Midrash su Isaia 44:41

Alternatively, "These days were formed, but not one from them" [Psalms 139:16] is refering to Yom Kippur for (the nation of) Israel. {continuing}

Alternatively, "These days were formed, but not one from them" [Psalms 139:16] is refering to Yom Kippur for (the nation of) Israel. {continuing}

"In the beginning God created..." Rabbi Tanchuma opened [with the verse (Psalms 86:10),] "For You are great, and you perform wonders...." Rabbi Tanchum said: with a pouch, if you puncture a hole in its side with a pin, all its air comes out of it. Whereas the person is made with all kinds of hollows and holes, and his air does not leave his body. Who could make such a thing? "....You, God, alone."[the second half of the verse] When were the angels created? Rabbi Yochanan said: the angels were created on the second day. Just as it says (in Psalms 104:4), "He sets the rafters of the upper chambers in the water..." [creating the sky in the upper waters which God does on the second day] and then it is written, "He makes the winds his messengers (or, 'his angels')." Rabbi Chanina said: the angels were created on the fifth day, where it is written "and let the bird fly (ye-ofef) across the earth," and (in Isaiah 6:2) it is written, "and with two [wings] he (the Seraphic angel) would fly (ye-ofef)." Rabbi Luliana bar Tavrin said in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak: whether according to the opinion of Rabbi Chanina, or whether according to the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan, all agree that they were not created on the first day - so that they could not say that the angl Michael stretched out the south end of the sky and Gabriel the north end, and the Holy One, Blessed be He, measured out the middle. Rather, (as it says in Isaiah 44:24), "I am God who makes all, and who alone stretches out the heavens...with only Myself (me-iti)" 'Mi iti' (who, with me) is written, meaning, "WHO partnered WITH ME in the creation of the world?!?" Another interpretation: "For You are great and You do wonders..." It is the way of the world that a king of flesh and blood is praised in the land, and the great men of the land are praised with him, for they carry his burden with him. But the Holy One, Blessed be He, is not like this. Rather, He alone created the world. He alone is praised in the world. He alone is glorified in his world. Rabbi Tanchuma said: "For you are great and You do wonders..." Why? Because, "...You, God, alone." You, alone, created the world.

“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).

"I am the L rd your G d who took you out of the land of Egypt." What is the intent of this? Because He appeared at the Red Sea as a hero waging war, viz. (Exodus 15:3) "The L rd is a Man of war," and at Mount Sinai, as an elder full of mercy, so as not to provide an opening for the nations of the world to say that there are two Deities, (He said) "I am the L rd your G d." It was I at the Red Sea, and it is I on the dry land. It was I in the past and it will be I in time to come. I in this world and I in the world to come. As it is written (Devarim 32:39) "See, now, that I, I am He," (Isaiah 46:4) "And until you grow old, it is I," (Ibid. 44:6) "Thus said the L rd, the King of Israel, and its Redeemer, the L rd of hosts: I am first and I am last," and (Ibid. 41:4) "Who wrought and did, the caller of the generations from the beginning? I, the L rd, am first, and with the last it will be I." R. Nathan says: This is the retort to those heretics who would contend that there are two Deities. When the Holy One Blessed be He stood (at Mount Sinai) and said "I am the L rd your G d," who stood up and contended with Him? If you would say that this took place in concealment, is it not written (Ibid. 45:19) "Not in secret did I speak, etc." I did not reserve it (the Torah) for them alone. And thus is it written (Ibid.) "I, the L rd, speak righteously; I tell what is true."

Rabbi Yannai said: "From the beginning of his creation of the universe the Holy One, blessed be He, scrutinized the deeds of the righteous and the deeds of the wicked. "And the earth was formless", these are the deeds of the wicked. "And God said, let there be light", these are the deeds of the righteous. "And God separated between the light and the dark", [that is] between the deeds of the righteous and the wicked. "And God called the light day", these are the deeds of the righteous. "And the darkness he called night", these are the deeds of the wicked. "And there was evening", these are the deeds of the wicked". "And there was morning", these are the deeds of the righteous. "One day", which the Holy One, blessed be He, gave to them. And what is this [day]? Yom Kippur. Rabbi Tanchuma the son of Jeremiah said: "on it [that day] four things were created: mountains, heavens, and earth and light". Rabbi Yudan said: "on it [that day] the Holy One, blessed be He, was unique and alone in his universe because there was nothing in his universe except for him". This is in accord with Rabbi Yochanan, but this is not in accord with Rabbi Chanina. Rabbi Yochanan said "on the second [day] the angels were created. See! It is written "He lays the beams of his upper chambers in the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he walks upon the wings of the wind (Psalm 104:3)" and it is written "he makes the winds his angels (Psalm 104:4)"". Rabbi Chanina said "on the fifth [day] the angels were created, as it is said: "and let fowl fly above the earth (Genesis 1:20)" and it is written "and with two [wings] it flies (Isaiah 6:2)"". Rabbi Lulyani the son of Tavrai in the name of Rabbi Yitzchak said: "Whether t is according to the opinion of Rabbi Chanina or according to the opinion of Rabbi Yochanan, everyone agrees that they were not created on the first day, so you cannot say that Michael stretched out the southern section of the firmament, and Gabriel the northern section and the Holy One, blessed be He, measured in the middle. Rather "I am Hashem, that makes all things; that stretched forth the heavens alone; that spread abroad the earth by Myself (meitti). [Read this as if] "who is with me? (mi itti) is written: "who was joined with me in my creation of the universe?""

Another interpretation (of Numb. 13:2) “Send men.” What is written above the matter (in Numb. 12:1)? “And Miriam spoke to Aaron about Moses.” And afterwards, (in Numb. 12:2), “Send men.” This text is related (to Is. 44:18), “They neither know nor understand; for their eyes are stuck shut so that they cannot see […].” What is the reason for saying, “Send men,” after the episode of Miriam (in Numb. 12:1ff.)?¹¹Numb. R. 16:6. It is simply that it was anticipated by the Holy One, blessed be He, that they would come and utter evil speech against the land.¹²Sot. 34a. The Holy One, blessed be He, had said that they should not [be able to] say, “We did not know what the penalty for evil speech was.” For that reason the Holy One, blessed be He, put this [story] next to the one [in which Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, because she had spoken slander against her brother. [This was] so that everyone would know the punishment for evil speech. [It was a warning] so that if they came to speak slander, they would consider what happened to Miriam; but even so, they did not desire to learn. It is therefore stated (in Is. 44:18), “They neither know nor understand.” Therefore the Holy One, blessed be He, wrote [about] the sending out of the spies after the episode of Miriam. Ergo (in Is. 44:18), “They neither know nor understand; for their eyes are stuck shut so that they cannot see….” Another interpretation (of Numb. 13:2), “Send men for yourself”: Even though the Holy One, blessed be He, had said to Moses, “Send men for yourself,” it was not [the wish] of the Holy One, blessed be He, for them to go.¹³See Numb. R. 16:7. Why? Because the Holy One, blessed be He, had already told them [about] the superiority of the Land of Israel. It is so stated (in Deut. 8:7), “For the Lord your God is bringing you unto a good land.” Moreover, while they had been in Egypt, he had said to them (in Exod. 3:8), “I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians [and to bring them up out of that land unto a good and spacious land].” And Scripture states (in Exod. 13:21), “And the Lord went in front of them by day.” So what is the point of [saying] (in Numb. 13:2), “Send men?” It is simply that they wanted these words. When they reached [Israel's] borders, Moses had said to them (in Deut. 1:21), “See, the Lord your God has set the land before you, go and possess….” At that time Israel approached Moses, as stated (in vs. 22), “Then you all drew near unto me [and said, ‘Let us send men ahead of us to explore the land for us’].” This is what Ezra¹⁴See Sanh. 93b, which also alludes to the book of Nehemiah under the name of Ezra. said (in Neh. 9:17), “So they refused to listen and were unmindful of Your] wonders.” Now it says (in Numb. 10:33), “and the ark of the covenant of the Lord traveled ahead of them […].” And [yet] they said (in Deut. 1:22), “Let us send men ahead of us to explore the land for us.” [It is simply] that they did not believe. And similarly David said (in Ps. 78:10), “and they refused to follow His Torah.” R. Joshua says, “To what were they comparable? To a king who secured for his son a beautiful wife, the daughter of good and wealthy parents. The king said to him, ‘I have secured you a beautiful wife, the daughter of good and wealthy parents. There is no one like her in the whole world.’ The son said to him, ‘Let me go to see her,’ for he did not trust his father. Immediately the situation became ever more difficult for his father and it was bad for him. His father said, ‘What shall I do? If I say to him, “I am not showing her to you,” then he will say, “She is ugly.”’ For that reason he did not want to show her. Finally he said to him, ‘Look at her, so that you may know that I have not deceived you. But because you did not trust me, I swear that you shall not see her in your house. Instead I am giving her to your son.’ Now similarly did the Holy One, blessed be He, say to Israel, ‘The land is good,’ but they did not believe [Him]. They said (in Deut. 1:22), ‘Let us send men ahead of us.’ The Holy One, blessed be He, said, ‘If I prevent them, they will say, “The land is no good. For that reason He has not shown it to us.” Rather, they will only see it, for I swear that not one of them shall enter within it, but rather [only] their children.’ Thus it is stated (in Numb. 14:23, 31), ‘Surely they shall not see the land […]. But it is your children, who you said would be carried off, who will go….’’’ When they said to Moses (in Deut. 1:22), “Let us send men ahead of us,” Moses began to wonder. He said, “It is impossible for me to do something before I consult with the Holy One, blessed be He.” He went and consulted. He said to him, “Your children want thus and so.” The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, “This is not the first time for them. While they were in Egypt, they jeered at Me, as stated (in Hos. 7:16), ‘this was their derision in the land of Egypt.’ They are accustomed to such [behavior]. I do not need this; as see, it is written (in Dan. 2:22), ‘He knows what is in the darkness, [and the light dwells with Him]’; I know what they are saying. But if you want, you yourself, ‘Send men for yourself.’” Where is it shown? Where it is written (in Numb. 13:16), “These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land.”

Abba Sikra, the leader of the rebels in Jerusalem, was the son of R. Jochanan b. Zakkai's sister. The latter sent word to the former: "Come in secrecy unto me." When he came, R. Jochanan said to him: "How long are you going to commit these things which cause death unto the entire population?" His nephew answered him: "What can I do, should I say a word against them, they will execute me?" "Find a way," said R. Jochanan to him, "so that I should be able to get out of this town and try to see the enemy. Perhaps there will he a little help." His nephew then advised him and said: Feign sickness and let the people come in and visit you as a sick person. Procure something that causes a bad odor and leave it with thee over night, and let the Rabbis announce that you have died. Your disciples shall then enter to carry you, but none else shall enter, so that they should not thereby feel that you are light in weight, and understand that you are alive, for a live person weighs less than a dead one." He did so. R. Elazar entered on one side and R. Joshua on another, and began to carry him away. When they came to the gates, [and waited to take the body out for burial,] the watchmen wanted to stick their spears into the body. Whereupon Abba Sikra said to him: "The Romans will say: 'Their own Rabbi have they pierced with spears.' " They then wanted to throw him over the gate. Whereupon he again said to them: "The Romans will say, 'Their own Rabbi have they thrown over the gate.'" Consequently they opened the gate for the [dead body] and they left… . When R. Jochanan b. Zakkai appeared before Vespasian, he said: "Peace unto thee king, peace unto the king." The latter said to him: "You deserve twice execution; firstly, because I am no king and you are calling me king. Secondly, had it been true that I am king, why have you not come unto me until now?" R. Jochanan then said to him: "As to your statement, that you are no king, (Ib. b) I claim that you are a king, for had you not been a king then Jerusalem would not have been surrendered into your hands, for it is written (Is. 10,34) And the Lebanan shall fall by [means of] a mighty (Adir), and mighty refers to no one else but a king, as it is written (Jer. 30, 21) And the Leader [Adir] shall be of themselves. And Lebanan refers to none else but the Temple, as it is said (Deut. 3, 25) This goodly mountain and the Lebanan. As to your question; that if you were a king why then did I not come to you before; I will answer that the rebels who are among us prevented me from doing so." Vespasian then said to him: "If there is a barrel full of honey and a serpent is around it, is it not proper to break the barrel on account of the serpent?" R. Jochanan remained silent. R. Joseph and other authorities say R. Akiba applied the following passage to this incident (Is. 44, 25) That turneth the wise backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish. Why, he should have said to him: "The proper thing is to take a pincer and remove the serpent from the barrel and kill it, but the barrel should be left alone." While they were so discussing a courier that was dispatched from Rome came and said: "Arise, because the Kaiser died and the nobles of Rome decided to put you at the head of them." Vespasian was then putting on his shoes. One shoe he had on and was about to put on the other. He could not place his foot into it, nor pull off the one he had on. Whereupon R. Jochanan said to him: "Do not worry, it is because you received good tidings that this occurred to you, for it is written (Pr. 15, 30) And good report giveth marrow to the bones." "What is the remedy for it?" R. Jochanan advised him that a man with whom he was not satisfied should come and pass before him, as it is written (Ib. 17, 22) But a depressed spirit dieth up the bones. He did so, thus enabling him to put on the shoes. He again said to him: "Since you are so wise, why didn't you come to me until now?" Whereupon R. Jochanan replied: "Didn't I give you an excuse for it?" "But did I not tell you what you should have done," remarked Vespasian… . Vespasian then said to R. Jochanan b. Zakkai: "I will leave the city and I will send another one; nevertheless, ask some favor from me and I shall try to give it to you." He then said to him: "Give me the city of Jamnia with its sages and also the entire noble family of Rabban Gemaliel and sufficient doctors to cure R. Zaddak from his sickness." R. Joseph, and according to others R. Akiba, applied the following passage (Is. 44, 25) He that turneth the wise backward and maketh their knowledge foolish. He should have asked of Vespasian to leave the entire city. But R. Jochanan thought that perhaps he would not have been able to gain so much, thus even a little would not be saved.

