Midrash su Isaia 62:8
נִשְׁבַּ֧ע יְהוָ֛ה בִּֽימִינ֖וֹ וּבִזְר֣וֹעַ עֻזּ֑וֹ אִם־אֶתֵּן֩ אֶת־דְּגָנֵ֨ךְ ע֤וֹד מַֽאֲכָל֙ לְאֹ֣יְבַ֔יִךְ וְאִם־יִשְׁתּ֤וּ בְנֵֽי־נֵכָר֙ תִּֽירוֹשֵׁ֔ךְ אֲשֶׁ֥ר יָגַ֖עַתְּ בּֽוֹ׃
Il Signore ha giurato per la sua mano destra e per il braccio della sua forza: sicuramente non darò più il tuo grano per essere cibo per i tuoi nemici; E gli estranei non berranno il tuo vino, per il quale hai lavorato;
Ein Yaakov (Glick Edition)
R. Abin b. R. Ada, in the name of R. Isaac, said: "Whence do we learn that the Holy One, praised be He! lays Tephilin? It is said (Is. 62, 8.) Sworn hath the Lord by His right hand and by the arm of His strength. By His right hand, is meant the Torah, for it is said (Deu. 33, 2.) From His right hand, He gave a fiery law unto them; and by His strength, is meant Tephilin; as it is said (Ps. 29, 11.) The Lord will give strength unto His people. How do we know that the Tephilin are a strength to Israel? It is said (Deu. 28, 10.) And all the nations of the earth shall see, that Thou art called by the name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of Thee; and we are also taught that R. Eliezer, the Great, says 'This (the above verse) means the Tephilin of the head.'' R. Nachman b. Isaac said to R. Chiya b. Abin: "What is written in the Tephilin of the Sovereign of the universe?" "It is written," he answered, "Who is like thy people Israel, the only nation." (I Chr. 17, 21.) "And does the Holy One, praised be He! praise himself with the glory of Israel?" "Yea, for it is written (Deu. 26, 17.) Thou hast this day acknowledged the Lord, etc., and the Lord hath acknowledged thee, this day, i.e., the Holy One, praised be He! said unto Israel 'You have made me the only object of love in the world — as it is written (Deu. 6, 4.) Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, is one God; I will therefore make you the only object of love in the world — as it is written (I Chr. 17, 21.) And who is like thy people, Israel the only nation'" R. Acha, the son of Raba, said to R. Ashi: "You may be right concerning one section of the Tephilin, what about the remaining sections?" "In the remaining sections," [said R. Ashi] "are. For what great nation is there (Deu. 4, 7); And what great nation (Ib. ib.); Happy art thou, O Israel! (Ib. 33, 29); Or hath a God essayed, (Ib. 4, 34.) So that he may set thee, the highest (Ib. 26, 19)." "If so then there are more than four sections?" "But," [said he], "Or what great nation is there. And what great nation, both being practically [in meaning] alike, are one section; Happy art thou Israel, and For what part of a nation, are another section; Or hath a God essayed, is the third section; and So that He may set thee the highest, is the fourth section; and all these verses are written and [put together into one section which is] placed also in the Tephilin of the hand.
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Eikhah Rabbah
When Rabbi Yosei of Milḥaya died, Rabbi Yoḥanan and Reish Lakish went up to perform an act of kindness136They went to participate in the funeral. and Rabbi Yitzḥak Pesaka went up with them. There was a certain elder there who sought to ascend and begin eulogizing him, but they did not allow him to do so. Rabbi Yitzḥak Pesaka said to him: ‘Before these lions of Torah you open your mouth?’ Rabbi Yoḥanan said to them: ‘Leave him, as he is an elder. Let him ascend and be honored in his place.’137Since he is an elder and a local, let him deliver the first eulogy. He ascended, began, and said: ‘We find that the departure of the righteous is more difficult before the Holy One blessed be He than the ninety-eight rebukes in Mishne Torah138This is a reference to the book of Deuteronomy. The reference is to the warnings of punishment in Deuteronomy 28:15–68. and the destruction of the Temple. In the rebukes it is written: “The Lord will render your blows extraordinary [vehifla]” (Deuteronomy 28:59).139The Lord will strike you with extraordinary blows. Regarding the destruction of the Temple it is written: “She has declined extraordinarily [pela’im].” However, regarding the departure of the righteous it is written: “Therefore, behold, I will continue to bewilder [lehafli] this people, bewilderment [hafleh] upon bewilderment [vafeleh]” (Isaiah 29:14). Why to that extent? “The wisdom of her wise will be lost and the understanding of her men of understanding will be concealed” (Isaiah 29:14).’ Rabbi Yitzḥak Pesaka said: ‘May the mouth of this man be blessed.’ Rabbi Yoḥanan said to him: ‘Had we not allowed him, from where would we have heard this pearl?’
