥanilai said: Fourteen. That is what is written: “Two, three berries at the treetop, four, five on its flourishing branches” (Isaiah 17:6). Both according to the statement of these and according to the statement of those, Nebuchadnezzar was one of them. When the Holy One blessed be He said to him: ‘Ascend and destroy the Temple,’ he said: He seeks only to eliminate me. He will do to me what he did to my grandfather.¹²²The midrash identifies Nebuchadnezzar as a grandson of Sennacherib, king of Assyria during Hezekiah’s time. Alternatively, the midrash employs the term grandfather in the sense of predecessor. What did he do? He came and encamped at Daphne in Antioch and sent Nevuzaradan, captain of the guard, to destroy Jerusalem. He stayed there three and a half years. Each day he would circle Jerusalem but was unable to conquer it. He sought to return. The Holy One blessed be He introduced into his mind and he began measuring the wall, and it was sinking two and a half handbreadths each day until it was completely sunk. Once it completely sunk, the enemies entered Jerusalem. Regarding that moment, it states: “The kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world did not believe that an adversary and enemy would enter the gates of Jerusalem” (Lamentations 4:12). When they sinned they were exiled. When they were exiled, Jeremiah began lamenting over them, eikha.

When Ezra came up (with) Zerubbabel, son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, || son of Jehozadak, they began to build the Temple of the Lord, as it is said, "Then rose up Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua, the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God" (Ezra 5:2). And the Samaritans came against them to fight (with) 180,000 (men). Were they Samaritans? Were they not Cutheans? But they were called Samaritans because of the city of Samaria. And further, they sought to kill Nehemiah, as it is said, "Come, let us meet together in one of the villages,… but they thought to do me mischief" (Neh. 6:2). Moreover, they made the work of the Lord to cease for two years ["Then ceased the work of the house of God, which is at Jerusalem]; and it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius, king of Persia" (Ezra 4:24).

"and let Your haters flee before You": Now are there "haters" before Him who spoke and brought the world into being? The intent is, rather, that all who hate the righteous are, as it were, haters of the L-rd. Similarly, (Shemot 15:7) "and in the greatness of Your grandeur you destroy those who rise against You." Now are there any who "rise" before the L-rd? The intent is, rather, that all who rise against the righteous are, as it were, "rising" against the L-rd. And, similarly (Psalms 74:23) "Forget not the voice of Your adversaries, the ever rising roar of those who rise against You," and (Psalms 83:3) "For Your foes are tumultuous; Your haters have raised their heads," and (Psalms 4) "They have been subtle in counsel against Your people," and (Psalms 138:21-22) "Will I not hate Your haters, O L-rd? Will I not battle with those who rise up against You? I have hated them to the heights of hatred. I have deemed them my (own) enemies." And thus is it written (Zechariah 2:12) "Whoever touches you (Israel) touches the pupil of His eye": It is not written "the pupil of the eye," but "the pupil of His eye" — that of the L-rd, as it were, Scripture resorting to a euphemism (for "the eye of the L-rd"). Similarly, (Job 7:20) "Why do You make me Your target for Yourself, and a burden to myself?" — ("myself") a euphemism (for "to You"?) Similarly, (Ezekiel 8:17) "and they thrust the branch to their nostrils" — a euphemism for ("My"). Similarly, (Chabakkuk 1:12) "Are You not of yore, O L-rd, my holy G-d, and we shall not die" — a euphemism (for "You"). Similarly, (Psalms 106:20) "They exchanged their glory for the image of a bull feeding on grass" — a euphemism (for "G-d"). Similarly, (Bamidbar 11:15) "And if You will do thus to me, kill me, I pray You, if I have found favor in Your eyes, and let me not witness my evil" — a euphemism (for "them" and "their," respectively). Similarly, (Ibid. 12:12) "who comes out of his mother's womb, and half his flesh being consumed" — a euphemism (for "our"). And if one helps the righteous, it is as if he is helping the L-rd, viz. (Judges 5:23) "'Curse Meroz!' said the angel of the L-rd. 'Bitterly curse her dwellers. Because they do not come to the holy of the L-rd, to the help of the L-rd among the mighty.'" R. Shimon b. Elazar says: There is nothing more "beloved" in a man's body than his eye. When a man is hit on his head, he closes only his eyes. And Israel is thus compared, viz. (Zechariah 2:12) "Whoever touches you (Israel) touches the pupil of His eye." R. Yossi b. Elazar says: He (the "toucher") is regarded as one who sticks a finger into His eye and gouges it out. Pharaoh, who "touched," what did I do to him? (Shemot 15:4) "Pharaoh's chariots and his army He cast into the sea." Sisra, who "touched," what did I do to him? (Judges 5:20) "From heaven the stars fought. From their courses they fought against Sisra." Sancherev, who "touched," what did I do to him? (II Kings 19:35) "And an angel of the L-rd went out and smote in the camp of Ashur, etc." Nevuchadnezzar, who "touched," what did I do to him? (Daniel 4:30) "and he ate grass like cattle." Haman, who "touched," what did I do to him? (Esther 8:7) "and they hanged him on a tree." And thus you find that as long as Israel were subjugated in Egypt, the Shechinah was with them in their servitude, viz. (Shemot 22:10) "And they saw the G-d of Israel, and under His feet, the likeness of a sapphire brick" (viz. Ibid. 1:14) "And thus is it written (Isaiah 63:9) "In all of their afflictions, He was afflicted." This tells me only of communal afflictions. Whence do I derive (the same for) individual afflictions? From (Psalms 91:15) "When he calls Me, I will answer him. With him will I be in affliction." And it is written (Bereshit 39:20-21) "And Joseph's master took him in and the L-rd was with Joseph." And thus is it written (II Samuel 7:23) "… before your people whom You redeemed from Egypt — a nation and its G-d" (together with them). R. Akiva says: If it were not explicitly written, it would be impossible to say it — Israel said before the L-rd: "You have redeemed Yourself!" You find that whenever they were exiled, the Shechinah was exiled with them, viz. (I Samuel 2:27) "Was I not exiled to your father's house when they were in Egypt in the house of Pharaoh?" When they were exiled to Bavel, the Shechinah was with them, viz. (Isaiah 43:14) "For your sake I was sent to Bavel." When they were exiled to Edom, the Shechinah was with them, viz. (Ibid. 63:1) "Who is this, coming from Edom, etc.?" And when they return, the Shechinah will return with them, as it is written (Devarim 30:3) "And the L-rd will return, etc." It is not written "and the L-rd will return your captivity," but "and the L-rd will return with your captivity." And it is written (Song of Songs 4:8) "With Me, from Levanon, My bride, with Me from Levanon will you come."

"Mine is revenge and payment!": I, Myself exact payment of them, and I do so not through an angel and not through a messenger. As it is written (Shemoth 3:10) "Go and I shall send you to Pharaoh, etc.," and (II Kings 19:35) "And an angel of the L-rd went out and smote in the camp of Ashur, etc."