[(Numb. 13:2:) SEND MEN.] This text is related (to Is. 44:18): THEY NEITHER KNOW NOR UNDERSTAND; {THEY WALK IN DARKNESS,} FOR THEIR EYES ARE STUCK SHUT SO THAT THEY CANNOT SEE. What is the reason for saying, YOU YOURSELF SEND <MEN>, after the episode of Miriam (in Numb. 12:1ff.)?¹²Numb. R. 16:6; see Tanh., Numb. 4:5. It is simply that it was anticipated by the Holy One that they would come and utter slander against the land.¹³Sot. 34a. The Holy One had said that they should not <be able to> say: We did not know what the penalty for slander was. For that reason he put this <story> next to the one <in which> Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, because she had spoken <slander> against her brother. <This affliction happened> so that everyone would know the punishment for slander. Thus it is stated (in Numb. 12:1–16, which ends): THEN AFTER THAT THE PEOPLE JOURNEYED FROM HAZEROTH¹⁴Where they had waited seven days for Miriam to be cleansed from leprosy. AND ENCAMPED IN THE DESERT OF PARAN. <It was a warning> so that if they came to speak slander, they would consider the episode of Miriam; but even so, they did not desire to learn. It is therefore stated (in Is. 44:18): THEY NEITHER KNOW NOR UNDERSTAND. Therefore the Holy One wrote <about> the sending out of the spies after the episode of Miriam.

R. Samuel the son of Nahman stated: The Holy Spirit forsook Jacob twice. Once when he wished to bless Manasseh and Ephraim, and again when he was about to reveal the time of redemption. And Israel stretched out his right hand, and laid it upon Ephraim’s head (Gen. 48:14). He began to bless him with the words: And let them increase like fish (ibid., v. 16). He thus indicated that Ephraim’s descendants would be caught like fishes, as it is said: Say now “Shibboleth”; and he said “Sibboleth” (Judg. 12:6).¹¹Just as fishes are caught by their mouths, so too forty-two hundred Ephraimites were killed because they could not pronounce the word Shibboleth correctly. When Joseph saw that his father was laying his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him and He held up his father’s hand, to remove it (Gen. 48:17). Jacob rebuked him, saying: “Do you seek to turn away the hand that vanquished the foremost among the angels?” R. Yohanan said: Jacob’s arms were like two columns in the public baths in Tiberias. And Joseph said unto his father: “Not so, my father, only this one is the firstborn” (ibid. , v. 18). And his father refused and said: “I know it, my son; I know it” (ibid., v. 19). He foresaw that Gideon would descend from Manasseh, but that his younger brother was the more important one, since Joshua would descend from him. And he blessed them that day, saying: “By thee shall Israel bless, saying: God make thee as Ephraim and Manasseh” (ibid., v. 20). He mentioned Ephraim before he mentioned Manasseh. When was his blessing finally fulfilled? At the time of the consecration of the chiefs. Then Ephraim brought his offering on the seventh day, and Manasseh on the eighth, in fulfillment of the scriptural verse: That confirmeth the word of his servant and performeth the counsel of his messengers (Isa. 44:26).

“and the dust returns to the earth as it was; and the spirit returns to God, who provided it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7).
“And the dust returns to the earth as it was” – Rabbi Pinḥas and Rabbi Ḥilkiya [said] in the name of Rabbi Simon: When is it that “the spirit returns to God, who provided it”? It is when “the dust returns to the earth [as it was].”¹²If the body returns free of sin, as it was before the person lived his life. If not, “may He cast away the souls of your enemies…” (I Samuel 25:29).¹³God will cast away the souls of the sinners.
Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani [said] in the name of Rabbi Avdimi of Haifa: [This is analogous] to a priest who is scrupulous regarding matters of ritual purity who gave a loaf of teruma bread to a priest who is not scrupulous in that regard, and said to him: ‘Look, I am pure, my household is pure, my utensils are pure, and this loaf that I am giving you is pure. If you return it to me in the manner that I gave it to you, fine, but if not, I will burn it in your presence.’ So too, the Holy One blessed be He says to each person: Look, I am pure, My abode is pure, My attendants are pure, and the soul that I am placing in you is pure. If you give it to Me as I gave it to you, fine, but if not, I will burn it in your presence.¹⁴In Gehenna
All this [occurs to a person] in his old age; however, in one’s youth, if he sins he is stricken with gonorrhea and leprosy; therefore, Moses cautions Israel: “[Any] man, when there will be a discharge from his flesh” (Leviticus 15:2).¹⁵The term “from his flesh” is seemingly unnecessary and is meant to emphasize that if one sins God brings upon him bodily punishment even in his youth. God need not bring this punishment from an external source; He can bring it from within a person’s own body.
Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi interpreted the verses regarding the Temple.¹⁶Previously verses 1–7 were interpreted as warning a person to remember God before reaching old age. Rabbi Yehoshua ben Levi offers an alternative interpretation of these verses. The prophet said to Israel: “Remember your Creator” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) – remember your Creator while your chosen status is still intact, while the covenant of priesthood is still intact, as it is stated: “And choose it from all the tribes of Israel [to be priests for Me]” (I Samuel 2:28); while the covenant of Levitehood is still intact, as it is stated: “As the Lord your God has chosen it from all your tribes…” (Deuteronomy 18:5); while the covenant of Jerusalem is still intact, as it is stated: “The city that I have chosen” (I Kings 11:32); while the kingdom of the House of David is still intact, as it is stated: “He chose David, His servant” (Psalms 78:70); while the Temple is still intact, as it is stated: “Now I have chosen and consecrated this house” (II Chronicles 7:16); while you are still intact, as it is stated: “The Lord your God has chosen you to be a treasured people for Him” (Deuteronomy 7:6). “Before the evil days come” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) – these are the days of the exile; that is what is written: “Who put far away the evil day” (Amos 6:3). “And the years arrive when you will say” (Ecclesiastes 12:1): The merit of the patriarchs has ceased.
“Before the sun…are darkened” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is the kingdom of the House of David, as it is stated: “His throne will be like the sun before Me” (Psalms 89:37). “The light” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is Torah, as it is stated: “For the commandment is a lamp and Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). “The moon” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is the Sanhedrin,¹⁷The Sanhedrin would sit in the configuration of a semicircle, or half-moon. as it is written: “Like the moon, it will be established forever” (Psalms 89:38). “The stars” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – these are Torah scholars.
“And the clouds return after the rain” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – you find that all the harsh prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied in their regard did not befall them until after the destruction of the Temple.
“On the day that the guards of the house will tremble” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the priestly and Levite watches. “The men of valor will be bent” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the priests. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Aaron [picked up and] waved twenty-two thousand Levites on one day, as it is stated: “Aaron waved the Levites a waving before the Lord (Numbers 8:11). Rabbi Ḥanina said: The crop [of a bird] is very light, and the priest would aim, take it in one hand, and throw it behind the ramp [of the altar, a distance of] thirty-two cubits, with a backward [motion of his] hand.¹⁸Throwing a light item accurately to a great distance takes enormous strength.
“The grinders will cease” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the great compilations [of tannaitic traditions], like the compilation of Rabbi Akiva, the compilation of Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Hoshaya, and the compilation of bar Kappara. “Because they have dwindled” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – this is the Talmud that is intermingled with them. “It will be dark for those who gaze through the windows” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – you find that when Israel was exiled to Babylon, there was no one able to clearly articulate his studies.
“The doors to the street will be shut” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – these are the doors of Neḥashta of the House of Elnatan,¹⁹Neḥushta, daughter of Elnatan, was the mother of Yehoyakhin, king of Judah (see II Kings 24:8). Her door was open to all those in need, but this was no longer the case after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. which had been wide open. “With the fading of the sound of the mill” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – [the destruction occurred] because they were indolent in the study of Torah. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥmani said: Matters of Torah were likened to a mill; just as a mill is not idle by day or at night, so too, regarding matters of Torah it is stated: “You shall contemplate it day and night” (Joshua 1:8). “And one will arise to the voice of a bird” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – Rabbi Levi said: For eighteen years, a Divine Voice would proclaim and call out to Nebuchadnezzar and say to him: Wicked slave, ascend and destroy the house of your Master, because His children are rebellious and do not obey Him. “And all the sources of music will be lowered” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – [Nebuchadnezzar] ascended and abrogated song in the Temple; that is what is stated: “They will not drink wine with song” (Isaiah 24:9).
“They will also fear heights” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – [Nebuchadnezzar] also feared the most elevated, the King of kings. “There will be obstacles on the way” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – the fear of the way fell over him. Rabbi Levi said: He began delineating subdivisions along the route, as it is stated: “For the king of Babylon stood at the crossroads, [at the head of the two roads, to practice divination; he shot arrows, consulted the terafim, and examined the liver]” (Ezekiel 21:26); [he stood at] a thoroughfare that diverges, “at the head of the two roads,” [a location] that diverges to two roads. There were two roads there, one going toward the wilderness and one going toward the settlement [Jerusalem]. “To practice divination” – he began performing divination in the name of Rome, but it was not successful;²⁰He performed divination to find out if he would be successful if he waged war against Rome, but the message he received was that he would not be successful. in the name of Alexandria, but it was not successful; in the name of Jerusalem, and it was successful. “He shot arrows” in the name of Rome, but it was not successful; in the name of Alexandria, but it was not successful; in the name of Jerusalem, and it was successful.²¹He shot arrows straight up into the air and watched to see in which direction they would fall. When he shot with the intention to receive a sign about Jerusalem, the arrow sailed in the direction of Jerusalem. He kindled lamps and lanterns in the name of Rome, but they did not light; in the name of Alexandria, but they did not light; in the name of Jerusalem, and they lit. He sailed boats on the Euphrates River in the name of Rome, but they did not move; in the name of Alexandria, but they did not move; in the name of Jerusalem, and they moved. “Consulted the terafim” – this is his idol worship. “And examined the liver” – Rabbi Levi said: Like an Arab who slaughters a lamb and examines its liver.²²This is a form of divination.
“In his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem, [to place battering rams, to call for murder, to raise the voice with shouting, to place battering rams against the gates, to pour a ramp, to build a siege tower]” (Ezekiel 21:27) – the divination of Jerusalem was in his right hand.²³He was encouraged by the signs he received via divination that he would conquer Jerusalem. Alternatively, he cast lots, and the lot of Jerusalem came up in his right hand, indicating that he would conquer it. “To place battering rams [karim]” – [to appoint] government officials [kalorkhin]; “to call for murder” – [to administer] death sentences; “to raise the voice” – [to sound] trumpets of war; “to place battering rams” – he deployed a siege; “to pour a ramp” – [from which they would catapult] stones; “and to build a siege tower” – ramps [to climb over the wall]. Regarding all of these [it could have been said]: “But it will be for them like a vain divination [in their eyes, who have weeks upon weeks, and it evokes iniquity for them to be captured]” (Ezekiel 21:28). The prophet said to Israel: Had you merited, you would have read the Torah that is expounded in seven times seven ways.²⁴This is alluded to in the phrase “weeks upon weeks,” as a week has seven days. Now that you have not merited, Nebuchadnezzar will divine seven times seven divinations upon you. Why to that extent? “And it evokes iniquity for them to be captured” – this is the blood of Zekharia.²⁵See Kohelet Rabba 3:16, where the story is told of Zekharia, a prophet and priest, who was murdered in the Temple. This terrible act caused the Israelites to be punished with great bloodshed and suffering at the time of the destruction of the Temple.
“The almond tree will blossom” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the prophecy of Jeremiah, as it is stated: “I see the branch of an almond tree” (Jeremiah 1:11). Rabbi Elazar said: Just as an almond tree, from the moment that it blossoms until its fruit ripens is twenty-one days, so too, the entire decree was [carried out] only from the seventeenth of Tammuz until the ninth of Av.
“The grasshopper will be burdened” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the image of Nebuchadnezzar, as it is stated: “Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold; [its height was sixty cubits, and its width was six cubits]” (Daniel 3:1).²⁶It is referred to disdainfully as a grasshopper as a way to mock its giant size. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: It emerges that you are saying that anything whose height is sixty and its width is six [is able to stand,] but [in fact] it requires a width one-third of its height. Rabbi Banai said: It was like a reed; he would place it upright and it would fall, he would place it upright and it would fall. Rabbi Ḥagai said in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak. It was incapable of standing until he brought all the silver and gold from Jerusalem. They poured it into a solid base before it as a stand for its feet. That is what is written: “They will cast their silver in the streets” (Ezekiel 7:19).
“The caper berry [haaviyona] will fail” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the merit of the patriarchs.²⁷The word aviyona is expounded to mean father of a dove [avi yona], as the Jewish people are likened to a dove. “For the man goes to his eternal home” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – they were from Babylon,²⁸Abraham’s origins were in Babylon. and to Babylon they returned. “And the mourners will circle in the streets” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the exile of Yekhonya. You find that at the time of the exile of Zedekiah,²⁹The exile of Zedekiah, which took place in the wake of the destruction of the Temple, was eleven years after the exile of Yekhonya. the members of the exile of Yekhonya emerged to greet them. They were covered in sackcloth³⁰This was in mourning for the destruction of the Temple. on the inside and in white garments³¹As residents of Babylon, they outwardly celebrated their king’s victory. on the outside. They would ask each other:³²Those who had been exiled previously asked those who were just coming into exile. How is [my] father doing? How is [my] mother doing? How is [my] brother doing? They said to them: They were killed. They would mourn with one hand and laud with the other hand,³³They would beat their chests or thighs in mourning, and when forced to, they would applaud the king for his victory. to fulfill what is stated: “Your splendor will be upon your heads and your shoes upon your feet; you will not lament and you will not weep” (Ezekiel 24:23).³⁴They were forced to wear celebratory clothing and could not properly mourn their loss.
“Before the silver cord is severed” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – this is the genealogical chain;³⁵Families of impeccable lineage kept meticulous genealogical records and were careful to marry only families with similarly impeccable lineage. This ability, and certainly the records, were lost during the period of destruction and exile. “the golden skull is shattered” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – these are matters of Torah, as it is stated: “More pleasant than gold” (Psalms 19:11).
“The pitcher is smashed at the spring” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – two amora’im: One says: The pitcher of Barukh at the spring of Jeremiah,³⁶Barukh ben Neriya was the disciple of Jeremiah. The transmission from master to disciple was disrupted. and one says: The pitcher of Jeremiah at the spring of Barukh. That is what is written: “[Then Barukh answered them:] From his own mouth he would recite all these words to me and I would write on the scroll with the ink” (Jeremiah 36:18).³⁷In this verse, Barukh copied down what Jeremiah said. The midrash may be alluding to the fact that Jeremiah was dependent upon Barukh’s skill as a scribe, which was enhanced by Divine inspiration (Maharzu); alternatively, Jeremiah the teacher was enriched by his student’s insights and questions (Etz Yosef).
“And the wheel is shattered into the cistern” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – they were from Babylon, and to Babylon they returned. They were from Babylon, as it is stated: “The Lord said to Abram: Go you from your land” (Genesis 12:1).³⁸Abraham’s original land was Ur Kasdim (see Genesis 11:31), which is in Babylon. “And to Babylon they returned” – [as it is stated regarding Nebuchadnezzar:] “And exiled the people to Babylon” (Ezra 5:12). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Who says to the depths: Be dry” (Isaiah 44:27). “The depths” – this is Babylon. Why is it called “the depths”? Because the dead of the generation of the Flood were submerged there, as it is written: “As Babylon caused the dead of Israel to fall, [so at Babylon shall fall the dead of all the land]” (Jeremiah 51:49).
Reish Lakish said: It is written: “They found a valley in the land of Shinar” (Genesis 11:2). Why is it called Shinar? Because the dead of the generation of the Flood were transported [sheninaru] there [by the water]. Alternatively: Shinar, as they died in convulsions [tashnuk], without a lamp and without a bathhouse.³⁹Because they were impoverished. Alternatively: Shinar, as they were bereft [meno’arim] of the mitzvot, without teruma and tithes.⁴⁰These mitzvot apply specifically in the Land of Israel. Shinar, as their princes die as lads [ne’arim]. Shinar, as they established an enemy [soneh] and a destroyer [va’er]; and who is that? It is Nebuchadnezzar.
“And the dust returns to the earth as it was” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) – they were from Babylon, and to Babylon they returned. “And the spirit returns to God” – this is the Divine Spirit. You find that when Jeremiah saw Jerusalem destroyed, the Temple burned, Israel exiled, and the Divine Spirit that departed, he began [to speak] about them with [the phrase] “vanity of vanities” (Ecclesiastes 12:8).