The Divine Spirit was shouting and saying: “See, Lord, my affliction, for the enemy has expanded.”140The midrash has returned to explicating the verse in Lamentations 1:8. The point is that the first part of the verse is a description of what has happened, whereas the phrase “see, Lord…” is the prophet, influenced by the Divine Spirit, calling out to God. “Evildoers dig pits for me that do not accord with Your Torah” (Psalms 119:85). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said two [examples]: It is written: “Do not take the mother with the young” (Deuteronomy 22:6), and here: “A mother was torn apart with her children” (Hosea 10:14);141The Torah prohibits trapping the mother bird while she is with her young, but the enemies attacked mothers in the presence of their children. that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said another: It is written: “To eradicate an infant from the street” (Jeremiah 9:20), but not from the synagogues; “young men from the squares” (Jeremiah 9:20), but not from the study halls. But here, “the wrath of the Lord arose against them…[He struck down the young warriors among them]” (Psalms 78:31);142The “young warriors” refers to those involved in the study of Torah. At times the debate of matters of halakha in the course of study is compared to war (see, e.g., Megilla 15b). Alternatively, some suggest that the correct version of the text is as cited in Yalkut Shimoni, Tehillim 877, which provides a different prooftext: “Who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary” (II Chronicles 36:17) (Rabbi David Luria; Etz Yosef). that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said two [examples]: It is written: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28), but here, child and mother were killed on one day, as it is stated: “A mother was torn apart with her children” (Hosea 10:14); that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said another: It is written: “Who will hunt game of a beast…he shall [pour out its blood and] cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). But here, “They spilled their blood like water around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them” (Psalms 79:3); that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Berekhya said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You afforded burial to donkeys, but to Your children You did not afford burial.’ You afforded burial to donkeys, these are the Egyptians. That is what is written: “Whose flesh is the flesh of donkeys” (Ezekiel 23:20). And Rabbi Berekhya said: Because the sea would cast them to the dry land and the dry land cast them to the sea. The sea said to the dry land: ‘Accept your people,’ and the dry land said to the sea: ‘Accept your people.’ The dry land said: ‘If when I accepted only Abel’s blood, it is stated in my regard: “Cursed is the land” (Genesis 3:17), how can I accept the blood of this entire multitude?’ [This continued] until the Holy One blessed be He took an oath to it that He would not place it on trial. That is what is written: “You extended Your right hand; the earth swallowed them” (Exodus 15:12). The right hand is nothing other than an oath, as it is stated: “The Lord took an oath by His right hand” (Isaiah 62:8). But to your people, you did not afford burial, that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
The Divine Spirit was shouting and saying: “See, Lord, my affliction, for the enemy has expanded.”140The midrash has returned to explicating the verse in Lamentations 1:8. The point is that the first part of the verse is a description of what has happened, whereas the phrase “see, Lord…” is the prophet, influenced by the Divine Spirit, calling out to God. “Evildoers dig pits for me that do not accord with Your Torah” (Psalms 119:85). Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said two [examples]: It is written: “Do not take the mother with the young” (Deuteronomy 22:6), and here: “A mother was torn apart with her children” (Hosea 10:14);141The Torah prohibits trapping the mother bird while she is with her young, but the enemies attacked mothers in the presence of their children. that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said another: It is written: “To eradicate an infant from the street” (Jeremiah 9:20), but not from the synagogues; “young men from the squares” (Jeremiah 9:20), but not from the study halls. But here, “the wrath of the Lord arose against them…[He struck down the young warriors among them]” (Psalms 78:31);142The “young warriors” refers to those involved in the study of Torah. At times the debate of matters of halakha in the course of study is compared to war (see, e.g., Megilla 15b). Alternatively, some suggest that the correct version of the text is as cited in Yalkut Shimoni, Tehillim 877, which provides a different prooftext: “Who slew their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary” (II Chronicles 36:17) (Rabbi David Luria; Etz Yosef). that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said two [examples]: It is written: “An ox or a sheep, it and its offspring you shall not slaughter on one day” (Leviticus 22:28), but here, child and mother were killed on one day, as it is stated: “A mother was torn apart with her children” (Hosea 10:14); that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Yehuda ben Rabbi Simon said another: It is written: “Who will hunt game of a beast…he shall [pour out its blood and] cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). But here, “They spilled their blood like water around Jerusalem, and there was no one to bury them” (Psalms 79:3); that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
Rabbi Berekhya said: The congregation of Israel said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, You afforded burial to donkeys, but to Your children You did not afford burial.’ You afforded burial to donkeys, these are the Egyptians. That is what is written: “Whose flesh is the flesh of donkeys” (Ezekiel 23:20). And Rabbi Berekhya said: Because the sea would cast them to the dry land and the dry land cast them to the sea. The sea said to the dry land: ‘Accept your people,’ and the dry land said to the sea: ‘Accept your people.’ The dry land said: ‘If when I accepted only Abel’s blood, it is stated in my regard: “Cursed is the land” (Genesis 3:17), how can I accept the blood of this entire multitude?’ [This continued] until the Holy One blessed be He took an oath to it that He would not place it on trial. That is what is written: “You extended Your right hand; the earth swallowed them” (Exodus 15:12). The right hand is nothing other than an oath, as it is stated: “The Lord took an oath by His right hand” (Isaiah 62:8). But to your people, you did not afford burial, that is, “that do not accord with Your Torah.”
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Midrash Tanchuma
Reuben, Simeon, and all the other tribes were mentioned because of the future redemption of Israel. Reuben: I have surely seen the affliction of my people (Exod. 3:7). Simeon: And God heard their groaning (ibid. 2:24). Levi: Many nations will attach themselves to the Lord (Zech. 2:15). Judah: I will give thanks unto Thee, O Lord, for though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away and Thou comfortest me (Isa. 12:1). Issachar: For thy ways shall be rewarded (Jer. 31:16). Zebulun: I have surely built thee a house of habitation (I Kings 8:13). Benjamin: The Lord hath sworn by His right hand (Isa. 62:18). Dan: And also that nation, whom they shall serve, will I judge (Gen. 15:14). Naphtali: Thy lips, O my bride, drop honey (Song 4:11). Gad: Now the manna was like coriander seed (Num. 11:7). Asher: And all the nations shall call you happy (Mal. 3:12). Joseph: The Lord will set His hand again the second time (Isa. 11:1).
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