3. [God] confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers; that saith of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built, and I will raise up the waste places thereof';(Is 44:26) R. Berekiah said in the name of R Levi: Whoever confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers, do we not [therefore also] know that he will say of Jerusalem: 'She shall be inhabited'; and of the cities of Judah: 'They shall be built?' Rather [the apparent repetition may be understood by another text]: an angel appeared to our father Jacob and said to him, 'What is thy name?' And he said: 'Jacob.' And he said: 'Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel;(Gen 32:28-29). The Kadosh Baruch Hu appeared [afterwards] to our father Jacob to fulfill the decree of the angel [in another verse]: And God said unto him: 'Thy name is Jacob: [thy name shall not be called any more Jacob, but Israel shall be thy name'; and He called his name Israel.] (Gen 35:10) Jerusalem, of which all the prophets prophesied that it will be built, all the more so! Another interpretation: “[God] confirmeth the word of His servant” refers to Moses, [as he is called in another verse]: My servant Moses is not so. (Num 12:7) “Performeth the counsel of His messengers” refers to Moses, [as he is called in another verse]: [God] sent a messenger, and brought us forth out of Egypt. (Num 20:16) The Kadosh Baruch Hu said to Moses, “Go, tell the people Israel that I will go through the land of Egypt in that night, [and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt.]” (Ex. 12:12) Moses went and said to Israel, “Thus saith the LORD: About midnight will I go out into the midst of Egypt.” (Ex 11:4) The Kadosh Baruch Hu said, “Already I have made my promise to Moses, And I said of him 'My servant Moses is not so; he is trusted in all My house.' (Num 12:7) Should I make a liar out of My servant Moses? No, instead Since Moses said “About midnight,” then I will go out at midnight. So it happened that it came to pass at midnight, [that the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.]

Variantly: Just as a bound flask stands, neither emitting nor admitting, so, the spirits of the Egyptians were bound up within them, neither emitting nor admitting, faint from the smell of the sea, viz. (Job 41:23) "He bubbles up the sea like a pot, etc." And to Israel, the sea was like a bed of spices, viz. (Ibid.) "He makes the sea like a spice-bed." (Song of Songs 4:16) "Awake, O north wind, and come, O south, blow over my garden that its spices may flow." (Exodus, Ibid.) "The depths were congealed ("kafu") in the heart of the sea, etc." He made them like a kippah (a dome) in the midst of the sea. How so? A man's heart consists of two chambers and its arch. Thus did He arch the sea over them. The sea has no heart, and He gave it a heart. A terebinth has no heart, and He gave it a heart, viz. (II Samuel 18:4) "He (Avshalom) was yet alive in the heart of the terebinth." The heavens have no heart, and He gave them a heart, viz. (Devarim 4:11) "And the mountain (Sinai) burned with fire until the heart of heaven." Let the sea come, which had no heart and was given a heart, and exact payment of the Egyptians, who had a heart and subjugated Israel with all kinds of ("heartless") torments, viz. (Exodus 1:13) "And Egypt subjected the children of Israel to grueling toil." Let the terebinth come, which had no heart and was given a heart and exact punishment of Avshalom, who had a heart and "stole" three hearts — the heart of his father, the heart of beth-din, and the heart of Israel, viz. (II Samuel 15:6) ("And Avshalom did this) … and Avshalom stole the heart of the men of Israel." Let the heavens come, which have no heart and were given a heart, and drop manna like dew upon Israel, who had a heart and accepted the Torah and served the L rd with all their hearts and all their souls, viz. (Devarim 6:3) "And you shall love the L rd your G d with all of your heart and all of your soul, etc." And not the heavens alone rejoiced in the redemption of Israel, but also the mountains and all of the hills, the fruit trees and all of the cedars, viz. (Isaiah 44:23) "Sing, O heavens, for the L rd has wrought! Shout, O depths of the earth. Mountains, break out in song, forest and all that is in it. For the L rd has redeemed Yaakov", and (Ibid. 49:13) "Sing, O heavens and rejoice, O earth — Break out in song! For the L rd has consoled His people, etc."

“To a mare in Pharaoh's chariots I have likened you, my love” (Song of Songs 1:9).
“To a mare in Pharaoh's chariots,” Rabbi Papis expounded: “He is of one mind, and who can respond to Him?” (Job 23:13). He alone judges all creatures, and one may not challenge the words of the One who spoke and the world came into being. Rabbi Akiva said to him: ‘Enough, Papis, one may not challenge the words of the One who spoke and the world came into being, because everything is true and everything is just,’ as it is written: “I saw the Lord sitting on a high and exalted throne” (Isaiah 6:1). Rabbi Simon said: It is a throne that distinguishes between death and life. “And all the host of the heavens attending Him on His right and on His left” (I Kings 22:19). Is there left On High? But is it not all right, as it it is stated: “Your right, Lord, is glorious in power; Your right, Lord, smashes the enemy” (Exodus 15:6)? Why, then, does the verse state: “On His right and on His left”? Rather, these incline to the right and these incline to the left; these advocate exoneration and these advocate condemnation. Rabbi Yoḥanan in the name of Rabbi Aḥa cites it from here: “The truth of the matter and a great host” (Daniel 10:1). One arrives at the truth when it is accomplished with a great host, as it is written: “The Lord God is truth” (Jeremiah 10:10). What is truth? Rabbi Aivun said: That He is the living God and King of the universe.
Rabbi Elazar said: Anywhere that it is stated: “And the Lord,” it is He and His court. The paradigm of them all [is the verse]: “And the Lord has spoken evil in your regard” (I Kings 22:23).²³⁶This verse is the culmination of a passage in which the prophet Mikhaihu, speaking to King Ahab, begins: “I saw the Lord sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left” (I Kings 22:19). That is the paradigm of them all. How, then, does Rabbi Elazar interpret that verse of Rabbi Papis: “He is of one mind, and who can respond to Him”? Rather, He alone seals the verdict for all creatures and no being seals it with Him. What is the seal of the Holy One blessed be He? Rabbi Beivai said in the name of Rabbi Reuven: Truth, as it is stated: “However, I will tell you what is inscribed in the writ of truth” (Daniel 10:21). If truth, why inscribed, and if inscribed, why truth?²³⁷The implication of “truth” is that it is indelible, while the implication of “inscribed” is that it can be erased. Rather, until the ruling is signed, it is “inscribed”; once the ruling is signed, it is “truth.”
Reish Lakish said: Why is it “truth [emet]”? Alef is the first of the letters, mem is in the middle, and tav is at their end; this is to say: “I am first and I am last and aside from Me there is no God” (Isaiah 44:6). “I am first,” as I did not receive My kingdom from another. “And I am last,” as I will not transfer it to another, as there is none [other] in the world. “And aside from Me there is no God,” as there is no second to Me.

“The king said to her: What troubles you, Queen Esther, and what is your request… Esther said: If it pleases the king, let the king and Haman come today to the banquet… The king said: Hasten Haman…The king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared…Haman emerged on that day joyful and glad of heart, but upon Haman’s seeing Mordekhai at the king’s gate, and he did not stand, and he did not move on his account, Haman became filled with fury…Haman restrained himself…and brought his supporters and Zeresh his wife, etc.” (Esther 5:3–5; 8–10).
Among all of them, there was no one capable of giving counsel like Zeresh his wife. He [Haman] had three hundred and sixty-five advisers, corresponding to the days of the solar year. His wife said to him: The person [Mordekhai] about whom you are asking, “If he is of the progeny of the Jews…you will not prevail against him” (Esther 6:13) – unless you approach him with cleverness, with [a strategy] that has never been attempted against members of his nation. If you drop him into a fiery furnace, Ḥananya and his cohorts have already been rescued [from it]; if [you place him in] the lions’ den, Daniel already emerged from it. If you incarcerate him in prison, Joseph already emerged from it. If you ignite a fire in a vat beneath him, Menashe [king of Judah] already pleaded, and the Holy One blessed be He acceded to his plea and he emerged from it. If you exile him to the wilderness, his ancestors already procreated in the wilderness, and they were confronted with numerous ordeals and passed them all and were rescued. If you blind his eyes, Samson took numerous Philistine lives when he was blind. Rather, hang him on a gibbet, as no member of his people has survived it.
Immediately, “the matter was pleasing to Haman and he prepared the gibbet” (Esther 5:14). From what tree was that gibbet crafted? The Rabbis said: When he came to prepare it, the Holy One blessed be He called to all the trees of Creation: ‘Who will give [of its wood] so this wicked one [Haman] will be hanged on it?’
The fig said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel brings first fruits from me. Moreover, Israel was likened to the first fruits [of a fig]; that is what is written: “Like a first fruit on a fig tree in its first season”’ (Hosea 9:10).
The grapevine said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; that is what is written: “You transported a vine from Egypt”’ (Psalms 80:9).
The pomegranate said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “Your temple is like a pomegranate slice”’ (Song of Songs 4:3).
The nut said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was likened to me; that is what is written: “I have descended to the nut garden”’ (Song of Songs 6:11).
The citron said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel takes from me for a mitzva; that is what is written: “You shall take for you on the first day the fruit of a pleasant tree…”’¹This verse refers to the mitzva to take the four species on Sukkot. Rabbinic tradition identifies the “pleasant tree” as the citron. (Leviticus 23:40).
The myrtle said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “And he was standing among the myrtles”’ (Zechariah 1:8).
The olive said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “The Lord called your name a flourishing olive-tree, fair of fruit and form”’ (Jeremiah 11:16).
The apple said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; as it is stated: “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest, so is my beloved among the boys” (Song of Songs 2:3), and as it is written: “And the fragrance of your face like apples”’ (Song of Songs 7:9).
The palm said: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me; that is what is written: “This, your stature, is likened to a palm”’ (Song of Songs 7:8).
Acacia trees and cypress trees said: ‘We will give of ourselves, as the Sanctuary was crafted and the Temple was constructed from us.’
The cedar and the date said: ‘We will give of ourselves, as we are analogized to the righteous, as it is stated: “The righteous man flourishes like a palm tree; like a cedar in Lebanon he grows tall”’ (Psalms 92:13).
The willow says: ‘I will give of myself, as Israel was analogized to me, as it is stated: “Like willows by streams of water” (Isaiah 44:4); and they take from me for the mitzva of the four species in the lulav.’
At that moment, the thorn said before the Holy One blessed be He: ‘Master of the universe, I, who have nothing to ascribe [litlot] to myself, I will give of myself, and that impure one will be hanged [veyitaleh]. My name is thorn, and he [Haman] is a painful thorn; it is appropriate for a thorn to be hanged on a thorn.’ They found [suitable wood from a thorn] and erected [the gibbet].
When they brought it before Haman, he prepared it at the entrance to his house and measured himself on it to show his servants how Mordekhai should be hanged on it. A divine voice replied to him: ‘The tree is suitable for you; this tree has been prepared for you since the six days of Creation.’ The Rabbis there [i.e. Babylonia] say: Where in the Torah is there [an allusion] to Haman? It is, as it is stated: “Was it from the tree [hamin haetz]” (Genesis 3:11), which is expounded to read: Haman haetz.
Another matter: “it was on the third day” (Esther 5:1). Israel is never subject to trouble for more than three days, as in Abraham’s regard it is written: “On the third day, Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place from a distance” (Genesis 22:4). The tribes, “he gathered them into custody for three days” (Genesis 42:17). Jonah, as it is stated: “Jonah was in the innards of the fish three days and three nights” (Jonah 2:1). And the dead will live only after three days, as it is stated: “On the third day He will raise us” (Hosea 6:2).²At the resurrection of the dead, all will be revived for the day of judgement, when some will be granted “eternal life,” and others will receive “reproaches and everlasting abhorrence” (Daniel 12:2). The midrash here is stating that the righteous will experience the anxiety of the impending judgement for three days before they are granted eternal life. This miracle, too, transpired after three days of their fasting; that is what is written: “It was on the third day, that Esther donned royalty” (Esther 5:1). She sent and invited Haman to a banquet with the king on the fifteenth of Nisan. Once they ate and drank, Haman said: ‘The king promotes me, his wife honors me, and there is no one in the kingdom greater than I am,’ and his heart was overjoyed; that is what is written: “Haman emerged on that day joyful and glad of heart” (Esther 5:9).

Everything fortunate that occurred to Joseph likewise happened to Zion. It is written of Joseph: And Joseph was of beautiful form and fair to look upon (Gen. 39:6), and of Zion it is stated: Fair in situation, the joy of the whole earth (Ps. 48:3). Concerning Joseph it is written: He is not greater in this house than I (Gen. 39:9), and of Zion: The glory of this latter house shall be greater than that of the former (Hag. 2:9). Joseph: The Lord was with him (Gen. 39:2), Zion: And My eyes and My heart shall be there (II Chron. 7:15). Joseph: And showed kindness unto him (Gen. 39:21), Zion: I remember for thee the affection of thy youth (Jer. 2:2). Joseph: And he shaved himself and changed his raiment (Gen. 41:14), Zion: And the Lord shall have washed away (Isa. 44:4). Joseph: Only in the throne will I be greater than thou (Gen. 41:40), Zion: At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord (Jer. 3:17). Joseph: And arrayed him in vestures of fine linen (Gen. 41:42), Zion: Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments (Isa. 52:1). Joseph: He sent Judah before him (Gen. 46:29), Zion: Behold, I send My messenger (Mal. 3:1).

10) (Vayikra 18:4) "to walk in them": Make them primary and not secondary. "to walk in them": Your converse should be only in them, not intermixed with any mundane matters. Do not say: I have learned the wisdom of Israel; now I will learn the wisdom of the world. "to walk in them": You are not permitted to depart from them. And thus (Mishlei 5:17) "They shall be ours alone … (Vayikra 6:22) In your going forth, it shall guide you" — in this world; "in your reclining, it shall guard you" — at the time of death; "and when you awake, it shall converse with you" — in the world to come. And (Isaiah 26:19) "Awake and sing, you dwellers in the dust!" And lest you say: "Gone is my hope and my prospect!" It is, therefore, written "I am the L–rd." I am your hope and your prospect and upon Me is your trust. And (Isaiah 46:4) "And until (your) old age, I am He, etc." And (Isaiah 44:6) "Thus said the L–rd, the King of Israel and its Redeemer, the L–rd of hosts, etc." (Isaiah 48:12) "I am He. I am first and I am last." And (Isaiah 41:4) "I, the L–rd, am first, and with the last shall I be,"

R. Tanchum b. Chanilai said: "When Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah came out of the furnace, the nations came and slapped Israel in the face, saying: 'Ye have such a God, and ye bowed yourselves to the images!' They (Israel) immediately confessed, saying (Ib. 9, 7) Thine, O Lord, is the righteousness, but unto us belongeth confusion of faces, as it is this day." R. Samuel b. Nachmeni, in the name of R. Jochanan, said: "What does the passage (Songs 7, 9) I thought, I wish to climb up the palm-tree, I wish to take hold of its boughs, mean? The Holy One, praised be He! said, 'I will take hold of the whole tree, (Israel) but now I claim only one branch — that of Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah'." R. Jochanan said: "What does the passage (Zech. 1, 8) I saw this night, and behold there was a man (ish) riding upon a red horse, etc., mean? This night, i.e., the Lord intended to turn the entire world into night. Behold there was a man (ish), — this refers to the Holy One, praised be He! as it is said (Ex. 15, 3) The Eternal is a man (ish) of war. Upon a red horse — i.e., the Holy One, praised be He! intended to plunge the entire world into blood, but after looking upon Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah, he felt satisfied (cooled off), as it is said, And he was standing among the myrtle-trees (hadasim). And myrtle-trees refers to the upright, as it is said (Esth. 2, 7) And he brought up Hadassah. And deep valley refers to Babylon, as it is said (Is. 44, 27) That saith to the deep, Be dry, and thy rivers will I dry up; immediately the red which were filled with anger became pale, and the red became white." R. Papa said: "Infer from this that if one sees a white horse in his dream, it is a good sign." But what became of Chananyah, Mishael, and Azaryah after they came out of the furnace [as there is no further mention of them]? Rab said: "They died from an evil eye"; and Samuel said: "They were drowned in the spittle [caused by the nations when they slapped Israel in the face, mentioned above.]" R. Jochanan, however, said: "They returned to Palestine, married, and begat children." Concerning the same the Tannaim of the following Baraitha differ: R. Eliezer says: "They died from an evil eye." R . Joshua says: "They were drowned in the spittle," and the sages say: "They returned to Palestine, married aud begat children," as it is said (Zech. 3, 8) Do but hear, O Joshua the high-priest, thou and thy fellows that sit before thee, for men of wonder are they, i.e., who were the men to whom wonder was done? We must say, Chananyah, Mishael and Azaryah. But where was Daniel at the time that they were thrown into the kiln? Rab said: "He went to dig a river in the city of Tiberius." And Samuel said: "He was sent by Nebuchadnezzar to bring a certain kind of grass [from Palestine, to be planted in Babylon]." And R. Jochanan said: "He was sent to bring swine from Alexandria of Egypt." But was it not said above by Tudus the physician that no swine left Alexandria without having its womb first removed so that they should not multiply in other countries? He brought little ones, and the Egyptians were not aware [that he took them that they should multiply in Babylon].

The tenth king will restore the sovereignty to its owners. He who was the first king will be the last king, as it is said, "Thus saith the Lord, the King… I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God" (Isa. 44:6); and it is written, "And the Lord shall be king over all the earth" (Zech. 14:9).

(Numb. 23:21:) “No one has beheld falsehood in Jacob […].” Balaam said, “He does not pay attention to the transgressions in their hands, He only pays attention to their merit.” (Numb. 23:21, cont.:) “The Lord their God is with him.”⁶²In the Biblical context the HIM would normally refer to Israel, but the midrash understands this HIM in the singular throughout this paragraph. You (Balak) said to me (in Numb. 23:7), “Come, curse [Jacob] for me.” If an orchard has no keeper, a thief is able to harm it; or if the keeper falls asleep, the thief will enter [it]. But in the case of these people (according to Ps. 121:4), “Behold, the One keeping Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” So how can I harm [Israel]? (Numb. 23:21:) “The Lord their God is with him (i.e., Moses).” Balak said to him, “Since you cannot touch them because of Moses, who protects them, look at Joshua, his successor, and his deeds.” He said to him, “He also will be strong like him.” (Numb. 23:21:) “The Lord their God is with him; a royal war cry is within him.” He is blowing [a trumpet], giving a war cry, and throwing down a wall.⁶³I.e., the wall of Jericho. (Numb. 23:22:) “God brings them out of Egypt.” You said to me (in Numb. 22:5), “’Here is a people that has come out of Egypt,’ on their own. But that is not so. Rather God brought them out.” (Ibid., cont.:) “Like the heights⁶⁴Rt.: T‘P. The word can also mean “horns” and is so translated in most English versions in order to fit the context of the next word (R’M), which is then understood to mean “wild ox.” See the following note. of His loftiness (r'm).”⁶⁵In most translations the word is understood to mean “wild ox,” but the midrash regards it as a derived from the root RWM, a verb meaning “to be high.” Such is His nature. [When] they sinned a little, He brought them down like a bird, as stated (in Hos. 9:11), “Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird.” [When] they are worthy, He raises them up and exalts (rt.: rwm) them on high like a bird. Thus it is stated (in Is. 60:8), “Who are these that fly like a cloud?” (Numb. 23:23:) “There is no augury in Jacob and no divination in Israel.” Here you are (Balak) practicing augury and divining in what place you may prevail against them, but they are not like that. When they have to fight against enemies, a high priest stands up and puts on urim and thummim, which are asked about [the will of] the Holy One, blessed be He. So all the gentiles practice divination and augury, but these (Israelites) prove them false through repentance and nullify their divinations. It is so written (in Is. 44:25), “Who frustrates omens of liars and confounds diviners.”⁶⁶Cf. yShab. 6:9 (8d). (Numb. 23:23, cont.:) “Now it is said for Jacob and for Israel, [‘What has God done?’]” His (i.e., Balaam's) eye saw that Israel was sitting (yoshevim) before the Holy One, blessed be He, like a pupil before his master and was hearing why each and every parashah was written; and so it says (in Is. 23:18), “for her⁶⁷The midrash reads the HER as referring to Torah, but in the context of Isaiah the HER refers to Tyre as a harlot. profits shall belong to those who dwell (yoshevim) before the Lord […].” It also says (in Is. 30:20), “and no more shall your Teacher hide Himself, for your eyes shall see your Teacher.” The ministering angels will ask them, “What has the Holy One, blessed be He, taught you?” As they cannot enter their (i.e., Israel's) precincts, as stated (in Numb. 23:23), “now it is said for Jacob and for Israel, ‘What has God done?’” (Numb. 23:24:), “Here is a people rising up like a lion.” You have no nation in the world like them. Here they are sleeping away from the Torah and the commandments. [Then] having risen from their sleep, they stand up like lions. Quickly reciting the Shema', they proclaim the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He. Then having become like lions, they embark on worldly business pursuits. If one of them should stumble, or if destroying demons come to touch one of them, he proclaims the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He.⁶⁸On reciting the Shema‘ to be safe from demons, see yBer. 1:1 (2d); Ber. 5a; M. Pss. 4:9. (Numb. 23:24, cont.:) “It (a lion) does not sleep until it has eaten its prey.” When he (the reader) says (in the Shema' of Deut. 6:4), “the Lord is one,” the destroying demons are destroyed on his account, [and] they intone after him (as the liturgical response), “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever.”⁶⁹In reciting the proper liturgical response to the Shema‘, even the demons recognize the sovereignty of the Holy One. Moreover, through the recitation of the Shema' he is sustained from the day watch to the night watch.⁷⁰I.e., his guardian angels for the morning and the night. And when he goes to sleep, he entrusts his spirit into the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Ps. 31:6), “Into Your hand I entrust my spirit.”⁷¹Cf. Ber. 5a. Then when he awakens [and] proclaims the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He, the night watch transfers him to the day watch. Thus it is stated (Ps. 130:6), “My soul [yearns] for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning, the watchmen for the morning.” For that reason Balaam says, “There is no nation like this one.” (Numb. 23:24, cont.:) “And drunk the blood of the slain.” He prophesied that Moses would not die, until he had taken vengeance upon him and the five kings of Midian, as stated (Numb. 23:24), “it does not sleep until it has eaten its prey,” this [prey] is Balaam; “and drunk the blood of the slain,” these are the five kings of Midian. It is so stated (in Numb. 31:8), “And they slew the five kings of Midian upon their corpses.” (Numb. 31:6:) “With the vessels of the sanctuary.” This is the [high priestly diadem] plate upon which it is written (according to Exod. 28:36), “holy to the Lord.”⁷²For a description, see Shab. 63b; Suk. 5a. (Numb. 31:6, cont.:) “And the trumpets for sounding the alarm in his hand.” Moses said to Israel, “Balaam the wicked has practiced magic for you⁷³Cf. the parallel account in Gen. R. 20:20, which reads, “for them.” and is making the five kings fly. So he flies and makes [others] fly. Show him the [high priestly diadem] plate on which the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is engraved,⁷⁴Galuf. Cf. Gk.: glufein (“to engrave.”) and they will fall down before you.” You know that it is so written (in Numb. 31:8), “And they slew the five kings of Midian upon their corpses and Balaam ben Beor [with the sword].” What did that wicked man want with the kings of Midian? Is it not in fact written (in Numb. 24:25), “Then Balaam arose and went back to his own place?” It is simply this: when he heard that twenty-four thousand [Israelites] had fallen (in Numb. 25:9) through his counsel,⁷⁵See Deut. R. 1:2. he returned to get his wage. For that reason Balaam ben Beor is recorded (n Numb. 31:8) together with the five kings of Midian.

Thy right hand, O Lord (Exod. 15:6). This verse indicates that the Lord’s right hand is stretched out to receive repentant sinners. Though You set a time for the generation of the flood in which to do penance, as it is said: My spirit shall not abide in man forever (Gen. 6:3), You did not decree their destruction until they committed their most evil acts before You. Similarly, You set a time limit in which the men of the Tower of Babel were to repent, yet You did not decree their extinction until they performed their most wicked acts, as it is said: And now nothing will be withholden from them (ibid. 11:6). The expression and now is employed only to signify that they had an opportunity to repent, as is said: And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee? (Deut. 10:12); And now, O Israel, hearken unto the statutes (ibid. 4:1); And yet now hear, O Jacob (Isa. 44:1).

... Another explanation. “…to you it shall be the first ...” (Exodus 12:2) This is referring, so to speak, to the Holy One who is called first, as it says “I am first and I am last…” (Isaiah 44:6) And Zion is called first, as it says “As a Throne of Glory, exalted from the beginning, so is the place of our Sanctuary.” (Jeremiah 17:12) And Esau is called first, as it says “And the first one emerged ruddy…” (Genesis 25:25) The Messiah is called first, as it says “The first one to Zion, behold, behold them…” (Isaiah 41:27) Let the Holy One, who is called first, come and build the Holy Temple which is called first, and exact retribution from Esau who is called first. And let the Messiah, who is called first, come in the first month, as it says “This month shall be to you the head of the months…” (Exodus 12:2)

And the Lord remembered Sarah (Gen. 21:1). Scripture states elsewhere in reference to this verse: That confirmeth the word of His servant, and performeth the counsel of His messengers. That saith of Jerusalem: “She shall be inhabited”; and of the cities of Judah: “They shall be built” (Isa. 44:26). That confirmeth the word of His servant refers to Abraham, for the Holy One, blessed be He, said: I opened his womb (Abimelech) on account of Abraham, My servant, who prayed in his behalf, as it is said: And Abraham prayed unto God (Gen. 20:17). Performeth the counsel of His messengers alludes to the angels who informed Abraham that he would have an offspring, as it is said: I will certainly return unto you when the season cometh around (ibid. 18:10).

That saith of Jerusalem: “She shall be inhabited”; and of the cities of Judah; “They shall be built” relates to the subject we are discussing. Though the nations were confident that Jerusalem would not be rebuilt, it will be rebuilt, as it is said: That saith of Jerusalem: “She shall be inhabited”, and it is written elsewhere: When the Lord hath built Zion (Ps. 102:17). But if you are doubtful as to the ultimate rebuilding of Jerusalem, look unto Abraham, your father, and unto Sarah who bore you (Isa. 51:2), for just as I did in behalf of Sarah and Abraham, so I shall do in behalf of Jerusalem.

6 Another interpretation (of Numb. 13:2) “Send men”: What is written above the matter (in Numb. 12:1)? “And Miriam spoke to Aaron about Moses.” And afterwards, (in Numb. 12:2), “Send men.” This text is related (to Is. 44:18), “They neither know nor understand; for their eyes are stuck shut so that they cannot see […].” What is the reason for saying, “Send men,” after the episode of Miriam (in Numb. 12:1ff.)? It is simply that it was anticipated by the Holy One, blessed be He, that they would come and utter evil speech against the land.⁶Sot. 34a. The Holy One, blessed be He, had said that they should not [be able to] say, “We did not know what the penalty for evil speech was.” For that reason the Holy One, blessed be He, put this [story] next to the one [in which Miriam was afflicted with leprosy, because she had spoken slander against her brother. [This was] so that everyone would know the punishment for evil speech. [It was a warning] so that if they came to speak slander, they would consider what happened to Miriam; but even so, they did not desire to learn. It is therefore stated (in Is. 44:18), “They neither know nor understand […].”

[(Exod. 12:29:) AND IT CAME TO PASS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.] This text is related (to Is. 44:26): <HE> CONFIRMS THE WORD OF HIS SERVANT.⁶⁸PRK 7:3. R. Berekhyah said in the name of R. Levi: What is the meaning of CONFIRMS THE WORD OF HIS SERVANT? Do we not know that (ibid., cont.) HE SAYS TO JERUSALEM: YOU SHALL BE INHABITED, AND TO THE CITIES OF JUDAH: THEY SHALL BE REBUILT? It is simply that a certain angel appeared to our ancestor Jacob. He said to him: What is your name? He told him: Jacob. <THEN HE SAID> (in Gen. 32:29 [28]): YOUR NAME SHALL NO LONGER BE JACOB, <BUT ISRAEL>…. (Is. 44:26, cont.:) AND FULFILLS THE COUNSEL OF HIS MESSENGERS. The Holy One appeared to Jacob to affirm the command of his angel, AND (in Gen. 35:10) GOD SAID TO HIM: YOUR NAME IS JACOB. <YOUR NAME SHALL NO LONGER BE JACOB, BUT YOUR NAME SHALL BE ISRAEL. > In the case of Jerusalem, over which all the prophets have prophesied, how much the more <will the Holy One confirm (i.e., fulfill) their prophecies>?

"And it was in the middle of the night" (Exodus 12:29) - this is [the meaning of] what is written (Isaiah 44:26), "He fulfills the word of His servant and completes the counsel of His messengers:" Rabbi Abahu said, "'He fulfills the word of His servant' - this [refers to] Moshe as it is stated (Numbers 12:7), 'Not so My servant Moshe.'" And how is it that He fulfilled it? Rather, when He brought the plague of darkness upon them, Pharaoh began to cry out (Exodus 10:24), "Go and serve the Lord, but your sheep and cattle must stay." Moshe said to him, "Upon your life! 'And also our livestock we will take, not one hoof will remain' (Ibid. 26)." What is [meant by] a hoof? Even an animal that belongs completely to an Egyptian and has one hoof that belongs to a Jew, [Moshe] will not leave. "Since from them shall we take" (Ibid.) - after he said, "from them shall we take," he went back and said "and we do not know with what we will serve the Lord." He said to him, "If with you, who are flesh and blood, [and] people die if they transgress your commands; [nonetheless] if you put out a proclamation in front of you and you say, collect this and that for me, the world can stand in front of you [and fulfill your proclamation]; but with us, perhaps God will say to us, 'sacrifice a sacrifice [that includes all of the sacrifices] of two hundred and ten years.'" That is [what is meant by] "and we do not know." Pharaoh said to him, "Until when will you enter here? 'Go away from me; guard yourself, do not see my face again!' (Ibid. 28)" Moshe said [back] to him, "you have spoken well; 'I will not see your face again.'" The Holy One, blessed be He, said, "What is still required for me? To inform Pharaoh of one plague." Immediately, He went into the palace of Pharaoh for Moshe - who said to [Pharaoh], "I will not see your face again" - so that he would not be found to be a fabricator. And you find that the Holy One, blessed be He, did not speak with Moshe in the house of Pharaoh except for that time. From where [do we know this]? As it is stated (Exodus 9:29), "When I leave the city, I will raise my hands to the Lord;" and now the Holy One, blessed be He, hastened and spoke with Moshe, as it is stated (Exodus 11:1), "still one plague will I bring upon Pharaoh, etc." Once Moshe heard [this], he rejoiced and became great, as it is stated, (Ibid. 3) "and also the man, Moshe, was very great." He begin to cry out in public (Ibid. 4), "'so did the Lord say, "at the middle of the night."' You have spoken well, 'I will not see your face again.' I, myself, will not come again to you, but rather you will come to me; and your general that is standing with you - and he is your head officer - and all of these [in] your palace retinue will come to me with you and request of me - and bow down to me - that we should leave from here;" as it is written (Ibid. 8), "And all of your servants will come down to me and bow down to me saying" - he did not want to say, 'and you will bow down to me' because of the honor of the king. When the middle of the night arrived, as Moshe said; immediately, "And it was the middle of the night and the Lord smote every firstborn." Hence, "He fulfills the word of his servant. And completes the counsel of His messengers" - that He made a counsel (agreement) with Avraham because of this thing. When? When the kings came and he pursued them. The Holy One, blessed be He, said to him, "It is enough for you until the middle of the night - come, let us split the night, you and I;" as it is stated, "And he divided against them at night (understood here as 'and He divided the night for them')." When the time came, he completed his counsel. That is [the meaning of] "And it was in the middle of the night." Thus is it written, "And completes the counsel of His messengers."

(Exodus 22:20) "And a stranger you shall not afflict and you shall not oppress him": You shall not afflict him with words and you shall not oppress him in money matters. Do not say to him: "Yesterday you worshipped the deity of Nevo, and (the flesh of) swine is still between your teeth, and you would dare contend with me!" And whence is it derived that if you taunt him he can taunt you in return? From "And a stranger you shall not afflict … for you were strangers in the land of Egypt" — whence R. Nathan derived "Do not attribute a blemish of your own to your neighbor." Beloved are the strangers, for in many places you are exhorted concerning them: "And a stranger you shall not afflict", (Devarim 10:19) "And you shall love the stranger", (Exodus 23:9) "And you have known the soul of the stranger." R. Eliezer says: Because a stranger's past is to his disadvantage, Scripture exhorts concerning him in many places. R. Shimon b. Yochai says: It is written (Judges 5:31) "And His lovers are like the rising of the sun in its might", and it is written (Devarim 10:18) "And He loves the stranger, etc." Now who is greater? One who loves the King or one whom the King loves? Certainly, one whom the King loves. Beloved are the strangers, for by every epithet that Israel is called, the strangers are called. Israelites are called "servants," as it is written (Leviticus 25:55) "For unto Me the children of Israel are servants." And the strangers are called "servants," as it is written (Isaiah 56:6) "… to love the name of the L rd and to be servants unto Him." Israelites are called "ministers," as it is written (Ibid. 6:6) "And you, 'priests of the L rd' shall you be called; 'ministers of our G d' will it be said of you." And the strangers are called "ministers," as it is written (Ibid. 56:6) "… and the strangers who join the L rd to minister unto Him." Israelites are called "lovers," as it is written (Ibid. 41:8) "the seed of Abraham, My lover." And the strangers are called "lovers" (i.e., beloved), as it is written (Devarim 10:18) "And He loves the stranger." "Covenant" is written of Israel, viz. (Genesis 17:13) "And My covenant (i.e., circumcision) shall be in your flesh." And it is also written of strangers, viz. (Isaiah 56:4) "and they hold fast to My covenant." "Acceptance" is written of Israel, viz. (Exodus 28:38) "for acceptance for them before the L rd." And "acceptance" is written of strangers, viz. (Isaiah 56:7) "their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices for acceptance upon My altar." "Watching" is written of Israel, viz. (Psalms 121:4) "He neither slumbers nor sleeps, the Watcher of Israel." And "watchers" is written of the strangers, viz. (Ibid. 146:9) "The L rd watches the strangers." Abraham called himself a stranger, viz. (Genesis 23:4) "A stranger and a sojourner am I with you." David called himself a stranger, viz. (Psalms 119:19) "I am a stranger in the land," and (I Chronicles 29:15) "For we are strangers before You and sojourners as all of our ancestors. As a shadow are our days upon the earth, without a prospect." And it is written (Psalms 39:13) "For a stranger am I with You, a sojourner as all of my ancestors." Beloved are the strangers (i.e., the proselytes), as witness Abraham's not being circumcised until the age of ninety-nine. For if he were circumcised at twenty or thirty, a stranger could become a proselyte only if he were younger than thirty — wherefore the L rd prolonged commanding him until he was ninety-nine, so as not to bar the door to future proselytes. And thus do you find (the L rd's esteem for the stranger-proselyte) in the four classes who respond before Him who spoke and brought the world into being, (Isaiah 44:5) "One shall say: 'I am the L rd's'; another shall call in the name of Yaakov; another shall mark his arm 'of the L rd'; and in the name of Israel he shall be called": "I am the L rd's" — these are the fearers of Heaven, untainted by sin. "another shall call in the name of Yaakov" — these are the minors (who died in childhood), the sons of the wicked in Israel. "another shall mark his arm 'of the L rd'" — these are the penitents. "and in the name of Israel he shall be called — these are the righteous strangers (i.e., the proselytes).

19 (Numb. 23:14-16) “And he built seven altars [and offered a ram and a bull on each altar]. Then he said unto Balak, ‘Stand here [beside your burnt offerings and let me make myself available to the Lord over there]….’ And God appeared to Balaam and he placed a word (davar) in his mouth”: Like a man who places a bit upon the mouth of his animal and twists him to where he wants [it to go]. So was the Holy One, blessed be He, twisting his mouth. When he said to him, “Return to Balak and bless them,” he said, “Why should I go to him to anguish him?” [So] he sought to go to [his own home] and not to Balak. The Holy One, blessed be He, put a bit into his mouth, [and said] (in Numb. 23:16, cont.) “Return to Balak and speak thus.” (Numb. 23:17) “So he came unto him, and there he was standing beside his burnt offerings [together with the ministers of Moab].” Concerning the first occasion, it is written (in Numb. 23:6), “with all the ministers of Moab.” When they saw that they had derived no benefit at all, they left him; and only a small portion of the ministers of Moab were left with him. (Numb. 23:17) “Balak said to him, ‘What did the Lord say’”: When he saw that [Balaam] was not in control of himself to say what he wanted, [Balak] sat himself down and mocked him. As soon as he saw that he was mocking him, Balaam said to him, “Get up from there. It is not fitting to sit while the words of the Omnipresent are being spoken.” (Numb. 23:18) “Rise up Balak and listen; give ear to me, you son of Zippor”: Both of them were [distinguished] sons of [undistinguished] fathers, for they had made themselves greater than their fathers.⁴⁰On the importance of having a distinguished lineage, see, e.g., Ta‘an 21b. [Hence] (in Numb. 24:3), “An oracle of Balaam son of Beor (literally, his son is Beor)”; (in Numb 23:18) “give ear to me, you son of Zippor (literally, his son is Zippor)!” ⁴¹The unusual wording of Numb. 23:18 and 24:3 suggests that Balak and Balaam both had fathers undistinguished enough to be called their sons. (Numb. 23:19) “God is not a human, that he should speak falsehood”: He is not like flesh and blood. [When a person of] flesh and blood acquires friends and finds others nicer than they, he forsakes the former ones. But [the Holy One, blessed be He,] is not like that. It is not possible [for Him] to be false to the oath of the early ancestors. (Ibid., cont.) “Has he promised and not fulfilled”: (This phrase can also be read as, “He has promised and not fulfilled.”) When he promises to bring evils upon them, He will cancel them, if they have repented. You find it written (in Exod. 22:19), “Whoever sacrifices to a god shall be devoted to destruction.” When they made the calf, they merited destruction. So I thought to curse and destroy them. But when they repented a little, He suspended [any punishment] and (according to Exod. 32:14) “The Lord repented of the evil which He had planned to do to His people.” And so too in many places. As he said to Jochaniah (in Jer. 22:30), “as none of his seed shall succeed….” But He said (in Hag. 2:22), “And I will overturn the thrones of kingdoms and destroy the might of the kingdoms of the nations,” [since it is stated] (Hag. 2:23), “’On that day,’ declares the Lord of Hosts, ‘I will take you, O My servant Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel,’ declares the Lord, ‘and make you as a signet.’” And so He suspended what He said to his [grand]father (in Jer. 22:24), “’As I live,’ declares the Lord, ‘if you, O King Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, of Judah, were a signet on My right hand, I would tear you off even from there.’” And so with the men of Anatoth, it is written (in Jer. 11:23), “No remnant shall be left of them, for I will bring disaster on the men of Anathoth.” [But] once they repented, see what is written (in Neh. 7:27), “The men of Anatoth were one hundred [and twenty-eight].” (Numb. 23:21) “No one has beheld falsehood in Jacob […]”: Balaam said, “He does not pay attention to the transgressions in their hands, He only pays attention to their merit.” (Numb. 23:21, cont.) “The Lord their God is with him”:⁴²In the Biblical context the HIM would normally refer to Israel, but the midrash understands this HIM in the singular throughout this paragraph. You (Balak) said to me (in Numb. 23:7), “Come, curse [Jacob] for me.” If an orchard has no keeper, a thief is able to harm it; or if the keeper falls asleep, the thief will enter [it]. But in the case of these people (according to Ps. 121:4), “Behold, the One keeping Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.” So how can I harm [Israel]? (Numb. 23:21) “The Lord their God is with him (i.e., Moses)”: Balak said to him, “Since you cannot touch them because of Moses, who protects them, look at [Joshua,] his successor, and what he will be.” He said to him, “He also will be strong like him.” (Numb. 23:21, cont.) “A royal war cry is within him.” He is blowing [a trumpet], giving a war cry, and throwing down a wall.⁴³I.e., the wall of Jericho. (Numb. 23:22) “God brings them out of Egypt”: You said to me (in Numb. 22:5), “’Here is a people that has come out of Egypt,’ on their own. But that is not so. Rather [God] brought them out.” (Ibid., cont.) “Like the heights⁴⁴Rt.: T‘P. The word can also mean “horns” and is so translated in most English versions in order to fit the context of the next word (R’M), which is then understood to mean “wild ox.” See the following note. of His loftiness (r'm)”:⁴⁵In most translations the word is understood to mean “wild ox,” but the midrash regards it as a derived from the root RWM, a verb meaning “to be high.” Such is His nature. [When] they sinned a little, He brought them down like a bird, as stated (in Hos. 9:11), “Ephraim's glory shall fly away like a bird.” [When] they are worthy, He raises them up and exalts (rt.: rwm) them on high like a bird. Thus it is stated (in Is. 60:8), “Who are these that fly like a cloud?” (Numb. 23:23) “There is no augury in Jacob and no divination in Israel”: Here you are (Balak) practicing augury and divining in what place you may prevail against them, but they are not like that. When they have to fight against enemies, a high priest stands up and puts on urim and thummim, which are asked about [the will of] the Holy One, blessed be He. So all the gentiles practice divination and augury, but these (Israelites) prove them false through repentance. It is so written (in Is. 44:25), “Who frustrates omens of liars and confounds diviners.”⁴⁶Cf. yShab. 6:9 (8d). (Numb. 23:23, cont.) “Now it is said for Jacob and for Israel, ‘What has God done?’”: His (i.e., Balaam's) eye saw that Israel was sitting (yoshevim) before the Holy One, blessed be He, like a pupil before his master in the future to come and was asking Him why each and every parashah was written; and so it says (in Is. 23:18), “for her⁴⁷The midrash reads the HER as referring to Torah, but in the context of Isaiah the HER refers to Tyre as a harlot. profits shall belong to those who dwell (yoshevim) before the Lord […].” It also says (in Is. 30:20), “and no more shall your Teacher hide Himself, for your eyes shall see your Teacher.” The ministering angels will ask them, “What has the Holy One, blessed be He, taught you?” As they cannot enter their (i.e., Israel's) precincts, as stated (in Numb. 23:23), “now it is said for Jacob and for Israel, [‘What has God done?’]” (Numb. 23:24) “Here is a people rising up like a lion.” You have no nation in the world like them. Here they are sleeping away from the Torah and the commandments. [Then] having risen from their sleep, they stand up like lions. Quickly reciting the Shema', they proclaim the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He. Then having become like lions, they embark on worldly business pursuits. If one of them should stumble with all of them, or if destroying demons come to touch one of them, he proclaims the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He.⁴⁸On reciting the Shema‘ to be safe from demons, see yBer. 1:1 (2d); Ber. 5a; M. Pss. 4:9. (Numb. 23:24, cont.) “It (a lion) does not sleep until it has eaten its prey”: When he (the reader) says (in the Shema' of Deut. 6:4), “the Lord is one,” the destroying demons are destroyed on his account, [and] they intone after him (as the liturgical response), “Blessed be the name of His glorious kingdom forever and ever,” and flee.⁴⁹In reciting the proper liturgical response to the Shema‘, even the demons recognize the sovereignty of the Holy One. Moreover, through the recitation of the Shema' he is sustained from the day watch to the night watch.⁵⁰I.e., his guardian angels for the morning and the night. And when he goes to sleep, he entrusts his spirit into the hand of the Holy One, blessed be He, as stated (in Ps. 31:6), “Into Your hand I entrust my spirit.”⁵¹Cf. Ber. 5a. Then when he awakens [and] proclaims the sovereignty of the Holy One, blessed be He, the night watch transfers him to the day watch. Thus it is stated (Ps. 130:6), “My soul [yearns] for the Lord more than the watchmen for the morning, the watchmen for the morning.” For that reason Balaam says, “What nation is like this one.” (Numb. 23:24, cont.) “[And drunk] the blood of the slain”: He prophesied that Moses would not die, until he had taken vengeance upon him and the five kings of Midian, as stated (Numb. 23:24), “it does not sleep until it has eaten its prey,” this [prey] is Balaam; “and drunk the blood of the slain,” [these are the five kings of Midian. It is so stated] (in Numb. 31:8), “And they slew the five kings of Midian upon their corpses.” (Numb. 31:6) “With the vessels of the sanctuary”: This is the [high priestly diadem] plate upon which it is written (according to Exod. 28:36), “holy to the Lord.”⁵²For a description, see Shab. 63b; Suk. 5a. (Numb. 31:6, cont.) “And the trumpets for sounding the alarm in his hand”: Moses said to Israel, “Balaam the wicked is practicing magic for you⁵³Cf. the parallel account in Gen. R. 20:20, which reads, “for them.” and is making the five kings fly. Show him the [high priestly diadem] plate on which the name of the Holy One, blessed be He, is engraved,⁵⁴Galuf. Cf. Gk.: glufein (“to engrave.”) and they will fall down before you.” You know that it is so written (in Numb. 31:8), “And they slew the five kings of Midian upon their corpses […] and Balaam ben Beor [with the sword].” What did that wicked man want with the kings of Midian? Is it not in fact written (in Numb. 24:25), “Then Balaam arose and went back to his own place?” It is simply this: when he heard that twenty-four thousand [Israelites] had fallen (in Numb. 25:9) through his counsel,⁵⁵See Deut. R. 1:2. he returned to get his wage. For that reason Balaam ben Beor is recorded (in Numb. 31:8) together with the five kings of Midian.

(Numb. 23:23:) SURELY THERE IS NO AUGURY IN JACOB AND NO DIVINATION IN ISRAEL. Here you are (Balak) practicing augury and divining in what place you may prevail against them, but they are not like that. When they have to fight against enemies, a high priest stands up and puts on Urim and Thummim, which are asked about the <will of> Holy One. So all the gentiles practice divination and augury, but these (Israelites) prove them false through repentance and nullify their divinations. It is so written (in Is. 44:25): WHO FRUSTRATES OMENS OF LIARS AND CONFOUNDS DIVINERS.⁸¹Cf. yShab. 6:9 (8d).

Rabbi Yehoshua of Sikhnin began in the name of Rabbi Levi: “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth [beḥurotekha]” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Solomon⁶³Solomon is considered the author of Ecclesiastes. said to Israel: “Remember your Creator” – remember your Creator while your chosenness is intact. While the covenant of priesthood is intact, as it is stated: “And I choose him from all the tribes of Israel for Me as a priest” (I Samuel 2:28). While the Levite covenant is intact, as it is stated: “For the Lord your God has chosen him from all the tribes” (Deuteronomy 18:5). While the covenant of the kingdom of the house of David is intact, as it is stated: “He chose David his servant” (Psalms 78:70). While the covenant of Jerusalem is intact, as it is stated: “The city that I have chosen” (I Kings 11:32). While the covenant of the Temple is intact, as it is stated: “Now I have chosen and sanctified this House” (II Chronicles 7:16). While you are intact, as it is stated: “The Lord your God has chosen you” (Deuteronomy 7:6). “Before the evil days come,” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) – these are the days of the exile. “And the years arrive when you will say: I have no desire in them” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) – neither good nor bad.⁶⁴This phrase is difficult to understand, and commentaries suggest that the text is not be accurate (see Etz Yosef; Maharzu). A parallel text in Kohelet Rabba (12:7) reads: “Until the years arrive when you will say: The merit of the patriarchs has ceased.”
“Before the sun…will darken” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) for the kingdom of the house of David, in whose regard it is written: “And His throne as the sun before Me” (Psalms 89:37). “The light” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is the Torah, in whose regard it is written: “For the mitzva is a lamp, the Torah is light” (Proverbs 6:23). “The moon” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – this is the Sanhedrin, as it is taught: The Sanhedrin was configured like a semi-circle.⁶⁵Mishna Sanhedrin 4:3. “And the stars” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – these are the Rabbis, as it is written: “Those who lead the multitudes to righteousness, like the stars, forever and ever” (Daniel 12:3). “And the clouds will return after the rain” (Ecclesiastes 12:2) – you find that all the harsh and dire prophecies that Jeremiah prophesied in their regard came upon them only after the destruction of the Temple.
“On the day that the guards of the house will tremble” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the priestly and Levite watches. “The men of valor will be bent” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the priests. Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Aaron waved twenty-two thousand Levites on a single day, as it is stated: “Aaron waved them as a wave offering before the Lord” (Numbers 8:21). Rabbi Ḥanina said: This crop is very light, but the priest would throw it onto the ramp thirty-two cubits backhanded.⁶⁶The crop of a bird is light, and therefore it is difficult to throw it a long distance, yet the priests would easily do so because of their great strength.
“The grinders will cease” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – these are the great compilations [of tannaitic traditions], like the compilation of Rabbi Akiva, the compilation of Rabbi Ḥiyya and Rabbi Hoshaya, and the compilation of bar Kappara. “Because they have dwindled” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – this is the Talmud that is included in them. “It will be dark for those who gaze” (Ecclesiastes 12:3) – you find that when Israel was exiled among the nations of the world, there was not one of them who could remember his studies.
“The doors to the street will be shut” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – these are the doors of Neḥushta bar Elnatan,⁶⁷This should read bat, daughter of Elnatan. She was the mother of Yehoyakhin, king of Judah (see II Kings 24:8). Her door was open to all those in need, but this was no longer the case after the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. which had been wide open. “With the fading of the sound of the mill” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – [the destruction occurred] because they were indolent in the study of Torah. Rabbi Shmuel bar Naḥman said: Israel were likened to millstones; just as millstones are never idle, so too, Israel is never idle from Torah study, neither during the day nor at night, as it is stated: “You shall contemplate it day and night” (Joshua 1:8).
“One will arise from the voice of a bird” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – this is the wicked Nebuchadnezzar. Rabbi said: For eighteen years, a Divine Voice would call out in Nebuchadnezzar’s palace and say: ‘Wicked slave, go destroy the house of your Master, because His children do not heed Him.’ “And all the sources of music will be lowered” (Ecclesiastes 12:4) – he ascended and did away with all the song from the house of feasting. That is what is written: “They will not drink wine with song” (Isaiah 24:9).
“They will also fear heights” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – he feared the exalted One of the world and did not wish to do so. He said: He wishes to entrap me in order to do to me what He did to my grandfather.⁶⁸This is a reference to Sennacherib, king of Assyria, whose downfall came about due to his siege of Jerusalem. See II Kings 19:32–37.
“There will be obstacles on the way” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – Rabbi Abba bar Kahana and Rabbi Levi: Rabbi Abba bar Kahana said: Fear of the way fell over him. Rabbi Levi said: He began divining along the way:⁶⁹He did so to determine whether or not he should ascend to wage war against Jerusalem. “For the king of Babylon stood at the crossroads [at the head of the two roads, to practice divination; he shot arrows, consulted the terafim, and examined the liver]” (Ezekiel 21:26) – at the point where the road splits. “At the head of the two roads” – which is midway between two roads, one leading to the wilderness and one leading to Jerusalem. “To practice divination” – he began divining. “He shot arrows” – he began shooting arrows; in the name of Rome, but it was unsuccessful, in the name of Alexandria, but it was unsuccessful, in the name of Jerusalem, and it was successful.⁷⁰He shot arrows straight up into the air and watched to see in which direction they would fall. When he shot with the intention to receive a sign about Jerusalem, the arrow sailed in the direction of Jerusalem. He sowed plants and planted trees in the name of Rome, but it was unsuccessful, in the name of Alexandria, but it was unsuccessful, in the name of Jerusalem, and it was successful, and they grew. He kindled lamps and lanterns, in the name of Rome, but they did not illuminate, in the name of Alexandria, but they did not illuminate, in the name of Jerusalem, and they were illuminating. He consulted his terafim, his idol worship, just as it says: “Wrongdoing is like the idol worship of terafim” (I Samuel 15:23). “He examined the liver” (Ezekiel 21:26) – Rabbi said: Like an Arab who slaughters a lamb and examines its liver.⁷¹This is a form of divination.
“In his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem” (Ezekiel 21:27) – the divination for Jerusalem appeared in his right hand. “To place the battering rams” (Ezekiel 21:27) – provincial rulers; “to call for murder” – executioners; “to raise the voice with shouting” (Ezekiel 21:27) – trumpets; “to place battering rams against the gates” (Ezekiel 21:27) – soldiers to surround the wall; “to cast up mounds” (Ezekiel 21:27), [from which they would] catapult stones; “to build a siege tower” (Ezekiel 21:27) – ramps. Regarding all of these [it could have been said]: “But it will be for them like a vain divination in their eyes, who have weeks upon weeks” (Ezekiel 21:28). The prophet said to Israel: Had you been worthy, you would have read the Torah that is expounded in seven times seven ways.⁷²This is alluded to in the phrase “weeks upon weeks,” as a week has seven days. Now that you were not worthy, Nebuchadnezzar will divine seven times seven divinations upon you. That is what is written: “Who have weeks upon weeks.”
“And it invokes iniquity for them to be captured” (Ezekiel 21:28) – this is the iniquity of Zekharia.⁷³See Kohelet Rabba 3:16, where the story is told of Zekharia, a prophet and priest, who was murdered in the Temple. This terrible act caused the Israelites to be punished with great bloodshed and suffering at the time of the destruction of the Temple. That is what is written: “The spirit of God clothed Zekharia son of Yehoyada the priest, and he stood above the people” (II Chronicles 24:20). Was he in fact above the heads of the people, that it says “above the people”? Rather, he saw himself as more elevated than all the people. He was a son-in-law of the king,⁷⁴In fact, it was Zekharia’s father, Yehoyada, who was a son-in-law of King Yehoram. The king at the time of Zekharia’s death, Yoash, was a grandson of Yehoram and a first cousin of Zekharia (see II Chronicles 22:11). a High Priest, a prophet, and a judge. He began speaking condescendingly. That is what is written: “He said to them: So said God: Why are you transgressing the commandments of the Lord, and you will not succeed? Since you have forsaken the Lord, He has forsaken you. They conspired against him and stoned him with stones [at the command of the king in the courtyard of the House of the Lord]” (II Chronicles 24:20–21). They did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle nor like the blood of a deer, as it is written: “He shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). However, here, “For its blood was in its midst” (Ezekiel 24:7). Why to that extent? “To arouse fury to take vengeance, [I placed its blood upon the bare rock so it would not be covered]” (Ezekiel 24:8).⁷⁵God brought about that Zekharia’s blood would not be covered in order to motivate the Babylonians to take vengeance upon the Israelites in order to assuage Zekharia’s blood.
Rabbi Yudan asked Rabbi Aḥa: Where did they kill Zekharia, in the women’s courtyard or the Israelite courtyard? He said to him: Neither in the women’s courtyard nor in the Israelite courtyard, but rather in the priestly courtyard. And they did not treat his blood like the blood of a gazelle, nor like the blood of a deer. There it is written: “He shall pour out its blood and cover it with dirt” (Leviticus 17:13). However, here: “[For its blood was in its midst; I placed its blood] on a bare rock. [It was not poured upon the ground to cover it with dirt]” (Ezekiel 24:7). Why to that extent? “To arouse fury to take vengeance, I placed its blood upon the bare rock [so it would not be covered]” (Ezekiel 24:8).
Israel performed seven transgressions on that day. They killed a priest, a prophet, and a judge, they spilled innocent blood, they desecrated the Name, they brought impurity to the Temple courtyard, and it was Shabbat and Yom Kippur.⁷⁶The violation of Yom Kippur is not counted as a separate sin from the violation of Shabbat, and therefore the midrash states that they committed seven sins. This is because violation of Yom Kippur is punishable by karet, whereas violation of Shabbat carries the death penalty (see Etz Yosef). When Nevuzaradan⁷⁷The Babylonian executioner. ascended, the blood of Zekharia began seething. He said to them: ‘What is the nature of this blood?’ They said to him: ‘It is the blood of bulls, rams, and sheep that we were slaughtering.’ He sent and brought the blood of offerings but it did not resemble it. He said to them: ‘If you tell me, fine, but if not, I will comb the flesh of these people with iron combs.’⁷⁸The meaning is: I will comb your flesh with iron combs. It is common in rabbinic literature for people to address others in third person or to refer to themselves in third person. They said to him: ‘What can we say to you? There was a prophet who would reprimand us, and we rose against him and killed him, and it is now many years that his blood has not rested.’ He said to them: ‘I will assuage it.’ He brought the Great Sanhedrin and the lesser Sanhedrin and killed them until their blood reached the blood of Zekharia, to realize what is stated: “They have broken out, and blood touches blood” (Hosea 4:2). But the blood was still seething. He brought lads and maidens and killed them onto it, but it did not rest. He brought schoolchildren and killed them onto it, but it did not rest. He brought eighty thousand young priests and killed them until their blood reached the blood of Zekharia, but the blood was still seething. He said: ‘Zekharia, Zekharia, I have eliminated all the good ones among them, would you be content if I eradicate all of them?’ When he said that, it immediately rested. At that moment he contemplated repenting and said: If for one life it is so, this man who killed all those lives, all the more so.⁷⁹If Israel was punished so terribly for having killed Zekharia, how much more will I suffer for having killed so many people. He deserted, sent a gift to his household, and converted.
“The almond tree will blossom” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the prophecy of Jeremiah; that is what is written: He said to me: “What do you see, [Jeremiah]? I said: I see a branch of an almond tree” (Jeremiah 1:11). Rabbi Elazar said: What is the distinguishing mark of an almond tree? From the moment that it buds until it ripens, it is twenty-one days; so too, from the seventeenth of Tammuz until the ninth of Av it is twenty-one days.⁸⁰The walls of Jerusalem were breached on the seventeenth of Tammuz, and the Temple was destroyed on the ninth of Av (Mishna Taanit 4:6).
“The grasshopper will be burdened” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the idol of Nebuchadnezzar, as it is written: “King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold; its height was sixty cubits, and its width six cubits” (Daniel 3:1). Rabbi Yoḥanan said: Anything whose height is sixty and its width is six, can it stand? If its breadth is not one-third of its height it cannot stand, and you say: “He erected it in the plain of Dura” (Daniel 3:1)? Rabbi Levi said: They would erect it like a reed and it would fall, they would erect it and it would fall. Until when? Rabbi Ḥagai in the name of Rabbi Yitzḥak said: Until they brought all the silver and gold that they took out of Jerusalem and they poured a base at its feet, to realize what is stated: “They will throw their silver in the streets, and their gold will become repulsive” (Ezekiel 7:19).
“The caper berry [ḥaaviyona] will fail” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the merit of the patriarchs.⁸¹The word aviyona is expounded to mean father of a dove [avi yona], as the Jewish people are likened to a dove. “For the man goes to his eternal home” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – they were from Babylon,⁸²Abraham was originally from the area that would become Babylon. and there they returned. “And the mourners will circle in the streets” (Ecclesiastes 12:5) – this is the exile of Yekhonya. You find that when Nebuchadnezzar descended from Jerusalem and the exiles of Zedekiah were under his control,⁸³The exile of Zedekiah, which took place in the wake of the destruction of the Temple, was eleven years after the exile of Yekhonya. the exiles of Yekhonya emerged to greet him. They were covered in black on the inside, and clad in white on the outside.⁸⁴They were secretly mourning the destruction of the Temple, but as residents of Babylon they had to outwardly celebrate their king’s victory. They were lauding [Nebuchadnezzar] as they met him: The barbarians have been conquered! They would ask:⁸⁵They would ask those who had now been exiled with Zedekiah. ‘What happened to my father, what happened to my brother, what happened to my son?’ They would say to him: “Those who are to death, to death, and those who are to the sword, to the sword” (Jeremiah 15:2). They would laud with one hand and lament with one hand, to realize what is stated: “Your splendor will be upon your heads…[you will not lament and you will not weep]” (Ezekiel 24:23).⁸⁶Although the exiles were inwardly mourning, they could not express that outwardly, as foretold by this verse.
“Before the silver cord is severed” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – this is the genealogical chain.⁸⁷Families of impeccable lineage kept meticulous genealogical records and were careful to marry only families with similarly impeccable lineage. This ability, and certainly the records, were lost during the period of destruction and exile. “And the golden bowl is shattered” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – these are matters of Torah, which are “more desirable than gold and much fine gold” (Psalms 19:11). “The pitcher is smashed at the spring” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – two amora’im, one says: The pitcher of Barukh at the spring of Jeremiah,⁸⁸Barukh ben Neriya was the disciple of Jeremiah. The transmission from master to disciple was disrupted. and one says: The pitcher of Jeremiah at the spring of Barukh. That is what is written: “[Then Barukh answered them:] From his mouth he would recite [all these words] to me [and I would write on the scroll with the ink]” (Jeremiah 36:18).⁸⁹In this verse, Barukh copied down what Jeremiah said. The midrash may be alluding to the fact that Jeremiah was dependent upon Barukh’s skill as a scribe, which was enhanced by Divine inspiration (Maharzu); alternatively, Jeremiah the teacher was enriched by his student’s insights and questions (Etz Yosef). “And the wheel is shattered into the cistern” (Ecclesiastes 12:6) – this is Babylon, which is the low point of the world. Rabbi Yoḥanan said: “Who says to the depths [letzula]: Be dry” (Isaiah 44:27) – [the depths] are Babylon. Why is it called “the depths”? Because the waters of the Flood were submerged [tzalelu] there,⁹⁰Some emend the text to read: Those who died in the Flood were submerged there (Etz Yosef). as it is written: “As Babylon caused the dead of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the dead of all the land” (Jeremiah 51:49).
Reish Lakish said: It is written: “They found a valley in the land of Shinar, and they settled there” (Genesis 11:2). Why is it called Shinar? Because the generation of the Flood was emptied [sham ninar] there. Alternatively, Shinar, because they are emptied of all of the mitzvot,⁹¹The Jews who were exiled there no longer fulfilled the agricultural mitzvot, which apply only in the Land of Israel. the mitzvot of terumot and tithes. Alternatively, [it is called] Shinar because [its inhabitants] die in deprivation, without a lamp and without a bathhouse.⁹²Shinar is thus understood to mean she’ein ne’or, “no one is awake” at night because they have no candles (Midrash HaMevo’ar). Alternatively, Shinar, because they die as lads [ne’arim]. Alternatively, Shinar, it is a city whose princes are lads and reject the Torah. Alternatively, Shinar, because it produced an enemy and a foe [soneh ve’er] of the Holy One blessed be He. Who was this? This was Nebuchadnezzar.
“And the dust returns to the earth as it had been” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) – they were from Babylon, and there they returned. “And the spirit returns to God, [who bestowed it]” (Ecclesiastes 12:7) – this is the Divine Spirit. When the Divine Spirit departed, they were exiled. Once they were exiled, Jeremiah would lament over them: How [eikha] does…sit solitary?” (Lamentations 1:1).

Rabbi Tanchuma said in the name of Rabbi Eliezer and Rabbi Menachem in the name of Rav said, "Adam taught all the craftsmen, as it says, 'And the craftsmen, they are adam-ic,' (usually, 'merely human,' Isaiah 44:11) i.e. they are from Adam." The Rabbis taught: "Even the ruling of manuscripts, Adam taught, as it says, 'This is the book,' i.e. it and its ruling, and continues, 'On the day that God created Adam;'" (Genesis 5:1) this accords with that which Rabbi Elazar b. Azaryah said, "Three wonders did God do on that day: On that day he created him, on that day he attended him, and on that day he gave him offspring." Ben Azzai said: “These are the generations of Adam" (Genesis 5:1) is a great principle in the Torah. Rabbi Akiva said: "This is a great principle of the Torah: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' (Lev. 19:18). meaning that one should not say, 'Since I am scorned, I should scorn my fellow as well; since I have been cursed, I will curse my fellow as well.'" Rabbi Tanchuma says, “If you do this -- know that God made the person you put to shame in His own image."

The second trial was when he was put into prison for ten years—three years in Kuthi, seven years in Budri. After ten years they sent and brought him forth and cast him into the furnace of fire, and the King of Glory put forth His right hand and delivered him from the furnace of fire, as it is said, "And he said to him, I am the Lord who brought thee out of the furnace of the Chaldees" (Gen. 15:7). Another verse (says), "Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of the furnace of the Chaldees" (Neh. 9:7).

THE DEATH OF SARAH AND THE STORY OF ISAAC AND REBECCA
SIX (people) were called by their names before they were created, and they are: Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Solomon, Josiah, and King Messiah.

... Teach us o teacher: toward where should one who prays orient his heart? This is what our Rabbis taught: one should orient his heart toward the place of the Holy of Holies (Berachot 4:5). R’ Eliezer ben Yaakov says: if one is praying outside of the land, he should orient his heart to the land of Israel. If one is praying within the land of Israel, he should orient his heart to Jerusalem. If one is praying in Jerusalem, he should orient his heart to the Holy Temple. If one is praying in the Holy Temple, he should orient his heart to the Holy of Holies. R’ Avin the Levi said: “our neck is like the Tower of David, built as a model (talpiyot)…” (Song of Songs 4:4) What does talpiyot mean? The hill (tel) toward which all turns (peniyot) are directed. And after all this praise, it is written “Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let the fire consume your cedars.” (Zechariah 11:1) And so too they said “He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) Israel said to Him: Master of the World! How long will it be like this? Did You not write in Your Torah “…the one who ignited the fire shall surely pay” (Exodus 22:5)? And You are the one who ignited the fire, as it says “From above He has hurled fire into my bones…” (Lamentations 1:13) You need to rebuild it and to console us, not at the hands of an angel but You in Your glory. The Holy One said to them: by your life, so I will do! As it says “The Lord is the builder of Jerusalem; He will gather the outcasts of Israel.” (Psalms 147:2) And I am the one who consoles you. From where do we learn this? From that which they read in the prophets “I, yea I am He Who consoles you…” (Isaiah 51:12)

Rabbi Azariah said: Know thou the efficacy of charity. Come and see from the instance of Shallum, son of Tikvah, who was one of the important men of his generation, giving charity every day. What did he do? He filled the bottle with water, and sat at the entrance of the city, and he would give water to every person who came on the way, restoring his soul to him. On account of the charity which he did, the Holy Spirit rested upon his wife, as it is said, "So Hilkiah the priest… went unto Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum, the son of Tikvah" (2 Kings 22:14). Originally his name was "the son of Sachrah"; just as thou dost say, "Merchandise is better than the circulation of money" (Prov. 3:14). One Scripture text || says, "The son of Sachrah." When her husband died, the charitable deeds of her husband ceased, and all Israel went forth to show loving-kindness to Shallum, son of Tikvah. But they spied the band, and they cast the man into the sepulchre of Elisha, and he came to life, as it is said, "And as soon as the man touched the bones of Elisha, he revived" (2 Kings 13:21); and afterwards he begat Chanameel, as it is said, "Behold, Chanameel the son of Shallum thine uncle shall come unto thee" (Jer. 32:7).

... “From the rising of the sun until its setting…” (Psalms 113:3) When flesh and blood wants to make an image, it begins with the head and ends with the feet or begins with the feet and ends with the head. Not so the Holy One! When He makes man, He shapes him all at once, as it says “…for He is the One Who formed everything…” (Jeremiah 10:16) This is ‘from the rising of the sun until its setting.’ And from where do we learn that He created it from Zion? As it says “From Zion, the finery (miclal) of beauty…” (Psalms 50:2) From out of (m’clal) the beauty of the world. What does ‘appeared’ mean? Illuminated. Appearance always refers to light, as it says “…and causes the light of His cloud to appear.” (Job 37:15) From where do we learn that this is speaking of the world? It says here miclal and it says elsewhere “Now the heavens and the earth were completed (vay’chulu)…” (Genesis 2:1) And when He destroys it, He will start from Zion, as it says “And I will make Jerusalem heaps of ruin…” (Jeremiah 9:10) and afterwards “All the land shall be a desolation…” (Jeremiah 4:27) And it says “And the land shall become desolate with its inhabitants…” (Micah 7:13) And at the time when the Holy One renews His world He will renew it from Zion, as it says “…the mountain of the Lord's house shall be firmly established at the top of the mountains…” (Isaiah 2:2)

“And her days to give birth were completed…” (Genesis 25:24) Below they were lacking, here they were full. Below where the word twins is written full, with the letter aleph, Peretz and Zerach were both righteous. Here it is written without an aleph, Yaakov was righteous and Esau was wicked. “And the first one emerged ruddy…” (Genesis 25:25) R’ Chaggai said in the name of R’ Yitzchak: in the merit of “And you shall take for yourselves on the first day…” (Leviticus 23:40) I will be revealed to you first, as it says “I am first and I am last” (Isaiah 44:6) and I will exact retribution on your behalf from the first who is Esau, as it is written “And the first one emerged” and I will build the first for you, which is the Holy Temple of which it is written “As a Throne of Glory, exalted from the beginning…” (Jeremiah 17:12) and I will bring for you the first who is the King Messiah of whom it is written “The first one to Zion, behold, behold them…” (Isaiah 41:27)

(Devarim 3:23) "And I supplicated (va'ethchanan) the L-rd": "Va'ethchanan" is a term of entreaty. "at that time to say": Let "to say" not be written. The intent is: Make it known to me whether I will enter the land or not. "Adonai": the L-rd (adon) of all who enter the world. "Elokim": With (the attribute of) justice did You create the world. "You have begun": You have begun to open the door for Your servant, in my entering the inheritance of the children of Reuven and the children of Gad. Variantly: You have profaned (i.e., broken) Your oath. You wrote in Your Torah (Shemot 22:19) "He who sacrifices to a god shall be condemned." Yet your children served idolatry and I sought mercy from You, and You forgave them. (Devarim, Ibid.) "to show Your servant": miracles and mighty acts, viz. (Shemot 3:3) "I shall turn aside and I shall see, etc." (Devarim, Ibid.) "Your greatness": This is the attribute of Your goodness, as it is written (Bamidbar 14:17) "And now, let the power of the L-rd be made great." (Devarim, Ibid.) "And Your (mighty) hand": This is Your right hand, which is stretched out to all who enter the world, viz. (Shemot 15:6) "Your right hand, O L-rd, is exalted in power," and (Psalms 44:4) "Your right hand, and Your arm, and the light of Your countenance." (Devarim, Ibid.) "mighty": For You subdue with mercy the attribute of justice, viz. (Michah 7:18) "Who is a G-d like You, forgiving transgression and passing by offense," (19) "He will return and be merciful to us, He will subdue our transgressions," (20) "You will give truth to Yaakov," and (Isaiah 45:23) "I have sworn by Me: From My mouth has gone forth righteousness, a word that will not turn back." (Devarim, Ibid.) "Who is mighty in heaven and earth": The attribute of flesh and blood — He who is greater than his neighbor nullifies his neighbor's decree. But You — who can overrule You? And thus is it written (Iyyov 23:13) "And He is One, and who can turn Him back?" R. Yehudah b. Bava says: Not as the measure of the Holy One Blessed be He is the measure of flesh and blood. The measure of flesh and blood: A man registered in the royal codex — even if he gives great sums, he cannot extricate himself from it. But You say: Repent, and I will accept, as it is written (Isaiah 44:22) "I have wiped away your offenses like a cloud, your sins, like a mist." Variantly: "Who is G-d in heaven and earth, etc." — But perhaps, outside of heaven and earth, there is! It is, therefore, written (Devarim 4:39) "And you shall know this day and you shall return it to your heart … there is no other" — anywhere! (Ibid.) "who can do as Your deeds and as Your (acts of) strength": "as Your deeds" — in Egypt. "as Your strength" — at the (splitting of the) sea. Variantly: "as Your deeds" — at the sea. "as Your strength" — at the streams of Arnon. (Ibid. 25) "Let me pass over na and see"." "Na" is a term of imploration. "the good land across the Jordan": As per R. Yehudah: The land of Canaan is "good," and not the inheritance of the children of Reuven and the children of Gad. "this good mountain": Jerusalem. "and the Levanon": the Temple, viz. (Zechariah 11:1) "Open your doors, O Levanon!" and (Isaiah 10:34) "And the Levanon shall fall by a mighty one (Nevuchadnezzar)." Others say: "Levanon" — these are its (Israel's) kings, as in (Ezekiel 17:3) "He came to the Levanon and he took its kings," and (II Chronicles 25:18) "The thistle (i.e., the king) etc."

An earthly king has dukes and viceroys who share with him in the burden of rule, and thus also share in the honor with which he is honored. But not so with The Holy Blessed One. God has no duke and no viceroy and no lieutenant. No other does God's work, only God alone. No other bears the burden, only God alone. Therefore, only God alone is to be praised.

"See, now, that I, I am He!": If one says there are two Authorities in heaven, he is rebutted — "and there is no god with Me!" — But perhaps He cannot bring to life or put to death or bring harm or benefit; it is, therefore, written "I put to death and I bring to life; I wound and I heal, etc." And it is written (Isaiah 44:6) "Thus has said the L-rd, King of Israel, and its Redeemer, the L-rd of hosts: I am the first and I am the last, and besides Me there is no G-d."

But in the end, the peoples will praise Israel (for the fulfillment of their faith in the L-rd), viz.: "The nations will praise His people." And whence (do we derive the same for) heaven and earth? From (Isaiah 44:23) "Sing, O heavens, for the L-rd has wrought; shout (for joy), foundations of the earth!" And whence, mountains and hills? From (Ibid. 55:12) "The mountains and hills will break out in song before You, and all the trees of the field will clap hands." And whence, the (fore-) fathers and mothers? From (Ibid. 42:11) "The dwellers of the rock will sing; from the peaks of the mountains will they shout."